The Sun.
London, England, 1809-02-24 00:00:00

EAST INDIA COMMITTEE.

Mr. R. DUNDAS rose, for the purpoie of moving
the4,re,appointment of a Committee to examine:into
the atrairs, of the East-India Company. He observed,
that -notwithstanding the labours of the last Commit-
tee; various points conneCted with the
,atlairs of the
Company remained to be cOn,,inered ; 'particular,
the finances and the trade of the Company had not
yet been so thorouAhly investigated as the necesAity
of the case requirvd. The 'seinZl lot) of the Members
to form the veceding ComMittee was such as he
should now ,reeornmend to the lionse to adopt,
with the eieption of Mr. Grenville and Mr. Hob-
house, not froM any disrespt;el to these Gentlemen,
but rcaq because their ether avocations had not
pettnitte_d them to attend the business of the former
CoinTittee. In their room he should prOpOse Lord
Temple and Mr, Addington., He then concluded
with moving, that a Selett Committee of Meal-
bors be appointed to examine into the Ittliirs of the
Vast-India Company, and to report the same front
time to time to the House,

Mr. CRERVItY contended that the proposed Corp-
mince was a mere mockery, inasmuch as it was
chiefly composed of official men, and those who,
from their conneation with transactions in the Lair,
and with the interests of the (.Itupanyti were the
least likely,- from a very natural bias, to point. out
and to corred• abuses. 'ft was true, that many of
them were ititiMately acquainted with the'East India
• affitirs, but they would have been too'clt more useful
as witnesses to be examined by a Committee. of
.0011* judicious men, who had no previon3 know,
ledge of the subjects than as forming the Committee
theinselvec There was the utmost necessity !Or
rigid inquiry hut, the Company's affairs. Burma
parte shouldiever make' his way into the East, as it
was not unlikely that he would, he feared that the
iirench would fin two mast useepl Allies to the
embarrassed finances of the Company, and in the
secret which our 'clespotistmand. oppression
had prOduced in die min Os of the nati've Winces of
India. He,. for one, begged4eave to enter his pro-
test against the 1144.!Atiou of such Cotutpitteeas

was now proposed, from which the experience of
the past led him to hope for no use-11 information
whatever.
Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY thought it rather an odd
way for seleding a Committee, to fix upon those per- •
tons who were ignorant of the business to come be- •
fore that Committee', to the exclusion of those who
were informedupon the sehjeft. The Hon. Gentle-
man had obieded to-htrn (Sir Arthur Wellesley) in z
pointed, he might almost say in a personal manner,
but he appealed to that Hon. Gentleman as to the
line of conduct pursued by him in the. course of the
proceedings of the late Committee. He begged leave
to observe; that itcould not be owing to any material
difference as to the sincerity of his views with respell
to East. India politics, for the onlytinte that lie bad
divided upon that Committee be had divided upon
the seine-. side with the• Hon. Gentletnan, and he
begged to assure the House that whenever the con!.
:duet of a Noble relation of hiS came in discussion
before the Committee, every proposition for the
fullest possible int'estigation should have his most de-
cided support. Much bad been said upon the great,
increase of, the Company's territories in India, but
he would contend, and was prepared tb prove, that
no war had been commenced, either by his Noble
relation or the Marquis, Corn vvallis, with any view to
territorial acquisition, but merely to resist aggression;
and it certainly would not be contended that after be-
ing forced into a war to resist these aggres-
sions, we should leave our enemies, at a peace, in the
same condition as when they commenced the I,V3r.
These wars had undoubtedly
been attended With
very heavy expences, because it was well known
that in uo country was war so expensive as in India.
He trusted, however, that the peace subsisting in .
India would continue, end he was happy to state
that since the peace which he had concluded in the
Decan in 1803, not a shot bad been fired there
He concluded with again declaring, that if the
House Shauld think proper to appoint him one of
the Committee, every proposition tending to an I-
quiry into his.own conduct, or that of his noblered-
lation, should meet with his decided support.
(Here a Message from the Lords acquainted the
House that their Lordships had agreed to the Militia
Enlisting Bill, with several Amendments, to which
they desired the concurrence of that House.)
Mr. CREEVEY,,in.explanation, denied that he had
made any personal objections whatever to the gallant
General ; his obje6tion was generally to those tilling
official situations.

fiord •A. HAMILTON, though he thought this
Committee better than none, must yet objea to the
mode in which it was composed, on the Same
grounds as his Hon. Friend. •
- Mr. W. SAIMI contended that impartiality, with
the means ok; obtaining inforrnation, was prcterable
to information combined with partiality.; and on this'
ground he thought the. proposed Committee objec-
tionable.

Mr. Wicseeroece supported the tormazion of the

Committee as now proposed. •
Mr. WHITBREAD said, that no personal objeai"
had been made to the nomination of any of the Gen-
tlemen who were proposed to compose the Com-
mittee the obje&ion was to the Officers h9lding,
particTo“, situatons, Thcfgallant Gentlal who Liao
just spoke had given a sufficient reason why lie should
Aut compose one of the Commit tee, which was, that
be was prepared to justify the wars which had ocf
curred in India for a series of pars, as just and ne-
cessary. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the
Secretary at War, cquld not give the necessary at•
tention to the investigation of the Committee, and at
the same time discharge their duty in their official
capacity to the public.'
Mr. GRANT wished that the Committee ld
won
make every possible ihiluiry into the aff.drs of tiro
East India Company ; and he trusted ttiat the'c°,
du& of the Direaors would appear fair and 'l°'
nournble.

Mr. PETER Nootta spoke at some length,
Stating
that the interference of Ministers with the affairs of
the East India Company had.ocusioned all the Luis'
chief which had befallen their affairs. He cool'
dered the constitution of the present
,Committee. as
only calculated to keep the public ignorant upon the
,subjett.
_ _ ,

Mr. Gso.JOIINETONF, said, he saw no impropriety
in making men who were interested in the atnirs
of the East India Company members of the Coin •
mittee. In the.year 1771, when the first Committee
was formed, Lord Clive was a Member °fit; although
he had before been arraigned for misconduct by
General Burgoyne. The Committee had only to
crillect evidence, and make their reports. It would
afterwards be for the, House to decide. l'he question
was then put and carried.
Mr. Citanvia then moved, that there be -laid be-
fore the House a Copy of the ExpesitiOn of tb
Affairs of the East India Company which was laid.
before the Select Committee last year.
Mr. DoN.Da,s objeded to dolt, on the ground that
it was a detached document., and that it would be
irregular to produce it unaccompanied by all the Pa,'
pens connected with it, to enable the House tofrlll
'a correct opinion upon the stibied. lhe
Mr. WntrXtits.tn: supported the motiotir en ~
ground 'that it would enable the Public to judge "Fan
East India affairs.

Mr. flowitan-spoke in faiour of the prad°4ll°3
of 'the Paper.
. Mr. GRANT observed,• that the result of the en'
guides of the Committee wan, that the Compan7i
was minus ten millions. Thii fait was already well
known to the public, and therefore he thought the
produaion of the exposition quite unnecessary. Hi?
observed, at the same time, that he did nop aril'
the Hon. Member justifiable in bringing such lair
etl4titsrapctresnitralin luret'llmeatincrebedefill t6lifetlh-leottCs:-.ffitilitt" ig
Mr. CttaavEy replied, that he was responslble
for
what he had done. He had aced from public too-
fives, and had done nothing but what he should be
willing tp do gain in similar circumstances.
atTlete, question
a division.wastli
then put, and
giv.
II
Mr. \Vsutt.rol laro ht up the Report of
Committee of Supply of yesterday.—The acolu7
lions were severally read and agreed .0.
la'os.ratt ga've notice; that, on Monday'llest?'
lie would ninve in a Committee' of Supply the "*".
mainiug "Irish Estimates. The Mutiny Bill was read,
second times and ordered, to be fotuntittO tg"
• f •
morrokv senni.gnt. • es,
Mr. -I-lusysloN pnatpnned the Navy gstinlat..,
tlot ttpod tor to.triorrow, till Monday- neNt•

. _
The CliAN,Cut(li of the. EXCOM72II moved the
order of the day fur the Elonse going into a Com-
mittee on the Corn Distillery Prohibition Bill ; but
before going into the Committee, he moved that it
be given as an instruction to the "Committee, •to
admit a clause into the Bill, empowering his Majesty
to, prohibit, by Proclamation, the distillation of
spirits from corn in Ireland,. how and when lie
should think fit.

Mr. Battit:ist; on the 'question being put with
respel to the instruction to be given to the Com.uit-
tee, argued at considerable length against the exemp-
tion provided by the Bill with respet to Ireland:—
He denied that the measure of last year bad pro-
duced' no saving of graiii, and no consumption of
suar. The fourth part of the spirits that had been
concealed in Ireland during last year had been im-
ported, and therefore he contended that any defi-
ciency that Might have taken place in Exciie, was
made up in the duties arising from CnstoMs. The
means of evading the regulation was no valid objecs
tion, as it might apply equally to all new ditties.—
Proper and effeaual steps, he contended, had never
yet been taken for the suppression of the illegal dis-
tillers. The grain in. Ireland was not proportionably
cheap-er than in this country, if he might judge
from authentic documents which he had received on
that.subject. The interests of the West India Colo-
nies were closely conneeted with the best interests of
the State, and though he admitted that nothing
ought to affea the corn markets of this country but
tulle' naturally arose from themselves, from their
abundance or scarcity, it was yet highly necessary-
thin the interests of the Colonies should be consult-
ed, in oroference to opening the ports for the grain
of any foreign country. Though sugars are now at
a high price, that price Was in a great Measure arti-
nein!, fear the stock in hand was greater than it was
last year. Exempting Ireland from the operation of '
the present iling he contended, was to destroy that
equali,y which ought to subsist between the two
coentries. To say that there was a combination in
Ireland to-distil' 'from corn•only, in. the face of an
Act of Parliament, was a libel both'on the feelings
and the n oderst endings of the people of that country,
who possessed too much good sense, and too much
loyalty, to wish to have their interests ever sepa-
Pated from those of this country. He was sure such
S wish never did orig;nate with the Irish people.—
The Hon, Member concluded by moving, that, in-
stead of the words of the original, the following
words be substituted--t' That an instruction be given
to the Comm4tee to extend the provisions of the
Bill to Ireland."
Mr. FosTan doubted much the accuracy of the
fheti alluded to by the Honourable Member.' The
tWhole duty on British spirits last year, imported into
relatul, was not more that; 70,0001. which fell far
Short of the 4th part of the consumption. Great
a,xertions had been made, art, well by the' former as
the present Government of Ireland, to suppress the
fdandestine Distilleries, but those exertions had
Proved without effea, and must prove still more in-
Llfeaual while the legal Distiller was restriaed to
4he use of sugar only. With reaped -to what the
4^4. 'Gent. had said respeCting the prices of grain, he
NCO leave to -State, that, according to the last re-
him he had received, the price was so low, that the
Importation was prohibited. But the Hon. Gentle-
islut r"ice !t;talt had taken a very inaccurate mode of judging of
of grain, because he had formed his calcu-
latirnt from the highest prices. Every Gentleman Conversant with
tion of the ye agriculture knew, that at this sea-
ar, the very .best grain was brought to
imarket for seed, and it certainly was not ,tair to take
tthe highest price, given for the very best grain, as
tthe general average price. He was ha to state,
!that. there was ppy.
no scarcity of grain in Ireland, and
begged tp apneal to the Gentlemen of that
01mtiy, many of whom were then in the House,
ihether they had ever seen the farmers' haggard',
FrettAr filled then they now were. As a proof that
the produce of 'lreland had been abundant, he was I
L'aPil to state an important fad, viz. that Ireland
mad supplied England, within the last year, with • Imre than one million. of barrels of oats ; and Ire-.
tient', he was convinced,' could continue to supply
Ithis country tilt the next harVest. The Hon. Gen-
ttlernan had stated, that 2000 quarters of bailey had
'been purchased at Lynn, in order to. be shipped for
Ireland, at 41is, prr quarter, If the fait were so, it
must. be intended for clandestine distillery; but
he was convinced that the Gentleinan roust
have been misinformed, because the average price
barley in Ireland was 335. per, quartereee-
His opinion was, that the agricultural interests of
the Country should never be invaded but upon the
apprehension of apprehended scarcity ; and he
,should prove that there was no such apprehension at
Present existing in. Ireland, to call for the continu-
ance at the former measure. He did not believe
that there was a man, in Ireland who wished time
distillation from sugar' to go on, save only those tote-
' rested itutividtula who had attended- the meetings
which were said to have taken place at Dublin,'
Cork, Waterford, and Limericli. In regard to the
meeting at Waterford, the Magistrates issued a no-
tice thr that purpots in the newspapers, but assigned
no grounds tbr opposing the measure, as the Petition
itaelf would shew. Every one in Ireland knew that
11:,(1 former Bill was soon to expire, and yet no one
it
,a-!.rne to petition Parliament in qrder to renew
-toe obvious reason was, that at this moment
theTe Wits an uncommon supply of grain in that
louetrY, 1
insomuch that 'England had received from
land last year an importation of one million of
barrels of oats, more than ever before occurred.--
sylle continuation of the prohibition would nut tend
.10 yield any more food either-for roan or beast. He
111(1 a
,return from the Officers of Excise, stating the
quantity of stills seized, together with their size and
mlimated produce, from which it appeared, that
trorn,the tOth of January to the 10th December,
808, unlicensed stills had been-seized capaUle of
diatillitng -800,000 gallon); of spirits per niontle—a
tylitotity that would amount to half a million of gal-
lons more than ever was formerly produced in Ire-
'and within time same space of time. Au idea had
,one abroad in several parts of Ireland, that the
clandestine stills afforded a more ready market to the
-rarst:la for their grain, which led these kind of stills
10 be in general favourites with the lower orders of
slit:
people. Now the ,abjea of the present mea-
3Ore was to bring the people,. to reason, and show
storm, drat by encouraging the legal sulk preferebty
l(J the clandestine stills, the market!) would be equal-
ly P.00(1,• suss, and advantageOus, and the revenues
'"Qteased. By putting the licensed stills tbus Ire

THE SUN.

iOLLM QUIS DICZItt IALIIVM AUDiiii?

L 0 N D IV;
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY
.24, 1809,

1r is with great pleasure. that we acquaint our.
Readers that Government have received Dispatches
from Admiral Kr:Ara, and
.that the apprehensions
which were .eniertained for the safety of our
Fleet in the; Sound were unlounded. The Dise
patches from Admiral KEATS are dated off Got.
tenburgh ; they state, that the Whole:of Our SqiiaLtron
was in safety, . witkt the exeeptieu of the Alarms
Sloop, which was lost ; but the whole of the Crew

were saved. The Sound is' now 'cuniplotely open.

WE yesterday mentioned the arrival of
,the Prin-
cess
.Charlotte Packet from Lisbon : by this Vessel,
Government have received dispatches from Mr. Vic-
itEttli. If we may give credit. 10 the Portuguese
Papers, the greatest enthusiasm-pervades every part
of Portugal,: and ' the greatest exertions have been
made by all daises of people, to enable them to re-
sist the French, who, it appears, have not yet entered
Portugal. . -

The following very interesting account from Spain
is extracted from a Portuguese Paper .

" Capt. Walker, of the 7 tat regiment, effeEted his
escape from,Madrid on the 24th ult. It was posi-
tively believed at.llladrid, that the garrison under the
command of General Ileliard, intended speedily to
evacuate that city. The French were tintifying.the
contiguous heights. The soldiers were extremely
discontented ; 'for, notwithstanding the order of the.
Governor,, prohibiting the carrying gf, arms and
knives,
.or the wearing of cloaks afterAtin-set, num• •
bers of them were assassinated every. night. To such
a pitch was the resentment of the people, carried, .
that General. PenqUe was assassinated by a woman ;
General Grand Nielson' was fonitd dead on 'the 31st
of December ; General Bert hier, the Prince of Neuf-
chatel, died. of a wound received in one of his arms,
which it was found necessary to amputate. It was
the general opinion inuong tbe french Officers that
Buonaparte had set off for France. There 'y'ere
various conje6tures as to the cause ; the mast- liene-
,
rally cretlitectwas-, that a rupture, between the Cabi7
net of the 'Vhuilleries and the Northern Powers
casioned his abrupt departure from Spain: Joseph
Buonaparte, at big entry. into Matirid, on the
‘2, 2 d of December, was receivOd with a gloomy di'.
lance ; he was not greeted with a single acclamation
in any part of the city. It was currently reported
in,Madrid, that the DukeOf Infautado's army con-
sisted of so,ooo men; but nothing was positively
known of his position. General, Cllll3 has routed
the enemy at the bridge of Almarez ; every thing
proves the weakness of the enemy; and the Spa-
niards cont;nue to display the greatest enthusiasm."

VALENCIA, JAN. 6.—. The last French PapFrs
which we have received say, that the Austrian Am-
bas actor, Count METTERNICH, ii gone to Vienna
fora fortnight, oti some private business. The pub-
lic MaY judo whether the depatgure of a diplomatic
Minister, in such circumstances of 'affairs, could
have for itS object merely private business.
Tile Soprerr.eJunta hero has appointed fur one of
its Members most Excellent the Marquis oz

nuldLIA, in*tead of the Prince Pio. The critical
have.-=smut of the kingdOtn,, while it uneqUivOLaily
approves of ao excellent a choice, ahas determined'
that while his presence may.ht necessary to our
akmies, he Shall - remain with them; and not take
part in the pacific deliberations of the Government,
till the country shall be able to di>pense with the aid'
.
Of his valiant arm, and only require that of hi, royal
heart.

The Letter from the !juke of YORK, introducek
in our Parliamentary Report this day, will doubtless
make a kltrong.in*ession upon our Readers, as. it
.appears to breathe the language of conscious honour
and of wounded sensibility. That the course of ex-
amination has tended to, ekeito unfavourable opi-;
nions against his Royal Highness we know, and in-
deed some of the Public Prints have, without scruple,
'endeavoured to coral-it-those opinions in the minds
- •
.of the plea Much, however, as we lamented that
'eaings should occupy the National Coun-
sels at this important crisis, and much as we were
disgusted. by -the character, condu6l, • and gross li
contradiaions of some of the witnesses, we deem-
ed it our duty to suspend our judgment till the
subject had been fairly clisettied. By that principle
our conclUel will still be guided, and as we know-
that subsisintialjustice will be the ultimate result,
we shall resolutely refrain (loin yell 4.urutuents till
the whole case is before the Nation. Thus much,
however, we may be allowed to say, that we think
the Duke of YORK clise the proper time for sub-
mining his feelings to the Public at large, by wait-
iltg till had heard all that the witnesses
had to say against him.

Yesterd.ty his NlAJas-ry, Princesses AUGUSTA, SO-
PHIA, and AMRLIA, aCcompanied by Lady ELY, Ge-
nerals DERUDR, FITZROY, CARTWRIGT, and Colonel
TAYLOR, tot& an airing in Winchor Great Park, and
returned at ball' past twelve.
Yesterd iy a Cabinet Coancil was held at Bur-
lington' Hou,e, at which were present his Grace the
Duke Of PORTLAND, the' LORD CHANCELLOR, EDI IS
CAMDEN, LIVERPOOL, CHATHAM, and BATHURST ;
Lords MULGRAyE and CAS'rLltititAdH Mr.. Secret-
ary. CANNING, and the CHANCELLuR,OI the EXCHE-
QUER.

From t.lic latest accounts froluArnerica, it appears
certain that the .pr..-01,1, of the United. Sia;es are de-
ternained to obtain a reptal ortlie Embargo Law, or
OppOSti the Government in' the execution of it.--
Or:rat disturbances already taken place, . but
there is+teason to applehend others of a moi) more
description. The Coile..tou and Comptrolter
of the CU4oitis at 13ostou have been compelled to
relinqqish their slnations, being no longer:, in a oon-
.dition to enforce the laws. The military, i is said,
refuied to" fire upon the tumultuous meeting,
an being ordered by the c,aninander to du so. But
the most important fatt is, that the Government of
the United States bad sent a mill a y".or to New
Orleans; With the view, et, it is ~upposee, atprdr
venting the British from trading in the Ma,sissippi.
The teem), of 1803, between France, Spain, and
America, allo.ved the English to participate in t•lie
trade of that river; and if it shoulil now d.sputed
by the Governtnent of the United States, war with
Great Britain, intik be the consequence.
'The feelings of the'people of New York v. crc
strikingly evident, in the .iceount Whieh' we gave on
WedtiesdaY last, resiAtding the in:inner in which.
they cheered a vessel tha: ftom that place
in defiance of the Embargo ; and
_the following
article i 4 stro-rigly expres,,ive of the sarne
ments .

EXTRACT OP A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN
PORTLAND, TO 'IUS FRIEND IN Rub lON, DATED

PORTLAND* JAN. 14.

" Aspirit of oppugnation to the 0 grab me '
laws appears to prevail at Bath with increasing
warmth. A; Ship of 400 tons, loaded with cotton,
sailed from thence last Thursday. Report says, the
Captain' went to the Custoin-house; and demanded
a clearance for some port in the State, of thee
.customary hands tor -twice the amount 'of the.vcssel
and the cargo. The Officer refused tngrant him a
clearance, unless he gave bonds for 90,006 dollars,
thrice the amount of the'cargo,' This the Captain
refused, telling the Officer he would proCeed tu sea
ip defiance of hits, hod that he might prevent him
Witte could. . • • .

Accordingly, as the striking of the bell for one,
the signal fixed upon, forty men jumped on board,
loaded some catinen they had placed on the deck,
and proceeded. ClOwh the river. The Cotter at-
lempted to stop them, but was beaten off; and when
they reached the fort, the soldiers, after discharging
two heavy guns at them, retitsed to obey their Orli-
cers, declaringiliat they
,would not fire upon their
countrymen. The Ship saluted the fort, and, gave
three cheers as she pas.ed."
Extract of a Letter from Lisbon, Feb. 1 The
enthusiasm prevailing throoghout Portugal, is be-
yond description. -Evary Man.; old and young, is
anxious to be enrolled to fight in his country's cause.
Messrs. CALDAC:and FRAYS. A. Macusori, Mex.
chants of this City, have organized. two regiments,
one of cavalry, the other-ot infantry, paid, clothed,
and accoutred at ;the expenee of the individuals
enrolled in them. The regular; irregular troops;and
masse, art% conyineed that they have no leaders--
the voice of the Portuguese nation loudly calls for
the. Hero of Vimiera, Sir. A. 14'z:44.014Y, to lead
them to combat. I sincerely hope the British Go-
vernment'will send Sir Aartitra Out tows immedi-
ately. Confidence ip a skilful and successful Gene-
ral ought to be indulged. Sir ARTHUR should be
sent out with full powers, and a well appointed
army. The people have no confidence .in the Re-
gency. Such being the case, the sooner the man
called for by the Portuguese is sent Out, the more
their enthusiasm willincrense."

. It appears by other letters from Lisbon, that the
Friars in the diffetent 'convents of Portug4 had
armed theistselves in large bodies j that the greatest
enthutliasin prevailed, and that they speak with con-
fidence of being able to repel a:ty attack of the
enemy.