Star.
London, England, 1802-12-18 00:00:00

£BUSVS IN THN NAVY.

Captain MAL K HAM moved the Order of the Day,
for the further confideration of the Bill for en
abling the Admiralty to appoint Commiffioners to
enquire into the abufes in the Navy Service.
Mr. CANNING rote, not, he faid, to oppofe the
Motion, but to offer a few obfervations in confe-
quence of what had fallen from an Hon. Member
yefterday, in the difcuffion which took place on
this fubjeEt.. He defired firft to aik the Hon.
Member, if it was his with to pufh the Bill with fo
much rapidity through its remaining Rages, after
its coming out of a Committee, fo altered and
amended from its original form as to be no longer
the fame, but in fa& a new Bill, which ought to
be confidered now as in its firft Rage. He hoped,
if fuch was the intention of the Hon. Member
who fuperintended its progrefs, the Houfe at lealt.
would paufe, and deliberate, before they finally
paired a till, fuch as this ; which would go to
ered a tribunal in this Country unknown to the
Conftitution, anomalous, dangerous, and without
precedent ; or at leaft if not wholly without pre-
cedent, certainly of a nature moft extraordinary.
He had. every Tepee for the high charalers of
thofe to whom the propofed powers were to be
entrufted, but neverthelefs when be reflected on
the extraordinary nature of thefe powers, he mill-
ed the Houfe would paufe, and confider well, whe-
ther there be not already any competent jurifdic-
tion, under the eftablithed laws and contlitution,
to meet the evil propofed to be remedied by this
Bill. That the evil ought to be remedied, he moft
readily agreed ; and fhould not (wore any mea•
Cure that fhould be proved neceffary for the pur-
pole. But though not a very old Member of
Parliament, he thought a Committee of that
Houfe was the moft competent and conflitutional
power, for enquiry into the circumftances which
this Bill purported to corred ; and he trufted the
Houfe would not refign its own powers, in this
inftanee, or confign them to the hands of indivi-
duals, who might ufe them for the molt arbitrary
purpofes. Before he could give his affent to fuch
a meafure, fuch a cafe malt be made out as to
convince him of its abfolute neceffity ; bin he was
ftrongly averfe to the precipitation of a meafure
through the Houfe, with a degree of fpeed not in
his mind neceffary. The Patent of the Board of
Admiralty, laid yellerday on the table, appeared
to him to give that Board the fulleft powers of
controul, which could be neceffary, over all the
Boards and Departments of the Navy, fubordinati
to their authority ; and a Committee of the Houfe
of Commons could always 'apply every defect
of that authority, which circumftances might re-
quire. There was one principle alfo, in which the
Bill appeared defedive. Anxious as the Board of
Admiralty was, to be armed with extraordinary
powers for the correCtion of abufes in fubordinate
departments, it did not appear that this Bill gave
any authority to the Commillioners appointed by
it to controul .the Admiralty Board itfelf. He
would allow that that Board had nothing to do
with the adminiftration of public money, which
belonged to inferior Boards, and in which, cer-
tainly, fpeculations were the moft likely to obtain;
but, neverthelefs, the condo& of the Board itfelf
thould not be placed above that inveftigation and
controul they were to defirous of inftituting over
other departments. But whatever might be the
neceffity, or the merits of this Bill, his leading with
was, that it fhould not be precipitated; but that
coming out of the Committee, with all its in*
ov !lent ill L. e .oul. 'Veit to the Was'

dietnot think it was alking too niudh, to re-1
quire that 'the final proceedings, upon a Bill of
Inch extraordinary importance, might be
,deferred
till after the recefs. The only objedion he had
heard to this was, th4t the Houfe was preffed in
point of time. The Friends of the Bill then fhould
have brought it forward fooner, for it was ridicu-
lous to argue, that becaufe they hid pofiponed it
to the 'aft moment. before the recefs, that it mutt
therefore pafs without due deliberation. Befides,
it was a Bill which empowered the Comrniffioners
to overhaul abufes in the Navy for perhaps twenty
years back If thole abufes were fuffered to exult
fo long, without enquiry or controul, where could
be the mighty injury of deferring enquiry fix weeks
longer ? Or would any man maintain fuch a fup-
pofition, as that thofe men, at whole crimes or
mifcondud this Bill pointed, would, while fuch a
Bill was hanging over their heads; venture to per-
fift in their mirconduel, and incur new dangers of
puttiflinient ? At leall, he hoped time would be
given to confider the Bill early in the next week.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER obferved,
that the Hon. Member, in themanner he oppofed
this Bill, appeared entirely to millake its tendency; !
for had he exerted his ufual vigilance and powers
of difcrimination, he mutt know, that he would
have been unrounded in afferting that the Bill con-1
veyed anomalous, unprecedented, and unconlti-i
tutional power. Had he confulted the Journals
of that Houfe, or at all adverted co circumftancesi
notorious to every man converfant with Parlia-1
mentary Proceedings for t 8 years paft, he would
have found every year in that period, Bills had
palled that Houle conveying powers equally ftrong
to the Commillioners for auditing Public Ac-
counts ; and in the years 1780, and 1785, powers
much ftronger, as had been mentioned by an Hon.
Relation of his on a former night, (Mr. Hiley
Addington, Taft Wednefday) when this fubjed
was in difcuffion. The Right Hon. Gentleman'
had laid the Bill fhould not be hurried. He had
never (hewn a difpofition to hurry the Bill for- I
ward ; but that thofe abufes did exift, to corred
which, and fpeedily, the Bill was intended, was
a fad notorious to every man. The Right Hon.
Gentleman argued, that no great mifehief could
accrue from a delay of fix weeks, becaufe the very
idea of the Bill in progrefs would deter peculation.
He could, however, tell the Right Hon. Gentle-
man, that the abufes were going on even to the
prefent moment, regardlefs of the Bill; and.that
the extent would be enormous, if not immediately
checked by the powers which this Bill would con-
ftitute. The Right Hon. Gentleman had laid,
this Bill was to ere( a new, unconftitutional, and
unprecedented tribunal in the country. Whereas
the fad was, it ereaed no tribunal at all, but
merely a Board of Enquiry, with efficient powers
to render that enquiry uteful, and not a tribunal
with powers to punilh. Goo forbid ! The Com-
miffsoners were to have power to do nothing, but
merely to enquire into frauds, mifcondua, and
abufes; and to report their proceedings. Upon,
their report it would be for the Houfe of Com-
mons to ground filch proceedings as to its wifdom
fhould feem fit. To fuch an enquiry as this Bill
propofed, the late Adminiftration had pledged
themfelves, the moment it could be entered upon
without injury to .the public fervice. During the
war it was not pradicable, without rifle of fuch
injury. His Majefty's late Minifters, therefore,
deferved praife for deferring the enquiry until the
concrufion of the war ; and his Majefty's prefent
fervants, in following it up, only fulfilled the duty
to which their predeceffors were pledged. In,
granting fimilar efficient powers to the Commif-
!loners of Accounts, and Rill fironger powers in
1780 and 1785, it was not then argued that the
Houfe of Commons had compromifed its dignity ;
on the contrary, the neceffity was acknowledged,
and the meafure admitted on all fides. The Right
Hon. Gentleman had let fall, in his fpeech, ano-
ther fuggeftion, at which he could not help ex-
preffing leis aftonifhment how fuch an opinion
should have found place in his mind. He had
Paid, that while the Board of Admiralty claimed
the powers conveyed by this Bill, for the purpofe
of controuling others, they themfelves were to be
above controul, 'and not lubjed to any inveftiga-
tion of their own proceedings: fuch a fuggeftion
he mutt confider as at once an infult to the Houfe
of Commons, and to the Noble Lord at the head
of the Admiralty department, who had folicited
this Bill as the belt and only means of deteding
fraud, and preventing abufes. Was it to be im-
puted to the Houfe of Commons, that dire&ing
inveftigation and controul to the condud of one
let of men, they withed to exempt another let, in
the fame department, from all inveftigation and
controul whatever ? Was it to be imputed to the li
Noble Lord at the head of the Admiralty, and
the other high Characters who compofed that
Board, that they folicited powers to inveftigate and
controul the condua of others, whillt they them-
(elves
would with to fhrink from inveftigation ?
Such an idea was beneath even their (corn. But
on the very contrary, the identical reafon why he
could not gratify his finccre willies, by inferring
the name of that Noble Lord amongft the num-
ber of Comrniffioners appointed by the Bill, was,
that the Board at which he prefided was to be
fubjea to the invelligation and controul of thofe
Commtffioners, when any colour of fulpicion at
tached to their proceedings. The Bill alto gave
the Admiralty Board a new and necelfary controul•
which they had not before poffeffed, namely, a
controul over the condo& of Prize Agents ; and,
upon the whole, the Bill itfelf was of a nature and
tendency fo prang for the advantage of the pub-
lic fervice, that he fincerely hoped the Houfe
would not confent to a delay wholly unneceffary ;
but that the Bill might be read the third time to-
morrow, fo as to facilitate its paffing into a law
before the recefs.

Mr. CANNING explained.
Admiral &IMLAY Paid he did not with to de-
lay the Bill, but only that the Houle (bould con-
fider ferioully the ads of thole who had committed
Co many blunders.

The tHANCILLOR of the Excusnir sa explained.
Lord Ts is NIB contended that this Bill contained
greater powers than that of 1780, or the one of
lead hi..,

read the
onfilthnceeEthx
ce
Eos of the
t
attTemheptcedH
Attiochaer,
Le:Re
Star
Chamber.
claufe in the Ad of 1785, which veil
the then
powers in Commiffioners, and filmed clean.. that
they were more extenfive than thole
propofed to
be given by zhe prefent
Mr. Srutto xis admitted that the
precedent of
1785 would juflify the prefent Bi11, but
it might, without any inconvenicace bethought poponed
till aftcr the recefs.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL thought this was not
the "Rage for there obfervations ; when the Bill
had gone through a Committee, they might be
fairly urged. He was glad to find the Noble Lord
(Temple) who has entered into a new career of
oppofition, fo zealous in watching the condud ()f
Miniflers in granting extraordinary powers; but
furprifed that he fhould object to Government in.
flituting an enquiry into abufes ; and that he
fhould endeavour to raife the jealoufy of the public
againft them on that account. When he had
gained more experience, he doubted not but he
would change his mode of attack.
Dr. LAWRENCE faid, there was hardly a core.
mercial houfe in the city that might not be e
f b. d
u j
to the hardfhips of this Bill, in confequeoce of the
power which Commiffioners would have of put,
ting interrogatories to all perfons who had en.
tered into contrails for the fervice of the Navy.
He wiflied to know, whether a Committee of the
Houle of Commons might not enquire into the
alledged abufes, as well as the five Commiffiuners
named in the Bill ? The Houfe had, on former
occafions, appointed Secret Committees, to en.
quire into various abufes. Above all things, he
objedled to the power which this Bill would give,
to put quellions to perfons that might criminate or
degrade themfelves. It was now a maxim in our
Courts of Law, that a witnefs fhould not be bound
to anfwer a quettion, if the anfwer tended to de-
grade him. He faw no reafon, therefore, why
the Bill might not be poßponed till after the re.
refs. No inconvenience could arife from fuch a
delay. It was neceffary that Gentlemen fhould
have time to confider of a rneafure fo (bong in its
power, and fo vexatious in its operation, as the
prefent ' • and until he faw fomething to convince
him of the neceflity of its palling fo rapidly into a
law, he would oppofe it.
Mr. WARD faid, if this Bill was put off for fo
long a time as was propofed, many perfons who
were intended to be the objets of it would have
an 'opportunity of withdrawing themfelves from
jullice. Wtth refpeet to the powers given to Com.
miffioners, they were not greater than thofe with
which certain Commiflioners fent to the Weft.
Indies, were laft year invcfled.
The Bill was then recommitted, and on the
motion of Mr. ADDINGTON, the name of HENRY
NICH OLLS, Efq. was fubflituted in the room of H.
HUNTER, Efq.
A converfation, which lathed three hours, af-
terwards took place on various claufes in the Bill ;
after which the Report was received and agreed
to ; and the Bill was ordered to be read a third
time to-morrow.

On the Q2ehion for agreeing to the Report,
Lord TEMPLE faid, the amendments introduced
into the Bill were fo various that he could not un-
derhand them ; and, therefore, he wished that the
Bill might be re-printed, and the Report deferred
till to-morrow.

The ATTORNEY GENERAL obferved, that the
Noble Lord mutt have had a very ilrange under-
deritanding of the Bill in its prefent itage, or he
mutt have been very inattentive to what had pia
paired in the Committee ; for if the Noble Lord
had exercifed either his attention or his memory,
he muff have underftood that not a fingle Claufe
in the Bill was altered ; that the few amendments
which had been made, were of the molt trifling
nature ; and that the only amendment worthy of
notice, was the infertion of the word 66 lawful"
into the Bill.—Adjourned till this day.

LONDON.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER xB.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY ATONE. O'CLOCK;

- -
3 per Cent. Conf. for opg. 731 74.
3 per Cent. Red. 721-omnium 21 diC
PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY:
Bank Stock 1861 I Imp. 3 per C..7off
3 per Cant. Red. 71i Imp. Ann. tit-
-4 per Cent. 1777 801. 87 I 1621
.5 per Cent. 9911-
f per C. Anu. lo2li
Long Ann. 20} 9-16
0E LC
ituqm. Bills
India Stock 217 Conf. for acc. 731 723 73

The KING (lightly fprairied his leg on Tuefday
on mounting his bode, which preuented His Me•
JESTY from riding on Wednefday, but we are hap-
py to (late, that he had perie&ly recovered from
the effects of the accident on Thurfday.

There was a report yefierday at 'Change that
Mr. PITT was dead. There is no foundation for it.
On the contrary, we are happy to (late, that, by
letters from that Gentleman received this morning,
we find his health has confiderably improved.
Yefterday the Malta Intercourle Bill paired
through the Committee. It is renewed for a year
from the i fl January.

Mr. Roi.t.ts-rom, of the Foreign Department,
has fucceedeLl to the appointment of Writer of the
London Gazette, in the room of the late Mr.
FRASER, many years one of His Majeliy's Under
Secretaries of State in that Department.

We learn from Bombay, that Capt. BYNE, Pay-
mafter of the 86th Regiment, who was convkled
of having attmded Lieut. BELLASIS in an atiair of
honour with Mr. Mt rcm E Lt. of that place, has re-
ceived his Majelly's molt gracious pardon.
FASHIONABLES.—The Countefsof CLARE is ar-
rived .in town. The Duke and Duchtfs of Sr.
ALBAN'S are gone to Sir GILBERT lIFATIICOTE'S
in Lincolnlhire. The Marquis of LANSDOWN i;
.gone to Bath- Lord and Lady Sunr.Ev are gone
for the holidays to the country. Earl and Conn.
tefs of TANKAKVILLk are arrived at Brighton.
The Earl and Countefs of TALBOT are dill in
_town, and not at Bathlis reported is mai papers.

Uw'

INscairrtoN IN A HERMfrAGE

li hither, Stranger, wind thy devious courfe,
h-r,: thou wi hto quaff the blif.ful draught,
The bright etherial joys,
Of halcyon folitude—

pacify, ere thou ruth, with rude unhallowed Rep,
Via,. ivied &rots among, and learn to drown,

In Co temptation pure,
Each ligh for pleafurcs paft.
Iliply, alas! thou fcelft the barbed Rings
pi fLithlas Friendfhlp, and her fickle train;

Or lacerates thy peace,
The poifoned (haft of woe ?

Pedlar, within thy brag. thou clicrifheft
1h: thorned rr>fe of difappoluted Love,

- --
While Hope, the firen fylph,
Steals through the gloom of thought,
An emerall ray, and fondly bids thee look,
To blifs ideal ; or in Tempe's vale,

The fbortlived flowret pluck,
From Fancy's pidured urn.

Should cares like thefe corrofive delve thy heart,
With me, feduded from the giddy crowd
Of Folly's tinfeled maze,
Here pars thy eve of life,

In calm retirement ; and with reverence charts
tend at Religion's &rine, and pendent o'er
The hallowed tripod, drop
The incenfe of thy foul.

Like thee, 1 fluttered in the fun-beam ray
Of wealth, and lavith of my prime, 1 taxa

The rainbOw goffamer,
Of unfubflan'tial joy.
soft adulation with deceitful guile,
Thainod her plcafing philtre in mine car,
And bade ree Pleafure's crew,
Of liftlefs votaries join.
Oft as I mingled in the madding throng,
And facrificed to Vice the flower of youth;
The crimfon bluth of theme,
Has mantled o'er my cheek.
At length, difgufted,;rith the palling fWeet,
I fled indignant from the noify (cent,
And fought this wild retreat,
This grot and mars-grown cell.
Here bate I learnt to koin the frowns of Fate,
More blefed with Pallet, and with derider ferip,
Than LuxiarY's Velvet couch,
Or vainly pampered board.
What time the morning opes her dewy eye,
To HZAOL ;I in prayer and meditation wrapt,
1 heave the fervent hgh,
And breathe my orifons.
Or when Hyridb dirotidi his golden mien
Evening's veil, then rife my vefpers due,
To Heaven's empurpled arch,
And whifper on the gale.
such, Stringer, is the tenor of my life,
And if thou ak my name, no greater is

Theobjedt of my

Thai;

AN ♦NCNORITt.

Lnrd STAIR gave a grand dinner yefterday at
his houfe in drofvenor4quare, to a large party of
lafhionables.
Lord CLtstmotri gave .a grand dinner yeflerday
at his houfe in Berkeley-equare, to a fele& party of
friends, athong whom were Lord DARNLEY, Earl
and Countefs of LLITRim, Lord GOWER, Conn-
refs of SUTHERLAND, Lady ANN CLEMENTS, Mr.
THOMAS BLIGH, BCC.

The annual Ball and Slipper, at the AlleMbly
Rooms, Caftle Tavern, Richmond, on Monday
lafl, were attended by upwards of zoo of the prin-
cipal Nobility and Gentry of that fafhionable and
fafcinatipg village, making the molt fplendid
dif-
play of beauty, clegance,.and farnion, remembered
to have been witnelfed there. The dancing was
fucceeded by a plentiful And well provided flipper,
confifling of every delicacy of the teafon, with the
ihoiceft wines, &c. The happieft conviviality and
harmony prevailed at the feftive board till a late
hour in the morning.
-

On Monday, Tuefclay, and Wednefday, was
held at Retling-honfe, as ufual, the anniverfary of
the Bath and -Weft of England Society for the
Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufac-
tures, and Commerce. This meeting was attended
by the Earl of Ectsseoar, the Marquis of BATH,
and a great number of the grit and molt diftin-
guithed Farmers of the nation. The Duke of
BEDTORD was chofen as the new Prefident, to fuc-
teed his late Noble Brother. Sir Rrcrt. COLTS
HOA R 17, Bart. and Teo. Joyce, Efq. were eletied
Vice-Prefidents. Numerous fpecimens of valu-
able fat and lean flock were prefented for the pre-
miums of the Society ; and among the former,
feral remarkably fine [beep of the nott kinds ;
and bogs of the Chincfe mixture, which latter fur-
Ilith evidence of a moil remarkable improvement
in that tiftfill fpecies of flock within it few years
PO- Sundry waggons, and other articles in huf-
bandry, were exhibited.
PARISIAN FA SH—Smalllaver ornaments
have begun, within thefe few days, to be inter-
rmnglecl with the plaits of hair in the head drefs, in
Itcad of thofe of jet, which were before employed.
—The ring curls on the front are large and
numerous. Capoles, made entirely of ribbons,
are exceedingly fathionable for a morning drefs.—
The ribbons ufed are of two colours, filch as li
lac and white. A blucifh or a reddifit white is
preferred to pure and fimple white. Orange or
rofe.coloured Lain is worn with black velvet, in
the hats. Sometimes theovelvet is of a capuchin,
er a cherry colour. The hats are turned up, fo as
difcover the hair in large ring curls, and like-
wife a tuft of hair at the very front. A tuft of
flowers is alfo worn under the hat. White fea-
tilers are preferred to thole of other colours—
Tlie neck-kerchief is Rill of lace, from the needles,
,/ the loom; it is tied like a cravat, aynd its
ends hang under the chin. Square fhawle of
many varicties'of colour, with a very fimple cm-
Lruidery of goy, and with mkt, of gold at the
1610011. aft U„.imigch in ukt..

..:

„
*NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

PLYMOUTH, DECEMBER z 6.
Arrived in Cawfand Bay the galliot Elizabeth,
Captain Haittow, from Bourdeaut, bound to
Amfterdam, laden with wine ; the Ann, of Dart-
mouth, from St. John's, Newfoundland, bound
to Dartmouth, laden with fith and oil ; and the
Liam' Excite cutter, from a cruize.

Sailed the Polly and Nancy, Captain LOMER,
from Waterford to Southampton, with butter; the
Maria, Captain STEENBLIRK, from Liibon for
Hamburgh, with fugar and coffee; and the Maria
Claire, Captain CLAIRE, for Concale Bay.

Put back by firong contrary wind,the PETERELL
and HUNTER hoops of war, which failed yelter•
day for Ireland.

PORTSMOUTH, DECEMBER 27.

This day failed the Mary Ann (loop for France.
Yefterday arrived the Ant cutter, SINGER, from
Havre ; WALMSLY, Efq. and Lady, paifen-
gers.—Came into harbour the ihip Nyfus, Capt.
SANDLAND, an outward bound Weil India chip.
Two outward bound chips arrived here this day
from the Downs ; cannot learn their names, as, it
has blown very hard.