The Sun.
London, England, 1804-07-04 00:00:00

FOREIGN TROOPS.

The SSCILETARY at WAR moved for the House
going into a Committee on the Bill for enlisting
Foreigners -resident in this Country, and forming
them into Corps.
Mr. FRANCIS earnestly wished to draw the
most serious attention of the House to this-till,.
which had ,for its first objea the introdueiion of a
considerable number of Foreign Troops into this
Country for its defence. He did not approve either
of the principle of this Bill, or of the manner in
which it originated; as to the principle of it, if those
Corps were,, as the °tint Foreign Corps, raised
principally for the purpose of serving the cause of
the Empire in Foreign Expeditions, he could have
no, objeelion; but, on the contrary, the Corps now
to be raised was avowedly for the better defence.
and security of the realm. There was nothing of
which Parliament had formerly shewn a greater
jealousy than of the introdunion of Foreign Troop"'
into this, Country,-and he did not altogether liked);
plan of trusting the Defence ind Security cf. the
realm to them. The manner of bringing on this mea.-1`
sure was different from what was the customary formi
it was usual for theliouse to be informed, by a Mes.
sage from His Majesty, of plans of such moment.
This circumstance attested the attention of the
House, and -measures so announced were then left
to the full discussion of Parliament ; hut here it
is merely stated in the Preamble of the Bill, t,ltal His
Majesty had thought ik proiter to enlist those men,
Without ever saying that it was Majesty,. by,
and with the advice of .the Privy Councils The
Estimates • were made fur Stoo, and now it ap...
peered 'kit near to,ooo Were to' be raised in this
manner. There was another,circuinstance of. this
which he, thought ,A as tvorthy the most serious atten.
'lion. Those Foreign Corps would consist, in all pro.
bability, chiefly of Roman Catholics, anti would
also, in .all probability, he officered by Roman Ca.,
thulic Officers. It appeared to him that it was some.
what extraordinary, chat Foreign. Roman Catholics
should receiveCominissions frookflii Majesty, at the
same time that the first Noblemen and CrentleMen of •
this Cauntry, who offered their services fOr the• De.
fence of the Country, have been refused. Cotorilig.
shins on iccoUnt of being Catholics. He had heard
that many 'British Troops had been lately sent over to
India au t Ceylon he should wish that those Foreign
.Tr.tnps should beAertt over there initead.of English.
Foreign Regiments had already behaved themselves
vet.), well in India, and mighrtio go again ; he wish..
owierofe,- very mach` that the destination 0311.
' those Foteign.Forcei, so to be raised, should be
changed, ykod, that they might rather serve the Coat!.
try ;throat!, than be considered necessary. to &tea,
it at home. • • •

, .
.'Tbi SE.CREttfRY at .W,AR saiti, that if a lon
anti public notice hadbeen given-?1 the intentipria3
Governinent in rhia'respeO, Ytance wouh 'hive liad
. Alte means eountiratting the plan, as the principal
part of.the Force now to be taked are •Itinovetioni
silbj -et4:of HisfYlajesty,.., As to their hying Roma
:11c;, he did not: think tttat i valor, of vertu'.
aritteti'll,mw'me'enhiut:;.titi.kweell;ilreeintoole.74l°Y:liAgriepi!"-oLf:tfill:
Gotinstty. where they are iftlisted, mai tt c.innot
expeetd hive their officer, a ili bt of a very stiffereno
Religion i but it would by a quesOun of a very daft
le ten t nal ure', he titer Catholics Were to be appointi
ed-to. ;Inmand in a British Army .mit its
Aeglinents.. •
Catllit-iIUCCH/NSON- dieapploveii of dig
vrinciitle trusting the aolet2ce and SeoutilY of the
Cou:itry to Foreign Troops-: he thought it Wds A
princi'vle'which ought never to be adopted in *Count
try, which, Ilk:this,
.I)as trleJFts• and spitit.to
itna it.e it. It was not ,possible to forget the mint
ex aryie which they hut learned in History, of
tut which were ruined by. trusting their defence tO
foreigners. He disaPkiived ontnp!efely .of the mg*
Ou,t,hl at the cath9lici oi our
;own Country Out*
milcitarysrank and. thought it would appear still
harder When they saw foreign edtilUiiCS might at*
Itain that rank from whine they were excluded.
The Bill was "commftred, and the Report wttf
then ordered to be taken int° consideration to.mot.
row. •