Star.
London, England, 1802-12-23 00:00:00

PdRLIAMENTARr PROCAIDINIM

HOME OF LORDS. WEDNESDAY, DEC:
The Engin!' Militia Bill, the IrMk Corn Intereourfe PK the
kik Militia. the Sugar Drawback, and foam others. WS*
through the Committee of the whole Honk and wen rignited.
Four Bilk were r. ad a third time.
The hint Province Importation Bin, and the bilk SIN*
Drawbeick Bill were brought from the Commons, and pudisa-
ed by Mr. Alexander and others, and read a lkft time.
NAVY COMMISSIONERS' ANUS* SILL.
On the Order of the Day, that this Bill be read
a fecond time, being moved,
The Duke ofCLAlllic a rote, and arraigned the
Bill in pointed terms, as nugatory and inefficient.
He could not, he faid, but exprefs his furprife,
that a Bill of that nature should be difcuffed with-
out the noble and illuftrious charader at the head
of the Admiralty being prefent to explain his rea-
tons to the 'Houk, why he thought fuch a Bill at
all necelfary. That there were abates pradifed in
the different branches and Boards of the Admiralty
and Navy, he, as a profeffional man, and every
officer who had the honour to terve his Maljefty„
well knew; but the Noble Earl at the head of the
Admiralty, whore high and eminent ferrices were
well known, could not but be acquainted what
thole abufes were; and he mull contend, that the
Admiralty Boards already poffeffed ample_powers
to correa the exifting abufes, and to punith Eery
fraud that was fuppofed to be committedorsisent,
any poffible affillance that could be ex to io be
• •
derived from the enaaments of the p t Bill.
The perfon who drew the Bill appeared to have
wilfully intended to milked the King's fervants,
and to mifguide their judgment. It was evident
to him that they had been grofsly milled, or they
never could have perfuaded the Houle of Com-
mons to agree to and pats a Bill totally inefficient,
and which could produce no effea, but to create
new places, and to load the public with the ex-
pence of the Commiflioners appointed to ail under
rt. He reprobated the title dthe Bill, and every
claufe of it, and particularly found fault with the
claufe for the corredion of abates praitifed by prize
agents ; it was blended with the peculations on the
King's arfenals, and frauds in retpeit to contrails
,with the Navy and Vidualling Boards. The con-
duit of the prize agents was injurious td the moll
valuable defcription of men in the country, the
common feamen, who were entitled to every pa-
fible encouragement from the Legiflature : their
caufe, therefore, ought to be immediately attended
to, and a feparate Bill gaffed to'regulate the future
conduit of prize agents. Having laid great firth
on this,. the Duke proceeded to thew, that thebet•
fines of the Navy was tranfaited under feveral
Boards : the Admiralty Board, the Navy Board,
the Villa:tiling Board, the Tranfport Board, and
the Sick and Hurt Board. He analyfed the fort of
frauds that might he praEtifed tinder each ; frauds
and peculation: from the King's arfenals were par-
ticularly to be guarded agatrift by the vigilance
and proteaion of the Board of Admiralty; breaches
of corttrait, and other Species of frauds, were to
be deteaed and profecnted by the Navy and Vic-
tualling Offices. To the Tmnfport Board he knew
of no Objeaion. That inftitution, though recently
revived, is not a new inaitution, as it exited in
the reign of William the Third. The prefent
Board had faithfully performed its duty, and ren-
dered effential fervice during the late war. Cer-
tainly irrevlarities, and poffibly abufes, had been',
'praaifed fOrtherly, but they had been greatly cor-
reaed of late, and might be further checked.
He few not, therefore, one good ground, the Duke
fail, for authorifing the Commiffion to be appoint-
ed under the prefent Bill, nor could it be of the
leap ufe.- The powers of the Admiralty Board
were-al:ma unlimited. He did not mean to fay
that they were greater than they ought to be, but
to defcribe the tad as it was. The King had no
the direition of the navy as he had of the army
excepting only in refpcit to the powers of punifh-
merit and mercy—a branch of the prerogative
which ought undoubtedly to be lodgedin the hands
of the. Sovereign, and confequently all the other
powers of managing the navy were enjoyed in a
plenary manner by the Admiralty Board, and the
execution of the duties to which thole powers ap-
plied, was directly under the fuperintendance of
that Board. Upon the whole of thefe confidera-
dons, and frommany others that he was pen-tied•
ed would offer theinfelves to his mind, if due time
and opportunity were allowed him for that prepa-
ration, to put, his arguments into proper shape and
form for more regular flatement, he was ready at
that moment to declare, that he thought the Bill
ought at leek to be delayed till the Noble Earl at
the head' of the Admiralty either rectrereg better
health, or the (knack to his appearing in his place
was removal certain it was, it would be more
decent and decorous for him not to pelt the palling
of di Bill of that nature, without his being prefent
to explain the rearms which induced him to think
it was neceffary, or was likely to be ufeful. The
Duke concluded with moving, 44 That the Bill be
I read a fecond time this day three months."
The Loan CHANCELLOR left the Wooltaelt, and
' faid, in the little be thought it unitary to Rate the
preceding evening, he was afraid be had been roift.,
conceived, as it was fuppoted that he had aliened
that great irregularitied, frauds, and abufes were
aaually praaired by perfons employed in the fe-
veral Naval Departments mentioned in the Bill,
'He had only faid, that the Bill proceeded upop
fuch an affertion, and, for a variety of rearm*
it was in his mind extremely important to inflitate
an inquiry whether filch irregularities, frauds, or
*buses were pradiOd or not, in order that Parlia-
might, all legiflatively to provide a remedy
gnevancis. With regard to Prize Agency,
taken the liberty lift night to fay, that per-
- have thought it might have been
tendered that bead of abufe the ob.
commiffion, anthorifed by a fe-
,from what a Noble Vitcount had
on the evil confequences of the
from that meritorious rank

•
of tbi Witty; he meant the eoeimit feamen,
confcioas as he was, that the clads of men in
queftiou were entitled to as early attention as could
be given them, he thould certainly, as the bufi-
of prize-agents already flood in the Bill, and
▪ ttalici ry into the abufes that might hive been
pra • by prize-agents madepne of the objets
of it, with that part of the Bill to thud ar it.did.
His Lordfhip Paid, it had been in contemplation
at the commencement of the lalk war, to make
fome regulations legiflatively for prize•agents to
be obliged to follow. His own idea was, that the
tnoft ufeful regulation would be to put prize money
upon fotnething like the footing on which fortunes
of infants were put in Chancery, which were paid
into the hands of the Accountant General, who
✓etted the amount in the Bank, where the divi-
dends were converted into flock, as fag as they
ante, and there remained in a aite of accumula-
tion till the infants became of age; or any claims
upon their property*ere fully heard and decided.
In like manner he wffhed that limilar means were
taken to fecure the amount of all prize money,
and to render it accumulativer till it was decided
to whom it was to be paid, if the prize was decid-
ed to be a lawful prize or not. If it be found a
falfe captiee, in that cafe the money would be
held fafe, to be reftored to the rightful owner of
the veffel captured ; if the prize were deemed a
lawful capture, it would be fecured for payment
duly in its legal proportions to the commander,
ofilcers, and feamen who took the prize. Having
explained this defirable regulation, his Lordthip
adverted to the powers delegated to the Admiralty
Board, and the fubordinate Boards, which Were
held generally to be equal for the neceffary purpo-
fes of a Winery adminiftration of all the neceffary
purpofes of naval affairs. Where on particular exi
gencies occafion arofe for the exercife of greater
powers than were vetted err the Admiralty Board,
according to the Confiitution the two Houk: of
Parliament were confidered as the proper places
of report for the application 'and exercife of fuch
more extentive powers as the peculiar exigency of
the cafe in queflion might require. Hence, upon
jolt grounds, a conftitutional jealoufy was always
entertained of parting with thofe parliamentary
privileges, but the wifdom and experience of the
Legillature bad found it highly beneficial and
conducive to the attainment of many important
objects, at different times, to afford the facilities
of it veiligationtwhich refulted from the authoriz•
ing the iffue of Commitfions by fpecial Ads of
Parliament in various infiances, fuch as the mat-
verfations of the South Sea Directors, and others,
in which Commiffioners were empowered to in-
quire and report, and by that means the ends of
reform were fpeedily anfwered. On the prefent
fubjee the Bill mutt be confidered as a molt im-
portant meafuee ; its objects of inquiry were not
Of a nature to be paired over in filence, after what
bad been Paid upon the fubjea. Men's attention,
both within and without doors, had been anziotte
ly roufed refpeaing it, and the mindt of the per-
font themfelves, who were to be the objects oldie
propofed inquiry, had alfo been renderedextreme-.
ly anxious that juttice should be done to their own
charaaer, which could not be done, but by a full
inveftigation of their conduct. Upon thefe eonfi-
derations his Lordfhip (aid he 'felt it to be of
ferious importance to the public at large, that the
Bill fhould go to a Committee, in which he hoped
by the concurring endeavours of ill the Noble
Lords prefent, the Bill might be fo amended, and
the objectionable parts of it correited, that it might
then be fuch a Bill as the nature of the cafe re-
Cuired, and became that Houkto function ;he
ould, therefore, hope their Lordthips would
agree to negative the motion made by the
illuf-
trious Duke near him, and,let the Bill be read a
fecond time.

The Cbeftion that the word " now" nand part
of the motion, being put, it was carried in the
affirmative ; and the Houfe refolved itfelf into. a
Committee of the whole Houfe on the Bill.
A variety of amendments and amiffions, and a
new provifi were moved in the Committee, and
agreed to. The fpeakers were, the Duke of CtA•
MICE, the LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord ELLimao-
ROVOH, Lord PELHAM, Lord NILSON, and Lord
CARLISLE.
The Duke of CLARENCE, who held and repeat-
edly declared that the Bill was nugatory and
ufelefs, propofed feveral amendments, upon every
one of which the Lord Chancellor differed from
the Duke.

The molt effential amendments were propofed
by the Loan CHANCIILLOR, one of which was, the
omiffion of one chafe, and the 'infertion of a pre-
vifia in lieu of it, in order to fecure to the perfons
called upon by the Commitfioners to anfwer, that
principle of the common law, which gave every
man a right to refufe to anfwer, hieaniwer would
either criminate himlelf, or would have a tenden-
cy to criminate him. His Lord(hip faid, he was
aware that Parliament had in cafes of aggravated
abufe gone beyond this Bill, and in the cafe of
the South Sea bufinefs thought it neeefikry to
Compel the parties interrogated to confefs their
guilt. His Lordthip enlarged confiderably on this
and contended, that in the cafe of the pre-
cut Bill, which wa not intended to operate as a
Bill of Punintment, but merely u a Bill of Enqui-
ry, there war no occafion fur departing from the
(acre& principles of the common law of England.
Lord, ELLENsoaovon faid, he thankfully re-
_ -
calved -

the Noble Lord's claure, becaufe he agreed
completely with him as to the propriety of-its
adoption in the prefent inftance ; but he trufted
the Parliament would never think itfelf warranted
10 part with the right in flagrant Auks, to compel
dis offender to reveal the guilty fecret that lay
larking in the wretch's bofom ; he (poke this em-
iPbatically, and Paid the enormous frauds in re-
rpea to the Public and Government, which had
aims to his knowledge, while he held the office of
Attorney-General, made him feel it necefrary to
,Otake that declaration.
At length,, after the Committee had fat nearly
`three hours, they got through, the whole of the
Bill, which Lord WALSINGUAIII reported as roan
as the Hoare was reamed, and the Report was
(ordered to be taken into confiderationeo-morrow,,
46Adjoutzed.

"4 -=1,1.7171/11.
'

LONDON. .

-.-~...

Csll/1/11vs% Fourth I.‘etter will appear th• Brit or; ortur.:ll-.
•
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23.
PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK •
3 per Cent. Red. 701 IV per Cent. Conf. for °pg. 724
4 per Cent. Confols 8s New s per Cent. Ann. tot t
Long Ann. 20 1-16-oinnitun s dif
PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY:
Dank Stock imp. 3 per C. 701
3pa Cent. Red. 7474 yti. Imp. Ann. ti-t 649-16
4 per Cent. /777 Excheq. Bills 3s. tot,.dif.
S per a/U=4021103 - Omnium 4 5 41 5; dif.
Long Ann. So s-26 /-16 ConL fur opg. 731
4 6 •
ii

This morning we received French Journals
to
the zoth. A letter from Dijon Rates, that tL
Fins? Count. has ezercifed, for the firit time, in
legate to the department of la Cote.d'Or, the
privilege of pardoning criminals. The letters of
temifficin wore difpatched in favour of one Condert,
a veteran corporal, condemned in the month of
' ?Adria hit to two years confinement in irons, by
'the Fiat Council of the 18th Divilion, for info-
' lence to the Officers of the 23d derni-brigade.—
The rnunifhutent of this unfortunate man, ii•ho ;s
a father era family, has been. commuted into fix
mouths insprifaainents inckfding the time elapfed
fume his
riTe per Cents 54 fr.

His MAJESTY yefterclay came to town and held
a Levee at St. James's, after which he returned to
Windfor.

His Royal Highnefs the Duke of CARIBRIDOII
arrived at Hamburgh on the gth
Tuefday morning, Mr.Mooits,with Mrs. MOORE
and fuite, arrived at Harwich, from Helvoetlluys,
in the King George packet. Mr. !Amite, we un-
derftand, came direa from Switzerland to Hol•
land. He reached town at an early hour yeflerday
morning.

The Commiffioners of the Culioms have con.
demned the chaife and a few dozens of French
wines, which were feiied from Captain 013 y RNE,
at Dover. The Captain, however, intends apply.
ing to the Lords of the Treafury for redrefs.
Letters from Curacoa, dated Sept. 28, (tate,
that the Englilb carrifon had left that Colony four
days before.

The trial of the fanataus robber Schinderannes is
about to commence at Menu.

Yefterdar Lord HAWKSSBURY gave a grand
dinner at his honfe in St. James's.fquare. Among
the Company were the following, viz. General
MUMS! and fuite, Monf. SCIIIMMELPENNINeKt
Baron de Jacos a, Lord HIRVEY, Sir EYRE COOT!,
Sir GEOLtat Sees, Mr. VANSITTART, Mr. HAM.
SOW), Mr.-STISLIt &C. &c. The firit and record
cantles weft ferved upon tifver, and the deffert
upon part of_pne of the four fervices of china fent
*SA preen from BON APART* to his Lordfhip ; we
underhand they are all of the Sive Manuilidory;
the pattern of the fervice ufed yefterday is fimilar
to -what has been made for many years; the dillies
for the fruit are oval, and the plates round ; the
ornaments of each, upon the edges, are of gold,
upon a white ground, taken from Piranefi's views
of the interior decorations of the Vatican, confining
of hieroglyphic figures, conneded together by
elegant fcrolls ; the colour of the interior of the
diffies and plates are of Maffarene blue, with the
letter H in the centre • nothing can excel the
beauty of the tout enfetail;--.the tranfparency of the
white is the moft clear ever feat.

Yetlerday a 92arterly General Court of Pro.
prietors of Eaft India Stock affembled at the India
Houfe, in purfuance of the Company's Chatter.
The Minutes of the lalL General Court being read,
die Chairman acquainted the Court, that it is ap-
pointed at this Court to confider of a Dividend on
the Capital Stock of the Company, from the sth
of July laft to the sth of January next, and that
the Court of Dilators had come t 6 a Refolution
thereon. The raid Refolution having been read,
the Chairman moved the Court that the Dividend
On the Capital. Stock of this Company, for the
half year, commencing the sth of July lail, and
ending the sth of January next, be 5* per cent.
which being agreed to, the Court adjourned.
On Monday lag Profeffor ALDINI repeated, in
two Courfes, at Mr. WI Lso a's Anatomical Theatre,
Great Windmill.fireet, formerly that of the cele-
brated Dr. Hs/arse, the Galvanic experiments
which he performed befo're the French National
Inaitute' and lately at Oxford. The firft Courfe,
deftined for the Medical ftudents, was opened by
Mr. WlLsom, who prefented Profeffor ALDINI to
his pupils, with fome obfervations on his interaing
difcoveries. The fecond Courfe, which commen-
ced immediately after, was honoured by the pre.
fence of his Excellency General ANDalossi, Am•
bafador of the French Republic, accompanied by
feveral Gentlemen of his fuite, M. ARGYROPOLI.
Charge d'Affaires of the Ottoman Porte, Sir Vim.
HAMILTON, Dr. GIOILONPRARSONIDt.LETTSOMEi
and a great many other Gentlemen. Mr. CUTH•
1121111011 ARO the Profeffor in. arranging the
apparatus, and Mr. Huzcio 'as, a Medical pupil,
provided the anatomical preparations. The ex-
periments were performed with neatnefs and pre•
cifion, and gave much fatisfadion to the fpata-
tors, who testified their apprpbation by loud and
repeated applaufes.

,Lows Boa*Tarr' according to report, is to
replace Mzt.zi•as Vice Prefident of the Italian
Republic; fend in the fame capacity JosErn to
Holland, and lA/cm to Switzerland ; and the
family of the BONAPAILTIS will be greater than
ever were the BOULIONL

Sromvrno.—A great number of people diem•
bled near Tw.--mile-bridge, in the neighbourhood
of Dublin, on Monday left, to witnefs the decifion
of a bet for fifty guineas, that a mare belonging
to Capt. Romer**, of the 12th Light Dragoons
Chola'', in a fpnrting marmer, clear a fix feet wall.
She performed it evidently with cafe, carrying
a.
lad af fineua twelve Rope weight.