Star.
London, England, 1810-03-20 00:00:00

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HOUSE OP LORbS, MARCH 19.
Counsel was again heard in the Appeat,Masteetes v. Metkli-
John. A further hearing on Wednesday next.
' THE ARMY.
Lord DARNLEY gave notice, that on Thursday nest he
should submit a motion to their Lordships, respectius the num-
ber of Regular Troops, Cavalry, and Infantry' sent out froze this
country sice the mouth of September last.
THE NAVY.
Lord MELVILLE moved for a number of papers
which he expected. would throw light on, and ascer-
tain he present state of every thing connected with
the Navy, and afford grounds for tnany improve-
ments in that most important branch of the national
defence. His first motion was for., return of the
-number of dock-yards in the' kingdom, the monloer
of docks each contained, the number of ships each
dock contained, distinguishing how many there were
of the first class, and the different rates of the inferior
ships.
The Noble Viscount. next moved for an account of
the number of slips in each dock, distinguishing for
I what classesand rates of ships they were designed..
His Lordship, after several other motions to the
same effect, moved for an account of the number of
artificers employed in each dock-yard, distinguishing
the number of those who'-were employed on new
work. ,
The Duke of NORFOLK did not conceive it to
be very proper to produce such minute information
teepecting the state of the Navy. He thought it ra-
ther unusual to move for such a number of docu-
itents, without apy statement of the motives and the
beets for which they were moved. Besides, he did not
nsider it as very prudent to hay before the world a
t circumstantial detail :bf the stare of the-Navy, and he
livas rather surprised that the Noble lad at the head
K the Admiralty had made nu objection to the pro-
duction of them.
i Lord MULGRAVE confessed-that be was igno-
rant of the motives and ends wirch induced the
Noble Viscount to move for such detailed informa-
tion—He had consulted with himself if such a thing
was unusual, and found there was a precedent for it
ia 1805 or 1806, when a Noble Lord (Darnley)
moved for nearly as many documents respecting the
state of the Navy, preparatory to a motion with re-
gard to the necessity of building ships of war in the
merchants yards. Having that precedent in his eye,
and being desirous to afford the Noble Visepunt every
information in his power, and trusting to the discre-
tion with which he was sure the Noble Viscount
would use it, that he felt a reluctance to make any
opposition to the motions of the Noble Viscount.
The Duke of NORFOLK and Lord MELVILLE
mutually explained.
Lord GREY did net imagine there could be any
danger in acceding to the motions of the Noble Vis-
count. Such motions evinced a vigilant anxiety on
the part of that House respecting every thing con-
nected with such an essential part of our establish.
ments as the Navy, nor could the production of such
accounts be dangerous as conveying improper infor-
mation to the enemy. The enemy might have the
same information through other channels. Neither
-was it necessary to be guided by any precedent in the
production of such information. A case might arise
where there was no precedent for the prucluction of
Certain information which might still be of a nature
the most urgently to require the minutest informa-
tion, and in itself to justify the production of it. The
Noble Viscount had made many motions, the object
of which seemed to be to ascertain the state of the
dock-yards, and to shew that ships in ordinary might
be prepared and usefully employed as transports for
.troops ; but there were some of -his motions, that, for
example, for the number of artificers employed in the
docks, which did not appear to him to have any bear-
ing whatever in the professed object of the Noble
Viscount's motions.
Lord MELVILLE had no difficulty in avowing
the object of his motion. It was to shew, that at a
time when we were so much at a loss fur transports
to convey troops, hnd incurring such heavy expence
in procuring them, we might avail ourselves of the
ships laid up in ordinary, which would answer the
purpose much more effectually, and at a much smaller
expence. The Noble Earl would see the connection
Of his object with his last motion, respecting the num-
ber of artificers; for by ascertaining the number of
artificers who were employed on new work, he would
'ascertain, at the same vole, the number of hands that '
might be employed in repairing and fitting out the
ships in ordinary to serve as transports, for he would '
contend that there was at present no necessity for
building new ships, and that, consequently, all the
hands now employed on new work might be turned
over to the repairing the ships in ordinary to serve for
transports. As to the danger of conveying such in-
fOrmatien to the enemy, the objections of the Noble
Duke might be well founded, if the object of his mo-
tions had been to publish details respecting the state
of the fortifications of our different dock-yards and
naval depots.
_... .
Lord DARNLEY did not think there was any
similarity between the object of the niotion he had
formerly submitted to the House on a naval subject
and the nature of the information now moved for.—
His object was to'.prove there was no necessity for
building ships of war in the merchants' docks, and
that the Noble Viscount had-caused ships to be built
there at an enormous expence.

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Lord MELVILLE. and Earl GREY had soma
further conversation respecting the object of the dif-
ferent motions Rod the connection of the accounts-
moved for, with the precise nature of their professed
obj?ct, after which the question was put co the dif-
ferent motions, which were agreed to.
dj n.d.
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