Star.
London, England, 1810-03-17 00:00:00

DUTCH PAPERS.

PARIS, MARCH 8.
+he Minister at War has received a report from
the Marshal Duke of Castiglione, dated Gerona, 23d
February, whereby it appears, that on the 20th a bat-
tle was fought in the plain of Vich, where our troops,
commanded by General Souham, were attacked by
the Spanish Catalonian army, under the orders of its
newly-appointed chief, General O'Donnell. The In-
surgents made their attack with great fury, but were
repulsed at all points, in which General Souiram was
badly, but not mortally wounded in the head ; that
the enemy lost 6,300 men in killed and wounded, fled
with the utmost prec ipi tation, and retreated to the walls
of Tarragona. O'Donnell's intention was to destroy
the division of General Souham, to blockade Ostalric,
and to intercept the communicatirn of our troops
with France. Our loss amounted in the whole to
1.50 killed, and 227 wounded, among whom are seven
Officers.

VIENNA, FEBRUARY C 4.
On the 2d of next month, the solemn entry of his
Imperial Highness the Prince of Neufchatel, as Mini-
ster Plenipotentiary of the Emperor Napoleon, is to
take place. On the following day the mrptial cere-
mony is to take place.
On the 4th of March the Archduchess is to re-
nni ince, for herself and her issue, all tight of succession
with Yogard to an: part of the Austrian dominion*.
On the Bth, the Empress Mai is Louisa is to take
her departure. The Nobility are to assemble a short
time before her departure. Twelve Ladies of the
Court, four Lords of the Bedchamber, four pages,
and the Prince and Princess of Trautmansdorf, are to
attend her Majesty as far as Brannan.
His Majesty the Emperor of the French has sent
part of his guards to Brannau, with several Ladies of
Honour, Lords of the Bedchamber, and high Officers,
to receive his Serene Consort in a manner worthy of
her Imperial Majesty. The Countess of Lazansky,
hi:l,erto first Lady of Honour to her Majesty, is alone
fn -.,tend her to Paris, under the title of Lady of her
Palace.

PARLIAMEN7IIRr PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 16.

Counsel were heard in the Appeal Masterton v. Micklejohn.
A further hearing on Monday nest.
The Mast Importatinn Bill, the Sugar Bounty Bill, and some
'Miter Bills were brought up from the Commons, by Mr. Lush-
ington and other Members, and read a first time.
In the appeal Spence Auchie and others, on the motion of
the I.9itta Cnasest.tos, the judgment was reversed, with a
special finding, and the Cause remitted back to the Court of
&Mon.

Lord HARDWYCKE moved fir further papers respecting the
price of corn and grain.—Ordered.

FOREIGN TROOPS.
Lord KING, pursuant to the notice which he gave
yesterday, rose to move for a return of the number
of foreign troops now in the pay of Great Britain,—
The
introduction of foreign troops into•this country '
had of late years principally taken place during the
present and the late war. They were introduced un-
der a variety of pretexts. Some were supposed to be
only on their passage to another destination, but once
having set foot no British ground, they continued to
remain here. From the estimates now before the
other House of Parliament, it appeared that their
number had considerably increased, and that nearly
a million of money was proposed to be voted for their
maintainance. This was a material addition to the
burdens under which the country had already togroan.
Indeed the introduction of foreign troops was a grow-
ing and already a great evil. In better tithes it was,
and still ought to he, considered a most unconstitu-
tional measure. Vie could not better express himself
on this point, than by adopting the language of an
Address to the King, by a Speaker of the House of
Commons (Sir F. Norton). The introduction of to-
reiga troops was considered by him as highly uncon-
stitutional, and wholly unknown in the better periods
of our history. Not only was it unconstitutional, but
it was extremely injudicious and prejudicial to the
claims and merits of British troops. It should there-
fore, in his opinion, be resisted in //ming as an encroach.
ment on the rights and liberties of Englishmen, and
as such he shOuld feel it his duty to submit a motion
to their Lordships on that head. Could it be reflect-
cd on without feelings of pain and mortification that
foreign mercenaries should have a preference over our
own countrymen ? Yet such was the case with re.: I,
spect to these foreign levies. Their services were on
much less extensive scale than that of British troops.
They enlisted under certain conditions as to the coup-'
tries where they were to serve, and notwithstanding
this limitation of the extent. of their services, they re-
ceived equ tl pay and were ()vas full an establishment
as British troops. Was not that a circumstance ex-
tremely mortifying to the feelings of British soldiers ?
But the matter involved considerations of a more se-
rious moment. Bonaparte, the mortal enemy of this
country, was now master of the countries to which
most of these troops belonged. Would they transfer
their affection and allegiance from their native soil toJ
a Sovereign who was at war with their native country?
Would they absorb and lose all their early and na-
tural affections to a cold sense of duty ? Where would
they be employed ? What place of importance would
you entrust to their hands ? Sorry, indeed, should he I
be to see Ireland, for example, or Gibraltar, or any
of our valuable possessirms, placed under their pro-
tection. Look to the time of King William, And see
what the country thought, and how it felt with respect
to his Dutch Guards. The thing should not be over-
looked. The evil should be checked in &tine before
we might have to lament its consequence. It should
not be forgotten what effects were produced on the
Roman ATIlli:!0, by the iintoduction of a foreign rab-
ble into their ranks by Matins. Ile thought the pre-
cedent should be earnestly deprecated, and if his pre-
sent motion was acceded to, he should ground upon

it others that would have for their object to discoun-
tenance such a practice. It was a gross violation of
the Constitution ; and it moreover was :tn injury and
an insult to the feelings and the interests of British
t lop. The Noble Lord concluded by moving for a
return of the number of Foreign troops in British pay,
and of the district•. where they were employed.
The Earl rf LIVERPOOL said he had no objec-
tirn to granting the infortnatipn moved for by the
N•tble Lord ; and as he had no objection to the Noble
Lord's motion, he thought it unnecessary to make
any observation on the arguments that had been offer-
ea in its support.