Star.
London, England, 1810-02-27 00:00:00

QUARTER-MASTERS...

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.
Stu—Through the mcditica of your paper, I
leave to state the situation of a certain claw of 0 ffi
in his-Majesty's service, the . circumstances of wide
owe candid representation, am .induced to ho
Government will take inta consideration ; I aiincle
the Quarter-Masters of the Army. All Officers (
cepting them) are either promoted or receive adv 4
ced pay after serving a certain number of years. A
Ensign may look forward to a Company: in the cou
of eight or ten years. Surgeons in like. manner
ceive advanced pay according Et the length of t
services. Adjutants are atone appointed with Si.
each per day, besides rank for promotion. Lieu
nants of seven years standieu receive an additiona
shilling per day. And in Hilt manner all Officers it
the Line (excepting Quarter-Masters) have channel
through which, either by length-of their services o
otherwise, they can obtain promotion, and many othe
considerable advantages. In short Quarter-Mast
are the only Oificers without any prospect of fute
advancement in the Army, or reaping any benefit
from their long services. lam induced to think tha
Quarter-Maqers being thus situated has been an ove
sight, as they were lately allowed to. hold a secon
commission, and were promoted as vacancies recur
red. A Quarter-Master, under the present circum
stances, may pass SO or 40 years in the Army, an
when rendered it:capable of serving, is under the re
.cessity of retiring on half-pa e, which dues not cxcee
'the pension lic.w granted to, Syrjeants, after serving 21
years. It ii therefore h,,ped that Government will
11e induced ten adopt snot scion/nay lead to imr—
Oilak.er-Mastees' situadoes,,pTibm

Alt 0;t.D.;01.1312C.

I

THE INQUIRY.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

ELEVENTH DAY-FEBRUARY U.

Lieutenant-General the Right Honourable the Earl of
CHATHAM called in, and examined by Me Conunitte.e.
At what time was it first proposed to your Lordship to take
the command of the Army destined for the Scheldt ?—1 do not
recollect the exact time ; I.believe in the beginning of June.
By whom was that proposition first made to your Lordship I—
lly the Secretary of State for the War department.
' Will your Lord,hip state what plan was given to your Lord-
ship at that time, or was suggested relative to the operations
intended to be entrusted to your Lordship's command ?—There
was no particular plan stated to me.
It is stated in your Lordship's Narrative that a change had
taken place in the origiral plan, in consequence of the military
opinions; will your Lorelship state what was the original plan ?
The original plan alluded to will be shewn to the House by read-
ing the opinion of Sir David Dundas and the other General
Offiters, which was taken upon that plan; that was, the idea of
handing at Ostend, and proceeding front thence to Antwerp.
Had that plan met with your Lordship's approbation I—lt was
not particularly submitted for my approbation.
Befoie your Lordship 'sailed, will your Lordship have the
goodness to state what was the plan of operations you intended
to be adopted ?--I conceive that the plan intended to be adopted
is described very much in the Instructions; certainly. I had many
communications upon the subject with his Majesty's Minister* as
to the details. The plan seems
.to be described in the Instruc-
tions.
Will your Lordship have the goodness to state what was.the
result of the communications which you had upon the subject of II
the detail of operations with his Majesty's Ministers ? a
i (The Chairman informed the Earl of Chatham, that it was not
necessary fur his Lordship to answer any question which he might
be of opinion might tend to inculpate or criminate himself, either
as one of his Majesty's confidential advisers, or as Commander in
Chief of the late Expedition to the Scheldt.] •
Will your I.ordship hare die goodness to state what was the
result of the communications which you had upon the subject of
the detail of operations with his Majesty's Ministers?-1 really
do not quite understand that question.
What were the verbakinstructions under which your Lordship
acted ?—! did not act under any verbal instructions; there were
arany explanatory of the other instructions of the general plan ;
the communications I had with the Secretary of State were on
the Wait ct of carrying into effect the object of the iustruetioes.
Had your Lordship any written instructions as to the mode in
which 1 he oh;ects of the Expedition were proposed to be accom-
plished ?—I had no oilier instructions than those which are be-
fore the House; of course I mean the instructions to myself un-
der Coe sign manual, and those to the Admiral, which were also
eummunicatei to me. "
Will your Lordship have the goodness to rate what was the
substance of the verbal explanations, by which you understood
how you were tp carry your own instructions into effect !--1 do
not very well know bow to answer that; they were rather corn-
_ names probably, on the instructions and conversations upon the
rnarner o#carryiug them into effect.
The instructions under the Sigu Manual appear merely to state
what were the objects of the Expedition, I wish to know by what
plan it was expected those objects were to be attained; can your
I.ordiehlp state the substance of any instructions, written or ver-
bal, by which you were put in possession of the intentions of
His Majesty's Ministers upon that subject?--f think the Naval
instructions, in a treat measure, put me into possession of the
general plan.
Win your Lordship state, by what mode of operations it was
intended to get possession of Or destroy the Enemy's fleet, and
the arsenals at Antwerp ?—I conceive that was intended to be
done, by landing such part of the Army as was net engaged in
the siege of Flushing, oral employed in the reduction of Wad-
ebezen, as soon ss possible at Saito/lien and to proceed against
Antwerp according to circumstances, which could not be dis-
tinctly known until our arrival there, but must depend upon
Intelligence as circurastauzes arose.
Did your Lordship understand, that to carry that plan Into
effect, it was intended to obtain possession of tee town and cita-
del of Antwerp ?.--Not absolutely; it might have been attained
possibly without obtaining possession of Antwerp and the citadel;
but peohably could not be attained without obtaining possession of
one of them, certainly.
• At what time was it your Lordship formed the opinion which
YOU afterwards expressed, that those objects could not be accom-
plished without taking possesalon of the citadel as well as the
town of Antwerp I—l am net perfectly sure that I stated such
an oainion; I suppose that it is meant by that, as part of the
plan; I did not conceive It was necessary as part of the original
plan, that we should gain possession both of the citadel and the
totem of Antwerp, for the purpose of carrying the objects into
effect ; certainly; at a late period, 1 knew it was perfectly impos-
sible without the possession of both, to have done any thing; I
understand the question to be pointed to the plan, whether it
was the original plan.
Will your Lordship have the goodness to state at what time it
was you were convinced that the possession of both would be
necessary for the accomplishment of those objects I —I cannot ex-
scaly say when I first formed that opinion, but 1 certainly enter-
tait.t.tl ihat opinion at the time that the armament was a :se mbled
at ; .a. Er,
'1 he Committee is to understand that was not the opinion
which had been entertained by His Majesty's Government, when
the armament sailed from this country /—I do not know that such
an opinion was entertained; I believe not. .
Was nut your Lordship made completely acquainted with what
were the opinions and the intentions of his Majesty's Govern-
ment, before you sailed from this couutry 1-1 certainly con-
ceived I was.
Thee your Lordship conceived that at that time, it was not
conceived necessary that you should ob:a:n possession of the cita-
del of Ant werp !—I have hot stated that ; I stated merely that it
was not conceived, as I understood, necessary by his Majesty's
Government, that in order to accomplish the purpose of the de-
strectien of the trench sleet, the British army shoidd be iu pos-
session both of the citadel and the town t,f Antwerp.
Was it at that time conceived that if your Lordship obtained
possession of the town without the citadel, you would be able to
destroy the fleet and the arsenal of Antwerp ?—That must have
depended entirely on the situation of the fleet and of the arsenals
at Antwerp.
Is the Committee to understand that your Lordship was sent
to attack the arsenals and docks at Antwerp, without being ap-
prised of what was their situation ?—I was not distinctly apprised
of the situation of ttirdocks, nor do I know that there were any
docks at Antwerp ; there are it great many ships building, but I
always understood they were building upon slips and not in docks.
Is the Committee to understand that your Lordship was seat.
to onset the arsenals and slips at Antwerp without being ap-
atriseei what was their situation ?—I did not exactly know, nor
, do I apprehend it was very material to the purpose of the expedi-
tion, in what part oftbe town they were, unless they were under
protection of the guns of the citadel.
What circumstances, that afterwards came Mahe knowledge of
your Lordship, induced you to form the opinion that the posses-
-1 sion of the citadel would be necessary for the accomplishment of
those objects I—l bad rather reason to believe, but I never knew
ii
It with perfect certainty, that the principal naval establishMents
were upon the new ground between the town and the citadel ;
%ut what I particularly alluded to in treating the possession of the
citadel as necessary at the latter part of the time I was there was,
that the whole of the French fleet had retired as high as the cita-
del, and were under the protection of the guns, and that many of
them had pasted beyond the citadel.
Did your Lordship know before you left England whether the
prsenal was completely commanded by the guns of the cita-
dell—l believe I have said, I bad no distinct knowledge before I
}eft England where the arsenals were.
lid your Lordship afterwards understand that they were com-
pletely commanded by the guns of the citadel ?—l'bad different
accounts; some intelligence stated, that many of the ships build-
ing were in that situation; otters, that they were in the lower
part of the town ; I do not think that 1 had any very correct in-
telligerce upon that subject.
Will your Lordship have the goodness to state, whether, at
any time, any plan was concerted for the attack on Antwerp?—
No plan in detail was ever concerted for the attack on Amway :
ft meg have depended entirely en circumstances after we had
landed upon the Continent.
Previpuely to your Lordship's sailing, were you acquainted
yrith Ole *nation of Antwerp, and the strength of its fortifies-
tioos i.—l had only a general knowledge of it.
i'' What was that general knowledge ?—From having seen several
i tats In tattary betake of fffil, town and citadel of Antwerp ; I

had ne ?artistiar plan put into my bands of its misting state at
that moment.
By what mode was it ir.tsnded to proceed against Antwerp
from SanteHet ?-I'n:.t would have been entirely regnlated by
circumstances; very much by the period at which we arrived
there ; but very much by circumstances of intelligence after our
arrival, of the strength of the enemy, and what knowledge we
should obtain ofthe actual state of the place.
Was there, at any time during your Lordship's operations in
Zealand. any plan devised Tor the attack upon Antwerp? For the
reasons I have already stated there was none ; we never landed
upon the contineut.
When your Lordship sailed, did you understand that the ope-
ration against Antwerp was to be conducted solely by lane, or
was to be a combined military and naval operation ?—1 think
that that must entirely have depodA upon circumstances,
whether it would have been most advantageous to have made the
preliminary sieges of Lilt and Liefkenshoeik, which was neces-
sary in order to admit the full co-operation of the Navy, or whe•
ther it would have been undertaken by the Army, with a partial
co-operation only of the Navy, which they could have atiorded
without the capture of those forts.
Previously to your Lordship's sailing, were you acquain*ed
with the stare of Lill° had no other knowledge distinctly of
the state of Lillo but what the information and the intelligence
already before the House will state; I had no particular informa-
tion upon the subject.
Previously to your Lordship's salting, were you acquabited with
the state of Liefkenshoeik was not.

Was it not afterwards your Lordship's opinion, that the ulte-
rior objects of the expedition could not have been accomplished
without being in possession of Lillo and Lief kenshoeikl—Cer-
tainly it was.
Is the Committee to understand, that.the opinion of your Lord-
ship when the army was assembled at Barba was, that those ul-
terior objects could out have been accomplished without the pos-
session of Lillo and Lief kenshoeik, of the town of Antwerp, and
of the citadel of Antwerp ?—ln a great measure it was ; I am not
perfectly sure, but I believe they could not have been accomplish.
ed without the possession of all. I ought to add, that I believe it
could not wt-11 have been dame without the possession of obe or
two other forts that were between Lillo and Antwerp, particu-
larly Fort Frederick Henn,• and another battery, which, I be-
lieve, was erected before that time.
Vas It your Lordship's opinion, that the possession of the Tete
de Flandre, opposite to Antwerp, would have been necessary to
the accomplishment of those objects ?—Not absolutely; but I
apprehend, that if the town of Autwerp, and the citadel of Ant-
werp had been gut possession of at that time, it could only have
been by a siege, and I apprehend, in order to have performed the
siege sessissfully, we must have been in positssion of both banks
of the river ; that the place must have been completely invested,
and probably we should have hied possession of the Tete de
Flandre ; but if we were in possession of the town and citadel
without that, it was not necessary to have possessed that to ob-
tain possession of the enemy's fleet.
Your Lordship having stated in your dicpatch of the '29th of
August, that Antwerp was found to be in a state of defence very
different from what had been represented before the sailing of the
Expedition, will your Lordship state in what that difference con-
aimed ?—1 understood that the works at Antwerp had been re-
paired, and were in a good state of deteoce; that guns were
znountedtm the ram parul, and that water had been let ire° the ditch.
Will your Lordship have the goodness to state what was the
state in which Antwerp had been reported to be before your
Lordship sailed ?—1 believe that is steed particularly in the in-
telligence which is before the I louse. I have no other informa-
tion as to its state but that information. . .

Will your Lordship have t►e goodness to state what was the
substance of the reports-alhtded to by your Lordship in that dis•
patch, of the state of Antwerp previously to your sailing ?—I un-
derstotal from many quarters it was reported, that the works
were in a very bad state :.that there were no guns mounted on
the ramparts; and that particularly on the lower end of the town
the furthest removed from the citadel, the works were in a very
bad state ; that was the general statement.

Was your Lordbhip isistructed by Government to rely upon the
accuracy of that information conceive that Government re-
lied upon that information 111 all probability in sending the Expe-
dition. Ido not perfectly understand wLat is meant by my being
instructed to rely upon it; of course 1 endeavoured to obtain all
the information-I ctuld when I arrived.

Did your Lordship understand that that was information upon
which you might rely in :Adopting the operatiors that were neces-
sary to accomplish the ulterior objects of the Expedition t--I be-
lieve reliance was placed by his Majesty's Goiernmeat on that
hiformation.

From that information, was you Lordship induced to think that
Antwerp could be taken without the operations of a siege ?—lf
that information had been true to its fullest extent, and if many
other favourable combinations had also taken place at the same
time, it is possible that it might haye been taken witliout a siege.
What favourable combinations does your Lordship allude to?—
I mean particularly the absence of the greatest part of the military
force, as represented; I mean also, if it bad been possible for the
armament to have arrived in as short a time as it had been stated
to be possible at its destination.
NI hat was the time to which your Lordship was taught to be.
li eve that the armament might probably have arrived at Santvliet ?
—As I have stated, with a combination of all favourable circuits-
stances, I had understood it might arrive certainly within forty- I
eight hours after our making the Island of Waleneren.
By making the Island of ‘Valcheren, does your Lordship in-
elude landing and taking possession of any qs the batteries, or I
merely arriving off the Coast of- %Valcheren ?—I should say, ar-
riving off the coast tinder the mast favourable circumstances.
From whom d.d your Lordship derive that opinion ?—I heard
that stated I think by clisl rent Officers in conversing en it, I think
it is in some of the Unites that are submitted to the House; I ra-
ther think it is alluded to ; by the most favourable circumstances
is meant that the wind was perfectly fair, and the weather favour-
able; I conceive also that it is implied under the most favourable
circumstances, that the batteries of Cadsand would have been got
posscsiion of without any difficulty.
Had your Lordship any distinct official communication from
the Admiralty respecting the time at which the Expedition might
hope to arrive at Santvliet ?—I had not.
What was the nature of the distinct official opinion from the
Lords of the Admiralty, the communication of which is men-
tioned
in your Lordship's Narrative ?—1 never saw that opi-
nion but once, but to the hest of my recollection that opinion
went principally to state that there would be no difficulty in an'
armament of that size going up the Scheldt, and that there would
be no diliicuhy In landing the army on either side of the Scheldt;
that I take to be a public paper, which I suppose is before the
House with the other information.
By whom was that opinion communicated to your Lordship ?
—I remember seeing it ; it was communicated to me by the se-
cretary of state.
By which of the Secretaries of State ?..The Secretary of State
for the War Department.
By whom was that opinion signed ?---.lt was signed, I think, by
the three Naval Lords of the Admiralty.

The signature of the First Lord of the Admit.:-.icy then was not
affixed to that paper was not; it was given as a professional
opinion.
From that opinion, did your Lordship understand that the Ex-
pedition could arrive at Santvilet within forty-eight houri after
making Waleheren ?-.eNo, certainly not; there was :to mention
whatever as to time.

From whom did your Lordship obtain that opinion ?—i think
it was in different communicasions that passed I believe at the
Secretary of States, at which dtiferent Officers were present.
Can your Lordship state what Officers were present, and whe-
ther their opinions were given in writing ?—Their opinions were
not given in writing; I am not perfectly sure at this momenewhe-
thee Sir Richard Strachan was there cr not; but I recollect per-
fectly Sir Home Popham being there, and having much Main.
satlon with him respecting the time of proceeding up the river.
Will your Lordship have the goodness to state on what diy
you yourself, when )ou sailed, thought it probable you might
disembark your army. at Santvliet ?—That must depend so en-
tirely on naval occurrences, it was impossible J should form any
opinion; it it was wader the most favourable circumstances, pro-
in.bly in thnnt three or four dap.
Three or four days after sailing from Deal, or after the arrival
at Walcheren ?—Under the most favourable circumstances pos-
sible, in about tour days after sailing from the Downs ; possibly,
but not very probal ly.
Supposing the armament. to have arrived at Santvliet in four
days after sailing from the Dowr.s, what time did your Lord4hip
calculate would have been necessary to have landed the arma-
ment, to have taken a position before Antwerp, and to have
erected mortar batteries and opened fire against the town ?-1 do
net know that ; that would have been the course of operation. I
can state in what tinie probably the Army would have been land-
ed; what would have been the subsequent operation I do no: at
I resent know ; it =Wit depend on circuw.utantos.

THE ARMY. •

Brigadier-General AN SON, and his Aide-de-Camp,
Captain WEYLAND, arrived on Sunday from Portugal.
The 3d battalion of the Royals, under the com-
mand of Major HILL, will march into Portsmouth
this day and to-morrow, in order to embark for Por-
tugal.

The Ist battalion bf the 9th, and the 2d battalion
of the 67th, are also expected there in a taw days to
embark on the same service.

The 13th Light Dragoons still continue to embark
at the Dock-yard, Portsmouth.

Camp equipage for 5000 men is ordered to be ship-
ped with the above regiments.

The corps of Royal Artillery Drivers, which has
heen for some time in the Plymouth barracks, is un-
der orders to embark for Portugal; the first division
was to march as yesterday for Falmouth, there to
trabark on board transports for Lisbon.

A Geritleman, who has arrived from Paris informs
us, that the confiscation of the American ships in the
poet St. Sebastian, has not been finally determined
upon; and that the question has been referred to M
COLIN the Administrator of Prizes in the port of
Bourdeaux. This, we understand, is considered a
favourable circumstance ; but we apprehend, that no
advantage can be expected from such an arbitrament.

We have several errors in the lists of the divisions on Mr.
WHITSIZAD'S important motion to correct. In the first place,
Mr. tiILNRY TEORN rot and Mr. BABINOTON• voted with the.
Majority on Friday night; but by some accident they were not
counted, and therefore the Majority was greater by two than was
stated. Mr. B. CoOKZ and Mr. G. B. tin LNOUGn voted with the
Majority. Mr. SWAN x was abseut, tetansequently did not vote
with the Minority.

Yesterday the dispatches for the ships Astell, Hugh
Inglis, Ceylon, William Pitt, Alexander. Sir S. Lush-
ington, Huddart; Northumberland, Tigris, and Eu-
phrates, were finally closed at the East India House,
and delivered to their respective pursers.
A new Farce was brought out last night at the
Lyceum Theatre, called Hit or Miss, which was fa-
vourably received.

FATAL Duat.—Wednesday morning a meeting
took place near the Man of War, in the county of
Dublin, between Nr. DREW and Mr. o,l3atnx, both
xttornies, when upon the first fire the former received
a mortal wound, and instantly died. The survivor
and his second are in custody at the Head Office of
Police, Exchange-court Dublin. -
• Yesterday a bullock, closely followed by a rabble,
made his way into Guildhall, and attertiptted to as-
cend to the Courts of Justice, but was hamstrung by
the Gravers, and taken away.

We copy the following from the Manchester Chro-
nicle of the 2Arth instant :

MA DIM): CATALANI.--This celebrated singer was
Obliged, owing to a severe indisposition, to relinquish
the benefit concert which was to have been on Tues-
day last ; but, being much recovered on the Wednes-
day, she obligingly sang for the subscribers of the
Gentlemen's Concert, free of expence to the institu-
doh. She was hi fine voice, and delighted the au -
dicnce by her wonderful execution in a Bravura, as
also by her elegant manner of singing the air of
" Cease your funning" in the English langnagi.—ln
consideration of the disappointment the subscribers
experienced on Monday, she in the most handsome
manner declined Any remuneration whatever.
Saturday, at Union Hall, the Captain and Mate of a
'vessel in the river wereexamined,charged with assault-
ing some of Ore crew. During the exlmination it came
out, that on the 25th of May last, the vessel then ly,
ing at Malta, the Captain had beaten a lad in so se•
vere a manner, that he died of the bruises. He was
remanded for another hearing ; and the Mate was
held to bail on the original complaint:

CORONER'S Inquisition Was taken yesterday at
the Brown Bear Public-House, Horse-Ferry, Westminster, on the
body of the Honourable. Withiam FREDERICK EDEN, WllO was
found drowned in the Thames on Sunday.
The body of the unfortuhate young Gentleman was yesterday
in a putrid state, it having changed materially since taken out of
the water.

Richard Western, a bargeman, stated, that on Sunday, about
half past twelve o'clock, he wits going as Fir we in a skiff, from a
barge moored off Lambeth Palace, with his appreutice, when he
perceived something drifting on the water, al;o-t twenty yards
from the shore', opposite Figch's Wharf, which he took for a piece
of tarpaulin. It was ebb-tide, and, on approaching the object, and
touching It with a boat-hook, witness discovered it to he a body,
and it immediately turned with the face upwards. The bodrwas
fastened astern, and conveyed to the shore, when a man, of the
name of Swan, said it was Mr. Eden, fur whom a great reward
, was offered. Witness immediately went to Lord Auckland's,
and a servant-maid and a foot-boy recognised the body. It was
conveyed to the Brown Bear, a:.d on searching the pockets a re-
ceipt was found in a pocket-hook for L'doo, paid to Drummotal
and Co. £l3 in notes, some silver, and a gold Watch and seal,
beside& other articles. According to the appearance of the body,
witness supposed it might have been a fortnight in the water, but
it might have been six weeks at this season of the year, if buried
in said. A scratch visible in the forehead might have been oc-
casioned by the gravel.
Mr. Holt, surgeon, in Abingdon-street. stated, that he saw
i the deceased len I. riday evening, the 19th of January, the day he
Seas missing. lie was with Mr. Stables the Adjutant of the Vo-
lunteer Corps of which Mr. Eden was Colonel, who lives in Mr.
Hint's house. He had called at witness's house to inquire for Mr.
Stables, on t'ednesday and Thursday. It was between sovini
and eight o'clock on Friday evening witness saw the deceased in
Mr. Stables' apartments; and some time after, whilst writing
in the parlour, he beard bins in the passage trying to get out, and
witness went with a light. The deceased had thrown down a
long broom, which prevented him from opening the door, and
witness jocularly•ohserved, " You are shouldering your musket,
ColoneL" He seemed not to regard what witness said, and he
weLt out without any reply, which witness thought was rather
strange, as they were acquainted. Witness never conceived the
l deceased to be in the least derangement.
Mr. Stables stated, that the deceased called on Mm at nine
1 o'clock in the morning of Friday, and witness called on the Colo-
aael at eleven, and paid him .V.OO, an account of the corps. The
deceased called on witness again at five, and after absenting him-
self a short time, he returned and stayed an hoar and a half.—
They were settling spine military matters, and the deceased
started from his chair on a sudden, and went down stairs, before
witness could even ririg for a servant, without sating a word.—
He had previously desired Mr. Stables to eatl on him on Monday
morning, at eleven o'clock, and bring the papers with him.—
Witness knew the deceased well, but he never considered hint
iin the least deranged. He had been informed that the deceased
went home to Lord Auckland's after he left him, and he made
his own tea, and appeared perfectly sane.
Major Jones, belonging to the Wes:Minster corps, knew the
Colonel well, •and he never conceived an idea that he was de-
ranged, and this was corroborated by Mr. Figg, Lord Auckland's
Steward. On the question being put by the Coroner, Mr. Holt
was of opinion that at thli season of the year a body might be a
month or five weeks in the water without being putrid, and until
in that state it never floated.

'There was no person from Lord Auckland's excepting Mr.
Trigg, andthe Jury returned a special verdict of—Foond drowned
in the River, but Ey what means it came there, there 'wu no evidence
irfare Me Jury.

•
, .-ITITALFRIES POLICE. An Ton.koz
•,:c.16.,1 . . BILLS.
,•• ,•
This day a discussion •took place-at considerah:e
length, before a Committee of the House of Con-,
mons, on the subject of a Bill introduced by the Ma-
gistrates and Town Council of Dumfries, with the
professed view of improving the navigation of the
River Nith and Police of tl,e town. Mr. Haaa:soN,
as Counsel for the Magistrates, entered into the me-
rits of the Bill at full length ; and Mr. ADAM, jiLe.
on the part of the Freeholders, Landed Proprietors,
and Inhabitants of Dumfries and Galloway, •tnd who
oppose the Bill, replied: Sir Itze-es G!tAlf.t NI, one
cf the Members of the Committer, having stinted an
objection.in point of form, namely, that the original
Petition for the Bill was not sealed with the Cor-
poration Seal, it was the sense of tie Committee
that this objection was fatal, and a niution was then
made to the effect of throwing out the Bill. On the
solicitation, however, of the Obunsel for the Ma;s.
trates, it- was finally resolved that the Crem;tt^e
should report progress, and ask leave to sit ag;:a.i.
forma on Thursday se'nnight.

Several other Members of the Committee (which was
uncommonly numerous) stated that they had mar)
objections to the Bill, which, in their opinion, would
render it, in its present shape, altogether unfit to pass
into a law.

NAPV.L INTELLIGENCE,

PLYMOUTH, FEBRUARY es.

Arrived the Hatzsta brig of war, from Cork.—Put hack thc,
Ceoces brig of tear; she sailed on Friday for Cork, thence tl
take convoy for Lisbon, bu: was forced back by contrary
which now blows a strong gale at W.N.W.—The MONKEY gut§
brig has just made her signal, forced back by contrary wind; sa
sailed yesterday for Rochefort.—The CONFLICT in:/‘1 I.rza brig:
of war, and Exraz PR crtats-rz cutter, have come up harbour to
be repaired.—Another large French merchant vessel has just an •
ehored in the Sound, a prize to one of our cruizers.—The Hsu.
RIAU% brig of war, and Swisioza gun-brig (recently arrived from
the West Indies), haring been surveyed and found too old to re,
`pair, have been put but of commission, and their crews turned
ever to the receiving ships in the harbour. The BOOR EONAISE
avd Vincia It frigates will be put out of commission is the cr,nrse
of the week.—The artificers belonging to the Dock-rni are again
at work to-day, expediting the fitting out the ships of the line.
YARMOUTH, FEBRUARY 26.

Sailed on a cruize off the coast of Holland, the Salvos:an,
Captain HUNT; and the CHANTICLLEIII Captain SPFARS...-Re.
main the Rcebeck fisg-shlt and Drake sloop.—Passed by sevtrti
sail of laden colliers for the River.

One, P. M.—A ship is now working in the Gutt, suppm!
be the Desiree frigute.--Wind W.N.W.
DEAL, FEBRUARY 26.

The privateer mentioned yesterday as having been captured by
the RALEIGH sloop of war, from Plymouth, turns out to be the
Modeste, of 14 guns,and 46 men, from Fecamp. Came down from
the river, a few outward-bosind vessels, and remain...,--Wind W. ;

FROM LLOYD'S LIST.
GRAVESEND, FEB. 25.—Arrived the Providentir, Shower
Edwards. Every ; and Norwegian, Murrell, from Lisbon ; An;
Wood, from Montserrat ; Duce Anijos, Lower, from Brazils ;
and the Cannoniere frigate, from the Isle of France.—Sailed rbe
Amwell, Andrews, for Martinique; Amelia Wilson, Todd, for
St. Vincent's; Mary Ann, Frith, for Martinique; Sisters, Young,
for Malta; Ann, Thorp. for St. Thomas's; Netly, Muirhead,
for Jamaica; City of Ed.nburgia, Shepherd, for Grenada; an 4
several vessels for Ireland.

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