Star.
London, England, 1809-04-15 00:00:00

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however, how galling must it be to his feelings to be superseded '
by an Officer so much hit junior in service, as Sir Arthur Wel-
lesley. It must be evident, that in making these remarks, he
could have had no communication with Sir John Cradock, and
he trusted, that if any blame attached to them, it would not be
imputed to Sir Wm Cradock, but to his own warmth of friend-.
ship. All he wished was, that it shatild be declared that the su-'
percession of Sir John Cradock, was not in consequence of any
isfaction at his conduct.

became' the property of Lord Yarborough. Of this
lease a certain number of years were unexpired, when
Government thought proper to purchase it, for the
benefit, avowedly, of Chelsea Hospital. But what
was done after the purchase ? Why, that to which
he objected, u well because the proceeding would
tend to spotlit magnificent establishment, as because
4t was a scandalous job—the effect of which would
C. be, to deprive the Hospital of twenty times more be-
nefit than It could confer. upoa the individual for,
whose tan It was meant. To this individual was
appropriat a fine piece of land adjoining the river,
Which ought to have been "reserved for the use of the ,
Hospital, particularly under existing circumstances,
'data the Oat increase of our militany force was so
Dkely to renier necessary an extension of the Chelsea
"establish t. Big the alienation of this property
from the klbspital„ sw-,zs not more to be deprecated
than the " • in which it was to be used. Colonel
• , •
,tstais,lt ap eared, to be built upon
lltfames;.fietw t['talitai the In-
lirmairf—eo that this useful Instituden, which was
already too"much hemmed in by buildings and plan-
tations, was, by Colonel Gordon, to be completely
shut out from the river, so indeed as to deprive the
sick soldiers of the free circulation of air. It appeared
to h;m very extraordinary that the officers at Chelsea
did not remonstrate against the matter of which he
complained. l'he Government Surveyor, who was
resident at Chelsea, seemed deficient in his duty in not
reporting upon it. He must say also, that the Phy-
sician and Surgeon of the Infirmary ought to have
pointed out the grievance to which he felt it his duty
to call the attention of the House. Indeed he could
hardly suppose that any Member who would take the
trouble of walking down and looking at the premises,
would entertain a different sense of duty. It must
excite any man's complaint to see an attempt made
for the accommodation of an individual, to take away
from the comfort, in old age, of a mer tarious body
of men who had spent the greater part of ther life in
a hard service. What a pity that such men should
be inconvenienced for the mere purpose of a job, or at
least of that which had all the appearance of a job.—
He should be happy if Ministers should explain the
business, so as to remove the impression upon his
mind, that it was deserving of this character. But
if they could not, sure he was that it would appear to
any visitor, as it did to him, that an infirmary ap-
propriated to our sick soldiery, was cqoped up, was
deprived of the free air, so essential to their recovery,
merely for the purpose of gratifying an individual.
The course he meant to pursue was, first to move for
a Copy of the Warrant of the Treasury, under which
the grant of the Land alluded In was made to Colo-
nel Gordon—which Warrant was, it appears, dated
the 11th of March, 1809. When this Warrant should
be laid before the House, he had it in contemplation
to move that the Physician and Surgeon of the Hos-
pital should be called to the Bar, in order to their ex-
amination as to the consequences likely to result to
the sick from such a structure as that of Colonel Gor-
don, by whom it Was designed to erect a wall eight
feet high between his ground and the infirmary.
The motion being read,
Mr. LONG rose, and sail, that as one of the Com-
missioners for super ntending the concerns of Chelsea
Hospital, he felt it his duty to pay every possible atten-
tion to the comforts of the meritorious persons resi-
dent therein ; and he was certain that such also was
the feeling of all his colleagues. In consequence, there-
fore, of the representation of Dr. Mosely, the phy-
sician to the Hospit ii, that an:infirmary was much
wanted, it being inconvenient to have the sick placed
at the top of the Hospital, the lease of the ground al-
luded to was purchased. Of this ground, all that
was deemed necessary by the architects of the medical*
men was set apart in an infirmary, which was ac-
cordingly erected ; and if all the ground had been
required, it would have been so appropriated—for
the ground which remained, Col. Gordon, it appear-
ed, presented a Memorial to the Treasury, tendering
terms for a lease of it. The Surveyor-General, as is
usual in all cases with regard to Crown Lands, was
ordered-to make a Report as to the value of the
ground bid for by Col. Gordon, and when this report
was made, according to the tenor of the Act, the ap-
plication of that Officer was complied with, but upon •
terms different from those he had originally proposed.
The Hon. Baronet was, no doubt, aware that it was
open to any other person to bid for this Land. Ac-
cording to the Act introduced by Mr. Pitt in 1794,
to regulate the disposal of Crown Lands, it was
enacted, that it should be referred to the Surveyor-
General to inquire as to the value of 'any such land
about to be let, and'that two Surveyors should swear
to that value before the Treasury should dispose of
it. All those prescriptions had been complied with in.
this transaction, an therefore, if the Hon. Baronet
would complain, his complaint must apply to the
ACt. So far, from the contract with Col. Gordon
being objectionable, he really believed, that if the
ground had been put up at public action, better terms
could not be obta n.td for it. This was so strongly
his impression, and he also thought any complaint
relative to the Hospital so groundless, that he was
fully inclined to think, that when all the papers con-
nected with the business were laid before the House,
the Hon. Baronet himself would feel the propriety of
declining to take any further proceeding upon it. The
fact was, that there was but a small piece of this
ground tit for building upon, the remainder btiag
made ground for gardens. The Right Hon. Gentle-
man assured the House that as much of this ground
had been set apart for the purpose of the Infirmary as
the Surveyor-General and the Medical Genilitinen
thought necessary. Every care was taken to guard
that building against any inconvenience. To the
production of the papers moved for by the Honour-
able Baronet he could have no objection. But he
would move for other papers, in order that the House
should be enabled to understand the whole of the
case. -He would move for Copies of the Report of
the Surveyor-General, with that of the Surveyor*

Lord LIVERPOOL protested against Ministers being called to
recount in this way, fur any military appointihents which they
•niight advise his Majesty to make. I'he conunaad of the army
Ifras part of the King's prerogative, to be exercised under the ad-:
'Tice of his Ministers, and these Ministers were responsible for
the conduct of such Offices as they might recommend for particu-
LI. commands. He deprecated the making of such appointments
he subject of a canvas in Parliament. He did not think the
toountry was likely to be the better served, if they were made its
koMpliance with such recommendations. He was happy to bear
kin
to the excellent conduct of Sir John Cradock, not only
kin Portugal, but in every part of the world in which he had bee&
e.suplUyet!.
Loni.BUCKINGHAMSHIRE expressed his gratitude to the
girelkie earl for the honourable testimony be bad borne to the mi-
ry eh:starer of his-fticnii.- He Ntkl aot ivielv to dame thi,NAB

F.arl to a diclosnie of the snotivos of Mini,ters for superae4ng
Sir John Ciadock in the command in Portugal, and he fully
a.greed wi:h him that his Majesty was e.ampt tent to appoint such
officers as he pleased to the command of the army.
Lord LIMERICK professed a warm regard for Sir John
Cradock.
After some explanation between Lords Live:it co ot. and Au C It•
LA NDS their Lordships adjourned to Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

A Message from the Lords announced their Lordships' assent
to the Irish Flax-seed BilL •

Mr. Alderman COMAE presented a Petition front the Inha-
bitants of West Smithfield, against the removal of _Smithfield
Market, which was read and laiu nit the tabl.!.
Mr. GRANT brought in the 9th Report ofthe Commissioners
of Military Inquiry, which was laid on the table: and ordered to
be printed.
Mr. lonnsom, from the Office of the Chief Secretary for Ire-
land, presented accounts relating to the application of the 500,0001.
granted for the Inland Navigation of Ireland.
Mr. IRVINE presented sundry Custom-house Accounts, ascer-
taining the quantity of sugar imported into Great Britain and
Ireland, for 1808.
The Woollen Manufactory Acts Alteration .and Amend-
ment Bill wan, after some remarks from Mr. R0:117, read a first
time.—Ordered to be printed, and read a second tune this day
fortnight.