Star.
London, England, 1808-05-10 00:00:00

PARLIAMENIARr PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MAY 9.
Counsel was again beard at the Bar, in the appeal, Wemyss
ersus M'Queen, and further pleadings were fixed for Wednes
slay next.
The Roxburgh Fecrage Cause was postponed to half past one
o'clock to-morrow.
The LORD CHANCELLOR. moved (in the absence of Lord
Ellenborough) the second reading of the Insolvent Debtors Bill
on Friday next.—Agreed
Lord LAUDERDALE presented a Petition from the Debtors
in I. oicaster Gaol, praying relieL—Ordered to lie on the table.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. •
Sir THOMAS TURTON presented a petition from the
Debtors confined in the Marshalsea prison, praying for relief.
Sir Robert Salisbury had leave of absence. from the Downpa-
trick Committee, on account of ill health.
The Donegal Committee obtained leave to adjourn, for the
purpose of obtaining further information from Ireland.
Mr. DICKE.NSON presented a petition from the London
aergy against the Stipendiary Curates Bill.
Sir Harry Vane Tempest obtained leave of absence from the
Mahon Committee, on account of ill health.
Lord BINNING gave notice of his intention, on Monday next,
of submitting is the House a motion relative to Irish affairs.
The Naval Asylum Bill went through a Committee, and the
Report was ordered for Wednesday next.
The Committee on the Court of Sessions of Scotland was post-
poned to Thursday, and the Report of the Bill to prevent Child
Stealing was fixed for Friday next.
The Irish Clergy Residence Rill was read a third time, and

passed.
The Irish Glebe House Bill was also read a third time, and or-

dered to the Lords.
• Mr. FOSTER signified his intention of submittirg to the House
I motion relative to the Bank of Ireland, upon Friday next.
On the motion of Sir A. WELLESLEY, the Bill for allowing
the purchase of certain grounds and premises for enlarging and
improving the Post Office in Dublin, was read a first time, and
ordered to be read a second time to-morrow.
On the motion of Mr. FOSTER, several zz. mints were ordered
relative to the Bank of Ireland.
Several Papers relative to non-resident Clergy were ordered,
on the motion of Mr. ROSE.
The Irish Militia Pay Bill was read a third time, and ordered
to the Lords.
The Irish Militia Bill was reported, and ordered for a third
reading to-morrow.
The Report of the Subaltern Officers' Bill was brought up, and
the Bill ordered for a third reading to-morr.w.
Sir S. COTTERELL presented at the bar of the House seve-
ral Accounts relative to the Clergy residence of Ireland. They
were ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. WHARTON brought up the Report of the Irish Tax
)3ifi, which was ordered for a tlArd reading.
On the motion of Lord FOLIMSTONE, the papers presented
relative to the Droits of the Admiralty were ordered to beprinted.
The second reading of the Malt Regulation Bill, and the Com-
mittee on the Pilots' Bill, were postponed, on the motion of Mr.
ROSE, to Friday next.
The Exchequer Loan Bills were read a second time, and or-
dered for committal,
'Elie Committees of Supply, and Ways and Means, were post-
poned to NrVednesday.
TIDANItTZE9 EXPEDITION.

Colonel WOOD, after some comments on the failure of the
ezpeditiotrto the Dardandies, moved " that there be laid before
the House a copy of the Jew-nal of the Royal George." •
Admiral HARVEY obleuted unite motion;as no grounds were
laid for.authorising the House to come to any conclusion upon It.
Colonel WOOD observed, that of his motion was not
to attach blame to any particular • '
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said: that it was
quite immaterial what or who was the object of the lion. Gen-
tleman's motion, as no decision could take place upon it without
that person being first heard.
Mr. WHITBREAUpaid some compliments to the talent and
gallantry of the distinguished Admiral (Duckworth) to whom the
allusions were made, and had no doubt but he would be able to
give every satisfaction upon the subject.
After a few observations from Colonel WOOD and Admiral
HARVEY, it was agreed to withdraw the motion, and it was
withdrawn accordingly, and fixed, on the suggestion of Sir C.
POLE, to Tnursday next.
Mr. CANT I AN postponed the consideration of the Catholic
wadi the 45th instant.
THE ROCHEFORT SQUADRO)f.

Mr. CALCRA FT rose to make his promised mo-
tion. He said nothing was further from his intention
than to criminate the conduct of Sir R. Strachan.
/Co man was more desirous than he to do justice to
the character cf that gallant officer. What he now
wanted to establish was, that Sir R. Strachan was
unds:r 'the necessity of quitting. his !:ttion off Roche-
fort, in consequence of want of supplies. His charge
was a7ainst the Board of Admiralty, and he was
happy that all the Papers n'.cessary to substantiate
that clrirge were now before ;.iie house. He did not
theret;re bring it forward on light-grounds. He
kl,cw the imp'.rtance of it, inasmuch as it affected
the Board of Admiralty an.l the country at large. It,
was a rule in the Navy, that when a squadron was
blockading any place, it should be so provided with t
all necessaries as to prevent the possibility of the ene-
my's escaping ; and as that could not at all fillies be ,
effected by the utmost vigilance of a blockading squa-
dron, it sh' uld be prepared to follow the enemy
which had escaped, wherever they went. It appea-
red, that on the Silith of October Lord Gardner, with
that foresight which so eminently distinguished him,
sent a ship to r,Leve Sir IL Strachan. With this
warning before them, the Board of Admiralty ne-
glected to send provisions to this squadron until the
beginning of December. It appeared that on the
11th of December there were only eight weeks pro-
visions on board the squadron. This circumstance
was stated to the Board of Admiralty by Lord Gar-
dner, in a letter to them. On the Sd of December an
order was issued for shipping a quantity of provisions
on board the Mediator for the squadron; but this
supply did not reach it until the 12th of January,
when it was too late. The squadron ought to have
been relieved by fresh ships, instead of having provi-
sions sent out in that way ; because the latter mode
of relieving a squadron was always liable to acci.
dents and delay, so as to defeat the object in view,
as it hafirened in the present case. Lord Gardner
made anoher representation, and the Admiralty
thought they did their duty by sending two other
ships, the Superb and Spencer, to join the squadron.
Nothing was 'heard of the'Sugrb till the 23d of Ja-
nuary, and the Superb did not arrive till the 12th.
A considerable delay had occurred in fitting out the
Superb. Meanwhile Sir R. Strachao was extremely
tiae.:sy, and sent letters to the Admiralty on the sub-
ject. How, he would ask, could all this distress have
bezn occasioned, except through the neglect of the
Board of Admiralty ? They must have known the
precarinitsness of 't ictualling asquactron in tlfatplace;
and was is of no consequence, that they acted in such
a manner as to enable an enemy's beet to escape, un-
der the rirofst active of the*French officers, and put to
Sea, nobody knew Where ? • For he was confident we
'revs ~tra '.grorant 'of the destination of this 'fleet :
41chwAgr. an ;lonourable Gentleman, sometime ago,
pinbably for die purpose of pining a momentary
iheer, did inforrn'the Heusi that it had one
.to the
At4terraßfaß: PR 02t of i!".4qarl§if 4444

Strachan's squadron was reduced to three weeks pro-
visions. On the 11th supplies arrived, whin it was
too lats. Had the enemy's squadron escaped sooner
Sir Richard could not have pursued them. kludareci
not to have risked stielf a pursuit, even ;f he saw the
enemy's pendants flying, without endangering the
lives of his men. This, then, was the situation he
found himself placed in he was obliged by necessity
to quit his station, and.afterwards, in consequence
of being short of provisions, and in order to meet the
expected supplies, he was forced to quit his cruizing
ground. Between the 12th and 19th of January the
weather was very bad; in this interval the enemy
escaped. It was evident, that had Sir R. Strachan
been provided with necessaries, he might have follow-
ed and come up with the enemy ; for they were seen
the 17th January by the Phcenix frigate, one of his
squadron, and therefore he might have been equally
well able to keep them in view, had he been relieved.
But he was obliged to quit his post, to seek the trans-
ports he expected with provisions. The first thing
he should now do would be to move a resolution as
to the general facts founded on the documents before
the House. If this were agreed to, it would be a
subject of future consideration, whether he should
bring forward a charge. The Honourable Gentle-
man concluded with moving a long string of resolu-
tions, which coinprized all the facts detailed in his
speech, calling on the House to declare that such
were the facts.
On the first Resolution being read from the Chair,
The Hon. WELLESLEY POLE rose, and said,
that as the Honourable Gentleman had thought proper
to move a series of Resolutions without at present fol-
lowing them tip with any thing expressive of the ob-
ject avowed, he would feel it his duty to move the
previous question upon t'he first Resolution. He was,
he confessed, not a little surprised to hear that object
still avowed by the Honourable Gentleman, after his
having perused the papers that had been laid upon
the table of the House, because he thought that those
Papers must impress the mind of every candid man
with a conviction of the r.-cal, vigilance, and activity
of the present Board of Admiralty—( Hear! hear !)
—The Hon. Gentleman had brou'ht two most serious
charges against the Board--,one was, that the Board
paid no attention whatever to the repeated and earnest
requisitions of the several commanders of the block-
ading squadrons, complaining of want of provisions,
and requiring relief and supply. The other was, that
Sir Richard Strachan had_ been compelled to abandon
his station off Rochefort, in consequence of want of
provisions. Here lie "would .oliserve, that the rendez-
vous appointed 'by the Admirilty foit Sir Richard
Strachan's squadrun in case of their being dispersed
by had weather, was off the Chasseron Light-house,
east-and-by-soutb, twenty leagues, or thereabouts, as
the weather might permit. He was on the station
but from the .16th to the 19th December. That
might surprize:the Hon. Gentleman; but he hid too
much patriotism not to be glad, in case he was satin
lied that the Admiralty had done their duty. The
Honourable Gentleman had asked, why Sir Richard
was not able to pursue the enemy ? It-would appear
from a letter he should read to the House, that the
weather, and not the want of victuals, was the true
and only cause that prevented the pursuit. The House
would judge from the letter w,hich_he- should now
read to them, that so far from--
Mr. TIERNEY rose to order. .All papers neces-
sary to the present question had been moved for ; the
letter which the Honourable Gentleman was about
to addnce in evidence, w.is not before the House.—
The practice of resorting to such extracts had already
gone too far, and been productive of considerable in-
convenience and well-grounded complaint. He called
upon the House to put an end to it, by marking its
disapprolsation of it in present instance.
The SPEAKER said, that much had passed with-
in that House upon the practice alluded to. He did,
not think himself warranted by any authority to de•
nounce it as irrgular. If he di I so, he knew of no
precise rule or existing order by which he could have
justified his having done so. Tne simmer was with,
the discretion of the House, mil it was for that dig-1
cretion to decide upon it
Mr. PONSONBY, to order, said, that if there was
no rule hitherto, the House should now adopt one,
to prevent a practice so novel and opposite to general's
usage; for if that practice was persisted in, what
must be the consequence ? might not any Honourable
Member get up in his place—
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
here rose to order, and said, that, the Right Hon.
Gentlemun was hitnielf deviating from-order, for he
was proceeding to argue the propriety. of adopting a
rule not now existing, and of course that could not
now be violated.
Mr. PONSONBY, to order, said, that the Right
Honourable Gentleman had mis-stated his intentions,
and that if he had been permitted to proceed, he
would have added, that if the Honourable Gentle-
man persisted in a practice so censurable, he (Mr. P.)
should instantly move to adjourn the debate.
The Honourable WELLESLEY POLE then
rose, and said, that he should be sorry to persist in
any thing unpleasant to the House (a cry of Read !
Read ! ) and should not press doing what might be
offensive to the Gentlemen opposite. He would
therefore not read the letter, bht content himself with
stating the substance of what he got from that letter,
and let the House give it whatever credit lie thought
due to his character (Hear! Hear!) He would
then take upon himself to assert, that Sir Richard
Strachan, after leaving the Bay, passed the Ferrol
squadron, without applying for provision of any kind,
or doing more than exchanging the usual signals by
telegraph ; that he passed also the Lisbon squadron
without any such application, or doing more than
exchangiqg signals • and that he passed in the' same
way GibOltar,- This much he would state, and he
Pledged his character to the truth of-that statement.
On the SOth October Lord Gardner wrote to the
Admiralty, acquainting them that the-Conqueror had
joined him eel Ushant, and that he had ordered her to
proceed to Cawiand Bay to refit, and then proceed-and
relieve one of *e s{hips off Rochefort„ and that he
wished it to be remembered this ship was then ordered
tc convey as 'much provision and as many live bullocks
as she conveniently could; this ship arrived, agree-
able to Lord 'Gardner's orders, on the Ist of No-
vembcr, and on the 15th of the same month it was
ordered to repair-to the ships employed in the ser-
vice of conveying the Royal Family from Lisbon to
the Brazils ; and to the squadron under Sir Sidney
§mitli, four s;01 of tite line were then cletiche47* Here

he observed that some of the ships had been five months
at sea before they had reached the squadrons they
were destined to relieve. He referred to page 11,
NO.B and 9 ; the one an order from the Admiralty to
the Victualling Board, requiring them to send out
provisions of potatoes, onions, and live bullocks for the
:several squadrons off L'Orient, Rochefort, and Fer-
; the potatoes, three pounds a man per week for
Itwo months, the onions, half a pound a man per week,
and as many live bullocks as she could conveniently
stow. The other was a letter from Mr. Barrow to Lord
Gardner, acquainting his Lordship with those direc-
tions, and both dated 3d December, 1407. He next
referred to No. 10, pages 12, 13, 14, to shew the actual.
stat" of Sir Richard Strachan's squadron on the Ist
of December ; on the 3d December, the order was
issued for forwarding the supplies by the Mediator,
page 15, No. 11, but no requisition was received at
the Admiralty till
.the 18th of December, and yet
provisionary orders had been issued on the 3d of the
same month. That letter was written on the 11th by
Lord Gardner, and did certainly state that there were
not more than eight weeks provisions on board. On
the 21st, another letter from Lord Gardner, covering
another from Sir Richard Strachan, of the Ist De-
cember, and two days after, the 23d, the Mediator
went into Portsmouth, and though then ready to sail,
was not able to do so till the 6th January, merely be-
1r cause the present Board had not ingenuity enough to
controul the winds and weather. On the 21st, an
order is issued for the sailing of the Superb and Spen-
eee• page 18, Nes. 19, 20, and 21. But it had been
objected, why were not those ships sent direct to Sir
Richard, without being first sent to Lord Gardner ?
The objection he was surprised at, because it betrayed
such ignorance of the general routine, which was, that
all blockading squadrons are subject to the controul
of the Commander of the Channel fleet. He next
referred to No. 22, page 19, dated the 20th Decem-
ber, and received at the Admiralty the 224, from Ad-
miral Young, beginning, " As a very considerable
supply of provisions has been sent to the ships off
1 Ferrol, and the Audacious will sail on Tuesday for
that squadron with six months' provisions, I submit to
their Lordships, whether it may not be adviseable to
1 allow the provisions carried out by the Mediator to be
1 divided between the squadrons off L'Orient and
IRochefort," &c. He next adverted to page 21, No.
28, Lord Gardner's letter, transmitting state of Sir R.
Strachan's squadron, the bread being at two-thirds al-
lowance on the 21st December, and then reminded
the House of Admiral Young's letter, of the follow-
ing day, recommending a division of the provisions.
The relief was ready to sail eight or nine days before,
but prevented by bad weather • and as soon as the
weather permitted, the Spencer, and Cumber.
land were sent direct to Sir R. Strachan. He here
took occasion to pay i high tralute to the professional
merits of Admiral Young, as the best Port Admiral
in the Navy. On the Slst December the Colossus
was ordered to join; and in page 30, No. 41, would
be found the letter of Admiral Young, requiring two
transports sent into Catwater, to be forthwith laden
-.with two months provisions for four thousand fir-
hundred men, for the immediate relief of the Roche-'
fort Squadron. He then entered upon the second di.
vision of the subject; the other serious charge was,that
Sir Richard had been compelled to abandon his station
in consequence of want of' provisions. He sheaved
what had been the state of the weather from the 21st
of December till the 6th of January, and that it was,
so tempestuous as to prevent the relief going out, and
that it and it only was what compelled Sir Richard
Strachan to abandon his station. He was anxious,
in proof of this, to call the attention of the House to'
Sir Richard's letter, dated the 21st December, an'
not received till the 30th, page 25, No. 29. ".We
have been driven If (.4 cry of Hear! Hear !) and jus.
got hold of the land. Nothing mate-ial has occurred.
AVe have had very tempestuous weather" ( Hear !
Hear!) He then cited Sir Richard's next letter of the
25th December, mentioning the reduced state of the
provisions' and stating, that " the weather has been
such, we have not been able to proportion the re-
mains of provisions to each ship." He text cited, an
extract from Sir Richard's letter to Lord Gardner,
dated the2Bth December, off Roche Bonnes, in which
he says, " I inclose the state of the squadron on the
23d, since which the weather' has prevented much
communication." On the 4th of January, Sir Richard,
when stationed ten leagues of Belleisle, that since the
Emerald and Euridicc had parted in chace, they have
had constant gales ; and on the 22d off January, the
received a letter from Sir Richard, dated
the 16th, then lying ten leagues South-west of the
Roche Bonnes, in which he states, that the Superb
and Mediator joined on the 12th, the Lavinia op the
11th, and the Colossus yesterday ;—and adds, " but
it was not till this morning that the weather would'
permit us to communicate by boats ;" this then was
Sir R. Strachan versus the Honourable Gentleman,.
and let the House decide between the two authori-
ties.
The Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to
spew, by a variety of documents which 'he cited, that
Sir Richard was compelled to abandon his position
by the weather, arid not by want of provisions • and
concluded, by wishing the Honourable Gentleman
would net put it off, but as they were then at it to
fight it out before they parted. He then• moved the
previous question.
Sir CHARLES POLE adverted to an inaccuracy
'as to the 30th of November. He contended that the
squadron was not provisoned as it ought to have been,
and that the supply of the Mediator afforded but 16
days provision of bread to the ships of the line exclu.
sivoly. It was but too evident that Sir Richard quit-
ted his station to look for the victuallers, and that if
he had remained at anchor in Basque roads, the enemy
could not have escaped ; the squadron had then but
316 tons of water till the Superb and Colossus oined
it. Giving the Admiralty credit for their zeal, and
for all the provisions which they had sent ; still the
squadron was not sufficiently supplied to enable it to
folldw the enemy to the Cape of Good Hppe, or any
considerable distance. All this was owing to the sys-
tem of sending out transports, instead of fresh ships,
in winter. He dwelt particularly upon the novel and
distressing situation in which Sir R. Strachan seas
placed. On the 12th of January, the provisions were
only 16 days bread, four days wine and spirits, and
25 days water ; so that this gallant officer could
not Chace the enemy out to sea for more than
three or four days, and must, at the end of that
time, have given over the pursuit, even if he had
seen' the enemy from the mast head. If he had
to give his ofiniou on the uestion, sitting on a court

Martial, he would say that this squadron had not
been kept in a proper condition ; and even after the
'boasted supply had been furnished from the Mediator,
the provisions were not sufficient to enable die squa-
dron to follow the enemy to any great distnir:e. The
vital interests of the navy required that due attention
should be paid to the supply of provisions for the fleet.
The Right Hon. Gentleman had talked of a new sys.
tern for that purpose; but he hoped that the system
would not go to•prevent the relieving of the ships of
blockading squadrons froni time to time, whether well
provisioned or not. He mentioned. that one ship hat
been at sea for eleven months, and that she had not
:been in port for so many days, when she was ordettsl
to sea again—the name of the ship was the Defiance.
'Great merit had been assumed from this circuthstanee„
but it was a sort of merit which he disclaimed. This
mode of keeping ships for such a length of time at sea.
might be attended with bad consequences, and any Sys„
tern would be bad in which such a plan should beadopt
ed. He would not willingly censure the Admiralty, no t
because. the papers would not bear him out, but because
the proper man agemont of the navy was a matter of stele
importance, that he should wish to have evidence at the
bars of neglect in this point before he finally deter.
mined to condemn. He was, therefore, in some'
measure sorry that the papers had been laid hefose
the House. and as ha was called upon to pronounceupon their contents, he could not but express his opi.
mon, that what ought_ to have been done in this in.
stance had no: been done.
Mr. W. POLE esplaiwzd, that in the new
provit,lon was formaderelieving from inn,
. ,li in
the ships
to time. _ .

Mr. R. WARD, after adverting to the vehement
manner in which the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Cal-
craft) was accustomed to attack h;s political oppo.
nents—a specimen of which spirit, he said, appeared
in his considering the letter of Sir Richard Strachan
as ironical, stated the nature of the blockading sys.
tern. One part of the plan was, tle_keepieg the
squadrons well supplied with stores, and relieving
them ship by ship at diffekent periods Another part
of the plan was, that the Commander in Chief was
the person to see to the state of the different squa-
drons, and to correspond with the Port-Admirals
about
.provisions, &c. independent of 'the Admi.
ralty, who might, however, order any relief they
judged necessary. But from the accumulated pres-
sure that came upon the Admiralty at some periods,
this plan must of necessity be occasionally suspended.
The Gentlemen on the other side would at least
allow the present Admiralty credit for alacrity in
fitting out the Danish Expedition. When the ships
came home ir,,m Copenhagen, they wore in such a
situation. with their crews scattered in various quar-
ters. that no use could be immediately made of them.
—The Admiralty had also a squadron at the Tagus
—they had s )me ships on their way to the Brazils
with the Royal Family of Portugal—they had a squa-
ll-on at St. Helen's, to wait for the Russian fleet be-
fore it was known they had entered the Tagus—and
-hey had sent four ships of the line to Madeira—so that
.t was necessary at that particular time to suspend
-the usual mode of acting under the blockading system.
He admitted that the want of provisions in any aqua.
dron was a prima facie. case ageiest the Admiralty.
But, if this question was examined with candour,
he felt no anxiety as to the result. The Admiralty, lie
observed, ever alive to •the wants of the Navy, had
given orders for a supply to this squadron before any
representations had been made to them. It was not
meant then to give a temporary supply until the usual
course of the blockading system could be resumed.—
That only six out of ten transports reached Sir R.
Strachan. That the Mediator could not sail was not
the fault of the Admiralty, but the weather. Tem-
pestuous westerly winds prevailed for '27 days in Dc.
cember, and 28 days in January, which prevented diy
operations of the Mediator, &c. He denied that Sir
R. Strachan had quitted his station. The Admiralty
could not be expected to answer for the consequences
of tempestuous weather. They might as well be
blamed for the loss of well-equipped vessels founder,
ing in a storm. They were no more blame in this
instance than the then Admiralty were for the loss of
the Royal George, that went down at Spithead. He
concluded by requesting the Hon. Gentleman who
proposed the Resolution, to have as much candour as
Phillip 11. of Spain, why, upon the news of the loss of
the Armada, said, that he had not fitted out a fleet tie
overcome the winds and the waves ; and thanked Goo
that the calamity was not greater.
The Right Honourable GEORGE PONSONBY
observed, that the Resolution went to say that Sir
Richard Strachau's squadron was not supplied with
provision, and that was.proved by the documents on
the table, beyond 'redemption. It had been said that
Sir Richard had never left his station on account
the want of provisions. A letter from him, dated
the 21st of November, says, The wind having
veered to the Northward, he stretched out to sea,
to try to meet some. of the transports that he had exe
petted." Why proceed to sea, in an uncertain pure
suit, to look after transports, if not in want 'of proe
visions ? and, if he did proce d to sea, he must
have gone off his station. The letter of Sir Richard
Strachan, upon which the Honourable Gentlemen
prided themselves so much, contained not a particle
of any thing that could support them. Sir Rl-
chard had written several letters to his commending
officer, Admiral Lord Gardner, stating the situation
of the squadron, and its want of provisions ; but
finding the supplies did not come, he wrote to the
Board of Admiralty. The consequence was, he
received a supply ; and this boasted prize, this
letter, commending the Board, goes just so far as
to say, he thanked them for the attention they
had paid to his communication. Did this exculpate
them ? Did he say any thing about what had
been the situation of the fleet ? No : but look to
his letter of the 23d of January, four days afto
the French had got out, and what does he say, after
all the boasted supplies reached him I t 4 That if
his provision and weier would last him, be, would
follow the enemy over the world." A bloekadif
squadron ought to have erovision on board equaf
to what the fleet they were blockading could Foe!
sibly procure. The Board of Admiralty could nee
think that the enemy's Squadron would go no farther
than what two months provision would allow hem.
That must have been their supposition, or that diem
was an understanding between the board and the
enemy; for when Sir Richard went in pursuit, he 4.14
but two months provision. He would challenge alit
pereian in that House to prove the squadron erg

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THE BRAZILS.
Yesterday Government and the Portuguese Amhas
ador received dispatches from the PRINCE of Blum,
bought to Falmouth by the Portuguese ship Golfincho,
Capt. Correia° Gamuz de Mato. His Royal High-
ons reached Bahia on the 19th of January, where he
ns received by his subjects with the loudest acclama-
tion, and every possible demonstration of joy ; and
6 illuminations and fire-works were continued for
several dap. On the 28th, he issued an Ordinance
fa the regulationof trade with that country. We have
been favoured with a copy of this edict, which is sub-
joined. It is a document that must prove highly in-
teresting to the Commercial World.
The private accounts state, that the fleet of mer-
Oast ships which sailed from Lisbon with the Royal
I Family, had separated in bad weather, about the mid-
of January, and that some of them had, in conse-
ce, been captured by the French and Spanish
yivateers. It is added, that all the Portuguese ves -
thin the Spanish ports of South America had been
reed, and that war had consequently commenced
knreen the Spaniards and Portuguese in that quarter.
Commodore MOORE, we understand, proceeded with
6 British squadron, and the greater part of the For-
tignese ships to Rio de Janeiro, whither the PRINCE
ickwm
lUsrix was also shortly expected to repair. The
Dal John de Castro, of 74 guns, had been con_
tamed, as unfit for further service, shortly after her
arrival at Bahia.

Captain Maw left Bahia on the 10th of February,
Hebears the commission of Lieutenant in the Portu-
gaere Navy, and appeared yesterday on 'Change in
a 'very rich and splendid uniform, which attracted so
pitch notice, that he was greatly incommoded by the
pressure of the multitude.
ORDINANCE OF THE PRINCE REGENT.

(Ol:ST DE PONTE, OF MY PRIVI, COUNCIL, GOVERNOR
AnCAPTAIN-GENERAL OF THE. PROVINCE OF
Friend, I the Prince Regent send you, as my well-beloved, gree-
-4: Duly considering the report which you have made to me,
en the condition of my subjects and my royal revenue, on account
the present critical state of public affairs of Europe, and
lidag desirous to give on that important subject a speedy deci-
lin, in order to stop the farther progress of evils of such magni-
tade, dtc. Ido herewith provisionally ordain, until a general sy-
nod of regulations, respecting the matters iu question, shall have
4el arranged, as follows :1
I.That at the Custom houses.in the Brazils, all kinds of goods,
merchandise, and commodities, brought either on board of fo-
rdan 9bips, belooging to subjects of such rowers as are conside-
red to be on terms of amity and peace with my royal crown, or
in vessels belonging to my subjects, shall be admitted on pay-
rat of twenty-four per cent. import duty, consisting of twenty
Pe cent consolidated customs, and four per cent. additional duty
*tidy established ; the collection of the said customs to be effect
.' in the same manner as has hitherto been done at the said Cos-
iest House. Wine, brandy, and sweet oil, shall pay double the
eny that has hitherto been levied on the said articles.
S. That it shall be lawful not only for my own subjects, but
Ilia for those of the Powers above-mentioned, to export to such
tats as they shall deem expedient, for the benefit of trade and
Viculture, which I feel anxious to promote, every species of co-
knial commodities and produce, with the exception of Brazil-
'nod and ether articles, the exportation of which is already pro-
albeied, istymeni of the same export duty as has hitherto been
ritablished in the respective provinces; all laws, royal edicts, and
Ace ordinances, which hitherto prohibited in this Sta to of the
Braila a mutual intercourse and maritime trade between my
"I'N'ts and foreign natiens, remaining until farther suspended

arAl without force. All which you will,cause to be carried into
elect with that activity and zeal which I expect from you.
Bahia, lan. 28, 180Ik (Signed)
Be it carried into execution and regis. THE PRINCE.
tend, and the necessary orders for
that purpose expedited. (Signed)
Bahia, lan. 29, 1808. Count Ds PONT!.

HOLLAND.
Two American vessels have just returned to this
country, which were refused admittance into the Dutch
ports, to which they were destined ; although they
remained off the Dutch coast above fourteen days.
The circumstance is extraordinary,because one of these
vessels had 196 serrons of Jesuit's bark on board, a cir.

cumstance which was communicated to the Dutch
Government.

By these vessels Dutch papers and letters to the sth
instant have been received, from which it appears that
NAPOLEON'S last decree against commerce is ofsuc h a

nature that every American ship that enters a port
under the influence of France, or is met with by a
French cruizer, must be a prize. The spirit of this
new act is simply this—The Americans have had an
embargo on their own ships, that none of them, on a
fair voyage, can now be at sea. Any that are met
with under that flag must therefore either have been
detained by the English or be an impostor. The fol-
lowing letters contain some of the particulars :

" HELDER, APRIL 30.

" A Decree, issued by the Emperor at Bayonne, arrived at
Amsterdam on the 2gth inst. confirming all the measures pre-
viously resorted to and decreed respecting navigation, by which
all American vessels are subjected to confiscation. It alledges,
that as the embargo in America has been of such long continuances
no vessel can now reach any of the ports in Holland, without
having been delayed in England. Every vessel, of whatever
nation, will, with her cargo, henceforward, undoubtedly, be con-
fiscated, after having been in England, or having been spoken by
' an English cruizer.

" The ship Mary, Capt. Kienbell, and the brig Newton, Capt.
Daly, sailed in company from Ramsgate on the 18th April inst
and arrived lr. the Texel on the 20th. After a few days delay,
they were ordered out to sea; their consignees apprehended im-
mediate confiscation, and had they arrived after the 28th, that
would have happened.

" MAY 4.—No news this day from Amsterdam.

" Mar 2.—The American ship Holland Trader, Capt. Sinclair,
has arrived, and is ordered to sea ; if she attempts to stay, she
will certainly be taken possession of under the late Decree.
ANOTHER LETTER.

" MAY 4.—A1l intercourse is interdicted between Holland,
France, &c. &c. and American vessels.
" The Sally, Captain Brown, for Rotterdam, lately detained,
has been seized. The ship Mary, and brig Newton, arrived
here on the 20th April. Their papers were sent to the Govern-
ment, and some expectation was afterwards entertained, that
permission would be given to discharge. Orders have since
reached us to embark Immediately, and we fear a seizure may
take place before we can get off, in consequence of a Decree,
which reached Amsterdam on the 28th of April, subjecting to
seizure and confiscation all American vessels having been in
England, or spoke at sea, it being alledged that no Americans
can now be on the ocean, the embargo having been of such long
continuance in that country.
" The Rochefort squadron has reached Toulon, having first
landed tke troops, to proceed to Dalmatia.—The Army of the
East is rapidly marching for India ; and the Governrr.ent intends
to procure a Peace, they say, by the rigid exclusion of all com-
merce."

The day after the Decree above alluded to reached
Amsterdam, several of the American ships were
seized, although no charge was preferred against them
of having been in an English port, or been spoken by

a British cruizer. _ I
The Order for detaining American ships appears
to have already been pretty generally acted upon ;
for independently of the accounts from Holland, we
learn from another quarter, that the ships Hannah,
Ann, Ranger, Reward, Neptune, and Mayflower, have
been seized in the port of Alicant.
Has America any choice left as to the part she
must now take in the broils of Europe ? We think
not. These transactions wear so decided a character
of hostility, that no colouring can be given to them
in America favourable to the views of NAPOLEON :
nor, indeed, does he seem to wish it—he courts a rup-
ture with America.

more th.in two ntlis provision, although an
ble Gentleman had found out that every
▪ •thsquadron ought to have five months provision.
Tis
:1 the most novel defence he had ever heard set
It went 1,3 the enemy's squadron had got
of Rochefort, and if you say nothing about it,
will take care it never shall be so again. They
It brought tempests and hurricanes, and they
I'D:, they could not fight against the elements, as
"/"ase. He had never heard that the Bay of Nis-
-11;2-s very serene and calm in the months of De-
cl6. and January. Every person knew that
;1;4 winds generally prevailed at that season of
wear ; and could the Board of Admiralty be ig.
tof it ? If they were, it was not a wonder that
*Richard Strachan's squadron suffered from the
wed provisions ; and if they did know it, they
rut the more blameable for not having provided
it. He did not charge the Board of
'withAdmi-
intentional neglect, but he charged them
oh want of jthe udgment.
The Hou sen divided on the previous question
...Ars 146—Noes 49—Majority in favour of Mini-
ges 97.
The House went into a Committee on the petition
b(Clintock and Wm. Foster M'Clintock.
.41100e1 BARRY MAXWELL proposed that a
should be brought in for the relief of the peti•
ors, and to carry into effect the Act 43d of the
ot, granting compensation to patentee reversion
os of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland. After
gaeonversation between Mr. MICHAEL A. TAYLOR,
operal MONTAGUE MATHEW, Mr. PERCIVAL, and
awl tiowrix, it was agreed to.
'Theliouse resumed, and leave was given to bring
is the Bill
ne Dublin Insurance Bill was read a second time,
/id ordered to be committed.
Ile House adjourned at eleven o'clock.
THE EVENING STAR.
•
LONDON.
TUESDAY, MAY 10.
%BCE OF STOCkS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOEK.
Nosh, for money, 681—for sec. 6sl4—Reduced 6741.
!lacquer Bills, Rs. 9s. prem.—lndia Bonds 4s. ss. pr m.
Navy 5 per Cents. par
PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY.
spent. Red. 671 India Bends 4s. Ls. prem.
e.mt. Cons. 67-68 Imp. Ann. 7 11-16
irspr GAL 8414 Irish 5 per Cent
spa Cent. Navy, 993 H Excheq. Bills, 71. 9s. pre.
litgAnn.lB 11-16thst English Tickets 201. 19s.
*Stock In Cons. for acc. 68
THE BRAZILS.
Yesterday Government and the Portuguese Ambits
ithor received dispatches from the PRINCE of NUM 1
kourht to Falmouth by the Portuguese ship Golfinclu