Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-28
FOREIGN.
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
Juiy, 1918.
STATE OF THE NAVY.
I lo,,Sg,,,led

in duty TO the House, IL lac did not M once assure
them, that except the very opening of the Resoiu-
ton which had lust been read from the Chair there
was not statement which was not unfounletl in
fact, or exaggerated in the highest leyree (Hcar
hear )--Pe had only 10 lament that the Noble Lord
had not brought forward this subject at an earlier
period OF the Session, so that his statements might
have been retuted in manner more decided, al
though perhaps not more satisfactorily than they
would be on tho present OCCASION He was surpris-
ed that the Noble Lord should have ventured TO sub
init to the House Resolution bearing upon its face
such evident marks of its own falselood-a Resou-
tionI SO rcpletc as il with the most unfounded
cs,umny, and with such distortion of facts-who
but the Noble Lord would ever have dreamed of
such nsinuation as that the late victories gained
BY the American Navy the British Flag had
been attributable, not to the inequality of force but
to the misconduct and pusllanimits of our sailors
(Hear, hear) What he " would ask was the crew
of the Java dispirted when she was taken! clear
When tie Macedonian was taken, was her crew
sunk in apathy and broken-heaI ted (IIear hear.)
So lar from this being the case lie could state from
his own knowledge that in the latter part of the ae-
tons in which these vessels were engaged, and in
which they had fought with so much honor to
themselves, aud so much glory to the British name,
when almost a hopes had failed their spirit & valor
still remained unsubdued and instead, as the No
bic Lord would have the House to believe sinking
amidst the weight OF their misfortunes, they cheer
ed each other, with reiterated shouts of encourage
ment and those cheers invariably commenced
amongst the wounded in the cockpit Did this he
would demand of the Noble Lord, shew any thing
like crew dishear,ened Did this shew r Bril-
fish sailor to lie aught but what he had ever
proved himself to be Did this tend TO ,arnsh,
or tn diminish the lustre which had ever attended
the career OF the British Navy (Hcar hear y
With these facts before the House and the Country
was he not authorised to call upon the Noble Lord
TO state, how he could presume ask the House to
vote for his Resolution Another fact he would
state, which he supposed the Noble Lord would
consrue into a proof of the Alphabetical and
dsheartened state OF our sRiiors. That to which
he alluded, was the conduct OF John Humble the
boatswain OF the Java, who, IL would he seen on
his examination before a Court Martial, amongst
other facts, stated, that having his arm carried
away, he went below to the surgeon, and, having
had the stump " put to rights" as he terms it,
by having the turnquet applied TO il, returned TO
the deck snd ohecred the boarders with his nine
(Hear, hcar.) Was this proof of any diminuton
Of British valour, or Of falling off in the character
and spirit OF those brave men, who, until beled
and blown upon by the Noble Lord, had stood
above the most distant mputation of misconduct
In the degree this part of the resolution of
the Noble Lord was Incorrect, so was all the rest
With respect 20 tho fact stated, of SOi. being de-
manded Tor the discharge OF every seaman from
the navy, nothing could be more unfounded The
truth was, that SOL certainly demanded for the
discharge oil an able seaman but in proportion rs
the ability aud usefulness of the man diminished
so did the sum required for his discharge. For in
stance, an ordinary Seaman paid but co., and a
landman but 40L and if these men became inyali-
ded, and were only employ ed in the harbour duty.
tnls demand was diminished one hall. And again.
where they were unit tor service, they were not
alone discharged without fec, but received pen
sion for the remainder of their lives. CHearj If
the sailors in His Majesty's service were not heart
broken before, the base libel which the Noble
Lord had that day attempted to throw on their
character and their hOnour sufficient to eject
that object, had the Noble Lord maintained so
much authority them rs lac did in former times
Ia circumstance which, happily there was much
to doubt The Noble Lord had talked also
of corruption, and had said, that motions could on
ly be obtained by means of corruption and ParIia-
meutary influence. He would ask the Noble Lord
IT his promotion was the effect Of corruption
(Iiear, hear, hear.) Was the red RIBBON which
was given to him, for the first time TO man OF his
rank, the effect of Parliamentary influence ~ Hear
hear, !)-And was the promotion of many other
men who he could name, If it would not be in some
degree invidious, TO he attributed to such an UNI
worthy cause IL was easy, however, for the No
BILE Lord TO talk in generals, but let him name who
had received the wages of corruption, or who had
given them-(Iiear, hearty The Right Honour
able Gentleman having made some further reproba-
tory comments upon the resolution of the Noble
Lord, concluded by expressing hope that if the
Noble Lord dared to press it to division, that
the House would leave him in such a minority as
would prove the indignation with which it was re-
Earded by the House
Mr.. Lockart cutrcatcd the Noble Lord TO with
draw resolution so inconsistent with the charac.
ter which his Lordsbp had always borne, and so
hostile 10 every feeling which the House had ever
entertained towards tho British navy.
Sir +. Burdett thought there was sufficient rea-
son stated by the Noble Lord for an enquiry and
the vary doubts which were urged by the Right
Hon. Gentleman Mr.. Croker1 proved to him most
strongly tho necessity or that enquiry He would
agree that the period Of the Session AT which the
matter had been brought forward was too advance
ed, yet II the resolution rejected now, he hop
ed the Noble Lord would renew the subject at an
early part OF the ensuing Session. lie would not,
however, advise the Noble Lord TO withdraw his
Resolution after the manner ia which it had been
shgmatized by the Right Hon. Gentleman Mr..
CrokeE1
MIR. Rose in the fuIlest manner deried all that had
been advanced by the Noble Lord with respect Ell
their to the difficulty Of sailors receiving their pay
or the prize money.
Mr.. Coleraft, in terms OF great animation. com
plmented Mr. Croker on the speech which he had
made, and observed, that the resolution of the
Noble Lord was calculated TO do more mischief in
the British navy, than any other plan which could
be devised. The Hon. Gentleman then defended
the character Of the British sailors with becoming
zealand energy aud concluded by expressing hope,
that the Resolution would meet ia that house the
fate Il so emnently deserved
Mr.. Wrouesey bore testimony To the facility in
the naval public Offices.
Lord Cochrane replied. He said he was not dis
pleased at the warmth with which his disposition
had been met. IL certainly would be injurious 10
no one, except 10 the feelings Of certain Members
OF that House. The Right hon. Secretary had met
his statements with individual instances ofralIantry
The existence Of these he did not deny; but he
asserted, that the physical power of our seamen
was decreasing, partly from the length OF the war
and partly the system Of Harbour duty, establish
cd IN 1905. He had heard that the system was A.
bout % be changed; aud he should be happy 10
hear from the Right Hon. Secretary that such was
the iact. HE Right Hon. Secretary had cbaIleno