Star.
London, England, 1803-03-26 00:00:00

DUTCH MAIL.

La VD,* MA c R 22.—The formidable prepare•
Lions making in England appear more and more to
awaken the folicitude of the French Government,
and difpofitions are already, made, at all events, as
if war were inevitable. It could hardly have been
hoped, under the prefent circumftences, that the
two Belligerent Powers would tolerate the neutra-
lity of the Batavian Republic : but if there were
the (mallet} grounds for uncertainty on that head,
all hopes of the kind are now totally vanithed. We
learn that France has demanded of the Batavian
Government, that the neceffary preparations for
the maintenance of a confiderable corps of French
troops (hall immediately be made, which troops
are raid to be alreVy on their march for our fron-
tiers. Though this ineafuret be only precautionary,
it proves how much the French Government,
notwithilanding the filence obfervedby its journals,
attaches importance to what paffes in England.—
It was not poffible to imagine that the Fitts:
Consul., after the high degree of glory and power
which he had acquired, would ever yield to me.
naces. It appears that the French Army dellined
to cover Holland in cafe of invafion, and, no
doubt, alfo to make part of a general expedition
againft England, will be diftributed in the princi-
pal towns of Holland. It is not yet known where
the head-quarters will be fixed. It is laid that
General DUROC haslet out for Berlin, to require
of that Court the Moll prompt meafures wjth re-
fpea to the Eleaorate of Hanover. Thus on
every fide femi hoftile preparations do not even
await the declaration of war, and, without the
intervention of a tutelary genius, it feems that the
friends of humanity will in a few days have again
to lament its fate.

•General Cams BERTHIII, brother of the Mi-
nifler for War at Paris, and who had arrived in
Holland in quality of Chief of the Staff to the
Expedition to Louiflana, on Wednefday quitted
the Hague, on another deftination. He is gone
to Helvoetiluys to embark for Dunkirk, whence
he will go to Tobago, with the character of Cap-
tain General of that Wand. It appears, likewife,
that the departure of the troops at the head of
which General VICTOR is to take poffeflon of
Louifiana, will behallened.

ROTTIRDAM, MARC 22. A letters from Paris,
of the 16th init. Rates—" Within thefe few days,
orders hare been difpatched to all our fea.ports, to
haflen the equipments with all poflible zeal; and
thefe orders are not alone confined to Ships of the
Line, Frigates, and other veifels of War, but ex-
tend to the getting in readinefs of a confiderable
number of gun-floops and flat-bottomed boats :
the latter are chiefly fitted out at Cherburg and
Boulogne. The prefling of mariners and others
ufed to the lea, will be vigoroufly carried into ef-
fed. From the interior, 50,000 men will be drafted
to march to the fea emits ; and this number, ad.
ded to that already there, will form an army of
tzo,ooo men. There military operations, and
othei circum (lances, give caufe of apprehinfion,
that the Peace with England is on the point of
being broken, and which may turn out not a little
difalirous for both Nations.

" The Mininer of the Marine received intelli•
Bence on the s 3th, that the Englilh Fleet in the
Mediterranean has been lately reinforced by feve-
ral (hips from England and Gibraltar, which lately
pared the Streights. This is confidered as a new
proof, that the Englitb do not intend to evacuate
Malta.

46 Lord WHITwoRrw holds continual confercn-
ces with the Militia. for Foieign Affairs : and fe-
veral Notes of importance have been exchanged as
well at London as Paris.

The t 2th, an Officer of the Confular Guard
fet off from hence, as Courier, for Peterfburgh,
charged, it is raid, with important difpatches for
General HLDOVVILLI, our Ambaffador at the
Ruffian Court.

" There is a report now in circulation, that JO-
SEPH BONAPARTE, brother of the Firft Conful, is
fhortly to ict off for London, charged with a mir
lion of the higheft importance. But it is merely a
report."

.A letter from Brittle's, dated March t 6, fat's,
" Cidlen DOL7LCET PONTECOULANT, Prefea of
the department of the Dyle, is expelled here on
his return from Paris, in a few days. He has
already fent from the capital the necelfary orders
for the removal of the Officers from the Hotel de
la Prefecture, and to prepare that Hotel for the
relidettee of the Fussy CONSUL, on his arrival in
this country, which may be expeeed in the begin-
ning of :Urea' (before the end of Aptil).—
Madame Bo will accompany her huf-
band, and both will have a numerous and fplendid
retinue.

4, A detachment of the Conciliar Guard will pre-
cede the Firfi hiagiaratr lime days. The Horre-
Guard of Honour, formed by the youth of Bru&ls,
and commanded by the late Prince de Liceit, will
receive the Fiasr CON 3VL on the Frontiers of the
D:partmcr.z. Tie Entertaitunents which will be
given in tlAis fait/, may be expelled to do equal
honour •r, :-.41 and tafle of ot.r hfagillracy.—
Th.: t Fr II r Cowlvt. in ei .devart
, u;.l ;I'pc • ire be dirtinplofhed by the ar-
r. m liar,..ri Ng/ of fevcral tiourand men in
the t.ivac.. • ;• .Ity. Gen. P. tuaan, CM*
rondan! . :i • parte:sew, has already received
snitiudigi t. pops which are to compote
this Arai put ilicraclves in motion without
Jelly."

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, MARCH 2S.

Counfel were further heard relative to the S:otch Appeal,
Craufurd v. Coitus, viz. Mr. CLARKE at confiderable length
as kr.ond Counfel for the Refpondent ; after which,their Lord-
!hips adjourned the farther conlideration of the Cafe till
Monday.
The Royal Agent was given by Contmifkon to the frilh
Poftage Rates Bill, to the Expiring Laws Bill, and wro private
Bills.

The Lords ComutiMoners were, the LORD CHANCRLLORt
Lords ELL! NIIOIIOIIOII, and ALVA NI CY.
Lord Ears° r, and the Bdhop of ST. Davues were (worn
and took their fears.

The various Bills before the Houle were forwarded in their
feveral Rages.
Two private Mils were brought 'tip from the Commons
by Mr. Pt INT and Sir E. MIRTOPPi and read a Brit
time.

.....
The Order for the Committee on the frills Chalking Bill,
after a few words from Lords ELLA M.1101)011 and A LVA N-
eer, was indponed till the deft Tuefday after the Ealter Re-
cefs.

Sundry Accounts refpedting She Revenue, diredled to be laid
annually before Parliament, were prefented by the proper Of-
beer from the Treafury, and ordered toile on the Table.
The Order for the fecund Reading of the Info'vent Debtors'
Bill was poßponed till Thurfday.
XING'S 146SSAGIL _

Lord Pauli's' prefented a Merage from the
Kama of the following purport:
. GEORGE R.
" Hh Majefty thinks proper to acquaint the Honfe of Lords,
that having taken into confideratioo the ereincot Cervices per-
formed ern various oceafions by Rear Admiral Sir James Sou-
mares. Knight of the Bath, and particularly the Valour.
promptitude, and abilities difphyed by him in attacking and
defeating a French and Spanills Beet of fepaior forts. in the
Streights of Gibraltar, on the nth of July. ziox, His Maier.
ty recommends it to the Houle of Lords to canna-in enabling
him to make irovifion for an apnuity of noel. to be fctded on
the laid Sir James Saurnshs, Knight of the Bath, for the pe-
riod of his natural life."

The Meffage being read kr the _Loan Cnais-
CELLOR,

Lord PELHAM moved, that the fame be taken
into confideration on Monday next, which was or-
dered accordingly.
Some Routine tstifinefs was then difpoied of, after which
their Lon:Mips adjourned till Monday

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The Sr e A ire ',attended ►y fame of the Member+, proceeded,
loon Ater they had commenced fitting, to the Upper Houle, in
confequence of a Melfage lent down for that pupae.
On his return. the S informed the Houk that he bad
beard the Royal Affent given by Cosunsifilon to the !rill Pottage.
the Newfoundland judicature. and a great number of Private
Bills.
The Honourable Charles Grey, Member for the county of
Northumberland, too► the oaths and his feat in the Haas.

Mr. M'Do w.ter. moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the
eftsbliihment of a Theatre in the town of Glafgow.--Gratsed.
A Repart was been& up front the EaR Griaftead Commit-
tee, natio, the *Vence of a material witnefs, in confetti:lmm of
ill-health, and praying leave to adjourn, that they might avail
thetnfelvea of the benefit of his teftimaty, and thereby be the
better enabled to decide upon the merits of Meade before them
On motion being nude, that the laid Camndttee have pJerer
to adjourn till Thuriday nest,
Mr. Snauta hid, he thought it his duty to acquaint the
Houle. that according to his recolleCtion there was bet one
in-
Rance where a Committee had adjourned under eireumßances

fimilar to the pretent, and then tick adjournment was only to
the Monday tolloorbis.
After Sand obfervations from different Members, Sewing
on one hand the argent nudity of this witnetis attendance,
and the linpollibility afiais appearing before the_Carimittee
his prefect tate of health ; and on the other the great ineorre-
dense to which Conunittees would be liable, were this to be
mord psierally admitted as- a precedent, the' Hon. Member
amended his motion, snaking the time of adjournment Rand for
“ Monday next"—Ordered.
The Petittoo of J. Trotter, who had been funnioned as a
wieners on the Dunfermline Committee, wu patented by Lord
Fulton. The Petition expreffed, as titual in loch cafes, thee:-
trate contrition of the Petitioner for his haling fo juftly in-
curred the Sfpleafure of that Haute.
The Noble Lord then moved that James Trotter be on Mon-
day neat brought up to the Bar of that Houk, and difchargcd.
Upon this a c,onverfatUn of confiderable length fuceeeded,
which turned upon a point of form by which the Haute might.
with the gifted; propriety, regolate their proceedings fit this
cafe. We Sall only therefore take up the attention of our
Readers with the general fuhftance of the arguments urged by
the different Honourable Members.

Mr Tr natal, that the cafe of a man totally Wild-
ing Isinifelf from appearing as tritons before any Tribunal, ap-
persed. to him more dangertius than that of a perfect who was
guilty of prevarication and perjury; becaufe, though perjury
might juftly be laid to be more criminal, as being a breath of
moral duty, and tending alto in tome meafure to detest the
ends of Janice, yet there was fornethiug In the nature of that
offence, that it could not in general conceal Kee from the de-
moment of dude who prdaded in that Tribunal; whereas the
man who totilly avoided giving his tearaway more effeditially
defeated the purports foe which that Tribunal was Going. The
Honourable Member then obferved, that he bad the authority
of Sir John Henderfon for laying that, had this man attended
as he ibould have done, and given his fair tettienony before the
Committee, their decifion would, 'soft probably, have taken a
very different turn ; not that he meant to fay that it would by
any means eat his own return, but that it might have given a
' different turn to the decUlon of the Committee in another refpett.
The Honourable Gentleman then moved, that the original mo-
tion be amended, by leaving out the word " ilifcharged."
Almon immediately after Mr.rserney robe again and Stated,
that he thought it but justice to give notice, that be meant, on
Monday next, to move, that James Trotter be imp:duned fix
months,
The S thought it mon &dyeable to order the paps=
to the Bar, and bear his defence; then, if his defence did not
appear funiedeot, it might be competent to any Hooourable
Member to move that he be fact to Ncwgate. Mr. Speaker
further oblerved, that, if he had been aware of this dikulkon,
be would have come more fufSciintly prepared to (pent as to
the mat parliamentary mode of proceeding.
The ATTORNZT Ott: tRAL then fuggelted that It wou'd be
better to adjourn the &fruition till another day, when Gentle-
men might in general be better enabled to 101D1 an aphasia on
the cafe.

The SPEARTI then referred to the cafe of Thomas Spence
and John Becket, who were fammoned to attend before a
Committee of the whole Houfe on a Bill foe diafrauchiGng cer-
tain pedant therein named. The witneffes did not attend; and
the Hook went fo far as to addrefs His Majefty, praying him
to iltue bis Royal Proclamation for their appreLention. They
afterwards did furrender ; they were beard at the Ear, and or-
dered to withdraw ; it then appearing that one of them had
abfented hinifelf to avoldbeing ferved, he was ordered
to Newgate. He believed there was only the one initanee,
_ .

Mr. NIT referred to the Juumais of the Houle foe a
cafe refpeding the place which be laid he bad the honour to
reprcfrntt, It appeared that Alexander Morrice Lad been font-
mused to attend before the Southwark Ekdtion Committee on
the 4th November, t 7,6 ; be did not attend at the dyne, two
did be appear until the Committee had hoard their &Meri-
den be was brought to the Bar, remanded, and brought to
the Bar at &amber period. This cafe did not end in dir..Cl pu-
niaiment, but the Hoooutable Member Laid it jaded the
mode of proceeding.
Sus.aioati raid, that be thought the man lbotild at an
events be heard it might come out that it wat itnpofible he
could attend. No man geoid,' be reckoned as cuneuttc.l until
be had been beard.

It wn then ordered thatlatnes Trotter mould be brought to
the Bar of that Houle on Monday nett.
Mr. I. H. Beowrr prefented the Petition of Stephen Brooks,
another priforier, ander eircumileoces neatly Braun. The Ho-
nourable Member then moved that he be burgh' co the Bar
is Mosey dikhalgt.4.—Ordered.