Star.
London, England, 1813-04-30 00:00:00

AMERICA.

Lord DARNLEY adverting to the notice which he had corn
rnunicated of his purpose to c.. 11 the attention of the House to
gbe Naval AdmiLicratton, esincially in reference to America,
felt some reli.ctance in again soliciting theirLordships' indulgence
while he moved that the pwporicinent of the discutsiou which
woo ' fur Tuesday next sl.ould be further extended to Friday the
4th of May '1 he iudivesition of a Noble Friend deeply inte-
rested and intimately cutiversant with the subject In question,
was thv cause of the present postponement. but while he thus
solicited the indtaget.ce of the louse, be felt it necessary to
sc..ure their Lordships and toplidge himself, that ou the 14th of
May he should certainly-bring that important subject forward.
Lord STANHOPE :sett the deep importance of the question
referred to by the Notle Lord, and while be lamented, that a
day, an hour, or a moment, should be suffered to pass by with.
out a due and efectual attention being paid to it, he was glad to
bear the Noble Earl (Darnley) say that the subject should really
be brought forward on the lith of May. He was well apprised
of the v..ried lid multiplied evils which were attached to the
system tha. h-ri been pursued by our politicians with regard to
America, and tie tale which he could unfold of their folly and
extravagance, would shake the hearts and astonish the noder-
Standing, of t heir lordships.
Lord DARNLEY% motion being agreed to, Ebel: Lordships
adjourned 4.'.11 to-morrow (this day).

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
A Gentleman, from the Inspector-Generals' Office, presented
feverai accoures relative to the Export and Import of Sugars.
Mr SULLIVAN brought up the Report of the East India
Committee.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. SHAW moved the third reading of the Dublin Small
Debts Bill, which passed.
1 A grew number of Petitions were presented by hoIr.CANNIN 0,
Mr. V 4 HITBR EA D, Lord G. L. Gowx a, and others, from various
places and Rel:gious Socie:ies of different denominations, praying
that the House would take steps for the propagation of religious
trteh and moral knowledge in India, and to furoish facilities to
the rt-siiience and convevai.cc of Prtrestants and Missionaries to
that part of the British :itAninions.—They were all ordered to lie
on the table.

Mr. FINI. prcented two Petitions, one from the Cotton
Spinners, and the other front the Ship Owners of Glasgow, pray-
ing relief horn certain oppressive taxes and restrictions.
'I he Committee on the Land Tax Corantissiomrs' Bill was
postponed ti!l this day three weeks.
Mr. WHARTON brought in a Bill, enabling Officers of the
Customs to take bonds front the Mates of merchant vessels who
bad attained the age of twenty.one yeas.
The Marine Officers' Drawback Duty Wine Bill was read a
second time. _ _

Mr.WHARTON moved for the production of the Plan of the
New Avenue from Mary-la-honne to (;haring-cross. It was then
brought up and la!d on the Table.
Mr. VANSITTART stated, that the Order for the House re-
rumirg the Committee on East-India Affairs, stood for that day;
but as so few M, mbers were present, he should move that the
Committee sit on the next (this) day.
The Irish Widows Pension Exemption Bill was read a second
time.

The Irish Cotton Weavers' Bill was read a second time.
Mr. DUIGENAN nicyed for leave to bring In a Bill for re-
moving doubts concern.ng the sitcs nt Churches in Ireland.—The
was afterwards brought in and read a first time.

TAX ON COTTON.
ilied it the Ch:

Mr. BARING wist to ask the tanteller of the Exchequer
whether it was his intention to prosecute the measure of a tax on
Cotton, as much jobbing and mischievous speculation arose out
of the uncertainty that prevailed upon that point ?

The CHANt.ELI.6I2 of ihe k.-XCHEOUER replied, *hat be
4ould not answer precisely either in,the negative or affirmative.
In the present stare of the contest with America, however, the
ports of the Southern States being blockaded, the tax became of
the less importance.

•
'inculcated a general caution against tampering With
the trade in provisions, and a free exercise to the prin-
,ciples of a free competition. The faot was, however,
that these principles which were, he believed, becom-
ing more and prevalent in the country every day, did
not apply to the measure which he proposed to sub-
mit to the consideration of the House. The markets
of corn and flour were under no control whatever,
and the magistrates fixed the assize according to the
returns of market prices. The practical effect was,
that the responsibility was shifted from the retailers
of corn bread to the magistrates. It was nothing
more than an arrangement. In his opinion it was,
however, an arrangement that had its foundation
the wisest policy. Whenever, by an affliction of the
seasons, or a combination of unfortunate events, a
scarcity might take place, the endless tumults andl
active discontents which too often followed, were
guarded against in their worst consequences, and the
bakers saved from destruction by the existence of this
system. The law, as it stood at present, did indeed
seem to call for amendment in the particular point
which he was referring to. In Queen Anne's reign
the system was first instituted, and the only altera-
tion it had undergone was in 1758. The standard
was then changed, and a discretion vested in the ma-
gistrates to determine the assize, of their own autho-
rity, according to the market returns. The Hon.
Member, after several observations, illustrative of
his general sentiments, concluded by inoving for leave
to bring in a Bill to amend the Art of George the
Second, and the 13th of George the Third, so far as
it related to the City of London and the environs, to
the extent of ten miles.

Leave was immediately given, and the Bill was
brought in and read a first time.

CONTESTED ELEeTIONS.

Mr• W. WYNNE moved for leave to bring in a
Bill to alter and amend the Laws respecting Contes-
ted Elections, and for leave to bring in a Bill for the
better Conveyance of the Writs of Elections.
Leave was given, and Mr. W: Wynne and other
Gentlemen appointed to prepare and bring in the Bill.
Adjourned till to-morrow (this day.)
FRENCH PAPERS.

PARIS, APRIL 22.

SITUATION OF THE FRENCH ARMIES IN THE NORTH, ON

TILE 15TH OF APRIL.

" The Viceroy was in his position, his left on the
Elbe, at the mouth of the Saale; his centre at Bern-
burg ; his right towards the mountains of the Hartz ;
the reserve at Magdeburg. The Prince of Eckmuhi
was in a position at Celle; General Vandamme oc-
cupied Bremen.
" Oa the 12th, the enemy endeavoured to touch
Bernburg with several battalions; they were briskly
received, and repulsed with loss. He likewise ad•
vanced a patrole upon Nordhausen, at the debouch
from the Hartz; this point was occupied by a detach-
thent of cavalry, who vigorously charged the enemy,
and took three hussars prisoners.
On the 12th, a detachment of Prussian hussars
arrived at Gotha, at eleven o'clock at night; it sur-
rounded the hmse of Baron de St. Aignan, Minister
Plenipotentiary from France, and took his Secretary,
who was dangerously ill in bed, and carried him for-
cibly away.
" Four regiments of Russian infantry were before
Wittenberg, defended by General Lapoype ; they
had made an attack by main force, but were repul-
sed, after having lost many men.
" The fortress of Torgau is only observed by
some parties of Cossacks; 14,000 Saxons are shut
up in it. _ _

‘‘ The enemy had a post of 25 men at Hoff, a
squadron at Schleitz, and another at Plauen.

" Some Bavarian skeleton regiments, consisting of
12(X) men, proceeding from the Viceroy's Army to
Bromberg, were attacked near Langensalz 1, by two
enemy's squadrons ; they repulsed them, some fifty
'stragglers were however taken.
" On the 12th, intelligence was received from the
fortresses of Dantzic, Thorn, Modlin, Custrin, Stet-
tin, Glogau ; they were in the best state of defence ;
the enemy had attempted nothing against them.
" On the 15th his Majesty the Emperor set out
from St. Cloud ; he arrived the 16th, at eleven o'clock
at night, at Mueller ; he performed the journey with
incredible rapidity, in less than forty hours."