Star.
London, England, 1822-03-26 00:00:00

'ainnent he had not a single sixpence in Ws pocket,
and nothing could be more deplorable than his sita.t-
'tion. Some time ago a subscription was set on foot
for him, but though the names were high, he was
sorry to say that the sum was by no means liberal.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said, that
with regard to any order for removing Captain Ro.
meo from the country, he had not heard one word
about it. The Hnn. Member had been, he thought,
in a credulous humour upon. several points. As to
the hidden charges against the Government, he en.
treated the Hon. Member not to use them far pur-
poses of extortion, but to bring them forward at
once, without observing the least ceremony.
Mr. FORBES said, that if the subject was ant, it.
relevant to the question before the House, be had no
objection to point out the case to which he alluded—,
(Cries of " Go on.")-1Ie would theta asks whether
pension of 8001, per annum bad not been lately settled
upon Lady Torrens, the wife of Sir Henry Torrem,
a name which claimed the highest respect. It had
been stated to him, that that gallant General, whose
services had been attended with so much advam Age.
and bestowed with the greatest possible attenticn,had
some time agn resigned the situation which he held,
and taken one with less duties and art inferior salary;

and that in consequence a pension to the amount he
had stated had been granted to Lady Torrens.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT said, it was most certainly
true that a pension had been granted to Lady Tor-
rens. It was in the knowledge of the House that the
disposal of pensions to a certain amount formed a
part of the constitutional power of t..e Crown. Sir
Henry Toner's was well known to the country—
(neer, hear)—and he thought a pension granted to
his Lady, as an acknowledgement of his services,
would never be considered an improper exercise cf
the Royal prerogative—( (fear, hear).
Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the testimony of
the British Generals ought to outweigh that of the
Neapolitan Government. Ile was quios-sure that the
Government could have no intention (.f enforcing the
provisions of the Alien Act against the Petitioner. He
was ce tain they would do nothing so violent; and
he did hope that they would reconsider his case, and '
come to the conclusion, that there was still something
due to his services.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said, that the
difficulty which occurred to him was, that he wanted
to know why Captain Romeo had concealed that so
large a sum of money was due to him until 1818 or
1819? . He was quite sure, with the Noble Lord,
that the last thing which the Secretary of State would
be likely to do, would be to the Alien Act to
such a case as the present.
After a few words from Colonel DAVIES the Peti-
tion was ordered to be printed.
COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
the Order of the Day for the House resolving itte:i
into a Committee of Supply.
Mr. BERNAL was anxious, seeing the Hon. tlls.
Comptroller of the Navy in his place, to make
quiry as to the state of the working men in the
U.:::-
yards, and whether it was intended to make any alters
ations in their favour ? He complained that their
rate of wages was too low.
Sir B. MARTIN observed, that the present sy-tem
was recognized by the Navy Board, and existed under
its special direction. He wished, however, to take to
himself whatever responsibility might attach to it, as
it had been adopted at his suggestion. When the re-
ductions were made, he said that instead of consii:l-
- 5,000 men, with aye: age Coniles of five childrea
each to starvation, he had made all partake their share
of the general privation. He had never heard anything
but gratitude expressed by the parties at the course
he had so chroen and acted upon.
Sir J. YORKE col roborated the statement made
by his gallant Friend.
Upon the question that the Speaker quit the CbaTr,
Sir B. MARTIN said, that before the Speaker
should leave the Chair, he was desirous of addressing
himself to a subject which had been alluded to by
the Hon. Member for Aberdeen on a former occasion.
Ile stated that the use of coal-tar for ships would be
detrimental to the interests of the Navy, and that the
first time the ships came into action they would be
blown up : he stated alto that it was destructive of
the iron work of the vessel, and destructive of human
life. These opinions the Hon. Member had founded
upon the authority of a Mr. Boot, who was once a
shipwright, afterwards a hanker, and subsequently to
that, he believed, a bankrupt. This Mr. Boo: came
to the Navy Board with his plans, and demanded
£5,000 in advance before he could carry them into
execution. But the Board were not sl ready to part
with their money, and then this person declared that
the Navy was in danger, and that the first pistol that
was fired in the ships would blow them up. This the
lion. Member for Aberdeen adopted and repeated in
that House, and he now called upon him to state the
result of an experiment which was tried on Saturday
last in Iris presence, as well as in that of four distin-
guished Naval Officers, and other persons, who ail
agreed that there never was a more gross imposition
upon the Public than the statements which had been
sent forth. The lion. Member for Aberdeen believed
them, and it was very likely that he (Sir B. MartiA
should have done so likewise, under similar circum-
stances. But he called upon the Hon. Member to
state in that House what he candidly stated on Satur-
day, with regard to the opinions be had before pro-
fessed. The Owen Glendower affotded sufficient prod
that the coal-tar had no bad effect upon the health of
the sailors. There was a complement of 261. men
on board that veisel,which was completely saturated
with coal-tar, and had been for two years in a but
climate ; and, out of the 26k, living as they did in a
constant atmosphere of coal-tar, only two had died.-
• Mr. HUME was extremely happy in the opportu-
nity of setting this subject in its proper light before
the House. It had been represented to him, and to
many other individuals, that the practice of the Navy
Board for the last six years, which had been recent-
mended by Sir R. Seppings, was detrimental to the
service. Under these circumstances the Board allowed
the experiment to be made, with the greatest fairness
on Saturday last ; and the result was, that net only
Irianselt and others, but the son of Mr. Boot, went
away, convinced of the error of his father's opinion.
He was sittisfied that no one could entertain any opi-
nion but that the Gentleman iu question had certainly
deceived himself.
Sir J. YO It K E concurred in the nbsartations of the
I.luu. Member l'or Aberdeen.