Star.
London, England, 1813-03-29 00:00:00

PdRLIAMENTART PROMEDINGS.

HOUSE OP COMMONS, MARCH 27.
'' nsgoinv INTO THE CINDUCT OF CAPTAIN PHT.LLIMOIII
. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT rose, in pursuance of
.. the notice he had given on this subject. The state-
ment he was about to make would discover to the
House a case of as great hardship as had ever been
submitted-to4heir consideration. He had been re.
,presented, on various occasions, as a person disposed
to listen, with too much credulity, to every tale of woe
that reached his ear ; but if the facts submitted to
him on the present occasion were true, he should think
he had violated the first duties of humanity if he did
, • not bring under the notice of the House an instance
of grievous and unexampled oppression. If Gentle
plea were aware how many tales of woe he was
ob4ged to decline bringing forward, from his inabi-
lity to verify them, Gentlemen would rather charge
him with giving a deaf than a credulous ear to such
'applications. When any act of oppression 'in a fo-
reign country, in whose government we had no con-
cern, was presented to our view, we censured it With
imitable indignation ; but when oppression had been
exercised in our own country, we regarded it in a
very different light. If, in the present instance, the
• victim of oppression was our own countryman, a
;somber of a high and valuable profession, a Gentle.
Man by birth and education, distinguished for per-
sonal honour, and the gallant services he had rendered
his country, it tbust be admitted that his claims, and
the hardship of his case, contained every ingredient
tat should justly tend to rouse the indignation of this
F House against the oppressor. He (Sir F. Burdett)
-would state the circumstances simply as they occur-
red, indeed they were such as to be incapable of ag-
gravation. Captain Phillimore, of his Majesty's ship
Diadem, had on board his ship, as Master's Mate,
Mr. Hancock, whose personal character and services
he had already alluded to. His official rank, even as
head of the Midshipmen, was proof of his respectabi.
My. It was his lot to have served under Lord Nel-
tom at the memorable battle of Trafalgar, where he
I Was honourably distinguished, and severely wounded,
in consequence of which he lost a leg. While his
' ship lay at Chatham, he was ordered by the Master,
who commanded in the absence of Captain Phillimore,
• to pass over a plank from one ship to another, for
some purpose which he (Sir F. Burden) was not
made acquainted. His wooden leg happened to be
broken at this time ; he remonstrated on the impossi-
bility of his crossing the plank, but received as an an-
swer that he must hop over if he could effect it
in no other way. The impossibility of the thing,
of course, prevented his obeying the order. As
soon as Captain Phillimore appeared on board, a
complaint was preferred to him against Mr. Han-
, cock, and the result was, that Captain Phillimore
ordered him to go up the rigging, wearing his.bcst
uniform tutned ins:de out. With this order Mr. IL n-
cock could not comply, as a person supported by a
wooden Itg could not stand upon a rope. Mr. Han-
cock, by order of Captain Phillimore, was now placed
iender the sweeper, and obliged to perform the mean-
; est and most revolting offices in the ship; the sweeper
at the same time being commanded to start him well,
I _ which was faithfully executed. He was next ordered
to be tied up, and actually received three dozen from
1 the boatswain, who was himselt threatened- with the
f same number unless he flogged him hard. But this
odious and inhuman punishment of flogging was still
aggravated by being inflicted on him with his panta-
loons taken down—thus adding to torture, degrada-
tion and disgrace. Surely it became the House to
afford an useful and memorable example, in the pn.
nishment of such atrocious conduct. When Mr.
Hancock represented his inhuman treatment, the only
step was the appointment of a Court of Inquiry,
whereas it should have been a Court Martial. With
the Report of that Inquiry he (Sir Francis Burden)
was not acquainted, as it had not been made public ;
but certainly .it directed the infliction of no punish-
ment on the offender. Captain Phillimore, on the
' ontrary, had been raised to other employments in
kis profession since that time. Until he had heard
some objection to this motion, he should content him.
Self with simply moving, ~ That the Minutes of the
Court a Inquiry on the conduct of Captain Philli-
more, for his treatment of Mr. Hancock, be laid on
the table."
Mr. CROKER expressed his regret that the Hon.
Baronet should have lent a ready ear to representa-
. tiims likp these, without making inquiry At the Admi-
ralty whether the allegations were true or false. It
was true that Mr. Hancock had written to the Ad
miraity, requesting that a Court of Inquiry might be
held on Captain 1'.% conduct ; and as soon as they
could bodi be brought face to face (which could not
be done until some months had elapsed) the Inquiry
wtisheld by Captains Bolton, Ball, and Sir 4. Dixon,
who reported that the punishment was deserved, and
the reptoentations of Captain P. undenied by Mr.
liancecic himself. Mr..H.'c uncle was boatswain of
Ia raid-011i , and on his account' and becausiorMr. H.
1 • was an orphan, Captain P. had been induced to ee-
-1 case his repeated .trots, until they; at- last, bad ar-
'
? t rived-at ap. int to which indulgence and lenityconld
' not follow them. Captain P. had transmitted to the
AdMiralty copies of letters from the yopng man
_and
' his uecle, eipressive of their obligations to him for his
, indulgence towards the cemplamant's errors. The
i Hon. Gentleman trusted the House would see no
necessity for entertaining this motion.
Sir F. Bt.IRDETT concurred in most of what
brio fallen from the Hon, Gentlemaq. Ii; one
however, he washed to set him right. Mr. Hancbck
' had no knowledge whatsoever of the introduction of
this metier before the House. He must observe,
' I however, that the offence silo* have been very Ha-
' grant to provoke so dreadful a punishment. The
1 I-fon. Gentleman (Mr. Croker) had made no allusion
i ' to the charge against Mr. Hancock i this was an es-
i traordinary oversight. With respect to the Court of
i • nqa Di
iry, it was natural, that those °cers, however
high their characters deservedly stood, should be
, , greatly biassed in their judgment. He hoped the
present discussion would slot impede the proniotion
' pf Mr. Hancock, as he had no share in producing it.
Had he (Sit .1:7: Bltrdett) recollected, the testimony
' ' of his N-ble Cikileague to the Character of Captain
Phillimore, it would have prevented his mind from
. receiving,the Impressions which the wows givers to
him (Sir V. Burden) had produced. As .matters
slow stood,- he' would not press the motion.
.1 by new Finance Hid was read a second ttrael'and ordered for
!ROW Ftad4ns " Fl4l!lT.—Adik'UFlied• • - •

••••Nce....1 •
MAGDEBURGH, MARCH a. " .
His Serene Highness the Prince of Eelemuhl set
out the day before yesterday to proceed to Saxony.
Stettin and the 4=ll town of Dam, situated oppo.
site, on the right bank of the Oder, have been de-
clared in a state of siege ; and it has been signified
to the inhabitants, with.the exception of workmen,
who will not be allowed to quit it, either to leave the
town, or lay in provisions for a year.
VIENNA, MARCH 7.
The troops which compose the Army of Observa-
tion were placed upon the War footing from the day
of their departure.
We still possess Prince Schwartzenberg. This
Prince goes often to Court, and has frequent coefe-
rences with the Chiefs of the War Department.
MARCH 10.—An extraordinary event at this mo-
ment occupies the attention of the public. Oa the
Bth at night, an acting Court Counsellor, and a
Counsellor of Justice, were arrested by order of the
Police. Their papers were seized, and deposited
with the archives of the Department for Foreign Af-
fairs. Yesterday afternoon the former was transport-
ed, under an escort, to the fortress of Munkats, in i
Hungary ; and the latter to that of Thevesienstadt,
in Bohemia. The Captain of a Circle in the neigh-
bourhood of the capital, and a person employed in
a public office, who were to have heen arrested at
the same time, and by virtue of the same order,
have disappeared ; and according to the information
which has been received, they have escaped into
Hungary.
Generals Silashanc and Latour Mauboerg are up-,
on the two banks of the Elbe. There are six thousand
men between Torpor and Belgera. General Lau-
riston has conducted ten thousand men to Magde-
burg, where other troops are still expected.
HAMBURGH, MARCH It.
We learn from certain sources, that very imposing
forces are to be immediately collected in our neigh-
bourhood. The first troops will arrive the 15th or
16th instant, and take a position along the canal of
Stecknitz, in the towns of Lauenbourg, Moeln, and
Ratzebourg. At the same time a park of artillery
will be established upon the two banks of ,the Elbe,
and in the town of BerAedorff.
I.EIPZIC, MARCH 9.
Prince Eckmuhl arrived hore yesterday evening,
with his Staff. The Viceroy of Italy arrived to-day
at one in the afternoon, so that-the head-quarters of
the Grand Army is now in our town.
The day before yesterday, the different admini.
strative branches of the French head-quartets arrived
in our town, where they are to remain till new
orders. i
• The passage of troops in this country is very great.
This town and all the neighbouring communes are,
for two leagues round, filled with troops.
We know, from good authority, that the two
Polish fortresses of Modlin and Zamose, are in an
excellent state, and have nothing to fear.
FRANKFORT, MARCH 16.
Marshal the Duke of Treviso arrived here yester-
day, as well as Generals Sehastilni, Lefebre, Bar-.
row, Chouard, Daintu, &c.
DRESDEN, MARCH 2.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, who remained
at Dresden after the departure of his Majesty, and
General Gusdorf, the day before yesterday set out
for Plauen. General Lingenan now commands our
town.
MARCH 9.—His Excellency the General of Divi-
sion, Regnier, arrived here on the 7th with his general
Staff. A part of the 7th corps entered at the same time
with a numerous train of artillery. Those troops were
put into quarters in the new town, and likewise in
the villages situated on the right bank of the Elbe.
The inhabitants of this capital enjoy a high degree
of pleasure in seeing their brave countrymen return
in such fine condition. Two battalions of the new
levy have been united in this corps, and it is believed
that they are destined to complete the regiment of
infantry of Prince Clement, which so particularly
distinguished itself at the battle of Kalisch.
General Regnier has this day reviewed two fine
regiments of cuirassiers, of Lichtenau's brigade, and
expressed the highest satisfaction at the behaviour of
those troops.
FRONTIERS OF SAXONY, MARCH 9.
At the same time that the Prince Viceroy trans.
ferred his head-quarters to Leipzic, General Regnier,
who had for ten days occupied the left bank of the
Spree, near Bauzen, with a corps composed of
French, Bavarians, and Saxons, marched upon Dres-
den, the military position of which is so important
pn account of its fine stone bridge over the Elbe.—
' A corps of several thousand Bavarians took the di-
rection of Mussin, to cover the bridge of that town.
The skilful General in Chief appears firmly resolved
to vigorously defend the Upper Elbe as well as the
course, of the river from Wittenberg to Magdeburg
and beyond. Considerable reinforcements daily arrive.

CASSEL. MARCH 12.
By a Royal Decree of the Bth. instant, the contin-
gents of the conscription for 1818 have been fixed,
viz. for the active army four thousand men, and for
the reserve two thousand.