The Sun.
London, England, 1804-03-13 00:00:00

VOLUNTEERS.

The fl use having resolved itself into a Corn.
'mime on the Volunteer Bill,

Mr. Secretary YORKE, after proposing several
verbal Amendments, which were agreed to, cal-
led the attention of the Committee to an amended
Clause, with respect to the power to be given to
Commanding Officers to dismiss aoy of the Members
of their respesUve Corps. No law upon the subjeet
had, he said, given them that power, but that they
possessed it there could be no doubt. A Command-
ing .officer heel the command of the Muster-roll,
and could strike out whom he pleased. He pro.
posed, however, that no Commanding Officer should
possess this power, where the Corps which he com-
mands was called out into a&tral service in case of
invasion, or the appearaoee of invasion, as in that
case the Volunteers would be placed in the same
situatiop as Regular Regiments, the Public would
have an interest in their services, and no Command-
ing Officer ought to possess the power of dismissing
any one of them. He also intended to propose that
this power. in a Commanding Officer of a Volunteer
Corps should be limited. He certainly thought that
the exercise of this power ought not to be left to the
caprice of a Commanding Officer, and he therefore
• considered it necessary to state some of the cases in
which char authority should he 'used, such as diso-
bedience of orders,, misconduCt,whilst under arms,
neglen of attendance,
&c. adding likewise, or for
any other sufficient cause at the discretion of such
Commanding Officer. He was extremely averse to
the establishment of any Court of Appeal upon this
subjeeit because he did not wish to fetter Command-
ing Officers of Corps, but at the same time he
thought it necessary that a door should be left open,
by means of a provision, leaving it in the discretion,
of Ilis Majesty' to institute, threngh the medium of
the. Lord Lieutenant, a Court of Inquiry with lc-

spea to the dismission of any Volunteer. it was
likewise his intention to propose, that where any
roles or regulations for the government. of. any
Corps, had been acceded to by His Majesty, nothing
in this Clause contained should tend to abrogate these
rules or regulalions.

On the suggestion of Mr. StURGESS BOURNE,
words were inserted to prevent the power of dia_
minion entrusted to the Commanders of Corps .
extending to any Commissioned Officer.
Mr. FOX thought, that the Clause went to give
a power to Commanding Officers of
ought not to be intrusted to any man. Volunteers,
it was well known, were intitled to certain exemp-
tions : power was here given to a Commanding Offi.
cer to deprive a person on a sudden of all, these ex-
emptio.s, and not only .that, but in case a Volun-
teer was drawn (as he might be), and set aside in
the List' proVided for that purpose, it would be
giving a power to the Commanding Officer to send
that man immediately into the Militia or Armfof
Reserve. It might be said, that such a power
weld not be abused ; but considering the number
of Volunteer Corps in the Country, they ought not
to rely upon such a supposition—on the contrary,
they were justified in supposing, that private eumity
might operate in some cases to drive a man from the
ranks. As to the idea of a Court of Inquiry, it
was scarcely to be supposed, that a man thus dis-
missed, could .have sufficient influence to obtain a •
Court of Inquiry upon his Commanding Officer.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER'
agreed with the Hon. Gentleman, that the Clause
went to give a very considerable power to a Com-
manding Officer, and yet, after considering the sub-
je&, he was satisfied that such a power could.not,,
with propriety or safety, belodged elsewhere. He
should not, however, have consented to this. Clause,
if there had been no provision for a Court of In-
quiry. It had been said by the Hon. Gentleman,
that an individual dismissed had little chance of
obtaining redress, but it was one of the happinesses
attending this Country, that injustice would not be
infiitled on the meanest individual, without his-being
able to obtain 'redress. A great number of the.
Volunteers were enrolled in detached companies,
to each of which there were no more than three
Officers; if an net of injustice, therefore was alledged
against one of those Officers, a -Court of Inquiry
which ought to consist of three Officers, could not
be held in that Company, whilst the Members of it
might probably object to being judged by the Of-
ficers of another Company, the only remedy remain-
ing therefore was to leave in the-hands of,the Lord
Lieutenant, the power of instituting a Court of In-
quiry with respect to cases of alledged injustice in
the dismission of Volunteers. '

Mr. Fox and the CHANCEL LOROf the EXCHEQUER
severally explained.
Mr. WARD thought some exceptions would arise
from the wording of the Clause. .
Mr. PITT thought that this was a hardship ppon
the Volunteer, for he might thus he on the sudden,
without knowing any reason for it, rendered liable.
to be ballotted for the Militia or the.Army.,of Re.
serve. Now he had. no difficulty in saying:that
the ground on'which the Commanding Officer might
dismiss a man -was easily stated in general ;- the
grounds which were all stated in. the Bill were
easily assigned by the Corninanding-Officer, such
as want of attendance, want of attention, , and
another reason, which was the etre& -of: the other
two faults; want of discipline ; these were causes
which the Commanding Officer. might easily alledge
for his discharging a man ;
,but. there teas, another
reason of as much force in causing thedik/Carge of a
man as any other,. and which could-n-orwith -any'
propriety' be Alledged for dismissing a man, and'
that was his charatter, he meant the badness of his"
charafter, which might be of such a kind as that.
others might not like to aft with him, and yet this
reason could .not in the nature of things he very
conveniently assigned as..the cause of his disrnigsal•
although it was in itself a very sufficient reason
for it. But perhaps it might be- propet' to make
some application in such a case to the Lord Lieu-
tenant of the County, or else' there ought to
be some Court of Inquiry into the matter, before
the dismissal took place, not. by way-of appeal
against the determination of the
.Commanding Of-
ficer, for of that he had no .idea. Now he saw no
difficulty in allowing the Commanding Officer hits=
self nominating, or else applying to the Lord Lieu-
tenant to nominate two or three persons as a Council
or Court Martial, or Court of Inquiry; to judge of
the case, and determine upon it, and that if their
determination should he approved of by the Com-
'mantling Officer, that then such Commanding Of-
ficer should have power to dismiss such person, for any
of the causes enmerated in the Bill, or for any other
sufficient cause ; but he confessed he thought that
before any man was dismissed, an inquiry should, be
instituted into his case, and that it should not he left
wholly in the discretion of the Commanding Officer,
who would really not think the Legislature used
him well, by imposing upon him the burthen of
deciding, in all cases by his own discretion: and
leaving to him all the responsibility which must
belong to the exercise of such _a power as this Clause
was calculated to bestow upon the Commanding
Officer. _ -

The SECRETARY at WAR said, it did ap-
pear to him, that the Court of Inquiry suggested by
the Right Hon. Gentleman was the more übjetlion..
able mode of the two, and that the inquiry on a
man's charaCter was more objek`.tionable than an in-
quiry on any fan that was ;Wedged against him.
Sir TV. GEARY saw
.some difficulty in procuring
Officers, by whom an inquiry should he instituted ;
he was therefore inclined to think, that thi better
way would be, to give the proposed power to the
Commanding Officer.
Mr. ROSE observed, that there was great force
in what hid: been said by his Right lion. Friend
near him (Mr.'l3l rr) upon the hardship to which a -
man in a Volunteer Carps might he exposed when.
discharged on the sudden by-his Commanding Offi-
cer, for he was immediately subject to either the
Militia or the, Army of Reserve. He had ro idea
that any appeal should he had Against- the decision
of the Commanding Officer,' that would be repug-
nant to all ideas of military di;Cipline-; -bur what he -
meant was this-7-That the Volunteer discharged by
the Commanding Officer shOld he at liberry to :10-
ply to the Lurd Lieutenant, 4h6 if he'

thought the person net culpable, have rwer t°
empr him from billlot in the Militia, or the AtmY
Reserve, but not by any means to restore him ogal"
to the Volunteer Corps out of which he had beet'
discharged.
The question was put, whether the restriaing
words of the clause should be omitted or inserted.
gg.to
Mr. GREY m2ved to leave out the words,a
discharge," that.is,,giying_pwer to the,Commin,
ing Officer to discharge, for the purpose of 11?"
traducing the words "to summon ;" that i$ (6
empower the Commanding --Officer to summon a
number of Officers to institute an inquiry into
.the
case, for the purpose of giving their opinion IV"
the matter, instead of leaving it to the Commanu-

S

ing Officer himself.
Mr. SecretaryYOßKE objeCled to this amendment'
This clause, as it now stood, he said, had been
aged upon in a great many instances in the course
of the present War, and he believed in the 13s,t
War. He admitted that the power given by this
Claude to the Commanding Officer was very greatf
yet he maintained it was a power given in /jet*
many other powers ; and he apprehended, tha,t if
the House controuled his power within any Ihnit,:";
it would in substance put an end to all real power iv.
the Commanding Officer, because this was the
,„"'
mode by which he could retain any essential CoTa;
,nand. A great deal was said on the idea cri t",
Commanding Officer calling a Court of InViri;
theta was no necessity for making any Parliamentat'
Provision for that purpose, for that was the e°o•
slant praetice of the Commanders of the Volonte"„
Corps at present ; but what he contended for wa9e
that it should not be made compulsory on , tLe
Commanding Officer to do so. And the Constn't`"o
would understand that this Clause introdueed,cis
novelty in praCtice, for the very same power
tt
by the Clause was proposed to be bestowed upon fti'
Commanding Officer, was a power already OK'
de fat o by all Commanding Officers. of
Mr. GREY said, that the duty of the:House
not to trust that -power would always be
ercised, hut .to guard against the possibility 0'
abuse of it. • The Right Hon; Gentleman saids
no new power in point of pradlice, was peop000:1,,/e
this Clause :--he did not speak against the, Ch“-,,,,
on account of new power, but on account of the
n-eers
effeet which was likely to. be produced .by. !.'e
'rise of an old power, for it was well know"
. that a person dismissed horn the Volunteer .C°11;
was subject to the Army.of ReServe,. Pe„"n't
which was considerable,: and which cool,' —.ll
be commuted but for a large sum of alone): ; a 2,
which did- not attach i 4 the last War. He w--
against the idea ()fan appeal from the determination
of the Commanding Officer, whatever that deter'
o
mination might be, because to call it in cluestin
was unfavourable to discipline, but he would low
the commanding Officer call a Court Of InqPilT.:•
instead of -determining such a point himself; snun.
the propriety 'of this amendment he was so well e°
vinced, that hg_should take the sense of the C 019..
mittee upon it. •
obsery
Mr. Secretary YOR-Kran sw-eied the
tions of Mr. GREY, and retained the opinion heli, 4
alseady.delivered upon this subject.
Mr. .FOX said, there, were a great many 5;
lations in the Volunteer Corps themselves, at Erne
in -a great' number of them, that were inconA,",wrthe
with this Clause, and perfedly consistentsfr'goint
amendment proposed to it, and that W 39 3
.wotthy of the consideration of the Committee' the
Mr. PlTTsaid, he did not understand it t° be
nQ-
idea,of any one, that the decision.of the
.CP3l°l'*lset;
ing Officer should he scythed in any ease vibancis
but he had no difficulty in saying that, in l'•'s(a-orp-
nion, s the best way would be,. that the v„ort
manding Officer should- summon a Council Yr roe,
of Inquiry, that, they might exercise their d's rt
Lion on the case, not indeed like.a Court :of
according to -the rules of special pleadings, tort
would beSimpraCticable in military matters ; bu
thought it would be better to have the discreti°le;
two or three persons instead of one in such a•C
°ulti
but he believed that no body in that House iiita
v),
wish that any determination should be Carried ing
ion.
Officer without the approbation of the Comma' on.
Officer of the Corps. He adopted this su?ge'ille
in this instance, with a view of submitting' t°,,jt•
same course the idea he had pressed in the C°°ldrr
tee on a former day, on tile subjeCt. Pectlnlse•
fines for nonattendance, misconduct, and thr ,
" the
The ATT )RNEY GENE/Z.44i. opnos'r,'Ssrise
Amendment, on the ground that would belii":l 0
in the C,tninittee to reject a cause re ss."
much of utility fur its °hied, until they Avlo 110
tisfied what it was that was to be propose'ss-sotle:
of it ; and therefore he thought that unless 'bolo
men on the ocher side who opposed this clatoe,scraid
state distinctly and specifically what they i0)11
to be substituted for it, the Committee 0"g...041'
vote for the clause, because otherwise the C°":,6 to
tee might have as much, perhaps more objeB-I`. sat
that which was to be protiosed afterwards thallcolo
body had to this clause ; and it was indeed dllca
if not impossible, to offer any thing upon colt
measure as this that was not liable to some, or
to con4itierahle opposition. Anefrifie
Mr. GREY said,. he did not think the /Pt
of the Learned Gentleman sound, when he sal •ttefr
no clause ought to be negatived by a Coll°3l 010
however faulty it might be, unless the pets°° 001
objected to it, had a precise form of words to
instead of it ; but in this case the substance of ;so
lies had to urge in favour of the amendment vierot
obvious to the Committee, that it would be -n° g
tax even on the ingenuity of the Learned Gieefont,
man to put it into a specific and intelligibLi
of words—He could also do the same thing "molt
very soon,.if the Committee adopted the atner!
for the purpose of making way to it. e. to. the
Lard C ASTL,EREAG II was totally aye," fad°
idea of establishing a Court of Inquiry, Ins"Ccit'
-committing the case to the discretion of tr'e er blr
rnunding Officer.' He apprehended g teat' tiling" f ifi
clogging the discretion of a Commanding.ol6 000'
'cases of this description. He thought °rad bee'
tnittee would do well to con,ider what`„l:oo, tifij
the: ease with: Ireland in the late Rebei'sher,
-what would have-been the case with it t" Co°'
•
not beto,poWets so 'considerable given to thie,,t
manding. Officers there. He did not say ntioe 11
was at this time; •or was likely- to bec"hat ,1c
condition of Ireland ; but it was -possible

1

oindition of this coor,try„ might be changed
"11"11Y fti m what it i, at i.rrsenA, slt ce,
,e
IliSlit r4turaily lit',olr.fOr aaointinuane, .of, thi, co ..f
•si for a considerable time at lea,t, and it TA, Jilt_,'
o7astl*- to say what---thscoine-niasosiiig to --44.41- • 41..41-
.nd triw eAetitial it triiiit be that tile Couvraioling
°ffirt'r slcouid•h; IV e • isoaript tUeatiq ofremoviog-th-.se:
in w'tniiii!t. cfiuld have oo cot ii.rvice in' the, ; tie.,'.:'
Besides, .without .
this ;rawer of dismissal the, Coot. mant'ong Officer would riot' he on• an ego ii coo-it -ng,, ,
with Aci V. lunceer in the ranks in point of power in
this ,'articular. At present,. every .Volonteer in the
tanks c• old leave his Conimaioling Officer ..wlien he
ple,;,ed v., itlont. aSsigning a reas, a tor it, and it was
fur tail. that the Commander
should haver p )wct
to the same extent to dismiss a man, as such mss. had,
to dismiss himaelf--,as it was lawful for a man to
diosliarge himself, so it should be lawful• for the.
C • -antii,g 011iccr to discharge him.
- Th - 1;1-1,1ACELLOR of the EXCHEQU
ad, -.r-i intirely the sentiments ut dle AT ER.
GENLRAL upon this occasion ; and he thought, if
this power proposed by the CLuse should be with.
held from the Commanding Officer, and he was to
aa under compulsion, it !night create disunion in
the Volunteer Service, a thing to be avoided as touch
as possible, and at all events.
. ..
The ATTORNEY•GENERAL repeated his objee-
tions to the amendment, and enforced his former ar-
guments in favour of the Original Chose. .
Mr. FUX said, that the Commander of a Vo.
hinter!. Corps was not bound by the present Bill,
fur any thing it eoti+.tird.- at present, to state ,the
grounds on which he should dismiss any one from
!he Corps : and that was what was, generally speak-
'rigs-odious to an E,gl;shman, for that he might be
discharged without kri:.wing hi:. crime. -But it %Vas,
said, it %vas orobabte the Commanding Officer of a
Corps would assign reasons why he discharged any,
man; the meaning of that observation, as tar. as it
had a meaning, was, that he ought to state his rea-
sons for so discharging a man. Now, if he ought
to stare it; why not compel him to state it ?---NAfbar should a man do any thing which was right without
assigning his reason for so doing it ? As to the
negative of this Clause and the objelon of the Learned ..Gentleman to that negative because no pre-
cise form' of words was ready to fill the- blank which the negativeowiOdd occasion, he must observe,
it was the constant course of that House -to came
to a •aegative of that which it disapproved, without
agreeing beforehand- what should supply i, deed it could. not be otherwise,. for until.t thean thing
objected to was removeßesial
d,: there Was no room for it :
es ir.did not necessarily. tallow that any thing
Iva.ii.l fo be substituted for- a Clause which the Com-
mittee might rejeti, for it might pass on to the
next without intoner notice ,of theiprovision tt De_
g!ived ; but if the dodrine of-ihe-i-tmourable.and
Learned Gentleman was to be followed then while
there remained any variety of opinion in the Com-
mittee as to the measure which ought to be adopted
in lieu of a measure which the c • di sap:
proved, stilt the Committee ornmittee otsap:
must ht.tontent with,
that which it disapprove., ;
" by this
could never be
2.1)1e to tit v tele- at.all ta perhapsponany Measure'
for it was hardly, conceiveable how the House should'
agree in the first instancewtohianhy measure which was.
to succeed a bad' one,
approved of ; that coOld rot which
was generallywdiase
the case, for h
'was to.suceeed any measure ought to be matter of
discussion.
. frir„ prir
s_
mi . • ' '
present no difficulty -whatever. in the
aniendinent, on ebceifilorform. of account of the want of a
words to succeed those. proposed
specific
laic
totout and 1., -
I. had sketched something to
that cif. La obviate the further use of that objec-
tion, which did to
o__c ot appear to him to be very good
~g, , for surely it was competent to the House to
say •it did not approve of a- certain treasure,
bavelore it had determined that- another measure, or
hether any measure should be adopted instead
of it. He thought there better secur't i
was 1 y
in • •
rhhaving three Officers than one to judge of
a case as this. He then stated the substance
_ what he thought might without impropriety Le
adopted in lieu of this Clause, which was, that it
shall be lawful for a Commanding Officer of a Corps,
quire a number of Officers of /such Corps to
examine and p c
n
dience or ronou eon any allegation of disobe-
tniscat o a
n on, or want of attention, negli.
genre, Bce. if they such pers„ ou •ht;_t
lx
report their opinion that
manding Offit -4 'Prove dischar-
ged, and the Com.
person to be'disciiargPedoyetlitheteof, &co then such
_Chat,. or any other
form which had that '_Chat,
hef Should approve,
and that was the idea on accouent
_w iich he should
vote to.night on the question now before the Com-
mittee.
The CHANCELLOR of the Exco EWE% spoke
warmly.againit tl.e proposed olterat.oro
..
. Mr, GREY spoke shortly in explanation.
Mr. S'
oec. y RKL: argued ivrtiest the a- d
oien tnent,
o.
its Involving a total•altetatioti of the Volonteer Sys'.
—and theoarguinents upon which it was sup-
ported --
.
i apeeated to him to be of a similar kind with
those used b. I him
. yi h; (I),m-sets of the Volunteer Sys.
tem r r -
P
Mr. aveNorsu
Sirs 12
c 41. pULTENIty, J. NtCHnLLs, Lord G.
u
deliver_,
1, ~ M. CURWEN and Sir Wm. MILNER,
c heir sentiments; after which the question
was lotoll
I Caned for, and there appeared when a:division took
place,
,
. - For the Amendment -. • - . 69'
-
For the Clause, as it originally stood - 116

Majority - - 47
Til, Strangers were excluded for a consilerable
tithe. On oar re. admisssion to the Gal,ery, the
Committee were proceeding with the cliscu,sion of
-the clause respedin the levying distresses in cer-
Mr. PITT took occasion to express his regret at
,• the change of Opinion which kid taken place on
_that '
point, as it clearly app ea
hl red to him at the
ode•of proceeding to a
distress, was more that
as well as less efficacious than.the alternative of
commitment for a short period.
The effect of this idea was, supported by a MEM-
,
a under the Gallery, who said there was a de_
riotion of people against whom such a proceeding
could not obtain at alt.
-----,?!,/lr, YoRKE shortly explained.
M. %TR C.AND adverted to the Clause he-had
;'''Poed on a former night, -relative to this part of

the aubiea; be 11,0 since slimed a Clause agreeably
r.
14,1 Ow so9Qcsitans,."-A I=l gai CHotW the SEC RE.
'TA Yat V k, tt.h! cir,u ~1 which was, th,it a!,
:toper .oft ,Prtrali4ys.sh.falci be allowedg, f.;r /he
!I",:mvnt•"f Thii was agreed to lie [lie
ICarninfttee,--.:,,;:w,a5, a Clause proposed ,by Mr. Se- .
ctet,ley YORKE -to prevent the undue 'accumulation:
finFs„ , •
Mr. SecretaryYolmE.proprised two other Clauses,
the one respeaing.the powers of. Commanding Offi-
cers with respect to the tniscontluel of Volunteers
and the second relative 7 to the Exemptions of the
~Servants of Farmers. enrolled in Volunteer Corps.
:T4.se, as we:l a; a third Clanse proposed by the
Right Hon. Secretary, respeding.the remuneration
to he given to the Clerks of the Deputy Lieutenants,
sec.. were severally agreed to by the Comniitiee.
Mr. PITT shortly stated, he had two' other
Cl-uses to propose, which being brought Up by the
Right Hon;Gentleman, and read from the Chair,
appeared to the following effel : The first went to
give a power to Commanding Officers, in case of
Volunteers absenting themselves from exercise, ex-
cept in cases of illness .duly proved, to levy a fine
not exceeding 55. for every day a Volunteer shall
absent himself, and if the.person liable to the fine
should not he chargeable with the Poor's Rates, &c.
that the said fine should, not exceed is. The second.
went to impose, in cases of negleaing to attend for
three successive days, the sum of 405. and the sum
of ss. for every subsequent non-attendance, &c.
Mr. Secretary YORKE conceived it his duty to
oppose the inttodutaion of such enactments into the
;Bill. .He was of opinion, that instead of amelio-
rating, they would greatly tend to overset the sys-
tem. He was adverse to the principle of applying,
except where it could not be avoided, Parliamentary
Regulations to things of the kind ; andin illustrat-
ing these positions, he referred to_ certain Regula.
tions adopted in the Defence Ad.
Mr. PITT observed, he did not mean to trouble
the Committee by taking their sense -upon the
points, still he conceived such Regulations would.
be highly serviceable. The observations of the
Right Hon, Gentleman, in reference so the Defence
A.6t, did not apply to the points in discussion, lain
the one case the enrolment was :compulsory, in the
other voluntarily. He deprecated the it e+ of such
• regulations involving a breach faith,:,
when the Unlimitted power oft resignation3,was re.
membered : so far from Parliament being implicated
upon the occasion, -those things were expressly. left
to the regulation of His Majesty's Ministers, and
that they_ were not properly arranged, was because
the Executive Government did not think fit to pro,
vide the necessary regulations---(" Hear! Hear!")
He however did not mean to presS the question
he had brought the regulations forward in the full
persUasion that the efreCts would be highly beneficial.
He hoped, at the same time, that the event might
not chew their rejection- was prejudicial ; ,and that
the progress, ofdiscipline might not be impeded by
the decision of Thar- night.
Mr. Secretary' Yoßicg shortly explained:
The questions were then put on the above-stated
Arn4ndnaenrs, which were negatived by the Corn.

mit tee.
The Clauses, &c. being entirely gone through,
Mr.. Secretary YORKE said, 'that with respell
to the future progress of the decisions, he would
propose that the Report be immediately received,
that the Bill with the Amendments should then be
printed, and that' the,Report should be farther con-
sidered on Thursday, if no other business stand in
the way, or on Friday.
Mr. PITT observed,' that the. Motion which he
had given notice of for Thursday, it was his inten-
tion to make on that day.
Mr. Secreiary YORKE took the opportunity to
observe, that it would be proper Ministers should
have some previous information as to the nature of
the Right Hon. Gentleman's intended Motion : he
would therefore submit the propriety of a communi-
cation from the Right Hon, Gentleman on that
head.

Mr. PITT said, it would be obviously irregular
at that moment, before the Chairman lu quitted
the Chair, to make the desired cominunkoi,n.
The House then resumed, and Mr. ALEXANDER
brought up the Report, , hich WAS received pro
forma. The House ordered the BM, 'as amended,
to be printed, and on the Motion ,o Mr. Secretary
YORK t, to be taken into further consideration on
Fli.liiy next. . .
Mr. PITT then ol)s-er:ed, that with respect
to the Motion of which lie ' had given notice
for Thursday next, it was for the production
of some important information respeCting that
Very essential piiiiitt the Naval Defence of the
Coui.trv, as he had at•the tine expressed, and he
entertained no sort of objeCtion then to state the
principal objeds of it. It was far from his wish
that His Majesty's NJinisteis should nut he fully
apprized as to the rature of the information
he proposed to call fur, and under this impres_
. sion he had already communicated to one of
the Lords of the Admiralty the nature of
1 the required information.—What he would first
state, and wished principally to direft the attention
of the House to, would relate particularly to that
description of Naval force more immediately
adapted to repel! any attempts the Nnemy might
make, at Invasion, and the manning thereof, and re-
speCting_ which, he thought information should
especially be given. He should require an account
of the nuniber of Ships in commission, and employ-
ed in different ways at the present moment ; and
also the number of what these were in the year
!Soh—He also desired to obtain copies of the
orders given in the course of the present War by
the Admiralty for augmenting this force, either by
building new or repairing old Ships. He wished
also fur an authoritative statement of the orders
issued in the coure of the last War at different pe.
riods, for the same 'purposes., There were, accounts
relatiVe to other desctiptions of Naval Force now
fit for service, which he thought would be proper.
to have before the House, and also, an exposition
of the steps taken fur augmenting the Line of Battle
I Ships since the Peace. He also wished it to be
known by regular documents, the number of Sea-
men employed the first year of the late War—,what
they were in the end of the year 1792—and these
comparatively stated with what
.the numbers were
at the end of last year, These were the outlines of

~~...:,

, t ZII

inspiiries Le rrnpos,d to make no Th,;;;•!av, and
c(in't)eshodld te • then !..=gt.aucq 61/4-to
l d,
yin the morinn he should Lay.e.the h nt u Co make.
The C4-lANCELLOR 40e pre%enred
cerpit)
,atc qtrlt.s relative to 11,1,:j•sty's
titles of,whi-ch were read short b% Or
The papers were then, on the m ition of
Ithe CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER, ordered to
,bereferred to the Committee appointed to take into
Liconsideration the state 9f His Majesty's Civil List.
The other Orders of the Day were then dispoied
of, and.the House, at half past 120'dock, adjourn.
ed to the usual hour this day.

MAILS.
PUS.
Cottenburgh - ----- -'• 2
Hatnourgu 4 Fi 'o

.16•
PRICE F STOCKS,
THIS DAY AT TWYLYZ O'CLOCK.
Consols

THE SUNi

SOIAM QUIZ DICER& FALSUM AVDLAT ? o

LONDON, MARCH 13, 1804.

" Queen': House, March 13, 1804.
" HI& MAJESTY continues to recover.

(Signed) "L. PEPYS.

♦[ F. MILFL AN.

'I H. R. REYNOLDS. " W. HLBER.DEN."

Yesterday morning His MAJESTY walked in the
Garden for a considerable time.- About twelve
o'clock the LORD CHANCELLOR had an audience of
His MAJESTY.

Our Letters from Deal and Dover inform us, that
a Gun-brig was yesterday seen at the back of the
Goodwin Sands, having three French Gun-boats in,
tow, standing for the Dawns. As the Cannonading
still continued yesterday in the South-East quarter,
we hope that more may be taken.
Yesterday some of the Vessels loaded with stones,
for the purposes Which we some' some days ago an-
nounced, passed down the River 'for the Downs.

WE this forenoon received Moniteurs to the 29th
ult. They ate wholly silent respeaing both
REAU Or PICHEGRU, and are chiefly filled with Ad-
dresses to the Chief Consul on his escape from his
pretended Conspiracy, particularly from the Armies
encamped at Boulogne, St, Omer's, and other Can-
tonments in the neighbourhood of the Coast.
On the 261.11 BONAPARTE held a Diplomatic Au.
dience, at which several presentations took place
by Count CostrurzEt.,, the Marquis de GALLo,
and other Ministers.

The Moniteur of the 27th first announces the
KING'S illness, to which it seems to attach great

importance.
An article from Constantinople of the t sth of Fe.
bruary states, that while the Capital of Egypt(Grand
Cairo) was agitated by incessant troubles, the City
and Pori of Alexandria enjoyed the greatest calm.
About the Bth of last. July this happy state of things
ceased upon the arrival of ALi PACHA, sent by the
Ottoman Porte, with- the title of Viceroy of all
Egypt. The excesses which this man and his
satellites committed, excited. the complaints of
the Agents of Foreign Powers. Explanations
took place, and an arrangement was'entered into,
in which a redress of grievances was stipulated. In
consequence, the French,;§ub-Commissary and his
Suite, who had retired on board the Ottoman Fleet,
landed again, and were received in the• most dis.
tinguished being. Siltited with 17 guns
when leaving, the,Fleet.
Letter.; from Cairo state,• that the Mamelukes
commit the, most vexatious excesses, under the pre.:
text of sums due to the Albanians. The In*ahi-
tants dread being pillaged and massacred in their
houses ; and the waters of the Nile not having
risen to their usual height, that Capital is menaced
with a scarcity. .Disunion reigns amongst the Ma-
melukes themselves, who are continually imposing
contributions. OSMAN BEY enjoys the whole au-
thority ; the English have made some Valuable pre.
sent s—they have promised him much, even succours
from India.
The French Funds on the 27th were at 58.

A Jamaica Mail arrived this morning, brought
to Falmouth by the Leicester Packet •in 5.4. days.
It brings an account of the Capture of a Spanish
Sloop of War by His Majesty's Ship ./Eo/gs, elf St.
Domingo.

MR. PITT last night in the House of Commons
stated the outline of his Motion respeaing the Na-
val Defence of the Country, which he means to
make on Thursday next. The first objeft 'of this
most important and most necessary inquiry, re-
lates to the description of Naval Force prepared
to repel the attempt of the Enemy at Invasion.--
A comparative statement will likewise be made
between the Line of Battle Ships now in commission,
and in the year 1801 ; and what is still more im-
portant, an examination will be made into the
measures taken for keeping up and augmenting
the number of our Line of Bettie Ships.

t.

Sinc? the condua tlie N-0.7 R„ 41 !Ac Se_
pine mat ref of Cl) e, voion it, a &Lea:et'

I.l.f.gr,'e of activity' has prs7vailed in t11;t
Orderc h!ve !t-s_en given to take ty Ves,els cAleulated
tr water, a sT,ecies f..ree in ‘.4 hich we are
extremely drfi ent, a:ld it is intended L.-)}' this.to ciCak
past inatii,ity, and an appearance of i'resent hustle.
Such arts will not certainly • av:til. The disCussion
of, Thursday We have no doubt will be serious and
soletnn, and every thing will be made to ai,peal: as
it really is, without partiality or prejudice.
A Vote of Credit for two Millions yesterday
passed a Committee of Ways and Meall in the
House of Commons, which Mr. AootricroN said
was not necessary to answer any immediate demand,
but which he moved for in' order to gite him a
greater latitude when he came to. contraet for the
Loan for the service of the present year.
The Volunteer Bill passed through the Com-
mittee, and the Report was ordered to be received
cn Friday. The Clause proposed by Mr. Secretary
Irc‘at:s; for giving a power to Cominatidint
cers to, dismiss any Member of their respeCtive
Corps, was carried upon 'a division, after a discus—
sion of Considerable length.

Tuts morning two. Gottenbri Mails
arrived.
Letters from that Port, of the 7th instant, confirm
a former report, that four Dutch Armed Ships were
at Bergen, in Norway, full of Troops, and that an
English Frigate, said to be the Thetis, had anchored
in the same Harbour.
We have received by these Mails some-Extra6ts
from the Hamburgh Correspondenten of the 25th and
26th of last month. These Extraas contain acs
counts from St. Omers, and from the Hague, which
concur in asserting that the Expedition will take
place in the course of the present month. 'General'
MARMONT had taken the command of the Troops
in Holland, which are to I rm the Right Wing of
the Expedition against Etigland. The "[loops in
the Texel were expelled to embark early in this
month.

.

AMSTERDAM, FEB. 13.—The extraordinary sensation oc-.
casioned by the seizure of English goods in the I sl,,nd or
Walcheren and Batavian Brabant. has considerabl' subsided •
since the circumstances attending it have been inure accu-
rately known. T:lis measure was directed by the French
Minister at War on the 3uth of *nary.. Among the Eng- ;
lisp commodities are- specified ininiufadures of wool and
cotton, nankeens, inuslins, English-carpets, cotton and wool-
len caps, hardware, English porcelain and glass. , Whatever_
has been taken away which is not one of these articles, has :
been restored. It was ordered that the search should be made .1
by the Batavian and French 0 Ricers of the Customs conjointly,
or by the latter only, if the former refused. la the town of
Veere no English goods were found; and in Middleburg sci
few, that General MONNIT ordered them to be restored to
the owners. The goods seized at Flushing were packed up •
and sealed by tile owners themselves, and taken out of the
waggon in which they had been put to be carried to .4
depot at Flushing, where they will remain till. further,
orders arrive from Paris. General MoicilET has given,
an account of these milder measures, in a letter
transmitted to the Government of Zealand, in conse...l
qucnce of the remonstrance .they athlresed to him,. - The
General, however, has ,complained of some of the expres- ,
ions of this remonstrance. lie observes that the English
trade in-the Island of Walcheren has hitherto been of little'
consequence, and that the measures taken will completely-,
,pre7eate commercial speculations of the Enemy tri4his:
Countryda aind be as advantageous as the gaining of riviClo6,.
From Batavian Brabant, Breda; -Bergen-op-zoorn,
. about ao wagons laden with English goods have.peen ;ent to.,
Antwerp ; their value is estimated at two millionS Of pyres
but as the greater part of them are not English;nbut lnanufaeti
tured in Batavian Brabant, it is expedad they will beiesipared.
According to accounts from Cleves of the 15th, Rear-Ad-
miral STORY still continues'there under arrest.-Fre•iS
ed 6y two Soldiets. All his Papers have been sealed up .and:
sent to Paris, whence a speedy decision concerning itimasex.7,
peeled.

Yesterday about twelve o'clock HER MkjIISTY.
and the PRINCESSES ELIZABETH and MARY took

an airing on the Clapham Road.
The Embargo, it is asserted, • will be taken off
this day or to.morrow.

We art sorry to state, that there is great reason:
to apprehend that General Pt CHIGRU has falleuint'q
the hands of the French Government. A Dutch.
Paper of the sth inst. •is said to have been received
in Town; which gives the particulars of his
.Arrest
in an obscure lodging at Paris, after considerable
resistance. It is said that General PICHECR LT
sailed from Deal in a small Vessel on the i hof
nuary, andtha t he arrived at Calais on the 16th,whett
he was met by GEORG E S, Who accompanied hintol'a,..
ris. This account we think very improbable. if the
General wished to get secretly into France, he would
hardly choose Calais as a place to land at. The next
arrival of the French Papers will, however, clear
up all doubts Upon this subjeEt. We must not
omit to add, that it is stated with great positiveness
in a Morning Paper of this day, that General
PICHECRU arrived in London last Friday, and, that
he dined in company Itith General DUMOUR IRR
and some other Emigrants on Sunday last, at,Gene..
ral WILLOT'S, in Curzon-street.

DEAL MARCH i2.—Sailed the Ex//osion Bomb
for Dungeness, and the Basilisk for the Boulogne
Station.

A Gun-brig, name unknown, is at the back of
the Goodwin Sands, with three French Gun-boats
coming into the Downs.
The Cannonading still continues in the South
East, but no arrivals yet.

The Speedwell Brig came in Prim a Cruize, and
sailed for Dungeness ; and the Thunder Bomb came
down from the Nore, and sailed for Portsmouth,

DOVFJ, MARCH 2.—nring has been heard at
intervals the whole of to-day, in the direttion of
Boulogne. Not a day has passed since Thursday
last without a considerable firing being heard from
that quarter. an: of the King's Brigs was seen
this evening, at a great distance, steering for the
Downs with three large Boats in tow, which out
seafaring people are quite cerrain are French.

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH I Z.—Cane into 'Harbour
to refit, His Majesty's,Ship Alonzo, Captain IM-
P EY, having got on shore in Chichester Park,
Sailed the Abundance Store-shir, Capt. FE ARC F,
for the West Lilies, _with six Sail of Merchant net,
under Convoy, which. were left behind last Convoy.

On Thursday night an affray took place in Dru-
-ry.-lane, between two females, who were disputing
should contiva a countryman to their lodging.
One-of them ran an oyster-knife into the neck of her
adversary, by which she was so much injured, that
•-• she died in about two hours after.

The PARLIAMENT of JAFLAND,.
Baying been by the Union incorporated with that of
GREAT BRITAIN, ;
This superb Edifice, wherein the Parliament assembled, was
purchased by the Governor and Company of
The BANK- of IRILAND;
And over this Place formerly. stood the House of Commons
• of Ireland,
Which having been taken doWn; this First Stone of • •
••• A NEW.BANYC
Was laid on the Ist day of March, tEa.),
By His Excellency PHILIP XARL. of HAR.DWICKI:, Lord
Lieutenant-General and General-Governor or
I kELAN,D.
The Governor and Diredots,were,
Geo. Palmer, Esq. Governor ; Pat. Bride, Esq. Dep. Gov.
DritSCTOR.S.
john Allen, Esq. , ;Alex: Kirkpatrick, Esq.
Wiliianl Colvin, Esq. George'Luncil, Esq.
Leland- Creifwaite, Esq. 2 George•Maquay, Esq.jererniali . •
D'Olier, Esq. William Rawlins, 'Esq.
Joseph Gott; Es-q- Nathaniel-Sneri, Esq.
William .Harkness, Esq. MOW* Stanley, Esq.
Geo. GOdfreyHollinan, Esq. and •
Joseph Hone, Esq.
i Charles Ward, Esq.
Francs Johnston, Esq. Architect. -
His Excellency and Suite were afterwards etc.
gantly entertainea-at a splendid collation prepared'
in the room, formerly occupied as the House .ofl
Lords.
On Saturday a man, of the-name d-Pat. O'Hara,
who -was appreheflded on, tO zzd
.tilt._by
C.C. BLAYNg.Y ,9,f Newry, Wls Indy committed to
take_ his trial at_the "ensuing Assizes of
on suspicion of being concerned in the murder andi
robbery of the Post.boy on Alle-; Sth February last.l
On Saturday the 2:sth: ult,„ a_ hare,, completely
• nphite, was started by,,the
:Lisburn Club houndo,
in
the neighbourhood of.. CaStle Robin, and-after' a
chace of nearly an hour;' was. taken Olivet. !anci,ii,
I, now -in the possession .of a.Gentlernan .at Lisburn._

•
-79 2 Sq.:JA/vIES'i.HAY MARKET, Much zo. •
-41; 4*, od, to od.—Aver. 41. 173. od.
4.t,Str4w, 11. fos. od. to 41. tGs. od.—ther. 11. 13s. od.
-.; WiIiTSCH;AtEL MARK,W,r, „Nigel), io. a
41), 4$ 0.-10 51- I,s-,0d.772A-Yee. 41. 173.0.
~t,:Cloyer„sl, os.od, to 61. tos. ort..-*Aver. 61. os. od. "*7
.1 tUaW, to 11. Bs. ed.—Aver. t.4s.
• :
.`CO.AL'EXCEIANdt. Mirch 12.
li.ht rats, iti'the,P6ol;•per Chaldron ~•,•58s od
::43e111;ered.ta,1-tqusdrxweo's at . •••• • t ,7,,s ad
r. Stluderland.,per,, Ch4lciroo . - od
I.?<;llxercil to libusekdepers at - :58s.
z .. i• •
•

e .Y

- ,• ". •
LON DON: Printcd by BUCHANAN M` MII.LA N, (of Bow. Street, Covent-Garden);
and r uvusnun TFY 4Ael Mi GS k rs., t(of Sxtuth Atoltin4.stepet, 105VC110f-SliUnq;
At the SuN.OFs lc it, No. 112, Strand; where Adige rtilements, Order., for the rater. kettrrt tlic A'chlor, &c; (wait bc 'a(icires.3c(i.