Star.
London, England, 1806-07-04 00:00:00

714•INING BILL.

The Report of the Committee on the Training Bill
was brought up. On the queftion that the Amend-
ments be read a fecond time,
Sir HENRY MILDMAY obferved, that whether
the reports about negociations for peace were true or
falfe, it was certain that we ought to have a confi-
derable force on font. A general damp had been
thrown upon the fpirits of the Volunteers. But he
ohjelled to this meafore, firft, becaufe it could not
be carried into execution without the groffefl breach
of faith to the country. He had fupported the Bill
cf 1803 on account of the Hate of affairs at that
time. But a ((Avian pledge had been given to the
country that the proviii ins of the Ad fhorild not be
enforced if a cc, t in number of volunteers enrolled
themfelve:. This Bill violated the pledge fo given.
Ile opp-dcd the Bill alto on another principle. It
was a heavy tax on the poorer claffes, which it had
been the policy of the Noble Lord oppofite (Petty),
to exempt as much as poffible, and to make the bur-
den fall on the rich. He alto objeaed to it on ac-
count of the injustice of its operation. Why. was it
not extended to Scotland ? Were the Scotch eat to
be nulled, or were their coatis not expofed toinva-
fion Scotland ought certainly to bear its pan of the
burden. He approved of the ballot, but as to the
conflable, he could not fee what could be the life of
fuch a perfon at the drills. He concluded by moving
that the word am fhould be left out, and the words
Mir day dere months fubßituted in its Read.
Mr. EYRE objected to the Bill, becaufe it was on.
neceffary. We ought only to retort to compulfion in
the lad infante—Canna pier trwieeda. At prefent
we could have a fufficient :somber of volunteer:. He
adverted to the injury which the labour of the coun-
try would Main from withdrawing fuch a number
of men from it for sie days in the year. As to the
Volunteers, he believed they would be completely
dearoyed by this armature. The Volunteers relieved
their dillrifts, but under this Bill the tyriein would
bare a contrary effee, for the youni„ the :relive, and
thole who had moll time to fpare, would avoid the
ballot by going into the Volunteers, and itiln it to

fall upon others. The Right Hon. Gentleman cam
plained of having been mifreprefented, it might be fo,
but how could he explain away the laical-in in this
Bill, which reckoned 3cr0,000 Volunteers as nothing ?
This was one firearm on the Volunteers which be
could sot by any ingenuity explain away. If, how.
ever, he adopted the claufe propofed by the Right
Hon. Gentleman below (Yorke), which want to re
licee the counties from the Mai in proportion to the
number of Volunteers, his objections would be in a
great meafure done away.
Mr. WILLIAMS ether), whether, in the prefent
fituation of the country, we were to give Minillers
no credit for raving five millions in three years ? This
meafure did not dellroy the volunteer fyllem, but put
it on its original footing; for it was well known that,
at firfl, die Volunteers were accepted only on condi-
tion of clothing themfelves. Much as he regretted
the lois of the late great Minifter ; much as the coun-
try had to lament him ; much as he deplbred his
death—yet, while the meafures of the prefent Mini.
liry went to promote ceconomy and the real intereiks
of the country, as he thought they bad for the moll
part hitherto done, they Ibould always have his
warm approbation and cordial fupport.
Mr. FONBLANVE fupported the Bill. He
denied that it could have any fuch tendency as that
of putting down the Volunteer Synero. He thought
it was the bounden duty of his Majelly's Minillers to
take every precaution for fecuriog the country againk
the danger of an invafion ; and with that view, to
avail themfelves in the utmoft extent of the phyficiff
force of the country, and to render that force efficient
by a timely training, inftead of waiting until theta!!
moment, when abfolute neceffity mould demand dm
Levy ex Mali, and when they midi be affembled as a
tumultuous, confufed, and difordetly rabble, infield
of trained men fit to be attached to and all with re.
lular regiments. The Hon. Gentleman had Paid,
that the Volunteer fpirit of the country had been
damped. He would take them at their words; and
if their own affertions were true in this point, they
offered the ftrongell argument for adopting this Bill,
which, fo far from depreffing, would fupport the
Volunteer Syßem, and in all events time the coun-
try againa the mifchief which mull relish from the
Volunteers choofing, if they Could ever do fo, to
withdraw their Cervices, and defers their Randers's.
His Right Hon. Friend felt, they bad a right by the
term of their let vice to do fo, and it was his duty to
be prepared againd it, by a meafure which would
fecure to the country soo,coo trained men, in cafe of
emergency.
Colonel BASTARD complained that the milliner
was brought forward without any climate of its pro.
bible expense, or any ground whatever upon which
even to Ruth what it would cofi. or how many men
would be induced to train under it. There did not'
appear even a chance, that 1-4th of the number of
sochooo men would be fecured by it, as every man
who could pay the fine, would, no doubt, exempt
him(elf from the fervice. He (harked the Bill for its
compulfory principle, and was convinced, that the
yeomanry of this country would, at any time of pub-
lic danger, be more ready to at under the direction
of their landlord, and the gentlemen of the country,
than under any compulfive fyftem like this, the effea
of which would be to render them folky and difcon.
tented. The Hon. Colonel took occalinn highly to
commend the fpirit and liberality of the Duke of Nor-
thumberland, in arming and training at his own ex.
pence, the tenantry on his elate, who, he was con-
vinced, would be found to all in the day of danger,
mulct an illullrious branch of the Houle of Percy,
as a Theban band ;" and he verily believed, like
their brave *ocelots, the fifteen hundred valiant bow-
men at Chevrchace, (Mould they come to encounter
any enemy in their native land that
" The child may nit that is unborn
" Thefightiffr of that day!'
General LO F FITS was convinced of the neceffity
of the Bill, and only willed it had gone much far-
ther. It was neceffary to ufe every exertion which
the phyfical force of the country afforded for feat-
rity at home, in order to enable us to a& with effect
abroad. Our chief danger from invafion lay in the
vaR extent of our coals; and he would venture to
affert, that if our armies were double or treble their
prefent numbers, they would not be fufficient to en-
Cure our fecurity without fuch a meafure as this.—
Let it be recollated, that though our fleets at prefent
command the feat (and he hoped ever would do fo)
yet it might happen not always to be the cafe; and
even with all the force and vigilance by which we
were guarded, yet one night might waft to our
Chores a formidable enemy. To encounter fuch an
enemy, on the WI alarm, he could with to Ice the
population of every town, village, and ditlri& in the
realm ready trained, and fit to march at a moment's
warning. He could with to fee them properly clef-
fed for the purl:ore, and he confidered fuch a plan
perfatly Practicable, from what he had hen of the
populace in Ireland at the time of the rebellion, and
how formidable a force they compofed,and only with
pikes. The fame might be done with the populace
here, or a great portion of them. When he fecal-
le&ed the important fervices performed by the Vo-
lunteers of Ireland in that rebellion, and that they
had, by their loyalty and valour, Caved the country
to England, he could never be toppled to under-
value the Cervices of Volunteers, in recommending
the training of fuch a force as he defcribed. But
thefe men every where armed, and ready to form on
any part of the coals againti an enemy, aided by de-
tachments of artillery, before Volunteer'', quartered
In towns, could be got together in force, mull he of
important fervice. As to the practicability of a for-
midable invafion fuddenly, and in (hips of war, he
had a proof before his eyes ; for being quartered
Yarmt.uth Come years fince' when Admiral Duncan
commanded a fleet in the North Sea, that gallant
Commander came into part, and Cwept the tea of all
the Dutch Hiring boats in his way, to prevent their
giving intelligence of his return to port. By &fire
of the Admiral, he bad marched down his prelim to
the water'. edge, in order to try how many men each,
of 'bore (chops wele capable of conveying; and he
found that each boat could conveniently carry fifty.
five fi;liting men, with their arms, ammunition, and
knapfacks. Of fuch boats the Dutch have many thou-
rands in their ports, employed in the fitheries or in
initiggling to our coals, of which they know every
creek where a landing might be elated, and every
Ihoal and land bank over which their boars would
flaat at any given time of the tide, with perfect fafety.
Seeing this to be the cafe. and knowing it to be the
firm opinion of Admiral Duncan, that the landing