Star.
London, England, 1819-02-02 00:00:00

BANK OF EN'C;LASD.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, that seeing'
a Noble Earl in his place, he took the opportunity to
inquire whether he intended to bring forward the
motion respecting the Batik of England to-morrow,
of which he had given notice : and if so, in what
terms he meant to propose it, and what the object of
the motion was ?
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, he had no objec-
tion to give the desired information. With respect,
to the 'precise terms or wording of the motion, he
Could not now state; but its general sense or effect
would be, for a Secret Committee to inquire into the
actual situation of the Bank of England, more espe-
cially with respect to the expediency of a resump-
tion of cash payments at the time now fixed by law ;
and also to other matters connected therewith : mean-
ing that the inquiry should be an extensive one, but
which he thought would be left to. be expressed by
general words, and. which would. also embrace cer-
tain points which a Noble Lord opposite had brought
forward for discussion in that House.,
CEiSION OF CERTAIN DUTCH COLONIES.
The Order for summoning their Lordships tieing mad,
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE rose to bring for-
ward his noticed motion on this subject. What he
meant to require, he observed, were Copies of In-
structions forwarded to the British Governors in In-
dia, relative to the Cession of certain Dutch Colo-
nies in that quarter ; but more especially to Sir Tho-
znas Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Fort Marlbo
rough. Whit he had to direct the attention of their
Lordships to in this discussion, referred not only to
questions of great national policy, but to considera-
tions of great importance, as affecting the honour
and character of the British Government. He par-
ticularly referred-to certain circumstances connected
with the Cession of the Island of Java. In 151 1, an
expedition had been sent by the Earl of Minto, then
at the head of the Government in India, with a view

-to the capture of the important Dutch Settlement of
Java. This operation was eminently successful, as
it shortly proved that the capture was of still greater
importance than it was at first held to be. In the.
• course of a few years, its prosperity increased in a
..Areater degree than perhaps any other colony in the
,: tame interval. Its government had been entrusted
to Sir Thomas Raffles. The population and 'prospe-
frty Of the interior was soon found to be much.gi eater
than had been expected. The former amounted to
between four and five millions of inhabitants, some
of whom were lung under the dominion of indepen-
dent Princes, with whom beneficial connections were
formed ; yet, when the island was surrendered to the
Dutch at the general peace, no stipulation had been
made for the execution of those Treaties which we
had formed with these independent Powers—Trea-
ties, to which he must consider the faith and honour
of the British Government as pledged. He particu-
larly referred to the Island of Banca, which Was .I
made over by Treaty to the British by its ancient
• Sovereign, the Sultaun of Palangam. Under that,
Treaty we obtained possession of it, and the.acqui!
sition proved to be of considerable importance ; yet,
not very long after, all these possessions were surren-
dered to the Dutch. Those they held in 180.3 were
expressly stipulated for restoration by Treaty: but
the Island of Banca did not come under that de-
scription, and, in his view of it, the surrender had
been made in wanton disregard of the Treaty by
which it came into our possession. It was surren•
dered by a separate article for the Dutch Settlement
of Cochin, and on the under:.:ood pretext of its hay-
g been a mere military occupation. 'I:• romost•
strances which were made no .he ground of its hav-
ing been transferred to us by a Native Sovereign
*ere disregarded, anti the express letter of the sub-
sequent Treaty was referred to as fully warranting
the cession : and those remonstrances were afterwards
even made a pretext by the Dutch for attacking the
Sultaun of Palangam. The attempts made by Sir
Thomas Raffles for procuring that Sovereign those
benefits to which he was entitled by Treaty were in-
effectual. Thus, the honour of this country was com-
promised, independently of the obvious impolicy of
the cession:, Such considerations must have an in-
jurious effect upon the British character, in the event
of similar situations occurring, and the case fur-
nished, in his mind, an adequate ground for Parlia-
mentary investigation as to the real merits of the
clue. Ile therefore felt it his duty thus to come for-
ward, and to call for a communication of the In-
structions birwarded to the Governors of Java, and
other East Indian Colonies ceded by the Dutch ; and
also fur the Instructions sent to Sir Thomas Raffles,
on the oct.asion to which he particularly referred.
The Noble Marquis having moved to this effect—
and on the question being put,
• Earl BATHURST observed, that if the Instruc-
tions alluded to by the Noble Marquis were those for
the purpose of carrying into execution the Treaties
dgreed upon hetweea the two Powers, he taw no oh--
jection to theh. being communicated ;. but the nature
and effect of the::e Treaties shotild.he attentively con-
sidered. There were rnore Treaties than one : some
provided for the restitution of wliatever Colonies
were taken from the Dutch ; another, for the cession
of the Island of Banca ; and the Governor General
of India transmitted instructions to those acting un-
• der him for carrying such Treaties into effect. _But

if it were meant; tti;tt suCh.C9minnnications as had

. • .
taken place between the Governor:General. arid the
LieUtenant.Governor of kort Marlborotigh,iand sent
%to:this ciuntryi Should .be laid 'before the House, he
should feel *.his duty' to object to theiroduction.—
The whole of these•ltapers contained a great variety
of matter,:. and pints iif:diseusiipn, which were so
circumsturicedi ,u 4 b Was--sate the noble Marquis
himself would dila...they:lk= not fit to lay before,
the House. It could net be Conceived to have been'
the duty of the British..Geverqrurt to giveohstruc—
tions to the execyti9u auddelkette4al
ties. 'lf akerid In radta, the Dutel

vernment here would not doom its obliged to ac-
cede to such alterations. . Our Governors had
.no
ht to insist upon such alteration. The British Gp-;
vWnintiiit had never declared an intention to. retari
Javia it the. end .of the war. The surrender of
Banca, upon which the Noble Marquis laid so much
stress, was in fact .a complete exchange : we got for
it the viihiable'settlement of Cochin. It was under-
taken that all places taken from them should be re-
stored ; -and it was made ap express condition after-
wards, that Banca should be given so them for Co-
chin, in full sovereignty. The Dutch Government
had an establishment in that island ; they had made
a regular settlement there ; and an expedition had
been sent to take possession of it by the Governor of
Java. The-Sultaun 'of Palangam had given up his
right, whatever it was, to it, and in return he was
acknowledged an independent Sovereign. The ques-
tion was; whether,
.in fact, the Dutch Government
had a right to all those establishments which they
held in 1803 ? and the -argument, that we had no
right to look to' it, was a Subject an discussion
between the two Governments. With respect to Sir
Thomas Raffles, he was Lieutenant . Governor of
Java. There were charges brought against him, but
of these he had been fully and honourably acquitted.
He was sent back to Bencoolen; but, though he was
recognized as a Lieutenant Governor, yet, as he went
as a Resident, he was considered by some, or felt
himself, a degraded character, arid in consequence
was appointid Lieutenant Governor of another place;
but he was given to understand that his powers were
not thereby increased, and that he was to be consi-
dered as a Commercial Resident. Doubts were en-
tertained as to his power to give an official character
to some of the points adverted to. Under all these
circumstances; he thought it better not to adopt the
motion, at least in its present shape.
Lord HOLLAND contended that the objections
advanced by the Noble Earl did not do away those
important grounds upon which his Noble Friend's
motion rested. The transactions respecting Java mid
its dependencies, were of a nature that required the
:serious,
consideration of Parliament ; and he thought
the Noble Earl must have taken an erroneous view of
his Noble Friend's arguments, to come to the conclu-
sion he had formed. For his part, he deprecated the
impolicy of abandoning those Princes with whom we
.formed Treaties. The. national honour and character
were involved in the.question; and it may be matter''
of serious consideration whether certain secret articles
did not exist in the Treaties. The whole formed a
case proper for the attention of Parliament, and the
Noble Earl himself stated, that some negociations
were still going on between us and the Power in qiies-
tion. He trusted that points which affected so deeply
the intere-t of the country and the honour of the na-
tion. would not be trifled with. In these views of
the question, trilm,his Noble Ft lend agreed to alter
or amend his motion, he would vote for it as novi
`before the House. _

Earl BATHURST spoke shortly in explanation.
He adverted to the mode in which Banca came into
the possession.of the British, and to the return which
had been made for it ; and seemed to admit, that in
some points of view, the case was one which had;
called for inquiry.
Lord HOLLAND explained, that 'he , understood
the Island of Banca was given to. us by the Sultaun
of Mangum, in return for our acknowledging him
an independent Sovereign.
The Earl bf LIVERPOOL was of opinion that one
of the principal papers called for was not, property
speaking, an official documert, but one which the
party had no right cr authority to make. Neither
could it he laid beftre this llc-useas such. The points
still in discussion were not such as had been abso-
lutely decided upon between this country and the
King of the Netherlands, but upon points which may
'be regarded as conditional, arid his Noble Friend's
meaning in-what he stated went au farther. 'He must
deprecate theexposition of -any documents which
went to affect such a state of things. The sove-
reignty of territories was not conferred by their
ac-
tual occupation by a conquering Power ; unless they
were actually ceded by the conquered Power at the
conclusion of a peace, their possession in the interval
must 'oe regarded as a temporary possession, or as a
military occupation. Under these catisiderations,
different conciusions were sometimes drawn by those
concerned.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE spoke at some
length in explanation, and seemed to sayithough his
views of the real meriti Of the case were very little,
if at all, changed by what the Noble Earls had ad.
vaned—yet as it appeared to be admitted that some
negociations were still going on between the two Go-
vernments concerned ; and ac he still conceived some
benefit may result from his thus coming forward,
he was inclined to shape or new model his motion, so
as to do away those objections by which the Noble
Earli appeared to be most strongly actuated.
The motion was then, in the course of a few words,
interchanged across the table, so altered by the Noble
Marquis, in a way which principally seemed to re-
spect what had been called for relative to ceding the
Island of Banca, and the omission of Sir Thomas
Rafflees protest. The question being put, the modi-
fied motion was agreed to by their Lordships.
Adjourned till to-morrow.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.

About thirty new Members took the oaths arkd their seats.
Many _Petitions and Bills of a private nature, for Roads, In-
closures, ,Itc. were presented.
Mr. WAITHMAN presented a Petition from Bishop Bur-.
net; son of Jan Burnet, Esq. late of Lambeth, Surrey, praying
for an Amendment of the present Acts relative to Frauds, ke.
in the measurement of Coals. Orliered to lie on the table.
Mr.UILAY reported from. the Committee appointed to
take into conekleration a plan for the better supplying Glasgow
with Water, by an Improvement in their Water Works. Or-
dered, that leave be given to bring in a Bill ; and chat Mr. Fm-
lay and odiere.do prepare and bring in the !lame.
• 'Mr. HOLMES presented a Petition from Newpert, praying
for aliZtion of the Penal Code, and lessening the frequency
ci`the mint of Death.—Ortlrred to lie on the table.
Sir . GRAHAM-presented a Petition from the Inhabhants
of Cariiale, praying for pennisalon to have it lighterl.with Gas.
An Amount was ardent:lto he laid before the House of the
Import sand Export of Tin carried coast and otherways.
Lord A. HAMILTON gave notice, that to-morrow fort-
night be would subMit to the House a motion respecting the in..
ternal government of the Borough of Aberdeen.
CARE.OF MIS MAJWITifiII PERSON.
By a Message from the Lords, intimation was made, tint
their ,Lordships had agreed to, and passed a Bill for the Care of.
his Majesty's Person, in . consequence of, the &wise of the
4ueen ; and.expressing their hopes that the Commons would
concur in passing the same into a law.
The Bill was received, sad, ad 4*W to be .taken alto
farther consideratim.