Star.
London, England, 1804-03-15 00:00:00

IRISH MILITIA.

Mr-Secretary YORKE tote to oblerve, that the 8111 fir railing
the Militia in Ireland loft year, not having palled the Houk till
late in the Baron, and not baring reached that country tiff the
month of Otlober, a very principal part of the Militia of that
country were raged under the conditions of the former Ad, which
though different In many MO S' from that now in fora, yet it
war deemed ciperlient to continue tbok fo railed under the mu-
' lotions of the old Bill. He therefore moved for leave to briny in
a Hill to amend the MID Militia Law, fo far as rcLues to the Paid
regulations.--I.eavr granted.
tea. rovv's MOTION.

Mr. CALCRAFT rote, and not fixing In his place 'Right Hon.
Gentleman, who had given notice of a mot►un for certain Nasal
Inquiries (as fur to-marrow), and yet bearing it very eerreutly
reported without doom, that the motion was deigned until Friday,
he wiased to know from tome at the Maids at the Right Hon.
Gentleman, whether the motion was may deferred
Mr. CANNING rate, and anfwered, thin certainly Ns Right
Hon. Friend had savor indeutted tile ilighteßloatedon to patron
his medal; and thole nightly wooM bibs k forward to sorrow.

CONSOLIDATION FUND. AND INCOMS TAX.
Mr. GREGOR. otter a few preliminary ohrerratisem li which
be 1:0110111111d of the &rammed& to, fremmtly occurred to bring-
* printed bdan that Hawk fa as ray often to reader
*we wba y eiders to may deeds= betides Menhir. who
wilbed to be prepared to do dadr Amy, by a dm imelliptios of
fink PePers. Yrl to the Aleo of MP& widels tbey
imasediately womi that Mare be bid before the Hada,
ao meow* al the paid to, and Ow dames open Ms Coaral.
dated Fund, from the sti, January, 1103 se the Mae time he dm.
He Mead Ws for a ream of tilt MONO al the allewents End
miltaians Ode imam Tam tut the year, to the bast dote to
width the few mad be node opt but if Mem was aeq
to his madai a modern at riot OA. new. he Mind tedg=
doe offaelt a motion far a future day.
The CHANCALLOR lithe 11XCHIQpill. hid no 'Weaken
tea complance with the Ira motion of halm Phoeherjo Nei
form that timid be amt Misfalary to Mo. To the nosed, he
was not swam Wuhan maid be Bsesyy abpsalen t ;to the wesuary,
be thought k would notion be pradeAlw dyable fattiest bet be
belled to easider the attention ofit ara an wake for s future
dal and aet bring himlif aware army objwiton, rameibed
Smalreesweld Mahe wan dens tam the mediae la Ids Mod, m.l
fogged his mains as the Mare aerallea.
Mr. AMMO& feld,be [mold mho Ids reasmi metioada Mon-
day.—The Ire toes pat sad wad ANd•
Mr. SPZAKIIL aidatred.thet the codes dabs delay eampido-
a of by the His. Member. freemen* amok front the papers
wand to W printed Mktg adominos, and rewatimes bapallble
to be the lase remdred. The heft rim* he could
f would be,drat duplents of hob payees amid be
to the Hasa whoa aremed,that Glatieenat Wain here
an oppormelty of rewerrfai unite amount an dee table, It the print.
hg Meld not be acanapilhed with the espedidew ticked.

vat IN CI'ON.

Mr. CREEVET, agreeably to his notice op a for-
mer day, rofe to bring forward his motion for certain
papers relative to this inkjet. The queftion.to which
Ise wilted to call the attention of the Houle. was onc
fo important, that he trufted be would be allowed
fall credit for the purity of his motives in bringing
the matter under difeufGoss. It occurred to bias .s

the beitfountlation of his motion, to Rate in the
inaaace, generally, the &nation of affairs in
Ceylon. from the year 1798 till the period when the
mifunderftanding which occafioned the rupture took
place. From the year 1798 till the beginning of the
year tecit, the colony was in a Rate of tranquillity,
and nothing was apprehended to endanger any rap.
Lure with the King of Candy, or any part of his Cub-
jeds. The Governor was then Codified with the
poifeffion of the forts formerly occupied by the
Dutch, and there teemed no difpofition to intetfere
with the Government of that part of the country
which was not under his Majelly's dominion. In
18or a difpute arofe about Come property belonging
to Britifh fubjeds having been feized, by order of
perfons &ding under the orders of the King of Candy,
and ftrong remonftrances had taken place. It had
at length been agreed that the property fttould be
refits:v.l, or that an equivalent fhould be afforded.—
This property was not fuppofed to be in value above
vol. and the queftion of reftitution being fettled,
the only point left for confideration was, as to the
time in which the reftoration &mild take place, or
the equivalent be granted. Under this Rate of things
it might have been expeded, that the exifting caufe
of (Jaime being removed, pofttive hoftility would
have been avoided. Yet it was now afcertained, that
• war had been entered on, of the etudes of which
the Houle and the public were completely ignorant,
and when the nature of the country in which the war
was to be carried on was taken into confideration,
inquiry as to the circumftances which gave rife to the
rupture became equally necelTary anti interefting.—
The Houle ought to be apprized, that the dominionsl
of the King of-Candy confined principally of woods
and mountains. A warfare in Inch a country was,
therefore, on the firft view of the fubjea, auxioufly
to be avoided, as it held out a profpeL of difficulty,
with little hope of advantage. That there difficulties
and difatflers had been experienced, was already fof.
ficiently apparent, but that any end had been accom-
placid there was no information to demonitrate. In
June, 18c3, it begun, and was afcertained, that
already a van number of our belt troops had fallen
vidims to this war, the circumflances that led to
which were hitherto carefully concealed. The ma.
lacy fo prevalent in Ceylon had been attended with
the molt dreadful ravages. Of the 6th Regiment,
no fewer than ;co had pctifhed. In the 19th Rcgi
m:nt, tc7 had fallen victims to the difeafes of the
Country. When it Was confidered that fo many
men had been facritlccd on an objed which was Peen
to be unattainable, it was not calling for too much
to .itk, why the force employed on fetch a fervice
yea, not recalled ? It teemed, however, that the Go-
vernor of Ceylon was anxious to take a very alive
part in the politics of the Court of Candy. Intrigues
were carried on for the p,:rpofe of overthrowing the
Government of the exitting Monarch, and placing
nn the throne an individual to be related by thole
who were to be the principal attars in accomplifbing
this revolution. The pen on to be feleded was art
individual at that time principal Minider to eh: King,
but pitied of no extraordinary talents, and far
from being generally beloved or eßeemed in the
Country. Fur the purpole of carrying this plan into

else, a treaty was entered into with the Wainer,
and nothing teemed to be thought of but the entire
overthrow of the King of Candy's power. While
theft negotiations were going forward, the Britt&
force in the garrifon of Candy was graduidly weak-
ened, and the Milliner, who was tole railed to the
head of the Government, proved hinsfelf, inftead of
being a friend, a determined enemy. There were
not left above see Britiffi troops, of whom tfio were
confined to their huts. The number left for effeltive
fervice was therefore not more than ao, and the
'number of native troops on the outpolb was not
more than 3 or 400. In the mean time the Candians,
either exafperated by the Ray of our troops, after
there was every reafon to think that all caufe of
hoftftity bad ceafed. or encouraged by the infignifi-
cant amount of our force, colleted in vaR numbers
round the tow* of Candy. What their precife num-
ber was he could not take on himfelt to affirm.—
When he Rated them at to,ooo he was lure he did
not exaggerate. Several accounts which had reach-
ed him made the number more than double what he
had now Rated. In this fituation it was that the
handful of Britil troops. which he had defcribed,
were compelled not only to furrender, but to lay
down their arms. Not only were they obliged to
fubmit to this indignity, but it was Rated that they
were altually led two by two through the fireets of
ithe town. expoted to every variety of intuit. Ent
'this was not the termination of this dreadful eater
trophe. After being expofed to thefe indignities. the
tragedy had concluded by the expulfion of our troops
from the fortrekand their fubfequent murder. *geom.
panied with every aggravation of barbarous ctuakr•
The fetdensent was wrefted from as. with tbe excep-
tion of the forts which oar remnant of troops were
able to occupy, and an imperious neceffity for frith
reinforeenteusoccurred to prevent ultimate defeat and
difgrace. So ineninent was the danger.that reinforce-
ments of troops had gone from Calcutta to fuppon the
remnant of our force in Ceylon. Knowing that fueh
was the Rate of affairs, that the nature of the war was
not fuck as to encourage any profpee of fpeedy or
even eventual &cuts. it became a fit matter for the
Haute to relic& how far it could be coofidered either
wife or politic to embark the lives of a numbei of
brave men on a hopelefi and imprathicable fervice.—
The Governor of Ceylon did not enter on this war
independent of a great deal of experieoce derived,
from the former great deal of experience, derived
from the former biftory of the ((test
efforts Tbel
efforts made by the Dutch to interfere with the
Government of Candy ought to have taught him
sot to enter on war without due coafideration. The
had. on more than one oceafion. penetrated t•
the capital of the tingdom of Candy but the termi-
natioa of their enterprises bad always been untuccet
N. In the refult they had met with difillers fimilar to
thefe which our troops had lately fuhained- In 1764
a party of Dutch troops had experiened a fate tingly.
to that of our garrifon at Candy. Oa that oceafioo
they had been furpriud by a body of the natives.—
They had been compelled to abandon the panicle,
they occupied. They had ineffeCtually endeavoured
to make good their retreat ; and. to the number all
four hundred. bad been molt cruelly maffacred.—.
Events of this nature could not be unknown to the
Governor of Ceylon. The fait was, that under his
own eyes the materials of a hiftory of the fettlement
had been collated, and of courfe thefe citing mull
have been Instead? familiar. The Governor of Cey-
lon, therefore. bad experience fairly before him, and
it was his duo' to have profited by pall errors. It
was his bufines to confider, whether he was in po‘
Teflon of refources adequate to go on with the enter-
prize which he had undertaken, or whether the ob-
jeet in view was one on which, with proper ideas of
wily policy, thefe refocuses were to be employed. As
things now flood. neither the Haute nor the Public.
knew on what principle the War bad been under.
taken, and therefore a fenfe of duty impelled him to
bring the matter under difenifion. The confequences
of a war fo undertaken could not be fully afcertained.
It was, however, eafy to afcertain that they mull be
highly difaftrous. On the firs view of the fubjeCt.
the lots of a number of brave men preffed itfelf on
the confideration of every thinking mind. If Ceylon,
too. was in an inadequate (tate of defence, it was
clear that the deligns of France on India generally
mull create anxiety and alarm. If firth defigns did
will, what was more natural than to encourage and
affid the natives of Candy in their warfare againtl
our interefts and power? It would hardly be denied,
that reinforcements from this Country would be ne-
ceffsry to enfure the fafety of our poffeffions in the
Eaft. But was it not a matter of extreme anxiety to

refleft on the diminution of our regular army. at a
time when the force of the enemy was fo immure,
and when the principal defence of the Empire de-
pended on a regular force 3 He had been told. that
a thoufand men were now ordered to proceed to In-
dia ; and Cutely the Houle mutt think it right to
paufe for infoi elution as to the fervics on which there
men were to be engaged. before they contented to
the facrifice of fuch a number of human lives. If

the Governor of Ceylon had entered on the War
without fufficient difcretion, it was proper for the
Houfe to interpofe its authority. The 'War, it was to
be reconciled, was not one which promifed a fpeedy
termination. It was, on the contrary, much to be
dreaded, that the confli& in Ceylon would only rem
to furnifh a grave for many of our brageft troops.—
Ho earnellly hoped that Mininers here would imprefs
this idea flrongly on their minds. The example of
St. Domingo was a (hong proof of the impolicy of
Inch a War as that now unhappily raging in Crylon
As long as both there fettlements continued in their
pr;fen; circumaances, fuccefsful War was not to be
*peat& There was another view of the rubjeit
which rendered inquiry highly defirable : it ought
to be feen how far the principle of interference with
the native powers in India was to he carried. It
would not be pretended, that a Governor of any of
our Eaftern Poffeffions was, whenever he thought
proper, to interfere with the Government of the native
powers. If any chandler for honour or juilice was
to be preferred, it was high time that the mode in
which our Eallero Poffeffams was governed fhould
be inquired into. Before be fat down he begged
leave to allude to a difpatcb from the Governor of
Ceylon, which did appear to him flrongly to point
out the neceffity of the produaion of the papers for
which he now meant to fubmit a motion to the Houle.
Blame was apparently meant to be conveyed againft
the conduit of the brave and unfortunate officer who
ptiiflied at Candy. On lIIP pen of that (Ater he
, felt it his duty to Cab that los whole trace ..tol not

exceed two handle. men ; .4 thefe he had alrelly
mentioned that one hunched And faty were unfit
fervice, and only forty were efficient. There was an
almolt total want provifions ; and the next lint -7
belonging to the Dritiffi Wei at a affiance of fitly
miles. With thefe forty men i.e mutt have tried to
cut his way through the enemy. The attempt was
evidently defpe rate ; and even if it had been attempted.
the hundred and Get), of the Game( have been left
to the mercy of the enemy. On the whole. be thought
inquiry highly expedient; and, as a. founiation far
that inveaigation, he concluded by moving for tLa
following papers:—
a. That these be lad bdero this Hook Copia of all Papep.
Letters, sod Watches from his Ma,',efty's Governor of Ceylon to
the Gavernmene of the Purina of Candy, in that ; and
trues the Govantsert of the Kingdom of Cady tom his ellyf
's
Clearose of Cabo, editing to the cafe end ssenconent
the war lately carried on, at raw carrying on, between ide marg.
Ws Forces and tie Casaba Nation is that Gland.
s. That these be laid before this Hoofs Civics stall Proems.
eons ifibed by his Majefty's Governer la Ceylon, repo:ding the
war now carrying as, or lately casried se, lo the Mod of Ceylon.
3. That there be laid before this Hook Capin of al Leans aid
Mfg/etches from his WOW. Government in the Medd Crean
to Galan centaaading in the Candles War; sod from fuch Of-
ficers to the GIMMOS a( Cerise; to whip Cabs of di Dif-
patehis frees his Majefty's Oesysar °visa say of his Ma-
ya?, Samaria of date ; and et 14 -nis front my of his
M~ Secretaries af State ta she Gamest of Wash reletla
to die doles War.
4, That there be bid hellos this Hoak Cigars at dl Trbitild
snared lets hewed the Governer of Cerise sad the Casaba
eavassaart.
5. That there be hid before this Mask. adl the Remus al his
Mijeltes Farces is Corhss. ressived by es? al his MOO Se.
astsriss at State lwaradataly previa,* to jimmy IS A* and all
Ash ilibiess lists= as have hem brae readvai.
Lord CASTLEREAGH Paid, that fo far as the
principle went, of patting the Hoofs in polfelSos of
it doeamens as amid espial~ the nature and
castes of the prefent war, be Amid bahe no objet-
doe to the wifhes of the Honourable Gentleman...
But it would be extremely prejudicial to the
if he whole of the Honourable °estimates mo-
dem were acceded to. One, in particular, would be
extremely improper, for it was not At our enemy
*Add know she Bate of our garrifon in Ceylsa. i.e
to the melancholy eatelirophe which happened there,
although Government was bound to difilok every
ciranntance relating to it, yet the detailed informs-
tion on that ruble& came in fo imperfea a Bate as
not to be wholly relied on. He bad no objection to
site an information which Government might be
in porta= of relative to thecuts of the war
but be could not I:defect to what were the
Reps intended to be purfued so brig the war to s
concluton. The onlyfide rotund thin would be to
put the Haack fro Won el tbegrouads of the con-
tea t mid then they would be able to ft, how *
any blame could attar:block Ocresausisat. h wee
(aid, that the objea of the war wee a Aging of very
Gale value. He begged it might be. .mWod. that
previous to tbefeiaum of the property in issalefe
the Canaan' had Owns h areas of a
boßile mind towards our Government. and babe"
milks befille preparations. kie wouid beg Isiie
to let use Honourable Gemleeme right asto the fans
in which he ought to Wag forward his motion....
Ceylon did not form a part of the dominions of the
Eat India Company. It was attached to the Crows,
end any motion for papers relative to it mot be
made in the &ape of an addrefs to his blajety....
He would funs, to the Honourable Gentleman
the folloeriss oolwne he the um to which ha was
ready to accede t4.4that an humble AS be pet
footed to hi' idoefty, praying that h be=
eiooUy pkafed to gave dire ions to have hid
• the Houk copies or eittptat of all Arch letter* and
• papers as had been fent by the Hommel* Feede-
r ric North, Governor of Ceylonlrelative to the eau*
I and the circumllances which gave rife to ludblities
between the Britifis Government in that Aland and

• •
the Kim of Candy."
Mr. CREEVEY faid. he was resided with this
motion io the manner it was put The mode; wm
then egret to.
Mr. CREEVEY then moved for the produaion of
all papers or letters fent by the Goveraor to any Bri•
tilh Officers in Ceyloo, relative to the war *Sala 1.4

King of Candy.
Lord CASTLEREAGH fold, be could not ac
cede to this motion, andmoved the preview quelloo.
Mr. FOX did not fee there was any ground for
putting the previous quellion. He anradwhethes it
was improper on the face of the thing to enquire whit
were the circomaances which led to a bnfinea of
great difafter and difgrace 1 There was aver, bog
cafe made out by the Honourable Gentleman. At
what time was an enquiry to be made? Was it whin
the war was over, and confequeody when there wa;
no occafion for an enquiry
General MAITLAND obfervcd, that what
Noble Lord had Paid was, that this motion
produce public inconvenience in Ceylon. Stipp*
we were in danger of lofing our poleffiuns there ;
was this a fit moment to lay before the Houfe infor-
mation oil the Rate of that country 1 But there wok
be a time when this and other papers &odd be lig
before the Houfe. That period could not be very
diftant: for he could not help oonfidering the war
in Ceylon as one of fhort continuance. I'he pretent
motion at leaft was not the moil likely means to pot
an end to it.
Mr. JOHNSTONE could fee no objellion to the
motion, on the ground of its giving information to
the enemy : for the Candian war moil have tenni-
flitted before this time ; and the French could never
entertain a projeß fo wild as that of fending troops
out to Ceylon to attack us there. The Noble Lord
had f,id that the information was defeßive. That
WAS the greaten imputation which could be thrown
againn the Government abroad ; it (hewed that they
did not feed home full and tufficient information.
He would vote for the motion, and mull fay that
the Houk and the Public were indebted to the Ho-
nourable Member for bringing it forward, as well as
for the able flatement wiih which he introduced it.
Lord CASTLEREAGH, in explanadon,
when be (poke of defidive information, he only
meant fuch information as the Governor could pro-
cure, when he fent away his loft difpatches, relative
to the tranfdli .n. He thought it was too much Cur
the Honourable Gentleman now to affume that ILC
War in Ceylon was ended.
Mr. WALLACE oppofed the notion; and Mr..
CA LC R AFT lupported it.
Lord HENRY PETTY, (aid, the war in Celka
had already proved difanrous; and it was cagy hr
the produSion ol the papers moved for that Parli,
ment could know how far it could be carried on will.

i

i

I
'I

4' 'to

whet
bt
that
nothi
lured
I ha
fclll/1

tlicre

thou
time
WM
their

Mean

5e fal

einn,
1 Uomi

4au.;

a nova
cast

if tbefe he had alrelir
And faty wee unfit f‘a
efficient. There %ab ao
ona s and the neat fmt -7
, at a difiane.e of fiery
:It he mutt have tried to
my. The attempt was
if it bad been attempted.
: rick muff have beeitleft
)n the whole. be thought
nd, as a. foundation for
hided by moving lot tLa

is Hoare Copies a( dl Paptp.
taleity's Governor el Ceylon to
of Canty. In that Mud ; and
ions of Candy to his Petalefty's
K cask and contoseneeneat of
'trying on, between hie Maid-
s in that lased.
I Houk Copies lean Preelanabi
vnor la Ceylon. refrain the
iod in. In the Wand tiCeylon.
Hoofs Copies of all Lewis ad
crosscut in tilt Manila Ceylon
indian Marl mad frosts [itch Of-
together with Copies of ail Dif-
nog of Ceiba 110 soy of hie Ma.
to tt •rse front any of his
Is Cisersroor st Ceybos, Ma*
de Hook Caries of 011 TM**
sr d Coyle sod ohs Csadlaa

As Hoak eDtin Rennie at bis
nal by ray d his Wear's es.
✓ines to jeeing ea
ens ante maim&
H raid. that fo far as the
the Houle in poi elbow of
'beerthe nature and
dd hire no objec•
loorenable Gentleman...
prejudicial to the public.
mrable Gawkiness's mo-
m, in particular,
would be
was not at our enemy
our writhe in Ceylon. As
phe which happened them.
s bound to difclofe every
▪ yet the detailed iofornta-
e in fo imperfea a ante as
I. He had ao objettioe to
ich Government might be
thcredcoda at die war g
to what were dm
and to brie; the war to a
re grouad thin would be to
• the resod' the am-
id be axis to fit WY fat
oda Goneroriveat. Is was
it mar
twas& shim of very
it migh bet.m. -adobe
f the property in spealoa.
r arms 01*auos of a
Goverment. and bed bee,
Om. He wads' lug Isins
Onus right alto the form
ring forward his motion..►
art of the dominoes of the
was attathed to the Crowe,
sera relative to it mufti be
sddrefs to his Maieliy...
be Honorable Goodman
i the use to which ha was
n bumble Ade* he pci
*Ting dos hg weskits gni.
direasons to bamt laid kW*
rafts of all fach letters mei
;'by the Howson* node-
CeylaNrslative to the cedes
'Web gave rife to holbhpei
)veratoent in that illend and

I. he awn fatislied 'with this
was put The zocktiow was

moved for the produaion of
by the Governor to any Bri-
elative to the war assiat

ki3H faid, be could not ac•
lmoved the previous qusdl
there was any ground fo
ot
leftion. He aDr.“ whether
:e of the thing to enquire what
which led to a bufinas of
ice I There was a very bong
ionourable Gentlemen. At
iry to be made? Was it whet
coofequent4 when there war
iiry ?
4D obferved, that whalall
was, that this motion roi
patience in Ceylon. Sapp*
loang our poirefGons then ;
to lay before the Houle ham
bat country ? But there anti
Id other papers mould be laid
'hat period could not be very
lot help eonfidering the war
nt continuance. Tbe pretest
t the moil likely means to put

could fee no objeaioo to the
1 of its giving inf.ormatioo to
andian war malt have term'.
; and the French could never
wild as that of fending troops
ck us there. The Noble Lord
Imation was defeßive. That
ration which could be throws
:nt abroad ; it 'hewed that they
.11 and I ufficient informatton.
le motion, and mult fay that
Abbe were indebted to the Ho.
bringing it forward. as well as
wi:h which he introduced it.
.EAGH, in explanation,
etc:Clive information, he only
on as the Governor could pro•
nay his lall clifpatehes, relative
e thought it was too much for
Liman now to &Tame that ac
tcled.
oppofcd the motion ; and htr..

fled it.
r.TrY laid, the war in Ccyka
lif.iftrotti; and it was only hF
• P •
papers moved for tbs.. II •
A? far it could be carried on vie-

cfica. He heard it raid that the Governor General
in India intended to fend io,ooo troops to Ceylon.
Could the Houfe give its fanaion to limit a flep as
this; without making any enqiiirr as to the manner
in which the war• had hitherto been carried on ? He
maclrdnubted whether any means 'did exill of carry-
ing the war into the dominions of tht King of Candy.
At preterit the motion for inquiry might' produce a
great deal of good wish refpea to the condua of
this war. ' But when the war was uvcr, no good
could mile front it, nor could there be any motive
except that of retributive jollier; stn Wel which
few would undertake the invidious talk of purfuing.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
laid, he was very certain that the paper which his
Noble Friend was ready to lay on the table would
convey fufficient information to the Houfe on this
fubjeui ; and guide it as to what ulterior proceeding
Mould be. By this it would appear whether the war
bad been carried on open juititiable grounds or not.
As to the report of the Governor General intending
to fend so,ooo troops to Ceylon, he could allure the
Noble Lord that no indication of any fuch intention
bad ever come to the knowledge of his Majelly's
Lord HENRY PETTY raid the rumour had cer-
tainly reached him.
Mr. ADDINGTON—ft I have no doubt but that
the Noble Lord heard of fuch thing ; but what I
fay is, that Govarnmeat has had no information on
. the fubjea."
The Houfe then divided—For the previous quell
tine 7o; sgaina it 47.
MAMMY& WAR.

Mr. FRANCIS moved, that the 35th Clack of
the aeth of the King ihnuld be read, viz.
Whereas to write fames of tongue& and extender of demi-
slop are matures repugnant to the with, the honour, and policy of
this nation ; be it roadbed, &e.
And then addrelTed himfelf to the Speaker to the
following etc& :—ln moving to have this claufe now
read. I have two objeas. Fail. to remind the Houle
of their own unanimous refulutinn, on which the fub.

Sequent Aft of Parliament was founded ; and then to
iliew that. in the motion which I propofe to fubmit
•• 'to the Houle. I am governed by that refolutioa, and
aim at nothing but to inforct the execution of that
law. In this purport, and on this ;ground, I hope for
-the (import and concurrence of the Hoare ; becaufe
I do not believe it will be afferted by any man, that
it is very right to pat's laws fur the better government
of a difisnt dominion, and very wrong to inquire
whether filch laWs are obeyed or not. In my opinion
it would be a wirer policy and a refer practice not to
make any laws, than to Puffer them to be flighted
with impunity. Habits of difebedience are very
catching ; and they the more dangerous in pro-
portion to the diilance of the offending parties, and
to the facility which that dillance gives them, to con-
ceal or difguife their tranfations. I Rate theft prin.
c iplespnerally, as a rational ground of parliamentary
fufpicton and enquiry, whenever the governments in
India appear to be engaged in !matures which, the
law prohibits; and not at all meaning to affirm that
fuch nwafures, when they are thoroughly examined,
may not admit of a fufficient juffification. The bu-
fines and duty of this day does not call upon me to
occufe any man. or to affirm that any thing deferring
the cenfure of Parliament hat been done. My objet
is to inquire; and then. according to the relish of the
inquiry, to della or to proceed. All I contend for.
in the firß inflame, is that a Britillt Governor who
commences a war in India, is pieta facie doing that
which the law prohibits; that his own aft of itfelf puts
him on his defence ; that he is bound to jußify on the
cafe; end that, until he has fo juftißed his conduit,
the prefumptions are againft,hina. All the authorities
of this country have united-with one voice to condemn
and forbid the carrying on war in India for any purpofe
but defence, or on any ground bat neceffiry. I need
not tell the Houfe that the predict in India has been
Anna uniformly, or with very Mort exceptions, di.
redly opptifed to the prohibition. While the Diredors
of the India Company had any power, they certainly
laid down very wife principles, and gave very proper
orders on this fubjed. When their power over their
own Governors was found to be infufficient. the Le.
giflature interpofed.but, as it appears by the fads, with
no more (meek than the Directors. Since the Prohibi-
tory Ad paffed in 17133, I appeal to the Houfe whe.
ther we have heard of any thing fro* India but war
and conqueft ; many vidories, and great aequifitions,
with only now and then a thort interval of repofe, to
take breath and begin again. There is another ground
of prefumption again a the neceffity and ju Rice of there
wars, which items to me as thong and COrlClUfive, as
any prefumption can he before the contrary is proved;
1 mean, Sir, that almoll all thefe wars are fuppored
to originate in ads of provocation and aggretlion
committed by the weak againll the (Wong. The
Ilrength of any tingle Indian State at any time, and
now I believe of all of them put together, is not to
be compared to the military power and rerun:ices of
the Englith. I do not fay that there nations have nn
means of defence, or that the Mahrattas, tor exam-
ple, can do us no mirchieft but that, contideting the
great dirparity of Puree, it requires very clear evi-
deace to make it credible. that whereas the difpnfi-
titm of the Britifh power in India is always, if pail.
Me, to preferve the peace. and to be fatistied with
what we pciffefs, this excellent difpolitinn is never
coffered to prevail becaufe the Indian Princes ate to
reakfs and unruly, that we cannot, in common jar-
iice to ourfelves, rtrrain from invading them. I'be
.ihie Lisp-the tierce, rebellious lamb, would never
iit ffer the mild, io.:111e, moderate wolf to be quiet :
f ;; we. &vs yea, r: w Jr yawls/he.. Thefe propofitions
.:4) be true, hut they require fume proof; and,
when the proof iv Produced. I (hall defire it always
to be obferwtd cot remembered that the evidence,
that comes befute vv. is fN t•zrk• We hear little or
nothing rf whnt the opposite, and poffibly the in-
jured patty, have to fay for thentfelves.
,Ever fence
I have known any thing of Indian affairs, I have
found that the prevailing difeafe of our Governments
there has been a rage for making war. The bong
though ineffectual remedies which have from time to
time been applied to this difordct, ate a fnflicient
proof of its exiticnee. That individuals may find
their account in the condoet of fuch wets, I do nit
mean to nifpoite. bat I deny that they are or Can
5e for The benefit of the India Company or the nit-
ti.r.n. particularly in the prefent circumtlances of the
, ' , ompany's affairs. In there circumflances, and in
Anal polistfion of hall the reniariola. von engage in
a new war with the hialirattas. the fitecefs ot which
:ail give you nothing but an a%!,.:1,t0n of territory,

which yen cannot keep without-an intolerable increoe
of your military eflabli(hments, and a perpetual drain
of all your refources, of men as well as nionev, and
which you ought not to keep if yon could. Whether
the Mahrattas have united in defence of their country,
or to carry the war into the heart of our bet pro.
winces, as they have done in former times, or with
what lots or expence our fuccefs againft them may
have been purchafed, are queftions on which we are
utterly in the dark. By public report alone we ate
informed, that a war of great extent at Intl, and lia-
ble to many important confequences, is now carrying
on in India, and that no information of it has been
communicated to Parliament. Sir, I can fafely affure
this Houfe, that the Mahrattas, though not capable
of meeting us in the field, or at all likely to encounter
us in a pitched battle, are neverthelefs very well able
to do Qs a great deal of mifchief. In the year 1778, the
Prefidencyof Bombay received and gave their protec-
tion to a Mahratta fugitive called Ragoba,and mutter-
ed all the foreethey could collea to efcort him back at
Poona, and to make themfelves maters of that place.
If the expedition had fucceeded. I do not doubt that
the perfuns who were engaged in it, would have been
' very well paid for their trouble. The event was, that
the army was furrounded. flamed, and compelled to
capitulate. At tome earlier periods of the pillory of I
India,the Mahrattas have frequentlycroffed the rivers
and made rapid incurfions into the Upper Provinces
of Bengal and Balm., carrying univertal defolation
with them wherever they went, ruining the country.
and making it, iropoffible to collet the revenues I
know no realm; why they may not make the fame
attempts again, and with the fame funds. With
fuch bodies of horfe as they can called at a very
Ibort warning, from fifty to a hundred thoufand in
different quarters, they may pour into our provinces,
overrun, and lay wane the country, and then make
their retreat with the fame rapidity, without its being
poffible for us either to meet or to overtake them.—
This is their mode of making war, and it has al.
ways fucceeded with them. They are the Tartan of
India. In thefe circumflances, I elk, is it proper
'or not that Parliament &mild know, why this war
was undertaken, for what purpofes it has been par-
fued, and with what fuccefs it has been attended ;
and finally, has it the fanition and approbation of
the Court of Direanrs, and of his Majefty's Mi.
nine's t I cannot believe it po(fible. If it fhoold
be Rated, as I have fame reafon to expel it may,
that the papers to which there motions allude, have
not in feet been received by the Court of Direaors,
that anfvrer Inuit filence me for the relent, but I
mull fay that, in another point of view, it will be
very unfatisfaitory. The orders given by Lord Wel-
lacy, in confequence of which the hoftilities began
upon the Malabar coaft, mull have been dated Come
time in June or early in July laft. I beg of the
Houfe to obferve the dates—we are now in the mid-
dle of March; fo that eight months and a half mutt
have elapfed ftnce the orders were given, and no in-
formation received at home on that fubjea. This is
a cafe, which the At of Parliament has forefeen and
provided for. The words of the law arc that. "in
all cafes, where hoftilities (hall be commenced or
treaty made, the Governor General and Council
theft, by the owl experfitiou swam they can eltvifi. coat-
i municate the fame to the Court of Direftors, toge-
ther with a full &ate of the information and intelli
puce, upon which they (hall have commenced fuch
hoftilities or made fuch treaties, and their motives andl
reafons for the fame at large." Until it (hall appear in
evidence that this delay of information direaly from
LordWellefley is not owing to any neglett or
on bis part, I am bound to prefume that there is A f aUlt
fomewhere. Suppofing the mealuresinquellion (hould
appear, upon inquiry, to deferve cenfure, that caufe
of cenfure will be greatly aggravated by the meat
of fending home timely information on the whole fob.
jell. lam not able to forefee what fort of objettions
can be Rated to the motions far papers, with which
I mean to conclude. I rather hope for the acquief-
ceoce of the !ruble Lord on the other fide. At all
events, I hope end expect that perfonal diaraaer, or
the perfonal confidence due to any man, will not be
alledged in bar to this inquiry. At prefent there is
no charge, and there ought to be no defence. If I
have laid (efficient giound for inquiry, we are bound
to inquire. If crinfination lhould follow, it mull
be anfwered, not by charaeter but by proof. When
an inquiry was moved for in this lioufe, in the year
1791, into the educes of the firm war with Tippoo
Sul:an, no man's reputation flood higher in the
eltimation of the public than that of Lord Corn-
' wallis. But Ido not remember that any oppoillion
to the inquiry was let up .1;1 the feore of his perfonal
I charaner, though none was more generally ,ef, eCt
ed. On the contrary, his Majelt 's Minilters met
the Tuoiiiry fairly, and thought they could not defend.
I his condua better than by giving us all the infor.
loration they poffeffed. I hope and I taped that
:lit Noble Lord, now at the head•of the Indian De-
partment, will follow tbat example. He r pro.e..esl
Ito invite and encourage a free difeulEon of all Indian
queltions. If not, and if the motion, with which I
am now about to conclude. fhould be refilled, II
think the Houfe will be reduced to one of thefe two
conclufions ; either that there is fomething in the
perfonal met its of Lord %Venetic y, which entitles him
to greater confidence than was thought due to Lord
Cut owallis ; or that there has been tomething in his
condui, to which nn other defence can be applied
but a favourable opinion of his eharaZter. I move
you. Sir.
That there Wield bdore this Houle. Copies or Extra% of all
Glfp.tebes received from the Governor General of Bengal,ur from
the Prelnlencies of lon St. °come and Boonton,. as tar as fuch
INlpatelios Mote tear aeconot for hottillifess now or lately falshtl-
log between the Uhl Governments and any of the Mahratta
Primes or States; with the Gates of the Receipt of fuch Difiotehes.

Copies at Estrada of all the Correfponden;o between ine fari
Governments and any of tic Alantatta Pnoces at Was, relative
to tic raid hultllities.
Copies at Eatrada Gran Onler. or Intl ructions fent to India by
the Court of Girettors of tie Lan InJia Company, on thc fame
fubjed.
On the igneflion being tint from the Chair,
Lord CA STLERE.IG H complimented the Hon.
Gentleman for the candid manner in which he
tirnArbt forward a motion, which, he was ready to
admit, was founded on an Advt. Parliament. lie
alfo admitted, that the crillence of a war was in itfclf
a trims fads ground of enquiry ; and the only quellion
WAS, whether the obiee propofed could, in the pre.
rentinlance, he fatis aßorily complied with i But it
was his allay to hate, that a foil account of all that
the matter embraced was not yet tranfmitted by the
:tract Gomel. Tbeblebrearit war was a lobjeift

very fit to come seder the confidetation of Parliament
when the proper documents came to be heard ; and
he made no doubt but the Governor General would
foon enable his Majefty's Minillers to lay them before
the Hou:e, to which he afilared the Hon. Gentleman,
he forefaµ• no objettion, when the papers &mid be
received. As far as he was yet informed, the rupture •
took place on the 6th of A ; the communica_
tions with P.•nnah continued till the end of the fame
month, and the haft difpatches from India were dated
as far back as the ryth of December. Ali the ob-
jceion he had was to eircufs the condo& of the Gover-
nor General in a preliminary and unprepared man•
ner, and on that account he fubmitted it to the Hon.
Gentleman, whether he would not confetti to with-
draw his motion.

Mr. JOHNSTONE thought the motion proper,
and that it was important the inquiry Ihould be en-
tered into without delay. He expreffed great appre•
bent-ions in the event of onr being unfuccefsful in this
war, that it might lead to our extirpation from India.
Lord CASTLEREAGH, in explanation, Paid,
that he had not, by faying that hollilities had been
begun on the 6th of Augull, *rested that the Houfe
ought not to inquire into what had happened before
that period.
Mr. FRANCIS obferved, that he certainly could
not call for the produftion of a document that had
not occurred, and would therefore, for the prefent,
withdraw his Motion

The Motion was according withdrawn. The other
orders of the days were difpnicd of.—Adjourncd.

LONDON.

THURSDAY. MARCH Is.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY A'l' ONE O'CLOCK
Conf. for money, Ml—Dino for ace. 5 7i--•Old s per C. Sy
DUBLIN,
34 per COIL GOT. Deb. 664—s per Can. Gov. Deb. 94.
The following Bulletin was this day (hewn at St.
James's in the ufual form :
%tea* Palace, March 15.
"Hu .114yarrr adv.v.As KFLOVeni."
(Si:ardor 1 ILre.

Yeflerday difpatchei were rec-:ived from Commo-
dore HOOD. We underhand thtt they bring loch
accounts as encourage a hope that we &all loon hear
of the fall of Martinico.

Great praife is due to Commodore Hoop, who com•
mands on that nation, for his ataive and pet levering
zeal in the public ferviee. To the furprize of every
perfon who knows the fpot, he has not only fucceeded
in taking poffeffron of the Diamond Rock, about one
mile dittant from the call part of Martinicoorhich was
1-tippled by the enemy and by pal engers in general,
to be fcarcely poffelfed of footing for goats, bat has
aQually fortified and mounted (time very heavy guns
upon it. Two long 24-pounders have been mounted
on a battery at the bale of the rock ; a 32-pounder
about two thirds up the molt perpendicular part of
it ; and two 18 pounders at the fummit.
From the time of Commodore Hoon's taking pof-
fellion of the Rock to the Qs, esn's birth day, when
the batteries fired a royal falote, was only eight days
—with fo much affiduity were the works carried on.
The Cipriani' lies at anchor off the rock; the poi-
feffien of which will, it is thought, very much facili-
tate the capture of blartinico.

We have received Dutch Papers to the loth intl.
inclufive, but their contents are altogether uninteren-
ing. The French news they bring is not of fo late a
date as the Paris journals that had previoufly been
received.