Star.
London, England, 1811-02-14 00:00:00

which he conducted the disembarkation, as well as for the delay and small amount of the reinto,,
the indefatigable exertions beiges since uted,- in dis- which had been sent out to that country : for, if' s..
charging the duty confidedlto Lim by the Vice7Ad- could select•a point of Europe in which there could
miral, in supplying the wants of the army; and Major have been any fair prospect of humbliogthe power of
General Abercromby is equally indebted to Captains France,' it would have been Portugal, immediately',
Briggs,• Lye, and Street, and to the Officers and sea- after the battle of Buzaco. Had the lii itish army
men employed under their orders in the disembarka- been then reinforced in time, and in sufficient num-1
lion of the troops. bers, the Britili General would have had it in his 1
• The exertions • and 'able assistance received from power to place the fate of the campaign beyond goes--
Captain Montague of the Royal Navy, and the Offi- tion or doubt. He lamented, therefore, that before
cers and 'seamen with the army on shore, have been the close of last Session, Ministers had not provided
too conspicuous not to have attracted the observa- themselves with the power to take advantage of the
tions and acknowledgments of every individual. voluntary services of such troops as would not other-
Major-General A bercromby must however re- wise be so disposeable • in which case, they might have
quest that Captain Montague will be pleased to con- reinforced the armyoeLord Wellington to any amount
vey to those who are under his command the impres- that might be necessary. If the fate of Europe
sion which their conduct has made on his mind. should be to be decided by the result of a battle, and
(Signed) W. NICHOLSON, Dep. Adj. Gen, the enemy should be found in that battle, by means of
Africaine, in Port Louis, Dec. 6, 1810.
having collected reinforcements from all parts of Eu-
SIR—I have the honour to transmit herewith, for •
rope, greatly superior in numbers, the responsibility of
the information of their Lordships, a copy of a gene.
Ministers would be heavy for having omitted, whilst
ral Memorandum issued by me this day to the Cap- they possessed the navy of the world, he might say, to
tains and Commanders of the ships and vessels of the !convey all the troops that might be requisite. Feel-
squadron under my command.—l have the honour
'ing strongly upon this point, he could not but so-
to be, Btc. ' (Signed) A. BERTIE. lemnly protest against the conduct of Ministers. No
wan could entertain a higher opinion of the gallant
Africain
GENERAL MEMOR
PorA L NDUM.Dt;.e. R, 1510-
General at the head of the army in Portugal ; and
The Commander-in-Chief congratulates the Offi-
e, t outs,
in doing justice to his character he was perfectly dis-
cers and crews of the ships of the squadron under hie interested, not having the honour of an intimate ac-
command, on the successful issue of the attack of quaintance with him. If we could employ only an
this valuable and important colony, which has placed army of 40 or 50,000 men in Portugal, if we could not
it under his Majesty's protection. . send a force capable of contending against the enemy
He feels he has a duty to acquit, in thus pub/jay lin the field, we should give up the continent altogether.
,
communicating the sense he entertains of the zealous This was not a moment for idle compliment ; the
situation of the country required that they should
and unremitting exertion of all ranks throughout the
express in that House the boldest truths. He sin.,
squadron, and he requests that the Captains and ,
Commanders of the ships and vessels will more im-
cerely deplored the state of his Majesty's health, and
the ,severe visitation with which it had pleased PRO-
der make known to the officers and crews un-
VIDINCR to afflict him: but whilst he participated in
der their command respectively these his sentiments.
• (Signed) A. SERVE. the regret so universally felt on this subject, he was
To the Captains ansi Commanders of the Ships of opinion, that it was the duty of that House to re-
and Vessels of the Squadron. present to the Regent the awful circumstances in
[N.B. The dispatches received as above are dupli. which he was called upon to take upon him the exer-
cates ' • the originals having been entrusted teCommo.! cise of the functions of Government. They ought,
dote Rowley, who is now on his way to England in
'however painful, then, to point out to the Regent
the contrast between the prosperity of the country
his Majesty's ship Menelaus, and is hourly expected.]
lat the accession of his Majesty, and its present em-
barrassments and accumulated difficulties ; to shew
him how an important member of the empire had
been separated from it by the mischievous and un-
wise counsels of his Ministers. They ought to re-
mind him of the dissatisfaction and discontents which
had, throughout the King's reign, prevailed in
Ireland, and which unhappily continued to exist
there to this day ; to remind him of the enormous
debts and burthens of the people ; of the distresses re-
sulting to our trade and manufactures, from the mea-
sures of the enemy having driven commerce into dif-
ferent channels, which produced the alarming Ms.'
culties in which it was now involved ; and that all 1
these burthens, difficulties, and discontents, were fairly
to be ascribed to the bad policy of wicked or ignorant'
Ministers. Condoling with the Regent on his being
called ppon to assume the reins of Government, they
ought to recommend to him to reject such measures
in future, which could not be persevered in without
absolute ruin to the Empire. He was of opinion also,
that they should express an earnest hope of an ho-
nourable peace ; at the same time assuring the Re-
gent, that if the machinations of the enemy should I
render a continuance of the war necessary, they
^ would enable his government to call forth all the mi-
litary resources at this great empire. He thought,
that they also ought to state their intention to, watch
over the public expenditure, and proceed immediately
to reform that House, and to heal the rankling wounds
of Ireland, which had long been neglected, insulted*,
and oppressed. The Honourable Gentleman then
protested against the practice which had prevailed
!With all administrations of which he knew any thing,
of omitting all mention of the affairs of Ireland, in the
speech at the opening of the session ; and against the
insulting indifference with which Irish Members, speak-
ing upon Irish subjects, were treated. He concluded
with repeating his protest against the practice of which
he complained, but declined opposing the report.
Sir THOMAS TURTON said, that in abstaining
from any opposition to the Address, he should not
, consider himself as precluded from canvassing what-
ever measures he could not approve.
Mr.CANNING rose, not for the purpose of prolong-
, ing this discussion, but, as his name had been brought
forward in a conversation last night, and as he saw
'the Honoulble Baronet, by whom it had been men-
tioned, in his place. he wished to make a short obser-
-1 ration upon the subject. As far as he could collect
what had passed last night from the imperfect man-
ner in which their proceedings were to be known, the
Honourable Baronet stated, that a Portuguese officer
of the name of Chabot, had been seizect about two
Iyears since off Cuxhaven, and confined for some time
at Heligoland ; after which he was brought to Eng-
lend, and committed to solitary confinement in Cold-
bath-fields prison, by virtue of a Secretary of State's
warrant, signed by him (Mr. Canning). He pro-
fessed entire ignorance of any such transaction : but,
be was certain that he had never signed any such•
warrant, because it was out of the course of office
that he should have done so. If he had received any
information at his office from abroad, the course would
havebeen to communicate it to the Secretary for the
Home Department, from whose office the warrant of
commitment must issue. He could wish the Ho.
nourable Baronet to be more precise as to dates and
times; for if his name appeared in the transaction, it
must have occurred early in the year 1809, he having
retired from officp in the month of September in that
year.
Sir FRANCIS BURDET'r repeated the statement
be had made on the previous evening, but could not
remember the precise date of the transaction. He
should be glad to find that there was no truth in it.
Mr. CANNING would have every enquiry made
upon the subject ; and was convinced, that if hit name
occurred in the transaction, he would be found to
have acted to the best of his judgment, according to
his duty.
Mr. WHITBR EAD thought it extraordinary, after
what had taken place last night, that none of the Right
Hon. gentlemen oppoiite had taken any pains to pro-
cure information upon the subject.
Mr. PEELE observed, that there was a foreigner
of the name of Colberg, or Colville, we believe, con-
fined in that prison ; but as his commitment took place
before he came into office, Ile vow not awn 4 1,4
grimes:le of 4, ~ .

PfIRLIAMEIITARr PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEBRUARY 19.
Sir Berkeley William Guise took the oaths and his seat for
Gloucester.
Amongst other private Bills, severally forwarded, was a Bill
empowering the Proprietors or Shareholders of the Croydon
Canal, to raise money;. a Bill for the Recovery of Small Debts,
in Bly, Cambridgeshire; the Norwich Roads Bill; the Dundee
Harbour Bill ; and the Grand Junction Canal Extension Bill. I
Mr. HAIL presented the Annual Accounts of the Stems re-
ceived and expended by the Commissioners for the Redemption
of the National Debt.-. Ordered to lie on the table.
On the motion of Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY, it was resolved,
that an humble Address be presented to his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, humbly praying that he would be graciously
pleased to give directions that there should he laid before that
House returns of all the prisoners committed to the public jails'
in the years 1805, 6,7,8, and 9, distinguishing the crimes with
which they had been charged, on what indicted, and in cases
where the panics were cast, on what convicted, specifying the
numbers discharged by proclamation, as also the sentences passed
on those who were found guilty.
A second Address was voted on the motion of Sir SAMUEL
ROMiLLY, praying (oat returns of all persons tried at the quar-
ter Sessions, in the years 1805,6,7,8,9, should also be laid
before the House.

BRITISH BISHERI ES.
Mr. ROSE obtained lea►e to bring in a bill, for the purpose of
incorporating a Company formed for the encouragement of the
,British Fisheries.

IRISH DISTILLERIES.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT' presented a petition from the Distil-
lers of the City of Dublin, complaining of the operation of a cer-
tain Act of Parliament, and praying compensation for the same.
The SPEAKER thought the petition ought to go, in compli-
ance with the forms of the House, to the Clerk of the Crown.
Sir J. NEWPORT was of opinion, with all respect to the
Chair, that the resolution passed by the House, which might ap-
pear to render that necessary, bad a reference only to petition for
a gratuitous pecuniary grant. The petition he held in his hand
was not of that description ; it complained of injury received, for
which compensation was claimed of thejustice of the House.
Mr. FOSTKR and the CIANCILLOR of the Ezettegual were of
opinion, that there was no reason for departing from the usual
forms, and that whatever the merits of the petition might be, it
could only be received in the regular way.
Sir J. NEWPOR I* then gave notice of a mqtlen for Wednesday.

- I

. ~__~