The Sun.
London, England, 1801-02-20 00:00:00

House; because the faets,
by persons conversant in
agreed also, thriovhere th
suspicion, it ought to be I);
lieved every candid man-would also-agree-with:
him, that every time -an Expedition:faile4 it was
not: necessarily a groundfor inquiry. liebelieved
such a principle could not.be-mairstained, without
embarrassing the Service, and. producing unneces-
sary animosity. He did nor mean to state this.
consideration 'as a bar against. all, Inquiry, he
only meant to contend that they ought. pot
to be entered into unless, some strong ground
was laid before the Houses He knew,. that
with respect to this Expedition, there had
been many doubts and surmises ; but whatever
doubts any Gentleman might bring into the
House, he was sure that after what . they- -had
heard from his Right Hon. Friend and the. Hon.
General, these doubts could no longer 'remain.—
The'clistinti and convincing statement which the
Hon. General had made, seemed to have entirely
convinced a Learned Gentleman on the other side
of the House (Mr. JEKYLL), for he had declared
himself perfettly satisfied that there-was no blame
imputable to the Hon. General, but that he was
completely satisfied that the whole guilt remain.
ed with AdMinistration. The Learned Gentle.
man's benevolence of disposition seemed to be'
perfettly gratified with the exculpation of theßon.
General, more especially as it was coupled,
in his opinion, at least, with the condemnation of.
Ministers. With respect to the advantage that
would have resulted from this Expedition, if it
had been successful, there did not .seem to be two
opinions. It was admitted by every Gentleman;
that if it was an attainable object, Ministers
were justified in endeavouring to effect it.—
It did not appear that. Ministers had such infor-
mation as would have justified them in deciding
positively upon this attack being persisted in,
therefore they gave such instru&ions as enabled
the Hon. General entrusted with the Command of
the Expedition, to use his Own discretion. The
mode in which Gentlemen argued this question
was rather singular, for, in the first place, it was
. argued that the facility of the enterprize- was a
proof that the General had misconduded himself,
because he did not succeed ; and, on the other
.hand, it was stated with equal,positiveness; that
the difficulties attending this Attack were such as
rendered Ministers culpable in
_attempting it :
there appeared to him to he something more than.
military quickness in this transition from one
side of an argument to. another. This Expedi-
lion, however, not 'only appeared praCticable to
the Officer who was entrusted with the command
of it,
,and to the Ministers, : but to the Noble
Lord who had been alluded to (Lord ST. VIN-
CENT). That Noble Lord had now accepted
an important situation, which no man was titter
for than himself, and than whom no man was
more likely to fill it with as much gkry and ad.
vantage to the Country as the illustrious Person
whom he ,had succeeded. What was the. result
of this Expedition ? Why, a great experiment
had been made Without risk, and almost without
loss, which if it had succeeded .Wnuld, it ,was nd-
mitted on all hands, have been highly advan.
tageous to the Country. A Learned Gentleman
had, in rather coarse language, accused Ministers
of having slunk out of office, because they did
, not solicit this Inquiry : he -could really see no
kind of justice in this argument, for a man might,
be as. well -reproached with guilt, because he did
not solicit .a Grand Jury to find 'a Bill of Indid.-
,ment against him. The Learned Gentleman had
also termed the situation 'in which Ministers
stood, a kind of political non &script : he:saw
nothing in their situation which justified that
expression ; far their situation was simply this—
they had tendered their Resignation, which Re-
signation, had been accepted; but they remained
'a few days longer in office, in order to facilitate
the dispatch of Public Business, As to their re-
;sponsibility, they were very willing to admit
;that, which would be the. crise whether they ad-
mitted it or not, viz. that they would remain
responsible when they were private men.
Mr. GREY differed &rim all the Gentlemen
who had preceded : he did ;lot think that either
the Ministers, or the Hon. General, had com-
.pletely exculpated themselves. He begged to
'observe, that this was the first-War this century
in which there -had not been an Inquiry voted.
In former-Wars they were freqnent : in the se-
ven years War, whichiwas concluded by Lord
CHATHAM,' when the Expedition to; Rochfort
failed, though the same arguments; might then
:have been used against Inquiry that were used
upon this occasion,. yet that Noble .Lord found
himself hound to in'stitute an Inquiry into the
causes of the failure. Upon the present occa-
sion, ample ..tiMe had been given for a Military
Inquiry, hut it - had not taken place ; his Hon.
Friend was therefore justified in bringing forward.
this Motion. It appeared that there had been,
charges made by persons both in the Army and
Navy against the conduCt of this Expedition, and
though he was far horn saying that the impura.
tions which had been thrown our against the Hon.
General were founded, yet he thought they were
highly deserving of Inquiry. The Generals em.
ployed'in the Expedition ought to be examined,:
and their -evidence would be more satisfaftor,
than the Madrid Gazette. He did,not agree with,
the Right Hon. Gentleman who spoke last, that
if the object of this Expedition was attainable,
there could be no -doubt about its policy, for
he thought it not wise .to convert Spain from
an inactive to an active Enemy-. Mr. GREY
then proceeded to comment upon the time at
which the Expedition
:was fitted out, which,
he contended, was too late for the purpose
stated by the Right Honourable Secretary, viz.
that of assisting our Allies on the Continent,
for the Expedition did nig sail till our Ally, the.
hMP.EROR, was rendered inactive by the defeat of
Marengo. He concluded with .4,tating, that it
was the general opinion of the Country, that the
War had been badly conducted, and therefore
:linisters were bound, for their own sakes, as

was imputable toMinisters, but he thought blame
did- rest -somewhete.. A very large 'Force had
been einployed, r and yet the whole Expedition
had failed. The Hon. General had indeed given.
61.. Explanation, but the House had only- heard
one side of the question, and
.therefore it was .
that he should vote for the Inquiry.
Mr. DENT supported -the Motion. •!
General NORTON said, he conceived the Hon. • -
general who commanded this Expedition., justi..
fled by the opinions of 111€ Generals'" Who were
upon the spot with him.
Mr. PIERREPOINT said, he did not know
where the blame attached, but he had heard an
Hon. Relation of Sir WttLitaa MEADOWS, with
whom theiHon. General had serval, speak in the .
hthest terms of him, with respea to his skill
and courage. '
General LOFTUS opposed the Motion.
Sir 1 AMES PULTENEY said, that the loss
had been stated at too men, 'whereas in point of
faa, it , was .only 16, the killed and wounded
amounted_to 130 men.
Mr. STURf replied'. He f:ontendcd for the
Inquiry on the principle• that the number of the
English greatly exceeded that of the. Enemy.
The call for the Question becoming very gene.
ral, the House divided
-FOr the Motion
Against it

75
149

Majority against
the Motion 74 •
Adjourned at eleven o'clock till to-morrow.

THE SUN.

6 )111 QUIS DICLIZE: FALSeNt AL'ULA

LONDON, FEBRUARY 20, 1801.

One Ilamlargh MaiPstill remains duc.

HER MAJESTY yesterday held a Drawing-room f. 6
at St. James's Palace, which was attended by
Their Royal Highnesses the PRINCESSES, their
Serene HighneSses the Prince and Princess of
ORANGE, the. Bishop of WINCHESTER, ,the Im-
perial, Wirterriberg, Swedish,. American, Nea-
politan, and 'Bararian Envoys,..and.a number of
Noblemen and General Officet sr. with, the follow.
ing Fetnale.Nobility
Datchwer—Clundos anti Rutland. . :!
Afarciti&nrsles— Buekingluon and Bath.
Ciialtieilts—H3iciniton, Aylesbury, Bathurst, Niountporris
and 13011ire,A.
Ladies—C. She.ffield, M. Wirtyard-,- Buxton,-
Somerton, C. Somerief,:l; Dawkins,.!A: Wontbwc.ll,,
.Dynevor, Baker, C. Beauclerc, Young, CAtrington,
Crofton, Calthorpe; Radstock, Huntingtiald ax:d .Bis.
opp.
W. Solly and J..
Alifas —Buiton; Grimvone, Colman, Chester, Court.
ictirieiand:Crotton:' •

The Ma c.liitinosioi RAT tiXousi tessDr NEVoikas,
and Ladies BAKER; C.l3issHoPP, and J.
were at Court for the first time this season.

The two eldest daughters of Lord CAR KIN(:-
TON were introduced to the Qu F. EN by their
Mother Lady CARRINGTON.
Captain REDHEAD, on his promotion in the
Third Regiment of Guards, had the honour to
kiss *Her-Majesty's hand.
•The Countess Bums Ee it attended the Princess.
of Ok Arc E as Lady in Waiting:
At the cloie of the Court, HER Mn JI.'iTY arid
the PRINCESSES returned to Buekinghain_iiouse.
HIS MAJESTY will not hold a Levee at St.
James's, till Wednesday next.
The KING, we are happy to' hear, is much•
better from his indisposition.
His Royal Highness the PRrNCE of WAIFS,
we are well assured, has taken no part whatever
in the late. Changes, nor • expressed any opinioill;
upon the subjed, which has so unfortunately
produced a difference of sentiment in the cabinet.'

'~~~

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. I9.—The outward-bound
Mediterranean Fleet, !which sailed ,from Spithead
on Tuesday evening, did: not leave Yarmotith
Road till ye*rday noon, at which time the wind
.;.,
blew front the N.F. but in'itic'evcnin.git became
calm, and in ille.aisllt shifted to the S.W. front' •
which !pallor it tiow biows gale ; and it,
is expected the Fleet will.bc obliged to.put back.:
again,
Arrived' from a Cruize off the French Coast,
His Majesty's Ships Endrn;ov, Jason, it live,
Trent, La Loire, and La Sogie ; alsO the Beawt•
Sloop of War from the Eastward.
DEAL, FEB 19 •,—His Majesty's Ship Iris'''.
and Arrow Sloop of War, arrived in. the .Downs
this morning from the Westward, and remain.
The East ;India Company's. Ship Hindustan,
Captain MILLET, worked. down this morning
from the River, as far, as the Gull Stream, but the ;
wind blowing fresh from.. the South West,.'she
was obliged to bear up for Margate 'Roads.
The Duke of Montrose,
.Calcatta, and:Airl.v
Castle .East Indiamen„ put back this afternoon,
and remain. The Airly Castle, in bringing up, .
parted from an anchor, but on letting go another,
brought up again without further accident.
Sailed foil Standgate Creek, .tO .krform qua-
rantine,:the Danish Brig Anna
.10ecca, iIANs
TROMESON master, with wine and fruit, from
the Mediterranean, Prize to the Racoon Sloop of
War, and Stag Armed Cutter. „

PRICE U

STOCKS,

Ye ST

liipAY.

114nk Stock 151/
Navy ;per Cent.'9l 901 tl
s per Cent.. 17971 9 tiit-
lush 5 per Cer.t. 871
Ilei-Ceikt. Con. 7611
3 per Cent. Red. S 6 7.
3 per Cent. Con.s6i 61 1
pato Scrip-
Bank Long Ann. t 7 7.14 t
Ditto Short Ann. 5; 5- t
Ditto Scrip

India Stock JP
Ditto Bonds s. dig.
Exchequer 1141 h
New ditto
Lottery Tickets
Omniuni 21 3 21
I miler. 3 per Cent. ssi 6
Ditto Anna 10i 13.16
11.4mk tor Account
India for ditto
eons. for Feb. 56iii0

dis .

..

• _ _
_..... ___ .
...--.1...-..-=.- .....*-.....................-..--
__• .. -- _ ______
~
could only be judged of- well as for' that 'of the Of;leers employed in, the , ~"
Military Affairs. 'He Expedition, to concur in this Inquiry..
i
I
here was rgal.:ground for
cleared up;
_but he be. .. •
' Lord TEMPLE Was Of opinion' that no blame }.
• .ge .11111,614 ....isi A If% M;flie fF.1.0 kilt hp thnsorrlit hiAmn