Star.
London, England, 1809-02-04 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

The Earl of BUCKINGHAMSHIRE postponed, first die, his
motion respecting Portugal, it being generally understood that the
French were now in that country. His Lordship lamented the
injury which would result to the interests of Spain and of this
country, if the French again obtained possession of Portugal ;
and observtd, that if the occasion 'should arise, he should then
state his sentiments upon the subj.:ct.
The Farl of LIVERPOOL said, that no intelligence had been
Teieived by Ms Majesty's Governrimit of the French being in
Portugal. With respect to any motion upon the subject, he should
merely observe, that Minister.; were ready to meet any inquiry with
reference either to their conduct in Portugal, or iu any other part
of :he ruin cola.
The order of the day was discharged. Adjourned till Monday.

lIOUSE OF COMMONS.
Mr. lIUSKISSON presented a copy of the appointment of
Mr. George Lynd, as Consen,ator of Scotch Rights in the Ne-
therlands. _

Mr. ADAM moved, that Jehn Pugh be ordered to attend as
au evidence before the Conunittee of Inquiry respecting the
Duke of York.—Ordcred.
Mr. CREENI•Y moved for an account of the produce of duties
and customs in the iLle of Man, for the years 1796, 1797, and
1798.--Ordered,

ORAEtt or• TUN. Dtlir.
The House resolved into a.Connittee of supply ;
iu which

Mr. WARD moved for 130,000 seamen, and
31,400 marines, for the service of the year, which were
agree Mr d to.
. WARD explained, in moving for the;
naval supplies, under the head of “ victualling" and
' a wear and tear," there would be some alteration in,
the sums respectively applied, from the allowance*of
last year, although in the sum total there would be.
little or no variation. In the estimate of last year the
wear and tear was Si. per nun per month, and the
vtctualling 11. 19s. but the wear and tear turned out'
to be considerably less, and the victualling mttch
more. He should propose, then, to deduct one
guinea per man per month from the former estimate
of wear and tear, and add it to the victualling, which
would be found to answer the true expenditure. He
therefore moved%
.for wear and tear of shipping for
the 130,000 seamen, for thirteen months 11. 19s. per
man per month, 3,295,5001 e for victualling the samei
M. per man per month, 4,985,3001. ; wages, at 11. 17s.
per man per month, 3,126,0001. which were agreed to:
Mr. WARD said, that he had the pleasure to in•
form the House, that so far from the existence of any
necessity for raising seamen, in the present state of
the navy, the number actually employed this moment
on board his Majesty's ships, rather exceeded the
whole number voted.

Sir CHARLES POLE rose to express his satis-1
faction at the statement just made by the Honourable,
Gentleman, and his own 'happiness in concurring in I
every measure haying for its object the improvement
and prosperity of the navy. He felt it, however, ne-
cessary now to call the attention of his Majesty's Go-
vernment to a subject which he had mentioned last
session ; namely, the harassing delays attendant cm
the claims of naval officers in the High Conn of Ad-
miralty ; and to express his hopethat some measi:re
of reform in that department would be adopted by
Government this session. He really thought 'the
offices of King's Advocate and King's Proctor
in that Court to hi wholly incompatible in the same
person, and that they ought to be separated. Ano-
ther object, materially connected with the prosperity
of the navy, and .in which reform was indispensably
necessary, was the appointment of men to the Board
of Navy Commissioners, many of whom were per-
sons, who, frorit their habits of life, were wholly un-
qualified to judge of matters daily referred to their
direction. What, for instance, could a military offi-
cer, whose attention, for life, had been exclusively
directed to his prtifeisional pursuits, know about the
wear and tear of shipping, the. proper wages of sea-
men, and numberless other subjects, purely naval, re-
ferred to that Board, and of which naval men only
could be competent to judge ? He did not Impatel
such improper appointment to his Majesty's press n.
Ministers, any more than to their predecessors. It
was a practice which, unfortunately for the navy, had
too long prt.valleci, and he hoped it would 'ere long
be reformed.. The next point to, which he would ad-
vert was, the case of the widows of marine officers,
-,rho were widt,.ut any provision in consequence or the
death of their husbands, and he could Nee no reason
why they were not as justly to be considered objects
of the Compassionate Vilna, as the widows of offi-
cers in. the land service. He hoped this, too, would
he taLen into consideration by his Majesty's Mini-
sters ; and those poor ladies placed on as good a foot-
ing as the widows ot ntililAry officers. Until some-
thing w.ts done efficiently for this purpose, he should
feel-it kluti,se,s;en after session, to call to it the
attention ot the House.
Mr. WARD then moved a sum of 591,9001. for
ordnance for the navy, which was also voted.
Mr. }-11.7SKISSON moved fora sum Of 10,500,0001.
to be raised by Exchequer Bills, to take up the like
saM on 'Exchequer Bills of last year outstanding and
unpiloVided for; and also a farther sum of 1,600,0001.
to be raised in the like way, and for similar purposes.
Agreed to.
•

• itAit zntit comintrEF..
Mi'. DtritlDA.Ss at, the institnce -Mr. Crecvey,
bostponeil till Tuesday, hi3-mcition; Ti. the nomina-
, Zion Of she rant loth' Consititter;

AL Ap ~.