Star.
London, England, 1803-10-11 00:00:00

C;l7,ri OF EDIA'PLIRGII

On Titers! f 7, thr.::: was a meeti-:h of the Lieire.
naney, the I and Jralicts ut Kace of chi,
county, held in the Parlianicaft-iloule, Edraburgh,llls
Grace the (.1 ifi-ccLEi crt, Lot d Lieut enaat of
the County, in the Choir.
The following is a flight :ketch of what took place
at the Meeting :
His Grace llated, That in prat-fiance of the refn.
lutions of WI inceting, he had written to Mr. Yet fs
the S.:cretary of Stay., communicating the fentiments
of the county rc fpening the further inrolment of thofe
volunteers who had offered their Cervices; and to that
letter he had received an anfwer, acquaintinz him,
that Government had acquitfeed in the meafure that
thole volunteers thould be railed and trained to the
ufe of arms.

Mr. Sheriff CLARIS Rated, th:tt it was proper it
Ihould be made known, that the fubfci iption which
had been railed by the county was to be :applied in
providing all the necelfarie, tequilite fin tLis corps,
in the fame manner as thole other cotps whole fer•
vices had been accepted by Government.
This matter, v.thich belealgzd principally to the
Lieutenancy, being fiiiiihed, •

Lord MeADOWBANK role, and faid,li! felt his mind
In powerfully imprelicd with the fittiation of public
affairs at the preterit nyment, that lie could not r,.•
frain from deliverin.: his fer,timentc ; but although,
Paid his Lordfhip, I am frequently in the habit of
fpeaking in public within thele walls, yet the impor-
tance of the fubjc upon which lam now about to
addrefs your Grace and this meeting is Arch, that I
feel Tome helitatitin in doing fo, and am not without
apprehention that I may not be ab e to deliver myfelf '
in terms fuitable to the objet I have in view, and fo
as to he undertlood by your Grace and the oth.:r
Gentlemen who compote this meeting.
His Lordibip proceeded to obfct ye, that it was
with fatisfadion he learnt that Government had
acquiefced with the views and fentiments of this
county, by agreeing to allow the inrolment of thafe
volunteers who had come forward with the offers
of their fervices. He had, however, obfcrved
a circular letter in the newfpapers, in which it
was hated that the offers of fcrvice made by the
people in the cntintry had far exceeded airy expefla-
dons which Government had formed upon that fub-
jeft, and that this was affigned as a rcafon why there
was not a fufficiency of arms for all. But why the
Government should not have expelled this of the
people excited his furprize, efpecially when it was
confidered that the fituation of the country was fuch
that we were called upon to fight for the prefervation
of all that was dear to us, our liberties and indepen-
dence as a free nation. At the prefent crifo, it was
of the utmolt confequence, that the people (bould be
completely armed. It was of tile that the enemy
lhould know this, and alto that they were armed with
fuel' infirumentl as the enemy had never been in the
practice of tiling, fuch as pikes arid (pears. This
woilld do much to intimidate the force of theinvaders.
It would alarm and appall them, and the dread of
encountering fuch a fpecies of defence would make
them &fill from fo hazardous an attempt.

But, paling from this, his Lordibip laid, what he
had principally in view was to call the attention of
this meeting to the prefent flue of the maritime de-
fence of the eaftern coati, concerning which he could
not help thinking there was filch a degree of neglea
manifeied as was highly blameable. He obferved,
that to the fouthern part of the gland, the molt vigi
lant attention was very properly paid to guard the
coat againft every appiehention of invafioni but,
with regard to this coati, all the means of defence
which we had confined in a fortylour gun frigate,
and he was uncertain whether any thing more was to
be added. He could not pretend himfelf to be a com-
petent judge of the nature of the force bell calculated
for the defence of the Frith of Forth, and the eaftern
coati of Scotland ; but be had converted with gentle-
men of high profeffional knowledge, and who were
fully able to (peak upon thefe fubjefts, and it was
their opinion that large fleets and heavy veffels were
by no means adapted to this fervice. Smaller vet-
fds, which could be ealily conveyed from one point
to another, were preferable, becaufe they could not
only be ufeful in defending againti any attack, but in
cafe of the enemy attempting to Lind men in boats,
they could be brought to ad againti them with fuperior
advantage. In this opinion he could Rate the Trinity
Houfeentirely acquiefced, and a memorial tothat die&
was tranfmitted to Government, backed by very high
authority, by an authority than whom there wag none
higher out of office. But notwithlianding of this, no
attention had been paid to it g and this appeared to
him the more extraordinary, becaufe at the prefent
moment there were veffils in Leith harbour, the
Greenlandmcn, excellently adapted fur that tervice,
lying isle and laid up for the winter.
If, raid his Lordthip, we take into confideration
the enemy we have now to contend with, the ani-
mofity he bears towards this country, die extent of
coati he commands, the means of attack he has in
his power, by the ally he has obtained in Holland,
of rather I may fay by the conqueft and fubjugation
of Holland now under his controul, and by which
he is enabled to at with tenfold energy, we Mall
find that the north can coati requires more attention
than Adminitiration teem to be aware of.

Occupied, as I am, fail his Lordfhip, in the du-
ties of my fiation as a Judge, I have found myfeff
unable to devote fo much of my time as I could have
wifhed, to attend to a matter of fo high importance
as this ; but there are times Cu peculiar in their cir-
cumflances as to require that et en thole important
duties Ihould give way to the higher confideratiuns
which may call for attention ; and if over there vt as
a period which demanded this facrifice, it i% the pre-
fent. I did, however, defer the mature confidera-
lion of this fubjeti until the dole of the Sethen ; hurt
having fence that time given to it all the drliberate
attention of which i was capable, 1 feel motif called
upon to flate what occurs to my mind concerning it.
When I look around me at prefent, I fee this meet-
ing compofed of Judges, rsofelfurs in the Univerfity,
and of other Gentlemen whole duties require that
they Ihould enjoy the moll perfea traitquilliay in
difeharging them. But I alk any man what tran-
quillity cat they pails whilft this metropolis, Mod
the whole eallern coail of Scotland, is fuffeted to re-
main in fo defencelef. a !late Can they go to bed with
tranquil mia:dc, who know not but etc alum of an

enemy may -roof them in Cie m:tr-.173p, is that the
ft; ,:athm :n whiz); this coin y b: to rt.:.
ro4;.' it '4,, h.n d;ifttnt i.:Z c•fla • tpi :of, e..,ct.
tat.,J by. •ha..gre.tt
whole :lam.; I CA:I 11.ver Lta •I:1 Z: '2
Mika Ltici that the cunn.ty fwg!! to 1:e k-rt
that (tate r f prepalation aud defence :hat every :.an
might, when he retire• to reit, tech.,: Lis hcad upo.;
Li. pillow with trangtiity.
This ci4 is the it'rldtra e of the High Cot!rt of
JA Rice, tl:e feat of :Lc ve; fay, of the puls!ic il. nks,
and :Le ref-cm of gentlemen of rank and property ;
an aturl. made upon It co1:1.! not fail of btjng ..t-
-tcnded with the roof} bansittl conftpterres. The city
of Glafgow alfo, where t;:ere is fo rn'lri: commercial
capitil, wo!ILIkel tL tad eti'eas of tht! of 0;1
enemy here. Tie ilcii)that:ring corm:les,
whole ca,;(l, likcssife expel knee ti;c
confequences of loch an ; and :L.lll all Cut, De
left, as it certainly is at ',relent, open to the attacks
of oil•-dec talcd enemy?

ball the whole Attention of Governer.. be paid
to the tooth coati, and this left entirely deft:leder,
Ile could hate, ft om the fame authority to tvlach he
formerly alluded, on; to whcm upon a former (Icel..
ti,n Ow: country was inJclated fel faiv Hon, 11, ,r
in at der cffeehially to guard the c- e
lhould hey tufllcient bete LI, to ert.i‘e
tw:en Wh:tby, northward to ril.;oef,, far i• Pe-
terhead, the rendcavous to be in tae iz:t c I Forth.
'rims, if a thorn fhould comp,-.1 them to ICAVe their
cruizing Ration, and the enemy, takin; azivantage
of that, fhould come out of their harbours, thefe vet:-
lets would be ready to attack them when flaw came
upon our coatt. But though all this has been r.--
prefctitd to Government, no Rep has yet be:n tab 71
fo- our deience ; a q gun ft ;gate is oor c.ay mtaaa
of fecutity, and the lies at anchor in Leith Roads.
Such being the cafe, it is, fail his Loichliip. sty
opinion, that this county ought t, prefent zn Ad-
drefs to our molt gracious Sovereign, 111,71S:y and
refpeEtfully Rating the defencelefs hate rd the coati,
and expreffing our hopes that his Majcaly tvould take
it into his moll gracious confederation. Widi this
view I have drawn a few refolutions, which I beg
leave to read to the meeting.
His Lordthip here read the refolutions, which went
at great length into a detail of the fituation and de-
fencelefs Rate of the eaflein coal} of Scotland, and
pointed out the different Rations where it might be
neceffary to have an increafed maritime force ; aside;
the fpecies of force belt calculated for the purpore.
After his Lordfhip had finifhed reading the refolu-
lions, he °braved, that in adopting the line of conduit
be had now done, he was anuated only with a &fire
of procuring for the country that attention of Mini.
hers to its fecurity which he thought they had flume-
fully neleCted ; he at the fame rime difclaimed all
idea of faction, it was what be never approved of,
and leaft of all would he with to exhibit even the
appearance of it upon the prefent occafion. It altos
he Paid, became him to Rate, that whatever odium
might attach to the obfelvnions he had now made,
or to the refolutions he had fubmitted to their con&
deration, that odium mull fall all upon himfelf ; for
he was bound to declare, that he had not confulted
with any perfon in or out of this meeting upon the
fubjea, nut even with thole whole opinion upon may
of this kind he might fometimcs be inclined to
have. It was therefore to hitufelf alone that the
odium, whatever it (hall be, mull wholly attach.

His Lordlip having given in a copy of the Ref°.
lutions to the Clerk, fat down.

The refolutions having been read over by the Clerk,
his Grace the Duke of BUCCL It L'G )1 role, and faid,
that he thought it proper f,r him to (late, in the. pre-
fent Rage of the Winds, that form time ag•hhe,along
with the Lord Provoft of Edinburgh had-tranfmitted
a mtmostal to Gower Iment, upon the lunation of the
defence of the Frith of Forth ; that although no an-
fwer had yet been returned to their application, it
was probable that an anfwer might be received in a
few days. This he thought it was proper fur him to
inform the meeting of, in order to thew that fo im-
portant an objeel had not been overlooked.
LORD CHI' r BARON role and faid, that he had !Men-
a to the flatement of the Learned Judge, and alto to
the refolutions which he had offered to the meeting.
He, however, felt himfelf inclined to recommend the
adoption of a mode fimilar to that which had beets
reforted to by die lall meeting of the county. Upon
that occafion a motion was fuggcfled by his Learned
Friend, (Lord HE &NASD) fornething fimilar to that
which was now propofed, refpelting the enrolment
of Volunteers. He however took the liberty then of
recommending, that before adopting that mode. ap-
plication fhould be made to his Majefly's Maiden
to acquaint them of the fentiment of the county re-
ft:meting the railing of there corps, and he was hap.
py to obferve that the &fire of the county had been
acquiefced in. He begged leave to recommend that
the lime line of procedure fhould be followed upon
the prefcnt occafion, and he hoped the Learned
Judge would content to withdraw his motion. He
knew Mr. Yokel to be a Gentleman of talents and
of bufinefs, and he bad no doubt that proper atten-
tion would be paid to any application on the part of
the county. The objell of the motion was undoubt-
edly of great confer:pence to the Way of the craft
and of the Metropolis, and would certainly meet his
approbation; but the refolutions, from aim little at-
tention he had been enabled to give them, appeared
to him to go rather too much into detail, and before
he could give them his fupport, he thought they
might require lonic alterations. As, however, the
Government had evinced fo much readinefs to ac-
quiefce with the fentiments of the county upon the
late occafion, he thought that the fame meafures
lhould be adopted in this, the more elpecially as his
Grace the Lord Lieutenant had jolt informed the
Meeting that a memorial upon that fubjtet had been
drawn up and tranfmitted by him, in con unction
with the Lord Provoft of the city. He would there-
fore requell the Learned Judge to withdraw his mo-
tiiin for the prefcnt, and in place of thofe refolutions,
to lubtlitute a general refolution of the following
purport, viz.--.. That his Grace the Duke of Bye-
cr. t t.r.ir having :nformed them that he, i.i conjunc-
tion with the Lord Provo:? of E.linbuigh, h.ud trtnl
mittcd to his Maicli)'s 1%446441's a to..moiial, ilati,g
tl 4: importance u"4 freedily appoi.,i.i.g a ilrorge ni.i-
ritime tOrce for the L:f.::,ec of tho ccai;, the ....l. ct-
ing imanimoutly ?rile in the merlins ti.eie s' .us I sr
makinz fuch a repreienta,ion,ard il 1:.(1-.:n7, it would
be pt.idueLve of the &fired effett ." v !::l, void
J uuanitnowly, and the meeting ai.:...)rire•!..

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