Star.
London, England, 1823-03-24 00:00:00

BATAVIA, NOVEMBER 9.

On the 16th ult,a tremendous volcano poured Cott%
stones and lava from a mountain abOut two hundred
milei from this city : five thousand natives were In.
lied by the stones and ashes, and SCO burnt.

We are glad to see the daily accessions which the
cause of neutrality is gaining from the ranks even of
those who seemed at first most disposed to advocate
an opposite line of policy. Still, however, is the on.
holy cry of war kept up by an interested factiert
amongst us, who unblushingly avow that it is their
object to excite such a degree of popular clamour as
may "force" Ministers into a war against Fiance..,
We call them an interested faction, for sse cannot
suppose that persons differing honour ably and sin..
cerely on a question of national importance, would
cbuse to support it by such mean,. Is it by po.
pular clamour that any man of sense or into.
silty would wish to see the justice or policy of a
war determined ? Why is the power of declaring
war vested by our Constitution in the Soveieign, if it
be not that with the aid of his Ministers, and with
the lights which he derives from the executive admi.
nistration of our foreign relations, he is better enabled
than the people themselves can eve* possibly be, to
decide when war is necessary or prudent ? We are
ass are of the right which the people have to ex:slana.
nations ; but it is a right which can never coostito.
tionally come into operation till the time for reasen-
' able confidence in the Government has past—till the
people are called upon to supply the means for carry.
ing on a war that may have been resolved on, or to
remain quiet under what they may imagine to be
a sacrifice of the national interests cr honour.
—We say, that the time for such confidence at the
present crisis is not past; that the Public ought to
wait without uneasiness for that ample informaticat
which Ministers have promised to lay before them es
won as all hope is extinct 'of preserving the peace of
Europe ; and that he acts factiously, wickedly, and
unconstitutionally,who endeavours to precipitate a con.
elusion on a matter which is not yet ripe for decision.
In the opinions which sire have ourselves offered co
the subject, our only aim has been to keep the ques.
tion fairly open for final judgment. We have laid it
down as an invulnerable position, that to preserve
peace as long. as it can possibly be preserved with
honour, is the interest of this country ; and we have
maintained, and still maintain, that to the public eye
nothing has yet appeared to justify the least apis
hension that our honour has been tarnished by the
endeavours which Government must be supposed te
have made to avert the evils of war.

The resolution of the Directors of the Bank (1
England, announced on Friday, to give only a divi•
dead of four per cent. when they have usually give
five, has excited much attention. Of course this 4
be attended with a considerable falling off in the pre
fits of the holders of Bank S:ock ; but we are NI
aware that it can be looked on as injurious to the
Public at large, or as the slightest indication of a dimi.
nishing national prosperity. If, indeed, the diming.
tion in the profits of the Bank were p proof of a
general sinking of the rate of profit en the country,
we should hold the declaration
.on Friday to be a
indication of national decay.. But the Bank of Ent
land is a close monopoly, the prosperity of whott
concerns has only a very remote connection with I* 4
tional prosperity. In the long run, indeed, as the
quantity of business which it has to transact, and
consequently the extent of its profit must depend on the
general increase of the national resources, it certainly
could not prosper if the nation were going to decay.
—The chief cause, we have no doubt, of the resat
decline in the Dividends of the Bank, is the greet
expense to which that Corporation has recently heel
subjected, to supply the country with a bullion is.
stead of a paper currency. Supposing the amoal
of gold and silver coin in circulation to amount N
20,000,0001. the annual expen, of
when profit is at 10 per cent.
able miter in the Supplenr- ent
ianzzica, at 1,200,0001. per
ever, at present, the rate of
cent. and the expense of keep
culation to have been 200,0001.
find that the Bank, by being
notes in specie, must incur a •
tional expense. We cannot
may be, because thewholeoftht
ing up a bullion than a pay
fall to be defrayed by- the
particularly that caused by
bullion cut rency, would be so i
annual profits of that Corporatioi
On subjects of this nature
sider to be some very unfortui
our coteniporaries and the ,
of the National Securities. fc
being, as is usually supposed,
tional prosperity. Nor is such
to the Ptiblio, or the Governr
debt. If it could commute
1 per annum for 1:50, it would
Ifor the Public--than being
sent, £44. A high pike of
prunes, undoubtedly, that eh(

rjiry splenarourofedtall
1111"Irt° belo3g in e
Uentlaner

favouriu

dew Met
bet walla!
..• f ire giepp
VAPAllkitete7'

_ .
circulation to amount N Banunat, as A
xpense of such a coi more happy in
nage, toth' perfectly tl
:nt. is estimated, by a vetl poisible to say a
ent to the.Enc,yriopedia Brs• COVENT GA it
er annum. Taking, be* lien Of With in
- bef ore a very nui
of profit to be only five pet Oda andthe Ogre
keeping up the papeiciPa ADELPtii Ttt
,0001. per annum, we shag R presperous sea
eing • obliged to pay their reward of the F
thk„ hours, in providii
r a very considerable a
on which occasit
of say what that additi, spoken by. Mr.
ftheg reater expense (4'64' _ Lungs Axo G
paper currency would ast 70; ued
Oath
12 year pat
e Bank. Stß4 ;11espeqie Oat., of returning t
• rforrierore and 1.10
by the first SUPPITCI: hlg 011 M ter
eso greats as to . memorable I
Naha of Ti
potation%very e
le p
•• imprietori
re we observe 404 that for Oatiety esti
weal the ifortu nate mista keg a
nettled s y
..4 Faitertsiiiinent of
le Public. The 14h.
Von Pledge. To ret
;. for example is fat
‘; hew, thli tic
season,
on: ehs,
osed,..pifindicatioe Urs, Wants have' ensbla
PliggpdlitS, with its
itdr •
and splendol
!rnnient'Which is. pa • 907 to adoili
, . k: "09) Ladies 4;4 OA
te it* Obligation to present estsbnibett 1
'uld iarfest At se
oblige& to: , • IMI Is:="1"/"P" us,„,s,rso.l"
of iltilit44.ll••• **.rdi*' stiavAlk
those who buy at tnis puy 3:: 7177 7t; ..y• •
•
. i

r would soon among
ily expected, as also A
cet of 15 sailed a