Star.
London, England, 1801-10-31 00:00:00

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PaItLidIAILNTART PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

Their Lnrdthips met this day parfuant to ad-
journment, at One o'clock ; and, atter waiting un-
til :. ,•!::11,et Iltfore Two, during which interval
ro botfindfs ,sae ItaufsChed, they pi (seceded (having
pecvioully adoo.rised to half pall Three o'clock),
with their Addrefs to his Mainly at St. James's.
61,0 i ils attet the iccond meeting took place,
sse onde, hand that Lord CRAVEN Was introduced
as Earl te'Ckas. i n,wi:h the accultomed formalities,
fwmn, :ld tool, Lovdthip's fupport-
CI'S woe the Earls of PEsitSKOKF and CHATHAM.
Lord I's ho .11,1 U.:et:oat y of State for the Home
Deism:trent ), by command of his Ma-
j.. ay, Copi..: o! the PI elirninary Articles of Peace
between his t;titalt.iie M.:jetty and the French Re-
tiened at Lcndon, iit of Oelober, 'Sof ;
and of the Convention between his Nlajetly
and the Ernreror of I,Zuflia, figned at St. Perert-
bin ell, in
_Lune, ''‘,.-t—whielt were ordered to lie
on :he After which, we underhand his
Lordship trustiest, that the Preliminaries of Peace
humid he taken into confident:ion onTuefday next.
On our admiflion into thc Houfe—
Lord Cr...RENY! LLE then rofe, and laid, that he
had given his silent vote to the Addrefs moved
the pi-cc:cling day in anfwer to his Majefty's gra-
cious Speech from the Throne, becaufe it did not
contain a tingle word againll which the fin:Welt
objeCtion could be offered. It had, therefore, his
hearty concurrence. But on teeing the papers that
had been jolt laid on the Table, he felt it neceffsry
to fay a few words. He atrored the Houle that
he did not mean to enter, at that moment, into
any cliicullion or debate on the Preliminary Arti-
cles of Peace with the French Republic, for the
confideration of whic;:, there Ns/Quid, doabtlefs, be
an early day Pet apart, but that obferving, that by
the lixth Article of the Preliminaries, " The ter-
ritories and poffeffions of her Molt Faithful! Ma-
jetty !hall likewife be preferved entire," it appear-
ed to him, that it would be impetrate for the
Houle, when the day for confideration of the Ar-
ticles fhot.ld arrive, to enter into it effectually,
without fuller information before them, explana-
tory of the meaning and extent of that Article, to
which he had alluded. Every man who hat at-
tended to what had paired refpeCting our Allies
during the war, and efpecially refpeCting Portugal,
could not but know, that many matters of molt
ferious importance molt neceirarily be involved
and comprehended within the meaning of that Ar-
ticle. He airured his Noble Friend, the Secretary
of State (Lord Pelham), that he fhould feel fin-
cere regret, if he found liimfelf compelled, by a
fente of his duty to the Country, to appear to be
even under the necellity of oppofing the meafures
of his Majefty's Government. But the honour
and interelts of the kingdom were deeply con-
cerned in the true conitruition of the Article in
(python, which might in one view of it apply to
Naples and the other Allies of Great Britain, as
well as to Portugal. He hoped that among other
conceflions to the French Republic, faerihoes of
our Allies, to whom we were* bound to preferve
the itriaett faith, had not formed a part of the pur-
chafe of the Peace that had been obtained, which
would dirgrace the national charafter, and be at-
tended with confequences that mull materially al-
feet our future fecurity, and irothe highell degree
endanger our commerce and profperity. What he
xsiihed to learn from the papers that appeared to
him to be neceffary to explain the article rerpeet-
ing Portugal was, what was meant by the words
olthat article ? It was impollible for their Lord-
!hips not to have become acquainted, through the
medium of the French papers and our own newf-
papers, with the fa 11s, that in the courfe of the war
Portugal had by treaty ceded certain provinces to
Spain, and by a fubfequent treaty a hill more con-
fiderable portion of her territory to France. It
became a queftion, therefore, of confiderable
portance, that previous to difcuffion of the articles
on the table, the Houle fhould have before them
papers tending to thew what was meant by the
words, " !hall likewife be preferved entire."—
Were they to underhand, that the integrity of
Portugal was to be preferved, as Portugal Rood
before the war ? or, Was it meant that the inte-
grity of Portugal referred only to the Rate of that
kingdom as it Rood on the lit of OCtober, 18ot ?
It was by afcertaining this great and important
qucilion previous to the entering into a difcuilion
of the articles, that the Houle could alone be
enabled to judge of tittle two things ; firft, Whe-
ther the good taith of this country had been kept
with our Allies ? and rear, what was the compa-
rative value of the facrifices and conceftions that
had been made to the French Republic, and of
the Peace that had been obtained in exchange for
thole conceflions? In order that their Lordfhips
might clearly underhand what papers he witbed to
call for, he would read a Motion that he had drawn
and meant to offer to the Houle, unlefs he heard
from his Noble Friend, that it appeared to his Ma-
jellfs fervants that there were rcafons, which they
were able to affign, or that they felt rearons which
they did not chute to aflign, that induced them to
wills that the papers atleed for fltotild not be pro-
duced. He himfclf did not feel that there could be
any ohjeetion made to the motion, and he well knew
that under fimilar circumflances, fimilar motions
1. Id born frequently.granted without objeCtion.—
Itis Lordihip here read his intended motion, the
purport of which was, for an humble Addrefs to his
" that Copies of all Treaties, Cs/oven-
( and Agreements, that have been made
s.:•!,in the lait year between any of his Majeßy's
:es and the French Republic, which have been
nonunicated to his Majelly, be laid before this
n.e." P.) tilde papers the Houfc would be put
. iFetTion of fuck information as niif;lut ex-
.,:n in vitat degree, and to what extent, the in-,
• oity of Poitugal was agreed to be rail-veil,
h would 1,-Tye to fhcw xshether the ',OC,ti Loris

i; c. ,alt‘ to her old and 14411116 .stlly had
I cr Vntlld nc,, he n.ry am arc, cna-
, cr tu
•.oc .1. ti
• n. C.; ,

from the articles, that Ile ha 3 made to the French
Republic. He repeated, that he had the highelt
refpeet for his Noble Friend, and fisould-deeply re-
gret the being obliged, upon the point in quefiion,
to oppofe the meafures of his Majeay's fervants.
So far, indeed, was he from meaning any (itch
matter, that if his Noble Friend *would fay that he
had his rcafcas for' willing that he would not prefs
his Motion at prcfcnt, he would molt readily for-
bear to make it. He hoped fincerely, that his No-
ble Friend would be able to render the moving for
the capers wholly unrkeefrary, by an explicit de-
claration, that the integrity of Portugal meant,
that the treaties with Spain and France, to which
he had alluded, were annulled and refcinded, and
that Portugal was agreed to be rellored to the en-,
tire poffellion of all her territories, *bleb the held
before the war. Should the Noble Lord unfortu-
nately not be ,able to anfwer in that fatisthaory
manner, he fhould deeply lament that fuch a con-
cellion had been made to the French Republic,
fince, under the exiling circumflances and litua-
timi (no matter to what that fituation had been
owing), it did not appear to his mind that fuch a
ftcrificc was in the fmalleff degree nceeffary, or
that it could have been made confiftently with a
due regard to the national honour and interells.
Lord PELHAM role and lamented that his Noble
Friend, in the courfe of what he had faid, fhould
have declared that he might feel it necelrary to op-
pofe the meafures of his Majefty's Minifters, and
cfpecially on the important point in queftion. His
Lordfliip laid he lamented it the more, as he en-
tertained the utmoft refire& for his Lordfhip, and
knew the value of his abilities too well not to be
extremely anxious to have the honour of his flip-
port,, efpecially on a matter of fuch importance as
the confideration of the Articles upon the Table.
If he underflood the Noble Lc.; d correaly, he reli-
ed his arguments for calling for the Papers Rated
in his intended motion on two grounds—the afcer-
taining what was the extent of the meaning of the
6th article refpeaing the integrity of Portugal, and
the being enabled to judge of the value of the
Peace that had been obtained, comparing it with
the conceflions that Great Britain had made to the
French Republic. As a feparate day would be
moved to be appointed before the Houfe feparated
for taking thofe Articles into confideration, his
Lordfhip laid, he law no occafion for him at that
moment to enter into any difcuffion, 'that mull ne-
celfarily turn upon the fubjeft. When the day of
difcuhion fhould come, he would be prepared to
enter into every neceffary explanation. With re-
fped to the papers referred to in the motion, which
his Noble Friend had read to the Houle, it muff
tardy be recollected, by a Noble Lord offo much
greater experience than himfelf, that while matters
hood between this country and the French Repub-
lic as they did at prefent, in point of negociation,
fuch papers could not be laid upon the table with-
out confiderably embarrailing his Majca y's fervants,
and greatly endangering the public laterals. He
hoped, therefore, his Noble Friend would, on that
account, agree to withdraw his motion.
Lord GRE N• IL LE role again, and laid, he felt it
neceffary to take notice of a particular expreffion
made ufe of by the Noble Secretary of State, which
referred to .him (Lord G.) and which the Noble
Lord could not have ufed, but from mifapprehen-
lion of his words. He had declared that he fhould
fincercl.• regret, if, from want of the explanation
of the (lath article, he fhould feel himfelf called
upon to do any thing that looked like oppofing the
meafures of his Majelty's fervants, but furely that
declaration did not warrant the conftruetion, that
he withed to make a general oppofition to the mea-
lures of his Majefty's Government. Nothing could
be farther from his mind, his meaning, or his pur-
pole. On the prefent occafion he flood in a re-
fponfible fituation, though not in office, from which
he neither would, or could, fhrink. He owed it
to himfelf, and to his duty to his King and coun-
try, to call the attention of the Houle to the very
important conlideration refpealing Portugal,which
he had Rated to their Lordfhips to confequence of
the doubtful wording of the firth article. It was
of the fluff importance to have it known, whether
the treaties of cetlion of territory by Portugal to
Spain and the French Republic were not refcind-
ed ? If report might be relied on, and the treaty
with- the French Republic was fuch as the French
Rated it to be in their official papers, great con-
ceflions indeed had been made to the Republic—
conceflions of the moll alarming nature. Among
others, the French were Rated to have been grant-
ed free accefs to the Brazils ; the only fupport of
the greatnefs and fecurity of Portugal, and which
conceflion (truck immediately at the root of the
commerce of Great Britain with Portugal, and
muff utterly fubvert it, and render it impraficable
in future. He Rill hoped, therefore, that before
the Houie feparated, his Noble Friend would be
able toaffnre their Lordfhips that the treaty between
Portugal and the French Republic was no longer
in exillence ; but that the integrity of Portugal
meant, what it was highly neceffary for this coun-
try that it fhould mean, viz. a refloration of the
full pofreffion of all her territories, as Portugal Rood
previous to the war. He was obliged to his No-
ble Friend for the very handfume manner in which
he had been pleafed to exprefs himfelf refpeaing
him ; but he certainly would rot withdraw his mo-
tion, becaufe he had made no motion. He had
declared that he did not mean to embarrafs his Ma-
jelly 's Mini flers—cet tainly not to oppofe their mea-
int-es unlefs in matter; of loch moment as left hint
no option. On the contrary, he was ready, defir-
ons and willing, to give them all the al-finance his
humble abilities would enable him to give, pro-
vided they continued to aft with flrmnefs, and
maintained all that was alike dear to the honour
and dignity of the kingdom. In that cafe they
might command his fupport.—With regard to the
motion he had read, he had erprefsl) Lid, that if
his Majefty's fervants felt TC.ll6lla for wilting that
the motion fhould not be made, avhetlier they af-
figncd thole reafons, or did not mflign them, he
uould not prefs it. His Noble Friend had eaprefred
a giound of obkaion, and therefore the motion
flicAd not he is: id:.

I Lord Ns. ;It T. !, Le .71:111 beg to he
I• Truti.f !N.?", .t mat t.c dilcufliun
nal). r ran, 5a..1.:1- &Cur-

~Lion when the articles fhould re platy be taken
under the confideration of the Houle. When that
day came, he hoped he fhould be able to anfwer,
his Noble Friend in a fatisfa(tory manner. He re-
gretted that any expreffion made ufe of by hint, on
the firft day that he had the honour to addrefs their
Lordfhips, fhould have been founded in mifton-
ception ; but he did not feel much pain in having
mifconceived the Noble Lord, fince it had drawn
from him a declaration, given in the moft candid
manner, that he did not mean to enter into an op-
pofition of the meafures of his Majefty's fervants.
He was perfuaded that friendly declaration would
afford as much fatisfaetion to thole with snimm
he had the honour to act in office, as, he owned, it
did to his feelings.
Lord PE t. H a st then gave notice, that he would on
Tuefday next move,that the Preliminaries of Peace
with the Republic of France be taken into confider-
ation, and his Lordfhip moved, that the Lords be
fummoned for that day.
Lord HOBART apologifed for begging to poll-
pone making his motion of 'Thanks to Sir John
Hely Hutchinfon, and the Officers and Army (cry-
ing wider him in Egypt, according to the notice
he had given the preceding day, becaufe, on ioro-
ceeding to draw the motion for the Thanks of the
Houle to be given to Admiral Lord Keith, a dif-
ficulty prefented itfelf, which had not been fore-
feen, and that was, that it was found, that the !
official difpatch had not been received from his
Lordfhip.
,It appeared upon reference to prece-
dent, that it bad not been ufual to vote the thanks
.of the- Houfe to officers in his Majefty's fervice, for
their gallant conduct, before the official difpatch
had been regularly received, which brought the
account of the exploit on which the vote of thanks
was grounded. For this reafon, his Lordfhip Paid,
he hoped the Houfe would permit him to pollpone
making his intended motion for the thanks of the
Houfe to Sir John Hely Hutchinfon, &c. for the
prefent—Agreed to.
The Duke of CestaNCE Paid, lie hoped the ne.
ble Secretary Of State would take the firft oppor-
tunity of moving the Thanks to Sir John Hutchin-
,
fon, and the Officers and Army raving under him,
as loon as the official difpatch fhould be received.
Lord HOBART laid, he could not have afforded I
a ftronger proof of his defire to lofe no time, than
the notice he had given the preceding evening.
THANKS TO SIR JAMES SAILIM•RLZ, &C. &C.
Earl Sr. VINCENT then role to move the Thanks
of the Houfe to Admiral Sir James Saumarez, for
his gallant and fpirited conduet in the aetion with !
the united fleets of France and Spain, off Gibraltar,'.
in which he had deftroyed two Spann men of war,
and taken a (hip belonging to France. His Lord-1
(hip Rated the particulars of the engagement in the
Bay of Algefiras, in which, notwithftanding the
lois of ore of his Majelly's (hips, owing to a matter
which Sir James Saumarez could not prevent,
that meritorious officer difplayed the molt daunt-
left courage and energy. That in that engage-
ment the fleet of Sir James was much crippled and
difabled, but that neverthelefs he made fuch won.
derful exertions to repair his damages, that he was
loon afterwards enabled to purfue the French and
Spann fleets, and to engage them with the molt
decifive fuccefs, although greatly his fuperiors in
number and weight of met al. This gallant achieve.
ment, he declared, furpalfed every thing he had
met with in his reading, or lei vice, and when the
news of it arrived, the whole Board, at which he
had the honour to prefide, were (truck with afto-
niflament to find that Sir James Saumarea, in fo
very (port a time after the affair off the Bay of Al-
gefiras, had been able, with a few (hips only, and
one of them difabled, efpecially his own, to come
lip with the enemy, and, with unparalleled bravery
to attack them, and obtain a victory highly ho-
nourable to himfelf, and effentially conducive to
the national glory. His Lordfhip faid, the merit
of the brave Admiral fpoke fo ftrongly for itfelf
that it would be unneceflary for him to take up
more of their Lordfhips time refpeeting it, and,
therefore, he would make his motion, which he
read to the Houfe.

Lord Vikount Ns xsots immediately rote to fup-
port the charafter and conduit of Sir James San-
marpz, on which his Noble Friend had jun ex-
preffed himfelf in fuch handfome terms. He laid,
he was under particular obligation to that gallant
officer, who had been fecond in command under
him in his moll important and fuccefiful engage-
ments. That in the aftion in Algefiras Bay, he
was perruaded Sir James would have achieved his
objeCt, and carried the enemy's (hips into Gibral-
tar, but for the failure of the wind—an accident
which the Admiral could not prevent, and which
enabled the enemy to haul their fhipsfo ;tole within
(bore, as to defeat Sir James's purpofe. Nothing
difmayed or difpirited, however, with the unfortu
nate event of that attempt, Sir James made won-
derful exertions to put his few Chips into a condi•
tion to fail after a fleet of the enemy, and to attack
them though their fleet confined of ten !hips, and
Sir James Saumarez had but five, and his own
(hip greatly difabled. The glorimas refult their
Lordffiips well knew ; but he was not furprifed at
the matchlefs intrepidity and (kill of his gallant
friend, when he confidered the profeffional fchool
in which he had been bred, viz. under the
late Lord Howe, Lord Hood, Lord Bridport,
and his Noble Friend, the Noble Earl who fat
next to him (Earl St. Vincent.) From Inch great'
mailers he could not but have but learnt every
thing that was courageous, fpirited and magnani-
mous. His Lordthip added fume further panegy-
rics, and concluded with apologifing to the Houle,
for having intruded on the time of their Lord-
(hips, but he protefted he could not refrain from
attempting to give his teflimony to the merit of
his Gallant Friend and Fellow-Admiral. The
Motion was agreed to 'smirk. diffintientr.
Earl Sr.Vi N C INT next moved the Thanks of the
Houfe to Captains Hood and Keates, and filch of
the officers as principally diningnifhed theninives
in the two engagements under Sir James Samna-
rez, in the Bay of Algefiras, and oil Gibraltar.
The Mix of CI nether laid, he rote to illy a
very few winds ; that lie Ihould have ri;cll earner,
fins wricn he law his intimate friend, the Hero of
the Nile, al.out to rife after his Noble Friend at the
' head of the Admiralty, he id. that it did not bc•

come him itt take the lead of the Hero ()fat Nil,
He role now, as a profeflional man, to exprel; !•-,
entire concurrence with every fyllable that had tit l-
ien from his two Noble Friends in comtnendatioi
of the gallant Sit- James Saumarcz, and to decl./:,
the fatisfaaion.he felt in the thanks of the llouf,
having been moved to thole brave Officers, Capt.
Hood and Capt. Keates, for their diftingoi!LL,'
conduel in the two engagements. They were bet::
as deferving Officers as any in his Majetty's f,as
but he could fpeak more particularly to the met;.
of Captain Keates, having ferved under him f,4
four years and a half during a former war, as a
Midthipman in the fame watch. He was perfual.
ed, whenever the country fhould be engaged ia
another war, Captain Keates would entinertly 6t-
tinguith himfelf.
The Motio• was agreed to nemirte dffentimite, as
were likewife the two other Motions made ofeouri?
in applaufe of the men ferving in the fleet of t-,,r
James Saumarez, and to requeft that gallant Ad.
miral to communicate the fenfe the Houle enter.
mined of the good conduel of the other Officers,
Seamen, and Marines.
1 he Houle adjourned to Tuefday next.