The Sun.
London, England, 1802-05-10 00:00:00

Walton Lodge, May 8, 1802.

BERKSHIRE.
TOWN-HALL; READING,
May 6, tFaz.
At a MEETING ofthe GENTLEMEN, CLERGY, and
FRE EHO LDE RS of this COUNTY, convened -by' Pub-
lic Advertisement froM the Sheriff, for the purpose of pre-
paringan ADDRESS of CONGRATULATION to HIS
MA D ESTY on the Restoration of PEACE ;
The Hon. THOMAS • WINDSOR, Sheriff, in the Chair :
Q IR• -NA THANIEL DUCKINFIELD,
0 moved' an Address, which was seconded by Sir Joseph
Andrews, and With-an Amendment proposed by tames Croft,.
Esq.. andsseconded by John Hudlestrin, Esq. was unanimously
•
carried in the following form :
To the KING's MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
. .
" We, your Mkjesty's most loyal and dutiful Subjeas,-
the High Sheriff; Gentry, Clergy, and Freeholders of the
County of Berks, humbly bee., Idave to approach your Royal
Presence, with.,our Congratulations on. the Restoratibit of
Peace/ • , •

" Your Majesty has had the, satisfaCtion of witnessing the
exertions of your. Subjeets in the arduous contest in which
they have been engaged, anti which will distinguish your
Majesty's Reign as cne of,the most brilliant periods of British.
Glory. But severe as these exertions have heen, we doubt.
not that they would be renewed with equalspirit and
the just.
support of.ypur Majesty's Dignity and -Honour, and the se.:
Curl tv .and independence of your
,People.
" We feel it our duty to say, that we owe our present 14:
piths, under the. protethion of Divine Providence; to the
Wisdom of your Majesty's Councils, and the unparalleled
bravery of your Forces by Sea and Land. -
" hat the,same Providence may long continue a life so,
justly endeated to the Nation in the possession of the bless-
ings of Peace, and Of every other blessing which the affix-,
tionate wishes of a grateful Country canconceive, is the fer-
vent prayer of your Majesty's most dutiful Subjects.':
Resolved, That the Address be signed by the High Sheriff;
in the name pfthe Meeting. -
Resolved,. That the High Sheriff' be
.requested to present
the Address; accompanied by the two Members of the Coun- '
ty, and suoh other Gentlemen of the County as think proper
to attend ,on the occasion.

THONIAS WINDSOR, Sheriff.
On the motion of Arthur Vinsittart, Esq. the Thanks of
the Meeting were unanimously voted to the High Sheritl, for
his attention on this occasion. •

Resolved, That the Mlnutes of this Meeting he inserted in
the Provincial and such, other Papers as the Sheriff sh.all
di rea.

Ara GENERAL MEETING of SHI4' OWNERS, held
by public rovertisement at the LONDON- TAVERN,
the 6th Day of \lay, 180 z, to IvceiVe the Report of the
CO M MITT.g E appointed at the last General' Meeting,
aid to determineontSpell further Measures which might be
thought advisable to -he,,adopted respecting the TON-
NAGE .D DUTY, and the-,prqent State of the Shipping
Interest of Great Britain.
Mr. HILL in the Chair i

THE CHAIRMAN. reported the ie-s'tilt. of the
Interview of the Committee with the Right.'l-lonour-
able the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that they had
beeti unable to i,aavince him of the impplicy.and injurious
tendency of the Duty intended to be icni.vsed on the Tonnage
of Shipping.
The Resolutions of the: last .General Meeting, and of the
Committee were then read and confirmed. •
Resolved; That it is the unanimous °Pinion of. the Ship
Owners . present at this Meeting, that from the present
state of Europe
there is every reason to apprehend the S hip,
ping.of this Country will decline, an 4 that any TaX, on that
species of Property will be attended with the utmost danger
to the State, by diminishing the great Nursery of British
Sea Men, and weakening the source of National Defence.
Resolved, That theCortiniittee be instructed to take such
measures as Miy appear to them best calculated to.obtain
Repeal of the intended Tax on the Tonnage of Shipping,
should the same
pass into a Law.
'Resolved, That it is the tuninirrions opinion of the Ship
Owners present at this Me.eting, that in order more efledually
at this alarming crisis to promote and protect the Shipping
IntereSt bf Great Britain; and to 'endeavour to prevent any
further infringenient of the Navigation Laws, it, is hulispen-
sibly necessary to form and establish a Society of- Ship
Ov,;fners, with Committees to be annually- Chosen from
amongst them in London and at the,Out Ports, who are from
tisne to time to enter into and adopt such Measures as shall be
requisite for the preservation of the in-IV-lieges which the
Legislature has in its Wisdoni conferred on the OWners of
British Ships.
ReSolved, That these ResoltitiOns be inserted iii the several
Newspapers, and transmitted to the Ship Owners at the Out
Por s.

IteSolved, That The Thanki of this Meeting be.giireri to
the Chairman;, for his able and impartial condud whilst in
the Chair.

. ,
Resolved, That Mr. Atcheson be appointed Setretary to
the General Meetings • of the Society, and of the Committee
in London.

(Signed)

T. HILL, Chairman.

At a MEETING of Lord-Lieutenants of Counties, Com-
manding Officers of Regiments or Corps of Militia, and
Members of either House of Parliament, having served in
the Militia, held at the Thatched House Tavern, on Wed-
nesday, , May 5.
li.SOL V ED,
THAT the MILITIA of ENGLAND; in its
original Establishment, as defined by the Legislature
in the subsisting Ad, is, " A respectable' Constitutional
Force under the command of Officers possessing Landed Pro-
perty, and hos been found capable of fulfilling the purposes
of its Institution, and through its constant readiness on short
notice for essential Service, has been of the utmost import-
ance to the Internal 'Defence of the Kingdom." -
Resolved, That the Militia, as above described, should be
preserved inviolable, and not be subjeded to experiment and
alterations, tending to subvert its principle.
Resolved, That the 'augmentation of its Numbers is not
necessary to the purposes of its Institution, which it has been
found capable of rulfilling, namely; That of being a safe and
Constitutional Force in time of Peace, constantly ready On
short notice, to resist any sudden and unexpeded effort of the
Enemy On ti he Internal Security of this Kingdom, as stated in
the Ad under which it subSists.
Resolved; That its increase beyond 41,024, will convert it
into a requisition for an Army, by a partial and unjust bur
then on one part of His Majesty's Subjeds, instead of an
equitable Tax on the Empire at large: That it will oppress
the Poor, and a portion of the Occupiers of Land,. instead Of
Taxing the whale Ethpire for the defence of the whole, ac-
cording to the extent and nature of their property.
Resolved, That these Resolutions he communicated by tfie
Chairman fo Lord Hobart, one of His Majesty's Principal
Secittarics of State.

WENTWORTH FITZWILLIAM,
Chairman,