The Sun.
London, England, 1814-05-14 00:00:00

CONVOY

' Committee on.the,Convoyll,,Mr. Rost4
proposed that the former ..Act should lic renewer!.
Mr. CAtzts.3lstp objected to the total renewal of'
the Mil. A-regulaann had been adopted, hy.
which running ships were nut suffered to pro,!eeit
to the Wet Indio,* and the convoys had, instead
of being augmented,. since been decren:ed. In one.
instance, a convoy had been detained from Fe,"
hruary almost up to the, present time, and the
11111141)er of merchant shins-to sail with it were in-
consequence increased from about -15-0
400. ,This was an ineonvenierft. number to
and produced great 'inconveniences in thelnw:lutt
for which their eargoes were destined. He wi..,ht
et! some txgUlations- to he intraemeed which.
ships properly armed might .sail &idiom convoy,.
on giving proper 'notice.
Mr. HOSE thought the regulation .recomtnended
by the Right4on. Gentleman would be productive
of many inconveniences.- •

Mr. CROKEII said, before . the American war
there was .no• danger in the Western Seas, and
licenses had been freely granted to 'ships to sail
Without Convoy;- bnt from the commencement of
the American war, when all
.the American men-.
cbantmen became privateers, and when thousands
of them were on the Western Seas,then as a license
to sail was only a license to be captured, ships
had not been s'uffered to go without convoy. The
number of convoys appointed was thought suf-
ficient for the protection of the trade.. There were
constantly eight ships of the line, eight frigates;.
and from 16 to 20 sloops employed on this service,
and generally not fewer than -16 ships of the line;
10 frigates, and from 20 to 30 sloops. The Ame-
rican merchants had, in the hrst.year of the war,
been-content with three convoys trorn Spitbcad
and three from Cork, but fouri from each place
had since been appointed to sail in the Year. The
delay spoken of by the Right Huh. ..31eritleinan
must have been caused by some circumstances
which• could not be .foreseen. To arm merchant
vess.els would be worse than useless, as.t he Ame-
ricans woaid over-arm them, and onpose superior
force'to any they could carry. To prove that.
they 'were anxious to suffer ships to go. withons
convoy •w en the danger was not great, he stated,
that on the Convention being -signed betwetil
England and France; the Mediterranean had heeu
made- an exception fram those seas to which ships
might-not sail without protection.
• After some observations on the inconveniences
experienced by merchants tinder the pr,. seat
Lition,. to which Mr.-Ceoleer replied,
Mr. -CANINIZi'G proposed to make the Bill giye
the Aahniralty the power of giving notice to Mott
plansees ships might 'proceed at any time withot:t
,coitVOy.
CRO-KFR thought this regulation Would
defeat itself,
the enemy where to seek
for our -merchantmen ti,,
could keep his own secret, when permitted to
sail 'by licence, there could be no danger. Ile
was sorry to say it, but there were persons in this
cotintry base enough' to give America the min utt.,t
-inforthatiOn on these'.points. An instance of this
was furnished a short time back : a privat,:er
taken which was waithig for a particular ship, t! mi
name of. which she had been possessed of ; and
the day after, she' and the ship which captured
her, fell in with the very vessel for which the pri-
vateer had been waiting. .
Mr. MAnar.AT'r co'rroborated the statement of
the Hon. Gentleman, and stated a case which hod
conic to his knowledge of a similar nature. The
present system gave so much security to trade,
that vessels were now Underwrit for Peace pre-
miums.

'After a few words from General GASCOIGNC, the
Resolution before the Committee was agreed to ,
the House resumed, and the Report 'was ordered
to be received on Monday.
THE .CATHOLIC BOARD.

Mr: .KNOX. doubted not_ the Gentlemen opposite
were aware of the proceedings in several towo4
in Ireland with respect to the C'.atliolic Board. He
Wished to knot," if it was intended to put it down,
as. it cats-now complained of as using' an intoler-
able grievance: ?.
Mr. PEELS would be .happy to give the Won.
'Gentleman any information -on- the subject,
this vrasia matter which rested within the •Exeett-
tive.Government of Ireland, and be.did not feel
himself called upon to give any, anstyet
Mr. lox said, large poi tiOn of the people of
Irefand were very atneiotts 'on this subject, and -he
thet (Aare wished to ascertain the sentiments .of
•GOverninent, if they: had node their minds up
on it.