Star.
London, England, 1806-05-15 00:00:00

'much to any fcarcity which might take place in the
article of timber. On the whole, the Hon. Admi,
rat contended. there was no ground for going into
any farther inveffigation on this gelation.
Lord GA RLIES conceived that the only queßion
here, and that one of the hielleft importance, was,
whether we were able in the King' Yards alone, and''
without having recoorfe at all to the Merchants yardr;
to build and repair all the (hips necelfary for the
Britifh Navy. He knew it was Paid that we fafely
might, but this he doubted, and he thould be forty to
fee it once laid down as a principle that we World.
If, however, he fhould be called on to give a vote on
the prefent occafion, he fhouid moll certainly vote in
the negative. Thequen ion was merely one of opinion,
and although he differed from the Hon. Admiral
oppofite, and from the Noble Lord, in his fentiments
on the fobjeft, he was convinced that the Noble Lord
bad aided from the belt and pureß of motives.—
Some of the flatements of the Hon. Gentleman were
complete truifais, but Rill he did not think his infe-
rences comet. Even if he did, however, be thould
oppofe the prefent motion, reconciling, as he did, the
ferviccs which the Noble Lord had rendered to his
country. He thought there mull be Come inaccuracy
about the Ratements of the expends of building and
repairs mentioned by the Hon. Admiral, probably
in the matter of dates; though he confined theta
there were more items which prefented themfelves
repairing than in building, to furnifh the opportu-
nity of making a charge. He reconciled a refpedal
ble builder nonfat, that if he were not employed to
repair he would not build. The Aja;, of which be
himfelf was the Commander, he agreed with the Hoe.
Admiral, deferred every ill that could be raid of her.
There never was a mote improper (hip built foi his
Majefty's fervice. But Rill that did not go to the
fyitem. If ten (hips were bad, the fyllem could ogt
be affcaed. There ought to be a fuperictenditig
•Officer belonging to his Majefly on the (pot, and it
was impolnble the (hips could be fo bad ;f he did his
duty. He gave it as his dilutions that Lard St. Vin-
cent, in his silk to the dock lards, had done a great
deal of good. They now proceeded there with an
energy formerly unknown. It was of the utmost
importance that the head cf a department lhould
dccafionany thew hithfelf. He was equally free,
however, to adinit that there were irtßances in which
Lord St. Vincent carried things too far; that fame
perfons were difeniffed who might have been retain-
ed, but that many Viere properly difeharged. One
other thing, which had fallen horn the Honourable
Admiral. He mull notice, as it Concerned a chareaer
whom every man in this country muff ever hold dear
—the lite Lord Nelfon. The Honourable Admi-
ral had Rated that Lord St. Vincent had the merit
of firft dircovering the uncommon talents of this
great man. Ht agreed, that if an one quanty more
pecUliarly belonged to Earl St. Vincent than ano-
ther, it Was i quick knowledge and feidCtion of nasal
charaaer. He himfelf was the perfbn who carried
out Earl St. Vincent in his (hip the Ajar, tO the Me-
diterranean, where they found Lord Nelfon ; and
how did they find him ? With a diltinguilbing pen-
dant flying, the very charafter of which was to im-
part that the commander who Wore it had already
dißinguifhed himfelf above all the relt—the appoint-
ment of Lord Mellon to any important command
naturally followed. The Roble Lord declared he
had no intention to detract from the merit of Lord
St. Vitfeent, Inhofe powers of diferkdinating tVere
well known ; but merely to far, that Lord Nelfon's
own merit had diftingoithed hint, and that he Rood
diftinguilhed, when Lord St. Vincent' joined the
Fleet.
Vifconnt HOWICK began by animadverting
upon the conduit of the Mover And Seconder of the
Motion before the Houfe. The one having finifited
his Ratement, and fnbmitted.his Motion, profeffed his
indifference to its fate, and the other gave his affift-
ance, confeffing, at the fame time. that be knew no-
thing of the matter. If this filbjea referred folely to
the queßion, whether or not any °lipping thould be
built in the merchants' yards, as the Noble Lord who
had it'll fat down had Rated, he Ihould not feel it ne-
ceffary to enter into it. But the Hon. Mover had
adduced a number of katetnents, fo calculated to
make a falfe itnprefnon, that he thought it proper to
fay fomething, in order that nothing Ihould go forth
to the country that had a tendency to mißead the
public opinion. The Hon. Mover's charges; as well
as he could recoiled, leaned to be fopinenefr, negli-
gence, and culpable inaaivity on the part of Lnrd
St. Vincent: a charge of any more againa an
illußri-
ousperfon,whpfe reputation ftoodashigh,and in whom
the country felt fuch an lomat, would, he contelred,
at any time excite his regret ;but the charges now ad-
vanced 'spina him, he could not hear but with fur-
. prife. What! to accufe Lord St. Vincent of ftspinenefs!
The Noble Lord who loft addreffed the Hook, had
particularly dwelt upon the energy of the Noble
Earl. and obferved that that energy was on fome
oceafions carried to the extreme of rigour. Others
had fome times laid the Noble Earl was rather vio-
lent. But now, for the firfi time be believed in hit II
I life, that Noble Earl was accufed of fupinenefs. Is
order, however, to fupport This fingulor accufation,
• the Hon. Mover had entered Into various details,
I hut contriving to make there details as favourable to
his objea as palible, he drew all his comparifons
from periods which were molt unfairly controlled.—
The Honourable Mover dwelt upon the difference of
uur (hipping in numerical force at the conclufion of
the lag war and the commencement of the prefent,
and this difference he attributed to the mal-admini-
: illation of Earl St. Vincent. Now, what was the
fait ? why, that at the clofe of the war fetch was the
Rate of our fleet, that there were only two fail of the
. line aftually in good condition ; and yet, althodgh
I at the commencement of this war, there were only
• 36 fail fit for fervice, we had in twelve menths after-
: wards no lets than 88 fail in commiffion, and now
we had tor, together with eight fitting out from a
i Rate of ordinary. Now, if fuch is force, raj:wired'
I fo Gaon after ten years war, were compared'Witli ate
I force in commiffion at the beginning of the laft war,
the Houfe would be enabled to judge how far hue-
tivity was imputable to Lord St. Vincent. At the end
of the year 94 our naval force, after a long period of
peace to prepare it, exceeded but by ems fail of Me'
line that which the adminifiration of. Lord Bt. Vin-
cent contrived to put in a Rata of readinefs orgy
one year after the beginnint• of the prefent writ,
and after an interval of only ty months ; during tbel
three years of Lord St. Vincent's addiinittration, five
rail of the fine bad bob LtancHed vuerel during the