The National Register.
London, England, 1808-02-01 00:00:00

TILE LATE SERVICES IN TIIE BALTIC.

Lo RD CAsrt.Eßr AG if rose, and after bestowing much applause
on the officers concerned, he concluded with a motion similar to
that of Lord Hawkesbury in the House of Peers for thanks to
Lord Cathcart and those under his command.
If. IND!! 4st said, that in a measure of this kind there was
al u a vs to be found a third party who were eagerly looking for-
ard. for a share of the applause. The Tower guns were not to
be fired for nothing: but in this case Ministers were as emulous
of approbation as those who had done the greatest service for
their country. He had no doubt but the army and navy had
done their part, awl it was well known that single ships distin-
guished themselves during the present war, and particularly a
packet lately in the West Indies, and he was astonished, since
votes of thanks became so common, that the Noble Lord did not
tame for one for the commander of that packet, for his bravery.
The public did not approve of the Expedition, and was at a
Irsi to comprehend why Ministers would prcis a question of a
nature so odious. He was also astonished, why Lloyd's Coffee-
house was so backward in giving their vote of thanks to the
arm% and navy on this occasion; that might, however, he
accounted for, when the Captain of the Fleet was ransack-
ing the town for old hammers and bits of iron, while the trade in
the Baltic was suffering by the activity of the enemy's priva-
teers, which ultimately touched the pockets of the gentlemen at
I.losit's, The Hon. Member was likewise surprised why the
Transport Board was not included in the Vote of Thanks, for
the Commissioners had a great share of the merits attached to
that expedition, particularly in furnishing plenty of ships to
bring home the stores. It was true, Lord Cathcart had distil).
gai him elf as a subaltern in the American war, and lately
as a commander in Ireland ; but further the public did nut know
him ; and as for Admiral Gambier, his naval exploits were
limited ; however, he did not see any thing splendid in the
affair of Copenhagen to entitle them to those high honours
lately conl',•rrrd on them, and he was sure, when they found
their new honours awl titles in the Gazette, they must he
equally astonished, as they claimed no merit from their services.
Ministers in this Im,iness reminded him °fa man going to a Lord
Mayor's sheu , who had a wooden leg, and for the sake of being
distinguished from the vulgar, had it gilded ; so it was with the
Noble Lord, who wanted to impress on the public mind the
rreat importance of the attack upon the defenceless city of
l'openhah

Co.iscricon or rig Excn rqr ER NV islied it to he under-
stood that the Merl 13 or demerits of the Expedition should be
entirely set aside on the present question. The army and navy
had done their duty, which entitled them to the thanks of that
I louse ; and had not the service been performed, he was certain
the navy of Denmark would have ultimately been employed
in the inva4on, if not the destruction, of this country.
.11n. 'lt rox Et- condemned the titles given by his Nlajestv to
Lora Cathcart and Admiral Gauthier, on the icore that their
ter% ict• did tint merit them.

The PE 41 I:u N. as requested to communicate the thanks of
that !louse to Lord Viscount Cathcart, and the (Aileen; and men
under It:s command, at the capture of Copenhagen ; to Admiral
Lord ('ambler, Admiral Stanhope, and Sir Ilu►ue Popham, as
(cell as the. Marines and Seamen.