The Sun.
London, England, 1807-02-03 00:00:00

I iiISH. FINANCES.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT moved the order of the
day for the House to resolve. itself into a Com-
mitt,ee on the Mali Treasury Biiis Bill. He "loped
that, before 'the Speaker quitted, the House would
indulge.him with a few words, for the purpose of
clearing up some doubts with reference to a
statement made by an Honourable Member on a
fbrmer night. In moving. to bring is this Bill for
raising 1,000,0001. by Treasury Bilis, fur the service
,of Ireland, he trusted would not be thOught
that he had ..claimed an unwarrantable confidence,
when it 'was'' considered that a power had been
given the 'lrish Government to raise half a million
for the service of the last yoll7, which power had not
been used, nor had any Treasury Bills been
He would ask, whether it could with justice be pre-
sumed that the Irish Finances could be in the situa-.
tion an Honourable Member had described them,'
,when thelrish Government had not found it_neces-
sary to avail itself of a power to raise haif a million
of money ? feta, there had been 'no occasion for
-makinz; use of that power : on the contrary, he ,had
been able to discharge a debt due from the Irish Trea-
suiy to the English Treasury of a sum of two hun-
dred and seventy-six thousand pounds adyanced by
the English Treasury for payment of the Lottery
Prizes in 1802.—That was 'no proof Of a failure of
the Irish Finances. There was also a sum of 146,0001,
of Irish money- in the country unapplied, and there
remained, after allowing for the subsistence of 'the
ArMy, a 'sum of upwards of 560,0001: belonging to,
Ireland. He was extremely sorry he had not been
present when a Noble Lord made hiS financial
statement, which did so much honour to the re-
sources of the country. But it was necessary he
should take the first opportunity of deprecating
any comparison between the finances 'of Great
Britain and .freland, and of contradicting the as-
sertion, that beCause one country could not raise a
large portion of Supplies within the year, that there-
fore it is in 'a bankrupt: state: Those exertions
which the great wealth and pfogressive increase of
'commerce and mantifai-..aires, enabled this Country
to tuills;e, Ireland was incLipable:of; but for the dis-
charge of her engagements', namely, the interest of
her-cieLl and Sinking Fund, her revenues were more
than competent. The revenues of Ireland last year
amounted to, 3,800,0001. a sum more than adequate
.to her whole expenditure. He had thought it ne-
ces,ary to tresp..ss thus much on the time of the
House, and regretted that he had been prevented by
indisposition from attending on a former night

• • • a. • Al, Lit;liCl.
MAU MIA CbtenreU
Ireland as being in a bankrupt state. The Hon.
Gentleman had certainly taken a false report of what
fellfrom him. His argument was, that Ireland had
a revenue but little more than sufficient to-pay the
interest and charges of her debt, and that it !would,
consequently, be necessary to raise 4,000,0001.
annually injhis Country, by way of loan, 'for the
service. of Ireland; which he conceived would in-
terfere with the statement of the Noble Lord.
He' had, in fad' stated the Revenue of Ireland at
3,800,000. If therefore the Right Hon. Gentleman
meant to repel the charge of Ireland'i being in a
bankrupt state, he was repelling a charge of his own
imagination. He thought, and had merely stated,
that larger loans would be required to be made in
this Country than the Noble Lord had assumed.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said,, that the Hon.
Member, although he admitted the Revenue of Ire-
land to be 3,860,0601. yet seemed to infer that the
interest and civil charges exceeded it. He was at
loss to conceive what he meant. By the AEt of Union
Ireland had nothing to pay but the interest of her
Debt and Sinking Fund. That, on the Ist of Jan.
1807, was 3,132,0001. which dedueled from the re-
venue of 3,800,0001. left a surplus of near 700,0001.
Certainly'What had been stated in' Other places with
respee't to the Honourable Gentleman's speech bore
a very different aspen. -
Mr. JOHNSTONE repeated.that he had merely said
it would be necessary to borrow in this Country
4,600,0001. for the service of Ireland.
The Bill then went through' a Committee, and
the Report was ordered to be received to-morrow.
MR. DkVISON.

Lord iiRCHIBALD ethilLTON rose, and
observed, that since he had given notice of a Motion
respelling Mr. Alexander Davison, founded on the
transaClions ,which had been detailed_ in the Third
Military Report, he had heard that proceedings were
pending against him at the instance of the Govern-
-ment. . Under these circumstances, and after a com-
munication, with his Noble Friend (Lord Henry
Petty), on the opposite side, he doubted whether
.this Motion Might' not be 'an unnecessary* trespass
• on the time of the House, and whethek it might
not interfere with and embarrass the measures that
had been already adopted. But the great importance
of the subject,' and the interest which it was calcu-
lated universally to, excite, would, he trusted, suf-
ficiently justify 'him jn • claiming the indulgence of
the House, while he read to them the Motion which
he intended to have• submitted to their attention.
This Motion was—" That the Attorney-General be
instrated to ascertain,what arc the best means to
be adopted for securing such Sums of Money as ap-
pear to be due to the Public, in consequence of the
Third Report of the Commissioners of Military In-
quiry."—Now, if it should appear that he had been
too hasty in this business, and had pressed the mat-
ter forward with rather too much eagerness, he
hoped that the fraudulent and iniquitous nature of
tie transaetion would be his excuse, if got his justi-
fication. Indeed, if the feelings that must naturally
'be excited in the breast of every honourable man, by
a review of this transa6tion, were duly appreciated,
he.doubted whether this was not a charge against
which he could scarce wish for a defence. Now
he conceived that many Gentlemen in the House
might Manic wished to, express their sentiments on
this subject ; and this was one strong reason for
bringing forward his Motion : and he felt it due to
himself to declare, that ne thought, from the nature
of the case, and the universal attention which it had
attra&ed, that the Report ought not to have re-
mained long on the table of the House without no-
tice of some such Mallon *es he intended to have

proposed. Besides this, he' had conceived that it

would haVe been much snore advisable that the pro-
cess should have been carried on by the direction
and under the sanction of this House, rather than at
the instance of the Treasury. indeed, he had not

yet wholly relinquished that opinion, though cer-
tainlyby his communication wito his Nuhle Friend
it had been very much weakened. The enormity.

of the offence was so great, and so general and ex-
tensive in its operation, that it called for the most
public and exemplary punishment. Nothing could

be so destruclive to.a.Goyerninent as thoseagents,
who, while they were,s well paid for the duties they
performed, yet made use of the confidence reposed
in them to plunder the Public—
The SPEAKER here interrupted the Noble Lord,
and said, that if' he did not mean to propose any
Motion, it would be inconvenient' and_ improper
to enter upon the particulars in a case of this
nature.

Lord A.' HAMILTON
,again rose, and said, that
he was sorry to trespass on the attention of the
House--but all that he had said, or .meant to

have said, was intended tnerel)i to account fpr
the line of conJu& which he had pursued in this
bumnesi.

Lord H. PETTY felt that any discussion of par-
ticular details, under the present circumstances,
were not stri&ly regular; but as the transactions to
which his Noble Friend had adverted had excited

such- general attention, he was disposed to avail
himSeit of this .oppOrtunity to state. what the mea-
sures were which Ministers had thought it right-to

adopt. He was .not surprised that these transac-
tions had attracted the attention of- his'Noble Friend,

of the House, and of the Country. The Treasury
had taken such steps as the nature of the case ap-
peared to them to require ; and the only objeetion,
to the Noble Lord's plan of having the proceedings
carried on by the order, and under the dtre6tion of
the House, was, that this might seem to imply that
his 'Majesty's -Ministers had not done what they
ought to have done in this business:=-4n the early
part of last autumn they had a cemintinication with
the commissioners ; and it appeared desirable to the
Lords of the Treasury that Mr. Davison should pro-
duce his cash account with General De Lancey,and
the Commissioners appointed for examining the

Barrack Accounts received instruEtions according-

I.y. Sd instructed, they sent two letters' to Mr.
Davison,. intimating the wish of theiords of the
Treasury, and desiring him to produce the ac•
count specified. To theie letters they received
no answer, and consequently gave notice of this

to the. Lords of the Treasury, and they,. sent
a peremptOry order to Mr. Davison to comply
with the requisition of the -Commissioners.--

To thisvat length, he returned an answer, and as-
signed some domestic misfortune •(the death of his
son) as the reason why he did not before attend to the

letters sent by the Commissioners, but at the same

/ume stated, that from the mode in which his a'
counts were kept, it would be impossible to se's
parate his cash account with the Barrack-Master'
General from his other accounts. This was re
ferred to the Commissioners, and they did not think
the ground of refusal sufficient.—They could not,
however, get' the account, and about a fortnight
ago, Upon notice of this, Mr. Davison was again
called upon. This was the situation of things,
The Report on the table, together with the who'd
of the correspondence, bad been laid before the At-.
torney and Solicitor-General, to consider what steps
ought to be taken to force 'Mr. Davison ~to produce
his cash account, and refund the, money of which
the Public had been unjustly deprived. The) had
reported their opinion, from which it appeared that
as a more
.speedy method of attaining the objet.t its
view, than a process in the Exchequer, it was de`
sirable that a - Bill should be passed-, if Parliament
would allow it, to enable the •Commissioners to‘
force the•produdion of accounts ; and he believed big'
Learned Friend was already prepared to give no.'
tice to that effeel.—They also were of opinion, that
there were not sufficient grounds for a criminal pro-
ceeding at -present, though , there might be further
evidence which would authorise even this. It
was needless, on this occasion, to enter upon an eX"
• amineition of the "Case, or to state his own opinion.
But measures were taken to elucidate these trans-
actions, and to dis Cover what might have been con-
cealed. Mr. Davison had lately intimated that he •
would produce an account in his own defence,
which would prove satisfactory. But unless he pro-
duced his cash account, he did not see how it could
be satisfactoty. The Commissioners, However, had
called for the cash account by the direction of Mi-
nisters, and directions had been given for the. re-
covery of the sums due.; every step, therefore,•that
could possibly be taken had been resorted to, and
therefore he flattered himself that his Noble Friend
would not repent the fair and candid manner in
which he had consented to withdraw his Mopion.
Mr, VANSITTART brought, in the Pension Dia!
Commissioners' Bill. Read a first, and ordered to
be read a second time to-morrow. ' •

te,

The Soldier and Sailor's Reduction Bill wog
committed. In
,the Committee,. Mr. STijRGES
BOURNE expressed his opinion, that the Bill should
be made perpetual., instead of being- limited to,
seven years.

Mr. WYNNE thought that great caution ought to
be observed in extending penal statutes.•
Mr. PERCIVAL said, that there was little occasiori
for that caution in converting high treason into 2
misdeineanor, which was in fad the effect of the
Bill.

Mr. WYNNE thought it best to limit it to seven
years for the present. The matter might perhapA
then be left to the ordinary statutes, and at all events,
it would be in the power of Parliament to inakv.
such provisions as 'the occasion might require.--.ReO
port to-morrow.

The Irish Gunpowder A6t was committed.—Re.
port to-morrow.

The ATTO4NEY-GENERAL ITIOVed- for a Copy of
the Commission under which Messrs. Bragge and
Harris ailed in examining the Barrack Accounts.—.
Ordered.

He then gave notice, that to-narrow be would
move for leave to bring in a Bill to enable these Coal.
missiotiers to compel thoproducc,ion of Accounts.
The Grain Intercourse Bill was read a third time
and passed:
MUTINY BILL.
Lord Howlex moved the second foaling of 0-0
Mutiny

Mr. ROSE wished to know whether the price of
clothing for the Royal Veteran Battalions was the
same as last year. .

Lord TEmILE. answered, that it was somewhat'
higher. He was not prepared to enter into tho
particulars at present, as he expe6ted no discussion
but he would in due time satisfy the House on thai
point.

- The Bill was then read a second time, and order-
ed to be committed on Friday se'nnight.

POOR LAWS.
Mr. WHITBREAD postponed his motion respeEling
the Poor Laws, from next Thursday se'nnight, to
next Thursday fortnight.
Mr. VANSITTART moved, that so much of the Act
'of Union with Ireland, as referred to the inaporta-
tion of spirits into one country from the other,
should be referred to a Committee of the whole
House. This was done, and leave was given to
bring in a Bill to suspend the payment of draw-
backs on spirits imported from Ireland to this coup.'
try, or exported from this country to Ireland.
The 'Canada Woollen Yarn Bill was read a second
time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.
The SECRETARY AT Wart presented Accounts, by'
order of the 'House, relative to the number of re-
emits
_procured for the army in different years.--1(
Ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.
me; GILES gave notice, that he would on Wed-
nesday move for Account of the Salaries and
EmolUments, of the Commissioners V, f the Sick and
Hurt Office, and their pensions after they retired.
Adjourned.

MAILS.
A R.A I VED—I Waterford. 1)u F. --z G.-.4tetibtzrgh, ListloN
I DubliH, t Waterford.

PRICE OF STOCKS
.‘
THIS JAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK.
Consols - -611 i

Ti 3 E S UN.

SOLEM QUIS DICERS FA:64M AUDIA.T ?

L 0 IV D ON,

TUESDAY, rEBRUARY 3, 1807.

,WE this day lay before ►our Readers the Official
Letter of Gen. BENNINGSEN to His PfiTJS3IAN MA'
JESTY, containing an_ account of the 13attle of
th‘e 526th December. This Letter tends very strongly
to confirm the opinion which, in opposition to
most of our Contemporaries, we have maintain'
ed for some days, viz. that the reports of the
total defeat of the French Army on the 27th, 28th,
and 29th December, were unfounded. It appears
that the Division ofLA,,sNts, DAVOUST, and Movr,

0

r,-;

r•

I.

Made a most violent attack upon Gem .13ENS'INGSM
with the view of getting possession of the Russian
kagazines. In this objet they were defeated, with
the loss of 5000 men; and were compelled to retreat.
Gen. BENNINGSEN; however, states, that from to-
tal want of provisions and forage, 'he was obliged
to retreat to. Rozaw. There, is a passage in this
Letter which contains a very severe refle6tion upon
Gen. BoxxoVDEN, fur not advancing with the Corps
tinder his command. We believe that he has
been sent to St. Petersburgh in disgrace. Re-
ports are in circulation of some A6lions having been
fought early in January, which terminated favour-
ably for the Russians ; but they do not come in an
authentic shape.

THE Duke of Kent. Packet Irril.ed at Falmouth
on Sunday from Jamaica, and from the Intelligence
Which she brings there is every reason to believe
that the valuable Island of Curacoa is by this time
in our possession. We understand that the Inhabi-
tants having expressed a wish to Place themselves
Under His Majesty's prote&ion, Admiral DACRES
sent a proper force to take possession of the Island
in His Majesty's name.
Curacoa has always been of great importance .to
the Dutch, who have been very zealous to preserve
the same, and to extend its commerce; many years
ago the Dutch West India Company refused to ex-
change it for the Spanish Island of Porto Rico. The
situation of this Island is of great importance ; not-
Withstanding it lies to the leeward of the West India
Islands, a good sailing vessel may beat up to St.
Thomas's, or any of the adjacent Islands on the
tither side. It commands the Islands to leeward of
it, br such as may be reached with a side wind, viz.
Porto Rico, Cuba, St. Domingo; and Jamaica. This
141.41 spot is in every respe& a pedal. military situ-
tiob. It contains the best, safest, and strongest
IlarliOur in the whole West Indies, and which will
hold upwards of 200 Ships of any burthen, and the
intrance may be defended with a trifling force. A
great extent of Spanish Coast; from the large City of
eatracas to the Isthmus of Panama, lies wider the
teach of this small Island.
This Island contains a population of about 8000
Whites and 10,000 Blacks and Mdlattaes, a popula-
§an not to be found in any of the ,other West In-
Oia Islands. The climate is very healthy, and not
inbieti to any hurricanes.
The commerce formerly took up yearly about 50
targe Ships, each on an average 3'oo tons, and the
IMnual quantity shipped from Holland amounted
yearly to near 566,0001. ;' the returns neatly double
i.hat sum. The exports from Holland consisted of
44111.Znian and Dutch linens and checks, 'East India
woollen and cotton manufa&ures, spices,
°nalcingeryi building materials, &c. and many
Sher articles for the ease• and luxury of the inhabi-
_nts and Spaniards. The imports to Europe are
Indigo,
coffee, sugar, hides, cotton, dye-wood, tor-
!iseshell, verinas, and Porto Rico tobacco, and some-
tittle cochineal; all articles of necessity and value.•

,e,Saturday Morning arrived in Leith Roads, the
4.0r/0/12 .armed ship, from a cruize, with a lugger •
rkivateer, of 14 guns and 50 men, which she cap-
tUred near Flamborough Head. The privateer is
Stated to belong to Dunkirk, and to have captured
*te Leith Packet, from Tonningen, bound for Lon- ,
4v°°. There were eight passengers on beard the ;
k.eith Packet, five of which were recaptured in the
titivated'.
The Virago Gun-brig, Lieut. HANCHETi, fell in ,
` Sunday night; the 25th ult. with a very large
trench Schooner Privateer, belonging to Bourdeaux,
Which she engaged for twentyfive minutes; but,
tiog to superior sailing, the Privateer got off.—
lent. HANCHLTT is wounded, but not dangerously.
BY late accounts from St. Petersburgh we learn,
%oat the Emperor ALExAsnen has issued an Ukase,
ordering, that " all Frenchmen, Italians, Genoese,
itOanders, and inhabitants of those parts of the left
the Rhine which have submitted to the sway of I
,ke Usurper of the Government of France, shall leave
tucCountry." An exception is made in favour of
'
men; as have resided fifteen years in Russia,
I.,l4,;tlaintained an irreproachable character, on their
I,—,.:ng an oath that, during the war they will hold
cchlimunication or correspondenCe with France,
tf any of the Countries to which the above descrip-
ipfs'4. aPplies. A breach of this, it is added, will sub- !
them to the heaviest penalties of law.
b The following communication has been received
y,a Tereantile house in Glasgow :
ST: 'lt PETERSBURGII, DEG. 1 I.—By a former
,JAasei one
man was ordered to be raised out of
lack, 100, which has already been completed.
On this day; it is said, another 'Ukase is to be
assued for raising four men out of each toe. Both
of these levies will produce 750,000 men.
" All French subje&s, and those from Countries
illtder their influence, in Russia, are ordered to be
'enrolled, and those Who cannot give proper accounts
ofNi., themselves, and such as are in-lower simations,
hose employers could not be responsible for them,
4 e to be sent over the frontiers without any cere-
1-11ny.
3.," A Commissary, a Jew, who, had engaged to
provisions, the Russian army with a large quantity of
revisions, with a view of disappointing them,' has
been in good ,time, discovered to be an
emissary of BoxApARTE, and has met the fate his
illany deserved."

Bar,i.D.—Th to- w
ere as no Court .of Aldermen held
day. The LOB 6,11,1 A YOH, after inspeairg the re-
turns,. ordered it to tali Yd.per peck.:

PA L S.

I FALMOUTH, FEB. I.—Arrived this day the Puke
of Kent Packet Capt. LAWRENCE, with Mails from
Jamaica, 46 days passage: by her we learn that the
"inhabitants of Curacoa bad expressed a wish to place
themselves under the proteffion of the British Go-.

vernment ; in consequence Admiral DACRES dis-
patched His Majesty's Ship Areihusa, 0.38 guns;
Fisgard, 38, and Latona 38, to take possession in
His Majesty's name.
Arrived His Majesty's Ship Resistance, of3B guns,
which sailed hence on the 11th of Oaober, with His
'Majesty's Ship Ardent, of 64 guns, for Buenos
Ayres; arrived at Jamaica on the 25th of November,
with intelligence of the re-capture of that place.—
She sailed again from Jamaica on the i ith of Dec.
---,His Majesty's Ship El Pomona, of 38 guns,
sailed from Jamaica in company with the Packet,
but put back again, having carried away her'top-
mast, and sprung her bow-sprit.—Arrived also the
TOWa,CONDY j Eliza and Margaret, and John and
Sally, from London ; and Eleonora, COLLINS, from
Swansea.

His Majesty's Brig Grasshopper, 18 guns, will
sail the first favourable wind, for Lisbon, with the
Vessels here under convoy.
Sailed, last evening, the Humler hired ship, with
the Four Friends, HOSKING I,and Thais, ROSEWALL,
for London and Prospero, BROADWITII: for Al-
tona. _

PORTSMOUTH, Fcs. 2.—Arrived the Spartan
Frigate, Capt. ASTLE, having on board Sir JAMES
SAUMAREZ, from tuernsey ; the Btanche Frigate,
Capt. Sir THOMAS /AVIS, from off Rochefort ; and
the Defender Gun-vessel from a Cruize. Arrived
also the Robert's ildventure, ATKINS ; and the
Cato, —, from Sunderland ; King Alfred, WOOD-.
MAN, from Swansei ; Hannah, ANDREWS, from
London ; and the Rigby; PARKER, from Lynn.
'The Xi/taupe, of 50 guns, Capt. BAZELY, is ap-
pointed Convoy 'to the East India Fleet colle&ed
at this Port, and will sail with those Ships as soon as
the wind proves favourable for proceeding.

DEAL, F. 2.—Sailed the Spiffire Sloop of
War on a Cruize.
Arrived the Arrow Schooner, and the Piercer
Gun-brig from a Cruize, and remain in the Downs
with the rest of the Ships as per last.

SHEERNESS, FEB. 43.—Arrived the Orion, of 74
guns, and the Sparkler Gun-brig, from the Downs.
Sailed the Hermes for. the Westward.

POOLE, FEB. f. —The Prosperous, SMITH Master
from Swanage, laden with stone, foundered aboUt
two leagues to the eastward of Bollard, and two
men were unfortunately drowned : the Master was
taken up by the Hope, TUCKER Master, of this
Port.