Star.
London, England, 1818-03-14 00:00:00

EXPEDITION TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

EXTRACT OP A LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
An expedition which has sailed from our port will
greatly occupy the politicians who are not content
with limiting their views to the narrow circle of the
present time, but like to throw a look into futurity,
and to calculate remat,e consequences and relations.
The expedition will at die same time be highly inte-
resting to the geographer. I mean the enterprize
lately decided upm by our enlightened Government,
to send an evadition round Cape Horn, in order to
found a colony on the opposite side of our immense
Continent, on the shores of the Southern Ocean,
usually, but improperly enough called the Pacific.
It is but a short time since the north west coast of
America has been more exactly known. COOK fur-
nished but very imperfect accounts of this part of
the Globe, became he kept himself too much to the
north. VANCOUVER was the first viho more accurate-
ly examined tile coasts, bays, straits, and anchoring
places and only since that time have the extensive
countries which stretch from the North of the Penin-
sula of California to Behring's Strait, which separate
Asia from America, been properly laid down upon
the maps. The Spaniards, indeed, have examined
from Acapulco, in Mexico, the coasts which they
call New California, but the results of their discove-
ries lie hid in the archives of Mexico, and are consi...
dered as secrets of State. Between the Northern set-
tlements of the Russians and the Southern of the Spa-
niards lies an immense space, a coast of several hun-
dred miles in extent, which being destitute of Euro-
pean colonies, was long considered as entirely with-
out an owner. But when the profitable fur trade of
these coasts was known, several nations soon obtained
the sovereignty of them. The English claimed them
as the reward of their prior discovery, and because
they were the first to plant here the flag of their na-
tion. The Spaniards asserted their right to these
countries, because they thought they might consider
all the land stretching Northward, along the Pacific
Ocean, as merely a continuation of New California,
where they had some settlements ; and the North
Americans now consider them as still forming a part
of Louisiana, which belongs to them, because it is at
the back of it, and the frontiers of this latter are not
yet duly defined.
The American Government had, indeed, tried to
obtain from the Cabinet of Madrid, in an amicable
manner, a formal renunciation of all claims on the
part of Spain ; but as the English there, as soon as
they were informed of it, also opened a negotiation
for such a cession in their favour, no treaty was made.
It is now assumed that the country in question has
hitherto properly belonged to nobody, and that there
is a better title to take possession of it, as American
citizens have long since founded Settlements on the
river Columbia, which falls into the Pacific Ocean.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 13.

Counsel were fully heard on the Appeal of " The Bank of
Ireland r. the Attorney-General of that part of the United
Kingdom."—Judgmera postponed.
Counsel were also heard respecting the Sots Cause " Mrs.
Wooley, now Landers, r. 'Maidment."—Euithcr consideration
of the Case adjourned till after the recess.
Their Lordships then adjourned for some time dining pleasure.
On the resuming of the House,
A number of Private Bills were brought up from the Com-
mons by Mr. CAWIIIOIINE and others, and read the first time.
Mr. Sewn" presented an Account of the Unclaimed Prize-
Money at Chelsea Hospital, which was ordered to be laid on
the table.
The Kilmainham Hospital, the Madder Duties, and the other
Bills upon the table, lying over for that stage, were read the
third time and passed.

GRANTS IN REVERSION.
•Previous to their Lordships' entering upon the 11
principal Order of the Day,
Earl GROSVENOR called the recollection of the
House to the Motion he had some time since made
for the production of certain Documents, touching
the above subject, part of which even yet, especially
those relating to Ireland, had not been brought for-
ward. His Lordship then took occasion to make
some observatious upon the subject. He observed it
appeared, that since 1806 no offices, with one excep-
tion, had been granted in reversion. He thought a com-
prehensive legislative regulation should be adopted
on the subject, to supersede the practice, with the ex-
ception of those in the province of the Judges, and
intimated his intention to bring forward a measure
upon the occasion. His Lordship concluded by
moving, that those documents which he had referred
to should be laid before the House forthwith.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, that nearly
the whole of the official situations which the Noble
Lord seemed to contemplate, could not now be af-
fected by such a Bill, as they were already prospec-
tively either abolished or regulated by express Acts
of Parliament. It was impossible, therefore, they
could be granted in reversion. There was one im-
portant exception certainly, namely, the Chief Clerk-
ship in that House, respecting which, however, he
had expressly given notice of his own intention to re-
gulate prospectively by a distinct legislative measure.
With respect to some, or most of the others, they
were of that peculiar nature, that a general enact-
ment upon them would be productive of much in-
convenience. The Reversion of the Rangership of
Bagshot Park, a place of no emolument, had been,
by advice, conferred by the Prince Regent on ano-
ther Royal personage. There were also, occasionally,
grants of small pensions, which were extended in
Reversion to meritorious Officers for services ren-
dered, on which it would be highly improper to fet-
ter the discretion of the Crown. Upon the whole,
his Lordship seemed to think the enactment contem-
plated by the Noble Earl, could be productive of no
benefit, while, on the other hand, it would induce no
small inconvenience. _ _ _

Earl GROSVENOR shortly explained, and ex.'
pressed his willingness to postpone the agitation of
such a proposition for the present.
After a few words in the way of explanation be-
tween the Earl of LIVERPOOL and the Marquis of
LANSDOWNE, the motion of the Noble Earl, as above,
was agreed to.