Star.
London, England, 1803-03-04 00:00:00

we did not expel it, yet we ought to be fay O.
oared, as the Lett mode of preventing it. For
:ach an attack, ihould it really take place, he had ,
no fears nor apprehensions as to the ultimate re-
';llt. British tr.toN he believed, as to the butt.
:,:f. A downright f. ghting, as had been raid in
an -ether place—. upon equal ground, and no fa-
, vont," were inferior to no other trvops on earth;
and though he tdr no doubt whatever as to the
ultimate defeat ..f any enemy who might effect a
landing, he wont.' not with to expofe the country
to the rick of that enemy's indulging the hope of
fecuring even a temporary footing, through any
idea of instficieney in our public force. in cafe
any ruptute thould, peradventure, unexpeftedly
take place, he withed that our troops of the. line
ihould be ready, at a moment, to (hike home a
filmidable blow at any quarter where the enemy
was mod alfailable; and that the Militia thould be
ready, either to fupply their places for home de-
fence, or to join them efficiently in the field, in
car,: of a landing from the enemy. Having Rated
what he conceived mutt be obvious to the good
feat: cf the Houfe, and of his Majetly's Minitlers,
he conjeftured that the arguments moft likely to
be pointed againft his propolition, were—fira, the
extraordinary expencc ; fecondly, the trouble it
would occafion to Gentlemen, in flaying an addi-
tional month from their families ; and, thirdly,
the great loft of labour from thi agricultural bu-
fineis of the country. With regard to the firft, the
charge, as Ile only propofed to call out one third
of the whole for the two months at a time, could
not exceed 6o or yo,oool. as the eftimate for the
whole, at one month, was not above too,oool. an
expence which aloft be deemed trivial, compared
with the advantages to the public fervice and leen-
rit y : as to the fecond, he was confident no Gen-
tleman who loved his country, or had her fafety
at heart, could think an extra month's attendance.
once in three years, troublefome : and, with ref-
peel to the third objation, he would admit the lofs
of labour would certainly be of tome difadvantage
to the hay•harveft, but of none comparatively to
t he.mifchief which fuch an arrangement would be
calculated to defeat. Upon the whole, he thought
the arrangement might not be of fuch preffing im-
portance in the prefent year, as he knew there
was a confiderable number of well-trained foldiers
amongft our Militia, and, therefore, he would
not now prefs the adoption of the meafure upon
his Majeßy's Minifters. What he thought it his
duty to urge this night, proceeded by no means
from any hatile feeling to them, for all of whom
in general, and Tome in a more particular degree,
he felt the warmeß regard and efteem. But he
waited to prefs it on their confederation for a fu-
thre year ; and hoped they would give it ferious
attention.

Lord HOBART affured the Houle, that there
was no propotial which could come from the Noble
Duke, and which be thought of importance, that
would not be always confidered as of weight, and
received with attention by his Majehy's Miniflers.
What the Noble Duke had now faid, with rerpeet
to the training of the Militia, fhould certainly have
that due coufideration to which it was entitled ;
and though it was a rubjeft upon which he would
not now pretend to give any opinion, yet he be-
lieved it had been found that the time ufually ap.
portioned to the difcipline of the Militia troops
had not been proved fo defeaive in attaining its
ohjefts, as that the enlargement propofed by the
prefent Bill would not be found to anfwer every
defirable purpofe. The important Cervices per-
I formed by the Militia troops in the courfe of the
laft war, was no proof of their want of difcipline.
Wiilt ref [wet to the variety of other topics to which
the noble Duke alluded in the courfe of his fpeech,
he felt no neceffity of replyinig to them minutely.
One. however. be would notice, and that. was the
Ratement made by the Noble Duke of the accu-
mulated power of another Nation ; and her poi:
fetlion of the whole line of coati oppofite to our
thorns. He could affure the Noble Duke that
fulled was not without its due weight already in
the confideration of his Majefty's Minifters ; and
it had its effeft in the extent of the public force,
which had been voted early in the Seffion : nor
did he conceive any grounds whatever, to exill
for apprehenfion or alarm to the Country on this
head. .

The Duke of Mowraoss replied, he was high-
ly fenfible of the impuitant fervices of the Militia
in the late war, and his objea was to render them
more efficient for prompt exertion, on any future
exigercy•
The (pain's paired in the affirmative ; and the
Bill, having been iead the fccond time, was com•
witted for to-morrow.--Adjourned.