Star.
London, England, 1801-05-19 00:00:00

THANIII_TO THI ARMY 111 IGYPT.

The CHANCILIOR of Ilse Excnsoysit.—" Sir, I
rife in confequence of the notice I gave on Friday
lag, to move a Vote of Thanks to the brave offs.
cers and men who fo nobly diftinguithed themfelves
in Egypt. I have referred to the Journals of the
Houfe for precedents upon occafions fimilar to the
prefent, when the Houfe had the melancholy and
painful tans of paying a tribute to the memory of
a brave and gallant officer, and voting Thanks to
thole who ferved under him ; and I find the fire
at of the Houfe on a fimilar occafion, when the
brave Wolfe fell, was to pay a tribute to the me-
mory of that gallant officer. It was his fate, like
that of the gallant officer whole lots we have now
to deplore, to fall in the caufe of his country, whilft
the army he commanded was vidorious. On the
merits of Sir Ralph Abercromby, I need not fay
one word, they are fpoken of in fuch terms by his
fucceffor, Major-General Htitchinfon, as muft
make his name as dear to his country as to the
army he commanded. He has bravely doled a
long and virtuous life, and the tongue of (Under
has never reached him. I have in my hand a let-
ter from an officer ferving in Egypt, expreffive of
the bravery and good conduit of the army, and
their regret for the lots of their gallant and humane
Commander. [The Chancellor of the Exchequer
here read the letter.] I (hall only add. Sir, that
his Majefty with that paternal regard for his fub-
*ls which has ever manifefted itfelf, but particu-
larly on fuch melancholy occafions as the prefent,
has directed that the Standard taken from the
French in the battle in which the brave General
Abercromby fell, (ball be placed over his monu-
ment (fhould this Houfe order one) in commemo-
ration of the event which deprived his country of
the Cervices of a man who never drew his (word to
deftroy, or to fubdue-3ut to fave, to reftore, and
to ellahlifla. And never was there a moment when
the fteadinefs and bravery of the Britifh army was
more fully evinced—never was there a moment
when more effential fervices were rendered by it to
its country, or when it more added to its fame than
on that day. The Houfe will fee the eftimation
this officer was held in by referring to the letter of
his fuceefford Major. General Hutchinfon." He
then Paid, be thought the country had every thing
to exped from the courage and abilities of the Ge-
neral who fucceeded to the command of the army,
and he trufted the lofs of the individual was that
alone which would be to be deplored. [The chan-
cellor of the Exchequer then read another letter
from an officer in the army in Egypt, which Rated,
" the irrefiftible courage of the Britifh forces in
Egypt, and paid a jug tribute to the brave men
who (hewed themfelves a match for the flower of
the French army—for the conquerors of Italy."] I
hope, Sir, we (ball always hear in mind that the
objeft of every great naval and military viaory is
the attainment of in honourable peace; and that.
however brilliant it may be, it ought not to in."
duce Us to demand more than what is due to us as
la nation. Should it, on the other hand, be our
misfortune to meet„&reverfe, I hope we (hall bear
it as we ought, aid-tiever confent to any terms
which are not continent with the honour and dig-
nity of the nation." He concluded with expreffing
his gratitude to die army and navy, and moved—
That an hnmbk Addigi be prefatted to his &Warm
pesyiog tbt W kfajtssw %mild be patioull? &did Walks 0

a Maim* vibe wailed ks tie Catie&al &Ma of Is:Paat,
to the Weary of the ever to be regretted Sir RAL en Aar %-
caws at., Knight of the Bath, who, by tes confummate ability
and valour, fuccefsfully effected a landing is Egypt, although
oppofed by veteran and well-difciplined troops,equal in point of
number to thole under his command, who unfortunately re-
ceived a mortal wound early in the adtion, on the Uft of March
tan; notwithftanding which he remained in the field of bat tie
direding the operations of the army, to which may besattribut-
ed the Needs of the day ; and to allure his MAJIITY that this
Houk will make good the expence of the fame."—Agreed to.
He then moved the Thanks of the Houfe to the
feveral officers, which were fimilar to thofe voted in
the Houfe of Lords, for which fee our Report.
Sir J. Put:rem er bore seitimony to the merits of
Sir Ralph Abercromby. Thofe who knew him
well would, he Paid, lament him molt. The ex-
pedition which be had undertaken, demanded all
the abilities he polkaed ; it prefented innumerable
difficulties which few were capable of encounter-
ing ; and the fervices he had rendered his country
at the dole of a glorious life, were fuch as to de-
mand its utmoft gratitude. He could, by what
he should fay, add nothing to the fame of that dif-
tinguiihed officer, whofe lofs he molt fincerely la-
mented. But he thought he ihould not difcharge
his duty, if he did not take that opportunity to pay
the tribute due to his exalted virtues. To the of-
ficers and men employed on that hazardous fer-
vice, it was not in his power to do jullice • too
much could not be laid, and the Vote of Thanks
to them had his warmeft fupport.
Mr. jou ss Paid, he was as ready as any man in
that Houfe to vote a Monument to the memory of
the diftinguifhed officer Sir Ralph Abercromby :
But if the treaty of El-Arifch had been confirmed,
the Houle would not now have to perform that pain-
ful talk, nor to lament the lots of fo many of their
brave countrymen who fell in Egypt. This army
he could call by no other name than the Army of
Vidlims. The nectffity of the expedition to Egypt
was caufed by his Majefty's late Minifters, and he
would do every thing in his power to bring them
to condign punifhment.
The different motions were then put and agreed to.