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

EAST INDIA AFFAIRS.

Mr. CREEVEY gave notice, that on Monday fortnight, he
would bring forward a • motion for taking some measures against
the Direetors of the East India Company, for dividing ten and a
half per cent. on East India Steck, under the present extraordi-
nary circumstances. He also gave notice, that to-morrow week
h• should move for certain documents relative to the army of Ma-
dras—the trial which hal recently taken place, &c. Ste.
. .

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER expressed a wish
that the Honourable Gentleman opposite (Mr. Whitbrt ad) would
postpone the motion of which be had given notice, respecting the
circumstances connected with the Indisposition of his Majesty in
1604, which stood for Monday next, to Monday se'nnight.
Mr. WHITBREAD had no particular objection to postponing
his motion as the Right Honourable Gentleman wished, and he
(the Chancellor of the Exchequer) would perhaps then have no
objection to his bringing on the other motion, of which he had
given notice, for making a permanent provision for supplying the
Executive Power in case of * recurrence of the present calamity.
The CHANCELLOR of tke EXCHEQUER made no para.
cular objection to the motion being brought on brat day, ilk was
the wish of the Honourable Gentleman.

Mr. WH fI'BREAD then stated himself willing to let the Right
Hun. Gentleman name the day on which be should bring on the
motion respecting his Majesty's indisposition in 1804. • I
The motion was in consequeucepostponed to Mundayse'aright.,,
REPORT of THE ADDRESS.
Mr. MILNES having appeared at the bar with the
report of the Address ; on the question being put that
the report be now received—
Mr. HUTCHINSON agreed fully in the send, ;
ment expressed by an Honourable Member last night; !
that it would be much more convenient for the
Members, as well as More consistent with the dig- !
nity of the House, if due notice should be given to
Members on every side of the House of the contents
•of the speech, in order that the House might not be
placed in the predicament in. which it was placed last •
night, either to reject an Address of the contents of
which they had no previous knowledge, or to be com-
mitted to sentiments, to which, if apprised of them, ,
they would not assent. In the sentiments expressing
an anxious wish for the recovery of his Majesty, he
most fully concurred ; and he could assure the House
that no man more cordially or sincerely agreed in all
the expressions of respect and admirati.n fir the con-
duct of his Royal Highness the rrinceof Walesthan he
did. He agreed in every praise that could be bestowed
on the bra very and discipline of our brave army in Por-
tugalond on the skill and ability of itsneble comma-.
der; but he could not omit taking that opportunity of
protesting against the manner in which his Majesty's
Mini ters had hitherto supported Lord Wellington and
ihG &Wall army in forpel, putt riattlt Wing

... ~'

Mr. WHITBREAD rose to express his mph%
'when he wai called-Os order by Mr. Miturs, who woo
waiting ■t the bar with the Report of the Address.
Mr. WHITBREAD gave way; when the ques.
tion, that the Report be now received, was put am'
agreed to.
Mr. WHITBREAD was very sorry to be obliged
to detain the Hon. Gentleman who was to bring
up the Report, in a situation which appeared to be sa
very. irksome to him. He, however, felt it to be I.'s
indispensible duty to make some observations upon the
speech itself, upon the address proposed, and also
upon the speeches 'of the mover and seconder. Before
he commenced his own observations, however, he

felt it necessary to state, that he agreed most fully it
every thing which had last night fallturfrom his Right
Hon. Friend upon this subject. Most completely did
he concur with the affection expressed in the address
both to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, and
to his Majesty, for the speedy and perfect re-establish.
ment of whose health be, in common with the cowl,
try, most sincerely prayed. There were both in the
speech and in the address numerous omissions, at
which he could not help expressing much surprise,
and which he could not pass by without noticing. At
a time like this, when so many rumours were afloat..
when so many untoward circumstances had actually
come within their knowledge—it was a surprising and
unaccountable event, that no mention whatever had

been made of Ireland,except a passing observation tit
the deficiencies of her revenue. (Hear, hear.) After
even noticing this deficiency, the conclusion which
was drawn of the comparative prosperity of the
finances of the country was curious in the extreme
I: was, however, yet to be accounted for. With re.
spect to America, he was glad to find, that after so
many blunders, so many disagreements, and such
gross impolicy, we were at length to pursue the right
line, and aim.at conciliation. There was an omiui in in

the speech, at which he confessed himself grieved :
he was grieved to see that no hope was expressed
that our efforts would at length tend to the deli.
rable object of a sate and honourable peace. Oat
this point, both the Speech and the Address were si-
lent ; and if he were to augur any thing from the
Speech of the Hon. Mover of the Address, it wauld
be, that we were to be engaged in a lasting, obstinate,
interminable, annihilating warfare. As to the state
of our affairs in Portugal, he must now most solemnly
guard himself against the imputation which might
hereafter be made, of his having given any approha.
tion either of the plan or execution of the campate
He was quite ignorant upon the subject; and he be-
lieved that whatever praises might be given to the
skill and valour of the Noble Lord who conducted it,
no man would say that his dispatches contained any
thing like an intelligible history of his progr ss. All
he knew on the subject was, that with the largest army
we had ever sent into Europe, we undertook the de-
fence of Portugal ; that, after advancing into the
country, we had patiently and inoffensively witnessed
the fall of two towns ; that, on the approach of the
enemy we had retreated; that after gaining tee
battle of Busaco, we had lost Coimbra; that wq
had ta.ked of o tr confining the French to their en.
trenchments, and yet were ourselves kept in check.
From this knowledge only, uatil it was increased by
more, he must let leave declining to give any
approbation of the campaign. When he recollected
that this country lial tried= every effort to send
rout reinforcement, ; when he reflected that an im.
portant victory ought to hart been expected, a. well
from the magnitude of our army as twin the hopes
held out by its C mma-der ; when he had heard
twin sta., silents here, that Lord Wehington in his
retreat was consuming and devastating the country
through which he passed, so as to ensure the destruc-
tion by famine of every Frenchman wtio should es•
cape the sword ; and when he saw that they had
advanced with every supply and every confidence,
he certainly must suspend his approbation. It was
some time since Lot-8 Wellington had said, that the
French army possessed in Portugal only the ground
whiCh their army occupied; but now it remained to be
seen, what portion of the country eras in the posses.
sion of Lord Wellington himself. He did not mean
to say that all this might not be retrieved by a bra.
Lant victory; but until that was achieved—until he
had documents explaining and describing all which
had taken place before, he should cautiously abstain
from passing his judgment. Even, indeed, should
that brilliant victory be attained, he could see but
faint.hopes of the rescue of the Peninsula. Why did
he say this ? Belause, when the most imp _runt diver.
sions had been made for Spain, Spainherself shee ed no
disposition to avail herself of them—no desire to re-
trieve her endangered fortunes. He had only to instance
two circumstances, as a proof of this assertion. Thefirit
was, when the French Emperor himself had advanced
into their country, and when his march was impeded
and his progress arres'ed by the impolicy of one of
his own Generals, whose life was afterwards the for
felt of that impolicy, the Spaniards were then inert
and inactive. The second opportunity was given
thiem by their enemy himself; who engaged in another
,war with Austria—a war, in which such hopes had
arisen, and were disappointed ; a war, in which by
drawing off his troops, homed; a voluntary diversion
in favour of Spain ; -yet Spain took no advantage;
she did nothing ! Even now, when the whole French
t force was engaged by us, and when we were given to
understand such animosity prevailed against them in
the country, what was Spain doing ? When he con-
sidered these things ; when he considered, also, what
a waste of life and treasure we had fruitlessly made
-in her cause; he confessed, that he was very far from
being sanguine in his expectations of the result. (Heare
Harr, Hear.) • There was, also, another most surpris-
ing omission in the speech ; an omission which ..irl,
indeed, been attempted to be supplied by the proposer
of the address ; he meant, with respect to the snua.
tion of the Northern Powers of Europe.—[Here a
noise, proceeding from the part of the House MI6.
Mr. Manes sat, interrupted Mr. W;litiread.3—He
I was sorry to keep toe Honourable Gentleman in so
disagreeable a situation; but, though he did not think
thatpr o proper t
so .
ogi ilivde himno t
shpis e.ako w
son al
ot toend t iaosn he had
to,
interrupt
o eg
that
of others. When mention had been made about the
prewm.se,inntostre ritr
.parretf.othf
tehethNroonfethowf
hPicehtefrosreceibrglyleottxherrue.
ded itself on his recolltcticn. It should not be -tor-
*nen, that even duril g the campaign in Portugal,
General of France had silently slid into the friend-
', allied, subsidized Throne of Sweden--(kara kw*
P)
i--4114 Swgdea bad now seat her Est Mir

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