Star.
London, England, 1809-04-21 00:00:00

CHELSEA HOSPITAL.

Mr. HUSKISSON said, .that knowing the agree-
ment which had been made between the Treasury
and Colonel Gordon was, that he should in no way
build so as to obstruct the Infirmary of the Hospital,
he was certainly astonished at what had fallen on a
former occasion from two Worthy Baronets on the
other side of the House ; in consequence of which, he
had gone himself to look at the works carrying on by
Colonel Gordon, when he found it to be as the Wor-
thy Baronets had stated. He hoped, however, that
this would not go against what he had formerly said
relative to the disposal of that ground. He mention.
ed what he lad seen to his Right Hon. Friend (Mr.
Perceval), and they sent people to inspect the pre-
mises. • In consequence of their report, the Treasury
sent for the Surveyor General of Crowa Lands, when
it appeared that a spot had been taken possession of
by Cannel Gordon without the Surveyor General's
consent. On which the Physician and Surgeon of
the Hospital, with the Surveyor General; settled on
another scite as whollf unexceptionable. The papers
he should move for were, the examination of the Sur-
veyor General before the Treasury ; as also the
grounds on which the Surveyor thought the valua-
tion of the spot of ground at £55 a-year was a fair
one. He said, that this was done w:kh a view to
satisfy Gentlemen on the other side, that the Trea-
' anry had not made a grout of that land with a view
to the injury of the health and comfort of such deser-
ving men as the inmates of that Hospital.
Mr. MAXWELL stated, that he had gone to s,!e
the wok in question, when he was refused admit-
tance by the workmen. He told them he was a Mem.
ber of Parliament ; they said they could not help
that, and that it was more than their bread wasworth
to admit him. They were boarding up an iron gate,
through w1::,;f1 he could perceive it was a most de-
lightful spot, which no doubt Colonel Gordon would
be very unwilling to part with.
' Mr. LONG said, e,at he had no knowledge of the
person who h.id given the order. As soon, as the
Treasury heard the complaint of the Hon Baronet,
which was the first 'time they had heard of the circum-
stance, they had taken the necessary steps to rectify it.
Sir OSWALD MOSE LY complained of the infa-
mous step of preventing Members- from inspecting
the house. He said, he had heard the order had
been given by the present Commander in Chief, and
believed it was so. He understood that Lord Yar-
borough had parted with the ground at a less rate
than he otherwise would have done, on account of
its being for the use of the Hospital ; of that, how-
ever, he was not certain.
Mr. HUSKISSON assured the Honourablt, Baro-
net that no such consideration had influenced Lord
Yarborough ; for that the person negociating for
Lord Y. tried all in his power to make as much as
he could of it.

Mr. PERCEVAL said, he thought the order for
non-admittance to the premises in question had been
given, most likely, by some one immediately con-
cerned in them. Nor did he believe that the order
went to reject Members of Parliament,. but merely
to prevent the premises being over-run.
Mr. MAXWELL explained.
General TARLETON congratulated the House
and Country, that all the points of this business had
been made a subject of discussion; and that the wor-
thy Baronet who first complained of it, had thus
drawn the attention of the House to it. He thought
it expedient that evidence should be heard at the bar.
on the present subject.
Mr. PONSONBY wished to know whether the
grant bad actually been made to Colonel Gordon ?
and if the grounds were legally invested in him, he
might build his house in any part of the ground he
chose.

Mr. HUSKISSON repeated, that the warrant film
the Treasury directed that the House should be built
in a spot where it should not annoy the hospital ; and
if any house was built in that inconvenient situation,
it would be a violation of the contract.

General TAR.I.ETON said, the %cite of the house
had been removed, and thit must have been done in
consequence of the discussions in that House.
Mr. LONG denied this statement. Before the
subject was mentioned in the House, the Lords of
the Treasury, on seeing, the report of the Surgeon
and Phys.Oan, of the Hospital, gave orders to haye
the scite. of the .building removed, because it wwild
be highly inconvenient.
Mr. CALCRAF'I' said, he went to see the ground,
and a person there told him he had positive orders
from Colonel Gordon not to let any person enter the
premise*. He then applied to a Gentleman of
acquaintance in the Hospital for permissi,n to
the ground. This Gentleman could not grant it,
but desired him to apply to Sir David Dundas for
permission,

Mr. C. W. WYNNE emphatically remarked that
when this business was last before the• House no, a
word was said about removing the house alluded
on the contrary, he distinctly remembered that „
Physician and Surgeon of the Hospital were swe.•! t,:
have approved of the scite objected to by the
Baronet with wham the motion originated.
Mr. LONG contended that his statement on a fcr.
mer evening referred only to the appropriation of :o
much of this ground as was necessary to the purpos,..:
of the Hospital,

Mr. BARHAM thought it material to ascertain
with whom the order originated for excluding per.
sons from the review of those premises, as that order
appeared of a very suspicious nature.
Mr, CALVERT was of the same opinion.
Mr. WORTLEY STEWART saw nothinT
re-
markable in the' order. It appeared to the na.
tural consequence of the multitude who soi:.ht to see
the ground aftbr it was mentioned in that S,nia
thousands had, he understood, visited these pre: iies
on the Sunday.
The papers moved for by Mr. Huskisson were or.
dered, and presented accordingly.

GENERAL ctAvguisQ,
Sir T. TURTON rose, pursuant to notice, to call
the attention of the House to the case of this Officer.
This motion, he declared, without any knowledge of
the individual in question or his family, he was in-
duced to bring forward from a solicitude for the
maintenance of the dignity of that Howe, and for the
preservation of the liberty of the subject, When such
important objects were tinder consideration the House
would, he had no doubt, be happy to correct any
error into which it might have been betrayed, more
particularly, when it was seen, as he thotlght he could
skew, that General Clavering had in no instance been
guilty of prevarication, which formed the ground of
h s committal.

Mr. WHITBREAD rose to order, conceiving th
object of the Hon. Baronet to be, the reversal of :t
solemn decision of the House,. within the same Ses-
sion in which the decision had taken place. He
appealed i o the Chair whether such a proceeding was
regular

The SPEAKER was not aware of any precedent
for such a proceeding, there being no petition before
the House from the individual alluded to,
'Sir T. TURTON cited the precedent of Sir John
Harman, in the reign of Charles 11,
The SPEAKER stated, that the case cited was net
analogous ; for in that instance the person named was
brought up for further examination ; and having upon
such re-examination satisfactorily explained
he was discharged.
After some further observations from the Speaker,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Ponsenhy, and
Sir Thomas 'l'urton, the Hon, Baronet abandeaed
his object, and the business dropped.