Star.
London, England, 1808-03-22 00:00:00

Mr. BARING Mowed for an .kccaunt of the Total VAN if
all Exports from the Port of London, from the 10th of Oct,alV
1907, to the 15th of March, 1908 ; and from the 10th of °culla(
1900, to the lath of March, 1807, distinguishing the Quantity la
each week, and the Exports te Foreign Europe, and other panto,
of the world. After a conversationbetween Mr. Rose, M-. Pet•
cetial, and Mr. Baring, the notion wu agreed to.
Lord MAHON presented a Petition from the Merchants and
Traders of Hull against the Orders in Council--Laid on the tale.
Mr. BANKES, at the request of Mr. PERCEVAL; deferred,
tin this day se'nnigbt, his motion respecting the Reversion BilL
In a Committee of Supply, 1,400,0001. were voted for defray-
ingthe interest on such Exchequer Bills as become due in the
pram year.—Report to-morrow.
The Bill for Funding Four Millions Exchequer Bills, went
through the Committee_—Report to-morrovr.
Mr. HUSKISSON brought up a Bill indemnifying all con-
caned it; carrying certain Orders In Council into effect, in bring-
ing borne wine, he. from PortugaL—Read a first, and ordered to
be read a second time on Thursday, and to be printed.
The SPEAKER, attended by the House,went up to the House
of Peers, and being returned, reported to the House, that the
Royal Assent had been declared by Commission to the Mutiny
Bill, the Marine Mutiny Bill, Lord Lake's Pension Bill, the
Sugar Drawback Bill, and some other public and private Villa.
Lord MILTON presented a Bill for the better regulation of
Cloth-workers in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It was read a
first time, and ordered for a second reading to-morrow.
Mr. FOSTER presented a Bill fer the belie- preventing the
forging of Bank-notes in Ireland.—Read a first time.
Mr. FOSTER gave notice of a motion to-morrow, for a Com-
mittee to consider of the Bill for regulating the trade between Ire-
land and the West Indies, and also of a motion to consider the
expediency of importing East India produce into any other port
titan London.

COPENHAGEN.

Mr. SHARPE rose, in order to submit a motion
on this subject, of which he had given notice a cmisi-
derable time back. He wal diffident of being able
to bring with doe effect so momentous a question be-
fore the House, and was aft aid he :nest stand in need
of its indulgence. Ile was fully aware, as the subject
had already undergone ample discussion, that little
novelty was to be expected from him upon it—still he
thought there were certain features in that transac-
tion that had been hurried over by Ministers, or had
inadvertently escaped the :iotice of that side of the
House to which be belonged. He should therefore
'contend that the opinion of Parliament, so far as it
had been given on the subject of the attack on Copen-
hagen, had been only p:trtially expressed. The Ho-
nourable Gentleman obseived, that notwithstanding
a worthy Alderman, one of their most zealous parti-
zans, had defended the general conduct of Ministers,
and had asserted tlnkt ninety-nine out of every hun-
dred of the population would applaud the plans and
operations of Government ; yet he for one would dis-
sente and would insist that the Public had a right to
call for the most ample information respecting the
actual hostility of Denmark to this country, which
had induced his Majesty to forbear and abstain from
hostilities until the very last moment. At least the
country had a most unquestionable right to learn the
ds upon which such idea of hostility had been
Ended. Ministers had captured the Danish ships
and the arsenal with stores. Tha: was an important
fact, but it was a libel on the people to refuse to shew
the grounds on which Ministers justified such an
act. The. people had a right to know why we had
bombarded the capital of a nation with which we
were in a state of strict neutrality. It was absurd
for Ministers to calculate on the interference of Russia
against Denmark, or even that of France, so prema-
turely as they evidently had done. He denied that
Ministers had any genuine information in regard to
the immediate or ultimate views of Denmark ; and
that they had acted upon a most wild and vague pre-
sumption that Denmark was driven into hostility
against this country. He contended that there was
no shadow of evidence to the contrary, and if there
was, Ministers would readily produce it in their ex-
culpation. Ministers were now, he said, upon their
trial before all Europe, and he most heartily wished
the investigation to go on, divested of all party feel-
ings (Hear ! hear ! from the Minittry). He felt the
weight of the cry from Miii;s:ers, but he should cr.•.
deavour to do his duty, as in proportion as it waspro-
perly executed, would he be honoured or despised by
the world. Ministers had carried every question on this
subject by triumphant Majorities; but Majorities had
been sean.to change ; and, notwithstar ding the influ-
ence of the Ministry, he could not help indulging an
idea, that the good sense of the House would, on the
present occasion, determine him to be right, espe-
cially when it took into its . consideration the ends of
essential justice. When justice demanded informa-
tion and explanation from Ministers, they came for-
ward with what they called facts, but which had been
since proved, in many instanees, to have been the ye-
verse. At the time our expedition sailed we were
in a state of peace with Denmark, it reduced Copen-
hagen, and brought its fleet, &c. into our ports.—
We were in a state of neutrality with Denmark, and
Ministers seemed to feel that ; and for that expcd!-
tion and its consequences, had they now to account.
They had never made a frank and open declaration
upon the subject, but they had sent the expedition
upon the presumption that there could be no doubt
of the hostile intentions of Denmark against this
country. Had they satisfied the people of England.
that they had acted 'wisely in so doing, and that in
this respect they had exercised a sound discreticn ?
They had not. They had shuffled and evaded all
explanation, and had quashed every attempt at en-
quiry by their triumphant majorities. They had not
even attempted to describe any data for the designs
of Denmark, and the Crown Prince had repeatedly
denied all their insinuations against his integrity.—
The confederacy of Russia and France against Den-
mark was strange. Ministers said they were in pos..
session of the secret articles of the Treaty of Tilsit.
Then they denied that, and asserted they only knew
the engagements ; they then took another evasive
ground, and stated they were acquainted with the
arrangements. There was one memorable fact, how-
ever, that they could not get over, which was,• that
the expedition sailed before Ministers could know of
the Treaty of Tilsit—the expedition 'sailing from End-
land on the 19th of July—Ministers, therefOre, in
stating the secret articles of that treaty, as their justi-
fication, had only stated that fact as a pretext. They
would not disclose the names of those who had com-
municated to them those secret articles, and in that
they were probably right, as those individuals might
by such disclosures been subjected to the fury of Bo-
naparte. The fact of their having such information
might he true, but he doubted it much. What was the
effect produced by it, and by the confederacy of Rus-
sia and France, time alone could develope, as Minis-
ters c iuld not. The dispatches froin Lord G. L.
Gtew_le at Petershurgh, disclaimed, in many in-
Stances, any idea of hostility on the part of the Em-

peror of Russia against Great Britat't.
tahcocoeuonnttraa.
the Expedition against Copenhagen ;
ry, it expressed that Monarch's satisfy,.:tier; at the
event. Russia and France, and their Ca.infederaey
were not mentioned in the King's Declaratioo, or is
the Proclamation of Lords Cathcart and Gattiiier to
the Danes ; and when we found all statements to the
.contrary to be untrue, the conclusion to be dun
was the reverse. The Honourable Gentleman nest
adverted to the correspondence between Lord Howitk
and Mr. Rist, which had been treated with ridicule
and contempt by the Right Hon. Secretary, altl:ough
it involved a correspondence relating to the commerce
of the country. That correspondence gave no ground
for construing the conduct of Denmark into hostility
against Great Britain. With regard to invading Den.
mark in Zealand, which we had evacuated, it was
now to be again attempted. He went on to stste,
that the principal part of the seamen employed in our
foreign trade were Danish sailors, as our own prince
seamen were serving in the navy. The Honourable
Gentleman took a most enlarged view of these
veral points, and descanteA forcibly upon the 'liability
of Denmark to enter into a war with G:eat Britain,
urging at the same time that Ministers were fay
apprized of that inability ; and also of tlts
tion of De unark to enter into such a struggle. An
that Ministers had got by the expedition was 16 hulls
of ships of war, valued at bl. a ton. After some farther
remarks, the Honourable Gentleman concluded a
speech that lasted two hours and a half, by Hies i;ig a
lone Address to his Majesty, condemnatory of the
conduct of his Minlsters in regard to the .•;:pedition tu
Copenhagen.
Mr. WORTLEY S'FIJA RT defended the Co, e...
hagen expeditios onthe ground of itteleptiving then,.
my of a powerful means of annoying us. He felt s
strongly that Ministers had done their duty ;vs
occasion, that it was his intention to prc-pose a resolnfil
of the approbation of that House. Heti:ought 11..'
not be doubted but thatfiattntertrititeceivedinforma.
tion sufficient to justify them' in sending the expedi.
tion. They were also justifiable from the distnut
which
.it was evident the late Secretary of Foreign
Affairs ( Lord Howick) kid felt respecting the dis.
pOsition of Denmarlc. It was not, however, necessary
to prove, that Denmark was absolutely hostile ; it
was enough to shew.that the was supine, and would
probably give no opposition to France. It was indeed,
evidently the policy of Denmark, if she must declare
.either for one power or the other, to declare for
France rather than England. As to the ships of
Denmark, although they might be no great ocquisi.
tion to our navy, yet they would have been a great
addition to the maritime force of our enemy.
Mr. PORCHER said a fiew words in support of
Ministers.
Mr. ORDE condemned the expedition, as not pro-
ceeding from any imperious necessity. If no dispo.
sition actually hostile had been perceived on the part
of Denmark, and there had been strong reason to
apprehend that France meditated an attack upon her,
it was the duty c4this country to have offered its pro.
tection and assistance, before it proceeded to such
violent measures against a neutral. If she had my
fused our assistance. then we might have justifiedour.
selves on the giound of necessity. In the case of
Portugal, we had offered that Court every assistance
in our power, and never conceived the idea of seizing
the Portuguese fleet, without previously making hos
nourable overtures to that Court.
Lord G. L. GOWER was perfectly sure, whether
the expedition to Copenhagen had taken place pr not,
Denmark would by this time be at war with thii.
country. Every thing that she had formerly :Aired
at was subsequently declared by Bonaparte, namely,
the liberty of th.t seas ; therefore Ministry, without a
strange dereliction from their duty, could non from
the strong evidence they possessed, act otherwise. .
Mr. ABERCROMBIE argued a, some length or;
the injustice of the measure, winch did not appear to
him to be called for, by any immediate necessity. He
thought that Ministers had acted with rashness and
intemperance, and that if they had pursued a more
conciliatory conduct, it Was very probable that the
Crown Prince would have resolved to defend Zealand
and the fleet against France, and might have accept.
ed some assistance from this country to do so. The
Prince Royal and a considerable party in Denmark,
had preferred the cause of England to that of France,
as conceiving us the more just and honourable nation
of the two ; but if they could have foreseen the steps
we had since taken, there could not be a single patri.
otic Dane who would not have, from the beginning,
preferred the cause of France to that of this countr
Mr. R. THORNTON said he had heard aOl
deal about the kw of nature and nations. He :did
not think the law of nature had been violated in this
Expedition, and as to the law of nations, he did not
know what it meant, when there were no nations.—
(Loud cries of Hear, hear! from the Opposing
benches). We must now consider Russia, Germany,
Denmark, and all Europe, as France. It appeared.
to him that it was the fixed intention of Bonaparte*
prevent, if it was in. his power, the House of Bran&
wick from reigning longer in this kingdom.
The SECRETARY at WAR went over the arg*
ments which had been often urged in defence of the
measure, and which he considered as altogether iiR
answerable. The determination of Bonaparte to seise
the Danish fleet, and turn them against this country,
was not merely suspected, but had been declared to
Europe in Moniteurs, and other official papers. The
inability and unwillingness of Denmark to resist, well
equally apparent. Under such circumstances, tte
Expedition could be justified on the strictest grounds
of necessity.
Dr. LAWRENCE er.tered into a long defence 0(
the consistent views of Denmark, to show from hen
commercial situation that it would be her interest till,
zaaintain her neutrality, and resist the influence 01
France.
Mr. FITZGERALD, at considerable length, ar•
gued on the same side, and suppert:d the Address.
Mr. CROAKER spoke against the original hie.
tion and charged the Opposint n with having taki
the authority of the Moniieur as the principal gr 0!,..,
of their argument against this measure, and all!I
obloquy they had endeavoured to cast upon it ; ero,
after defending that expedition upon the grounds of
Policy, as well as necessity, he said he thought he.
Majesty's Ministers were entitled to the thanks of that
country, for that advantageous measure. He als.°
accused the Gentlemen on the other side, with inooe'
sistencY in their own arguments against this measly!!
at one time praising it, and at another condemning h.