Star.
London, England, 1806-05-10 00:00:00

MALT DUTISt.

Mr. BAKER moved that ail the petitions that had been pre-
fenced this ((Mon from the Maidters in every part of the kingdom
refpcdting the roan ufaCture of Malt, be referred to a Committee to
confider the fame, and report their opinions thereon to the Houle.
Ordered.

oir JOHN NEWPORT prefented the frith Loan Annuity Bill,
and the latTreafury Bills Bill, which were read the first time,
and ordered for the fecond reading on Monday next.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEVER prtfented his
Bill for regulating the office of Receiver General of Stamp Duties
in Gnat Britain. Read the first, and ordered to be read the fecond
time on Monday.

Lord TEMPLE gave notice of his intention to move cn Mon-
day fora Committee to confider the propriety of tonic Regulations
relpeCting the Importation of Thread Lacc.

MON DUTY.
The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER
moved the Order of the Day tor the Houfe refolving
itfelf into a Committee on the Iron Duty Bill.
Mr. CURWEN obferved, that the taxes were al-
ready fo heavy that nothing but the good fenfe of the
people could enable them to bear them. But be had
no doubt that this good fenfe would always teach
them to bear whatever taxes were neceffary, and this
was not a time to murmur at the additional burthens
laid upon them in this way. With there feelings he
would not have oppofed the prefent meafure, had it
not been that it was fo objeaionable in every way,
that he hoped the Miniffers would abandon it, and
fabllitute a better in its (lead. It had always been
the policy of the country to abllain as much as potli-
ble from taxing the three great and flaple articles of
Iron, Coal, and Wood. Iron might certainly be of
timated one of our flaple commodities, although
the manufaflure of it was, in fame meafure, as yet in
its infancy. This tax would bear heavily on all
thole employments where iron was neceffarily
and in many cafes it would be impoffible to ufe it any
longer. Iron was applicable to roads, to manufac.

tures of various forts, to mining, and a lhoufat,
ether purpofes. The prefent tax, however, if cat
ried into effra, would often amount almoll to a pro
hibition. This tax was put equally on all forts of
iron. Soppofe that an equal tax fhotild he put on
wood of all forts, could that be endured ? But it
might be laid that tome abatement would be al-
lowed ; but it was impoffible that any could be given
which would render (Ilk tax at all proper to be ad-
mitted. One million of chaidrons of coals were im-
ported to London annually. Suppofe the tax fhould
raise the price one (hitting in the chaldron, the fern
would be sopool. which was the fixth part of what
the Noble Lord calculated would be the produce of
his tax. Iron was n•w ufed in many things where
timber had been ufed before, and this tax, by railing
the price of iron, would diminifh its ufe, and thus raite
the price of wood. The manufafture of iron paired
through four or five different hands, by all of who,'
additional capital and additional labour would he re
quired. The troughs of canals were made of this
article in fosse inttances, bat its ufe here and ii'
other things would be Rept. Iron had not increafed
in price like other articles, owing to the increafed ac-
tivity of the perfons who were engaged in the ma-
nufaaure of it, but this tax would deliroy the leffer
manufaaories, and throw a monopoly of the buff-
nefs into the hands of a few individuals. He was
aware of the difficulty of finding taxes at prefent.—
But the prefent would offal the hufbandry of the
country too, to a very great extent. It was fup-
poled that it would be equal to twelve (billings on
every horfe. Iron might be applied to rollers, and,
betides this, nails for hurdles, and a variety of other
articles were to be taken into account. Nuw, admit-
ting that the tax would produce the Cum calculated
upon, which was 3soocaol. a tax of five (billings on
every farm horfe, lupporing the number to be a mil-
lion. would amount to 250,0001. There were fup-
poled to be in the country about two hundred thou-
fend pleafure hot fes—a tax of cos. each on them would
produce the remaining roo,oool. and thus the whole
tax would be produced, with Ids oppreffion to one
defcription of people, than they would fuffzr from,
its operation in its prefent Rate, leaving out the nu-
merous other chafes, upon which it mull bear fo hea-
vily. This tax was direa, but it was the more eafily
colleaed; and the pnblic would have the full benefit
of it. At all events this Ilatement, he apprehended,
was conchifive againff the prefent tax, and he was
convinced that the great mind of the Right Honour-
able Secretary below (Mr. Fox), which he had been
fo much accultomed to admire, would yield at once,

if he was once fenfible that he was in error. Goo for-
bid that any one Ihould in this cafe wins for a vie ory
over hfiniflers. But the prefent tax affe&ed our
commerce, our manufactures, and our agriculture,
to fuch an event, and in to many various ways—it
would bear fo hard on a vat number of Ivor people
to whom iron was neceffary, as forming the tools in
their feveral trades, that he could not give his Went
to it, and therefore oppofed the Speaker's leaving
the Chair.

Mr. STEWART WORTLEY, when he eonfi-
dered the various ways in which this tax would rifled
iron, from the raw material, to the date in which it
was fent from Birmingham for exportation, thought
that it would deflroy many of our manufactures
altogether. Foreigners would then be completely
able to meet us in the market. The drawback would
relieve one clars of perfons, and the tax on foreign
iron would fecure the home market. But, mat, in
the manufacture of Come articles, foreign iron was
neceffary, and this was only adding to the difficulty.
Was this a time to add to the difficulties of our fitu-
ation, or to injure our manuradures This manu-
radare had not as yet filen to very great prorperity,
and this would very materially, indeed, check its
hrogrefs. The objedion to the tax on farm horres
ad been, that it gave the grafs farmer an advantage
over the arable, but this objedion applied more par-
titularly to the prefent tax. If the illuttrious prede-
ceffor of the Noble Lord, uprinilt view of there diffi•
culties, abandoned the tax, he hoped that the Noble
Lord would not perfift in it.
Mr. MORDAUNT thought that the tax would
fluke deeply at the root of many of our manufac-
tures. It would fetter them, and cramp the fpirit
of the Country. He felt himfelf particularly called
,upon to (Ned to it, as it affelted the merchants
and manufadurers fituated in the place which he re-
prefented. To deprive them of employment would
be in the hittheit degree prejudicial to the country in
general. 'I he different manufaCturers in iron were
making rapid progrels in Germany and other fo.
reign Countries, and we ought to beware of giving
(hens an advantage over us in the foreign market.—
It was by the fuperiority of our manufactures that
we were enabled to maintain fuch a high tank
among the nat;ons. If our commerce and our ma-
nufadures Ihould be dilcouraged, we melt be ruined,
as we could never fupply the neceffary revenue.—
If, on the other hand, they thould be encouraged,
notwithdanding the envy and the manifedoes of our
enemies, our manufaClures, under the protedipn of
our invincible Navy, which Navy attire from our
Commerce, would find their way into the foreign
market, and Great Britain would dill be enabled
to fupport her power, her opulence, and her inde-
pendence.
Mr. HENRY LASCELLES, in whatever way
he confidered this tax, found reafon to oppofe it.—
The manufaßure of iron was not yet completely
eflablithed—it was dill in its infancy, and, in the
groffrr articles, it was with difficulty that we could
meet our rivals in the foreign market. Portugal,
Spain, and Italy, were fupplied from Germany with
articles which they had been accudomed to receive
from us. He wished that the money could be railed
in fome other way.
Mr. WILBERFORCE admitted that the fituation
of a finance Minifler was one of extreme difficulty at
prefent, and was becoming every day more and more
np difficult.a tlrt
awnads difficulta
tteo findeo n firdeefisr.tutrienens:
he B uht
oftpiel
d
the Noble Lord would find the ',relent meafure ro
highly objectionable, and fo little calculated to anfwer
its purport, that he would abandon it. In looking
into different writers on man, as he exifted in a ra-
vage and in a civilized condition, it would be found
that one of the chief dittindions between die two was
the tire of this article ; and therefore, it was natural
to luppofe that in proportion as we advanced in ci-
vilization, the tire ut this article would be increafed,
and flow in meandering dreams to purpofes of which
before we could have no idea. It was a complaint

I

in tome manufaftures that they impaired the firength
and health of thofe employed in them. This was not
the cafe here, as thole empl eyed in this manufafture
were remarkable for their ftrength and firm conititu-
tion, and their confequent fitnets to endure the fa-
tigues of military fervice if necelfarv, or any other
fervice to which they might be called. It was calcu-
lated that between 3 and acci,coo perfons were, in.
eluding their families,engaged in this manufaCture. It
had been fume time ago calculated that the taxes of
this country were at the rate of Joh a man ; it was now
certainly much more. This was a fubjeft of immense
magnitude. Jr was peculiar to this tax that was
intended about 9 or to years ago to lay sos. per ton
upon pig iron, but upon a view of the difficulties at•
tending it, hi. Right Honourable Fricud had aban-
doned it, and he would repeat, that it was one of the
great charafterillics of his mind that he always
abandoned a measure upon convietion that it was
wrong. He had Peed longer than the Noble Lord
oppofite, and from his experience he could fay, that
it would be mitch better for the Noble Lord to yield
when any of his meafures were peculiarly objeltion-
able, than to be ton much captivated by the found
of confiftency. This article was peculiarly the pro-
duce of human induflry. It required no particular
foil, and the molt barren Ifpots were often, by its
means, rendered fruitful and populous. He men-
tioned a particular inftance of this in the Weft Riding
of Yorkshire: he had once visited Come of the molt
barren moors that ever he beheld ; but happening
to pars by the fame place Come years afterwards, he
was aflonifhed at the fcene of human induftry and
wealth which it exhibited. The conclufion was, that
this was a matter of great importance, independent
of the confederation of the tax. It was a principle
of taxation betides, not to impofe a tax in the earlier
Rages of any manufaeure. It was alto a principle
of taxation, that a tam as near as poffible to what
had been taken from the people, fhould find its way
into the Treafury. Now this tax would take almott
a million from the people, and would not pay into the
Treafory much more than aoo,oool. In the mode
of its operation, it would be expenfive, vexatious,
and troublefnme. It would be exceeding hard to
apply the Excite to any article which had been be-
fore free. A great many penalties would be inno
cently incurred, and the expenee and verztion occa-
fioned would be alum& intolerable in tbis inftance.
—The county which he reprefented look fearfully to
the decifion of this night. The drawbacks were not
fuffieient, and the Miniftere themfelves had commit.
ted Come mistakes in their calculation. They had
not confidered fufficiently the quantity of the raw
Material. On bar iron 31. per ton was to be allowed,
ism 31. cos. was the leaft that ought to be given, ac-
cording to their own principle; but when the in•
created capital, which would bit necetary, was fit-
peradded, the amount ought not to be leis than 61.
per ton ; on hard-wares 81. per ton would be abfo•
lutely seceffary. There drawbacks were fo high that
it would be much better to drop the tax altogether
than to alto* them. The foreign manufaftures
would he enabled to meet us in the market, and were
et prefent making rapid progrefs. It was by our
manufaftures and our commerce that we were ena-
bled to furnifh the sinews of war. He adverted to
the bright profpeCts that would ante if this manufac-
ture were left untouched. The tax affefted agrica-
ture fo much, that it would be better for the farmers
to have a Tax on Horfes. This was a Tax of the
defcription alluded to by an acute gentleman, who
laid, that in the arithmetic of the Cullom Houle
and 2 did not always make 4. He oppofed the
Speaker's leaving the Chair.
Sir R. BUXTON thought the tat had this to re•
commend it, that it would be diffufed as generally
and as equally as pollible through the community at
large. He particularly objetled to a tax on horfes as
injurious to the agriculture and landed interest of
the country.
Mr. WILBERFORCE, in explanation, °Verve&
that he did not think the farmers would gain any
thing by the prefent tax, in preference to the other,
except the tatislaftion of thinking that others were
fubjeft to it as well as themfelves. He fitggefted that
a tax on footmen might perhaps be produftire, and as
little injurious to the country as any other.
Sir WILLIAM YOUNG contended, that taxes
on what were called luxuries ultimately bore upon
the poor as well as every other. The use of Britifh
iron manufaftures was very great in the Weft India
Hands ; and he had access to know that they were
there preferred to foreign wares, as better, and, on
the whole, cheaper.
Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON wolfed the
tax, on grounds similar to thofe that had before been
advanced; and contended, that its operation would be
peculiarly ruinous in Scotland.
Mr. CALCRAFT did not apprehend that the Ex-
cite would he to inconvenient as was apprehended to
the trade ; there would be, as in other cafes, a mutual
accommodation and liberality. As the export trade
was not affefted by a fiuftuation in the price which
took place to a much larger amount than the duty pro-
poled, he could not tuppote it would be touch affected
by the tax. Our advantage over foreign tnanufaftures
was as great in the quality of our articles as in the
price.
Mr. FRANCIS was forry to oppofe any of the
ineatures of an Adminiftration that polTsiTed In much
of his confidence. He considered, however, that the
propofed Tax would be highly injurious to our ma-
nufafturers, and that a great par: of it mull be paid
by the Government ;deli, who was the principal con-
:omen
;;(r. VANSITTART Paid, that although it was
ufual
to abliain from laying taxes on the raw
mate-
rial, yet there were many instances which it had
been done without tenably affefting the mina-elute.
Norwithßanding the Tax upon Coals, many mann-
frifturers which consumed a great quantity of them
flourillsed in London, and in towns diliaut from the
collieries There were high duties at. prefent on
wood, but that did not prevent ourhuddinil (hips.
There ha 4 been, for a long time, a duty on the raw
material of foreign iron.. He emediEttneidnititiants, onfcomex.
ports would M _eit
aeda. MI 4 of
the increafing number of confumers in America.—
Hitherto it had increafed. notwithftanding every 4.b-
-n:ode which our inveterate enemy could throw in its
the Tax upon Men Servants which.wlls
70yja.ofns to
tobefribtlit wed, if it amounted to a-tliodres
r
of the produft of this tax, it would be much m
"PSI:a-RALPH MILBANKE (aid, that although the

county he reprefented would he affeaed by its from
the increak it would occafion in the price of coals, as
well as iron, yet he had In much confidence in the
Hon. Gentleman who propofed it, that he would
with the bill to go, into a Committee, in order to at.
certain whether it could be made palatabk.
Sir JOHN WIWI' I'ESLEY oblerved, that it
was ar the time that we had quarrelled with the
Northern Nations that the greateft exertions were
made to work our native iron, and that that trade
flowifhed the moll. It was within the memory of
many in that Houfe, when iron was mannfaftured
with wood irate:id of coals. Sir.•:e the change, the
manufatture had doubled ; but if there had been al
excife upon the manitfaCture, which would preicrihe
the manner of it, uo change or improvement would
have taken place. The amount of the tax, which
was full 33 per cent. was greater than ever li.td been
impofed upon any article in the fit II inilance. At to
the propofed drawbacks, he conceived them imprac-
ticable, as harelovare Is general was mixed (as knives,
fpades, &e.) with wood, and confequently the weight
could not be well afcertained. .

Alderman PRINSEP denied that it war unwife to
lay the tax on the raw material. He thought it the
better way, as it bore fo fmall a proportion to the
/aloe of the manurrEtured article,elpecially to goods
of the highell finith. No decreale of our silk manu•
failure had beer: espetienced from the duty oil* ftlk.
He was not at all furprifed, however, that the Iron
Merchants wilbed to Ihift the burden from their own
(boulders to fomebody elk. This was no more than
what was natural.

Mr. W. SMITH could not admit, that the Excite
would be fo dangerous as tome Gentlemen fuppoted.
It had been found the 1;7001 and the cheapen way
of collating a tax. On the other hand, be could nit
admit, that, becaufe the tax upon wood did not pre-
vent us from building (hips, it would therefore be
tale to lay a tax en iron alto. The fat wa.., that the
Americans, notwithltanding the high price of labour,
built (hips cheaper than we did. He, however, whited
that the Bill Gould gn into a Committee, when it
might receive a fuller examination.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had
forborne to hate his kattiments, until he heard the opi-
nions of the leveral Gentlemen who feemed inclined to
fpeak. It was i.ut from pertinacity in his own opinion
that he Rill fupported the tax, but k was from a per-
feverance amidft the choice of evils, in preferring the
evil of this tax to that of any other which could be
(uppofed to be equally produftive ; he mull again and
again conjure Gentlemen, when voting againtt this
1 ax, not to fuppofe that they were voting againli
this tingly, but that they were, at the fame time.
voting for other taxes. From his individual know-
ledge he was fore, that the expence it would occafinn
to agriculture would not be near as much as was
hated. He knew an arable farm of 202 acres in Scot-
land, where the iron ufed in the year was calculated
only at 61. gs. 7d. In the calculations of the expence
of the farmer, the oppofers of the Tax appeared to
have purpofely omitted in their calculations the value
of the old iron, which would be near half of the ori-
ginal con. He could not approve of any tax that
was propofed as a fubflitute : the taxes on articles of
general confumption were carried almoft as far as
they would go. A tax on the raw material was no
novelty in this country. We bad a tax upon cotton,
a tax upon foreign wool, and a tax upon malt. The
latter might be confidered a raw material which con-
tributed to nourifh and fupport human life itlelf, and
therefore deferved as much coraderation as the raw
material of any manufaCture. Our exports of Iron
had increafed conftderably of late years, and our im-
ports had diminifhed in a Rill greater proportion.—
In 1784, we imported two million tooth of Ruffian
iron ; but, in slios, only 754.000, which was but a
third. If, then, our iron manufaCtures had not
flourifhed as they have done, there would not have
been the Menet! complaint againft increafing the
duties on the importation of foreign iron. If, then,
Government ablolutely loft in revenue, by the in.
create of Our iron trade, there was no reafon why it
fhould not leek, in the flourifhing Rate of that trade,
fome indemnity for that lois. It had been propofed
to him, to fubltitute a tax upon coal in the pit; this
appeared to him to be a worfe tax ; nor could he ever
fuppote the farmers would content to a tax upon
hortes being fubltituted for it.
Mr. ROSE faid, he knew his Right Hnn. Fs iend
(Mr. Pitt) having once abandoned the idea of the
Tax upon Iron, never changed his opinion on the
fubjeft. It appeared to him in many ways injurious
to our manufaCtures. He remembered once, that a
tax upon inland navigation was propnied, but given
up as injurious to our manufaCtures. He confidered
that this would died the iron rail-ways in a fimilar
manner. When the Noble Lord talked of the (mall
expence of iron in an arable farm in Scotland, he fop.
poled the hones on that farm went, as they femetimes
did in his (Mr. Rote's) country, without (hoes. He
could not believe that our profpeft was Inch as had
been liated,of increafing our exports to North America.
That country Wss now in a high hate of population,
equal, as he underflood, to England in that relpeCt,
and yet, notwitliflanding this great population, the
demand for our hardware from that quarter was not
increafing. Of all manufaeures this appeared to be
the one which they would take up &R. The Ger-
mans, at pi dint, nearly equalled us, even in the
finch hardware. If then, the price of our goods
were hill further increafed by a duty, we Ihould loon
fee our exports diminifh confiderably.
Mr. Secretary FOX faid, that he always received
with much doubt general principles and maxims of
political economy, and more efpecially in matters of
finance. Thole general principles and maxims were
fubjeft Winch a number of exceptions, that they mart
be received with great caution. As to the principle
of the prelent tax, he could not approve of it it.
neither did he approve of the principle of any tax that
had been laid thefe thirty years. It was not becaufe
the taxes were in thernfelves defirable, but becaufe
they were neceffary that they were voted. It was al-
molt always, as the Noble Lord exprefied it, Merely
a choice among evils. If it were laid, that had fuck
a tax milled eight years ago, the trade would not now
be fo tiourillsing, that was a thing he did not mean to
deny. He believed that not only this manufaetnre,
but every other, was injured by the taxes which it was
neceffary to lay upon them, and that they would all
flour& much better if it were poMblc to take off tht,:-
taxes. As to the tax nr on malt, which might iie ii
fome meafure confidered as a raw material, thc Han.
Gentleman at the other fide (Mr. Role) always .0

lowed that it was better to lay the tax arm malt than
epee beer. He could not conceive why it lhdold be
raid to be impoffible for drawbacks to be given on the
exportation of hardware, , At prefent there is an ex-
port duty, adewlecors, and he could not conceive why
the valise could not be as well afcertaineds for the
porpofe of giving a drawback as few impofing a dirty.
A duty of at. a tonna pig iron*would amount to about
31. sos. on bar iron. Now, the fineaatitin in the
price had been often confiderably more than 31. sOs.
a too. and 1.,: that flaination, in no degree, dimi-
nifited the exports. He did not believe that the far
niers cnrtl.t ever be perfuadcd, by the arguments of
the iion merchants, to take this tax entirely apon
tiirn“elves, and to pay direly for their hottest, or
intiruments of agriculture.
Mr. CANNING contended that, from the variety
of Materials ci which hardware articles were coin-
pojed, it was impr.tlihle, fairly, to levy a tax, or allow
a drawback, ad valorem, en the articles in their finifh-
ed Oatji. He alfi iulilled that when a man had funk
a great capital in a butiliefs; when he had eflahlifhed
population in a place that was a wildernefs before ;
when he had fettled a colony of dependents tinder
him, the .introdultion of an excifeman to be in a man-
ner the mailer of his eftablithment, would degrade
ans) letren the pstriarChal authority which he was ca-
tkin! to have over a family, es it might be called,
which othirerife had none but him to look up tee for
rapport or countenance. He thought it material to
contradict what had been advanced by the Right Ho.
nourahle Secretary, on the fubjett of the drawback
to be allowed, and read a paper from the Committee
of iron matters in town, which flared, that they had
reprefented the necellity of Bs. per ton being allowed,
but that only 6.. was granted by the Bill. He de-
precated the principle of the Bill ; he could not con-
ceive the objeCt of it, 'inlet's it was to involve the iron
mannbalory in the diitrefs that others had cxpe.
rienced, and to exemplify a late quotation of a Rigin
Honourable Secretary (Mr. Windham),
Solaraen mlferis forks habuilre &kris.

Lot he could no longer wonder at the patience of the
Hmife, after they had, on a former occalion, not only
with temper. but without laughing, heard the alter-
lion of the Right Honourable Secretary, that it was
more agreeable to the public to have a burthenfome
tax doubled at once, than to have it increafed by
moderate degrees.
Mr. Secretary FOX. with fome warmth, replied,
that he had not Paid of the Income Tax, that it was
more preferable to raife it to to per cent. than to in
creafe it si per cent.; and no man of common /mfr. could
have In underaood him (13 cry of order ! order !)
Mr. CANNING—" 1 rife, Sir, merely to thank the
Right Hon. Secretary for his courtely and fpirit."
l'he queaion v-as loudly called for, and the gallery
cleared, when a divilion took place—For the Speaker's
leaving the Ch tir—Ayes 119—Noes log.
The Houle then went into a Committee pro forma,
and the Bill was ordered to be recommitted on Mon.
day.—Adjourned at Half part One o'Clock.

LONDON.
SATURDAY, MAY so.
PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Coreals, for mcmcy, 64—for May 6off—Onanium af t.
Esebeq. Bills, as. prem.
PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY.
Bank Stock, at° India Bonds, par as. prem.
3 p. Ct. Rid Ann. spiti Imp. a per Cent. JO
3 per Cent Conf. 6of 60f Imp. Ann. 8 946
4 per Cent. 770 Each. Bills. par 26. pr.
5 per Cent. Navy 93444 Omnium a 4 I prent
DUBLIN, MAT 5.
5 per C. Goy. Deb. nail—Ditto 34 per Cent. yd.
Exchange—Dublin on London, tot.

With pleafure we announce, that PAlexandre
French fhip, of 8o guns, captured by the gallant
DUCKWORTH, arrived off Scilly on Sunday Wl.
She came into St. Mary's Road under jury malls,
and had Coffered fo much at Ira, as to be forced to
throw her lower deck guns overboard.
We have great fatisfaftion in announcing, that his
Excellency General Sir JAMES CRAIG, K. B. fur
whole health great fears were entertained from the
accounts laft received from Sicily, has arrived at
Plymouth, with his fake, in the LivaLy, of 31 gun.,
which came in there on Thurfday with difpatches
from Admiral Lord CoLt.tacwooto. The contents
of thefe difpatches have not tranfpired.

The Adive, WILLEY. of London ; the Laurel),
Huns, of Liverpool; with thirteen other •elfels,
were taken on the coat of Africa, by a fquadton from
L'Otient previous to th; 26th January. The AAive
is arrived at Waterford as a cartel.

By this vcWel we learn, that a reinforcement of
French troops had arrived at Senegal, and it was fup-
poled would again make an attempt againft Gorec.

EMBARKATION OF TROOPS.

With the exception of the nil Light Dragoons,
commanded by Colonel ['icor, all the troops are now
on board at Portfmouth. The 21(1 were ordered to
be embarked yellerday, and the fleet to fail imme-
diately ; however, Clem has been tome delay in the
embarkation of the 2111, who could not embark be-
foie ais day.
There are two feparate deflinations for di.- em-
barked troops, the 2111 Foot, or Scots Fuzileers;
Lord HuLacives regiment, the 3111, who behaved
fo well under Aasacaostats at St. Lucia ; Lord
MOIRA'S regiment the 27th; and General Letprqx's
the 35th, are all bound for Sicily ; all of them crock
regiments.

Sir JOHN Moot is ordered to proceed to the Me•
diterranean as Commander in Chief.

The silt Light Dragoons, 4th battalion both regi
ment, the gallant 36th, and 47th regiments, with
bong re-inforeement. Tor every regiment in India,
are ordered to fail with all (peed; they proceed for
Polo Penang, as a rendezorts we imagine.

There are eleven Indiamen, bclides Itore.fhips, fcven
of the Indiamen have troop; ; the 2di Dragoons go
:n tranfporu; futEcitot trankorts not being ready
At Portnnouth, all that can he accommodated, which
will be (even troops, have been ordered to embark,
and to fail with-:u, a moment's delay.

•

Thefe two fleets will probably fail rr -erow•nnder
convoy of the Diana, of 38 guns, and the Menus*
frigate, of 32 guns.
Sir WILLIAM Klllt, Quarter Mailer General, Co-
lonel &raw, Barrack Mailer General, and frreral
others of the Staff, proceed with this firft divifion.
In a Ihort time. it is faid' in a fortnight or three
weeks, another divifion of troops will be embarked
for, the Cape and the Eat Indies.—Several India-
men are now on their way from the river for Spit-
head. The remaining three troops of the eta Light
Dragoons will then follow the Regiment; and many
Officers of the different Regiments for India, who
will unavoidably be left behind at prelim, fo prang
are the orders to get this force under way.

It is raid that the fleet of Admiral STIRLING, as
well as that urder Sir Joan %Vasa's, has gone to
the EAR Indies. If the divitions of our fleet in India
are not attacked reparately, before the arrival of
Srtat.tac and WARIAN, we will be fully a match
for an enemy in naval force in India. We with we
may be nearly as equal in our army there.