Star.
London, England, 1808-02-09 00:00:00

. .

respecting interviews which he had with the Empe-
ror of Russia, and particularly alluded to a meeting
with the Emperor in December. The Noble Secre-
tary assured that Noble Lord, that he was not aware
of the correspondence alluded to being in his office,
nor had he seen such a paper. He had reason to
believe that not only those of the Russians, who were
attached to England, but also the Russian nation in
general, thought favourably of the expedition. He
would ask, what might have been the state of this
country, had we not sought our own security by taking
possession of the Danish fleet ? On what depended
the security of that part of the world which still re-
mained unsubdued by France, but upon the naval
force of Great Britain, which if France were able at
length to join to her military force, the rest of the
world would he prostrate before her? On the whole,
he thought that all who justly appreciated the gigan-
tic power of France, and the paramount dictates of
the law of self preservation, must be convinced that
the measure now attacked was necessary to the salva-

tion of the country.
Lord St. VINCENT thought it necessary to say a
few words on the practicability of the French passing
over from Holstein to Zealand. In his opinion it was
as practicable to invade England from Boulogne, as
to invade Zealand by the Great Belt, if it was the
same as he had seen it -18 years ago. Having been
employed by the late Government in the expedition
to the Tagus, he was prepared to say, that there was
no resemblance whatever between the conduct that
would have been pursued in that case, and what had
been followed in the present.
Earl GREY said that Ministers, so far from having
saved the country by their expedition to Copenha-
gen, had deeply injured its honour, and consequently
endangered its safety. It had been said by the Noble
Lord who spoke lately, that it was the main ob-
ject cf France to combine against us all the
navies of Europe ; and that she entertained that
design in regard to the fleet of Denmark. He
was far from disputing the ambitious designs of France;
but, Sir, in order to establish the other point, it was
necessary to spew either that Denmark was unable or
unwilling to maintain her neutrality. It was the in-
terest and the duty of this country to lend its aid to,
the defence of Zealand, and that, together with the.
force of Sweden, would have rendered the defence ef-
fectual. There was no ground for supposing there-
fore any inability on the part of Denmark to defend
her insular territories. It was of importance then to
enquire whether she was disposed to avail herself of
those means of defence which she might have had, or
tamely to submit to France. On this point he could
refer to the dispatches of Mr. Garlicke, the British
envoy at the Court of Denmark, a person of the
greatest merit, and held in the highest estimation
during his residence at Copenhagen. In these dis-
patches he had represented the Crown Prince and his
Ministers as haying a spirit that would reject with dis-
dain every demand on the part of France to surrender
their fleet. When on this subject, he must obsei ve, that'.
a dispatch of his own, which he had sent to our envoy
at Copenhagen, had been most foully and unfairly
quoted in another place. The sentence which fol-
lowed the quotation then made, would have shewn,
had it been produced, that the hypothetical case there
stated, was not, in his opinion, likely to happen ; and
the convicticn of Ministers, that the Prince of Den-
mark would resist the demands of France. The
Noble Lord then proceeded to consider the proofs
which had been alledged of the necessity of the mea-
sure, and these were principally derived from the
supposed magnitude of the danger. The fleet of
Denmark had been represented as nearly in a state
of complete preparation. But if the information
which he had received was correct, most of the Da-
irsh ships brought to this country would require some
months before they could be fully prepared for ser-
vice. There could then be no immediate danger from
them. But it was said, that Ireland was the destined
object of attack, and the principal point of danger.
With regard to the people of that country, he would
say, unite them, and you will produce an uncon-
querable people. That, however, was not the policy
of Ministers ; they conjured up to themselves fancied
dangers, and overlooked those that were real. He
would ask, was Sweden secured, or was it not rather
endangered by the measure ? Menaced as she was by
the united powers of France, Russia, and probably of
Denmark, he was surprised that Ministers did not
now proceed to demand the surrender of her fleet
also, which it was now too likely would he added to
the power of France. Ministers, ins ead of securing
the safety of the countey, had added to the difficul-
ties of our situation ; for he was convinced that the
restitution of the Danish fleet would form one of the
conditions of peace that would be roce,t rigidly in-

sisted on.
Lord MULG RAVE said, that but for the cap-
ture of the Danish navy, there would by this time
have been fitted crt against us in the Baltic a fleet of
more than 40 sail of the line. The consequence
would have been, the most active naval war in which
we had ever been engaged, or, perhaps, a struggle
fbr our existence on British territory.
Lord DARNLEY supported the motion, and went
over the same ground that had been so much occu-
pied in the course of the debate.
Lord SIDMOUTH supported the motion. He
contended, that there was no evidence cf it hostile
disposition on the part of Denmark ; that France had
not the means of compelling the surrender of t'.--e Da-
nish fleet ; and that if she had possessed such means,
she would have been restrained, by prudeutial mo-
t;ves. from e7;ercising them. It is evidently the wish
of the Ruler of France to conciliate Russia, for pur-
p,-sos which he had in view, and he would not have
adopted a conduct which must have .awakened the
siespicion of that Power The Noble V incount main-
tained that Ministers had so often shifted their ground
respecting the Copenhagen expedition, that little cre-
dit could be given to any of their statements. They
had represented that measure as one of the greatest
urgency, because it was pretended that advices had
been received that the Danish fleet was to be em-
ployed in a descent on this country. lie could slim,
however, trom the conduct they pursued, that in fact
they did not apprehend an invasion at the time they
made this assertion, for it was at that time they car-
ried into erect the plan of volunteering from the Mi-
litia into the Line, which they certainly would not
have done had they seriously expected that the enemy
would make any attempt against the British Islands.
He hoped that an Address would be moved, to re-
quesais Majesty to keep the Danish ships in ie;:urity

and prvation, the view of their being re-
stored ass soon as cumcirtances should permit. His
Lordship having concluded, the House divided, and
the motion was negatived.—Contents--present 35
proxies l3-48.—Non.contents—i.resent 68—proxies
37-105--Majority 57.—Adjourned at half past five.

WV.
the measure IT
tion of the cot
Lord St. V
few words on
over from 11(41
as practicable
to invade Zea
same as he h:
employed by •
to the Tagus,
no resemblan(
would have 19.
been followed
Earl GRE.
saved the cot
gen, had deer
endangered it
Lord who s
j'ct cf Fran
navies of Et
design in re
was far from c
but, Sir, in of
necessary to
unwilling to
terest and du
the defence
force of Swec
fectual.
fore any inat
her insular to
enquire whet
those means
tamely to sul
refer to the
envoy at th•
greatest met.
during his
patches he h:
Ministers as
damn every ch
their fleet. V
a dispatch of
at Copenhar
quoted in a
lowed the qt
had it been
stated, was
the convicti(
mark woult
Noble Lore
which had
sure, and t
supposed rr
Denmark h
of compiet
which he It:
n' sh ships ht
months befc
vice. There
them. But
object of at
With regal-,
say, unite
querable pe
of Minister
dangers, an
would ask,
endangered
the united r
Denmark,
now procet
also, which
the power
the safety c
ties of our
restitution
conditions
sisted on.
Lord M'
ture of the
have been
more than
would hay(
we had eve
for our
• Lord a
over the sa
pied in the
Lord SI
contended,
disposition
not the me
Dish fleet ;
she would
t;ves. from
of the Rul
p,-ses whit
adopted a
siespic ion c
tained that
r:-specting
dit could I
had reprei
ur:.;ency,
been rcceil
played in
however,
they did r
made this
ried into e
• litia into
have done
would ma
He hoped
quest'his I
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