Star.
London, England, 1812-02-11 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

A Mcuage from the Lords announced, that their I ord4ldps
bad agreed to the Bills paced by tile House, for the better ar-
rangement of the Royal Household, and the resumption of the
Royal Authority.
I he East India Lean Regulation Bill was read a second time,
and committed foe Thursciai next, and ordsrcd to be printed.
tue n.nt.on of Mr. Pil4:4xi.t, the Accounts respecting the
Revenue of Ireland, presented to the House on Thursday List,
were order, d to be printed.
Mr. LOCKHART postponed his notica of motion relative to
the Americ,n Sufferers, from Wednesday to Thursday next.
Mr. ROSE brc tight in a Bill for the better Regulation of
Pilots, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a
second time.

the preceding year, the French Army appeared be-
fore the place more numerous in point•of force than
my Lord Wellington's army. Their army consisted
of tried soldiers, and of the most skilful engineers.—
General Massena set about taking it on the 15th of
June, on with day he broke ground, and continued
his approaches and batteries until the 14th July, on
which day he took it, making a period of thirty days
consumed in the attack, whereas in the short space of
12 days, the British Commander compelled a more
numerous garrison to surrender..—(Hear, hear.)-
1 hese facts simply detailed would speak more forci-
bly to the meths of the service than any panegyrics
which he could utter.— (Hiar, hear.)—The House
would therefore duly estimate the merits of the whole
army. The bare narration of the whole transaction
would convince them that that; was one of those cases

which it was proper to distinguish by the Thanks of
Parliament, and therefore he should move,

" That the nanks of the House be given to General Lori
Viscount liVelliiikkon, K. U. fur the sk,ill, decision, indefatigable
ciet twins, and consummate jit.lgment, manifested oy him in the
siege and capture of Ciuda.l Rodrigo, by which that important
fortress was wrested from the euemy in the short space of ele-
ven day,"

THANKS TO LORD VISCOUNT WELLINGTON.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
rose to move a vote ef thanks to General Lord Viscount

On the question being put,
General TARLETON rose, to express the satis-
faction which he felt upon the occasion. He had
never given a vote inure cheerfully ; it came from
the bottom of his heart. The brilliancy of the affair
which the House was called upon to iecognizeland
crown with its thanks, had never been exceeded.—

Wellington, and the Officers and Soldiers under his
command, for the gallantry displayed in the siege
and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo. The Right Hon.
Gentleman cle,erved, that in bringing forward the
motion, of which he had given notice, for the pur-
Oese of inducing the House to take into its consider-
htion the eminent cervices of Lord Wellington, and
the brave army under his command, it would be un-
necessary for him to offer many observations. The
House must be aware of the importance of the object
attained, and of the merits of Lord Wellington—
both ware well deserving the marked approbation
of Parliarnne—(ltem, hear, hear!)—With respect
to the ep'nion (if any did prevail), of the propriety
of conferring the thanks of Parliament upon so many
many occasions, he thought the House, whatever
they might think in :5 doubtful case, would in the
present instance conceive that the atchievement in the
capture of Oudad Rodrigo, was of such a nature,
both in its operation and ultimate success, as not
only to reflect the greatest honour on the skill, the
adroitness, the ability, and the gallantry r.f the Com-
mander in Chief, but also on the bravery, the zeal,
and the promptitude displayed by those under his
c -mrnand—( Hear, hear.) --The eallon:ry which had
so often been disclosed in the Penh)sul.t, had received
additional lustre by this bri!tiare and dirtingleshrei
exploit; it had raised the character of the British
arms to a height which crowned them with the
most transcendent hear.)--It was
a service which deserved the particular notice of
the House, in so ite• as it respected the opera-
tions, and the circumstances resulting therefrom.—
The Melee we;e informed of the nature of the trans
a tines which led to the fall of the eine. On the Bth
January, Lord Wellington having broken ground
before the city, was enabled thereby completely to
st the place, and on the same day, having added
ickrably to h s strength by redoubts, and by a
of batteries, fortified by palisadoes, which ren-
al the approaches more difficult, seized the Con-
: of St. Francisco. The attack, which was made
to most callant and determined manner, was sue-
1-te was seconded by Lieuttinant.C.Lnel
!Vane, who, ou that occasion, most ably assisted
he siege. in this manner the operations were
td on, till the nights of the 13th and 14th, when
Convent of Santa Cruz was taken by Lieutenant-
terel Graham. The seizure of these, which corn-
icated with the body of the place, was of the
,est importance. On the night of the 141.14 the
vent of Sr. Francisco was taken by Major.Gene-
e`olville. • From the 15th to the 19th the works
irrying on were considerably advanced, two breaches
're made which had been thought impracticable.
the army had not made such advances as were
thought necessary to justify the assault, it W2S
.ommenced.- On the evening of the 18th, it was
aveyer determired to attempt to take the place by
tuft. Accordingly the attack was made in five se-,
tee columns. The two light columns were con-
ted by Lieutenant-Colonel O'Toole, of the 2d
tuguese caaadoees, and by M,rjer Ridge, of the
British regiment, to protect the brigade under
'or-General Mackinnon, which formed the third
tmn, tie whole being under the command of,
etenant-General Picton and Brigadier-General 1
ik. The attacks thus commenced, they followed
atack of Brigadier-General Pack, with the fifth
tmn, which was intended merely as a false one,
rpletely succeeded; for Brigadier Pack had con-
ted his attack into a real one, and shortly after
storm bad Commenced, the enemy surrendered.
service had to 1 tment the loss of Major-General'
:kintion, who, unfortunately for the country,
fished by the explosion of a rifetgazine. The. House I
id have no hesitation in conceiving that the loss'
so valueble an Officer would be severely felt, and
the Vote of Thanks had passed, it was his inten-
to me ve an Address to his Majesty, praying that
teotild be graciously pleased to 'direct that a Monu-i
rt be creced to the memory of that gallant Officer
f.ir, hear.) He vets an Officer of the most estimable
lities, both in public and private, whose virtues
whose abilities were the themes of admiration
I applause.—(.ther, hear.)—In effecting this ;m-
-eant service, Major• General Cranfurd was severe- i
wounded, and it would be long before the coun-1
• would derive the benefit of his assistance. Ma-1
.General Vandeleur was also wounded. Indeed
persons of common observation, the transactions
ich led to this brilliant result would appear very
gular, when the opportunity was afforded of corn-
ring them with others of a similar nature, even to',
`itary persons they would be exhibited in the same
it.. It did happen that the history of the war
trnished an instance of a singe conducted against
same place by the enemy, to Great Brit'aire; the
use therefore would be enabled to enter into that
)mparison, and when he had noticed the proceed-
igs of the enemy on that occasion, be in a situation
ire fully to appreciate the value of the services of
ird Wellington and his braVe Army. Lord Wel-
Igton invested Ciudad Rodrigo, the place having
received very considerable accessions of strength,
3tll in point of force and of works. - He set himself
bout the siege, and in twelve days had completed
works necessary to carry it on— made the attack,
and took it by storm. Now mark the contrast, In

Being the oldest General Officer in the House, he
might be allowed to offer his tribute of applause to
exploits such as those which peculiarly mArked the
character of the country.— ( llear,4ear.)--He scarcely
knew which to admire most, the skill and intrepidity
of the Generals and Officers, or the br every and dis-

cipline of the troops ; all were alike entitled to the
gratitude of -the House—(Hear, hear.)—He would
defy any nation to produce troops so steady in point
of discipline ; so prompt in obedience of order, and
so d:stingoished in the field. Lord Wellington had
truly stated the distinguished manner in wl ich the
troops were i.d on. In all operations of the kind,
which-were fat-loin hopes, volunteers were demand-
ed. On this occasion, 330 were the number wanted.
In less than a quarter aan hour, so enterprising were
the men, that out of two regiments, there were not
less than 700 volunteered.—( Hear, hear.')—It would
need not his panegyric, for the exploit would stand
in the pages of history as one of the most brilliant
which the world ever saw recorded. The combined
eloquence of the House could not point out an ex-
plott more gallant ; it was one which had bound
t round the hi ows of our brave countrymen—a chaplet
I which wont] be immortalized by fame, when history
told to posterity rift': operations before Ciudad Ro-
t drirto.— ( Hear, hcir.)
Mr. c. ADAMS cordially agreed with the mo-
tion. He hoped some additional honour would be
c nferred on Lord Wellington. He trusted the Right I
Honourable mover would give the House some blot
that such honour was intended to be conferred.
Sir H. MONTGOMERY wished to take the op-
rortunity to correct some misrepresentation which
had been made of him, when Thanks were voted to
Lord Minto, but was called to order ; his observa-
tions bcin!.; irrelevant to the present subject.
Mr. BUTLER also cordially concurred in the
Vote of Thanks. He regretted, however, that the
Thanks of the House had not been voted to Lieut.-
General Hill, and the Officers serving under his com-
mand.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT &'served, that the name of
one Officer engaged in this brilliant affair had not
been mentioned, on account of his tank being interior
to that rank which came under the particular notice
of Parliament. He meant Major Napier, who had
not only bee:r wounded on this, but former occasions,
when dis inguishing himself in the service of his coun-
try—(Hear, hear!)—lt was his pride to have served
under Sir J. Moore. That gallant Officer (Major
Napier) had three brothers equally meritorious in the
service of their country.
General Lovrus would not detain the House
from -coming to what he was sure must be an unani-
mous vote ; for the House must see the great advan-
tages which would result to the nation in its military
capacity, by the exploits as set forth in Lord Welling-
ton's
detail of the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. Whether
in the open field, or in a regular siege, the British
arms were now brought to that 'perfection, that sys-
tem of discipline that would enable them to cope
with, if not to precede, every ether military nation on
earth. To Lord Wellington much of this was due.—
All his arrangements were so admirable, every de-
partment of his army, so judiciously, so well filled—
'there was so much confidence reposed in him by that
army ; that whether he acted upon the defensive, or
whether he led his troops to the attack, the same secu-
rity, the same confidence in the results, rested in the
soldier's mind. (Hear, hear.)' He considered the
event of the siege as a national honour, by the Vote
of this House, conveying the general voice of the na-
tion to Lord Wellington's army, and that it must
make a lasting impression-upon mankind, and would
be an incitement, an inducement to young officers to
imitate so bright an example. (Hear, hear.)
The motion was then agreed to nem. con.
The following votes were then moved by the CITA te-
cEt.con of the EXCHEQUER, and agreed to with equal
unanimity :
Thanks to Lieutenant Ceneral Thomas Graham, the second
in Command ; to Lieutenant General Thomas Picton, to Major
General Colville, to Major General Craufurd, to Major General
Vandeleur, and to Brigadier General Pack,in the Parruguese ser-
vice, for their exertions, ekill, and bravery, in the operations
against Ciudad Rodrigo.
'I banks to the Officers who so nobly led the Allied British and
Portuguese troops in the assault on the toth.
Thanks to the Officers of the Corps of Engineers and Artillery,
for the professional ability and indefatigahle zeal displayed by
them.
Thar the House does most highly acknowledge and approve
of the distinguished zeal, bravery, and discipline of the Non-Com-
missioned Officers and Soldiers of the British and Portuguese
forces employed in the siege• and capture of Ciudad Itodnyo.
That the House does most highly acknowledge and appi tree of
the other General °incase .Nona Commissioned Officers, and
Soldiers, British and Portuguese. e:nployed in the army under
Lord Wenn:gran, but not in the siege, fur the activity, patience,
and perseverance manifested by them.
That an Humble Address he presented to his Royal lithness
the Prince Regent, praying that he will graciously order a monu-
ment to be erected in the Cathedral Church. of St. Paul, to the
memory of Major General Henry Mackinnon, who ft II gloriously
in I adiag his troops to the attack on the 19th of January, and as-
suring his Royal Highness that the House will make goad the
expence of t'he same.
This *resolution was also carried unanimously, a:..d

of
the
meets to Foreign wesestest.h}:uvicr.nothtiaxt shdeissosed. ;If
loy' leelieWhowievaeard, iitti appeared to be reduced titio.l.tinlth9,ooe il;
the Speaker was directed to communicate those reso-
Ilutions to Lord Wellington.
A Member wished to know whether there was any and he really thought some explanationridleinwasaryddiue.esbutwxwtpeo„.4,2t..
intention of carrying Lao execution a vote of that House on a subject where moil variations of -- "4
House 18 years ago, for erecting a monument to the tthooekirpalattecne.tiTonh,e
was
st
that
td
of extraordinary
wex!tiricaho
memory of Admiral Lord Rodney?
This, doubtless, was
Mr. LONG replied, that in consequeuce
subject having been mentioned ii the House last Sta. seloect of considerable delicacy ; and het iget II
sican, it had been begun, and considerable progress bably be told that it belonged to the eery lett,
had been already made in it. secret service seitruv.iacseemxpoennedyeofd
CIVIL LIST EXPENDITUII.
Mr. EDEN rose to make his promised motion.— was aware of the force of this reasoning, and diet
'He conceived that when increases were demanded to might be both unjust to individuals and he. •
. the Civil List which had formerly been granted, the the interests of the courery, to publish in what in
appeal should rather be mede to the justice t;ian the these sums were disposed of: but he must be eats
generosity of the House. The fund which was origi- ed to observe, that a very large sum was annual'',
nally granted to the King for life, was granted both proptiated nut of the supplies, for the purps se '•
iii‘
at k
:inr the Royal Household and the Civil List. By cret service money ; and was it to be borne, the d,-
;granting it for life, it was intended to make the King wane sore of expenditure shotild also be mixed •
.up see
independent of Parliement op this poiet, and the al- the various charges .
on the Civil List revenue.* e.
1
lowance was supposed to be amply %efficient for the should be most unwilling to ex imine a ell t, ee ..'
purposes for which it was granted. It appeared to City into those disbursements to Foreign Melee,
44.
'h
him, that it was the duty of those who managed this titularly Where they nety have consisted in p,
Civil List to square their expences to the grant, and for secret service : but still it would be a fair eleee'
that it Was not the duty of Parliament to keep pace of enquiry for a Committee, what receipts:lnds, iici:
with them in their extravagance. It was possible that ers hail been given in to the Treasury; and ,eginare
the oxpences of the Crown might have uecessarily in- why two services had been mixed up some
ass
creased, either on account of the depreciation of the secret service money charged on the cara-L, *tie
currency, or the rise of prices, or some other red- so large an annual sum was appropriated by p.e.
son—but it appeared to him, that in such cases Par- Limon for that very purpose. But the sanareeeth
liament ought to he consulted. It was fir Parliament of delic;cy and danger as to any explanations abet
to see whether the grant for the Civil List had been secret service money would not extend to the essipee
well managed, or otherwise, and whether any in- expenses of Foreign Ministers. It swede be eee.
crease was necessary.—When Mr. Addington thought sary for the Committee to examine uhy lathe eau
it necessary to move for an increase to the Civil List, had been given for the outfit of some Ministers ego
he saw the propriety of appointing a Committee to had never gone out to the place of their destines.
enquire into the subject. in 1801, the augmentation One Right Hen. Gentleman (Mr. Arbuthnot)he*
,
'made to the Civil List was very considerable. Sixty .on a former night expressed his williegoss to sea
thousand pounds per annum was added ; and charges every explanation with regard to the expences rees,
which formerly affected it to the amount of 2138,000 embassy on which he had been employed. The se
were taken away from it, making altogether an addi- planation he trusted to he:tr that night ; for really be
tion of near £200,000 per annum. it, notwithstand- I could not see at present why a sum el more en
ing this great addition to the Civil List, the expences 1 £•10,000 should stand against that Right Hem Gr . .
had since far exceeded the grant, he thought it highly I tleman's rame, as the amount of extreenli wry de,
probable that those funds were not managed with ibursements on his embassy to Constentinopee ae
that economy they ought to be managed with. The why it was at all necessary to build a palace Ir to
Civil List Establishment was divided into nine classes. lhitish Legation at that caiihal, which shine! sae
The first class was, salaries to the rnyal family. This £26,000. The next charge was th it of coutingee
class was not stilljoct to increase or diminution with- ; expences of messengers. This, in MOO, was sem
out the knowledge of Parliament. The second class tiated at £1,500, but had gricluslly inmeased o se.
was for the Speaker and the Judges. The third class ! tween £t,003 and ,E 5,000. He crusted the he had,
was for foreign Ministers ; and the expense of this' upon the whole, established safficient ground ;et to
class was estimated in 180 t at £112,000. The esti- Howe going into an enquiry on this subject. Thee
mate, however, upon this point was seldom correct, was every appearance that in the course of no 1o(
as it was always varying with our varying relations period, the House would have to settle the mooed
with foreign Powers. It was in the fourth class that I the Civil List. This was an event to be looked foe
the most material excess took place. Although the i ward to in the common course of nature ; and, thee,
estimate was £1'72,000, in the vete, next year the ex- ! fore, the House should nat be unprepared to cornetist
, pence was £291,000. Mk class of expence was the' right determination upon it. On all these grounds
payment of approved bills of tradesmen and artificers, ; he should now move, " That a Select Committed,
i and fell principally under the departments of the I appointed to c..nsider of the charges on the Civil Lit
I Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward. It was Revenue, and deliver in a Rept rt thereon, togettin
attempted to reduce the annu il expenditure in the with their observations to the House."
latter department to £6.5,000, but the very next year Mr. ARBUTHNOT rose for the purpose ofee ,
it was more than double that sum. It was provided ! plaining or the House the nature of the extraordinary
in the Act of 1752, that no expellee exceeding £lOOO I disbursements which his embassy at Conon:hop
sh uld be incurred in the Lord Chamberlain's de- ! had occasioned. He must first, however, be tome.
permute, wahout an estimate previously preseeted led to say a few words on the inconvenience of subject.
to him and tbe Lords of the Treasury. Nevertheless i ing the trans fictions of foreign Ministers to the Mee-
'we find, as the first item in the account, £3523 for a , tigation and disclosure of a Committee. Thetis's*
Gothic entrance to the Tieasury, which is a building were sufficiently aware of the injury which thapatile
' (as every body knows) that has no style or character service had at times sustained, from the puertie
ILA architecture aheut it. For repairs atWindsor only, which Parliament had been prevailed upon to ghee
the charge for four years had been se.ss,ooo;—and diplomatic correspondence. The Riebt Hon. Gee
furniture forWiedsor only, had in the same time been tleman here mentioned an instance of this sort fit* ,
charged at £76,(X)9. These undoubtedly appeared chief which had happened in his own persenal ass.
very huge sung; : but be might be told,•thetWindsor I rience. He wits once employed on a wry important
beiag peculiarly the Royal residence, the expences ! mission to a Foreign Court, where the Ambissadv
could not be measured on a common scale. If Wind.' of another Allied Power WAS on the TIVII friendly
sor, however, was the royal residence, Kensington I terms with him, and in the habit of communicatise
WAS not ; for the expences of Kensington, he saw ' the dispatches of his Court, from which he (Mr. tie
£25,000 charged, and for what ? It was not for derived considerable Convenience, as he was not Mee
building a house suitable to the residence of one of habit of receiving such regular instructions fromes
the junior branches of the Royal Family, but merely British Court as this Minister was from his own. The
for repairing and altering the suite of apartments oc- dispatches which he (Mr. A.) transmitted to the N.
cupied by the Duke of Kent. Sixteen thousands were , tish Government, contained the political and dolome
also expended in altering and repairing apartments i tic information which this Envoy of a friendly Oen
for the Princess of Wales ; and, in addition to this, I communicated, and the views which his Ceurtentre
there was a charge of £51,000 for furniture, making 1 tamed of the political situation of Europe. It so hap.
in the whole a sum of £96,000, expended for repair. : pened, that these dispatches were published, in pursu-
ing and furnishing two sets of apartments. When ante of a vote of that House; and from that moment
be considered that a liberal allowance was already ' this Envoy ofa friendly Power stated, that it was also.
made to the junior branches of the Royal Family, lutely necessary forhimto refrain infuture tromgirise
and that most of them hadalso lusfative appointments, ' any similar communication. It was difficult to male
he thought that these sums were quite an extravagant foreign diplomatists understand the distinction whick•
waste of the public money. The expence in the Lord ', took place here between public and private corresponds
Steward's dep.utment had last year been considerably ; ence ; and it was quite evident, that this reltetantee •
higher than the original estimate, although the last communicate information,--the natural effect d
year was a year of affliction, and not a year of ban. , such publicity as that to which he had alludeikr
(piecing in the Royal Houses. Although many of might in many instances have a most injurious elect
those things t iken separately were hardly worth de. on the negociations of this country. No considerate
tailing, yet when put together the amount was very would have again induced this Envoy to afford les
serious. It might be said, that it was difficult to (Mr. A.) any confidential information, but a elm
suggest reforms ; but it would not be difficult to carry promise that his name should not again appear in all
into effect those principles of reform which were sug. public dispatches. He could also mention chewed
gested in 1792, namely, supplying by contract in- an Henote able Gentlemen, formerly employed m a
stead of purveyance, abolishing useless offices in the foreign Minister, who had been absolutely relusedeed* '
Household, and paying by salaries instead of perqui. sight of an important letter, on the very ground!'
sites. He should just mention one great abuse on this country had made it dangerous to col remotely=
this head :—The charge for candles alone was tweis:y its Ministers. Having offered these few obserrAils
thousand pounds ; and yet it might well be supposed on the subject of the secrecy in which diplomas;
that the object of this illumination was not so much transactions should be kept, he should now beg lesee
to administer satisfaction to the Royal Family by to explain as fully as possible the nature of do ez'
this transient splendour, as to put money in the poc• pence' which he had incurred while Ambisladonn
kets of those who had perquisites foam those candles. Constantinople, and which had been :eluded 1002
In some departments no reform was necessary. None a variety of occasions. The whole amount of the sus
could be better managed than thin of the Master of charged against Government by that embassy 1111
the Horse, where no such increase of expence had £47,800. ss. BJ.; which was considerably large: lb°
taken place as in most of the other departments.—The the amount at stated by the Hon. Gentleminlll
sixth headofexpenditureconsistedof pensions,butthese should account fer this charge under thiee heads;
did not require any notice at present, as he believed Ist. The erection of the British palace et Conr,
the whole of their amount did not exceed the sum tinople ; 2d. Extraordinary disbursements; ana":
which was fixed in Mr. Burke's Bill. Neither should The losses which he himself had sustained. Wit"
he say any thing on the seventh and eighth classes of gard to the first of these heads, it WAS Well kilo
expenditure under the Civil List Revenue, but pro- that hie Envoys of the Chief, and even of some die,
coed to the ninth class, which contained various items inferior powers of Europe, had palaces in Perk r
svehl deserving the attention of the House. First, suburb of Constantino?le ; and it was only fittl
there was, ureter the head of secret service money, an the rank which this country held in the estirnAti°J.
expense amounting to no less than £20,000. Under the Porte, that a palace should alse be etetom
the head of special service money for the home de- the British mission. During the embassy Ot,_
partment, there also appeared a very great excess of Elgin, the Porte, as a small mark of ensit.itwsee.
expense. The Committee which sat in 1781 had the distinguished favours which it had second 17 o
complained greatly of the amount of this branch of this country, granted his Lordship an V)
expense; but of late years it had increased in an ex- of ground for the erection of ibis palace. Ns .0
traordinary degree; Thus:—in 18(15 it amounted to ding was afterwards undertaken by Lord Eigill'do
£12,000 ; in 1808, it had risen to so largea sum as a lath scale ; 'but it remained unfinished durnal i

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....uto of Ms predecessor, Mr. tit urnmona
clmbeTie A.) succeeded that Gentlernan, he
5 .03 instructions from Lord Mulgrave, then Fo-
Tgs secretary, to expedite the erection of that buil-
- itign He did so ; and meant at first to sell part of
Thine•
d which formed the grant of the Porte, which
lisoulbaee produced a sum of some amount to-
surds the erection of the building ; but understaa-
flint this might be extremely offensive to the
•
,re, he laid aside
that
intention. The palace was
i'saedingly large, but it was not commenced by
01 and he was ready to state all the items of ex-
de attending its erection, if at all thought neces-
911r-
Then he had drawn upon Government for
.14 on account`of the furniture of this mansion,
',inch he had given in allthe receipts and vouchers.
lee was also the sum of £5,817 incurred by ex.
Acts of insurance and freightage of the furniture
riot this country. All those items of expence were
opperted by the necessary vouchers. And really he
to submit to the House the policy of a British
mihassador supporting a certain degree of dignity at
teat where so much attention was paid to show.
Toe next head of account was that of extraordinary
Nietsements:—and here there was a sum of eeS;933
expenses of messengers. This might seem
loge; but then it was to be considered, that he had
nconduct an extensive correspondence with St. Pe-
esbaigh, with Bagdad, and Egypt ; and it was ne-,
awry to employ messengers, in most instances, from
de irregularity of the posts. The next source of ex-
Imo, was presents to the Ministers of the Porte and
oche Janissaries, amounting in all t,ca £1,859.55. sd.
?Thiessen, however, had never received any other
present but that of two pelisses from the Sultan. This
practice had been abolished by Lord Elgin ; and his
immediate predecessor, Mr. Drummond, -had also
abolished the old practice of the Ambassador receiving
Feasts from those who were under his protection.—
Thee was al.o a sum of £1,863 to the Dragomans.
Is former times the Levant Company had been at
the whole expence of the Dragomans ; but this was
mot done in the case of an extraordinary embassy.—
Of all the sums he had hitherto mentioned, he could
safely say, that not one shilling, had passed through
his hands individually ; the whole had been trans-
acted through the medium of bankers and agents.—
The next article was that of extraordinary expenses
relating to himself u—and first, his salary was fixed
at £6,5}2 a-year ; but he could assure the House,
that it was quite impossible for him to live upon it,
and support the dignay of a British Ambassador at
the Sublime Poke. Of this he acquainted Isis Court
at the earliest opportunity ; and M. Italinsky, the Rus-
sian Ambassador, whose friendly opinion on the extent
eflesestalaiishment he took, declared that he thought
that establishment too small, because 1. omp and show
were more important at the Perte than at any other
Court in Europe. The route of his mission, Which
was by way of Vienna, where he found it necessary
n stay for some had also given rise to incre:t-
sed expense. He had written to Government, stating
neimpossibility of going on without an increase of
salary; and during the time of his embassy, the whole
additional sum for which he had drawn upon thorn
amounted to £8153 in three years. He must also
kgleave to add, that during the time of this embassy,
Iliad been under the necessity of disbursing every "
stilling of his private fortune—(Hear, hear) ; —and
thathe had to pay, and even now was paying a debt •
which he had contracted in his official emplornent.l.
lie did notniren to make a 'merit of this ; for. the
satisfaction which he .had felt in pc:forming those
functions with which he was hououreA, would he to
hinr a sufficient gratification. He would not say that
his private affairs had been ruined; but this lie would
say, that if all those sums which he had spent from
hit private fortune while employed in the public ser-
vice, were put together, they would purchase an an-1
leery at least equal to any pension for past services
that would be granted limr if out of oflice.•—(Hear.)
—He concluded by stating, that he was willing to
give any farther publicity that might be required to
every part of his conduct.
Mr. R. ADA[R was happy to have it in his power
to confirm the statement ju.t made to the House, in
every part where he had been appcialed to. As to the
building of the Palace, he thought it was necessary ;
and tint the expenses attending- it ought very fairly
te be defrayed by the Government. Though no per-
stn was less inclined than himself to revive the mett-
les of a forgotten controversy, yet he begged to trou-
Lie the House with a few circumstances connected
,
w
writs the departure of his Hon. Friend from c onstan-!
ain
oPle. H. certainly Confessed, that if he had been
seConstantiaople under the circumstances in which
lin Hon. Friend was, he could not have acted other-1
vise than his Hon. Friend did : but, at are same time,
iPMt. • ICC to the Government which placed the settee- '
40n at the disposal of the British A mbassador, he must
sal that that squadron was fully adequate to the objects
unich it WAS 1112:11ded to accomplish. ,o blame, how- ,
c'et, attached to the gallant Admiral, nor as he
sail
knew,
!party other prson although it istalas regret-1
p. a
tetithat the Beeitish:fleet did not up the
to walls of
tantieople. As soon as the fleet had effected the
Passage of the Dardanelles, so great was the consttr-
*on of the Turks, who thought the forts impregna-
toiee_avint.st any human effert, that the Sultan declared!
7tDas ;rani his determination not to have his capital
"11e d and ordered Sehistiani to quit Constanti-
. Sebasriani burnt his papers ; but the Sultan
htitgm
some; re-assured by. Spanish
ar, a
negociaticn
the A lrn AS-
gociatten was artfully set on foot, which
latf, uttunately succeeded, and to the success of which
tuetecurastances which afterwards occurred ought in
soli* measure to be attributed
11.. ARBUTHNOT said, .he had one word more
:0 address to
Friend b the cluse, of which his Honourable
re,
was had reminded him. Whatever failure occur.
to be attributed solely to him. It was he
_7p.e thcaedt leas responsible for it, as the force which
was under his controul was entirely adequate
eryßoses for which it was sent out.
poCrelgnlollP AGWELL justified the expenditure of
Ministers, which, from what he saw himself
Sweden,4lLor. must be necessarily very great.
a G. LEVESON GOWER explained the
na-
"c of the items against his name in the Civil List.
,tirst item of Jisooo was expende
m d in following
d
7tsnelcpoenror of Russia through Germany in 1806.
'i.e
occurred in 1808 on his dismissal from
art of Petersburgh. On the whole he had to
e
ass7:lrr. the.
Iliveuse, that he was no gainer b y hie missions.
ELLESLEY said,-that of all te 'Alio eveßr
undertouk a foreign embasy, noh onpeersons was

a-
rt
.r.

•
less likely or less incliifea to slielter)iimielf behind the
secrecy connected with that station than the Marquis
Wellesley. That Noble Lord went out on a Special
Commission ; the amount of the charge against his
name was £16,000 ; but when deductions were made
from that sinis, which arose from the loss of several
effects, and from other claws, his expences would be
found reduced to £12,000 ; and when it was consi-
dered that Lord Wellesley bad to keep a table I•r
all the officers who resorted to him, in a country where
the articles of life were then extremely dear, the House
would judge whether that sum was more exorbitant
than his station and situation required.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
could not help remarking how reasonable all :he ex-
pences connected with the foreign missions had been
found, when they had thus been subjected to minute
examination. There were, however, many secret
sources of expenditure, which it would be inconve-
nient to the public service, and ruinous to individuals,
to explain. As the object of the proposed Commit-
tee was to compare the expenditure with the estimate
of the Civil List, he had generally no objection to
such an inquiry ; but the Treasury accounts, he con-
ceived, would be quite sufficient for the satisfaction
ofthe House, without calling f(:r the books of the King's
Kitchen. If, in the course of the inquiry, any thing
more particular than the Treasury accounts should
be found necessary, then such farther particulars could
be moved for. The Right Hon. Gentleman then
said a few words concerning the expediency of fitting
up Windsor and the other Palaces ; the expenccs at-
tend Anton which, he contended werenot unreason able.
Mr. TIERNEY said he would not be bound in
the Committee by what the Right Honourable Gen-
tleman stated. He did not wish to push the exami-
nation of the Civil List Expenditure to an unneces-
sary extreme; but if it should be found that a veil of
secrecy was to be thrown over certain items, he should
like to know whether those items were not included
under the head of Secret Service Money ? The Right
Honourable Gentleman had asked, Whether the
House wished to poke into the King's kitchen ? or
whether they would not be satisfied with the accounts
flom the Treasury ? The very reason that he wished
for a particular examination was, that these Treasury
accounts were unsatisfactory. The Treasury accounts,
therefore, he would not take. As to what was said
about the Royal palaces, he was not inclined to cramp
the Sovereign in this respect, but some•bounds ought
to be established somewhere ; for it might happen,
that some artful builder might get a hold of the
Royal ear, and by undue means cause an expense in
this repect quite unreasonable and unnecessary. He
should he the last man to deny every branch of the
Royal Family every convenience befitting their rank;
but he thought tlat there had been too great an un-
willingness to cavil with Royal wishes ; and he wished
that such an unwillingness had not existed.
Mr. LONG said, be thought the House was de-
sired to take a different course to what it ever did
before. He wished it to be understood what the
powers of the Committee were to be, and whether
they should be allowed to send for persons, papers,
and records. He thought they ought to consider Mr.
Burke's Act, and whether the checks contained therein
bad been attended to. For his own part, it was his
opinion they had not been effectual, though they
might be made so ; and with that understanding that
they should endeavour to make them so, he would
give every assistance to the Committee in his power
to

Mr. TIERNEY said, his object was to know how
the exceedings had arisen, which was not to be at-
.tained by merely having papers before them. He
thought they ought to have viva voce evidence as to
many very material articles, without the power of
calling for which the Committee would be nugatory.
Mr. BATHURST thought this was a question of
economy, but not of such a nature as to give a power
to the Committee to send for persons, papers, and re-
cords. He thought the chief part of the inquiry
would be in the departments of the Lord Chamber-
lain and the Lord Steward ; and those might furnish
sufficient vouchers to satisfy the Committee, without
sending for persons. It was not like the case of a
private person ; greit delicacy should be used in in-
vestigating the accounts of a Sovereign. There were
various checks which the Committee would have to
resort to; and checks were the best mode of ascer-
taining the truth.
Mr. EDEN said, the object he had in view in
moving for a Committee, was to enquire whit had
been the expellees of the Civil List, and to ascertain
what part had been properly and what improperly
incurred. It might be necessary to send for persons ;
and without a power to do so, the object of a Corn-
snittee would not be attained in the way ire thought
it ought to be.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, that when notice was given of the present mo-
tion for an inquiry into the expences of theCivilList,
no one could conceive it would be proper to go into
extracrdinary matters, or that larger powers should
he given than were usually given to Committees.—
He should suppose the House would not proceed
otherwise than they had usually done. If the Com-
mittee found the information laid before them was
not sufficient, they might come to the House for far-
ther powers ; but till they did so, there would be no
occasion for those powers. As to the part which his
Honourable Friend (Mr. Bankes) wished to add to
the motion, he thought he might better obtain his
object by an Address to the Crown. He, therefore,
wished him to withdraw his motion.
Mr. W. WYNNE said, he was at a loss to con-
ceive how the Committee were to proceed without a
power to send for persons, papers, and records. It
might be necessary to call on the Lord Ch imberlain
and Lord Steward personally to appear before the
Committee ' • and if it was to be thus confined, it
would be useless.

Mr. BANKES agreed to withdraw his motion;
which was, with leave of the House, withdrawn ac-
cordingly. •
Mr. COURTENAY said, that if the House dele-
gated to this Committee a power to send for persons,
papers, and records, they would give a power they
had never given before, nor had ever exercised them-
selves. He should, therefore, oppose the Committee,
if those powers were to be granted. Great stress had
been laid on the excess of the Expenditure in 1804 ;
but if they made a comparison, by taking an average
of the three years before that period, they would
find the excess did not amount to more than about
0119,000 a-year. He thought it would be indeceut

in the ticus4.l to commence rich an twiry at thi
time. His present Majesty, during a long reign
had obtained the good opinion and the blessings of his
people. Should the House, then, proceed to nuke.
this enquiry, it would look as if they wished, by con-
trasting him with other Princes, to cast a censure on
the last years of hi's life fur an excess in his Civil Ex-
penditure, which others hai not incurred.
Mr. GILES thought, that without the power to
send for persons, papers, and records, the Committee
would be of no avail ; and that if the Chancellor of
the Exchequer meant to rifase that power, he had
much better act with sincerity at once, and refuse the
Committee altogether.
Mr. W. SMITH said, if those powers were denied
to the Committee. it would be better not to grant it
at all. In most of the blanches of the Civil List, the
enquiry might go cn without any ;nfringements of
delicacy ; and where delicacy was necessary, no doubt
it would be used.

Mr. BASTARD said, the patience of the country
was already exhausted ; and if the people conceived
this Committee was appointed merely for delay, it
would greatly increase their discontent.
The Motion was then put from the Chair, and
agreed to ; and the following Members were named
as the Committee :
Mr. Eden Mr. Dundas Mr. Bathurst
Mr. R. Wellesley Mr. R. Wharton Sir. J. Sebright
Mr Giles Mr. Courtenay I.ord Binning
Lord Deurt Mr. llerney Mr. Husklsson
Mr. M'Donald Mr. Vernon Mr. D. Giddy
Mr. C. Long Nlr. Manners Sutton Sir C. Burrell
Mr. Freemmtle Lord Morpeth Lord A. Hamilton.
When the names were all read from the Chair,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
proposed, that the name of Mr. N. Vansittart should
be suhstitnted for that of Lord A. Hamilton.
Mr. HORNER said, he walld rather have Mr.
Vansittart's name added to the Committee.
_ _

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
objected, bs•cau-,e the Committee was to c( nsist only of
2l Memhs?rs, and the addition would make it 22.

Mr. HORNE It said, he had frequently been on
Committees originally consisting only of 21, to which
Members had been added making them 22 and 23.
Mr. WHITBREAD said the same ; and that if
the Right Honourable Gentleman did not consent to
have the name added, he should take the sense of the
House on the proposed substitution.
A division accordingly took place on Mr. Perce.
val's motion.—Ayes 84—Noes 26.
It was afterwards moved by Mr. EDEN, that the
Committee have power to send for persons, papers,
and records—on which a division took place.—Ayes
27—Noes 80.

We understand that Mr. TIERNEY then declared to
the House, that he would not attend the Committee.
Mr. EDEN did the same. It was understood that all
the rest of the Members on that side of the House,
who were named on it, meant to adopt the same line
of conduct.
Mr. MARTIN moved, " That there be laid before the House
Accounts of the suitors' Money in the High Courts of Admiralty,
on the Ist days of Linuaiy, 1810, 1811, and 18 1:, specifying the
sums laid out by order of the Court."—Agreed to.
The CHANCELLOR of the 1 XCHEqUER moved for seve-
ral Accouuzs relating to the Royal Household, which were re-
ferral to the L'st Committee.

The Bill fur the Amendment of the late Act relative to the
building of Drury-lane Theatre was read bra: time.
The Report of the Naval Stores Embezzlement Bill was re-
ceived, the amendments agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be read
a third time to-morrow.—Adjourned.

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11.
PRICE OF OCKS THIS DAY AT OISE h t 'LOCK
3 per Ct. Cons. for money 6241—D0. far acc.ii2ii
3 prr Ct. Reduced C 2-4 per Cent. 78;
5 per Ct. 93! t —Bonds 174. 18s. pr.—Omnium
Exch. tills it, 1:;s. pre.—Long Anne. ltii
Swir I's is the only Office that sold a Prize of £20,000 in
Shares, in the last Lottery.

Mr. WILLIAM PORTER, a Gentleman who is at-
tached to the American Legation at Paris, left Lon-
don this morning with Dispatches from the Ameri-
can Charge d'Affaires here, to Mr. BARLOW at Paris.
—Mr. PORTER proceeds to France in the Hornet
American sloop of war now at Cowes ; and as he
Was ordered off rather suddenly, a report prevailed in
the City which we shall be most happy to find con-
firmed—that all the differences between this coun.
try and the United States are in a train of amicable
adjustment.

We stated yesterday, on the authority of the ad-
vices brought by the Anholt Mail, that the French
troops had occupied Stralsund. We now learn that
their numbers amount to 6000, and they have already
opened the batteries upon Swedish vessels. The for-
tifications had been destroyed on the former visit of
the French, and SCHILL had ineffectually endeavoured
to restore them ; the place was therefore treated as an
open town. The garrison, consisting only of a few
hundred men, with the Governor and the military
chest, made their escape by sea to Car'shams. About
12 or 15 vessels, in different states of loading, left the
port at the same time, but not without being fired
upon by the batteries. On this occasion a temporary
embargo has been imposed on the shipping at Carl-
shams.

If we may credit certain private letters from Paris,
it ,v,ould appear as if the Emperor had it in contem-
plation to visit the north of Europe in person ; orders
having been issued to all the public offices to have
their business so arranged as to enable him to leave
Paris in a month. There are also letters in town
from Paris, which state, that BONAPARTE was to set
out on the 20th of the present month, to take the
command of the French army on the frontiers of Po-
land, which by that time will amount to 140,000 men.
It is added, that an Austrian force has advanced into
Gallicia.

RICHARD BIRNIE, Esq. who has been a most zea-
lous and efficient Magistrate for years in Westminster,
is, we are kappy to say, appointed a Police Magistrate.

rifV4L thrE L LICENCE.

LOSS OF THE LAUREL.

WXTRACT OF A LLTTLIt FROM AN OFFICER OF THAT FESSFIIN
" Plymouth Dock, Fehrottry 8.
" We had for the last five weeks been employed blockading
four line•of-battle shisss, in the poet of L'Orimit. 'J'he Maidstone
fr:gate was dispatched by Sir Harry Neale, to order us to Quit.
bt eon Bay, where we arrived on the evening of the 3oth. The
fleet was employed all that night in watering the Laurel;as we
had ' ten selected as one of three frigates ordered to pursue three
Frencn tigates that had escaped from the Loire. At eight in the
morning of the 31st we weighed, in company with the Rota and
Rhin frigates, made sail through the passage Taigneuse, a (Hi.
cult and arduous one at all times; it plowing v,rty hard, the
Rota led through the passage, the Laurel unto tunati:ly ft:huered
the Rota's Pilot lest the marks and got bewildered, it bervg the at
extremely hazy. he l'.ota escaped the rocks—we anfortunatey
struck on the Covivv, a sunken rock, as did The Rhin, but was
not damaged to tLe extent the Lanni was, whose tine keel anti
part of the main immediately &sated alongside, and a large bolts
in her bottom. 'I he laurel wns backed off and brought to an
anchor, sails fulled, and all hands to the rrnips. In this &sat-
truus state wet continue d pan ring fur one hrur and a half, when
it was reported the slip was gaining fast, and would be down in
ten minutes. Nn time was to be hat to rrevent the ship sinking
in ten fathoms water—the cable v'us cut. and the ship run on
shore on a reef of rocks, about one niiie from the French coast,
iu order to save the lives of the men. The teeny directly com-
menced a heavy fire of shot and shell, frc'n their batieries and
field-pieces. 171 order to save the lives of the crew, a flag of truce
was hoisted. '1 he enemy continued their fire until we dispatchvsl
three boats, with about 70 mm and !Jur c;ficers, on shore, when
the fire ceased, we imagine, in coui.c.iit.ence of our officers re-
monstraing egainst the inhumanity of t:ring on defenceless rat :n ;
but such was t'seir want of feclir:g, Ord must for ever stamp the
trench Ezrne with infamy, that they wt uld not seffer cur boat,
to return for tl:e remainder of the °Meets and ship's company,
who must have perished, had it not beer. •or the brave and indefa-
tigable Clipt. Sommerville, who, in defiance of all danger and against
the ren:onstrance of his rilot, worked hi:ship up am, tug the rocks,
brought her to anchor, and took the remainder, officers at:d ship's
coml. any,off the wreck, after remaining there several hours, wi t h ne
prospect of saving our lives, except by a raft we were then pre.
paring, on Rota's boat; taking the remainder of the men from
the Laurel, the enemy commenced firing on the boats, un-
til they were out of reach of shot.

" At the time of my quitting the ship, she was entirely under
water ; the men were barging on the weather bulwark fur seve-
ral hours before leaving the wreck. Thus was lost one of the
finest, fast sailing Chips his Majesty ever posszised, from the tart.
ness of the weather, and igno:ance of the French pilots."

NAIIFS or OFIICCRS NOT PRISONERS.—Pirn I.;Cliterant
O'Shiitighnessy; Mr. Hodge, Master ; Mr. Mercer, Perrier; Mr.
Crofton, R. M.; sirs. Crowley, Corneck, Clayton, Lambert,
Eaton, and Cu dner, Midshipmen; and It r. I,Vbichelow, Cie! k.
PRISONEKS.—Lieutt nants 111 one and Green; Mr. Forbes,
Surgeon ; Mr. Chozi:er, I.ieut. R. M.; Mr. Galway, Msciship.
man ; Mes►rs. Diggs, *Pghe, and M'Carthy..