Suazo pest ees ates sts pereagatacesetaserses Eraais Set S. Lh 3 a Rt? ANNUAL REGISTER, 3 on a VIEW or THE HISTOR Y, POLITICS, AND LITERATURE, For the YEAR 1812. A NEW EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY; 4. OTRIDGE; J; CUTHELL; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN ; E. JEFFERY AND SON ; LACKINGTON AND CO.; J. BELL; J. ASPERNE; AND SHERWOO)), NEELEY, AND JONES. ih, nh ee ar ‘ HMATAIDAH: TAUVMA aH 0 WALLY hoHO LH OT 21 EH COT ELALOFY F avn | . ARUP AT A PL , Siel 4 AGE Y edt. z0l MOATAGA WARK b oh AS EE AE OS EE Se es ae ean Vomvoy EYOU GFK .AVOTARD (HIG LA HOW Gan ttAgT SMWOSL GHA SMHO BUTT Gaal GERMS MOY .rIeH TS ot COR | y: CAMEIIZK YW PIA 0 BOP EALA ZO tA AWD OK Oe KA Yuu sine @XROl GWA TUAMAK MOON Mane AKA 7 ¢ , . S < i 4 Printed by T. C. Haneard, Peterborough-court, Fleet-street, London. PREFACE. IN the long and disastrous annals of the war which has now become almost habitual to Europe, the present year will be peculiarly memorable on account of the variety and importance of its events—events, however, more striking in their occurrence, than decisive of the important concerns depending upon the issue of the contest. Of these, the most promi- nent in magnitude and interest was undoubtedly the invasion of one great empire by the collected force of the still greater empire, which in its spread had left itself no other adequate antagonist. The conflagra- - tion of a capital, the horrid carnage consequent upon well-fought battles between countless hosts, the still more lavish and lamentable waste of lives occasioned by the rigours of winter combining with the distresses of retreat, and the inglorious flight of a leader who searcely ever before returned without fame and con- quest from his daring expeditions; form scenes of tragic grandeur which the drama of human affairs has rarely presented in modern times on the civilized parts of the globe. The iv PREFACE. The peninsular war has likewise been carried on with unusual vigour; and the storming of two strong fortresses, with an action in the field of greater magnitude than had before occurred between the chief contending parties, followed by the liberation of the southern provinces of Spain from its invaders, offer splendid materials to the military historian of this period. At the same time, the adoption of free governments in Spain and Sicily will equally interest the philosophical observer, provided their du: ration shall correspond with the zeal displayed in their establishment. ' THTSwOU Another event which has added to the confusion and calamity of the times, and perhaps will’ be the parent of consequences more momentous’ than any which are yet apparent, ‘is, the unfortunate com- mencement ‘of a war between Great Britain’ and those Transatlantic States ‘to which ‘she gave’ birth, and. has communicated the most valuable’ of ‘her treasures, her laws and liberty. To this country; indeed, the war has been’ little more than an addit tion to its drains and losses: but to ‘the ‘United States its continuance must prove a severe trial of the strerigth of that federal union which has hitherto contributed so essentially ‘to their prosperity “and security, and will’ probably give origin to those evils which’ press’ s6 heavily upon all old ie ments. -sdolg od3 to In PREFACE; iy ©In domestic history the vpresent year will be. dis- tinguished as’ that which by reuniting all! the’ powers ‘of the’ crown ‘in the. person of the Prince Regent, -has ‘made an‘actual commencement: of :4) new reign, and , afforded aisufficient criterion. of :the. spirit in which it is likely to be conducted, It’ has also. put ‘to ‘the»'test the) strength: of the: different! political parties ; and by weighing them all in»thé balance, has demonstratively ‘proved the existence ‘of a. pre- ‘ponderating’ mass'of power which: reduces them to ‘comparative | insignificance... After: all» the «com- ‘plaints ‘of! +the!swant. of «« a strong’ and ‘effective administration,” that ministry has been ‘continued which: gave rise: to these complaints ; and no. want Of strength or efficacy has. appeared» in “carrying through the measures determined upon by the go- vernment, Difficulties, it js true, have occurred respecting certain political points, but they have been such as it required rather wisdom than power to adjust. The intestine disorders which have per- vaded a considerable tract of the manufacturing districts, and which assumed a character of daring and ferocity unprecedented among the lower classes in this country, have been happily quelled by a firm but lenient exertion of authority; and the record of them may serve to exemplify the dangers at- tendiug a population forced by prosperous trade greatly beyond its natural level, whenever the sources vi PREFACE. source of employment are cut off, or maintenance is rendered unusually difficult by the exorbitant price of the necessaries of life. This last cause has prevailed during this year to a degree almost be- yond all former example, but, it is to be feared, not beyond what may in future be expected as long as public burdens and expenses are proceeding |in an unlimited increase. / With respect to the conduct of our publication, we have little to remark in addition to the statements given in our last preface. It has not been found necessary to make any further alterations inthe plan ; and we are happy in being able to verify, and even to surpass, the expectations held forth of a future early appearance of our annual volume. ; CONTENTS. CONTENTS. — GENERAL HISTORY. CHAPTER I. The Prince Regent’s Speech.— Addresses thereon and Debates.— Thanks to Lord Minto.—State of the King’s Health.— Debate on Col. M‘Mahon’s appointment of Paymaster of Widows’ Pen- sions.— Distillery Bill. ..ccecsccececcscccccecscncses [LJ CHAP. Il. | Bills relative to the King’s Household, and Debates thereon [11] CHAP. III. . Bill for a Nightly Watch in London.—Debate on the Droits of Admiralty.— Motion for inquiring into the Jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts.,..c0cerceccccscccccsesceresvee [20] CHAP. IV. Motion on the State of Ireland.— New Bill to prohibit the granting of Offices in Reversion.—Bills for the Punishment of Frame- breaking, and for the Preservation of the Peace in the County Of Nottingham, .vscysrcccaceserccvccserserevesnceses [29] CHAP. V. Debate on the Expulsion of Mr. Walsh.—Renewal of the Gold Coin and Bank Note Bill_—Motion of Lord Boringdon for an Efficient Administration.—Provision for the Princesses. [39] ' CHAP. YI. Motion on the State of the Nation—Marquis of Lansdown’s Motion on the Orders in Coyncil.—Mr. Banks’s Motion for a Bill for abolishing Sinecure Offices.secesssseveeeesses [49] are a CHAP. Vili > CONTENT S. CHAP. VII. > TH ie a 6 ta ae Debate on Colonel “M‘Mahon’s appointment of Private Secretary to the Prince Regent.—Debate on the Barrack Estimates.— Motion respecting Military Punishments.....++++++++. [56] CHAP, VIII. -t iVLCiI 1 Oey pi c+. : Motions of Lord Donoughmore and Mr. Grattan for taking into consideration the Catholic Claims—Reference to Committees in both Houses of Petitions, against, the, Orders in Council.—Mo- tions concerning Capt. Henry’s Mission to the United States— Motion on the Tellerships of the Exchequer.—Mr. Brand's Motion respecting. Elections for Knights of the Shire. +++ [64] Tak CIF Ww Tsai’ Yo faswtniogan a soit VW Yo so By (awed s WeWte Mew Wy CHAP. 1X. . .\WHE es Nivaitli—.ewots Assassination of Mr. Perceval, and; Parliamentary Proceedings 2 eee Rbiaiaie wid <9 pete er | [3 : agsroMt exindeG bin -blodsewol! 2 aA 9A\ od ovidaloy lish CHAP. X. ; : HHL ARO mu : Mr. Wortley’s Motion for an Efficient Administration.—Nego- ment on that Subject,—Repeal of the Orders, in Council. [7 iy Pe Cree wera sos tewe anes ccieg nsttheDe) SUDEVEMICEND EL Like. Badaitinghelndsadsiniiisechaclgiie cab pikt gute tiene » [95] SL MOH PHN AAT com mA sh esri\O Ap , : ; Ny 111 LO wos bow ty ot ey The a Petitions’ respecting ‘the renewal: of: the: East. India’ Company’s Charter,—Bill for the Preservation of the Public Peace [111] CHAP. XII. Mr. Canning’s Motion for a future consideration of the Catholic Question —The same by Marquis Wellesley.—Bill for explain- img and improving the Toleration Act.—Lord Holland’s Motion respecting Informations Ex-Officio.—Mr. Sheridan’s on the Attorney-General of Ireland.—Bill to prevent the Escape of French Prisoners.—Conversation on Overtures from the French Einperor.—Prince Regent’s Speech on the Prorogation of Parliament seas Sorpovcaceteueoewere sree teat one [119] CHAP. CONTENTS. ix CHAP. XIV. Domestic Occurrences. ~Negociations for a@ change ‘in. the Admi= ~*nistration.:— Disturbances in the Country.—d ffairs of the Trish Catholics:— Dissolution of Parliament ‘and ° General ‘Elec- . ‘tion. . . ao : . . 5 oe ‘ eee “s . A . yee . 33 Pee ae 2¢ ee sese OD : [129] ‘ "TNE ~2 w doth setlok—s : oy Ao eh sas No st bs aush ed uh y wa eh) isd Dis PDO! HOS’ Adana Div uL 1 \ Nv 1 Map wis sin ‘ on?—nsdid prsdoni CHAR XViwi—waish tA cov S21 YD P- yyiti ! oly 4 ab § ‘5 “kh SHY WSt y ‘DS OVA \ Naval Affairs.Capture of La Corcyre—Of La Pomone and a \Store Ship—Loss of the Manilla and Laurel+Capture of the »\Merinos—Of the Rivole—Of a Flotilla off Dieppe—Destruc- ‘tion of two French Frigates and a Brig) near Orient—Of a Danish Squadron near Mardoe—Convoy brought’ out of Lan- guillia—Another attempt—at the same place—-The Attack Brig taken by the Danes’ JVI shdeediurs ‘seeveve oe wn oe wee [136] dL? hwo. 4 ytob) _ 2555) Day , 900" Mh a\s $s) SOS OGD ~ 1GHt | ose, MOSRHSDS ‘I—eosiqasi DUH .i5") wo Yoataa SIONS. oAt ») HS TAN CHAP. XVI. ot @ t.0 6% teros at Bornos—Capture of Lequitio—Advance of Lord _ Wellington to Salamanca—Capture of its Forts—Marmont's _ Advance—Battle of Salamanca—Retreat and Pursuit of the | French—Valladolid entered—Affair of Cavalry at Ribera— ' Allied Army enters Madrid,—Fort la China taken—Astorga ‘capitulates—Blockade of Cadiz broken up—Bilboa evacuated. -—Seville recovered by the Allies—Lord Wellington advances to Burgos.— Failure of Attempts to take its Castle.-—French collect und advance—Retreat of the Allied Army, which returns’ to Freynada.— Transactions of the Spanish Cortes and Regency. — Public Signature of the Constitution—Settlement of the Succession—Lord Wellington appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Armies—Ballusteros displaced—Affairs of : Portugal . DEERE TTITTTE RET ccoandnepee [143] ‘CHAP. x CONTENTS. CHAP. XVII. France— Decree concerning Valenaitrntinaach Oceuporionar Swe- dish Pomerania—Report by Murat—March of the Army to- wards Poland—Treaty with Prussia—Decree in favour of America—Napoleon arrives at Dantzic—Negociations—Treaty with Austria.—Papers relative to the Differences with Russia. —Advance of the French to Wilna—Polish Diet and Con- federation—Riga—Alliance between England, Russia, and Sweden—Russians quit their Camp on the Duna, and French cross that River—Various Actions—Dunaberg taken—Smo- lensko carried by the French—Action of Valentina—Advance towards Moscow—Great, Battle of Borodino—French enter \Moscow— Conflagration ef that Capital—Enterprize of the Garrison at Riga—Alarms at Petersburgh—Advanced Guard of the French defeated—Moscow evacuated—Success of Wit- genstein at Polotzk—Conspiracy at Paris—Negociations at- tempted with the Russians— French, retreat—Various Actions — Davoust and Ney defeated—Dreadful sufferings ofthe French —Napoleon quits the Army, and arrives at Paris—Addresses of the Senate and Council, and Replies—Conclusion ... [165] CHAP. XVIII. Russia. —War with Turkey—Treaty of Peace—Treaties with - Sweden and England— French Invasion and Retreat.—Sweden : its policy Diet—Treaty with England—Warlike prepara- ~~ tions — Denmark. — Austria — Hungarian Diet—Germany — Sicily: its new Constitution—Turkey .....++e++++++ [182] CHAP. XIX. United States of America—Resolutions in favour of War— Mr. Gallatin’s Budget—Correspondence between Messrs. Foster and Monroe—Animosity increased by Henry’s Mission—Act for, an Embargo—Other War Measures—Opposition— War peianegoatere of Votes—Action with the Belvidere Frigate.— isturbance near Montreal—Congress adjourned—Riot and Massacre at Baltimore—General Hill's incursion into Canada, and Capture—Refusal of the President to confirm an Armis- tice—Capture of the Guerriere—Letters of Marque issued by England—American Antigallican Parties—Defeat and Capture of General Wadsworth—Congress re-assembled— President's Heseage— Knaagements between the Frolic and Wasp, and the Macedonian and United States—General Dearborn’s Ad- vance to Champlain—Blockade of the Chesapeak and Dela- WATE cover e cece eh cc ee este belreecteeeees Coccnerecce 80 eee [193] CHAP. CONTENTS. xi CHAP. XX. Spanish America.— Buenos Ayres and Montevideo.—Venezuela.— Surrender of Caracas, and Counter Revolution—Mexico— Conspiracy at Vera Cruz.—Peru,—West India Islands.—Ja- maica,—Dominica.—East Indies.—Surrender of Kallinjar.— Java.—Conspiracy at Travancore.— Mauritius.—Persia [205] CHAP, XXI. Meeting of the New Parliament—Regent’s Speech, and Debates thereon—Thanks and Grant to Lord Wellmgton—Renewal of the Gold Coin Bill—Motion on the German Legion—Prince Regent's Message respecting a Grant to Russia, and De- bates ee ee ee eee eee eee eee ee eee eee eee ee eee ee | | [214] CHRONICLE. I Wirthiceo« ddites is 20 10 OMald ont eee eee eee eee ee ee ee 154 Marriages Pee ee eee ee eee eee eee seusssees Seeeeees see 156 Promotions + bail scnce$ed bests oebB osvese eeeodae eeaee 162 DCASR ib ctAFarele Adie teind de\dolie's WILD WS st FFEU Es ODS eoeneeee 168 Centenary Deaths ...... vooorederersswicdee’s subset... 183 Sheriffs sap nccidine dupe tl DRIER vie AD seeestae eeeare ov. 885 APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. Articles from the London Gazette ..eseeseesescecees eocees 187 Public General Acts of Parliament..csccccsscsesevseses . 257 Remarkable Trials and Law CASES an chit cca beds eho tn.< 2 ee0lO Patents ee eee eee eer eee er eee weeereeeeeeeewee *. 314 London Bill of Mortality eevee ene eee eeee eee eeeaeeaeaeeeaeee 317 Price of Stocks for cach Month osceseccesevsecassesesss 318 ROG OF TRANETEPECICE, csp one tane tes dbyPoebe nécctevcres 319 Average Price of Corn and Quartern Loaf .+eseeee+2+204 320 Comparative Statement of Population .sesossesssesessee S21 List of his Majesty's Ministers eee eee ee ee eee eee eee es 323 Meteorological Register SOTO HOHTSESEEHH HD EHTS EEE EEE 335 ® STATE xii CONTENTS. STATE PAPERS. Te ak etait. J, BRITISH. tethered’ ) ‘ The Buuels eae Ss Speech, pote Toft denied ae oeenbebee Declarations of the Queen's Council respecting his Majesty's : 17770 | nae Petre ees 328 Letter from the Prince Regent to the Duke of York, and Answer from Lords Grey ey and Grenville......000+++ 329 Message from the Prince Regent respecting Lord Wellington 332 —— ——___ ——___——_ respecting the Princesses.. 333 ‘Report on the Nightly Watch and Police of the Metr opolis.. Declaration on the Orders of Council ....eeeeeccecee ees 338 ‘The Catholic Petition to the Prince Regent.....,0+++++++ 342 Message from the Prince Regent respecting Mr. Perceval’s Family. occeccevacsededeccadcdede cacemeceds bse B46 Papers relative to Lord Liverpool's "Proposal 10 Mar quis Wellesley ....+. 5 op (aie aber ee eee . 346 Papers relative to the Negociations of Marquis W ellesley and Earl Moira for for ming a new Administration...... 360 Quakers’ Address to the Prince. FREER 5 Pa i cto atnje's'aie's 0100s .. 378 Revocation of the Orders in Council ....0eceeeeeerereees 379 Treaty of. Peace between. Great Britain .and Russia ...+ » 381 Treaty of Peace. between, Great Britain and. Sweden 6.4... 382 Prince Regent’s Speech on.Proroguing . Parliament \.....« 383 Report of the Secret Committee o: the House. of Lords on tites vl .. Aesturbed Counties . «00 nance es mcreciivisisl djelsiss tBOO Embargo and Detention of American SHIPS. cower ve eevee viens SOS Prince Regent’s Speech on the Sieve of Parliament, Nov. 30... ccecuesees ety et woe wie iajaiaien, B04 Message from the Prince Regent on a 1 Grant to Russia.... 397 Tables of Public Income, Expenditure, SG liceserceveceses 39S "ES FOREIGN, se nee Wregch of the Prince’ Royal of Swedén'to the King......- . 410 Appointment of the Hereditary “Prince of Sicily ‘to the Go- ~ ; *"" WEFAN eee cee ee ce RORIEIDING icce, lcinjacats © hp eie'cinie 414 Address of the new Spanish: Regency to the Nation’. nema . 415 Treaty between the King of Prussia and the French. iEnperde 418 Treaty between the French and Austrian Emperors.......+ 419 Correspondence between the French and English Ministers... Ep 420 French Decree relative to’ the United States ....... mE “ Decree of the Spanish’ Regency’ sii *sccvevsesecevsecces 423 Message of the President of the United States .......+++++ 424 Declaration of War by the Congress.........4+ waereee .. 430 | Treaty between Spain and Russia .sccscecccvcvecceees -- 430 Proclamation CONTENTS. xiii Proclamation of the Emperor Alexander on the Entrance of the French eeeeeevee eseeeeceeees Peeeveeseevosesese 431 — Seen on breaking up from ~ a ED FESER, Vl nic 0 so 0\e dala Bim u's lela olaer tseceece wv aece » 43 Articles of the Sicilian Constitution... veseeeeceeesceees 433 Treaty ‘between Russia and Turkey ...... ane weevssssces 400 New York‘ Convetition S2 272. Bs L235 Ns BEEING, 9 EN peggy Correspondence between Sir J."B. Warren con Mr: Monroe ai Message of the American President .........+. Sip sie's So's Proclamation vf the Ree en Alexander. coecccens . 453 (449) Shee ot ae , rw ohn TA ah © CHARACTERS. se Character of John Knox... 6.660060 seetccenenteceeens 453 Gin Vincent de Pausl. oo te ain afte soa bserecesees 406 Doctor Leyden. «.+++ BE ing tee giants teen eereeene . 457 eee ee ee ee ar a | OF. NATIONS. ‘AND CLASSES or PEOPLE. | iuinvO wha The Arab DAEDOLER dass stin's'ninsi's sets Cini =f np coianiaie'a 0 +» 462 People of the Caracas .....:.+. Ee Se ee ee a 464 The Sicilian Character ...... “fh RE ERI BR TRE . 466 Sicilian Nobility ...0geecperswecceccaciscss ie Aan +--. 468 The Idriots ...... BS geoomnsromehe stapes teeeeeseeneesscseescs 469 People of the Isle of Man ms 0 c\ein © ain wine's ane 6 novane se AT. Account of Ragusa «+... Mette: st sia a wbaterees -» 473 Anecdotes respecting Negro SEY’ in America cpesecsges 4/0 Settlers on the’ Banks’ of thé 79 tat pe, ane 8 to 482 An Indih Villages e.....-e2sseecetenneeennes rcg°. . «9 488 ide wab'e Ate} inh oe? NATURAL HISTORY. Narrative of the Eruption of a Volcano in the sea off the Island of St. Michael ....cc.ccceeeees ese ewe ciees - 485 On some Exotics which endure the open Air in Devonshire.. 488 Bunt of HAV tena TTA. BR wat tlle wheel Oe 0 tdicte'’s 490 On the Coral Fishery in the Sicilian Seatisisssvvosdesve. 404 USEFUL xi¥ CONTENTS USEFUL PROJECTS AND IMPROVEMENTS. On the Management of the Onion ..cececsrvatesevessecss OO] On the cultivation of the Red Beet-.-.s+secceerresecnees 502 Remarks on pruning and sraining standard Apple and Pear Penne. kbs ania nig niece oe’ cle oid ieee a ks oe . 504 Herrings cured in the Dutch ‘Mode on Arion Pr cette sees O05 -MISCELLANIES. Some Particulars respecting the Arithmetical Powers of Zerah Colburn seco eee cece srsrereeseescseeserreces ee Account of Selden’s Mare Clausum ....+2.+++0- oe viawieese OLZ Description of Teheran sossceseeeccccesecevaseess soe O16 Description of Arz-Roum See e eee e eee e eee ee ees ereeeees 520 Inhabitants of Buenos Ayres... cideceseees yo F 22 Sea, | See Description of St. Paul's’ s.ccecececcsceee sevsesseeee O26 Description of Rio de Janetrd cesssesvecscessecees eine 028 Villa Rica . CoC oO OHHH OER HSE HHH HK CHEETAH E HOSE EE EEED 532 Diamond Mine ..cccecceseveceses eens secegecces 09.0600. dO State of Society among the middling Classes employed in Mining and Agriculture ..++seeeeseessererseeees SAL Original Letter from Sir James Stuart to the Right Honour- able Sir David Dundas ..cescsevecesseccceeseere 045 Farewell Address, spoken by Mrs. Siddons, on leaving the Tas 29th of June, 1812, and written by ; Oe eS, Twiss, Esq. vo eieeccececaenens eeeeee © eee Geeeses GENERAL THE ANNUAL REGISTER, For the YEAR 1812. GENERAL HISTORY. CHAPTER I. The Prince Regent's Speech.— Addresses thereon and Debates — Thanks to Lord Minto.—State of the King’s HealthDebate on Colonel M‘Mahon's Appointment of Paymaster of Widows Pensions.—Dis- _ tillery Bill. pis session of parliament was opened on January 7th, with the Prince Regent’s speech, deli- vered by commission; it was to the following effect :—Commenc- ing with the expression of deep concern for his majesty’s continued indisposition, respecting which the reports of the queen’s council were to be laid before the two Houses, it particularly adverted to their indis- pensable duty of continuing to pre- serve for his majesty the facility of resuming his royal authority in the event of his recovery. The success of the measures for the de- fence and security of Portugal were next touched upon, with the reputation acquired by the British and Portuguese troops in their ac- Vou. LIV. tions with the enemy. The sur- prise of a French corps in Estrema- dura, by lieut.-gen. Hill, was men- tioned with commendation; from which a transition was made to the general merits of lord Wel- lington in the direction of the cam- paign; and the spirit shown by the Spanish nation in their peculiar system of warfare, the extension of which was placed in balance ‘against the success of the enemy in some quarters. This part of the subject concluded with the Re- gent’s confident hope that parlia- ment would enable his majesty to continue the most effectual aid for supporting the contest in the Pen- insula. The speech then took notice of the success of the British [B] arms 2) arms in the reduction of Java, and the capture of the isles of Bourbon and Mauritius; and of the gallant conduct of the army uader sir Samuel Achmuty, and the navy by which it was seconded. His Royal Highness proceeded to re- commend to parliament the con- sideration of proper measures for the future government of the Bri- tish possessions in India; and ex- pressed his regret, that important differences between this country and the United States of America, remained unadjusted, at the same time assuring the Houses, that all means of conciliation would be employed consistent with the ho- nour and dignity of the crown, and the maritime and commercial rights and interests of the British empire. The usual address was then made to the House of Commons, trusting in their zeal to provide the “® mecessary supplies, and also recom- mending their resumption of the consideration of the Irish finances, which were, however, declared to be improved. The whole con- cluded with a sentiment of the ar- duous duties which his Royal Highness had been called upon to fulfil, and his reliance on the ex- perienced wisdom and public spi- rit of both Houses in assisting him to discharge the functions of his high trust. In the House of Lords, the ac- customed echoing address was moved by the earl of Shaftesbury, and seconded by lord Brownlow. Lord Grenville then rose, and after observing, that he should have been happy if the address proposed had been so worded as to procure unanimity, he remarked, that no outline of intended measures, no view of intended proceedings, had ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. been submitted to their Jordships ; and yet they were called upon to pledge themselves to a system which bad brought the country into its present alarming situation. He said, he retained his objections to every part of the system he had so often condemned ; and he particu- larly requested their lordships to consider the portentous way in which the state of Ireland had been alluded to in the speech ; the attention of parliament was not directed to the oppressions and grievances of which the Irish com- plained, but solely to the revenue to be drawn from them. He con- cluded by giving notice, that this subject would in a short time be brought distinctly before their lord- ships. The earl of Liverpool, in reply,. contended, that the system thus condemned had justified itself by experience ; and professed his own readiness, and that of his col- leagues, to defend their conduct when the day should come for canvassing the subject. He thought there was nothing in the address which could prevent any member from concurring in the assurance givento the regent of assistance in the discharge of his arduous du- ties. Earl Grey went over the same ground with lord Grenville, and denied that opposing measures of administration fraught with rein to the country would be withhold- ing the support to the Regent ne- cessary for the conduct of his go- _ vernment. Some other Jords spoke on the occasion; but the address was agreed to nemine dissentiente. The proceedings respecting the speech in the House of Commons were GENERAL HISTCRY. were rendered remarkable by am unusual circumstance. After it had been read by the Speaker, and lord Jocelyn was rising to move the accustomed complimentary ad- dress, sir Francis Burdett rose at the same time, and having first caught the Speaker's eye, it was decided that he was in possession of the House. The baronet then, af- ter a speech of warm and desultory invective against the principles of the war, the defects of the repre- sentation, and a variety of other matters of grievance, moved an ad- dress to the Prince Regent, intend- ed, he said, ‘‘ to embrace every point which his own sense of duty to his constituents, and to the country in general, suggested to him as essential.” Accordingly, the proposed address was framed in the style of a memorial or re- monstrance, laying before his Royal Highness all the instances of misgovernment and oppression, of infringment of the public liberty, and accumulation of abuses, which, in the opinion of the mover, a se- ries of past years had afforded. After it had been read, lord Coch- rane rose to second the motion, and in his speech particularly dwelt upon the misconduct of the war, and the little hope of final success. Lord Jocelyn thenmoved the address, which he had pre- pared, by way of amendment to that proposed by the honourable baronet, and was seconded by Mr. Vyse. Of the debate which fol- lowed, it is scarcely necessary to record the particulars, since the members in opposition, who agreed with sir Francis Burdett in parts of his statement of publicevils could not concur with him in all points, and thought that many of the to- E pics introduced would be better reserved for future discussion. They made some objections to the ministerial address, similar to those which were advanced in the House of Lords, and were replied to ina similar manner. The House then divided on sir F. Burdett’s address, which had only one vote in its fa- vour besides the two tellers, against 238. Lord Jocelyn’s amendment was carried without a division. On Jan. 8, lord Jocelyn ap- pearing at the bar of the House with the report of the committee on the address, the question was put, that it should be brought up; when Mr. Whitbread rose to deli- ver those sentiments on the sub- ject whick the unexpected occur- rence of yesterday had prevented him from declaring. He then at length stated his reasohs for dis< agreeing with the address. These chiefly turned upon the fallacy of the hopes attempted to be excited by the present state of the Penin- sula, concerning which he wished for more ample information in se- veral points (which he mentioned) than had been afforded; upon the expression “ conciliatory,” applied to the negotiations with America, which appeared to him by no means entitled to that appellation : and upon a supposed impossibility — of negociating a peace with France, arising from the personal character of its present ruler. He was an- swered by the chancellor of the exchequer, who began in a strain of sarcasm respecting the past pro- phecies of the honourable gentle- man, which had been proved er- roneous in the event ; and he went on to show the reasons there were for looking forward cheerfully and sanguinely to the result of the con- [B 2] test 4d test on the Peninsula. He advert- ed to several of the questions that, had been asked by Mr. Whitbread, to some of which he gave general replies; and he affirmed that our army in Spain was at this moment 10,000 stronger than it had been the last year. He defended the conduct of government with re- spect to America, and represented the contingent evil of war as great er to her than to this country ; and having noticed some other of the honourable gentleman’s objec- tions to the address, he concluded with hoping that the House would not be prevented, by the gloomy picture he had. drawn, from con- curring in it. After Mr. Whitbread had called upon the last speaker for an expla- nation of his meaning in quoting upon him a satirical couplet from Pope, and had received a disavowal of any intention of giving offence ;. general Tarleton rose, and madea number of observations concerning the unfavourable state of affairs in the Peninsula, and the hopeless nature of the contest. in which we have been so long engaged. He was followed by Mr. Creevey, whose remarks chiefly related to the public revenue, which, accord- ing.to his information, had expe- rienced a rapid and alarming de- cline; and for the purpose that the returns of taxes for the last year might be laid upon the table be- fore the address was voted, he con- cluded with moving that the word “ now” be left out of the motion before the House, and “ this day se’nnight”’ be inserted in its place. This called up again the chancel- lor of the exchequer, who said, he had the satisfaction to state, that the honourable gentleman had ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. : taken a black and very unfounded view of the revenue of the coun- try. He acknowledged a diminu- tion in the year 1811 of two mil~ lions from that of the preceding. year; but the receipt in the latter was the greatest ever known; and that important branch, the excise, * had produced more in 1811 than in the preceding year. After some further debate, in which the former topics were re- capitulated, Mr. Creevey’s motion was put and negatived; and the report was then brought up and agreed to. The thanks of the Houses of Par- liament voted on occasion of mili- tary success, are generally such mere matters of course, in which ministers take the opportunity of gaining reflected approbation of their own measures, and their ops ponents seldom choose to expose themselves to the hazard of ap- pearing reluctant to join in the praise due to meritorious services, that it is scarcely worth while to record them in the register of par- liamentary transactions. Some- times, however, the motions. for this purpose call forth discussions which it is not unimportant to no- tice; and one of this kind occur- red in the House of Commons on Jan. 10, upon the motion of the chancellor of the exchequer for thanks to lord Minto, governor- general of India, on account of the conquest of the islands of Bourbon and Mauritius, and the operations in the island of Java. The right honourable gentleman introduced his motion with an eu- logy of the wise and well-arrang~- ed plans of the governor-general, which had given birth to these successes. He went eee the GENERAL she detail of the preparations made for the several expeditions, and the mode of execution ; and after dis- tributing his praise among the per- ‘sons principally concerned, he moved, “* That the Thanks of this House be given to theright hon. Gil- bert lord Minto, fer the wisdom and ability with which the military ‘resources of the British empire in India have been applied in the re- duction of the power of the enemy ‘in the eastern seas, by the con- quest of the islands of Bourbon and Mauritius, and by the recent successful operations in the island of Java; and that this House doth attribute the brilliant and import- ant successes which have crowned our arms in that quarter of the globe, to the vigorous system of well-concerted measures so wisely adopted and steadily pursued by Gilbert lord Minto.” . Mr. Sheridan then rose, and said, that though he could not he- sitate a moment respecting the propriety of thanks as a reward for the discipline and gallantry dis- played by the British army; yet he was not prepared to acknow- ledge the same claim on behalf of lord Minto. In the first place, he thought an absolute necessity ought to be made out for the go- vernor-general to forsake. his sta- tion at Bengal, and enter upon a voyage for six weeks or two months to be present at the conquest of Batavia. He then observed, that ‘much merit had been attributed to lord Minto for having had every thing in readiness for the expedi- ‘tion against the Mauritius at the ‘time he received the dispatches, authorising him to undertake it ; and yet upon the first check that occurred, the whole object of the --armament must have been disap- HISTORY. pointed, had it not been for the admirable conduct of captain Row- ley. Thenext meritattributed to him -was, that the time of the year ren- dering the success of the expedition against Batavia extremely doubtful, and admiral Drury having despaired of it on account of the lateness of the season, the governor-general had made himself at Bengal so much more master of the subject than that experienced naval officer, that it was determined to proceed; his praise, therefore, on this occa- sion, would be so much detracted from the merits of admiral Drury. He said, that he could not concur in the opinion delivered by the chancellor of the exchequer, that theimportance of the acquisition was not to be contemplated in a ques- tion of this nature ; and he thought that when a vote of thanks was required from the House to the planner of the expedition, there could not be a fitter time to in- quire whether the acquisition was worth the lives it had cost; whe- ther we can quit it without leav- ing the natives to certain destruc- tion; or whether certain destruc- tion will not attend our troops if they remain? Adverting again to lord Minto’s accompanying the armament, he said, he had a rooted dislike to any civil control being exercised over the army or navy; it savoured too much of the French revolution, where a deputy from the convention always accompa- nied the troops, not to share the danger, but to participate in the glory. - Mr. Yorke defended the elaiim of lord Minto to the thanks of the House. With respect to the im- putation on him for leaving his go- vernment, he asked, what was to prevent him? Were there any commotion 6] commotions in Bengal to require his presence at that particular pe- riod? Jt was most important, not only to the success of the expedi- tion, but to the settlement of the island, that he should be at Java. A great number of points were to be settled there which no person but the governor-general was com- petent to decide. With respect to his having procured the sailing of the expedition at a season which admiral Drury and sir S. Auch- muty also had at first thought un- suitable, it was a circumstance greatly to lord Minto’s credit; for it was in consequence of having employed captain Gregg to try the soundings of the new course by the Caramalla, to the west of Borneo, by which he had convinced those officers that the armament could reach its destination before the S. W. winds set in. Sir Henry Montgomery could not think that any thing the noble lord had done merited the honour pro- posed. He perhaps deserved cen- sure for some of his acts at Java, especially that of giving freedom to all the slaves as soon as he arrived, which was letting loose a number of notoriously blood-thirsty men. General Tarleton ridiculed the idea of such a man as sir S. Auch- muty being sent on an expedition with a nurse to superintend him, and to whose decision or temerity in attacking fort Cornelis he at- tributed the salvation of the whole force. After several other members had spoken on both sides of the ques- tion, it was put and carried. ‘Thanks were afterwards agreed to nem. con. to all the other officers, and to the soldiers and seamen, concerned in the expeditions above mentioned ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. No debate took place in the House of Lords on the same mo- tions. The near approach of the period in which the Regency act was toex- pire, rendered necessary a particu- lar and formal inquiry. into the state of his majesty’s bodily and mental health, and committees were appointed by both Houses for the examination of the king’s phy- sicians on these points. ‘The re- ports of each were laid before their respective Houses on Jan. 13 and 15, and have been printed: it will be sufficient here to state the gene- ral result. The medical gentle- men examined were, Doctors He- berden, Baillie, sir W. Halford, Monro, Simmons, John and Dar- ling Willis. They all agreedrespect- ing his majesty’s present incapacity of attending public business, and also that his bodily health was either goodorlittle impaired. They agreed likewise in representing his state of mind as greatly disordered. With respect to the chance of reco- very ; they concurred in thinking such anevent improbable: but as to the degree of improbability, there was some difference, at least intheir language, some representing it as bordering upon hopelessness, others as only a preponderance of impro~ bability. On the whole, however, it was evident that the sum of opinion was such as to exclude any reasonable expectation of a reco- very, and that little more was meant by the cautious terms em- ployed, than to avoid a positive de- claration that it was absolutely de- spaired of. The public at large had anticipated the physicians in a similar judgment. A debate on a matter of little intrinsic importance, but one which gave an insight into wee Icy GENERAL licy pursued by ministers in their connection with the Regent, oc- curred on the motion for a supply to his majesty, made in the House of Commons on January 9. Mr. Creevey rose, and after observing that it was the duty of that House to examine several subjects con- nected with the revenue before they entered into the consideration of the supply, adverted to an office lately bestowed on the regent’s con- fidential servant, colonel M+Ma- hon. Twenty-nine years ago it had been stated, in the 10th report of the commissioners for public accounts that the office of pay- master of widows’ pensions was a perfect sinecure, and ought to be abolished, and in one of the reports of the commissioners of military inquiry presented to the House, four years ago, the same opinion had been confirmed, and it was added, that on the decease of the present patentee, general Fox, they presumed that the office would be suppressed; yet in the face of these two reports, the mini- sters of the crown had advised his royal highness the Regent to con- fer the office on colonel M‘Ma- hon. He concluded with moving an amendment, that the House would to-morrow se’nnight resolve itself into a committee of supply, ‘in order to give an opportunity in the interim for the consideration he had suggested. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer began a reply with some ob- servations on the prefatory matter in Mr. Creevey’s speech, in which he had alluded to the conferring - of some other places on members of parliament on account of their political conduct; and after de- fending the ministers in that re- HISTORY. (7 spect, he came to the case of co- lonel M‘Mahon. He corrected the honourable gentleman’s suppo- sition, that the place in question was held by patent for life; and asserted, that it had been distinctly communicated to the colonel, by his Royal Highness’s command, that considering the circumstances under which the office stood, he was to hold it as subject to any view that the parliament might take of it. Mr. Brougham considered the appointment as an insult to par- liament, and said, that the com- munication to the colonel, men- tioned by the chancellor of the exchequer, only proved that the ministers were conscious that they were flying in the teeth of those principles which had been recog nized by the House and its com- missioners. ‘This observation was argued against by Mr. Croker, who defended ministers in respect of that and other appointments which had been objected to. Mr. Whitbread thought that the last honourable gentleman had failed to remove the objectionable qualities of the case in question. The principle feature of blame in the transaction was, in his opinion, that of appointing the colonel dur- ing the recess of parliament, to a situation which every one must know to be a sinecure, and there- fore an incumbrance on the public purse, and fit only to be abolished. After some other sneakers had given their remarks on the subject, the House divided, for Mr. Cree~ vey’s amendment 11; against it 54. It should be observed, that the honourable character and me= rits of colonel M‘Mahon were al- lowed on both sides. It may = e 8] ‘be added, that the general senti- ment out of doors on this appoint- ment by no means coincided with that which seemed to be adopted by the majority in the House. The same subject was afterwards taken up by Mr. Bankes, in a de- bate on the army estimates, and a motion being made, the House di- vided upon it, when the ministers were supported by a majority of 54 to 38. Mr. Bankes, however, renewed the attack in a different motion on another day, and in a ‘uller House, when the arguments ‘against the appointment, with its extreme unpopularity inthe nation, outweighed the efforts of govern- ment, and a resolution passed for the abolition of colonel M‘Ma- hon’s sinecure by 115 votes against 112. On January 14, the House hav- ing resolved itself into a committee to take into consideration the acts relating to the distilleries, the chancellor of the exchequer pro- posed a string of resolutions, re- ‘commending the prohibition of all distillation from grain in Great Britain for a time to be limited. The comparative ‘failure of the crops for the last year had rendered this expedient necessary; but in order that the revenue might not suffer materially from the expiration of the duties arising from spirits distilled from grain, it had been thought advisable that they should be transferred to spirits distilled tromsugar. Theresolutions moved for were, in substance, that after the Ist of February, 1812, until the 3lst of December, 1812, no wort or wash for distillation shall be made in any part of Great Britain from any kind of grain— that it shall be lawful for his ma- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. jesty by proclamation, at any timé after October 1, 1812, either to terminate such prohibition from a time not less than 30 days from the date of the said procldmation, or to continue it from December 31 until 30 days after the next meet- ing of parliament—that, during the period of this prohibition, the duties on wort or wash made in Great Britain for extracting spirits, and the duties on spirits made in Great Britain, and on spirits made in Ireland and imported into Great Britain, and the duties on stills in Scotland, and on spirits made in England and imported into Scot- land, and vice versa, and the draw-= backs on exportation, shall be sus- pended,—that during such suspen- sion there shall be charged: duties on wort or wash, and on spirits, the particulars of which are the subject of several following resolu- tions; and that during such sus- pension there shall be charged upon all spirits imported into Great Bri- tain (except rum the produce of the British plantations) an addi- tional duty of 124 per cent upon the former duties. Mr. Ponsonby then rose, not to object to the resolutions; but to complain of the change that had been wrought in the constitution, by silently accustoming the people to look for relief from their griey- ances in matters of interest not to parliament, but to the executive government. After a word of reply from the chancellor of the exchequer, the resolutions were agreed to. The report of a bill formed upon these resolutions was brought up on January 22, when, on the ques- -tion that it be agreed to, sir John Newport rose, and entreated the House, GENERAL ‘House to weigh well the’nature of a@ measure which went to prohibit the intercourse between the two islands forming the united king- dom; and ‘he referred to the 6th article of the Union, by which it was declared that no bounty or prohibition should exist between the two kingdoms. He lamented that the general interests of Ire- land were’ so neglected in that ‘House; and observed, that at the time of the Union it was alleged that the benefits resulting to Ire- land from an exportation of the products of its distilleries to Great Britain would be one of the chief advantages resulting from that measure; but, after various suspen- sions, it was now proposed}to pro- ‘hibit such exportations, so long as -the prohibition of distillation from gtain was continued here. - Mr. Sinclair then submitted to the House some observations.on the subject, so far as the measure affected Scotland, and contended that the prohibition of distilling from grain would be very injurious to the agriculture and landed in- terest of that country. Sir Geo. Clerke proposed to in- troduce a clause into the bill for preventing the English distillers from defrauding the revenue, on the ground that they drew more spirits from a quantity of sugar- wash than the calculation by which they were charged. TheChancellor ofthe Exchequer said, that the matter alluded to by the honourable baronet had been a subject of long and deliberate re- flection, and he thought it unwise to embarrass a temporary system without full consideration. He assured Mr. Sinclair, that he bad received more applications from HISTORY. (9 Scotland for the adoption of the prohibitory measure, than from any other part of the united king- dom. He replied to sir J. New- port, by observing that the Sus- pension bill had been enacted for the purpose of relieving Ireland ; and that while the English market was restrained from the supply of spirits distilled at home from grain, it would not be right to suffer it to be affected by an importation of such spirits from a country where the prohibition was not in force. Mr. Hutchinson spoke with warmth on the injustice done to Treland by the various attempts to deprive her of the advantages ex- pected from the Union. The amendments made in the committee were then agreed to, and the clause proposed by sir G. Clerke was negatived. On the motion for the third reading of the bill, Mr. Hutchin- son rose to enter his solemn pro- test against that clause which had for its object the suspension of the intercourse between England and Ireland, which he charged with being in direct violation. of the solemn compact entered into be- tween the two countries, and he called upon the chancellor of the exchequer to assign his reasons for venturing upon such a breach. He was replied to by Mr. W. Fitzge- rald, who affirmed that those in- terested in the manufactures, agri- culture, and revenues of Ireland, considered this bill as a most im- portant benefit; and he asked if the honourable gentleman would wish that the provisions of the whole bill should be extended to Ireland ? Lord Folkestone affirmed that the last speaker had advanced no- thing 10] thing to show that the clause was not a direct breach of the act of Union; and intimated, that al- though the Irish might not be in- jured by the present measure, such an encroachment might make a precedent for future injuries. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer made some animated remarks on the objections raised by Mr. H. and lord F., and contended that every thing had been done with the best intentions with respect to Ireland. The bill was then read a third time, and passed. When it was introduced into the House of Lords, on February 3, it called forth some observations from lord Lauderdale, who said he did not mean to oppose it, but blamed ministers for not having taken the earliest opportunity, after ascertaining the deficiency of the late harvest, of counteracting the evil, either by assembling parlia- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ment, or stopping the distillery of grain on their own responsibility. Earl Bathurst, in reply, defended the conduct of ministers, and said that stopping the distilleries by the executive government was a measure that could be justified only by the most urgent necessity. Lord Grenville concurred in this opinion, and stated some reasons why he should not oppose the present measure} though liable to objec- tions. The bill went through the committee, and afterwards passed into a law. It is proper to observe, that the scarcity of grain in Ireland, of which alarming reports were given, caused at length a similar prohibi- tion from distillation to be extended to that country in this session of parliament, after several discus- sions in both Houses, which it does not seem important to particue larize. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [11 CHAPTER II. Bills relative to the King’s Household, and Debates thereon. QO* January 16, the House of Commons having resolved itself into a committee to consider of that part of the regent’s speech which relates to his majesty’s household, the chancellor of the exchequer rose to submit to the committee the measures which it might be proper to adopt under the existing circumstances. He began with stating the difference which prevailed with ‘respect to the ex- pectations of his majesty’s recove- ry, between the present period and the last session of parliament; and having adverted to the opinions of the physicians lately laid before them as to the improbability of a re- covery, he took as his standard that of the most sanguine among them, Dr. Simmons, who had stated the proportion of recoveriesin persons beyond the age of 70, as one in five. He then proceeded to lay before the committee what he conceived to be the principal ob- jects they had to keep in view. The exercise of the royal authority in the person of the king being sus- pended, it was first necessary to consider how it was to be supplied ; and in the second place they were to take into consideration the na- ture of the provision requisite for the maintenance and comfort of the king during his illness. ‘The first object was already provided for by that clause which gave to the regent the full powers of royalty at the expiration of six weeks from the commencement of the present session; but with the sovereign authority, the civil list would also devolve upon him, unless parlia- ment were to make some arrange- ment for his majesty’s household. In discussing this topic, two con- siderations naturally suggested themselves—from what sources werethe provision and attendants to be drawn ? and what was the nature and extent of the provision to be made? With respect to the first, he had no hesitation to say that his majesty’s present civil list, and his present officers and servants, were the source to be looked to. In considering the second point, it was the duty of the committee to contemplate, not only the probabi- lity and improbability of a reco- very, but a kind of middle state, which, though it would not render his majesty capable of resuming the reins of government, might afford him the means of tasting more comfort and enjoyment than he could partake in at present. In such an event, it must be supposed that on awaking toa sense of his situation, his feelings would be less hurt to find not merely the same individuals about him who had formerly attended him, but the same officers to whom he had been accustomed. In this view of the subject, no one could think that the double establishment ee or 12] for a regent and a king could be conducted at the same expense as that for a king alone. The neces- sary additional expense he thought would not be regarded as extrava- gant if calculated at the sum of 10,000/. per ann. ; and this he pro- posed to meet by an addition of that amount to the civil list. In looking to the present house- hold for a supply to his majesty’s future servants,he should propose to take out of it those high officers, the lord steward, and the lord cham- berlain, and in the room of the first to substitute the first gentleman of the bed-chamber, usually called the groom of the stole; and of the second, the vice-chamberlain. Of the lords and grooms of the bed- chamber, he would propose re- taining four of each class, to be selected from the present house- hold; and in addition to these, a master of the robes, and seven or eight equerries. The present private secretary to the king might act in the same capacity to the queen; and he trusted that it would be thought right that the whole esta- blishment above stated should be under the control and appoint- ment ofher majesty. With regard to the mode of providing for its expenses, he thought it would be best to take out of the civil list an- nually a sum equal to the estimated charges of the household, and if those should exceed the estimate, to defray the deficiency out of the treasury, which should state the sum to parliament, to be voted out of the supplies of the year; if, on the contrary, a surplus should re- main, that it should be paid into the treasury, His estimate of the sum required was 100,000/. He next called to the attention ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, of the committee the situation of the queen. As it could not be expected that she would continue stationary, as she had done, a greater expense would be incurred by any removal for health or amuse- ment; and to meet this and other expenses attached to the new ar- rangement of the household, he should propose an addition out of the civil list of 10,000/. to her majesty’s income. The pensions and allowances which his majesty was accustomed to bestow on the objects of his bounty were next to be considered. These had always been paid out of the. privy purse, and as it would certainly be thought right to continue them, he supposed there would be no necessity for changing the fund; submitting however the accounts to a scrutiny in a committee of expenditure. The expenses for medical attend- ance on his. majesty might be de- frayed out of the same fund; but there was an‘excess in the revenue of the duchy of Lancaster of about 30 or 40,000/., which might be applied to demands of that kind. With respect to his majesty’s pri- vate property, three commissioners should be appointed for the care of it, one to be a master in chancery, and the other two nominated by the queen and the regent. He was now come to the consi- deration of the state in which the Prince Regent would be placed, having the civil list returned to him less by 100,000/. per annum than had been allowed to his majesty. The prince now possessed an ex- chequer revenue of 120,000/. upon which there were certain claims which it might be unjust to dis- turb. He would, therefore, pro- pose that of his exchequer income i 50,0004. GENERAL HISTORY. 50,0007. should be transferred to the civil list, instead of being paid to him, which would leave 70,0001. untouched. By taking 100,000/. from the civil list, and adding to it from the exchequer 50,000/. a de- falcation cf 50,000/. would be left, which might be dispensed with on account of the Prince’s smaller family. He must, however, observe, that it would be unjust to transfer the civil list to the regent upon the supposition that it was adequate to pay the expenses of his majesty, when the contrary was notoriously the fact. In order to explain this, he had moved for the estimated charges on the civil list revenue as they were laid before the House in 1804, together with the actual charges for each subsequent year, and the latter amounted upon the average of six years to 123 or 124,000/. annually. This excess bad been paid from the funds aris- ing from the excess of the Scotch civil list, and from the droits of admiralty. As long as there were these funds to meet this excess, it would be improper to apply to the public to pay it; and he would propose that, whilst they remained sufficient, it should be defrayed by no other; but if it should increase so as to exceed the present average by 10,000/. per annum, the matter should be brought before parlia- ment. . It would also be proper to attend to another point, which was, the expenses incurred by his Royal Highness on assuming the reins of government. When it was hoped that his exercise of the royal autho- rity would continue but for a short period, he had declined receiving any assistance whatever, but it ne: would now be reasonable for the House to make aprovision for these expenses, for which purpose he should propose a grant of 100,000/. which sum, however, was to be voted only for one year, because, though it might be necessary for the assumption of the royal func- tions, it might be so for their permanent exercise. He conclud- ed with moving, 1. That for making provision for the due arrangement of his majesty’s house~ hold, and for the exercise of the royal authority during the continu- ance of his majesty’s indisposition, and for the purpose of enabling the queen to meet the increased expense to which, in consequence of such indisposition, her majesty may be exposed, there be granted to his majesty, out of the consoli- dated fund of Great Britain, for that period, the additional yearly sum of 70,0007. 2. That it is ex pedient that provision be made for defraying the expenses incident to the assumption of the personal ex~ ercise of the royal authority by his royal highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty. Mr. Ponsonby then rose, and began with some remarks upon the complexity of the plan laid before them by the chancellor of the exchequer, which he _ thought might have been. simplified, by giving to him who exercises the royal functions all that has been heretofore considered as necessary for the splendor and dignity of the crown, and leaving to the heir ap- parent to decide on what is proper for the dignity and comfort of his majesty. He next adverted to Mr, P.’s idea of a sort of middle non-descript state between = and. 14] and insanity to which the royal suf- ferer might arrive, which he con- tended was utterly unfounded upon any thing that had appeared on the _ examination of the physicians. He touched upon the proposed augmen- tation of the queen’s income, for which he could not discover a single reason; and also upon the 100,000/. to be granted to the regent for covering the cost in- curred by his assumption of the government, respecting which he thought that nothing more could be expected from parliament than a willingness to grant whatever might appear proper under the specified heads of expenditure. He con- cluded by wishing that the resolu- tions might lie on the table for a few days, that gentlemen might have an opportunity of considering the subject. The Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply said, that a fuller consider: ation of the plan, which he was aware was acomplicated one, would come on at a future period when the bill should be brought in; and -he then made some appeals to the feelings of the committee respect- ing-a liberal provision for his ma- jesty’s comforts. Mr. Ponsonby spoke again, and before he sat down begged to be allowed to ask one question, which was, whether in granting to his royal highness the sum of 100,000/. it was done under the notion that his claims for the arrears of the duchy of Cornwall were totally given up and ex- tinguished? To this the chancellor of the exchequer answered, that it appeared to him that the under- standing ofthe House inthe debates on this topic was, that his royal highness had totally relinquished every claim of that description. ANNUAL REGISTER, 182. Of the further conversation that passed on this interesting subject on the present occasion it is not necessary to give asummary, since the particulars will all come under notice in following the progress of the bill through the House. It may, however, be of some conse- quence to observe, that the asser- tion of the chancellor af the ex- chequer respecting the duchy of Cornwall called up Mr. Sheridan, who, after reading the prince’s message from the Journals of the House, contended, thatitamounted to a mere abandonment, not a withdrawment of his claims, which remained in full force. The resolutions were put and agreed to, and the report was ordered to be brought up the next day. On January 18th, on the ques- tion being put that the report of the resolutions be brought up, Mr. Creevey rose, and said, he must enter his protest against covering the deficiencies of the civil list from the droits of admiralty, which, he contended, were strictly the pro- perty of the nation, and ought to be brought into the supply. He also said the same thing respecting the Leeward Island duties, which former sovereigns had given up, but which, he asserted, were now parcelled out among ministers and their adherents, as he pledged him- self on a future day to prove. Mr. Brand entirely coincided in opinion with the last speaker as to the droits of admiralty. He then made some objections to the arrangements of the household as stated by the chancellor of the exchequer, and thought the sum proposed for the maintenance of the king and queen was immoderate. The chancellor GENERAL chancellor of the exchcquer, in reply, endeavoured to set the honourable gentleman right in some errors under which he seemed to labour with -regard to the state- ment; and with respect to the charge made on ministers by the former speaker, he declared his readiness to give every information in his power as to the grants made from the funds alluded to, and de- clared that not one farthing of them had been received by himself. After some more conversation, the resolutions were agreed to, and a bill was ordered to be brought in thereupon. On January 20th, the Chancellor of the Exchequer presented the bill for making provision for the better support and arrangement of his majesty’s household, and for the care of his majesty’s real and personal property, during the con- _ tinuance of his indisposition. It was read the first time, and amo- tion was made for a second read- ing, when Mr. Tierney rose. He observed, that from the papers produced it was impossible to un- derstand whether thé sums they should grant might exceed or fall short of what the occasion de- manded. It appeared from them that the expenditure of the civil list exceeded its revenue by 124,000/. per annum. Whether this addi- tional expense were necessary, it was impossible to say without the production of more documents ; and this was certainly the first time that an addition had been de- manded to the civil list without the appointment of a committee to inquire into the subject. After some further observations, he pro- ceeded to move for papers under the following heads :—1. An ac- ' HISTORY. [15 count of charges upon the civil list revenues as far as relates to bills in the department of the lord steward, from July 1804 to July 1811— 2. An account of the same charges as far as relates to foreign ministers, for the same period—3. An ac- count of the same as far as relates to bills in the department of the lord chamberlain, for the same eriod. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had no objection to the production of these papers, which were there- fore ordered, and the second read- ing of the bill was fixed for the 23rd. On the same day, the House having resolved itself into a com- mittee of supply, the chancellor of the exchequer moved, that a sum not exeeeding 100,000/. be granted for making provision for defraying the expenses incurred in consequence of the assumption of the exercise of the royal authority by the prince regent. Mr. Tierney said, that the prince regent had now executed his func- tions for twelve months, and when all the expenses attending the assumption of that office were over, the minister came forward with his outfit for the regency. The prince had refused asum of money the last year, how then could an outfit be asked for this year, especially as no distinct ap- propriation of it was mentioned? No such was ever voted by par- liament on the assumption of the monarchy, and he was anxious to guard against the recognition of such a principle. The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, that he kad intended the words to apply both retrospectively and prospectively, and had no objection to introduce them _ is 16] his motion. As to the apprehen- sion of its being made a precedent, there was no ground for it, since on the event of the demise of the crown, the regent would succeed also to the property of the crown. Mr. Tierney thought that at Jeast his royal highness should have been advised to send a mes- sage to the House on the subject ; and that parliament was not. justi- fied in asking him to accept of such a sum unless they officially knew that he required it. The same idea was taken up by Mr. Whitbread, who could not but think it extraordinary, that after the credit his royal highness had gained from the country by declar- ing his intention of laying no addi- tional burdens on the public for his expenses on assuming the regency, a demand should now be made by the minister as well on account of those already incurred, as of those that would now become necessary. After Mr. Secretary Ryder and Mr. Adam had endeavoured to do away these remarks, and Mr. Whitbread and Mr. Tierney had renewed their objections, the chancellor of the exchequer closed the debate by an appeal to the feel- ings of the house with respect to the delicacy proper to be observed towards the prince, and the regard due to his dignity. The resolution, with an amendment proposed by him, of introducing after “ ex- penses” the words “ which have been or may be,” was then carried without a division. On January 27th, the order of the day being read for the House to resolve itself into a committee on the King’s Household bill; on the motion, that the Speaker do leave the chair, Mr. Tierney rose, and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. after alluding to the delicacy a well as the inportance of the sub- ject before them, he proceeded to observe, that the papers on the table, however correct they might be, by no means afforded the in- formation desired ; for while they gave a comparative statement of the expenditure on the civil list for a few years, they afforded no in- sight. into the state of the vouchers, why they hadaugmentedin amount, and how the money had been called for. On this ground he wished to have a distant day for going into the discussion of the bill. In men- tioning his objections, he began with the part relative to his ma~ jesty’s property. They were called upon toappoint three commissioners to superintend this fund, at a salary of 1,000/. ayeareach, whence an idea might be formed of the magnitude of a sum that could afford so large a proportion for the mere auditing. He must protest against parliament’s recognizing this fund, uninformed as they were of its amount and nature. He must likewise protest against the oath of secrecy to be taken by these com- missioners, which would exclude parliament from the knowledge of any abuse belonging to the fund. In considering the act as itreferred to the regency, he. must make two assumptions :in the first place, that it would place his royal highness on the throne permanently, in case his majesty did not recover; se- condly, that his royal highness ceased to be prince of Wales on that assumption, and of course, whatever was vested in him as such was at an end also; that is to say, the executive government would be entirely in him. But the principles assumed would be violated GENERAL violated by this bill; for last year the country only recognized one court; but parliament was now called upon to establish two courts. The honourable member then weut over the pecuniary provisions of the bill, and said that it went to form funds over which parliament would have no control, and that the privy purse, instead of belonging to the office of king, would come to belong to the man, which was a complete perversion of itsintention. He next made various observations respecting the Prince’s debts, which he thought it would be better to pay off at once, than to place in his hands a sum “to meet certain engagements of honour’’ to an un- known extent, and with the possi- bility of being unable, through fresh embarrassments, to discharge them. The charges of the civil list were stated to have exceeded the funds by a large annual ave- rage, which had hitherto been made good from other sources, and if these became insufficient, then it would be necessary to come to parliament.. What was this but an indirect statement that an addi- tion was to be made to the civil list to the amount of this average excedent, while in the outset the Prince was to be curtailed of 50,000/.. enjoyed by his father? The fact was, that this was a plan to keep the Prince Regent always in restraint, always under the ne- cessity ofapplying for something to ministers, for which, no doubt, he was to give something to ministers in return. Mr, T. dwelt for some time on the idea of distrust of the Prince Regent shown in the bill, -and then adverted to the great in- crease of influence which it yave the queen ; and he concluded with Vou. LIV. HISTORY. [17 expressing his wish that it were deferred to a distant day, and that a committee were appointed for in- vestigating all the matters which could throw light upon the subject. Mr. Johnstone made some obser- vations. concurring with those of the last speaker, particularly with respect to theim portance of settling a specific adequate sum for the civil list, which should not be ex- ceeded; and he supposed that if there had not been sucha fund as the droits of admiralty to have re- course to, the excess of charges would not have taken place, and ministers would have economised better. He gave an instance of the want of adhering te the strict prin- ciple of the civil list, in a payment to sir Sidney Smith of a sum for ex- traordinary disbursements in 1798, which was not paid till 1811. This circumstance was explained by Mr. Matthew Montague, as the mere discharge of a debt for money advaneed. y Sir Thos. Turton, from a cursory ‘view of the documents on the table, would point out one item which in his opinion would render the proposed addition of 70,000/. _to thecivil list wholly unvecessary, This was that of the diplomacy, the charge on whieh had exceeded the estimate of 1804 by no less a sum than 96,0002, Headverted to one particular sum eharged, whieh was that of 16,0002. for the marquis Wellesley’s mission to Spain for a few months; this might possibly be a. very proper item, but without further investigation he could not know it to be so. _ Mr, Whitbread, after alluding to the cases of sir S. Smith and marquis Wellesley as proofs that further investigation was requisite, called 18] called upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, before the Speaker should quit the chair, to assign some reasons why the examination required should not be made. The House was required to declare blindfold by this bill that such an excess as 124,000/. ought to be in- curred ; the fact of which excess only came out by a side wind when the bill was brought forward. He then stated various objections to the bill, of a similiar kind to those advanced by other speakers. The Chancellor of the Exchequer madea reply ofconsiderable length, in which he defended the general principle of the bill, and explained the cases of those persons whose grants had been particularly allud- ed to. Mr. Ponsonby then recapi- tulated some of the objections made on his side of the House; and Mr. Adam gave reasons why it was proper that the bill should go into a committee. The House then di- vided upen the question, that the Speaker do now leave the chair, which was carried by 141 to 59. The House having gone into a committee on the bill, the first clause, granting to his majesty during his indisposition a further sum from the consolidated fund was read, and the blanks were filled up with 70,0007. to commence from February 18, 1812. The Chan- cellor of the Exchequer then pro- posed that the other clauses down to clause 14th should be postponed, it being his intention to divide the bill into two, and incorporate the omitted clauses in a separate bill. On the reading of the 14th clause, by which the Regent declares his intention of transferring 50,000/. a year issued to him from the ex- chequer, inaid of thecivil list, some ANNUAL: REGISTER, 1812. of the opposition members suggest ed that the consent of his Royal Highness should be expressly sig- nified, before the House could pro- ceed in the business. The Chan- cellor of the Exchequer then signi- fied the Prince’s consent, which was entered on the Journals. The committee on the bill being resumed, Mr. Brand objected to the sum of 70,000/. remaining at the disposal of the executive in addition to the present civil list. Mr. Adam rose, and made a parti- cular statement of his Royal High- ness’s affairs, of which he had been a managing trustee, which removed Mr. B.’s objection, and seemed to produce a general wish that his Royal Highness should be relieved .from the embarrassments under which he had solong laboured. The 14th clause being passed, the 15th was read, on which Mr. Brougham strongly objected to the addition of the 124,000. from a secret fund to supply the deficiencies of the civil list. The House divided upon the clause, and the numbers appeared for it 105, against it 33. The other clauses were then read, and the report was ordered for the fol- lowing day. On January 18th, the question being put, that the report of this bill be brought up, Mr. Brougham rose to state his objections to it. These chiefly turned upon the want of sufficient investigation into the state of the civil list, and the grants made upon it, and the separate in- fluence which would be established — by the provisions of the bill. He was briefly corrected in some of his statements by Mr. Rose. Mr. Bennet then made a speech of some length, of which the chief topic was the influence of the crown GENERAL HISTORY. crown in the House of Commons, the progress of which he traced historically. Mr. Sheridan then rose as the advocate of the Queen and the Prince of Wales, and recom- mended that the public should take _ upon itself the debts of the latter, extinguishing all question of the arrears of the duchy of Cornwall. The report at length was brought _ up and agreed to. _.. The remaining proceedings on _ this business afforded nothing new or memorable, The whole arrange- - ment was finally distributed into [19 three bills, viz. the King’s House- hold bill, the Household Officers’ bill, and the Regency Expenses bill. At the third reading, January 31, Mr. Bennet proposed a clause for incapacitating such officers as held places in the household from sitting in parliament, which was negatived, and the bill was passed. On its third reading in the House of Lords, February 7th, some observations were made upon it by lord Gren- ville, but no debate ensued ; and the royal assent was soon after given. CHAPTER [C2] 9] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. CHAPTER Ill. Bill for a Nightly Watch in London,— Debate on the Droits of Admiralty.— Motion ' Ecclesiastical Courts. A ei horror impressed by the murders comantted in the metropolis at the close of the last year, had occasioned many volun- tary associations for ‘improving the nocturnal security of the inha-' bitants, which in general appeared to be inadequately provided for by the existing regulations of the po- lice; and government at length thought it expedient to take up the matter. On January 18th Mr. Secretary Ryder rose in the House of Commons to move for a com- mittee to examine into the state of the nightly watch of the metro- polis. After adverting to the alarm- ing fact of the late murders, and to the unprecedented multiplication of offences of a less horrid descrip tion during the last three or four months, he observed, that in for- mer times each parish provided for its own watch, and it was not till 1774 that an act passed which applied only to 15 of the most po- pulous parishes, and which ap- pointed directorsand trustees under whose control the watch, patrole, and beadles were placed. It could be no wonder that this was found insufficient since the vast increase of the metropolis, and many in- stances might likewise be men- tioned in which the provisions of the act were evaded or neglected. If the House should agree to the ® Corrected to 1242 for inquiring into the Jurisdiction of the appointment of the committee, it would be for that to decide whether it were advisable to alter the system entirely, or whether it would be sufficient to enforce the present act. For his own part, he rather inclined to enforcing the preseut system by adequate provisions, than to establishing a new one. He con- cluded with making the motion above stated. Sir Samuel Romilly expressed himself much surprised at the con- fined terms of the motion. Con- sidering the great alarm that had been excited, he should have thought that a committee appoint- ed on the occasion would have found it necessary to inquire not only into the state of the nightly watch, but into the causes of the alarming increase of felonies and crimes, That such an increase existed was proved by the returns lying upon } the table, which he had moved for, and which showed a regular progress of crimes in London and Westminster for some years past. There had been committed to take their trial at the Old Bailey for felonies of various kinds— Inthe year 1806 .... 899 1807 eeee 1017 1808 .... 1110 1809 .... 1342* 1810 .... 1424t It would surely be right to inquire into + Corrected to 1207 GENERAL into the causes of this augmenta- tion, of which many might be mentioned, but at present he would only notice a few. The honour- able member then adverted to the system of punishment by promiscu- ous imprisonment, which associat- ed together the most hardened offenders with those convicted of comparatively slight crimes; to the constitution of the police itself in giving rewards to the officers for the detection of offenders of a cer- tain description, of which the effect was, suffering a growth and multi- plication of crimes instead of their prevention ; and to the depravation of morals by the encouragement of lotteries. upon these topics, he concluded with hoping that the motion of his right honourable friend would be withdrawn, and submitted in a much more comprehensive form. Mr. W. Smith followed in con- firmation of the necessity of such an extension of object as that pro- posed by the last speaker. The late murders, he said, originated in a set of villains about the town whose existence was not imputable to any deficiency in the nightly watch; and unless some change could be produced in their disposi- tion, the only effect of a more vigilant watch in the metropolis would be to drive them into the surrounding villages. The Chancellor of the Exchequer made a number of remarks to show that the considerations above sug- gested could not properly be re- _ ferred to the committee proposed, the object of which was to provide | a practical remedy for an existing evil. Mr. Abercromby observed, that two opinions had been advanced, After dwelling at length’ HISTORY. one that the proposed object of the committee was sufficient, the other that it was insufficient, for reme- dying the existing evil. He con- tended that nothing had been said to prove that the state of the police ought to be excluded from the con- sideration of the committee, and thought that the propriety of ex- tending it to that object was obvi- ous. After various remarks to enforce this opinion, he moved, as an amendment to the original mo- tion, the addition of the following words : ‘* and also into the state of the police of the metropolis.” Mr. Ryder acquiesced in the amendment of the hon. and learned gentleman, provided he would consent to substitute the word ‘¢further” for ‘‘also,”’ in order that the primary object of the committee might be that which he thought of great practical benefit. (To this alteration Mr. A. consented). He proceeded to take notice of the accusation brought against the po- lice officers as being never dis- - posed to detect offenders unless when stimulated by a great reward. This, from the best information, he stated to be unfounded, and he was convinced that greater efforts had never been made to detect offenders than those in the metro- polis during the two last months. Sir S. Romilly reminded the right honourable secretary, that a reward of 700/. had been offered on the late occasions for exciting their activity, a consequence of which had been the apprehension of a great number of persons upon bare suspicion, one of whom was the brother of one of the murdered persons, Mr. Sheridan began a speech of sarcasm and humour united, by pronouncing [21 29] pronouncing the proposition of the right honourable secretary the silliest that could possibly have been made. After supporting this assertion by ridiculing the notion of a grave inquiry into the state of the nightly watch, he digressed to the conduct of the Shadwell ma- gistrates on the late atrocities in that quarter, to the suspicions thro n on foreigners aud Irish- men, and the harsh treatment of the latter, to the neglect in suffer- ing Williams to commit suicide, and the unseemly parade of his funeral. He concluded with re- commending to the right honour- able secretary, that as he had shown to-night that he had not as yet thought at all on the subject of the police, he would begin to think of it with all possible dispatch, Other members joined in the de- bate, of which it is unnecessary to relate any further particulars. The qvestion was then put and carried, and the cemmittee was named, in which were the members for Lon- don, Westminster, Middlesex, and Surrey. With respect to further proceed- ings on this subject, we only find that on March 24th the committee appointed for the purpose, present- ed to the House.an elaborate report, in which they suggested a variety of regulations and improvements 3 that a-bill was framed upon these suggestions; and that on July 4th, «pon the presenting of a petition against. it from one of the London parishes, several members express- ed their disapprobation of its pro- visions, en account of the expense, and the new and extraord nary powers which it would create, and recommended its postponement. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. No further mention of it occurs during this session, On January 21, Mr, Brougham, pursuant to notice, called the atten- tion of the House of Commons to a question which he stated to be simply this, whether the crown had the power to use certain sums of money without any grant from parliament, or eyen without its privity? That, to which he meant particularly to direct his observa- tions, was the enormous fund called the dreits of admiralty, con- nected with which, however, were the crown revenues arising from the duchies of Cornwall and Lan- caster, the 43 per cent. duties raised in Barbadoes and the Lee- ward Islands, and the surplus of the Scotch revenue. After some statement relative to these last funds, he went to that which was his peeuliar topic, viz. the droits of the king as lord high admiral of England, supposed to be vested in the crown, because for the last century the office above mentioned was not conferred away, from it. — To this belonged all sums arising from wrecks and goods of pi- rates; but the great bulk of it arose from prizes. All ships de- tained previously to a declaration of war; all comimg into port from ignorance of hostilities between this and other countries; all taken be- fore the issuing of proclamation, and those taken by von-commis- sioned captors, were sold, and the profits arising from their sequestra- tion composed the droits of admi- ralty. By the last returns laid be- “fore the House on May 30, 1810, it appeared that the sum of 7,344,677/. had been paid in on this account since 1793, and it might GENERAL might now be fairly stated at eight millions. Thus the crown was receiving an annual revenue of more than 180,000/. from a capital said to be vested in it of eight millions. The questions for the House to decide were, therefore, whether by law the crown was separately possessed of these funds ; and if this were the case, whether it were safe for the constitution that such a law should remain in force any longer ? With respect to the first of these positions, though he did not mean to dispute the general maxim that *‘all prize vests in the crown,” yet he adduced various facts from history and law, to shew that regal droits and impositions were cou- sidered as destined to the service of the country. He next adverted to the proportion which existed be- “tween the parliamentary grants and the revenue of the crown previ- ously to the revolution. Before ‘that period, the expenses of war were not regularly supplied by parliament, but generally by the crown, from those funds which it was now contended were the pri- vate property of the king. At present, the country furnished all the meaus of war, whence it seem- ed just that it should receive all the profits of war. His next argu- ‘ment was drawn from the fact, that parliament had, at various periods of our history, interfered with the prerogative of the crown when it turned into abuse, of which fact he adduced several instances. He then proceeded to remark on the mode in which these droits were received and applied. By whom- soever they were received, they never went into the exchequer, Mer were issued thence, but were HISTORY. [23 paid from the Bank of England, on the authority, not of the privy seal, but of a warrant under the sign manual only. That this manner of issue was unconstitutional, he con- ceived there would be little diffi- culty in proving; and he referred to lords Coke, Clarendon, and Somersasauthorities to the purpose. Conceiving that he had sufficiently supported the positions above laid down, he now called the attention of the House to the practical obser- vations arising out of the abuses to which the fund alluded to furnished occasion. In the first place, it gave the crown an interest in going to war, and commencing hostilities in a way the least honourable to the national character. To illus- trate this fact, he alluded to the Dutch war in the reign of Charles 2nd, begun for the sole purpose of intercepting the Smyrna fleet ; and he did not hesitate to attribute to the same disgraceful origin, the capture of the Spanish frigates at the time when a negotiation was carrying on by the ministers at both courts. He then pointed out the means it afforded of accomplishing some vile job, or paying some worthless minion whose claims the tainister would not dare to bring before thecognizance of parliament. It was enough for him to have shown that this fund was liable to be made subservient to corrupt pur- poses, without being obliged to prove that it had been actually so applied; yet, as he seemed to be challenged to produce facts, he .was by no means unwilling to pro- duce them. He then, from the papers on the table, made various observations on the many large additions to the civil list in the present reign by the sums voted to supply 24] supply its deficiencies,and the great excess of expenditure still acknow- ledged, which had been paid out of this fund without application to parliament ; and he went through several of the items of grants from the admiralty droits, which appeared to him of an unconstitutional kind, He concluded a long and eloquent speech with moving a string of resolutions. The first of these de- clared “* That the possession by the crown of funds raised otherwise than by the grant’ of supplies from the commons in parliament assem- bled, and applicable to purposes not previously ascertained by par- liament, is contrary to the spirit of the constitution, liable to great abuses, and full of danger to the rights of the subject, and the in- terests of the country.” The sub- sequent resolutions went on to assert the duty of the House of Commons to inquire into the na- ture of such funds—to. state what the funds are which are called droits of admiralty, and their pre- sent amount, and also the fact of their having been disposed of with- out the interference of parliament —and to assert the intention of the House forthwith to proceed to inquire into the best means for bringing these funds under the controul of parliament, for the purpose of applying them to the public service, and of providing such additional sums, if any, as may be necessary to the main- tenance of the royal house- hold. Mr. Brand rese to second the motion, He thought it almost an axiom in the constitution that this House ought to have the disposal of all the revenue of the crown, and ANNUAL REGISTER, FSi2. he recapitulated some of the obser-= vations of the former speaker, Mr. Courtenay said, his princi- pal object in rising was to protest against the principle of having a stipendiary king, with an income fixed by parliament, and never to be exceeded. He thought the honourable and learned gentleman’s supposition of the prerogative of the crown being abused in the manner represented, improbable, and the danger theoretical ; and he declared his intention of voting against the motion. The Attorney General began with considering the first question stated by his hon, and learned friend ; whether the crown had a right to the revenue in dispute? In order to show that his Majesty was not dealing with, as his own, what was not his own, he would refer to the civil list acts. In the Ist of the present king, by which 800,000/. was settled upon him for life, as in former cases, many revenues were collected into one aggregate fund and named speci- fically, but anong them the droits of admiralty were not included. He then took a review of the prior acts on that subject to that of William and Mary, in none of which that fund was alluded to ; it therefore remained with his ma- jesty as before. The next consi- deration was, whether it ought to be taken from him? If a case had been made out by his honourable friend imputing to ministers the fact of having corruptly taken and applied that fund, there would have been some ground for his motion ; but as the question stood, they were to decide whether they would take it away, because it was pos- sible GENERAL sible that it might be misapplied. Oa these grounds he thought the motion unnecessary, and should " oppose it. Mr. Davies Giddy agreed that the right to these droits, from the conquest to the present time, was vested entirely in the king; but when any revenue was so vested, there were vested with it co-relative duties. These were no longer re- quired from the crown, as the revenue was now separated and granted for particular purposes. As to meeting the excess of the civil list expenditure out of this fund, he thought any other source better than one so uncertain and precarious. Onthe whole, he was for earrying the amount of this fund to the public stock, or, at any rate, leaving it with parliament to dispose of it. Mr. Stephen, though convinced that the droitsin question belonged to the crown, would not go so far as to contend that the House had no controul over them. He entered into some calculations to show that his honourable and learned friend _ had over-stated the amount at eight millions, and pointed out several * considerable deductions ; and also argued io favour of the application of the fund that had been made in ‘several instances, which could not without much inconvenience have been affected by a specific vote in parliament. After some other remarks on each side, the Chancellor. of the Exchequer rose, and spoke with some severity of the ‘ declama- tory attack” made by the honour- able and learned mover, He thought it very extraordinary that any lawyer should call in question the legality of these droits'as exist~ HISTORY. [26 ing in the crown. He said that the gentlemen who had adopted the mover’s side of the question, had disclaimed any intention of stating instances of abuse, and merely contended that there was liability to abuse: whereas a ma- terial part of the speech of the mover went to make the impres- sion that the government had been guilty of successive acts of abuse. He made some particular observa- tions on this head ; and concluded with saying, that conceiving that the proposed resolutions stated that to be law whieh was not law, and that to be expedient which was not expedient, he should give them his decided opposition, Sir F. Burdett spoke strongly in favour of the motion, on the gene- ral ground, that the crown could _ not hold property on any other tenure than for the henefit of the public; and contended that it was now become the duty of parliament to controul the fund in question. ‘Mr. Tierney; though differing from his honourable and learned friend. in the mode of his ‘motion; yet agreed with it in substance ; and he proposed the following amendment: “ That this House having taken into its serious con- sideration the unprecedented sums, at different and uncertain periods, within the last 20 years, received and disposed of by the crown as droits, is deeply impressed with the necessity of inquiring into and ascertaining theextent and applica- tion of the same.’ If this motion should be carried, he would follow it up by moving for an address to the Prince Regent, that there be laid before the House an account of the amount and payments’ from the droits from Jan. 1810 to Jan. —, an 26] and also that a similar account be laid before the House at the begin- ning of every session of parlia- ment, The Chancellor of the Exchequer had no objection to the production of a paper similar to that which brought down the account to May 1810, continued to the present time. : Mr. Brougham, in reply, main- tained that the bargain between the sovereign and the parliament - had been abrogated, and that the crown could not, with safety to the constitution, retain such sums at its disposal. The House divided upon Mr. Brougham’s, motion, when there appeared for it 38, against it 93: the resolutions moved by Mr. B. were negatived without a division. Mr. Tierney’s amendment was then put to the vote, and rejected by exactly the same numbers as in the preceding division. Mr. Brougham then moved for the appointment of a committee on the subject, when another division took place, for the committee 36, ayainst it 94. It may be mentioned, as a sequel of this subject, without entering into the particulars of a debate consisting of statements of indivi- dual facts and their explanation or contradiction, that on February 25th, Mr. Brougham moved in the House, “ That a select committee be appointed to inquire into the application of the various sums received as droits of the crown and of admiralty,” and that the motion was negatived. Lord Folkstone, having present- ed to the House of Commons a petition from a young woman who had been thrown into gaol at Bris- tol on a writ de excommunicato ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. capiendo above two years ‘before, where she was detained from the inability of paying costs and fees, caused the same to be read on January 23, as the foundation of a motion. He introduced it with saying, that having found upon inquiry that no legal remedy ex- isted for the hardships under which the petitioner laboured, he had been induced to examine into the nature, origin, and history of eccle- siastical jurisdictions, the result of which was a conviction of the ne- cessity of parliamentary interposi- tion to rescue the subject from their exorbitant and unconstitutional power. His lordship then pave an historical account of the progress of these jurisdictions in this coun- try from the time immediately pre- ceding the conquest, from which he shewed that they originated in usurpations, and that notwithstand- ing repeated complaints against them, nothing had been done in remedying their abuses since the Reformation. He then adverted to the present state of the spiritual courts, and took a review of the case of the petitioner, Mary Ann Dix, as well as of several other persons, who had suffered under the process of excommunication, He concluded with moving, * Thata committee be appointed to inquire into the state of the jurisdiction of the inferior ecclesiastical courts, and to consider whether any refor- mation is necessary to be made therein, and to report their opinion to the house.” _ The Hon. W. Herbert agreed that it would not be desirable that the law should remain as it was in many respects, but said that an inquiry into the proceedings of the inferior ecclesiastical courts would not ‘GENERAL not remedy the evil. The hard- ships complained of ina great mea- sure arose from the jealousy of the courts of common law in regard to the proceedings of the ecclesias- tical.courts, which compelled them to a circuitous mode of giving effect to their decisions, thereby enhancing the costs. The appoint- ment of a committee could not give relief in any one of the points to which his noble friend had alluded: he thought, however, there was one subject to which he had referred, which was of great importance, namely, the appoint- ment of persons to exercise ecclesi- astical authority in the inferior courts, who did not possess the re- quisite qualifications. Sir William Scott said, that he could hardly believe that the noble mover was ‘himself aware of the nature and effect of his motion, and the trusted the House would pause before they agreed to the proposed inquiry. Let them con- sider the number of persons who must be brought upto be examined from different parts of the country at an expense they were ill able to discharge. Let them also reflect that every court, however inferior in its jurisdiction, was entitled to be held in a decent state of respect till it was proved to have done something to forfeit its character. The points which ecclesiastical courts were called upon to decide were not so limited as the noble lord supposed. They included ma- trimonial and testamentary law, tythes, and many cases affecting the civil rights of mankind. He should not say that such jurisdic- tion ought to be conferred on the consistorial courts, but such they had enjoyed for centuries, Our HISTORY. (97 ecclesiastical law had been im- proved, and under the guidance of the courts of common law, had approximated to the changes in the situation of the country. The noble lord had been able to select only seven cases of what he called abuse and oppression, and he had erred in terming those causes, which were in fact merely suits, the ordinary process of all who claimed legal redress for an illegal wrong. Sir W. then proceeded to comment upon some of these cases, and particularly on that which was the subject of the petition before the House. After various observations m defence of the ecclesiastical courts, he said, that he did not pretend to assert that their consti- tution might not be improved, and, in his opmion, a diminution of their number would be beneficial. As to the particular punishmeut by excommunication, he wished some other were substituted in its place. It appeared to him an abuse of a religious ceremony, and that it would not be dificult to find a sub- stitute for it which would be more efficacious, less expensive, oppres- sive, and unseemly. Sir S. Romilly spoke in favour of the proposed inquiry, as not of the extensive nature which had been represented, but only in the first instance requiring an investigation of the cases particularly before them, and of the state of the courts out of which they had issued. He thought much good might arise from it, especially if the right honourable gentleman, who had distinctly expressed himself in favour of an alteration in the ex- isting law, and whose known ad- niration of established institutions would preclude the danger of a cry of 28] of innovation, would lend his aid in carrying the requisite improve- ments into effect. Sir S. then dwelt upon the particular circum- stances of hardship and cruelty in the case of the petitioner, whose only crime had been the applica- tion of a coarse expression to ano- ther woman in the same low class of life. Sir John Nicholl defended the conduct of the ecclesiastical court in which the casein question arose, and also the ecclesiastical juris- dictions in general, at the same time acknowledging that the mode of excommunication was objection- able, and that a remedy for its in- conveniences was desirable, Mr. W. Smith spoke in favour of the motion, and referred to a case of a seven years imprisonment of two females at Nottingham for a contempt in an ecclesiastical court. As to the objection that the pro- posed inquiry would cast a slur on ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the courts in question, he said, was there not a standing order of the House that a grand committee of inquiry into courts of justice should sit every Saturday ? He concluded with expressing his opinion that all other modes of rectifying these abuses would fail, and therefore he would vote for the motion. The Attorney General said, that a challenge had been given to his right honourable friend to bring in a bill on this subjeet, which he did not doubt would be accepted. Lord Folkstone begged to be in- formed by Sir W. Scott if such was his intention. Sir William replied, amidst cheers from all sides, that if it was the sense of the House that such a measure was expedient, he should certainly comply. Lord F. said, that with this un- derstanding heshould with pleasure withdraw his motion, which, after leave obtained from the House, was accordingly done. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [29 CHAPTER IV. Motion on the State of Ireland—New Bill to prohibit the granting of Offices in Reversion—Bills for the Punishment of Frame-breaking, and for the Preservation of Peace in the County of Nottingham. HE state of Ireland, in which - country the proceedings of the catholics in furtherance of their plan of petitioning by delegation on one hand, and the opposition of the government to their measures en the other, had occasioned a considerable ferment at the close of the past year, early engaged the attention of parliament ; and de- bates arose in both Houses on that topic, the great ‘length of which will permit us only to give aslight sketch of the arguments employed by the’ principal speakers—a cir- cumstance, indeed, the less to be regretted, as the subject of the catholic claims has already been rendered familiar to the public. On January 31, Earl Fitzwilliam ‘ rose in the House of Lords, in pur- suance of his notice, to call the attention of their lordships to the situation of a very important part of the British empire. He little thought, when he gave notice of his motion, that he should have to lament the existence of circum. stances which must add to the dis- contents already subsisting in that * country. which had reached London by the last mail, he found that the ' jury impanneled to try one of the catholic delegates had been tam- pered with, and'that the crown Yet, from the account * solicitor had been marking and altering the list in a manner that proved the exercise of the undue influence of government. After some observations on this point, he said, that independently of this circumstance, there were sufficient grounds for his motion in the dis- contents arising from the denial to ‘the catholic body of the enjoyment of the rights possessed by their fellow citizens; the injustice and impolicy of which denial he pro- ceeded to shew; and he concluded with moving, ** That the House do resolve itself into a committee of the whole House, to take into consideration the present situation of affairs in Ireland.” The motion was seconded by the Duke of Devonshire; after which the Earl of Rosse rose, and first remarked on the’ uncertain grounds upon which the noble earl had made his attack on the Irish government. He then made a number of observations on the tone of hostility assumed by the catholics in their conventional measures, which necessarily required the vi- gour of government to resist it. The Earl of Aberdeen argued on the same side. After all the con- cessions made to the catholics, of what (said he) did they ‘now com- plain? Their complaint was re- duced 30] duced to this, that they were still precluded from holding certain offices in the state. Would their advocates contend that as a matter of right they could claim an admis- sibility to them? If that doctrine was set up, he, for one, would not - hesitate to declare that it was not tenable. His lordship then went into a vindication of the measures of the Irish government, and the late judicial proceedings; and he concluded with regarding the ques- tion as one of expediency, on which ground he should vote against the motion. The Marquis of Downshire spoke chiefly to the act of union, and the failure of the assurance given to the Irish catholics at the time of passing it, and which, if persisted in, would cause a permanent sepa- ration of heart and mind, notwith- , standing a nominal union. © The Earl of Hardwicke alluded to his own administration in Ire- land, and could see no reason why any penal laws against the catholics should remain in force, when the cause of their enactment no longer subsisted. Me Of Lord Sidmouth’s speech, the most observable part was the view he took of the subject, in the fol- lowing terms :—He asked, was not this a religions question ? Was not the house called upon to protect the true religion established by law in this country ? And must they not . greatly detract from that estimation _in which it was essential it should be held, by allowing it to be sup- posed that they so far countenanced mass, as to put it on a level with - the established religion—allowing it to be regarded as a matter of in- difference whether persons went ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. to church, to mass, or to the syna- gogue ? MarquisWellesley began a speech of great force and comprehension, by a view ofall that had been done bythe Irish government in this mat- ter, the whole of which he vigorous- ly defended. He asserted that no obstruction had been given to the legal exercise of the right of peti- tioning by the catholics; that the convention act was a measure of prevention proved salutary by expe- rience; that due warning had been given tothe catholics of the late intention of putting it in force ; that the legal proceedings had been just and dignified ; and that on these points there was no ground for the proposed inquiry. He then proceeded to a general consideration of the cause of the Irish catholics, respecting which, he said, he did not agree with any of the declared champions in_ this conflict. His noble friend, the earl of Aberdeen, had most justly styled it a question of mere state expediency, in which opinion he entirely concurred. _ Toleration (said the marquis) is the interme- diate point between persecution and encouragement; the bound- aries of these, however, ean no otherwise be ascertained, than by reference to the relative situation of the parties, and the circum- stances of the state and times. It is aclear and undeniable maxim, that every state possesses a right to restrain whatever is dangerous to its security, and no sect or indi- vidual can assert a right against the state. On the other hand, every restraint excluding any description _of subjects from the advantages possessed by the community, is a positive GENERAL positive evil, which can be endured only so long as the probable dan- _ ger to be incurred by its removal ‘exceeds the mischief of its con- tinuance. How does this reason- ing apply to the catholics of Ire- Jand? what justification remains for contmuing the restraint of ‘which they complain ?. The mar- quis then declared that, in his judgment, the mischief of continu- ing the system of restraint greatly -overbalanced any danger to be ap- _preherded from reverting to the more mild and liberal policy which had adorned the earlier periods of ‘his majesty’s reign. The political power possessed by the catholics of Treland afforded matter of deep re- flection. It inust be the policy of every wise state to connect all per- sons possessing such power with ‘the general frame of the commu- nity, to blend their individual pur- suits with the common interests of the state, and to attach them by the ties of honourable ambition and ho- ‘nest gain to the established order of the government. _It was not so mucha question whether additional _ political power should be given to the Irish catholics, as whether they should now be refused those ap- pendages to their political power which would identify its exercise with the interests of the state, and constitute the bonds and pledges of attachment to government. After ‘pursuing this vein of reflection for some time, lord Wellesley touch- ed upon the delicate point of the danger to the protestant establish- ment in Ireland; and contended, that the removal of the catholic restraints, so far from being dan- rous to the establishment, was indispensably necessary for its se- curity, since it could never be safe ‘conclusions. HISTORY. while such a force of discontent was arrayed against it, a force which would be disarmed most ef- fectually by abolishing the causes of dissatisfaction. He then shew- ed, that their desires were not un- reasonable, or the offspring of a criminal ambition, but implied a just sense of the constitutional use of the advantages they had al- ready gained. Having expressed his opinion on these points, he pro- ceeded to say, that he trusted he should not be accused of a spirit of [31 “procrastination or delusion if he now objected to enter into a com- mittee for the purpose of instan- taneously removing the restrictions under which the catholics laboured. His reasons for this conduct were drawn from the menacing attitude which they assumed, their outrages on the law of the land, the passing ‘trials of the offenders, and the pro- priety of giving time for the return of tranquillity before the voice of ‘petition could be heard in a tone ‘adapted to the solemnity of the oc- casion. The Marquis of Lansdowne “wished to inquire how the last no- ble speaker, after urging his argu- “ments for the removal of all partial restrictions, could come to his final In his mind there could be no period more appro- ‘priate for a full discussion of this subject than the present, when parliament was about establishing a new government. He then took a view of that part of the marquis’s speech which went to vindicate the conduct of the Irish government, and attempted to shew that it bad been wavering and inconsistent, and that the judicial proceedings had been deficient in candour and justice. A number 32] A number of other lords after- wards spoke both for and against the motion; but as their speeches chiefly consisted in recapitulations of the arguments already advanced, it does not seem necessary to no- tice them individually. After a very late sitting, the House divided on the motion ; when the numbers were, contents, 42; proxies, 37 ; total, 79: non-contents, 86 ; prox- ies, 76; total, 162. Majority against the motion, 83. in In the House of Commons, on Feb. 3, a similar motion for ap- pointing a committee on the state of Ireland, was made by lord Morpeth. Of the debate which ensued, and which was still longer and more copious than that in the House of Lords, being continued by adjournment to the following day, it would be impossible to give -even asummary view without, oc- cupying more of our pages than we can, spare from other, purposes. In general, it embraced all the to- pics discussed in the other House, relative to abstract right and poli- tical expediency, to the hazards attending the granting or the re- fusing of the. catholic claims, and to the conduct of the Irish govern- ment in its interference respecting the, delegation of the catholics. One of the most admired speeches was that of Mr. Canning, who, taking the ground opened by mar- quis Wellesley in the Lords, main- tained, with great force, and with much_ historical, illustration, the political wisdom of granting the catholics an eligibility to all the offices in the state from which they were still excluded, but at the same, time deprecated the agita- tion of the question in parliament till men’s minds were suffered to ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. cool. The other speakers, however, © comprehending almost the whole debating force of the House, took a | decided part either for, or against, the object of the motion; and on | a division at a very late hour there appeared, for lord Morpeth’s mo- tion, 135; against it, 229; majo- rity, 94—a proportion considera- bly less than that in the other House. It is. observable, that although the terms of these motions includ- ed a consideration of the general state of Ireland, yet the subject of the catholics was alone the matter of discussion; whence these de- bates may be considered as only a renewal of those which had before occurred on direct questions rela~ tive to the same topics. On Jan, 28, Mr. Bankes gave notice in the House of Commons, that the bill to prohibit the grant- ing of offices in reversion being to expire on the 5th of February, it _was, his intention to render it a permanent measure, and he there- fore moved for leave to bring in a new one for that purpose; which was accordingly given, Mr. Bankes, on Feb. 7th, having moved the second reading of his bill, Mr. Dundas rose, and said that he should expect more sub- stantial reasons than any he had yet heard from the honourable gentleman before he could give his vote for making that perma- nent, which had hitherto been ouly temporary. He understood it to have originated in a wish of the finance committee, that those sine- cure places might not be granted in reversion, which they might think it expedient to abolish, and therefore a suspension of the power of the crown had been asked. Was it GENERAL HISTORY. if too much to desire that this branch of the prerogative of the crown might not be destroyed, at least till the embrvo plans of the honourable gentleman who re- commended such a measure were ‘known? «He also said, that it would be to no purpose to press ‘the bill here, since it would cer- tainly be thrown out in another place. _ Mr. Bankes moved that the en- try in the Journals of March 24, 1807, of the resolution of the house respecting offices in reversion be read: it was as follows—** Re- solved ;—that no office, place, em- ployment, or salary, in any part of his Majesty’s dominions, ought hereafter to be granted im rever- sion.’? He then said, that the in- troduction of this bill was not in the least connected with any pend- ing inguiry. He stated its origin and progress, and said, that al- ‘though that house, not being able to carry it ‘through as a perpetual measure, had made it a temporary ‘one, they had by no means aban- doned their first intention. Why were they to suppose that the other branch of the legislature would eontinue its opposition, and was incapable of changing its opi- nion? As the evil proposed to be remedied by this bill was of a per- petual nature, the law ought to be perpetual also. As a measure of economy, he had never held it out as likely to produce a material ef- fect, but the committee had dwelt upon it as having a tendency to that end. With respect to the ‘prerogative of the crown, it tended rather to increase than diminish it for if one right of the crown were taken away, another of more con- sequence would be substituted to Vou. LIV. [3s it. The bill was also necessary to remedy a growing evil. Many of the places recently granted in reversion were not so formerly, and what was there to prevent such a practice from being extended? Pensions were now granted in re- version; and this abuse could only be put an end to by a reprobation of the principle shewn in both houses of parliament. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer treated’ the bill as of such slight importance, that it was not worth supporting at the hazard of a difference between the two houses of parliament. Sir S. Romilly denied that the bill which had several times re- ‘ceived the sanction of the house was of slight importance, or that, as the right honourable Chancellor ‘had suggested, it had been previ- ously carried by popular clamour ; ‘and he repeated the arguments of the mover in its favour. Mr. Whitbread’ remarked, that the only two members who had spoken against the bill were two very principal reverstonists, and he made some pointed observations on the Chancellor of the Exche- quer’s opposition to it. Several other members spoke, all of them in support of the bill; and Mr. Ponsonby, who con- cluded,’ urged the house with the charges of inconsistency, and inattention to the wishes of the public, which their rejection of it would bring upon them. The house then divided upon the question of the second reading, when the numbers were, ayes, 54; noes, 56; leaving a majo- rity of two against the bill. A second division took place on the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s mo- [D] tion 34] tion, that the bill be read a second time this'day six months, which was carried by 55 votes to 52. A third division on the motion “¢ That the house do now adjourn,” was rejected by 59 against 45. - On March 10, Mr. Bankes moved for leave to bring in a bill to prevent the granting of offices in reversion for a time to be limited. He said that the proposed bill would be’ exactly the same with that introduced into the House of Lords during the Jast year, and which had passed that house. Leave being accordingly given, he immediately brought in the bill, which was read the first time. The term of limitation which it proposed was two years, No op- position being made to it in its progress, the bill was brought into the House of Lords, and ordered for a second reading on March 24, On that occasion Earl Grosvenor said, that he had a strong aversion to temporary. measures, and was thoroughly convinced that these grants ought to be entirely abo- lished. He made a variety of ob- servations to shew the importance of such an abolition, and asserted, that ifit had taken place at the beginning of the present reign, se- veral. places which now existed would have been abolished altoge- ther, to the saving of many mil- lions to the state. He concluded with announcing his intention, when the bill. came to be com- mitted, of moving to extend the prohibition to twenty years. On April 10, the house having resolved itself into a committee on the bill in question, Earl Grosvenor rose, and after repeating some. of his former remarks, moved, as an amendment, that the suspension, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. instead of being continued. till 1814, should be continued to 1840. ’ The Earl of Lauderdale said, he would support the amendment, in order to get rid of the repeated dis- cussions on this subject, which he thought tended to mislead the pub- lic, and produce a false supposition that an important saving might be made. He then went on to shew that this would not be the case, nor would the bill have any tend- ency to reduce the influence of the crown; and he asserted that this influence was much less now in the two houses, and had been less since his political career commenc- ed, than at a former period. | Earl Grey was called up by this assertion of his noble friend, who began with observing, that though he did not attach much import- ance to the immediate operation of the measure, yet he attached a great deal to the principle. He would wish to shew to the people of this country, suffering under ' excessive burdens, that parlia- ment was anxious. to relieve them ; and when a question of re- form was agitated, it was of great importance that it should be car- ried through. He knew three of- fices in reversion, producing, he be- lieved, an annual sum of 60,000/. which from being thus held could ‘not be regulated by parliament, as being looked upon in the light of a freehold; though without that cir- cumstance they would probably have been abolished. The noble earl (Lauderdale) had told them that the influence of the crown in parliament had diminished. He was aware of the fact as far as it concerned the direct influence, but it was. impossible to doubt that its anfluence GENERAL HISTORY. influence had greatly increased. This last, under the present cir- ‘cumstances, could not be dimi- ‘nished: the other, he conceived ‘that the proposed measure would ‘tend to lessen; and if it did not go ‘so far as he could wish, he ap- proved of it as a kind of pledge of ‘a serious intention in the house to do away those abuses which it was in their power to remove, “The Earl of Liverpool said he did not mean to discuss the princi- ple of the bill, but would confine himself to some observations on ‘the amendment. This, he con- ‘tended, went to destroy altogether the principle of’ the bill. The question now was, not whether Sinecures and reversions shculd be abolished, but whether, with re- ference to ‘certain inquiries pend- ing in the other house, they would for a limited time suspend such pointments till the result. of these inquiries was known? The proposition, therefore, contained in the bill, the provisions of which would expire in two years, was reasonable; but it would be a inockery to enact a suspension of twenty-six years more. He then proceeded to make some remarks on the influence of the crown, and asserted that it had not increased with the increasing establishments _ of the country in the manner stat- ed by the noble earl. In conclu- sion, he said the bill should have his support in the state in which it came from-the Commons. Earl Morton called upon their Tordships to consider what would be the effect of the amendment with a view to the prerogatives of the ctown, one of which would be suspended by its operation during twenty-eight years; and he inti- [35 mated that the Regent, by giving his assent to sucha bill, would be- come an unfaithful guardian of the trust committed to him, | Lord Holland spoke toorder, and asked if the noble earl meant to assert that the Prince Regent was not vested in all the prerogatives of the crown, or had not a will of his own? Earl Morton explained; and af- ter some further debate the-amend- ment proposed by Lord Grosvenor was negatived without a division, and the report on the bill was or- dered to be received. It after- wards passed into a law without further discussion. The disturbances in the town and county of Nottingham having continued during the winter, to the terror of all peaceable inhabitants, aud the destruction of much valu- able property,.and the practice of frame-breaking having been organ- ized into a regular system, which the exertions of the magistrates, with the aid of military force, were found unable to counteract, Mr, Secretary Ryder, on Feb. 14, in- troduced to the House of Com- mons two bills for the purpose of adding new legal powers to those already subsisting, for the suppres- sion of disorders now become so serious. He introduced the sub- ject by giving a summary account of all that had hitherto been done by government in the matter, and by stating the causes which ren- dered the detection and appre- hension of offenders so difficult. He then said, that by an actof the 28th of the King, the breaking of frames was a minor felony, punish- able with transportation for four= teen years ; but this having proved completely inefficacious in deter- [D 2] ‘ring 36) ANNUAL ring from the commission of the offence, it was his intention to pro- pose that it should now be made capital. He was by no means a friend to the increase of capital punishments, but the present situa- tion of the scene of those illegal proceedings was exactly such as came within the definition of the best ancient lawyers, when speak- ing of astate of things which called for severe punishment. He then quoted the authority of Sir Matt. Hale, and applied it to the exist- Ing case of Nottingham. This was his first measure; the second was ‘to enable the lord-lieutenant of the county, the sheriff, or five justices, when disturbances existed, to call a meeting, and give immediate public notice that a special meet- ing would be held for the purpose of obtaining lists of all the male inhabitants of the county above the age of 21, in order to select from them such number of constables as they think necessary, and establish watch and ward throughout the disturbed parts. He might be told that part of this plan was law al- ready ; but it was law which had fallen into disuse. The right ho- nourable secretary concluded by moving, ‘ That leave be given to bring in a bill for the more exem- plary punishment of persons des- troying or injuring any stocking or lace-frames, or other machines or en- gines used in the frame-work knit- ting manufactory, or any articles or goods insuch frames, or machines.” Colonel Eyre, member for Not- tinghamshire, seconded the mo- tion, ‘and confirmed the Secretary’s statements respecting the riots. Mr. J. Smith, member for Not- tingham, suggested, as another cause of the riots, besides the de- REGISTER, 1812. cay of trade, a custom adopted by some manufacturers of paying their workmen in goods charged be- yond their value, which he thought deserved inquiring into. He was sorry to say, that he never wit- nessed so much misery as when he was last at Nottingham. He allowed that the mischief was dreadful, but felt very unwilling that the punishment of death should be resorted to. He bore an ample testimony to the zeal and abilities displayed by the right ho- nourable Secretary in. the whole of this business, and gave great praise to the conduct of the magistrates of Nottingham, who, he said, in their provision for keeping the peace had gone beyond the mea- sure of the proposed bill. He fur- ther observed, that the existing law against frame-breaking, ex- tended only to stocking-frames, and not to lace-frames, Of the other speakers at this early stage, some recommended a committee of inquiry previously to an enactment which constituted a new capital offence, and thought the case was not of urgency sufhi- cient to demand hasty remedies, especially as the mover had acknow- ledged that the disturbances had been gradually diminishing, and were now nearly subsided ; others declared themselves convinced of the immediate necessity of strong measures. A division upon the motion at length took place, in which it was carried by 49 votes against 11. Mr. Secretary Ryder then mov- ed, ‘‘ That leave be given to bring in a bill for the more effectual pre- servation of the peace within the county of Nottingham, and the town and county of the town of Notting- ham.” GENERAL HISTORY. ham.”’ Leave wasaccordingly grant- ed, and the two bills were brought in and read the first time. Mr. Herbert then moved, ‘* That acommittee be appointed to in- quire into the late riots in the county of Nottingham and the neighbouring counties, and what _ farther legal provisions, if any, are necessary for the suppression there- of, and also the steps which have been taken for the discovery of the offenders.” Mr. Secretary Ryder argued against the appointment of a com- mittee as wholly unnecessary ; and on a division, the motion was ne- gatived by 40 against 15. On Feb. 17, Mr. Ryder having moved for the second reading of the bill for the more exemplary pu- nishment of frame-breaking, &c. Mr. Abercromby rose to declare his objections to the bill, chiefly on the ground of its being ineffec- tual for its purpose. He was fol- lowed by several speakers on both sides, whose arguments differed little from those advanced on the former reading. Sir Samuel Ro- milly, whose attention had alread been particularly directed to capi- tal punishments, took a leading part in opposition to the bill. He said, it was folly to talk of the ter- _ror that would arise from convert- ing the punishment of transporta- tion for fourteen years into that of death ; the one wouid always have almost an equal influence upon the human mind with the other, and he would answer for it, that this terror would not tend to diminish the evil. If the existence of this evil were to be attributed to a con- spiracy for suppressing evidence, the terror of a greater punishment would tend the more to keep wit- [37 nesses from coming forward. The bill was totally directed against individual depredation, and not against the conspiracy which had given birth to the disturbances. He complained of the want of exa- mivation and inguiry; and said, that in after-times it would asto- nish an English House of Com- mons to find, ou inspection of the Journals, that in a case of life and death their predecessors had upon only a few miuutes examination adopted a measure of so much im- portance. Sir Arthur Piggott, on the same side, observed, that if ever a legis- lature took a wrong step, it was when there existed a degree of in- dignation against persons who had committed violent aggressions against private property and the public peace. Before any one ask- ed him to extend the punishment | and make it capital, he oaght to prove that the law had been en- forced and found ineffectual ; but as it did not appear that there had been any prosecution upon the 28th of the King, there was no autho- rity for saying that the law was not adequate to its purpose, ex- cept that there was a necessity of extending it to the breaking of lace-franies. On the other side, the peculiar danger and extent of the outrages which had been committed, was dwelt upon as a call upon the le- gislature to enact some more se- vere punishment than had hitherto been applied to the case. The house at length divided on the se- cond reading, which was carried by 94 against 17. Mr. Ryder then moving that the bill be committed for to-morrow, Sir §S. Romilly moved as ail amendment to substi- tute 38] tute Wednesday, which was nega- tived by 80 against 15. It is not necessary to trace the further passage of this bill through the House of Commons, since the additional debates were productive of no new arguments, After a third reading on February 20, it passed without any other divi- sion. On Feb. 27, the bill was order- ed for a second reading in the House of Lords, when the Earl of Liverpoo! stated its nature and ne- cessity. Lord Byron then rose, and in the first speech he had made be- fore that assembly, described in very strong terms the distresses which had driyen the poor manu- facturers to acts of outrage, and expressed his detestation of the sanguinary spirit of a measure which, he contended, had only been resorted to in consequence of the neglect of government to ap- ply timely remedies for the evil. Other lords in opposition spoke against the bill, with even greater severity than had been used in the House of Commons. _ . At the close of the debate, the house divided on the motion of Lord Lauderdale to adjourn the discussion till Monday, when there appeared, contents, 17; non-con- tents, 32; majority, 15; after which the bili was read. His lordship’s motion, that the judges be ordered to attend on Monday, was negatived. Upon the order of the day for the committal of the bill, March 2, Earl Grosvenor. rose to move the discharge of the order. The de- bate was thereupon renewed with the same arguments which had been before used, and the question being put upon the motion, it was ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. negatived. Two proposed amend- ments were agreed to; one, that the attempt to destroy . frames should be made only a misdemean- our; the other, that it should not be imperative upon the person in- jured to proceed immediately to prosecute, provided he could shew a reasonable cause for his delay. The bill was then committed, two peers, Lords Lauderdale and Ross- lyn, entering a protest against it. The debate was briefly resumed, on March 5, on. the motion for the third reading, but it passed. without a division, The fellow-bill for the preser- vation of the peace in the town and county of Nottingham, was brought to a committee on Feb, 18, when, on. the suggestion of. some members for extending its provisions, to . the neighbouring counties, Mr, Secretary Ryder moved, that it be an instruction to the committee, that they be em- powered to extend the provisions of the bill to any other county in Great Britain, which was agreed to. ‘ When the report of the com- mittee was brought up on February 26, Mr, Ryder said, that since the bill had been before the. house, he had received several communica-. tions, which had made it advisable. to extend its provisions to the whole kingdom, The bill had been, » in consequence, new modelled in many parts, and in this state was. submitted for discussion to the committee. The clauses then went ‘ through the committee. No further discussion is recorded respecting this bill, which, with. the former, passed into alaw. The operation of both of them was li- mited to March 1, 1814. CHAPTER i GENERAL HISTORY. [39 CHAPTER V. Debate on the Expulsion of Mr. Walsh—Renewal uf the Gold Coin and Bank-Note Bill—Motion of Lord Boringdon for an efficient Administration—Provision for the Princesses. PRIVATE matter, which was discussed in the House of Commons at the early part of the session, is entitled to notice, on account of its involving a principle of parliamentary law, though otherwise it might have been pass- ed over in the public history of the year. Mr. Benjamin Walsh, a member of parliament, had been guilty of a very gross breach of trust in his business of a stock- broker; for which he hed been tried at the Old Bailey, and con- victed of felony. He had afterwards obtained the royal pardon for his crime, on the ground that it did uot properly amount to felony ; but his remaining a member of the house could not but be regarded as derogatory to the dignity of that assembly. On Feb. 25, on the motion of Mr. Bankes, copies of the papers relative to his trial and conviction were laid before the house, and an order was made for his attendance on the 27th. On that day nothing more was done than taking some preliminary steps to further proceedings. Repeated orders having been made for Mr. Walsh’s appearance, with which he did not comply, but stated by letter his desire that the proceed- ings of the house should not be de- layed on that account, Mr. Bankes, on March 5, rose, and after a speech setting forth the enormity of the offence of which the mem- ber in question had been convicted, and the practice of the house of expelling for notorious crimes, par- ticularly four pecuniary frauds and breaches of trust, he moved,“ That Benjamin Walsh, esq. a member of this House, having been tried at the Old Bailey, in January last, for felony, and convicted thereof, and having received a free pardon, by reason of his offence not amounting to felony in the opinion of the judges ; but gross fraud and noto- rious breach of trust having been proved against him on the said trial, is unworthy and unfit to con- tinue a member in this House.” Sir Arthur Piggott, in opposition to the motion, adduced various ar- guments to prove the incomplete- ness of the evidence before the house of Walsh’s guilt, and to shew, that although he had dis- graced himself in the eyes of so- ciety, his action was not of a na- ture of which the house could take cognizance. ‘Mr. Bathurst replied to his ob- jections, by shewing that there was sufficient proof of moral turpitude for which no circumstances of mi- tigation had been adduced ; that the House was not bound by tech- nical rules; and that every one must feel the gross indecorum of ; such 40) such a person sitting in that place. Mr. Abercromby stated, that there were three great classes of cases upon which that house had frequently been called upon to ex ercise its right of expulsion: 1. cases of contempt of the house it- self: 2, breaches of public trust : in both these the house exercised its jurisdiction upon sound and so- lid principles : 3. when persons had been found guilty and punished for gross offences. In these last cases, the house paid that respect to the sentence of the laws, and to the laws themselves, as to deem such persons unfit to sit in that house. He then endeavoured to shew, that the present case was widely different : that the record of cenyiction was incomplete, and that if a special verdict had been taken, there would have. been no conviction, As,to the mere im- morality of the act, he thought that principle might be carried to a dan- gerous extent, and that it would be very dificult to draw the line and determine what sort of breach of trust should render a member liable to expulsion, and what not, The Attorney General confessed that the subject was attended with a good deal of difficulty. Of the cases of expulsion which had been quoted by different members, that of the directors of the Charitable Corporation came the nearest ; and if the house had proceeded upon it, not as a misapplication of the pub- lig money, but as an act of gross dishonesty, the act committed by Mr. Walsh was at least equally dis- honest.. Several other members spoke on the different sides of the question, whichwas discussed with much tem- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. per and impartiality. The general sense of the house was however clearly for the expulsion of one who had proved himself so unworthy a member, as was manifested by the division, on which Mr. Bankes’s motion was carried by 10 against. 16, though some very respectable names appeared in the minority. The gold coin and bank note bill, which had excited so much discussion in the last session of parliament, was again introduced to the notice of the House of Commons, on March 17th, by a motion from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for its continuation, with certain amendments. After a few preliminary observations on the course which he meant. to adopt, which was that of proposing that the bill should be read twice before the holidays and printed, and a day be appointed after the | recess, in order that gentlemen from | Ireland might be present at the discussion of the various provisions, » he moyed ‘ That leave be granted to bring in a bill to continue and amend an act of the. last session of parliament, for making more ef- fectual provision for preventing the current gold coin of the realm from being paid or accepted for a greater value than the current va- | lue of such coin; for prevent- ing any note or bill of the governor and company of .the Bank of England from being received, for any smaller sum than the sum therein specified ; and for staying proceeding upon a distress by ten= der of such notes; and to extend the same to Ireland.”’ Lord Folkstone rose’ in this ear- ly stage of the business to observe upon the confident, manner in.) which the right, hon. ites a GENERAL HISTORY. had introduced a motion, the ob- ject of which was neither more nor less than that of making bank notes a legal tender; and he made some observations on the extension of the bill to Ireland, though Lord Castlereagh had last year particu- larly objected to it, because bar- gains in the north of that country being made for payments in gold, it would have the effect of defraud- ing the creditors. Lord Castlereagh having made some explanation relative to his opinion as referred to by the noble lerd, Mr. Tierney spoke with con- siderable warmth against the pro- posed measure, against which, as likely to bring on a most dau- gerous crisis for the country, he solemnly protested. The House divided upon the motion, which was carried by 73 against 26, and leave was accord- ingly given to bring in the bill. -On the motion for the second reading of this bill, March 26, a. debate arose, in which several members on both sides partook. The arguments against the mea- sure were chiefly recapitulations of those before employed to show the danger of making, in effect, bank notes a legal tender, and maultiplying paper credit beyond all stint and limit. With these were joined the injustice of ex- tending: the’ law to Ireland, in some parts of which leases and contraets of long standing existed for the payment of gold, and the depreciation of paper was ad- vanced to 25, per cent. On the other hand it was contended that greater evils would arise from leav- ing tenants at the mercy. of rapa- cious landlords.. On. the whole, it was evident from the views [at given of the subject, that difficul- ties pressed upon it on all sides, and that nothing remained but a choice of evils. The ministers, however, were supported by a large majority, the division on the motion giving ayes 61; noes 16: majority 45. On April 10th, the question be- ing put that the house do resolve itself into a committee on this bill, Mr. Parnell rose to move as an amendment, that further pro- ceedings be postponed to this day ° fortnight, for the purpose of ap- pointing a select committee to in- quire into the state of the currency in Ireland. He then made a statement of the situation in which this currency was placed; from which he concluded that the only effect of the bill in Ireland would be to take the money out of the pockets of the landlords and other creditors, to put it into that of tenants and debtors. His demand for further inquiry was supported by Sir J. Newport and Mr. Pon- sonby, and replied .to by Lord Castlereagh and Mr. W. Pole, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The house. then dividing on the question for going into’ a commit- tee, it was carried by 87 against 27. The motion for bringing up the report, April 17th, was opposed by one for adjournment, which was negatived by 101 to 35; after which the reception of the report was postponed to the 20th. On that day the debate was renewed, and another division took place, in which the bringing up: of the report’ was carried by ayes 138 against noes 29. Lord A. Hamilton then proposed a clause to confine the dividend of profits to the pro- prietors 42] prietors of the Bank of England to 10/. per cent, during the operation of the bill; his object being to give the bank an interest in the recommencement of payments in specie. It was negatived without a division. Mr. Taylor proposed a clause to compel the bank to employ the surplus of profit above 107. per cent. in the purchase of bullion, which was also negatived ; and the same fortune attended Mr. Johnstone’s ‘proposed clause to * limit the issue of bank-notes. The Chancellor of the. Exche- quer proposed the amendment of taking away from the landlord the right of ejectment after a tender of bank-notes in payment of rent by the tenant. This was warmly op- posed by Messrs. Horner, Brough-. am, and others, as depriving the landlord of his only remaining re- medy, and making bank-notes, to all, intents and purposes, a legal tender. Jt was defended on the other side, as containing nothing new in principle, and passed with- outa division. The bill was or- dered for a third reading, and it met with no further opposition in . the House of Commons. On the order for the second reading of this bill in the House of Lords, April 28th, a discussion took place, in which the argu- ments against a compulsory paper currency. were recapitulated by the opposers, and were replied to by ministers and their supporters, who contended for the necessity of the proposed’ measures. No division occurred in’ its passage through) the house, buta strong protest against the third reading, signed: by Lords Lauderdale and: Rosslyn, was ‘entered on the Journals. ANNUAL REGISTER, (1819. - It is unnecessary to observe more! on this bill, than that by its: amendments it in effect accom- plished that purpose of rendering Bank of England notes legal ten=" der, to which the bill of the pre~ ceding year had made such ‘an’ approximation ;. and that by disal-_ lowing any limitation of that com- pany in the issue of its notes, and unrestricted power of coining sil- ver tokens of less than their nomi-. nal value, the whole circulating medium of the country is placed: in its hands, That in the present» state of things such a measure was the wisest policy, may be true ; but it must be acknowledged that | such a state has. never before oc- curred in English history. Among the parliamentary dis-» cussions of this session, one of the most remarkable related to. the’ different attempts under the Re- gency, now freed from its restric. tions, to form a new ora strength- ened administration, There had° been made public in the month of» February a letter from the Prince Regent to his brother the Duke of York, expressing a wish that at this ‘‘ new era’ his government might be strengthened by the ac- cession of some of those persons with whom the early habits of his public life had. been formed, and desiring that this wish might be communicated. to Lords Grey and Grenville; and ‘also the letter of reply from those lords, in which they state the impossibility of their uniting with the present adminis-' tration, on account’ of differences: of opinion concerning the most important political measures, (See: State papers). . -On March 19th, Lord Boring-° don rose in ‘the House of ee ov GENERAL for the, purpose of moving an address.to the Prince Regent, be- seeching. him to form an efficient administration. This motion, his lordship said, entirely originated from himself, and arose from feel- ings of a purely public nature, and an anxious wish for averting the worst calamity that could befal the empire—that of a separation, of the two sister countries. He went on to give a view of the situation of the empire at the com- mencement of this new sera, with respect both to prosperous and ad- verse circumstances; and after alluding to the correspondence which had been carried on be- tween the Prince Regent and the two noble lords above-mentioned, according to an authentic, though not official document, he proceed- ed particularly to notice the de- cided hostility to the claims of the Irish Catholics declared by the present ministers. He was wil- ling, however, to hope that not- withstanding the refusal. of these lords to unite with the present go- vernment, upon the ground of the differences, they had stated, they still might be the medium of form- ing an administration upona broad and liberal basis. He concluded his speech by moving an address to the Prince Regent, in which, after expressions of esteem and at- | tachment, his Royal Highness, is humbly told, ‘that for the at- tainment of these objects (the honour of the nation abroad, and | its tranquillity and happiness at home) it appears to us to be essen- tial that the administration to which his Royal Highness may be gra- ciously pleased to. commit the management of his affairs should be so composed as to unite, as HISTORY. [4s far as possible, the confidence and good will of all classes of his, That in the, Majesty’s subjects. present state of Ireland itis, in our opinion, impossible that such general’ confidence and _ good- will should be enjoyed by any administration, the characteris- tic principle of whose domestic, policy, as well as the bond of whose connexion in office, is the: determination not only not. to recommend, but to resist, a fair and dispassionate consideration of those civil disabilities under which his Majesty’s Roman-catholic sub- jects in that part of the united kingdom still labour, and of which they complain as most grievous | and oppressive. That we therefore humbly express our anxious hope . that his Royal Highness may yet be enabled to form an administra- tion, which, by conciliating the affections of all descriptions of the community, may most effectually call forth the entire resources of. the united kingdom, and may af- ford to his Royal Highness ad- ditional means of conducting to a successful termination a war in which , are inyolyed the © safety, honour, and prosperity of | this country.” Viscount Grimstone rising to express his dissent from the mo- tion, said that it appeared to him that in the noble Lord’s speech . some degree of blame was imputed to the Prince Regent for the man- ner in which he had conducted ° himself. He was when he was called to order for making a personal allusion to the Regent. in a debate. | This occa- sioned a'warm debate on the point proceeding, - of order; which being terminated, » Lord Grimstone, after mentioning | the £4] the successes which had attended the present administration, moved an amendment on the motion, which was, in effect, an omission of all its substance, and the substi- tution of an expression of perfect satisfaction with the conduct of affairs since the commencement of the regency. Lord Darnley rising to speak against the amendment was inter- rupted on the ground of irregu- larity in alluding to a document, the letters, not properly before the house ; and a debate arose on this point of order, which terminated in Lord Darnley’s asserting his right to consider them as authen- tic. His lordship then proceeded, and plainly alluded to certain secret advisers who had influenced the Regent to continue the same mi- nisters who had served his father, and whose continuance implied destruction to the hopes of the ca- tholics, and consequently, destruc- tion to the country. He was followed by several other lords, in whose speeches the catholic question was the leading topic; but the most interesting was that of Lord Grey, in which he stated the points which had in- duced himself and Lord Grenville to decline an union with the pre- sent ministers, He began with acknowledging that the motion appeared to him substantially in- tended to produce a change in the administration, Of this adminis- tration it might be said that it was formed on the express principle of resistance to the catholic claims. This was the principle loudly pro- claimed by the person at the head of it, from the moment wheu he quitted the bar to take a share in political life, up to the present ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. instant ; and where he led, the rest were obliged to follow. The noble lord then dwelt at some length on this topic, and showed how necessary ultimate concessions to the catholics had heen considered by the greatest political characters. He would not state what the opinion of the Prince Regent on this head might be at the present moment, having only that of his responsible advisers to look to; but he could not help saying that a very general hope was entertained by the catho- lics that his Royal Highness was fa- vourable to their claims, and that a new ra would by the course of nature arrive, when bigotry and oppression should no longer oppose them. Though it was impossible for his noble friend and himself to unite with men who differed with them in so fundamental a point, did it follow that there were no others with whom they could co- alesce? or if both parties were put out of the question, were there “not others to form an administra- tion without them ? If the address should be carried, and the Regent could find others of whom he might form a cabinet, holding the same opinions on the catholic ques- tion with himself, they should have his warm support. Adverting to the questions at issue between this country and America, his lordship said, that if it was imputed to him that he was disposed to give up one single right, or to abandon any principle connected with our essential mari- | time interests, the imputation was — most false and groundless. He would go as far in support of those interests as any man, although he should still deem it necessary to weigh the true value of those dis-— puted GENERAL puted interests, and to guard against making a sacrifice dispro- portionate to the object to be at- tained. He could not lose sight of the principle so well expressed by Mr. Burke, ‘‘ as we ought never to go to war for a profitable wrong, so we ought never to go to war for an unprofitable right.” Upon the subject of the state of the circulation, his wish was to re- yert as much as possible to true principles, and keep the circu- lating medium within due bounds, but it did not follow that he held it to be indispensable that the bank should immediately resume cash payments. He avowed, however, that an impassable line of separa- tion existed between him and the present. ministry with respect to the design of making bank-notes a legal tender. With respect to the policy advisable in the affairs of the peninsula, he certainly was not prepared to say that it was ex- pedient immediately to recall our troops, but he did not wish that we should proceed on that expen- sive scale of warfare without hav- ing some military authority as to the probable result.. On this sub- ject he dwelt at some length, for the purpose of shewing that the prospects in that quarter did not encourage any sanguine hopes. He concluded with what appeared to him the most momentous of all the objections against the present system of government, which was, the existence of an unseen and separate influence behind the throne. He said it was his root- ed and unalterable principle not to accept of office without coming to an understanding with parliament for the abolition of this destructive influence. HISTORY. Lord Mulgrave denied the ex- istence of the secret influence alluded to, and avowed the hos- tility of the ministers to the catho- lic claims. Lord Moira, asserting that he came to the House unde- termined how to vote, said that he was fixed by what had fallen from the last noble lord ; for that, if nothing else but the remoyal of the present ministers could give the Roman. catholics of Ireland any prospect of obtaining a re- dress of their grievances, such a change ought to be rapturously hailed by the whole country. The House then divided upon the amendment: Contents, pre- sent, 90; proxies, 75; total, 165. Non-contents, present, 43 ; prox- ies, 29; total, 72. Majority for the amendment, 93. The original question was then put, and nega- tived without a division. The parliamentary proceedings with respect to subsequent ne- gociations for changes in the ad- ministration will come under con- sideration in the order of time. _ On March 20th, a message was sent to both Houses from the Prince Regent, respecting a provi- sion for the Princesses. It stated, that pursuant to powers vested in his Majesty, the king, by letters patent bearing date the 2d of Feb. 1802, had been pleased to grant to their Royal Highnesses — the Princesses Augusta-Sophia, Eliza- beth, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia, an annuity of 30,000/. to take effect from the demise of his Majesty ; and his Royal Highness being de- sirous to provide for their establish- ment by an immediate grant, re- commended the subject to the consideration of parliament. On March 23d, the message was taken [45 46] taken into consideration in the ‘House of Commons, the Chancel- Jor of the Exchequer moving that the House should go into a com- mittee of supply for the. purpose. Mr. Creevey rose and objected to the Speaker’s leaving the chair, wishing that the discussion should be deferred to some future day; and. after some observations re- specting the falling off! of the con- solidated’ fund, from! which ‘the required provision was intended to be paid, and on the late large sum granted to the Regent, from which he thought the additional charge might be defrayed ; he concluded by moving the amendment of sub+ stituting “ this day month,” to the word ‘* now.”? , * The Chancellor of the: Exche- quer, im reply, first shewed the groundlessneéss of the hon. gentle- man’s apprehensions concerning the consolidated fund ; and then entered ‘into some statements to prove that it wasa mistake to sup- pose that there was a large disposa- ble fund in the hands of the Prince, since he had taken upon himself the payment of the’ debts of the ‘Princess of Wales, to the amount of 49,000/, and s0 large a part of his income as 70,000/; had been. given’ to a.commission under the seal of the duchy of Lancaster, for the liquidation of those debts which had been brought before-the House. . Mr. Whitbread concurred in the propriety of postponing the committee, on account of the con- tradictory statements made by gen- tlemen on both sides of the House from the very same papers, which proved 'that \a further investigation was necessary. He) for one, had understood that the Princesses were ANNUAL REGISTER, FSi. to live with the queen, and that it was on this account that the addi- tion of 10,0007. had been made to her income, for it was difficuit to imagine on what other account it could have been made. With re- spect to the payment of the Prin- cess of Wales’s debts by the Prince, he thought’ it oné of the most complete jaggles’ that “was' éver heard of, tor 4 person to undertake to pay the debts’ of another to ‘save the expence to’ the people, when he came’ to’ get ‘his own debts‘ paid by that same people.’ \ - The motion for the amendment being put, and negatived’ without a division, the original question was carried, and the House re- solved itself into a committée ac- cordingly. ‘The Chancellor of the Exchequer then made a statement of the proposed grant. By the acts which had ‘enabled his Majes- ty to grant an annuity ‘to ‘the princesses in case of his demise, 30,0007. was to be divided among the Princesses then living ; df their number should fall to three, each was to have 10,000/ ; if to two, 20,000/. was tobe divided between them ; and uf only one remained, | 12,000/. was to be allotted to her, The melancholy © circumstance which had taken’ place in’ the Royal Family rendered it neces- sary that the condition of ‘the Prineésses should be considered as if the demise of the crown had actually eccurred ; and'though ° they might’ ‘still form a part ‘of the domestic ‘establishment at Wind- sor, he thought it of importance that they should be enabled’ to form separate establishments if they chose it. ° He would therefore pro- pose,’ that to each ‘of ‘the four Princesses there should cnet the GENERAL “the sum of 9,0002. per.annum, ex- clusive of 4,000/. from the civil list: at the death, of one of them, the survivors to, have 10,0002. each; and the, same to continue when there should be two sur- vivors only; the. sole survivor of the whole to receive 12,000/.. He concluded with moving an annu- ity of 36,000/. to be granted to the King for the, purpose above- mentioned. b ». Mr. Tierney did not think the sum stated too much for separate establishments for the Princesses, but he did not see why it should be taken for granted that they would desire to cease forming one family as at present, in which case, the sum would be greater, than necessary. His greatest objection, however, to the present vote, was the piece-meal way in which the additions to the civil list had been made, and which had impercepti- bly arrived at an extent, which he stated, including the sum now de- manded, to be. of the enormous amount of 1,668,000/. He thought that the 36,000/.. proposed might be saved from the civil list by a - fundamental inquiry into its seve- ral branches of expenditure, which could not, however, be effectually made while the right hon, gentle- man told them that they might examine accounts, but;should not examine persons, He had another observation to make, which was with respect to the provision for the Princess of Wales, which was comparatively inadequate to her station, She was the wife of the Regent, and as much the repre- sentative of the queen, as the Re- ent was of his Majesty. He then alluded to the separation be- tween the high parties in question, HISTORY. [47 and to the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer’s intimate knowledge of the circumstances, as having been her Royal Highness’s counsel and champion in the. investigation which had been so much talked of. This hint from the hon, gentle- man seemed to bea signal for the members in opposition to take up the cause of the Princess of Wales, which became the principal topic of the remaining debate. In the course of it every provocation was ‘given, to Mr. Perceval. to. induce him, to. open, on. ai subject with which he was supposed to be so well acquainted, but nothing more was obtained from, him than the following declaration,—That. nei- ther in his capacity of counsellor to her Royal . Highness, nor in any other character. whatever, had he any charge against her Royal High~ ness, or the means of bringing for- ward any charge, and that he never meant to cast the slightest reflection upon her... As to this discussion, he had no delegated authority ; no commands to propose an additional grant‘ for the Princess of Wales. Nevertheless, if he could collect that it was the sense of parliament that an additional provision should be made, he had. no doubt that he should shortly be fully authorized to recommend it. Such; however, was probably by no means the wish of the gentle- men in opposition, as it would have been too inconsistent with their professed unwillingness to lay fresh burdens on the people. After more conversation on the subject, the resolution was put, and agreed to without a division. On the question for the third reading of the bill formed upon this resolution, April 17th, Mr. Tierney \ 48] Tierney rose to state his objections. He could: not easily comprehend why the present act was to take place immediately, when the for- mer was not intended to take place till the king’s demise. It was not to be supposed that the amiable Princesses would abandon their Royal parents in their affliction to spend 36,000/. a year under another roof. He would put the question directly to the right hon. gentle~ man, were the Princesses to have an establishment independent of the Queen? If so, what was to be done with the saving that must in that case arise out of the civil list as to the general expenditure of the Queen’s household? He also ob- jected to the fund upon which these annuities were charged, which was not the hereditary re- venue of the crown, but the conso- lidated fund, thereby giving no chance of a relief from this pressure on the public. The different items of the joint establishment for the Queen and her daughters amount- ed to 184,000/. a year, and was not this sufficient in such times? Af- ter some other observations on the household establishment, which he denominated an ingenious mode of providing for those who had the good fortune to be in favour with the minister, he moved the amend- ment, instead of dating the bill from Feb. 18th last, to limit its taking effect to the king’s demise. The Chancellor of the Exche- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. quer made a reply to only a part uf the objections of the last speaker, because many’ of his arguments were wholly inapplicable to the question before the House. With respect to that of the fund upon which the sum was to be charged, he thought the hon. gentleman could scarcely be Serious, since it ‘was notorious that the hereditary revenues of the crown had merged in the consolidated fund. He did not believe that the princesses had any intention of setting up a sepa- rate establishment, but it was no reason that they should be com- pelled to a residence at Windsor during the rest of their lives. Several members spoke in oppo- sition to the bill; and the situation of the Princess of Wales was again brought into the debate. In re- turn to some questions on the sub- ject put by Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Secretary Ryder observed, that if he knew any thing of the feelings — of the public on this topic, there was no part of the conduct of the hon. gentlemen opposite which had created more disgust and disappro- — bation than the manner in which they had introduced this matter to the House. A division took place on Mr. Tierney’s amendment, ayes, 35, noes, 101. The originak clause was then agreed to, and the — bill was passed.. It met witlr no opposition in the House of — Lords. CHAPTER *% GENERAL HISTORY. [49 CHAPTER VI. Motion on the State of the Nation—Marquis of Lansdowne’s Motion on the Orders in Council—Mr. Banks’s Motion fora Bill for abolishing Sinecure Offices. O* February 27, Sir. Thomas Turton introduced in the House of Commons one of those motions on the state of the nation which are common at the beginning of a session, but have generally no other effect than to give large scope to the members on each side for attack and defence of the mea- sures adopted by government. The honourable baronet in his speech took a very extended view of the state of public affairs, foreign and domestic, both retrospective and present, from which he inferred much past impolicy in the plans of ministers, and melancholy pros- pects from persevering in the same system. It is unnecessary here to repeat what has already constituted the narrative of history, or will be more fully shown in the parliamen- tary proceedings. He concluded by moving, ‘That this honse will resolve itself into a committee of the whole house, to take into_con- sideration the state of the nation.” He was seconded by Mr, Tighe, who enlarged upon some of the topics introduced by the honourable mover, and said in the conclusion, . that if at sucha crisis ministers re-: fused the committee, it must be said that they had brought the = VoL. LIV. country into such a situation, that they were afraid of look- ing on the eyil, and incapable of supplying a remedy. Mr. Robinson rose to oppose the motion. He said that such an inquiry as the house was now called to enter upon, embraced not only questions which had been the subject of past, but many that were to form that of future discus- sions, of which he gave instances. He proceeded to justify the war policy pursued by the ministers, and recommended perseverance in the contest. Mr. Lambsupported the motion, and alluded to the loss the ministry had sustained by the secession of the Marquis of Wellesley, which he considered as rather ag- gravated by the accession of Lord Castlereagh. Mr. M. Montague, in a speech which seerned to excite much di- version in the house, levelled many sarcasms against the opposition, and alluded personally to the ho- nourable member for Bedford. This notice called up Mr. Whitbread, who retorted by an animated attack upon the administration, and a defence of Lords Grey and Gren- ville for refusing to coalesce with [E] them 50] them. The debate thenceforth be- came nothing more than a contest between the ministers and the op- positionists, in which the political points at issue between’ them were recapitulated ; butalthough several of the principal speakers took their share in it, there can be no advan- tagein occupying more of our pages with topics to which so much spag¢e has already been devoted. The house at length came toa division, in which there appeared for the motion 136, against it 209 ; majo- rity 73. The subject of the Orders in Council, which constituted so im- portant a part of the negociations between thiscountry and the United States of America during the last year, appears prominent in the parliamentary discussions of the present year; and although their importance has unfortunately been diminished by the event—for the Americans decided the question by arms, whilst our senates were de- bating it—they cannot be passed over in a relation of the principal occurrences in parliamentary his- tory. The House of Lords having been summoned on February 28, in consequence of a motion of the Marquis of Lansdowne, and the order of the day being read, the marquis rose to call the attention of their lordships to the Orders in Council, and to the system of policy which had resulted from those orders, so injurious to the manufacturing and commercial in- terests of the country, and to the welfare of the state. He specified the particular orders which he meant to consider, to be those issued in November [807, prohibiting the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812 trade to France and the countries dependent upon her, at the same time insisting on American vessels coming first to our ports and paying a tax there; and also to the order of April 1809, partly revoking the former orders, by opening the trade with the north of Europe. He then took a view of the effects of these orders as to their operation on the enemy ; their operation on the neutral ;_ their influence on’ the commerce and internal resources of this country; and their effects on - its maritime policy. Under these heads he made a number of obser-~ vations which are imcapable of abridgment, as they all referred to particular facts, One striking re- mark of a general nature we shall however transcribe. If (said the noble speaker) at the time of the revolution in America, any one could have foreseen that the whole commerce of continental Europe would have fallen under the iron grasp and dominion of France, they would have looked to the establishment of an independent state on the other side of the At- Jantic, out of the reach of French power to become the carrier of our commerce, and purchaser of our manufactures, as the greatest boon that could have been given us. Such an event had occurred as if providentially ; yet this great and inestimable advantage had been destroyed by the Orders in Council. His lordship then adverted to the abuses of the system of licences, the number of which had increased. from 4,000 to 16,000 in the year ; and to the system of simulation and dissimulation by which our commerce was now carried on, and which had thrown. discredit on the GENERAL HISTORY. - the decisions of our prize courts. He finally contended, that every plea on which the Orders of Council had been founded was proved erro- neous by the experience of four years ; and he concluded by mov- ing ‘For the appointment ofa select committee to take into con- sideration the present state of the commerce and manufactures of the country, particularly with reference to the effects of the Orders in Coun- cil, and the licence trade.” ' Earl Bathurst, in reply, went through with great clearness all the particulars which could be adduced in refutation of the arguments of the noble mover, and endeavoured to prove the great advantages which had arisen from the system adopted by government. He also referred to the origin of this system, which he traced to the administration of which the opposition was now composed. He assigned other causes for the late commercial em- barrassments, and affirmed that the clouds were now dissipating, and favourable prospects were opening; whence he could not accede to the proposition submitted to the house. Lord Holland, in replying to the last speaker, thought that it would be an acceptable thing to the house to bring back their at- tention to the actual motion under consideration, which was, the ap- pointment of a committee of in- quiry ; and he argued that the more doubt there was, which of the many orders in council had produced the mischiefs complained of, the greater was the necessity of such an inquiry, that it might be repealed. With respect to the topic introduced by the noble earl [51 relative to the original authors of these orders, he said it was dis= graceful to the legislature, and disgusting to the people, that mea- sures which affected the best in- terests of the country should be discussed, not. upon their own me- rits, but as questions of consistency or inconsisteucy on the part of this or that administration. After several other lords had spoken on the subject, the house divided ; for the motion 34, proxies 37, total 71 ; against it 66, proxies 69, total 1385: majority 64. On March 3, Mr. Brougham, in the House of Commons, made a similar motion with that of the Marquis of Lansdowne, for the ap~ pointment of a committee upon the Orders of Council. Of his long and elaborate speech to prove the impolicy and mischievous effects of these orders, and of the argu- ments used by the other speakers on both sides, it is impossible in an abstract to give any adequate idea; even on perusing them at length, the mind is distracted by reasoning opposed to reasoning, and fact to fact. The time, how- ever, was not yet come in which the question could be regarded apart from the cousideration of the support it was to receive. The ministers were still resolved to maintain their system, and of course, the votes under their in- fluence were given against the motion, It was, however, truly stated by the mover, in his reply, that the votes of this night were to determine the point of peace or war with America. The’ propor- tion of members in favour of the proposed inquiry was greater in the House of Commons than in the LE 2] House 52| House of Lords. On the division, there appeared, for Mr. Brougham’s motion 144, against it 216; ma- jority 72. : The bill which had been carried respecting offices in reversion, though laudable inits principle, was evidently incapable of doing much towards the relief of the national burdens; its author, therefore, Mr. Bankes, with a view of strik- ing a more effectual blow against the waste of public money, rose in the House of Commons on March 24, and moved the reading of the three first resolutions of the com- mittee relative to public ex- penditure in May 1810. Their substance was to recommend the abolition of all offices which have revenue without employment, and the regulation of those which have revenue extremely disproportionate to employment (with the excep- tion of those about the person of his Majesty and the royal family), and to reduce all effective offices, the duties of which are discharged by deputy, to the salary and emo- luments actually received for exe-_ cuting the business of those offices. These resolutions being read, the honourable member said, _ that there was nothing to which the country looked with more pleasure than to the salutary principles of regulation which ought to be ap- plied -to simecure offices, He guarded, however, against the in- dulgence of too high expectations of relief from the burdens incurred during war from such a measure, or, indeed, of any immediate economical effect of the motion he ‘neant to propose ; but if the prin- ciple were once established, it could not fail-of a sure though ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. slow effect. After some further observations, he concluded by moving, ‘* That leave be given to bring in a bill for abolishing and regulating sinecures and offices ex~ ecuted by deputy, and for provid- ing other means for recompensing the faithful discharge of high or effective civil offices, and for other economical purposes.” Leave was accordingly given ; and Mr. Bankes, Mr. Wilberforce, and Mr. I. W. Ward, were ordered to prepare the same, The bill thus framed did not come to a discussion till May 4, when, upon the order of the day for taking into consideration the report of the bill, Mr. W. Dundas rose, and objected to it as violating the articles of union with Scot- land. He said, that the people of Scotland had stipulated at the union that their chief offices of state should be preserved, and he asked upon what ground it was that the very first offices of that country, in defiance of solemn treaty and national faith, were to be abolished ? The Lord Advocate of Scotland followed on the same side. He instanced particularly as an in- fringement of a stipulated right, the abolition of the office of keeper of the great seal of Scotland. The fact being denied by Mr. Bankes, he said the bill abolished the emo- Jument of the office ; and what re- mained of the office after the emo- Jument? This was what induced responsible persons to undertake it; and the want of responsibility was what he attributed to the enactments of this bill. It gave up a place of high trust to obscure individuals who should act as de- puties, GENERAL puties, and by it the property of Scotland was therefore put into unsafe hands: He made other ob- jections to the bill; and said, that if it should pass into a law, it would cause the greatest confusion in Scotland, and strike the whole people with immeasurable astonish- ment, Mr. Lyttelton made some sar- castic observations on the attach- ment to emolument avowed by the last speaker, and said that he was fully convinced that the true reason why the influence of the aristo- cracy was so debased, was, because these places had been continued. He gave his opinion that there was _ never a fitter time for wresting this power of augmenting influence from the hands of the crown, when it was known that there pre- vailed in the court a base system of unprincipled favouritism—when it was notorious that the Regent was surrounded and hemmed in with minions, among whom, if there was a man of note or talent, there certainly was not one of any character. : Mr. Courtenay attempted to shew that the proposed bill, instead of bemg a measure of economy, would be one of profuseness, and would tend to increase the im- _ proper influence of the crown. He objected to the whole principle upon which the pensions, which were to besubstituted for the sine- cures, were grounded. Under the bill, they would be given to those who ought not to have them, and withholden from those on whom they ought to be conferred. There would be no other test of merit in bestowing rewards, than having possessed a place. He observed, HISTORY. also, that it was contrary to all parliamentary practice to interfere with offices appertaining to the hereditary revenue of the crown, without the consent of the crown previously signified. Lord A. Hamilton urged in sup- port of the bill, the disappointment which would be felt by the people at large, if, after the expectations held out to them, some measure of the kind were not adopted. Mr. Bastard took the same ground, and dwelt upon the griev- ous burdens under which almost all classes were now suffering. He could have wished that every sepa-.- rate office had been put to the vote, and a bill prepared conformably to that decision. It was at least in- cumbent on those who talked of the necessity of remuneration, to shew the reality of the service. He was convinced it would be difficult to point out ten in the whole list that partook of this character. The public money was too often given, rather as a consideration for accept- ing office, than for the services performed in it. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer said, that he felt himself bound to state his objections to the bill, both in its details and prin- ciple. In considering the former, he mentioned several instances in which its provisions were either inconsistent or unjust. With re- spect to the principle, his opinion still was that it was perfectly wrong and mistaken. It went to say that the crown should not have the power of securing for its service men whom it might judge to be the most capable, if they happened not to be in a situation to resign all other pursuits in order to enter into [53 54] into the public service. He put this case strongly, and not without a personal allusion. He then ad- verted to the influence of the crown, und appealed to the house whether it was too great ; referring to the division upon Colonel M*Mahon’s appointment : and de- sired them to consider whether the bill would not tend to a diminution of influence hazardous to the mo- narchy. Mr. Bankes thought it somewhat extraordinary, and contrary to par- liamentary usage, to suffer the bill to be read a second time, and pass the committee, without observa- tions, and then come forward in this stage to condemn not only its principle, but those details which might have been altered in the committee. He then made replies to some of the particular objections which had been advanced; and desired that when the offices pro- posed to be abolished, and their responsibility were spoken of, it should be recojlected that they were rather quasi offices with quasi responsibility, neither of which appeared to him too great to be confined to such men as would usually be appointed deputies. As to the power of the crown, he said it was impossible to look at the immense expenditure of the country, with all the establish- snents and patronage cunnected with it, without being convinced that dependence on the crown was extended to all parts to a degree quite uvexampled in former times. dt was also no light consideration that some of the ; greatest commer- cial and corporate bodies were in the habit of looking up to the ministers of the crown. ANNUAL REGISTER. 1813. _ Mr. Canning made one of those balanced, indecisive speeches which had lately distinguished his manner of debate, but declared that he should support the bill, because he approved its principle. That the general sense of the house was decidedly in its favour, was proved by the division, on which the numbers were,—for the motion 134, against it 123; ma- jority 11, The bill was then recommitted, when various amendments were proposed, some of which were carried, and others rejected. The report was then received, and the bill was ordered for a third reading. This took place on June 15th, when various objections were start- ed against the bill, which, how- ever, was read without a division. Mr. Bankes then moved the addi- tional clause, ‘* Provided always, that nothing in this bill should be prejudicial to the rights and in- terests of those who are now chief justices ;’’? which was agreed to. Various clauses of amendinent were then put, most of which were re- jected. A motion for omitting that clause in the bill which limit- ed the pension list of Ireland to 40,0002. a year produced a division ; for the motion 59, against it 60. The bill afterwards passed the house without further opposition. The bill did not arrive to its second reading in the House of Lords till July 3. On that occa- sion the Lord Chancellor spoke of its provisions with great contempt, and said that sucha bill never met the eye of a lawyer ever since the establishment of law. He pointed out some of its most objectionable parts, and concluded with the mo- tion, GENERAL HISTORY. tion, that it be read a second time that day three months. Some of the lords in its favour acknow- ledged that there were imperfec- tions in it, but contended that no argument had beenadvanced against its principle, and that it might be amended in its future stages. [55 On a division, however, the Chancel- lor’s motion was carried by 35 votes against 8; and thus the bill was lost, and with it, all the hopes of alleviation of the public burdens which it might have raised. CHAPTER? 56 | ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. CHAPTER VII. Debate on Colonel M‘Mahon’s Appointment of Private Secretary to the Prince Regent—Debate on the Barrack Estimates—Motion re- specting Military Punishments, FTER Colonel M‘Mahon had been deprived of his place of pay-master of widows’ pensions, hewas remunerated by the appoint- ment of keeper of the privy purse and private secretary to the Prince Regent. This circumstance was noticed in the House of Commons on March 23, by the Hon. J. W. Ward, who desired to be informed by the Chancellor of the Exche- quer what salary was attached to these places, and what were their duties, as he did not know till now that such a situation existed. The right honourable gentleman, in reply, said, that he presumed the honourable member was not igno- rant that Colonel Taylor had held the same offices under the King, and the same salary which he re- ceived was continued to Colonel M‘Mahon; that the duties were various and important, although the offices would carry with them no official sanction, the home secre- tary of state being still the organ for receiving and communicating the pleasure of the Regent. Mr. Whitbread then inquired whether before the nominaton of Colonel Taylor as private secretary to the King, in consequence of lis infir- mity of sight, any such place had existed; and also, whether Col. M‘Mahon was to be paid out of the same fund that Col, Taylor had been. The Chancellor of the Exchequer admitted that no pri- vate secretary to the King had been appointed before this detect of sight; and upon being asked by Mr. Ward if he had any objection to name the adviser of the present appointment, he said that he had not the least difficulty in mention- ing that it was himself. On the 14th of April, Mr. C. W. Wynn rose in the house, pur- suant to notice, to move for the production of the appointment of Colonel M‘Mahon to the new office of private secretary to his Royal Highness the Prince Re- gent. He began with expressing his surprise at the intimation he had received that his motion was to be resisted, for surely the crea- tion of a new office required as much as any thing to be sub- mitted to the consideration of the House of Commons. With re- spect to the appointment of Col. Taylor, he denied that it formed any precedent for the present case, since it was only justified by the obvious necessity of the circumstances, of which no- thing similar now existed. He alluded to former sovereigns who had dispatched a great variety of business without such an assistant, and especially the present King, who had paid a rigid attention to public a GENERAL public affairs till the period of his unfortunate illness. After several observations to shew that the ap- pointment in question was not ne- cessary, the honourable member went on to say, that it was a most unconstitutional proceeding to al- low the secrets of the council to pass through a third person, and he, perhaps, no counsellor. It might perhaps be said that Colonel M‘Mahon was a privy counsellor: so much the worse! By his secre- tary’s oath he would be bound faithfully to read communications to his Royal Highness, and faith- fully to write what he should com- mand: but -in his character of privy counsellor he was bound by _ oath to give his advice upon what he read. Was it fitting that the cabinet ministers should have their advice to their sovereign subject to the revision of his private secre- tary? If, indeed, it were acknow- ledged to be consistent with the constitution to have bothan interior and an exterior cabinet,he could not understand why there should be a fourth secretary to carry the com- munications from one to the other. He then made some remarks on the improper time in which this appointment had been given, when the burdens and distresses of the country were universally felt; and said that it would appear to the public like a determination to create a place in order to compen- sate Colonel M«Mahon for that of which the sense of parliament had deprived him. He concluded by moving, * That there be laid be- fore the house a copy of any in- strament by which the right ho- nourable John MsMahon has been appointed private secretary to the Prince Regent in the name and on HISTORY. [57 the behalf of his Majesty. Also for a copy of any minute of the board .of treasury thereon, direct ing the payment of the salary at- tached to the same.”’ Lord Castlereagh said, that the honourable gentleman had raised this question toa degree of import= ance which could in no view be- long toit. He denied that there was any thing in the appointment which detracted in the slightest degree from the responsibility of the ministers of the crown. The nature of the office was precisely the same as that of any other pri- vate secretary in any other office of state, differing only in the rank of the personage under whom it was held, and there was no founda= tion for representing it as that of a fourth secretary of state. He asked whether it were possible for the sovereign of this country to go on, overwhelmed as he must be by the public documents that were heaped upon him, and scarcely able to dis- engage his person from the accu- mulating pile by which he was surrounded? He thought the ne- cessity of the appointment appa- rent, and that there were no grounds for censuring it; wherefore he should oppose the production of the paper, which was nothing more than a grant of 2,000/, a year asa salary. Mr. Elliot observed, that there was a marked difference between the appointment of Colonel Taylor and Colonel M‘Mahon; for that in the former instance his Majesty had never called for the assistance of a private secretary till he was obliged to it by his infirmities, whereas the Regent was happily free from any thing of the kind. If merely thearrangement of papers in 58] in boxes was to be the duty of a private secretary, it could not be requisite that he should be a privy counsellor,or havea salary of 2,000/. ayear. But, in fact, the place of Colonel M‘Mahon was of much greater consequence: and the ho- nourable gentleman affirmed, that he was really a sworn adviser of the crown, and in the eye of the law was responsible for the con- tents of every paper laid before the regent. The office was either a public official one, or it was not: if the first, let the person who held it be appointed a secretary of state ; if the latter, let him not be a privy counsellor with such a salary. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer observed, that the question could be considered only in two points of view, either as the office was lilegal, or as it was inexpe- dient. As to the first, was it con- tended, that the crown had no power to create a new office? He would refer to the statute book for proof that such power was consti- tutional. Further, he would deny that this was a new one, as that of Colonel Taylor was exactly simi- lar. It had been asserted that the private secretary of the Regent was the organ of his pleasure to all his subjects ; but if it were meant by that phrase as signifying his ap- probation or disapprobation of any state act, it was not true that Co- Jonel M‘Mahon was competent to communicate the pleasure of the Regent in any way that could au- thorize any subject in the land to attend to it. This was no state of- fice, but simply an appointment to relieve the bodily and manual la- bour which the prodigious influx of public business attached to the royal functions. The right honour- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. able gentleman, to shew the ex- pediency of the appointment, then entered into some particulars of the vast mass of business which came before the Regent, and which af- forded abundant occupation for such an officer to alleviate his la- bour; and he drew a comparison between the condition of bis Ma- jesty, inured from early youth to habits of diligence, and the routine of. government, and that of the Prince Regent, who came to the task at aso much later period of life. He concluded with some sarcasm on the affected importance attach- ed to the subject. Mr. Ponsonby asked what was to be inferred from the argument of the necessity of the appoint- ment? Why, that it was to be a perpetual, a permanent office. Every future sovereign might claim the same privilege, if the prece- dent were established. He would then beg the house to look a little to the future. We might have a monarch whose debilitated frame would render assistance of that kind dangerous, or one whose love of indolence and abhorrence of public duty would equally dispose him to employ it. Would that private secretary have no influence on the government under such cir- cumstances? Was it not likely that the sovereign would some- times lean upon his opinions and suggestions? It was not in the nature of things but that such an officer must be a powerful instru- ment in the administration. It became, therefore, the duty of par- liament rigidly to mquire into the nature and duties of such a post. Several other gentlemen follow- ed on each side, some supporting the appointment on account of its uti- lity, GENERAL HISTORY. lity, others persisting to consider jt as merely ‘a pretext for obtain- ing an additional salary for a fa- vourite servant. The house at length divided, for the motion, 100; against it, 176. Although the ministry were thus victorious in the house, they were doubtless sensible that the idea of a new burden imposed upon the country, under circumstances of such dubious propriety, excited much public discontent. They therefore took the hint of one of their friends (Mr. Wilberforce), who, in defending the appoint- ment, had expressed a wish that the salary of the new secretary should have been paid out of the Regent’s privy purse; and this al- teration was afterwards announced by the Chancellor of the Exche- quer. One of the debates in which the influence of the crown in imped- ing the due limitation of the pub- lic expenditure appeared to give the most general offence, was that on the barrack estimates. On April 18, Mr. Wharton moved, in the committee of supply, ‘‘ that a sum not exceeding 554,441/. be granted for the expence of the barrack department for the current year.” Mr. Freemantle said, he saw many things in those estimates which required a great deal of ex- planation; and he particularly in- stanced a barrack for the second regiment of life guards to be built in what was called the Regent’s Park, at the expense of 138,000, ; barracks at Liverpool, estimated at -82,000/.; at Bristol, at 60,0001. ; and a new stable at Brighton, at 26,0001. Mr. Wharton, in explanation, [59 stated, that the term of the rented barracks of the life guards being expired, if they were to be kept in barracks at all, it was necessary that they should be built ; and he gave reasons for the construction of , the others. Mr. Huskisson could not be sa- tisfied with this explanation. The expense of the barracks, for the life guards, he said, would be found, on calculation, to amount to nearly 450/. for each horse, an enormous sum, amounting. according to the interest usually allowed for money laid out in building, to 407. a year for the lodging of each trooper and his horse. He was afraid that in this new building there would be some attempt at splendor and aukward magnificence, and that it would be something between a palace and a stable. At Liverpool he thought such expense was unnecessary, as many warehouses might now be got which would make good temporary barracks. This was a time in which every expense that could be spared, ought to be so ; and he thought the reasons for postponing those buildings were fully as strong now as when he was in the treasury. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer endeavoured to shew the ne- cessity of these expenditures ; and the debate then took a personal turn. with considerable acrimony, till it was closed by a division on an amendment proposed by Mr. Huskisson, that the grant should be reduced to 400,000/. The numbers were, for the amendment, AO; against it, 88. The report of the committee of supply being brought up and read on the 14th, Mr. Freemantle again objected to the extravagance of the barrack 60] barrack estimates, and after some conversation it was agreed that the articles which related to it should be deferred to that day se’nnight. The further consideration of the barracks did not, however, take place till May 1, when Mr. Free- mantle renewed his objections to the estimates. He began with those at Liverpool, where it ap- peared that a purchase had been made of thirty acres of ground, at the expense of 27,000/. situated at St. Domingo, near that town, a fa- vourite spot for the erection of vil- las by the inhabitants, and on which many buildings actually stood. The people of Liverpool had petitioned against the choice of that place, and others might be had equally eligible for the purpose, ata cheaper rate. The most serious objections, how- ever, lay against the proposed barracks in Mary-le-bone Park, where 133,500/. was to be ex- pended for the lodgment of 450 cavalry ; besides which, there were artillery barracks, magazines, and ordnance stores, in contemplation. It was a most serious consideration, whether they would give govern- ment the power to raise a military depét in such a city as London, a sort of preetorian camp that could not but be grating to the feelings of the people, and might eventu- ally be dangerous to their liberties. The honourable gentleman then entered into some particulars of the expense, which he shewed to be enormous, and far beyond all for- mer estimates. He concluded with moving thesubstitution of 437,000/. for the barrack estimates, instead of 524,000/. Several other members spoke against the extravagance of the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. barrack system, and. the unneces- sary multiplication of these erec- tions, One member hinted that the Chancellor of the Exchequer him- self lamented this waste of the pub- lic money, but that he had not the power of preventing it, and must conform to the wishes in a higher quarter. Another alluded to what was certainly the general opinion, that the barracks at Mary-le- bone were intended as ornaments of the Regent’s Park. While the house appeared unfavourable to these schemes, Sir Francis Burdett rose, and spoke with great severity on the conduct of ministers, as in- tending to establish a military des- potism in the country; on the murders which they had authorised upon the people by means of the sol- diers, and on the unconstitutional employment of military force in quelling riots. This language gave the Chancellor of the Exchequer the advantage, in his answer, of dilating upon the dangerous nature of such doctrines, and seemed to make a strong impression in some parts of the house. The division, however, sufficiently proved the unpopularity of the plans brought forward, by the comparative small- ness of the ministerial majority. The numbers were, for the amend= - ment, 112; against it, 134: majo- rity, 22. The effect of this public discus- sion was manifested when the new Chancellor of the Exchequer brought forward his budget. He informed the house that an addi- tional vote of 90,000/. for the bar- rack department had been agreed to, but that the treasury had de- termined to strike off that sum ; which diminution proceeded from a resolution to postpone the exe- culion GENERAL ention of the projected barracks at Mary-le-bone Park, Bristol, and Liverpool. The subject of the corporal pu- nishments inflicted in the army had at different times been introduced into parliament, and one effect of these discussions had appeared in a clause of the Mutiny act passed in the last’ year, giving a power to courts martial to commute the pu- nishment of flogging for that of temporary imprisonment. There were members, however, who thought that the system of punish- ment adopted in the British army required a further reformation ; and on April 15, the honourable Mr. Bennet rose, in the House of Commons, according to notice, to make a motion on the subject. After some general observations on the ignominy and cruelty attend- ing the practice which he had in view, he moved, ‘* That there be laid before the house a return of ‘the number of corporal punish- ments inflicted in the army, in the militia, and in the local militia, during the last seven years up to January, 1812, specifying the of- fences, where committed, and the number of lashes inflicted respec- tively.” » Mr. Manners Sutton said, if the returns were desired for the pur- poses of examining whether there were any cases of abuse, he thought it searcely a fair proceeding, and that the previous production of such cases alone should induce the house to consent to the motion. There was much variety of opi- nion on the subject, even in the army, and he believed as much dif- ference would be found upon it among the men in the ranks, as among the officers. His chief ob-~ . HISTORY. [61 jection to the revival of this dis- cussion arose from its tendency te unsettle the minds of the military, and lead them to believe that there must be grievances, though to them unknown, which caused the subject to be so often agitated. He gave great praise to the illustrious com- mander-in-chief, who had laboured incessantly to bring the discipline of the army to perfection, and as speedily and generally as possible to do away corporal punishment. Mr. Abercromby and Mr. W. Smith both spoke in favour of the motion. ; Sir F. Burdett said, that he had expected that the nght honourable and learned gentleman would have produced more cogent reasons for opposing the motion, In speaking of the necessity of producing some cases for its foundation, he seemed to have forgetten that many such had already been laid before the house. The honourable baronet then referred to a number of in- stances which had been made pub- lic, of the abuse and cruelty of this mode of punishment, all of which went to establish one conclusion, that it was inhuman, and had been often inhumanly exercised. It was asystem unworthy of the English nation, and the English ariny, and a system which he believed would not be allowed in any other coun- try. Sir F. B. dwelt with much energy upon these ideas, and from the advantage to be derived from complying with the motion, as a means towards effecting the total abolition of this punishment, Mr. W. Wynn said, he would vote for the motion; for though he was not prepared to agree to the total abolition of corporal punishment, he thought that the frequency 629] ANNUAL frequency of it might and ought to be much diminished. Mr. Wilberforce said, it was im- possible to avoid being in some measure carried away by the ho- nourable baronet’s statements, at the same time he thought there should be great caution used be- fore any important alteration was introduced into our military sys- tem. Improvements had been made, and others might be sug- ‘gested: but he felt a dread of the army looking up either to the House of Commons, or to any in- dividual member of it, for redress of their complaints. He should be glad to get the information re- quired, but not in the way pro- posed, Sir Samuel Romilly desired to recall the attention of the house to the question really before them, which was not for the abolition of corporal punishments, but for the production of certain papers rela- tive to military punishments. In resisting the production of such papers, gentlemen on the other side did more mischief to the cause they wished to support, than could accrue from any returns, how great soever in number or extent, since it would excite a suspicion that they were afraid to make the public acquainted with the reality. One of the greatest objections to the present system was, that there was no limit to the punishment courts martial might inflict, but the mercy, of the members. They might order five, or five thousand, lashes without controul. What was the mischief to be dreaded? was itdiscussion ? but according to the statement of the other side of the house, the discussion of the subject had produced the most important REGISTER, 1819, benefits, since in consequence of if corporal punishment had of late years greatly lessened. An honour- able gentleman had said, that in_ the militia nothing was to be feared, because the officers were fre- quently magistrates, or had sat on grand juries ; avd yet Sir Robert Wilson had stated expressly, that corporal punishment was more fre~ quent in the militia than in any other department of the service. It was mere hypocrisy to say, that the minds of the soldiers would be inflamed by what passed in par- liament : they would perhaps ne- ver hear of it; and would those be affected by statements in a deli- berative assembly, who were com- pelled to witness unmoyed the sufferings of a fellow-creature ? It should further be considered, that most of those who were thus sub- ject to be degraded and tormented, were forced or debauched into the service. The Chancellor of the Exche- quer said, that thinking, as he did, that corporal infliction was a ne- cessary evil, he was of opinion that nothing could be more detrimen- tal than the language used on the other side. He did not dread so much the dissemination of thetruth, as the exaggerated misrepresenta- tions which had been employed, and the bringing into notice solitary instances of severity or suffering, for which no parallel could be found. He admitted that there had formerly been cases where the punishment had been partially in- flicted at one time, and completed at another; but modern practice had been the reverse. Would the production of the document re- quired throw the faintest light upon the cases selected by the ho- nourable | GENERAL nourable baronet from the news- papers; to which authority, how- ever, he gave little credit ? In his opinion, nothing but the most try- ing necessity could justify the dis- cussion of military affairs by the legislature. It had been urged, that resistance to the motion pro- voked discussiov. How could that be avoided, when gentlemen find- ing that they should not have the documents to debate on another HISTORY. [63 day, took this opportunity of de- claiming on the general question of flogging in the army? He concluded with declaring his deter- mination to give his decided nega- tive to the motion. Some other members joined in the debate; but nothing new oc~ curred in the way of argument: The house divided on the motion : ayes, 17; noes, 49; majority against it, 32, CHAPTER 64] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. CHAPTER VIII. Motions of Lord Donoughmore and Mr. Grattan, for taking into Con sideration the Catholic Claims—Reference to Committees in both Houses of Petitions against the Orders in Council—Motions con- cerning Captain Henry’s Mission to the United States—Motion on the Tellerships of the Exthequer—Mr. Brand’s Motion respecting Elections for Knights of the Shire. HE friends to the claims of the Irish Catholics, notwithstand- ing theseveral defeats of their efforts in parliament, were determined not to relinquish a contest, success in which appeared to them of so much public importance; and a great number of petitions on the subject having poured in from the catholics of the different counties in Ireland, supported by those of the protestant inhabitants in vari- ous parts, as well as by other bo- dies, it was thought expedient again to bring the topic to discus- sion in both houses of parliament. On April 21, the Earl of Do- noughmore, in the House of Lords, moved the arder of the day for a committee to take into considera- tion the claims of the catholic body for the removal of the disabilities under which they labour. The order having been read, his lord- ship rose to speak. Before enter- ing into the particulars of this de- bate, however, we must observe, that the necessity under which the speakers lay of repeating arguments so often already advanced on each side, will excuse us from the task of reporting more respecting it than the matters by which it was pecu- harly distinguished. Lord Donoughmore began by adverting to the petitions which had previously been read, and their objectthe removal of unjust re- strictions—the revival of suspend- ed rights. He anticipated the ob- jection, that the question was one on which their lordships had twice decided during the present session, by observing, that in both those instances it had been complicated with other considerations of a weighty nature. He then took a view of what had been done in Ireland from 1792 with regard to the catholic petitions, and alluded to the unfortunate scruples which had prevented the completion of the work of conciliation. This topic leading him to the supposed opinion of the Prince Regent on the subject, he was called to order by Lord Kenyon, as making use of unpatliamentary language. He, however, vindicated the manner in which he had introduced the Re- gent’s name, and lamented the voluntary sacrifice of his Royal Highness’s avowed feelings, to the assumed scruples, and political religion, of his minister. In the remainder of his speech, which chiefly consisted in a spirited ampli- fication of the idea last stated, the following GENERAL following passage was much talked efatthetime: ‘* The ministers have drawn, as it were, a magic circle round the throne, into which none are permitted to enter, on whom the confidence of* the illustrious person has been accustomed to re- pose. Within its range the arti- ficers of mischief have not ceased to work with too successful indus- try. What phantoms have they not conjured up to warp the judg- ment, to excite the feelings, and appal the firmness of the royal mind? But though the evil ge- nius should assume a mitred, nay more than noble form, the sainted aspect which political bigotry de- lights to wear, or the lineaments of that softer sex which first be- guiled man to his destruction— though to the allurements of Ca- lypso’s court, were joined the ma- gic and the charms of that matured enchantress—should the spirit of darkness take a human shape, and issuing forth from the inmost recesses of the gaming house or brothel, presume to place itself near the royal ear ;—what though the potent spell should not have worked in vain, and that the boast- ed recantation of all incumbering prepossessions, and inconvenient prejudices had already marked the triumph of its course—though from the royal side they should have torn the chosen friend of his youth and faithful counsellor of his ma- turer years—though they should have banished from the royal coun- cils talents, integrity, honour, and high-mindedness like his, and should have selected for his illus- trious person an associate and an adviser from Change-alley and the stews—thouyh they should thus have filled up to its full measure Vou. LIY. HISTORY. [65 the disgusting catalogue of their enormities, we must still cling to the foundering vessel, and call to our aid those characteristic British energies by which the ancestors of those, whom I have now the ho- nour to address, have so often aud so nobly saved the sinking state.”’ After a variety of other animated references to the opposition declar- ed against the catholic claims, end the necessity of persevering in the cause, his lordship moved for the appointment of a committee to take into consideration the laws imposing disabilities on his Ma- jesty’s subjects professing the ca- tholic religion. His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex then rose, and made an elaborate speech in favour of gene- ral toleration, which was afterwards published with copious explanatory notes, indicating an uncommon degree of attention to subjects of ecclesiastical history in one of his exalted rank, In the long debate which en- sued, every topic was agitated which had been touched upon in the former discussions of the ca- tholic question, chiefly, however, by those who were friendly to the concessions desired, who took a wider compass of argument than their opponents, who for the most part confined themselves to the dangers which the protestant esta- blishment would incur from such concessions. The Marquis of Wel- lesley again greatly distinguished himself by the enlarged and states- man-like views which he gave of the subject. In arguing upon the impolicy of conti.uing exclusions which were sure to perpetuate a spirit of hostility to the protestant church, he presented a picture of [F] the 66] the weakness of that church which certainly deserves a serious consi- deration, I do not wish (said he) to speak with disrespect of that protestant establishment in Treland, whose security is so readily believed in this country, nor to cast any reflections upon those who preside over that establishment ; yet I know that the true state of the church of Ireland, in a very great degree, consists of bishops without clergy, churches without clergymen, and clergymen with- out churches; parishes of consider- able extent without clergymen, church, or glebe; many parishes frequently consolidated into one, with a common church too remote for the parishioners to resort to. Can a church so cireumstanced possess internal strength for its own defence against the mass of opposition excited against it? and is not that strength less likely to be increased by arming itself with violence against the mass of dis- content set in array by the intole- rance of the laws enacted for its support >” The speakers on each side, be-~ sides those first mentioned, were, against the motion, Lords Redes- dale, Liverpool, and the Lord Chancellor; for it, Lords Selkirk, Wellesley, Downshire, Byron, Moira, and Grenville. At five in the morning the house divided, when the numbers were, contents present, 67; proxies, 35; total 102: non-contents present, 103; proxies, 71; total, 174: majority against the motion, 72. In the House of Commons, a si- milar motion for a committee on the civil disabilities of the Roman Catholics was made on April 23, by Mr. Grattan. The debate to ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. which it gave rise, was continued by adjournment to the second day ; and there was no possible light im which the subject could be placed which was not resorted to by the different speakers on each side, though in fact the whole was only a recapitulation of statements and arguments employed in the pre- ceding discussions of the same general topic. The conclusion was, that at the hour of six in the morning a division took place, in which there appeared ayes 215, noes 300; majority against the mo~ tion 85, Thus the Catholic cause sus- tained a third defeat in both houses of parliament; nor did it appear - that the accession of the Prince Regent to the full authority of the crown had made any difference as to the sentiments and conduct of his ministers on this important occasion, Notwithstanding the tenacity with which the ministers had main- tained the policy of the orders in council, the increasing dis- tresses of the manufacturing parts of the kingdom, and the seri- ous disturbances thence arising, could not fail of exciting some mis- givings in their minds, and render- ing them desirous of making such relaxations as might tend to open the former channels of commerce. It was doubtless in consequence of these considerations that a declara+ tion in the name of the Prince Regent was issued on April 23, purporting, that the Regent having declared, that if at any time the Berlin and Milan decrees should by an authentic act be absolutely re~ pealed, thenceforth the orders in council of the 7th of January, 1807, and the 26th of April, 1809, should ' GENERAL should be revoked ; and the chargé d'affaires of the United States of America having on the 20th of May last transmitted to this court a copy of a decree of the govern- ment of France passed on the 28th of April, by which the decrees of ‘Milan and Berlin are declared to be no longer in force with respect to American vessels: the Regent, although he cannot consider the tenor of the said decree as satisfy- ing the conditions of the order of April 23, yet, being disposed to re-establish the usual intercourse between neutral and belligerent nations, is pleased to declare the orders in council of January 7, 1807, and April 26, 1809, revoked as far as concerns American vessels and cargoes. A proviso is, how- ever, added to this concession, that unless the American government reyoke their exclusion of British armed vessels from their harbours while those of France are admitted, and their interdiction of British commerce while that with France is restored, the present order is to be null and of no effect. _ Petitions against the orders in council were in the mean time pouring in from the towns most affected by their operation; and on April 28th, Lord Stanley rose in the House of Commons to move for a committee for taking them into consideration. In his intro- duetory speech he dwelt upon the effects experienced from these or- ders, and the heavy distress to which the working poor were re- duced in many of the trading and manufacturing parts. ‘Mr. Rose, in reply, made various statements to show the justice of the orders in council, and to prove HISTORY. [67 that though some branches of trade were sufferers from the want of a market, yet that others were flourishing. He concluded with declaring that as he thought it due to the petitions that their prayers should be taken into consideration, he would not oppose the noble lord’s motion. Some further conversation en- sued, in which the ministers and their partisans continued to defend the policy of the orders in council by arguments often before repeat- ed, but expressed a willingness to consent to an examination of the petitions presented. The question being put, it was accordingly agreed to, and it was ordered that the committee on the orders in council should sit to-morrow, and be continued from day to day. On the motion of Mr. Brougham, wit- nesses were summoned from Bir- mingham, Sheffield, Manchester, &e. Earl Fitzwilliam made, in the House of Lords, on May 9, a similar motion for referring to 4 committee the various petitions on the subject of the orders in council. The consent of the miisters to the motion produced some obser- vations from the lords in opposi- tion, which were met by recrimi- nations, charging the preceding administration with having origi- nated the measures complained of. There was nothing, however, novel in the remarks of either party on this much agitated topic; and the motion was agreed to without Opposition. The examinations relative to the facts alleged in these petitions now went on regularly in both houses, till they were interrupted [F 2] by 68] by an event which we shall short- ly have to record, and which pro- bably had a cousideraLle influence upon the final result. A circumstance having occurred tending to increase the animosity of the Americans against tuois country, it became about this period a subject of discussion in parliament. “The president of the United States sent a message to congress asserting that an authorized agent of the British government, Capt. Henry, had been sent by the go- vernor of the British territories of North America into the adjacent states, in order to foment discon- tents for the purpose of detaching them froin the union. This heavy charge being transmitted in the American newspapers, Lord Hol- tand rose in the House of Lords, on April 28th, and after mention- ing the fact of the message, said, that he hoped the noble lord oppo- site would be able to satisfy the public by a contradiction of the assertion. rf The Earl of Liverpool had no hesitation in answering that no person had been employed by this government to foment discontents in the United States, and that no intention existed on the part of go- vernment to make any attempt to separate the union. He said, that Captain Heury was not employed by government at all; and hesup- posed that Sir James Craig could have employed him only to obtain information with a view to the defence of Canada, in case of a war. Mr. Whitbread introduced the subject in a similar manner in the House of Commons, and was siini- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. larly answered by Lord Custlereagh, who said that government had only heard in a dispatch from Sir James Craig that an agevt had been em- ployed, announcing at the same time that he had been recalled. Mr. W. said that he was not satis- fied with this answer; and de-° clared his intention of moving for the production of the governor’s correspondence on this subject. Lord Holland, who had given notice in the House of Lords of a similar motion for the production: of papers, rose to speak to the point on May 5, Hesaid, the pro- position he was about to submit to their lordships had no reference whatever to the line of policy pro- per to be pursued with respect to the United States, but was ground- ed on the general relations of all civilized states; he could not there- fore understand upon what objec- tions an opposition to his motion (which had been intimated) could be founded. It went to the crimi- nation of vo man or set of men, but upon the necessity of vindicat- ing the government of this country from what he trusted was an un- founded charge made against it. This charge was no less than that while two friendly powers were engaged in negotiation upon cer- tain points of national importance, — a member of the British govern- ment had employed a secret agent in the territories of the United States, not to procure intelligence, which was a legitimate object, but for the purpose of inducing some ~ of the states of the union to throw off their allegiance, and separate themselves from the rest. This charge originally came from an ins | dividual who avowedly hetrayets . the GENERAL the secrets of his own employers. His lordship then referred to cer- tain points of the papers communi- cated to congress, and to that part of the instructions to Capt. Henry which mentioned the enclosure of credentials to him, and spoke of the probability of the Federalists no longer submitting to the situa- tion in which they had been placed by their government, but eventu- ally looking up to the English for their assistance. Lord H. pro- ceeded to show the dishonourable- ness of such conduct, and the im- probability that Sir J. Craig would have so employed Henry without instructions from his government, or transmitting to it the communi- cations he had received; and he adverted to the fact, that when Henry claimed his reward, he pre- sented a memorial to the office of the noble secretary of. state refer- ring to Sir J. Craig for his conduct, and had in consequence received a letter to General Prevost, the suc- cessor of Sir J. Craig, recommend- ing him to a valuable office in the country which he governed. Lord H. concluded by moving anaddress to the Prince Regent, for the pro- duction of copies of all the com- munications made by Sir J. Craig to his Majesty’s secretary of state relative to the employment of Capt. Henry in a secret mission to the United States of America; also of the correspondence between the secretary of state and Sir George Prevost, on the subject of compen- sations claimed by Captain Henry for his services; and also copies of all instructions sent to Sir J. Craig from the secretary of state relative to the employment of Capt. Henry in the United States. HISTORY. [69 The Earl of Liverpool, in reply, began with repeating his former statement, that the government here had no knowledge of the em- ployment of the person in question until many months after the trans- action. {it was true that a person named Lavater, going in 1808 from Canada to the United States on his own business, had, of his own accord, opened a correspond- ence with the governor of Canada for the purpose of procuring infor- mation ; and his lordship justified this proceeding by a detail of the menacing attitude with respect to the British American possessions then assumed by the United States. Sir J. Craig sent Henry thither in February, 1809. A great deal of what appeared in the papers was false and unfounded ; but as faras authentic instruction went, he must contend that the directions were not for the purpose of exciting discontent, but wholly for obtain- ing necessary information. With respect to the remuneration of Capt. Henry, as he had a re- commendation from Sir J. Craig, backed by some very respectable persons in London, and it appeared that he had been really employed in services for which a remu- neration had been promised, he (the secretary) had held it his duty to act as was mentioned in the correspondence with Sir G. Prevost. It was not afterwards deemed consistent with delicacy to say any thing which might in the least have reflected upon the cha- racter of Sir J. Craig, who had re- turned home from his government under a mortal distemper, and had survived but a few months. He could not approve the course adopt- ed 70] ed by the noble baron, but thought it should be left to government to pursue the proper measures to ex- lain and set forth the subject in its true light. Nor could he ap- prove the conduct of the American executive, which, without demand- ing explanation, or making any notification to the British minister, had at once laid the papers before congress. Earl Grey thought the question was one of great importance, and wished that the charge of commu- nicating with subjects of the United States who were desirous of with- drawing themselves from the union, had been authoritatively denied. He dwelt much on the flagitiousness of such conduct, which he conceived would be unjustifiable even be- tween states, at war, still more in peace, whatever apprehensions there might be of impending war, The noble lord had admitted that the letters spoken of had afterwards been communicated to the secre- tary of state; but there was no evidence of any disapprobation ,be- ing expressed by him ; and the go- vernor was only enjoined to be cautious in the employment of such agents “ for fear of involving the country in a quarrel with America.” Under — such thought the house was called upon explicitly to condemn the princi- pe : if they did not so, they must or the future be silent with respect to any similar breach of good faith on the part of France, or any other government. Viscount Sidmouth said he had never known a case so greatly ex- aggerated. If it were even admit- ted that Sir J. Craig, in his anxiety to preserve the province committed circumstances he ANNUAL REGISTER, Isi2. to his care, had overstepped the limits of strict political discretion, there still existed no pretence to accuse ministers, who were com- pletely ignorant of the transaction. Sir James, in fact, in a moment of danger, had employed a person to ascertain the dispositions of the in- habitants, of the contiguous dis- tricts, who was not directed to ex- cite. discontents, but to observe any disposition that he might find favourable to the British cause. His lordship maintained that pub- lishing the whole. correspondence would be attended with a serious evil, as it would disclose the names of those Americans who were re- presented as friendly to the British cause, or inclined to a change in their own government ; and he in- treated the house not to encroach on the functions of the executive government, but to leave the affair to be settled by mutual explana- tions, between his Majesty’s minis- ters and the American government. After some other lords had spoken on each side of the ques- tion, Lord Holland rose again to make observations upon some points which had been urged by the lords opposite. He expressed indignation at the conduct of mi- nisters in not attempting any direct defence, but seeking. to shelter themselves by throwing all the re- sponsibility upon the memory of Sir J. Craig, He particularly anim- adyerted on the noble viscount’s (Sidmouth) inconsistency, who had displayed so much sensibility respecting the Copenhagen expe- dition, yet was disposed to palliate anact equally subversive of good faith and the law of nations. Upon the whole, he said, a public charge had GENERAL had been made, and it was the duty of government that the refu- tation should be as public as the imputation ; and nothing could clear the horiour of the country unless it were ample and satisfac- tory. As to the objection that had been urged of the impolicy of such disclosures as the production of the papers would lead to, he wished for none that would unnecessarily affect the interests either of coun- tries or individuals: and he was willing to narrow his motion in any way that would enable him to obtain the specific information he desired. The house then divided on the motion : contents, 27; non-con- tents, 73: majority, 46, No further proceedings on this subject took place in the House of Commons during the present session. Another attempt to lessen the national expenditure, though of small magnitude in its object, and unsuccessful, deserves notice on account of the doctrine held on the occasion in the House of Com- mons. On May 7th, Mr. Creevey rose to call the attention of the house to the two tellerships of the exche- quer held by the Marquis of Buck- ingham and Lord Camden. ft was his intention to consider this as a mere question of private property between those individuals and the public. The places had been given as rewards for the services of the fathers of these noblemen, and he did not mean to find fault with their distribution ; but his objec- tions were that their emoluments were indefinite in their amount, and disproportioned to the circum- stances of the nation, The fees HISTORY. [71 of these offices were of such a nae ture that they rose exactly in pro~ portion to the distresses of the country. From the report of the commissioners of public accounts it appeared that in 1782, when they were granted, which was a time of peace, they did not exceed 2,500/, per annum, which sum, during the American war, was in- creased to 7,000/7. In 1808, such had been the public expenditure that the tellership had risen to 23,000/. per annum each, and there was no doubt that the emolument roust now be considerably more, This was a much greater sum than had been granted as rewards for all the splendid military services that had been performed for the country ; and he could not bring himself to acknowledge the nght of these two noblemen to derive such enormous emoluments from the public calamities. He would deny the principle so often con- tended for in that house, that a grant of an office by the crown was as sacred as any ancient grant of an estate, and could not be touched by parliament. When the crown formerly made grants of lands, or even of taxes, out of its hereditary revenue, it granted its own property; but now that the whole public expenditure was under the control of parliament, he conceived that the crown could uot make a grant which was not under the same control. The honourable gentleman then read extracts from the report of the commissioners of public accounts in 1782, which went to the asser- tion of the right of control above mentioned; and he gave instances of the present actual interference of parliament in the fees of the tellers 79] tellers of the exchequer. He con- cluded by moving certain resolu- tions, of which the six first related to the facts of the grant of the offices of tellers (performed entirely by deputy) to the present posses- sors, and their past and present emoluments: the seventh was in the following terms :—* That it appears to this house, that parlia- ment has at various times asserted and exercised a right of limitation and controul over the fees payable to the tellers, by excepting specific sums of money from the payment of: all such fees; and that it is the duty of parliament, in the present unparalleled state of national ex- penditure and public calamity, to exercise its right still further over the fees now paid out of the public money at the exchequer, so as to confine the profits of the Marquis of Buckingham and Lord Camden to some fixed and settled sum of money, more conformable in amount to the usual grants of public money for public services, and more suited to the present means and resources of the nation.” After the first resolution had been put and seconded, the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer said, that although the first six: resolutions might be safely affirmed, yet as he could not assent to the practical effect intended to be derived from them, he should move the previous question upon them, and give his decided negative to the seventh, The tellerships of the exchequer were ancient offices, and legally within the gift of the crown. The right of those noblemen to them was a vested right which could not be touched, and he conceived the emoluments to be also vested inter- ests which must be protected. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. There would be much more danger and mischief from breaking down the barriers of private property in this instance, than in allowing: the receipt of the 40 or 50 thousand a year, which were now the emolu- ments of those offices. The con- duct of parliament in 1782 in not disturbing those vested interests, while they regulated the emolu- ments of tellers to be subsequently appointed, was a clear parliamen- tary recognition of those rights. Mr. Ponsonby spoke on the same side, and asserted that by the law of England no estate was better known, defined, and protected, than an estate in office. It was as much private property as any other species of property could be. He would not agree to the conclusions of the committee in 1782, “ That the state, acting for the publie good, might interfere with the emolumeuts of every office.” The state had the power to do so, but the power was not the right. There was no knowing where that prin- ciple, ifonceadmitted, might stop. Parliament might think it had a right to examine into the church, and consider . what bishops had more than a suitable reward for their labours, or to take away the tithes from the clergy and lay proprietors. Mr. Brand differed from. the gentlemen who had already spoken. He admitted completely the legal- ity of the grants, and the vested in- terests in their emoluments of those who held them. If, however, it should be found that parliament had been in the habit of limiting ’ those fees from time to time, then it appeared to him that they who took those offices, took them sub- ject to the controlling power of parliament. GENERAL patliament. He should, therefore, wish to vote for the first six reso- lutions, and that a committee be then appointed to examine how far parliament had in former times in- terfered in reducing the salaries of offices for life. _ Lord A. Hamilton denied the similarity of this case to that of bishops, who had great and im- portant duties to perform ; whereas the offices in question had only grown aud increased with the bur- dens and distresses of the country. He put suppositions of a future enormous addition to these emolu- ments; and said that if called upon to give his vote whether the house could or could not interfere in this matter, he must give it in behalf of the public. Mr. Whitbread, while he ad- mitted the legal and vested right in the fees of their office, contended that parliament was entitled to re- gulate and confine these emolu- ments when they became exorbi- tant, and beyond any thing that could have been in contemplation when the office was created, or when the present possessors ob- tained their grants: and he in- stanced, with respect to the teller- ships, the sums paid for the ex- tinction of the national debt, and the income tax. There could not be a doubt that when the house voted additional supplies, they had the power to exempt them from the operation of these fees; and if the principle of vested right could be interfered with at all, it might to a greater extent. Some other members spoke to the question, for the most part in favour of the rights of the tellers, but nothing additional was advan- ced in point of argument. HISTORY. [73 The six first resolutions of Mr. Creevey were then severally put, and the previous question was car- ried against each of them. Mr. Brand moved, as an amendment to the seventh, ‘* That a committee be appointed to iuquire into the precedents which exist as to the deduction from, or suppression of, any fees payable to the tellers of the exchequer for monies issued out of the same.”’ The house divided upon this amendment; for it 38, against it 146. The original resolution was then negatived without.a division. The subject of reform of par- liament was again taken up in the House of Commons at this part of the session. On May 8th, Mr. Brand rose, pursuant to notice, to submit to the house’ a motion on the present defective state of the representation. . He began with some general remarks on the notorious existing. corrup- tions prevalent in the elections of members of parliament, and on the dangers which threatened the constitution from the number of members returned by places now desolated, or which possessed so few inhabitants that it was a mockery to continue to them the elective franchise. He said, that it appeared from facts which he had collected, that 182 individuals returned by nomination, or other- wise, 326 members; that there were above 70 placemen in the house, and above 40 persons who were returned by compromise. How could that be called a full and free representation, in which there were 292 persons so brought in that they could not exercise a fair discre- tion on the subjets brought under their consideration? Having stated some 74] some more of the evils attached to the present system, he proceeded to the remedies: generally, he said, the leading steps would be, first, granting to copyholders the right to vote; secondly, abolish- ing the right of nomination so as to generalize the right of voting, and thereby more fairly to propor- tion the number of representatives to the population of each place re- presented. Having opened and enforced his plan in various other observations, one of which was, ‘© Give him seven or eight borough proprietors, and he had not the least doubt but that at all times he would be able to command a ma- jority of the house;”’ he concluded with moving, ‘* That leave be given to bring in a bill to repeal the act 31 Geo. 2, c. 14, for further ex- plaining the laws touching the electors of knights of the shire to serve in parliament for that part of Great Britain called England, and to entitle copyholders to vote for knights of the shire.” The motion was seconded by the Marquis of Tavistock, who de- clared his intention, should it be carried, of moving the repeal. of the Septennial act. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. In the copious debate whiclt ensued, and which was maintained by many of the principal speakers, all the usual topics on both sides respecting reform of parliament were gone over, and every mea- | sure which had a tendency to that end was decidedly condemned, not only by the partisans of the actual ministry, but by several of those of the oppositionists who compose what is termed the whig party. It was contended by these speakers that all change in the mode of re- presentation would be dangerous, ineffectual to cure any of the pub= lic evils, and was very little desired by the nation. The friends of re- form on the other hand dwelt upon the obvious inadequacy of the re- presentation, and the never-failing support given by the House of Commons to every minister; a proof of the influence regularly exerted over the majority. The particular merits of the measure proposed were scarcely at all touched upon, and the ground taken by its opposers was that of resistance in the outset to every attempt at alteration, The House at length divided on the motion, ayes 88, noes 215; majority 127. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [75 CHAPTER IX. Assassination of Mr. Perceval, and Parliamentary Proceedings thereupon. on gga public business was at this time interrupted by a very extraordinary and_ tragical eveut, the assassination of the prime : minister. As Mr. Perceval, on _ May 1ith, was entering the lobby of the House of Commons at a _ quarter past five o’clock, a person of the name of Bellingham, who had placed himself at the side of the door for that purpose, fired a pistol at him, the ball of which entered his left breast. Mr. Per- ceval immediately staggered and | fell. He was taken up by Mr. W. _ Smith, and with the assistance of _ other members was conveyed to _ the Speaker’s apartments; but _ before he reached them, all signs | of life were gone. The assassin _ -had taken so sure an aim, that the _ ball passed through his heart at _ thecenter. _ As soon.as the horror occasioned by this catastrophe had somewhat subsided, a person exclaimed, «© Where is the villain who fired ?” Bellingham steptforward and cool- ly replied, ** 1am the unfortunate man,’ He made no attempt to escape; and being interrogated as to his motive for the deed, he said, “ My name is Bellingham ; it is a private injury—I know what I have né—it was a denial of justice on the part of government.”? He was n-searched, and carried to tle bar of the house, which had been sitting in committee on the orders in council. The Speaker resum- ing the chair, General Gascoyne said, “* I think I know the villain,” and on stepping up, called him by his name. The Speaker then pro- posed that he should be committed to the prison-room, not leading him back through the lobby, lest a rescue should be attempted by accomplices ; for the first idea na- turally seems to have been that the murder was perpetrated on a public ground, and in consequence of « conspiracy. All proper precau- tions being taken, both to prevent injury to others, and that the cri- minal might not destroy himself, and acommittee being appointed to examine and give evidence on the facts, the house adjourned. In the House of Lords, as soon as the rumour of the event arrived, the greatest agitation was manifest ed. At length, their lordships re- suming their seats; the Lord Chan- cellor addressing them, said that he felt it his duty to apprise their lordships that he should take care to give orders that none should go out of the doors of this house till their lordships were fully satisfied that they had not the means of doing further mischief. This was understood as_a determination that all below the bar should besearched to 76] to see that they had no weapons; but the alarm of conspiracy having now probably subsided, this resolu- tion was not persisted in. The fact of Mr. Perceval’s death, and the adjournment of the commons being then ascertained, the Earl of Radnor moved, ** That an hum- ble address be presented to. his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, stating, that the house had heard with hofror of the attack made upon, and the assassination of, the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, one of his Majesty’s most honourable privy council, and praying that his Royal Highness would be gracious- ly pleased to direct such steps to be taken as he should deem expedient for the apprehension. of the offender or offenders.”’ This motion was agreed to nem. diss. and the house adjourned. The Prince Regent sent a cor- respondent answer to this address ; and on the following day a message was received from him by both houses, recommending a provision for the numerous and afflicted family of Mr. Perceval. Lord Castlereagh opened the business in the House of Commons, and paid a very feeling tribute to the virtues and merits of the deceased minister, Amidst his distress on this occasion he was, however, happy to men- tion, that as far as they had been enabled to investigate the subject, government were of opinion that this was'an insulated act, and con- fined to the individual by whom it was perpetrated. With respect to the extent of the provision, he doubted not that the house would be anxious to protect all who bore the name of his lamented friend from the danger of poverty. In conclusion, he moved an humble ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. address to the Prince Regent, ex- pressing their participation in the severe loss. sustained by his Royal Highness and the public, and their abhorrence of the crime committed, and assuring him of their ready compliance with his recommen- dation. The motion was seconded by Mr.. Ponsonby ; who said, that although no one thought Mr. Perceval’s political opinions more erroneous than he had done, yet he always entertained tbe highest idea of his honour, aud the greatest affection for his person. He had known him in early life, and had never known a man _ of greater worth, or more exemplary in the domestic relations of life. Mr. Canning and Mr. Whit- bread joined in the same senti- ments, and the address was agreed to nem. con. and ordered to be car- ried up by the whole house. On the suggestion of Lord Castlereagh, a committee of the whole house was ordered for the morrow, to consider the message; and it was determined that the house should be adjourned from day to day. After the house had delivered its address to the Regent on May 13, it was resolved into a committee for considering the provision to be made for Mr. Perceval’s family. Lord Castlereagh stated that the right honourable gentleman, be- sides a widow, had left twelve children to the protection of the public, and that the property he had left was so moderate as to afford no possibility of their living in a style suited to their rank. With respect to the nature of the grant, he thought it would be most eligible to vote a substantive sum of money in the first wag or GENERAL HISTORY. for the children, and afterwards an annuity for their mother. The sums which he proposed were 50,000/. for the first purpose, and 2,000/. per annum for the second ; and he moved a resolution for the former grant. Some members re- garding this as too little for the services of the father, and. men- tioning a larger sum, Mr. Wilber- force rose, and after making a warm eulogy on the character of the deceased, observed, that how- ever general the sense of his claims on account of private merit might be, yet that his political opinions were known to have had mavy opponents; and as it was highly desirable that the vote should be cordial and unanimous, he thought the sum mentioned was a proper medium. The same opi- nion was held by Mr. Whitbread : and the first resolution being put, with the addition by Mr. Bankes, that the sum should be paid with out fee or deduction, it passed mem. con. ' The second resolution, for an annuity to Mrs. Perceval of 2,000. without fee or deduction, being put by Lord Castlereagh, was car- ried nem. con. This unanimity was disturbed, and the debate unfortunately as- sumed somewhat of a party aspect, by Mr. H. Sumner’s motion, ‘*That the annuity of 2,000/. payable to the Hon. Jane Perceval for ber life, shall, after her decease, be paid to such male descendant of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval as shall be at that time his heir, for the term of his natural life.” Mr. Whitbread declared his dis- sent from this proposal; Mr. Wil- berforce expressed his apprehension [77 that such a vote would be suspected to have originated from the politi- cal opinions of those who had usually supported the deceased minister ; Lord Castlereagh moved an amendment upon it which went to set it aside; and other members spoke against it. When, however, the division took place, Lord Cas- tlereagh’s amendment was rejected by 107 against 67, and Mr. Sum- ner’s motion was carried by 136 against 23. The report being brought up on the next day, the first and second resolutions were read and agreed to nem. con. Mr. Huskisson then rose, and after some observations respecting the situation of Mr. Perceval’s eldest son, now at the university, who would come out into the world with a slender pit- tance, proposed that the third reso- lution should be recommitted, and a grant included in it of 1,000/. a year to the eldest son on his reaching the age of 21, without prejudice to his reversionary right tothesum already voted, A debate then ensued, in which, unanimity being no longer the consideration, the friends of the late minister showed a determination to main- tain the ground they had gained, and carry the national bounty to his family as far as the feelings of the house would permit; whilst the members in opposition seemed to think that enough had already been done for justice, and that augmentations would only be an abuse of the public generosity. Regarding the particulars of this discussion as neither pleasant nor instructive, we shall only state its result. This was, that after the original resolution, and a a or 78] for postponement, had been nega- tived, Mr. Huskisson’s motion for arecommittal was carried. On May 15, Lord Clive rose to move for an address to the Prince Regent for a monument to the memory of Mr. Perceval in West- minster Abbey. This was opposed by Mr. Lambe as a clear recogni- tion of his public services, which could not be acquiesced in by those who had disagreed with him in his political measures. Mr. Whit- bread, Mr. Wynn, and Lord Mil- ton, spoke to the same effect. Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Canning, Mr. Wilberforce, and others, supported the motion, which was carried on a division by 199 votes against 26. Mr. Huskisson then, upon a recommittal of the resolution pro- posed by Mr. Sumner, moved his amendment upon it relative to the grant of 1,000/. a year to the eldest son of Mr. Perceval, which was agreed to without opposition. On the bringing up of the report of the committee on May 20, Mr. Whitbread rose to make his final objections to the resolution, on the ground that any thing further than what had been done by the first resolutions must be considered as a reward for public services, in which he could not concur. He also mentioned some particulars of the circumstances of the family, to show that such an addition was not necessary. The debate was then ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. resumed, at no _— length, and terminated in a division, on which the resolution was carried by 171 against 16. The only other parliamentary proceeding immediately consequent upon Mr. Perceval’s. assassination arose from a circumstance in Bel- lingham’s trial. That criminal, in justification of his act, which he always defended as vindicative of the injury he had sustained from the ministers in refusing him com- pensation for wrongs which he asserted that he had undergone in Russia, particularly complained of the conduct of Lord Granville Leveson Gower, then ambassador in that country, and Sir Stephen Sharp, the consul-general. His lordship, therefore, on May 20, moved in the House of Commons for the production of a letter from himself to the secretary of state for the home department, Lord Castlereagh, stating all the circenm- stances relative to the case of John Bellingham. An address to the Prince Regent was agreed to for this purpose, and the letter was read before the house. Of its contents no more needs here to be said, than that it completely ex- culpated his lordship and Sir Stephen with respect to that un- happy man, whose passions appear entirely to have obscured his reason as far as concerned his transactions in Russia. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [79 CHAPTER X. Mr. Wortley’s Motion for an efficient Administration—Negotiations for _@ New Administration ; and Discussions in Parliament on that Sub- ject—Repeal of the Orders in Council, WA AATEVER might be the general opinion of Mr. Perceval’s talents as a statesman, no one denied his ability as a skilful leader in the House of Commons. His loss to the existing administra- tion was therefore considered as a stroke which they could not possi- bly survive; aud it immediately set in motion all that mass of poli- tical intrigue and speculation which never fails tobe called into activity upon a prospect of change in the government. The first operation of the parliamentary campaign opened on this occasion, was the motion of Mr. Stuart Wortly re- specting a strong and efficient ad- ministration. This honourable gentleman rose on May 21, to submit to the House of Commons a motion for an ad- dress to the Prince Regent, pray- ing his Royal Elighness to take such measures as might be best calcu- lated to form an efficient adininis- tration. He said, it was notorious that an administration was upon the eve of being formed which no disinterested man thought adequate to meet the exigencies of the times ; and he thought it a more manly part to resist in limine the formation of such a government, than to look on idly, and afterwards com- mence a systematic opposition to it. His object then was, to address his Royal Highness to form an efficient administration, thereby implying that the persons now about to be called to, and to be continued in the management of public affairs, did not possess the confidence of the country. With respect to the grounds of his mo- tion, they might be stated in these three questions: Whether at the present crisis, an efficient govern- ment, possessing the full confidence of the people, was not absolutely necessary? Did the present go- vernment possess that confidence ? Had all been done that might have been done to form the desired ad- ministration? The first of these positions was too self-evident to require an answer. The second was in his mind equally true and certain. Jf the present govern- ment had not been very strong even with the aid of Mr. Perceval’s great talents, they were certainly worse than weak without it. As to the third, he thought that little, very little, had been done towards the furtherance of an object so de- sirable. He then alluded to the abortive attempt which had some time ago been made to enlarge the basis of the administration, and said that he was convinced nothing effectual could be done in this point 80] point without conciliating the Ca- tholics. After some further obser- vations on this topic, he asserted that his motion came before them destitute of any other influence than what it might derive from its own merits. It was entirely spon- taneous: he had consulted no one about it, and was then actually ignorant whether it would be se- conded or not. As one of. the greatest friends and admirers of Mr. Perceval, he had come forward in an open and undisguised man- ner to show that the government, deprived of him, could not be supported by all his friends. He felt a pain in so doing from his relation to the noble lord below him, but it was a sacrifice on the altar of duty. The honourable member concluded by moving the announced address. Lord Milton seconded the mo- tion. Mr. Eyre opposed it as an un- constitutional interference with the prerogative of the crown, of which there was no instance upon record. The house had interfered when an administration had been formed and found inefficient, but had never, come forward with its pre- vious advice. He disputed the honourable mover’s ground of the inefficiency of the present adminis~ tration.. They had, indeed, lost their greatest support, and had attempted to remedy it by seeking the, aid of persons whose political opinions were nearly the same with their own, but who would not concur in the proposal unless certain ques- tions were conceded to them: questionsalready determined by the votes of the house, and he believed, by the opinion of the country. He had no great reliance upon the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1512. prophetic ‘anticipation of what an administration was to be. He had seen administrations prematurely denounced as weak, conduct public affairs with activity and vigour, whilst others of great promise had miserably failed. The honourable gentleman then moved as an amendment, ‘That the other orders of the day be now read.” Lord Milton supported the ori- ginal motion, and contended that it was not only the right, but the absolute duty, of the House of Commous to interfere when they saw an administration about to be formed which was not likely to obtain the confidence of the people. He said that the unsuccessful at- tempt of the present ministers to ally themselves with men of abili- ties who differed with them upon great political questions, was an acknowledgment of their incom- peteucy. Sir F. Burdett gave reasons why he could not concur either in the motion or the amendment. There had been many ministries composed of persons of different principles, who, nevertheless, had done no- thing to relieve the country from its dangers and burdens, which never could be done without a constitu- tional reform in the representation of the people in parliament ; and he read a proposed amendment of the origiual motion to that effect. Mr. Wilberforce argued at some length on the unconstitutional nature of the interference with the prerogative of the crown implied in the first motion, and said that thirty years ago, the question whether the house should have a previous negative on the appointment of ministers had heen decided. . Per- haps it might be said that the motion tant occasions ; GENERAL HISTORY. motion did not go to prescribe to the prince whom he should choose, but to recommend a strong admi-+ nistration; but it was fair to combine the motion with the speech by which it was intro- duced. With respect to the ques- tion of parliamentary reform, he had always been favourable to it, but he did not see how such re- form could materially diminish the difficulties of the country. The hon. J. W. Ward would not admit that the interference _proposed was unconstitutional, though he allowed: that it. should not be resorted to but on impor- but what, he asked, could be more important than the present ? There were two grounds for the adoption of the motion ; the danger of the coun- try, and the acknowledged weak- ness of the present administration. The first was admitted on all sides. he should spare himself the dis- -agreeable task of naming individu- With respect to the second, als, but he might appeal to the public feeling, manifested in some degree even “before the death. of Mr. Perceval, though his ability was thought by many to compen- sate for the inefficiency of his col- leagues. Such persons, however, -would pay a poor compliment to -his memory if they continued to place the same confidence in the administration which had lost his ~ support. The honourable mem- ber then proceeded to allude to ‘the alleged attempt for procur- ing an addition of strength, by bringing over a gentleman of great talents and eloquence (Mr. Can- ning), and a noble Marquis (Wellesley), the sincerity of which pe called in question ; and he par- _ Vou. LIV. ‘Mr. Fox. whether the members, [st ticularly adverted to the anti- catholic principle which was fun- dameutal to the existing ministry. Mr. Ryder repeated some’ of the arguments already adduced to prove ‘that the motion’ was uncon+ stitutional, and pointed out the difference between the case which had been alluded to, respecting Mr. Pitt, and the present. He then found.it necessary to touch upon some facts pretty generally kuown, premising that he could not be susyected of any private motive, since he was no longer a member of the administration. He believed his right hon. friend (Mr. Canning) would: not say that the offers had not been made in per« fect sincerity, and in the hope that they would be accepted. He did not mean to impute their rejec- tion as a fault to him, but he knew it had excited extreme ‘concern on the part of govern- ‘ment. ‘nions held on the principal topics With respect to the opi- at issue, he had papers which fully explained them, but which at'this time, he did not think himself au- thorised to produce. He could see no ground for supposing in- ability in the noble lord at the head of government (Lord Liver- -pool) who, ten or eleven years ayo, had been characterised as the man most fit to succeed to the highest place with the sole exception of In conclusion, he asked who for four years had supported by their majorities the measures of adminis- tration, would act a part agreeable -to their constituents by adopting amotion intended to subvert a go- vernment which had received the highest approbation ugar the country 3 > [G] Mr. 82] Mr. Canning, though he had not meant to have troubled the house on the present occasion, could not avoid answering the call which the last member, he thonght somewhat unfairly, had made upon him. In his justifica- tory speech, which will not bear abridgment, he said, ‘ whatever has passed verbally without these walls, by an absolute agreement between Lord Liverpool, who made the proposition; and my- self, was reduced to writing, that it miyht be less subject to mis- apprehension or perversion ; and to that minute, an answer upon paper “was returned by me, to which, standing at the bar of my coun- try, to answer for my conduct, I beg leave to refer.’? With respect to the intimation by the mover of the amendment, that he had de- manded some concessions of prin- ciple asthe price of his accept- ance of office, he said that he merely inquired of Lord Liver- pool, as a matter of information, whether the policy and sentiments of his colleagues continued the same; and was candidly answered, that his own opinions upon this grand topic (the catholic question) remained unchanged, and he was not aware that those of his col- leagues had undergone any altera- tion. When he was thus informed of the settled opinions of the: head of government, honoured with the chief confidence of the sovereign, and possessing all the influence and authority afforded by his station, could he for an instant doubt their practical effect on the other mem- bers of the cabinet? The right hon. gentleman in conclusion af- firmed, that he had seen not only no desire to grant any thing to the and concluded. with deprecating ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. catholics, but not even a disposi+ tion that an inquiry should be instituted. Lord Castlereagh approved high- ly of the manner in which the mo- tion had been met by the amend- ment, since, a direct negutive might have been subject to seri- ous misconstruction. The right distinction had been taken in saying that the heuse was not from circumstances justified at this time to interfere, not that itought not to interfere at all. He then entered intoa defence of the mi- nisters, and of his own conduct; and asserted, that being aware that his presence might have embar- rassed government in the object of availing themselves of those talents and connexions which were deem- ed beneficial to the state, he had tendered his resignation to his royal highness. Adverting to the case of Mr, Canning, he said that gentleman had refused the co-ope- ration of his talents, beeause he could not carry a particular point; but ought he not to have apprized the house what his practical opi- nion on the subject was, and what was the plan by which the measure anight be carried into execution ? -He felt as much as any man the fundamental importance of the ca- tholic question, but it was ridicu- lous to talk of creating a govern- ment simply for its discussion, He then touched upon the securities requisite from the catholic body,” prior to the granting of their claims, and denied that he himself had given them any positive pledge for concession at the time of t union. He spoke of the great exer- tions made by the ministry for the support of the war in the peninsula ; the GENERAL the stamping of a stigma on an administration, the whole of which was not yet before the house, and throwing discredit on a govern- ment when there was little pros- pect of substituting a better in its room, Sir John Newport made an animated attack upon the last no- ble lord, as having violated the promises by which he carried the union. The house at length divided on the amendment, when there ap- peared for it 170, against it 174; majority against ministers, 4. Mr. Wortley’s motion was then carried without a division. Mr W. next moved that the address should be presented by the whole house; but Mr. Yorke having declared his intention of moving the previous question upon it, Mr. Wortley altered his motion to that of its being presented by such members of the house as are of his Majesty’s privy council. A di- vision ensued, in which the motion was negatived by 176 to 174. Mr. Wortley expressed his utter sur- prize that a motion of such high importance should by any manage- ment of finesse be suffered to re- main a dead letter. A debate fol- lowed in which the Speaker was appealed to in order to extricate the house from the disagreeable embarrassment it had got into. After some discussions on the point of order,’ Mr. Wynn moved ‘ that the address be presented to his royal highness the Regent by Mr. Stuart Wortley and Lord Viscount Milton.” This proposal was agreed to without a division; Mr. W. asserting that he should consider the day on which he presented - address as the proudest of his e”? HISTORY. [ [83 The address was accordingly presented, and on May 22nd Mr. Wortley reported the following answer from his royal highness : ‘‘] shall take into my serious and immediate consideration the address which [ received from the House of Commons.”’ A change in the ministry now became the most interesting topic of the time: and as it occasioned much discussion and conversation in both houses of parliament, we shall proceed to give a succinct and uninterrupted relation of the most remarkable circumstances at- tending it, to its final close. Mr. Brougham first incidentally introduced the subject on May 26th, when, making a motion for an account of the London dock duties, he took occasion to observe that it was then understood “ that the same vigorous and efficient ad- ministration as guided the councils of the country during the last week, possessed again the confi- dence of the Prince Regent, and expected to regain the confidence of the House of Commons.’’ He also had been informed that there was an intention of moving an adjournment of the House ths day, which he greatly deprecated. Mr. Whitbread followed with a direct address to the noble lord (Castlereagh) requesting from him some distinct information respect- ing his own situation and the pro- gress made in forming an efficient administration. His lordship in answer said, that he knew of no intention of moving an adjournment; and that his own situation was now precise- ly what it was last Friday (22nd), he and his colleagues still retaining their offices during the interim oc- cupied in concerting arrangements, [G 2] on 84] on an extended basis. It was wor- thy of notice, though not directly connected with this topic, that, adverting to an observation made by Mr. Whitbread, his lordship, at this period, totally disclaimed any knowledge whatever that this country was on the eve of a war with America. On May 30th Mr. Martin of Galway announced his intention of moving on the next Wednesday, if something were not done to pre- vent it, an address to the Prince Regent, beseeching him to carry into effect without delay, his gra- cious declaration in answer to the address of the House of Commons. On June Ist Mr. Canning rose for the purpose of apprizing the last hon. member and Mr, Wort- ley, that he had on that day re- eeived an intimation from a noble friend of his in the other house, that upon the morning of that day, the Prince Regent had given direc- tions to him (the Marquis of Wellesley) to preceed forthwith in taking such measures as appeared to him best calculated to form a strong and efficient administra- tion. Mr. Wortley then, in conse- quence of some statements which had appeared in the newspapers, put the following questions to Mr. Ponsonby: 1. Whether any per- son, up to this morning, did make any proposition to the right hon. gentleman, or to any of his right hon. friends, to form part of an administration; and did they give a refusal on personal grounds, or on what other grounds? 2. Whether in what had passed in those proposi- tions, if any were made, his friends insisted on any, and what con- ditions??? Mr, Ponsonby answered ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. the first question absolutely im the negative; the second fell of course. - On Monday, June 3rd, the mat- ter was taken up in the House of Lords, after a motion for ad- journment from the Earl of Liver- pool. The Duke of | Norfolk begged previously to ask of the Earl if he was only a temporary minister until a successor was appointed. The Earl replied that he was in the same situation he held on Friday se’ nnight, in which he continued only till the Prince Regent should be pleased to sig~ nify his pleasure as to any future arrangement, The Marquis Wellesley them rose and informed the house that the Prince Regent had been pleased to require his opinion with a view to the formation of an administra- tion, and that he had stated this opinion with the freedom which his duty demanded ; further, that he had this day tendered to his royal highness his resiguation of the authority thus vested in him, which had been accepted. He then lamented, that the most dreadful personal animosities, and the most terrible difficulties arising out of questions the most compli~ cated and important, should have interposed obstacles to an arrange- ment so essential to the public welfare. fe had desired and ob- tained his royal highness’s per- mission to state to the house all the circumstances of this transac- tion in which he had any share, but at the same time his advice was that such disclosure should not be called for, under the conviction that at the present crisis it would be highly mischievous. Earl Stan- hope thought it was the duty of their GENERAL their lordships to call for this dis- closure. The Earl of Limerick declared a contrary opinion. Lord Grenville, in agreeing as to the impropriety of a present disclosure, hoped he might be per- mitted to state that in the little share which his noble friend (Lord Grey) and himself had in the transaction, they had nothing to disguise or conceal, or that they should not be anxious to have laid before the public whenever the proper time should arrive. He would not have risen on the pre-' sent occasion, had it not been for the allusion of the noble marquis to dreadful personal animosities as an obstacle to the arrangement. He could assure their lordships, for his noble friend and himself, that they were actuated by no personal feeling whatever, but solely by considerations of public principle and public interests. The Earl of Liverpool, in like manner, disclaimed for himself and those who acted with him the per- sonal animosities alluded to. | The Earl of Moira said that it had been his office in the course of this negotiation to be the bum- ble instrument of conciliation, and deeply lamented that differences and estrangements had rendered his endeavours ineffectual. He then alluded to ‘ points of form,” which had stood in the way of conciliation; but said, he was sa- tisfied that it was all misapprehen- sion, aud trusted that before the house met again, some arrange- ment would be made satisfactory to the country. Earl Grey could not but think that the noble Earl who spoke last had overstepped the line observed hy other lords on this occasion, HISTORY. [83° He felt anxious to remove any mis~= apprehensions to which bis expres- sion of “ points of form’? might give rise, assuring their lordships that his noble fmend and he were not actuated by any considerations of ‘points of form,” but by that of principles, which if not funda- mental to the constitution, were at least essential to the existence of a government with a view to the welfare of the country. He like- wise disclaimed for himself any of that feeling of personal animosity to which the Marquis W.: had alluded. The house then adjourned. In the House of Commons, on. June 3rd, Mr. Canning made a similar communication of the Mar- quis Wellesley’s having resigned the authority conferred upon him by the Prince Regent. Mr. Mar- tin of Galway rose to put a ques- tion on the subject to Mr. Ponson- by, but being called to order, and finding that the sense of the house was against him, he de-: sisted. When the House of Lords met again on June 5th, the Earl of Moira rose to discharge a duty” which hedoubted not that the noble Marquis (Wellesley) would have performed if he had been present in his place. This was to correct a most mischievous application that had been made of his ex- pression relative to ‘* personal ani- mosity,”’ as if it had referred to the feelings of the Prince Regent. He had distinctly to state that no- thing of that quality of animosity existed ; and that, as on the one hand, the illustrious personage did never suggest one individual as a fit member, or make the reserva- tion of a single seat to be filled upoY 56] upon subsequent consideration, so, on the other, there never was a stipulation for the exclusion of any person; but the fullest pow- ers were given to the noble Mar- quis to lay before the Regent the most beneficial plan that could be suggested for the formation of a government competent to the pre- sent crisis. Lord Grenville. said, that he wished his noble friend who had just spoken had confined his state- ment to a point of which he trust- ed no one entertained a doubt; for as to the rest, the impression made upon his mind by an official and authorised paper was com- pletely at variance with that which he had expressed. It was there distinctly notified that the Prince Regent had signified his pleasure that one office, particularly desig- nated, should be held by a par- ticular individual pointed out ; and that in the whole, four individuals expressly named should occupy seats in the cabinet. This statement was confirmed by Lord Grey, who in his speech read the following paragraph from the written document above- mentioued, «*That his royal highness the Prince Regent has signified his pleasure that Lord Wellesley should conduct the formation of a government in all its branches, and should be first commissioner of the treasury, and that Lord Moira, Lord Erskine, and Mr. Canning, should be members of the cabinet. That it was proba- ble that a cabinet formed upon an enlarged basis must be composed of 12 or 13 members; that the Prince Regent wished Lords Grey and Grenville on the part of their ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812 friends to recommend to his Royal Highness’s approbation the names of four persons if the cabinet should consist of twelve, and of five persons if it should consist of thirteen members, to be appointed by his Royal Highness to fill such situations as might hereafter be ar- ranged. That his Royal Highness left the selection of the names to Lords Grey and Grenville without any instruction or personal exclu- sion; that in completing the ar- rangements the Prince Regent has granted to Lord Wellesley the en- tire liberty to propose the names of any persons to hold places in his Royal Highness’s councils, or any other persons.” This, said Lord Grey, was the proposition made to them, which they understood,and understand, as naming particular persons, and as limiting and proving by previous arrangement that particular places should be assigned to particular persons. Under such cireum- stances, he and his noble friend concurred in a decided refusal of the proposition, sanctioned by Lord Holland. It was true that subse- quent explanations had been af- forded by the noble Earl (Moira), but without professing to have any instructions or authority from the Prince Regent. Lord Moira said that the pas- sage just read struck him in a directly opposite point of view from that taken by the noble Lords; and he still contended that the failure rose from misapprehen- sion. A conversation ensued, of which it is not material to relate the heads, and which was termi- nated by the Lord Chancellor’s motion for an adjournment. In the House of Commons, Fri- day GENERAI HISTORY. day June 5th, a report being brought up from the committee of ways and means, Sir J. Newport said, that the house was reduced to the dilemma either of with- holding the supplies, or of grantmg them without a responsible minis- ter. This brought on a conversa- tion relative to the state of the ne- gociations for a ministry, in which General Gascoyne read an address to the Prince Regent which he intended to move on Monday, ex- pressing their regret for the ob- stacles which had occurred in forming an administration, and their wish that an arrange- ment might immediately take place. A debate then ensued, whether the house should con- tinue to sit from day to day, or adjourn to Monday, and the ad- journment was at length agreed upon. - On June 8th; the Earl of Liver- pool rose in the House of Lords, and stated to their lordships, that the Prince Regent had on that day been pleased to appoint him first commissioner of the treasury, and had given authority for completing the other arrangements for the ad- ministration as soon as_ possible. After some declarations on the part of his lordship and of Lord Moira on their conduct during the late uego- ciations, Lord Liverpool moved that the house do adjourn. The Marquis of Wellesley then rose to enter into an explanation of the principles on which he had acted, and of an expression which he had used on a former day. His object, he said, throughout the ne- gociation had been, that three great principles should form the basis of the proposed arrange- ment: 1, that the laws affecting sonal feeling.” [87 the catholics should be taken into consideration with a view to a con- ciliatory adjustment: 2. that the war on the peninsula should be carried on with adequate vigour : 3. that the administration should not be corfined to one party, but should be formed from all parties of individuals agreeing in the two first principles, and coming to an arrangemeat on other matters. With regard to his expression of «¢ dreadful personal animosities,”’ he had no hesitation in avowing that he had used it advisedly, and with reference to the Earl of Liver- pool and his colleagues, for it was from their conduct that the only obstacles arose to his proposed arrangement, This avowal called up the Earl of Harrowby who demanded of the Marquis proofs of the charge thus insinuated. Lord Wellesley, in reply, stated the reasons why he had used that expression, and had considered the obstacle as standing on that ground. He had laid before tne Lords Grey and Grenville the proposition above mentioned, and had received from them an answer which satisfied him. From the noble Lord oppo- site, tothe same proposition he had received the following answer: “that he had consulted his col- leagues, and that they did not think it necessary to consider the principles stated in the proposition, as they were all resolved, after what had recently passed, not to be members of any administration formed by Lord Wellesley.”’ Ano- ther noble Lord referred to the same answer, saying that ‘it was not necessary to eater further into the discussion of a matter of per- If these noble lords: 83] lords disclaim personal animosity, be would not contradict them in an unparliamentary way; but he thought he had sufficiently proved that he did not deserve the rebuke he had experienced. Lord Harrowby then, in justifi- cation of the feelings of himself and his friends, referred to a statement which appeared in the newspapers, after they had offered to form an administration with the marquis, in which he accused his late col- leagues in the cabinet of incapacity to originate any measures for the welfare of the country, and assert- ed that for the whole of the two years in which he had been in office, perpetual differences of opi- nion had existed between him and the other members of the cabinet. Lord Wellesley expressly denied having been a party to that publi- cation, which had given him the most sensible uneasiness. He then went on to other explanations, which as merely personal, it would be useless to particularize, They concluded with a solemn de- claration that he knew nothing of the publication alluded to till le saw it In a newspaper. Earl Grey then took part in the discussion, in order to explain to the house the grounds upon which himself and his noble friend had declined being included in the pro- posed new administration. After mentioning their conviction that, in the cabinet, the principles and measures to which they were pledged would have been decidedly over-ruled, he said, that in his in- tercourse with the noble marquis and. his noble friend (Lord Moira) he had discovered nothing but an earnest desire to conciliate, and that he was persuaded they were not themselves aware of the secret ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. management of which they were the instruments This insinuation called up Lord Moira; who was much offended - with being told that he was a dupe in the negociation. He asserted that there was not the slightest reservation on the most insignifi-~ caut point; that the powers given to him were complete and ample, and whenever limitted, they were so only by his own sense of what was due to the public; and he called upon the noble earl for a more satisfactory explanation of his meaning. Earl Grey, in reply, said that he had constantly remarked an un-: willingness to come to the point, not on the part of the noble earl or marquis, but on the part of the individual who was to give. effect to the negociation conducted by them. What was the history of these transactions? The noble marquis in the first instance made the proposal to them which he had stated to the House. Was their answer to be termed a rejection ? For a whole week they had no communication with hin, and the next intimation’ they received from him was that his commission was suspended. That interval was employed, not: to introduce them into the coun- cils of the Prince, but to attempt to connect the noble marquis with some noble lords on the other side of the House to their exclusion.» The next step was a renewal of: the proposition with full powers, though the noble marquis had pre- viously in vain solicited authority. to explain what he imagined to have been misconceived. Lord Moira then, with the frankness which characterizes him, coms menced his negociation, and was met ) ) GENERAL HISTORY. met with equal liberality. ‘ To avoid any delay that might arise (said Lord G.) | brought forward 2 difficulty that forcibly struck my mind ; and in consequeuce, the noble earl broke off the intercourse, declaring that he could proceed no further. That he acted conscien- tiously, 1 have no doubt; but the impression upon my mind from all the circumstances, was that which I before stated to your lord- ships.” The Earl of Moira, in his reply, and Lord Grenville, in a subse- quent speech, both agreed that this difference was upon an im- portant and constitutional point ; but the mystery was not developed in the debate of that day. It was in the House of Com- mons that the subject received its final elucidation, On June 7th, Mr. Stuart Wortley brought forward a motion respecting the failure of the negociations for a new administration. In the pre- liminary view which he gave of the transaction in the three weeks smce the presentation of the ad- dress which he had moved, he said, that after the negociation between Lord Wellesley and Lords’ Grey and Grenville had come to an end, Lord Moira had received an unconditional power from the Prince Regent to renew it, and had expressed ‘to those lords that all the leading ques- tions of policy would be laid at their feet to be managed at their wi}l. Lord Meira, however, would not agree to what was. insisted upon asa preliminary condition— the regulation of the household : on which account those noble lords were content to throw away all the great and darling objects of [s9 their political wishes. Their ex- cuse. was, a jealousy of the in- fluence which they supposed to exist somewhere, and over which they bad no control. Mr. W. made several strictures upon this conduct, which he . thought un- justifiable; and then adverted to what followed. Lord Moira’ re- signed his powers ; and by that noble lord’s advice, the Prince Regent called in once more’ the assistance of his old’ servants. With this Mr. W. was not satis- fied, because he thought a stronger administration might be formed, and he wished the state might have the advantage of the talents of all parties. ©He then moved for an address to the Prince Re-: gent; the tenor of which was to express the regret of the house that the expectations held out in his Royal Highness’s gracious answer to their former address had: not yet been realized, and their earnest entreaties that his Royal Highness would form with- out delay such an administration’ as may be entitled to the support of parliament and the confidence of the nation. We shall not undertake to enter into the details of the succeeding copious debate, the result of which was of no practical importance ; but shall only notice the remarka- ble matters of fact respecting the late negociations which came to light during its progress. The matter of the household ap- pointments was introduced by most of the speakers, some censuring, and others defending, the conduct of Lords Grey and Grenville with: respect to them. The statement of Lord Yarmouth, as a principal ’ person concerned, was the first thing 90] thing occurring in the debate that deserved attention on this head. His lordship said, that with respect to the household, it was the inten- tion of himself and his friends to resign the situations which they at present held, previously to the new administration’s entering into office. This intention of theirs was well known; they took every means of stating it in quarters whence it had) any likelihood of reaching the ears of the persons imterested ; and in particular they communicated it to a right hon. ‘gentleman who took an active part in the negociation (Mr. Sheri- dan.) Their intention originated ina wish tosave the Prince Regent from that humiliation which he must have experienced. from their being turned out of: office. He spoke in the name not of one or two, but of all the officers of the house- hold. They all stated to his Royal Highness their wish to resign, and only requested to know, ten mi- nutes before certain gentlemen re- ceived the seals, that such a cir- cumstance was to take place, in order that they might make a timely resignation, Mr, Ponsonby, who rose. next, began with affirming, with regard to what had fallen from the noble lord who. spoke last, that he now heard it from his lips for the first time in his life, that nothing of that import had ever been stated to himself or Lords Grey and Grenville, and. that they never entertained the remotest idea that | such an intention -existed. He then went into a history of the ne- gociation with those noble lords, in which he referred te certain let- ters and minutes which will be found among our state papers. He ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. adverted to the proposed removals in the household, and denied that, as had been affirmed, they were greater than were ever before medi- tated on a change of administra- tion; and he enlarged upon the necessity of giving strength to a ministry which would have much opposition to encounter, by inspir- ing a general belief that it pos- sessed ihe full confidence of the sovereign. Mr. Canning then rose to. give to the house an account of the share which he and Lord Welles- ley had had in the negociations in question, and produced several mi- nutes of communications and. let- ters, which we shall also copy. What the hon. gentleman disclosed. respecting the part taken by Lord Moira in these transactions was most. material, and made a strong impression on the public. After defending the noble lord for ob- jecting to the displacement of the great officers of the household, the right of doing which he did not deny, but thought that a construc- tion would be given to the exercise of it which might occasion great public mischief, Mr. C. said, there was one point connected with this part of Lord Moira’s conduct which he was authorized to state particu- larly. Fearing that he was not entirely understood by the Prince when he received his unrestricted commands to form an administra- tion, on returning to the royal pre- sence, he put this question direct- ly: ** Is your Royal Highness prepared, if I should so advise it, to part with all: the officers of your household ?”? The answer was, * I am.” ‘* Then (said Lord Moira) your Royal Highness shall not part with one of them.” With GENERAL _ With this very singular circum- stance we shall close our account of the parliamentary proceedings on the interesting topic of a change in the administration ; for Mr. Sheri- dan’ssubsequent attempt to explain his advice given to Lord Yarmouth against the resignation of the household, scarcely merits a nar- ration. After two amendments of Mr. Wortley’s motion had been put and negatived, in one of which there was a division, ayes, 164; noes, 289; the motion itself was negatived without a division ; and thus the old ministry remained de- cidedly in possession of the coun- tenance of the House of, Com- mons. Whilst this political ferment was agitating the different parties of candidates for ministerial power, the examinations in reference to the effects of the orders in council upon the commercial and manu- facturing interests in the kingdom were going on with little interrup- tion in both houses of parliament. A vast mass of evidence being at length collected, Mr. Brougham, on June 16th, brought the matter for final decision before the House of Commons. He began his speech with observing, that the question, though of unexampled interest, was one of little intricacy. Its points were few in number, and involved inno obscurity or doubt. At a distance, indeed, there appear- ed a great mass of details, and the eight or nine hundred folios of evi- dence, together with the papers aid petitions with which the table was covered, might cause the sub- ject to appear vast and complicated; yet he did not doubt in a short time to convince his hearers that - there has seldom been one of a HISTORY. [91 public nature brought before that house through which the path was shorter, or led to a more obvious decision. The hon, gentleman then took a general survey of the severe dis- tress which was now pressing wpon so many thousands of our indus- trious fellow-subjects, proved not only by their petitions, but by the numerous schemes and devices which had been resorted toas a re- medy for the evils caused by the suppression of their aceustomed sources of employment. He re- minded the house of the general outline of the inquiry. Abovea hundred witnesses had been ex- amined from more than thirty of the great manufacturing and com- mercial districts. Among-all these there was only one single witness who hesitated. in admitting the dreadful amount of the present dis- tresses, Birmingham, Sheffield, the clothing trade of Yorkshire, the districts of the cotton trade, all deeply participated in them. He then adverted to the proofs by which this evidence was met on the other side of the house; and took into consideration the entries in the Custom-house books, and the substitutes and» new channels of commerce said to compensate for those that are closed. He next touched upon the topic so often resorted to by the defenders of the orders in council, that of the dig- nity and honour of the nation, and the necessity of asserting our mari- time rights ; and he maintained that every right may safely be waved or abandoned for reasons,of expedien- cy, to be resumed when those rea- sous cease. He lastly, dwelt upon the great importance of the American market to the goods produced 1 this 92] this country, and the danger of ac- customing the Americans to rely on their own resources, and manufac- ture for themselves. After a long and eloquent harangue on these and other connected subjects, Mr.’ B. concluded with the following motion: * That an humble ad- dress be presented to his royal high- ness the Prince Regent, representing that this house has for some time past been engaged in an inquiry into the present distressed state of the commerce and manufactures of the country, and the effects of the: orders in council issued by his Ma- jesty inthe years 1807 aud 1809 ; assuring his Royal Highness that this house will at all times support: his Royal Highness to the utmost of its power in maintaining those just maritime rights which have essentially contributed to the pros- perity and honour of the realm— hut beseeching his Royal Highness that he would be gracious!y pleased to recall or suspend the said orders, and adopt such measures, as may tend to conciliate neutral powers, withoutisacrificmg the rights and dignity of his Majesty’s crown.” Mr. Rose acknowledged that a very considerable degree of dis~ tress did exist among our ‘manu- facturers, but would not admit that it was so much owing to the orders in council as the hon. gentleman had represented. He and showed that the commerce of France had suffered in much great- er proportion from the effects of these orders. Our shipping inter- est, he asserted, had been benefitted by them, and if they were repeal- ed, the Americans would come in for a large share of our carrying trade, especially toSouth America, corrected | several statements made by him, ANNUAL REGISTER, $1819. Upon the whole, he would not de- ny that our manufacturers were likely to obtain some relief from ~ the repeal, but government was placed between difficulties on both sides, and it was their duty to adopt the measures which would be least detrimental. In his opinion, the preponderance of argument led to the conclusion that the repeal of the orders would be more prejudi- cial than their continuance. ‘The great body of merchants held the same opinion. Four-fifths of those of Glasgow had petitioned in sup- port of the orders ; those of Bristol were unanimous in their favour? and so were a majority of those of Liverpool : there was no petition from London against them; whilst a great number of London. mer- chants had petitioned in their fa~ your, out Mr. Baring, after a warm eulogy | of the enlightened view of the sub- jecttaken by the hon. mover, said that the house had two questions to decide : 1. whether these dis- tresses were attributable to the or- ders in council ? 2. whether any benefits had arisen from them in? any other: quarter to compensate for these calamities ? Mr. B. made’ a numberof particular observations’ relative. to these two points ; and he concluded with giving it as his’ conviction, that by our orders in council we lost thé most substan-. tial commercial advantages for an object we could never obtain—that of forcing our trade with the con-> tinent. ' ‘ Lord Castlereagh began with: lamenting the precipitation of the hon, gentleman in bringing: for- ward this motion, and pressing to a hasty discussion a question than which none more vital ever came- before GENERAL before the consideration of parlia- ment. He deprecated any inter- ference onthe part of the house in a question in which commercial considerations were mixed | with those of maritime right, and, pend- ing a delicate negociation, dictating to the executive government the course it ought to pursue. After various observations in defence of the policy and justice of the orders in council, and in answer to some of the mover’s statements, the no- ble lord came to the point by say- ing, that Great Britain would con- sent to suspend her orders in coun- cil, provided America would sus- pend her non-importation act. The experiment might then be tried of the practicability of restoring things to their ancient system. Under these circumstances he trusted that the house would not consent to the address—aud he moved the order of the day. Mr. Whitbread then begged the noble lord to say precisely what he proposed to do with respect to America. Lord Castlereagh said, that he meant that a proposition should be made to the American government to suspend immediately the orders in council, on condition that they would suspend their non-importa- tion act. Mr. Whitbread was of opinion that if this proposition were to be sent out to America, and it was expected that the house and coun- try should wait till they received an answer, it was the greatest de- lusion that ever had been attempt- ed; and he proceeded to express in strong terms the urgency of the distress felt by the manufacturers, and the necessity of giving the in- tended relief without delay. Mr. HISTORY. [93 Ponsonby also spoke against the measure proposed, as calculated to create delay. Lord Castlereagh, in farther ex- planation, said that it was never meant that there should be) any delay in suspending the orders in council: the intention. was that they should be suspended for a de~ finite time, and that this circum- stance should be communicated to the American government, for, the double purpose of - ascertaining whether it would. in: consequence abrogate its non-importation act ; and also that it might apply to France to return to the ancient system of belligerents. Mr. Wilberforce objected to the mode proposed, by the noble lord, because it shewed an unwillingness to do that which, in fact, he in- tended to do. Mr. Canning, in giving a kind of middle opinion on the subject, contended that revocation was bet- ter than suspension. Mr. Brougham, after congratu- lating the house on the prospect of speedily getting rid of these or- ders, hoped that the noble lord would withdraw his motion for proceeding to the orders of the day, and explain more distinctly what was the exact intention of govern- ment. The final result was, that Mr. B. and Lord Castlereagh _ severally withdrew their motions on the un- derstanding that an official instru- ment on the subject should appear in the next Gazette. It was a remarkable circum- stance in this debate, that Mr. Stephens, the most strenuous de- fender and promoter of the orders in council, was not present : a cer- tain proof that ministers were al- ready 94] ready prepared to make the sacri- fice which the voice of the country rendered inevitable. On June 23rd, there appeared in the Gazette a declaration from the Prince Regent, absolutely and un- equivocally revoking the orders in council as far as they regarded American vessels ; with the provi- so, that if after the notification of this revocation by our minister in America, the government of the United States do not revoke their interdictory acts against British commerce, the same, after due no- tice, shall be null and of no effect. Mr. Brougham, on this occur- rence, declared the full satisfaction of himself and his friends with the frank and manly conduct of go- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. vernment in the mode it» had adopted ; and both sides of the house seemed happy in the pros- pect of the amicable intercourse which this proceeding would re- store between the two countries. We cannot, however, refrain from expressing our astonishment, that during the debates there appeared so little consciousness that the question of repealing or coutinuing the orders in council, was a real question of peace or war: with America; and that deferring the decision so long, was rendering it altogether unimportant. In fact, before the news of the repeal reached the United States, they were actually at war with Great Britain / CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [93 CHAPTER XI. The Budget. N June 17th, the house hay- ing resolved itself into a committee of Ways and Means, The Chancellor of the Exche- quer (the right. hon. Nicholas Vansittart), declared that he could not rise to perform the duty which that day imposed upon him, with- out feeling sensations unusually painful at the recollection of the singular situation in which he was placed, and the remembrance of the lamented individual whom he that day represented. Considering in whose place he stood, whose papers he held in his hands, and whose plans he was about to state to the House, he felt rather that he was executing the last of the official duties of his lamented friend, than the first of his own. Happy should he have thought himself 7 he could, at the close of the day, resign those papers again into his hands, after supplying his place upon a mere occasional absence ; but happier still if he could inherit his talents and virtues, and closea life of public service with the same . testimonies of public approbation, and equal consciousness of un- blemished integrity. Under _these peculiar circum- stances, the committee would not expect him to do more, than to state as briefly as possible, what, with the exception of a few parti- culars, which he would point out when he came to them, was the intended budget of their departed friend. He should, in the first instance; recapitulate the charges of the pre- sent year, and then, proceed to the statement of the Ways and Means by which it was proposed that those charges should be de- frayed, The whole amount, of the sup- plies was already within the know- ledge of the committee, having, excepting a few inconsiderable votes for miscellaneous services, been agreed to by the house. It certainly was an enormous, he might even say, a terrible extent of charge ; but he had the consola- tion to reflect that, great as it was, the resources of the country were still equal to support it. On a reference to the papers on the table, it would appear that, for the navy, exciusive of ordnance for the sea service, the sum voted was 19,702,3992. ;—for the army, including barracks and commissa- riat, and. the military service of Ireland, 17,756,160/.;—an addi- tional vote of 90,000/. for the bar- rack department had been agreed to by the house; but the treasury had determined to strike off this sum, and diminish the grant in the appropriation act by that amount. This diminution of charge pro- ceeded from a resolution to post pone 96] pone the execution of the pro- jected barracks at Mary-le-bone park, and at Bristol and Liverpool. He begged to be distinctly un- derstood on this part of the sub- ject; he by no means meant to Insinuate any disapprobation of the plan for the erection of those bar- ~ racks, on the contrary he thought it probable that a considerable part at least of the plans which ‘had been sanctioned by the votes of the House would be ultimate- ly carried into effect; but his noble friend at the head of the treasury board and he had not sufficiently considered the subject to beable to give a decided opinion upon it, and they had determined not to make themselves respon- sible for works of great magni- ‘tude, and of no immediate ne- cessity, without full considera- tion. SUPPLIES, ANNUAL \REGUSTER,. 1812. The extraordinaries of the ars my incurred last year, beyond the sum granted, amounted to— 2,300,000/. hens which there — had been voted for the present year 5,000,000/. for Great Britain, and 200,000/. for Ireland. For the ordnance, including Tre- land, 5,279,8971. The miscellaneous services, in- cluding a few sums not yet pro- posed to parliament, and 400,000/. for the Irish permanent grants, might be taken at 2,350,000/. © It was also intended to pro- pose a vote of credit of 3,000,0007. for Great Britain, aud 200,0002. . forlreland. The subsidies granted in the present year were nearly the same as those of the last, being for Sicily 400,000/. and for Poratwat 2,000,000/: These several items would there- fore stand as follows : 1812. £. Navy, exclusive of Ordnance Sea service... «19,702,399 Army, including Barracks, and Commis- sariat Ditto, Ireland... _ Extraordinaries, England...... TOS. Treland eye ee a vos telsie's "2001000 Unprovided ditto last year.. Bony ees Ce e@eereseese .. 14,577,698 § 17,756,160 was 03,178,462 » +» 0,000,000 5,200,000 eoerseereetore ye ee22,300,000 Ordnance, including Ireland ...... eecsee 5,279,897." Miscellaneous (including 400,000/. Irish Permanent Grants).....eeseeeceeeeeees 2,350,000 Vote of Credit, Eneland eovece eereecesesese 3,000,000 Teele wi Fhe. Cozeladl «allie 200,000 ¢ 520000 Sheil SAS eeese eeeesee tense nsesece 400,000 Portugal........ eorvee eevee reereese eee 2,000,000 Total joint charge.......5.... 58,188,456 To these sums must be added 100,292. for repayment of so much . of the Loyalty Loan as had been claimed in the proper form by the holders, and 1,700,000. voted for interest on exchequer bills, being equally GENERAL HISTORY. équal to the amount actually paid 6n that account in the preceding year; it was also proposed that the amount of exchequer bills to be issued on the aids of the next year should be less by 2,387,600/. than those which had been circulated in the year preceding. He felt him- self bound to state that this ar- rangement, which formed part of the intended plan of his late right hon. friend, had been suggested to him by the directors of the Bank of England, who thought that the circulation of exchequer bills had been carried to too great an ex- tent; and this suggestion suf- ficiently proved that the directors of the Bank were not actuated by that desire which was so often and so unjustly attributed to them, of increasing the gains of their [97 corporation by an unlimited extent of paper currency. oO] The three items which he had last named, amounting to 4,187,892/. constituted the ‘sepa~ rate charge of Great Britain, and when added to the sum of 58,188,456/. which was the total of the supplies he had before stated, made the general amount of 62,376,348/.. From . this’ was to be deducted the Irish proportion of joint charge, amounting to 6,845,700/. and the Irish propor- tion of the civil list and charges on the consolidated fund, being about 180,000/. and making toge- ther 7,025,700/. The result was, that the total of the supplies to be provided for z. Total joint charge as above........++++++++58,188,456 SEPARATE CHARGE. Loyalty loan... Interest on ex- chequer bills... .1,700,000 «eee 100,292 Add amount of exchequer bills charged on aids 1812, outstanding, which it is not intended to replace by the issue of new bills.....ees Total supplies Deduct Trish /proportion of 58,188,456/. Ditto civil ist, Vou. LIV. Total on account of England.... a it +00 099,300,048 [H] and other CHEF SES «oy ste! ctS)sid wele'e' ate by Great Britain, was 55,350,648/. 1,800,292 2,387,600 eee 5 8A BFIOOD eeeoeoeoseveee8s 62,376,348 6,845,700 180,000 | — 7,025,700 The 98] The way in which he proposed to meet this charge, enormous as it appeared to be, was as follows. The annual duties were taken as usual, at 3,000,000/.; the sur- plus of the consolidated fund, estimated on grounds’ which he should presently explain, 3,600,000/. ; the war taxes, which he should also explain, might, including the property tax, be taken at 20,400,000. ; the lottery 300,000/. ; the loan in the 5 per cent. annuities, contributed by the subscribers of exchequer bills in the spring of the present year, 6,789,6251.; exchequer bills in- tended to be issued on the vote of credit, 3,000,000/. ; and he should observe, that this last sum would make no addition to the unfunded debt, an equal sum granted on the vote of credit of the last year, having been funded and not re- placed by any fresh issue; the old naval stores, which since the re- commendation of the committee on public expenditure, had been carried to the public account, would produce 441,218/. The next item would be the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. surplus of ways and means, of last year, amounting to 2,209,6261. ; but it would be necessary for him ‘shortly to explain in what manner this surplus arose. Considerable sums had been granted in_ the year 1811 in exchequer bills charged upon the aids of that year. Of these, together with other exchequer bills, about 5,500,000/, had been funded in the spring, and a part of the aids of the year 1811, which had been appropri- ated to the repayment of these bills, had been thus set free and was applicable to the service of the present year, amounting, af- ter the deduetion of a small de- ficiency of ways and means of 1811, which existed previously to such funding, as stated in the disposition paper before the house, to the sum he had mentioned, of 2,209, 626i. The only article of ways and means, which it remained for him to enumerate, was the loan con- tracted on the preceding day of 15,650,0002. The various items would, there= fore, stand as follows : WAYS AND MEANS. £. Annual duties w.sceseen je ceecsisins sic « S{000,000: Surplus consolidated fund .......+.+«+ 3;600,000 OVOP HERES ec ceersmme case su lnbsuble’s 220,400,008 Ee Oot ee ors 300,000 Loan by subscribers of exchequer bills FUBOEE” sion es v's wales vecctpansde soe G, seam Vote of credit .....00 sb ccwcsicicicess « 35000,000; Deval ‘GUOPeaQOt, SH 0 io. cic npeuhlo eurenseincive oh ME Surplus ways and means I8L1, created by funding part of the exchequer bills charged on the aids of that year...... 2,209,626 SS eB age 5 eg Dy i 15,650,000 \ 59,390,469 The GENERAL HISTORY. The ways and means exceeded the supplies about 40,0007. He would now return to the mode in which the amount of the surplus of the consolidated fund, and of the war taxes, had been ‘calculated. The surplus of the consolidated fund had been estimated upon the average produce of the principal branches of the revenue in the last three years, adding thereto so much as was necessary to com- plete the estimate of the yearly re- evipt of the permanent duties im- posed in-the last session. The average produce of the customs in that period, with the addition he had mentioned, was 5,106,000/. ; of the excise, 18,188,000/.; of the assessed taxes, 5,999,000/. ; of the stamps, 5,191,000/. ; and of the post office, 1,240,000/. To these principal branches of revenue were to be added other funds of a less considerable, but generally of a less fluctuating nature. Of these the principal was the land tax remaining unredeemed, amount- ing to 1,035,000/.; there were also the duty on pensions and per- sonal estates, which would pro- duce 141,000/.; the surplus of exchequer fees about 60,000/. ; the crown lands about 50,000/. ; and some other small branches of revenue, producing together about 246,0002. ; and making, together with the greater branches of re- venue before stated, in the whole, 37,262,000/. ; to which adding 2,706,000/. of war taxes appro- priated to the consolidated fund, the total income of that fund would be 39,958,000/.; from which deducting the charge as it stood previously to the loans of the present year amounting to 34,504,000. there would remain L99 a gross surplus of 5,454,000/. From this was first to be deducted the additional charge created by the loans of the present year, amounting to 1,906,000/.; but against this charge should he set the expected produce of the taxes of the present year, which, to the Sth of April, 1813, might be esti- mated at 951,500/., deducting which sum, there would remain 954,500/. to be deducted from the surplus hehad stated of 5,454,000/. leaving a net surplus of 4,499,500/. Before this sum could be applied to the service of the year, the sum of 927,000/. which still remained due upon the grant of the pre- ceding year, must, however, be made good. The remainder, which would be applicable to the ser- vice of the present year, would therefore be 3,572,500/. He should accordingly propose a vote of 3,600,000/. as being the nearest round number. He was aware that it might probably be thought unfair to esti- mate the produce of the revenne for the present year, upon the average of the three last, as it might be stated that the revenue was gradually declining. This, however, upon an examination of the accounts, would not appear to be the fact. The total produce of all the duties in the quarter ending the 5th of July, 1811, fell considerably short, even to the amount of 760,000/. of the quarter ending the 5th of July, 1810, The quarter ending the 10th of October, 1811, fell short, by 469,000/. of the corresponding quarter in 1810; but the quarter ending the 5th of January, 1812, exceeded the quarter ending the 5th of January, 1811, by 31,000/. ; and the quarter ending the 5th [H 2] of 100] of April, 1812, exceeded the cor- responding quarter in 1811, by vo less than 463,000/. a sum much surpassing any increase which the new duties could have occasioned in that quarter, and which sufhi- ciently proved that the revenue was, upon the whole, in an im- proving state. He had formed the estimate of the war taxes, in a_ similar manner, upon the average of the three years, ending the 5th of April, 1812. The war duties of customs and excise amounted, up- on such an average, to 9,502,965/. to which were to be added 38,6002. for the further expected produce of. the duties imposed in the last year, and 500,000/. . which re- mained due from the East India Company, on account of tea duties, making, in the whole, of custom and excise duties, 10,041,565/7. Of the property tax there remained due on the 5th of April, 1812, on the assessments of preceding years, 8,515,000/. to which was to be added the esti- mated assessment of the present year, which, supposing it to be equal to the assessment of the last year, would be 12,200,000/. making together, 20,715,000/. From “this was to be deducted the sum still remaining due to make good the grant on the war taxes for 1811], being 7,660,0007. ; which would leslie, for the service of the present year, 15,055,000/. and adding that sum to the amount of customs and excise, there would be a total. of war taxes of 23,096,0002.. From this was to be taken 2,706,000. ap- propriated to the charge of various loans, which would ‘leave for the ways and means of the present year, 20,390,000/. a») sum ap- ANNUAL. REGISTER, 1812. proaching very nearly to that of 20,400,000. which he proposed to vote. It now remained that he should explain tne conditions of the loan which had been contracted, and he had to regret that the present situation of the country did not enable him to congratulate the house on so advantageous a bar- gain as some which had of late years been stated to them. The sum raised on account of Great Britain by the loan concluded the preceding day, was 15,650,000/. The capital created on account of this sum was 27,544,000/. 3: per cent stock. The amount of in- terest 826,520J. and of sinking fund and management 285,500/.. mak- ing inall a charge of 1,110,0232. The rate of interest to the sub- scribers would be 5/. 5s. 7d. per cent. and the total charge to the public 7/. 1s, 10id. This. might appear a high rate of interest, but it should be remembered, that, including the, former loan in the 5/. per cents. and the exchequer bills funded, the sum borrowed in the present year had rarely been equalled, and he believed so large a sum had never been. raised on better terms in any other period of war. Indeed, he feared that the contractors for the loan, had more reason to complain of haying been hardly dealt by than the public. He should feel happy if the bar- gain should hereafter prove more profitable to them than it had hitherto promised. Such’ an’ im- provement of the public credit would be hailed: with the greatest satisfaction by his Majesty’s mi- nisters. He must now revert to the former loan, and the funding of exchequer bills: the terms of which ' account. GENERAL HISTORY. which having been explained at the proper season by his prede- cessor, he should only recapitulate with a view of pointing out the amount of charge for which it would be his duty to provide. The exchequer bills funded and the 5/. per cent. loan, amounted together to 12,221,3257. making in 5/. per cent stock, a capital of 13,199,031/. the interest of which was 6959,951/. and the sinking fund 131,990/. making together with the charge for management '795,901/. The rate of interest on this sum was 5/. 8s. and the total charge 6/. 10s. 23d. per cent. The charge to the public, on the whole money transactions of the year, so far as they respected the funded debt, was 6/. 16s. 9d. per cent and the total amount to be provided for 1,905,924. He now came to a most impor- tant, but certainly the most painful part of his duty ; that of proposing taxes by which so large a sum was ‘to be defrayed. It was the more unpleasant to him, as he had felt it necessary, in this part of the arrangement, to make a censidera- ble deviation from the plan of his predecessor. Sucha task afforded ‘only an option of difficulties and inconveniences, and he could, ‘at best, ouly hope that he had select- 7 such as were least objectiona- e. The first article he had’ to pro- -pose was indeed one which ap- peared to him liable to very little objection, for it was) in fact a tax which would fall upon nobody ‘(a laugh,).°. Gentlemen might smile, but if it was in bihigen re- : spects unobjectionable, hetrusted it -would not be censured: on that lis proposition was, to [101 discontinue the bounty on the exportation of printed goods. This bounty had grown froma small charge to a very large one, amounting upon au average of the last three years, tothe sum of 308,000/. a circumstance in one respect highly satisfactory, as it shewed the great increase which had taken place in the exportation of those goods, but which also shewed at once that the necessity of granting a bounty to encourage this exportation had ceased, and that a considerable resource might be derived from its suppression. The printed goods in question, from the improvement of the ma- nufactures and the extensive use of machinery, could now be af- forded much cheaper without the bounty, than they used formerly to be, even with its assistance. The present state of the world with respect to commerce was pe- culiarly favourable to the discon- tinuance of the bounty system. Wherever British manufactures were permitted to enter, their su- periority was universally acknow- ledged ; where they did not find their way, it was not on account of their dearness or inferior qua- lity, but because they were ex- cluded by rigorous prohibitions. Whenever these might cease, the country might agam expect to see the British manufactures spreading themselves over the continent without the assistance of bounties. That which it was now proposed to discontinue, amounted to no more than one halfpenny a yard on printed goods of the lowest quality, and three halfpence a yard on the highest ; an amount much within the ordi- nary fluctuations of price from accidental 102] accidental causes, and the loss of which could not operate as any discouragement to trade. To him, therefore, this proposition appeared free from all reasonable objection. His task would have been easy if he could have flattered himself that what he had still to propose was equally unobjectiona- ble; but of the remainder of his plan he could only, as he had said before, indulge the hope that, in the choice of evils, he had selected the least. _ To the first which he had to propose he felt that it might be reasonably objected that it would, in a certain degree, affect the comforts of the poor; he hoped, however, the burden would he as small as could be expected from a tax producing a considerable in- crease of revenue. The article to which he alluded was that of tanned hides and skins. That it would, insome degree, fall on the poor, by affecting the necessary article cf their shoes he had alrea- dy admitted, but in other respects it appeared to him a very fit object of taxation. In the long list of our taxes it was almost the only one on which no additional duty had been laid for a great number of years. The present duties had been imposed so long ago asthe years 1709, and 1711, and when he now proposed, after the lapse of a whole century, to double them, he could vot consider himself as laying upon the people of this country a beavier burden than their ancestors had borne with reference to the general en- hancement of prices, and the proportions they bore to the earn- ings and incomes of individuals. Another recommendation of this ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. tax on leather, on the present occasion, was the cheap and plen-~ tiful supply of the raw material which had, of late years; been introduced from South America. This supply had been estimated as equal to one-third of the whole manufacture, and had occasioned a very considerable increase of it, both for home consumption and for exportation. Calculatmg upon an average of the produce of the present duty for the last three years, the additional duty may be_ expected to produce 325,000/. a year. The next article which he should propose was also an excise duty. twas that of glass. This duty had been considerably increased in the year 1805, but after an ex- tensive inquiry among the manu~ facturers, Mr. Perceval had been convinced that an additional tax equal to the present, would not be injurious tothe trade. It was wot indeed probable that the consump- tion of this country would be lessened by the increase of price which this duty would occasion, as glass was an article very little in use among the lower classes of society ; and this was, so far as he could understand, the opmion of the manufacturers themselves, pro- vided they were protected against foreign competition, by sufficient duties on importation, and by pro- per drawbacks on exportation. The produce of this tax, calcu- lating, as before on the average of the last three years, would be 328,000/. The next proposition which he wished to make to the committee was, to add a duty, equivalent to ten per cent on those now exist- ing, on tobacco, an article of extensive GENERAL extensive, yet of luxurious rather than necessary use, and one which afforded the best criterion of its ability to bear an additional tax, namely, that the consumption of it went on progressively increasing under the present duties. He did not see any reason to believe that this proposed addition would either diminish the consumption or ma- terially increase the frauds upon this article; and estimating the produce on an average similar to those of the former articles, he should take it at 107 ,000Z. His next proposition would be not for a tax absolutely new, but fora certain regulation of the duty on property sold by auction, It was well known to the committee that estates or other kinds of pro- perty were frequently put up to auction, not for the purpose of a fair sale, but of ascertaining their value with a view to a private bargain. They were then bought in, by which the duty was avoid- ed; and afterwards disposed of by private contract, ata price founded upon the biddings which had taken place. It was his wish, as it certamly had been the intention of the legislature, that all persons who obtained the benefit of the competition arising in a public sale, should be subject to the charge which had been imposed upon that advantage. It was, therefore, his intention to propose that property put up to auction should be charged with the duty, whether actually sold or bought in; but that, in case it should ap- pear, at the end of twelve months, to continue to belong to its origi- nal owner; the duty should be repaid. In property of large amount it might indeed be reason- HISTORY. able that the owner should, instead of paying down the duty in the first instance, be permitted to give security for it, and regulations to this effect might be introduced in the bill. It was also well known that many articles, particularly im= ported merchandize, were exempt- ed from the duty, although sold by public auction. He understood it was a common practice to mingle in sales such privileged goods with those which were not privileged ; by which means frauds on the re- venue were frequently practised. He should therefore propose that when any goods lable to duty were introduced into a sale of goods which were exempted from it, the whole should be immediate~ ly rendered chargeable with the duty. The committee were aware that, from the nature of the case, nothing like an accurate estimate could be formed of the produce of these regulations. Ona due con- sideration of all the circumstauces of the case, Mr. Perceval had thought that it would not be over- stated at 100,000/. and he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) saw no reason to form a different opinion. : The articles which he had hi- therto enumerated, except the bounty on printed goods, were all duties of excise. The next branch of the revenue to which he should resort, was one which he should have been giad to avoid, if the largeness of the total sum to be raised had not rendered it ne- cessary to diffuse the burden as extensively as possible. It was on the postage of letters. —He should recommend an addition of a penny on every single letter carried more than twenty miles, whether from the [10s 104] the metropolis or the provincial post offices.. He certainly regret- ted the necessity of increasing this tax, which operated. as a consider- able: charge on commercial corre- spondence , yet, when he consider- ed the satisfaction and convenience derived from the establishment of the post-office, and the progressive increase of correspondence through- out the country, he really believed that he could suggest no duty which, on the whole, would be paid with less reluctance. This proposed increase might be esti- mated, according to the present extent of correspondence, at 220,000/. All the articles which he had hitherto submitted to the consider- ation of the commitee, were such as had been selected by his late right hon. friend, and would have formed part of the plan which he would have proposed to parlia- ment. The remainder of the budget would, according to his intention, have been supplied by a tax on private brewing. The committee would recollect that, in the year 1806, when a noble lord, now amember of the other house (the Marquis of Lansdowne) held the office which he had now the honour to fill, that noble lord had suggested a similar tax, which was strongly opposed, principally on the ground of its bringing _ private families under the jurisdiction of the excise ; an objection, the full force of which he should have ad- mitted, if the means had not been afforded of avoiding that jurisdic- tion by an easy commutation, upon the principle of the assessed taxes. The plan of his late right hon. friend was, indeed, free from the objection which he had stated, as ANNUAL REGISTER, the assessed 1812. it had no reference to the excise, but proceeded upon the principle of a rate, according to the number of each family ; to the proposition so modified, he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) still, however, thought he saw an insuperable ob- jection. In the first place, he had reason to believe that the produce of the intended duty, taken at the rate of five shillings a head, which he understood to be the proposed assessment, had been greatly mis- calculated, and that, instead of 500,000/. which was the sum re- quired, it would only produce 50,0002 or at the most 300,000/. But he felt a still stronger objec- tion to the tax in its unequal ope- ration on the poorer classes. A poor man would only brew the exact quantity required for the consumption of his family, calcu- lated upon the most frugal rate > while a rich man would provide for the entertainments of mauy visitors, and for the much more liberal consumption of his house~ hold. The consequence, there- fore, would be, that the tax be- ing taken at an equal rate upon each person in the family, the poor man would pay upon each barrel, of a much inferior liquor, a higher rate of duty than the rich would be charged with, for the best which could be. pre- pared. Upon the whole therefore, he had judged it advisable to abandon this tax, and to propose a moderate addition on the scale of several of taxes. He knew that a proposition ‘for the increase .of the assessed taxes could not fail to excite some alarm ; but that branch of the revenue compre- hended duties of very different kinds, GENERAL HISTORY. kinds.. The duties upon houses and windows, in particular, he considered as the most burden- some to which the country was exposed, and to those duties he proposed to add nothing. But there were others which had an operation similar to that of sump- tuary laws, and which, arising out of a voluntary expenditure, might admit of a reasonable increase, without much objection.—In this class he included the duties on men-servants, carriages, _ horses, dogs, and the sports of the field ; and these would be the objects of his intended increase of duties. As the proposed scale would in a few days be printed and in every gentleman’s hands, he should not take up the time of the commit- tee by a minute detail; but point out the leading article in each class, by which a judgment might be formed. The existing duty on a person keeping one male servant was 2/. 4s. He proposed to add four shillings, making the duty 2/. 8s. On occasional gar- deners he should propose a similar duty of four shillings. Mercantile agents or riders to commercial houses now pay 1/. 8s. He pro- posed that they should pay 2. On stewards and overseers, who had hitherto escaped notice, he should propose a similar rate of 2]. Porters employed by persons in trade now paid a duty of 17. 4s. He proposed that they should pay 2/.and that the same rate should take place with respect to stage coach- - men, and other drivers of car- riages, except domestic servants aud those engaged in husbandry. On occasional waiters, whether employed at taverns or at private houses, he should. propose a duty [105 of 1/. and §this would remove a difficulty which he knew existed in the minds of many persons with respect to the propriety of includ- ing individuals of the last class, who perhaps had been only em- ployed for a small number of days in the year, as servants in their general returns to the tax office. He should however propose that this duty should not attach on any attendant hired less than six times in the year, to avoid too great a pressure upon any occasional ex- traordinary hospitality. —Servants employed principally in agricul- ture, but sometimes for domestic purposes, now paid a duty of six shillings. He proposed that, like the occasional gardeners, they should pay four more. The whole amount of the increased duties on male servants he calculated at 155,0002. He would proceed to the con- sideration of the duty on carriages. A single four wheeled carriage now paid 11/, 5s. He proposed that it should pay 12/. and soin propor- tion to the present progressive scale, for a larger number. The produce of this increase, and of a proportionate increase on two- wheeled carriages would be39,000/. —Horses kept for pleasure now paid a duty of 2/. 13s. Gd. He proposed an addition of 4s, making a duty of 2/. 17s. 6d. He was next bound to state that he deemed it necessary to increase the duty upon horses employed in husbandry by 3s. 6d. each horse, and though he was aware that many objections were enter- tained to the principle of the tax, he thought the proposed additional rate could hardly be completa of, 106] of. Upon horses employed for purposes of trade, which were ge- nerally of greater yalue, and pro- ductive of greater profit to their employer, he should propose an additional duty of 10s, Taken together, these additional duties may be estimated at 269,000/. It was his intention to pro- pose an increase in the same pro- portion, in the duty on dogs, except that, in consequence of recommendations which he had received from various quarters, he should propose a higher duty on greyhounds, than on other dogs. The reasons for this recommenda- tion were best known to sportsmen, and therefore many gentlemen in the house were better able to judge of it than himself, but it was obvious that the superior va- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. lue of greyhounds, and the species of amusement which they afford- ed, might be considered as a suf- ficient reason for an augmented rate of duty. The increase of the tax on dogs might be estimated at 31,0002. The last increase of assessed taxes which it was his intention to propose was on certificates to game-keepers, namely, four shil- lings for game-keepers, who were also assessed as servants, and 10s. 6d, for persons who were not so assessed. This, he thought would raise 21,0002. The amount of these angmenta- tions of the assessed taxes, he should, therefore, calculate at 515,000/.; and the whole of the proposed duties would stand as follows : & Customs.—By discontinuing, the bounty on Printed Goods exported, taken on average of last 3 years ..... wane waldtete oat erboye — 808,000 Excise.—Hides and skins ; by doubling ‘the existing duties, on average of the last “three YEATS csccceecceenesesees He. HOLE Fae A 2ROOE Glass) ..02. ditto. 2.2 s. ditto... sets | 396,000 Tobacco; one-tenth in addition to all the existing duties, on a like average .,.... 107,000 Auctions, Regulations, estimated fo produce 100,000 Post-Office. — Addition of one penny on all Letters carried more than 20 miles, esti- muted'to produce a+: vecsseesesccevces 220,000 Assessed Taxes.—Male Servants.... 155,000 Carriages ...... oe rents SUB9000 Horses and Dealers ...... 269,000 Dogs csc svevsecevceses 31,000 Game Certificates ....--.. 21,000—515,000 1,903,000 He was sure that it must be very satisfactory to the house and the public that, after the country had so often seemed to be upon the very point of having exhausted its resources, and after it had been so often stated that no fit subject for taxation remained, it still ap- peared GENERAL | peared practicable to provide with _ so little pressure on the people, and especially on the lower classes | of the community, so large a sum as that of which he had just ' eompleted the details. It had _ been his intention, if the attention ef the house had not been so _ completely exhausted, and if he had not himself laboured under | an indisposition which made it _ painful to him to address them, to | offer some general observations on | - the financial situation of the country; but under these circum- stances, and having performed that part of his duty which he felt to be strictly necessary, he should now refrain from trespassing long- er on their patience, and conclude _ by moving his first resolution. Mr. Huskisson said, that in the present circumstances of the - country, he was decidedly of opi- nion that a more judicious selec- tion of objects could not have been made than that of his right hon. friend; and he doubted not that when the plan should have un- dergone some modification in its passage through the house, it would be as acceptable as any ‘measure of the kind in the present state of the resources of the country. He then begged leave to recal to the attention of the committee some observations ‘which he had made three ses- sions ago, and to apply some of the facts which subsequent expe- ‘rience had furnished in confirma- ‘tion of his former reasonings, He had then stated as a general prin- ciple, that the only secure means to which the country could look for enabling it to support its ar- “daous struggle was, the adoption of every measure for retrenching HISTORY. [107 its expenditure, and equalizing it with its income. What had re- cent changes and events tended to establish? In 1810 the amount of debt funded was upwards of 16 millions, in 1811; 193 mil- lions ; in-1812, 27,870,000/. The 3 per cent consuls, were at those three periods 70, 65, and 56; and the charge of the loan had risen from Gl, 4s. to 7/. 4s. The hon. gentleman then considered some of the resources to which recourse had been had for meeting the increased expenses, and shewed their want of permanency. He spoke of the alarming depression of the public credit, and the un- favourable terms of the last loan, and said that he could not in too strong terms point out the im- policy of raising money at such a disadvantageous rate of interest, and that it would be much better to obtain it by general taxes. He then adverted to some extra- neous circumstances which had operated in this depression, the most important of which was the extent to which it bad been thought necessary to support the eredit of Ireland by the sacrifice of our own; and he pointed out several things relative to the re- venue of that country which de- manded investigation. He con- cluded with expressing his convic- tion that the stamina of the nation were still unimpaired, and that although further and great sacrifices might be necessary to carry us through our difficul- ties, yet the public spirit of the people was such that they ‘would not be backward to make them. The allusion to the revenues of Ireland called up some of by Iris 108] Irish members, who made vari- ous observations on the subject. The several resolutions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer were then put, and agreed to. Trish Budget. Mr. Wellesley Pole said, that he rose for the pur- pose of calling theattention of the committee to the Ways and Means of Ireland, which be would en- deavour to do as shortly as possible at that late hour. In the first in- stance the supply was, 1,794,000/. being the contribution of 1811, there was due of the quota of 1812, 7,611,000/, Irish currency and the interest on the debt of Ireland, up to the 5th of last Janu- ary, was 4,496,000/. making a total of 13,902,000. He should propose to meet this, in the first instance, the surplus of the consolidated fund, amounting to 2,775,0001. He next proposed to take the revenue of the current year, which he took at 4,309,000/. The nett revenue of the last year 4,170,000/. The repeal of the bounty on retail spirits 40,0007. The regulation of tobacco duties &c. 417,000/. The profit on the lottery he calculated at 150,000/. the payment of seamen’s wages 150,000/.—The loan 1,500,000. and 50,000/.. by treasury bills ; making 2,000,000/,; and a total of 13,982,000/. being an exceed- ing of §2,000/. It was now ne- cessary for him to state the mode of providing for the interest of the loans and the sinking fund, which amounted to 449,000/.. The loan had been raised by 5 per cent treasury ‘bills, and the manner of providing for it was by a tax, which had been rather ludicrously alluded to by an hon. gentleman— he meant by a tax on spirits, which ANNUAL REGISTER, 18129. he trusted would be found. by: its produce to cover the loan.) He would state to the committee the grounds on which this tax would — cover every thing. Jt would, be recollected that a tax had been le- vied on Irish spirits, amounting to 2s. Gd.a gallon, which, being dou- bled, now produced 5s. British on the gallon.. The consumption of spirits in lreland, for the year end- ing on the 5th January, 1812, had been 655,000 gallons; the quan- tity exported 792,000 gallons, The — consumption bad been diminished one fifth by the operation of the — duty, leavmg 461,000 gallons, which at the rate of 5s. 5d. Irish currency, produced 1,248,000/, being 260,000/. more than last year. He was aware that it might be said, that this statement would not hold good, as distillation was stopped:in Ireland; but the com- mittee would recollect, that, previ- ous to the levying of the duty, another measure had been taken to prevent the exportation of spi- rits, by which a considerable stock remained on hand, the duty on which according to the best infor- mation he could procure, would amount to 270,000/. ; so that there was actually . 270,000/. of the 449,000/. Taking then the stock — in hand at the above sum) he had to state, the hope of increase from the power granted by the act to the Irish government, to open the distilleries on the Ist of November, in the event of a good harvest: and according to the best informa- — -tion, there never was a more abun- dant; promise; so that jit. was almost certain that the distilleries would, be opened at the time con- templated in the act, namely, the Haying stated thus Ast of November. GENERAL thus much, he was not inclined ‘to add any more, but was prepared to answer any question put to him. He, however, could not sit down without claiming permission to of- fer a few observations on what had fallen from the right hon. baronet, and his hon, friend. He denied that because the revenue had not covered all the debts since the Union, that it necessarily followed _ that disorder and corruption pre- -vailed through the whole system. He would be glad on all these oc- casions, to come to close quarters with the right hon. baronet, when he had no doubt of being able to refute those vague and general at- tacks, which he so frequently in- dulged in, The taxes which had failed. did so from unavoidable causes, which ought to be gone fairly into; but the right hon, baronet every session was prepared with a string of accusations, which he threw out against his right hon. friend. (Mr. Foster) during his ab- ‘sence. _ Sir John Newport rose to repel the charge in the most direct and positive terms. He had frequently made those observations, which he felt.it his duty to make, in the presence of the right hon. gentle- man, and would not suffer himself to be vilified. + Mr. Pole said, that he only meant to observe that it had been the constant practice of the right hon. baronet to reiterate those charges which had been already decided on, while he overlooked the improvements which had been made. There was not any branch of the revenue that had not been inguired into, and probed to the quick, It was maligning the offi- cers of the Irish government to - : HISTORY. [109 say they had not. done their duty. The revenue of Ireland had been increased in the last year. In 1811, tke customs were .collected at 25/. 4s. 4d. and in the present year at 20/. 18s. The revenue of the post office was collected at 21/. per cent. He was sorry to say they were collected at a greater rate than he wished; but this country paid nearly the same. Some irregularities had taken place with a distiller in Limerick, and four revenue officers there were dismissed from their’ situations. Some improper transactions took place in the stamp-office, which caused eleven of the persons in situations to be discharged. It was the intention of the Insh go- vernment to consolidate the stamp- office. There was not the. same facility in collecting taxes as in England. They ought not to tax Ireland as. this country—she was shooting, and, if not oppressed, would come to maturity, and be able to bear all the burthens in proportion with her sister isle. Any person who proposed that an in- come tax should be laid on in Ire- land, must either not know any thing of that country or be a ma- niac. He concluded with moving, “That towards raising the supply to be granted to his Majesty, a sum, not exceeding 500,000/. be granted to be raised in the issue of treasury bills.” The . Resolutions were then agreed to, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. Of the taxes proposed by Mr. Vansittart, that principally op- posed in parliament was the ad- ditional duty on leather. When the motion was made, June 26th, for bringing up the report of the excise 110) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. excise duty, Mr. Brougham rose to state his objections not to the amount, but to the nature, of this tax. He showed by calcu- lation in what degree it would press upon husbandry, and upon the lower classes in society, who, by their greater consumption of _ leather for shoes than persons in the superior ranks, would have to bear the chief burden of this impost. ? Lord Althorpe spoke to the same purpose, and moved, as an amendment, ‘‘that the bill be taken into consideration on this day six months.” Sir Thomas Turton said that he had been instructed by the tan- ners in the Borough to show how severely this tax would affect them. They had nowa stock of 18 months upon hand, and would be undersold by the Irish tan- ners, who paid no duty. After other members had de- clared their objections to the tax, the Chancellor of the Exchequer rose to defend it. He said that no increase of duty had taken place on the article in question for 101 years, during which al- most every other article of use and luxury had undergone a gra- dual increase of taxation. He then proceeded to reply to the parti- cular objections which had been advanced, and pointed out mis- takes in the calculations on which they were founded. He ended with affirming that he was not one of those who concurred in the soundness of the principle, that the rich alone should be sub- jects of taxation. as the rich and poor have a common interest in the country, a common system of taxation should, if possible, be applied to both. On the division for bringing up the report, there appeared Ayes, 66; Noes, 40: majority, A division took place on the third reading of the bill, in which the leather clause was car- ried only by the majority of 8, the votes being, for the clause 86; agsinst it 78. The bill then passed the Commons. When introduced to the House of Lords, the tax on leather en- couvtered an opposition on simi- lar grounds as those maintained in the other house; and was de- fended on the same principles. Earl Spencer having moved, as an amendment to the bill, the omit- ting the clause relative to that ar- ticle, a division took place in which the amendment was rejected by 32 against 12. The only other debate on the taxes occurred on the order for the third reading of the assessed taxes bill in the House of Commons, June 30th. The clause imposing an additional duty on horses em- ployed in agriculture was opposed by Mr. Westerne, who moved its omission. It was also objected to by other speakers, as injurious to husbandry, and oppressive to the lower class of farmers. On divi+ sion, it was however carried by 6 votes against 43. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [uit CHAPTER XIl. Petitions respecting the renewal of the East India Company’ s Charter— Bill for the Preservation of the Public Peace.: MONG the effects of the commercial embarrassments prevailing through so large a_ part of the kingdom, was that of ex- citing an extraordinary interest in the approaching expiration (in May 1814) of the India Company’s last charter. All the out ports, debarred from a participation in the East India trade, and many of the manufacturing districts which con- ceived that new sources of demand for their commodities would be opened by a free exportation to the vast countries included in the company’s monoupoly, concurred in the resolution of urging, on the present occasion, what they re- garded as the just claims of all citizens to share in the public ad- vantages; whilst the company it- self,;.and those bodies which were connected with it by a common interest, prepared to take measures es the menaced attack. This matter was brought into notice in the House of Commons as early as, February 6, when upon Mr. Wallace’s motion fora select committee to inquire into the present state of the affairs of the East India company, Mr. Creevey objected to it on the grounds of the incompetence of such a committee to furnish the requisite information, and pro- » posed in its stead a committee of the whole house on the subject. In the debate which ensued, General Gascoyne affirmed that the mer- chants of Liverpool expected that a great alteration would be made in the arrangement of the carrying trade to and from India, that all out-ports were violently agitated on this point, and would probably make applications either to govern- ment or to parliament, and he hoped they would not be precluded by agreements between ministers and the East India company. On the same day a petition was de- livered to the house from the mer- chants and traders of Greenock, praying for the removal of the re- straints on navigation within the exclusive privileges of the East India and South-sea companies. In the House of Lords, the approaching expiration of the East India company’s charter being mentioned, March 23, by Lord Grey, who expressed his surprise that no document on the subject had as yet been Jaid upon their table, Lord Melville stated, that a discussion was going on between the.court of directors and govern- ment, which he believed would be produced soon after the recess. - The port of Liverpool, the second in the kingdom with repect to commercial importance, was not backward imtaking its part in this: great question. On March 23, General Tarleton presented to the House: 112] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. House of Commons a petition from themerchants, ship-owners, trades- men, and other inhabitants of Li- verpool, and another from the mayor and corporation, claiming as a common and inherent night of the subjects of these realms, that of carrying on a free trade to all parts of the British empire, and countries in amity with it; and protesting against the monopoly of the East India company, as no longer necessary, but, on the con- trary, highly prejudicial to the ge- neral interests of the nation. Ano- ther petition was presented from the trustees of the Liverpool docks, stating that in the extensive works undertaken by them for the accom- modation of shipping, they had in view the vast accession of trade which would result from allowing a free commerce with the East Indies. From this time petitions con- tinued to be sent to parliament, during the whole session, from every seaport and commercial and manufacturing town of the least consequence in England and Scot- land, against the renewal of the monopoly of the East India com- pany, enforced by allthearguments, general and local, that occurred to the petitioners. They were met, in the first place, by a petition from the company itself. After refer- ring to its different charters, and to its present circumstances, it states, «« That the petitioners believe that it is undeniable that the exclusive trade carried on by them has been a great positive advantage to the nation; and although they do not presume to state, as an incontro- vertible fact, that greater public benefit would accrue from its being continued in its present state, than from its being any further opened, yet the petitioners do venture hum- bly, but confidently, to assure the house, that the trade with China could not be opened in any degree without extreme danger; and that, ifit should not be seen fit to enlarge the term now held by the petitioners in the whole of the trade which they now enjoy without qualifica- tion, the petitioners are ready to submit to such regulations as are just,and as parliament in its wisdom shall enact, for the conduct of the commercial intercourse of his Ma- jesty’s subjects with those places which are within the exclusive limits granted to the petitioners.” They conclude with praying that leave may be given to present a petition for bringing in a bill for continuing the possession and go- vernment of the territorial acqui- sitions in the East Indies in the petitioners, and for various other purposes therein recited. When this petition was delivered, April 7, Lord A. Hamilton rose to ask the Chancellor of the Exche- quer some questions with respect to certain points to which he was said to have pledged himself in re- lation to the conditions to be grant- ed by government to the company. The Chancellor declined ‘a’ direct reply, but admitted that he had thought it proper to communicate to the direetors the bearing of his mind on certain propositions in- volved in the question, which, however, would not at all fetter the proceedings of parliament on the subject. \ The other petitions alluded to in favour of the company came from persons engaged in trades or em- ployments depending upon the present mode of conducting the East GENERAL East Indian commerce, and mostly tesident m London. There were, indeed, two petitions from country manufacturers, namely, from the Gloucestershire clothiers, and the manufacturers of long ells in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset. The corporation of London, in common council assem- bled, also, ‘* solemnly disclaiming all selfish considerations and narrow jealousies,”’ petitioned for a .con- tinuance of the connection already existing’ between the East Indta trade and the port of London, and that the house would “ adopt such measures as to their wisdom shall seem meet, to prevent the exten- sion of the said trade to the out- ports, or other cities and towns of the United Kingdom.” _ The great mass of these proceed- ings, and the pressure of other business, prevented the subject of the East India charter from being brought under the discussion of parliament before the close of the session. The disturbances consequent upon the numbers of workmen thrown out of employ by the dimi- nished demand for the manufac- tures of the country, after having been for some time confined to the hosiery districts, gradually extend- ed to the neighbouring counties, where they assumed a character still more alarming, and engaged the serious attention of government. Their seat was that large and very populous district comprising those parts of Lancashire and theadjacent tracts of Cheshire which are occu- pied by the cotton-manufacturers, and the clothing part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The dis- position to tumult in this’ quarter ev oL."LIV. HISTORY.’ [its * disclosed itself about the end of February, and prevailed’ with greater or less violence till the middle of summer. During this period a great number of acts of lawless outrage were perpetrated, im the destruction of property, par- -ticularly of the machinery and im- plements used in the manu factures, and in attempts against the lives of persons active in the suppression of riots. In their progress, the rioters appear to have adopted a system ef organization highly dangerous to -the public peace, and which mani- fested itself in a degree of military training, accompanied by the seizure and concealment of arms, and the administering of an oath of secrecy and confederacy. On June 27th, the Prince Regent sent a message to each house of parliament ; informing them, that he had given orders that copies of the information received relative to certain violent and dangerous pro- ceedings carried on in several coun- ties of England should be laid be- fore them, and relying on the wisdom of parliament to take pro- ‘per measures for the restoration of order and tranquillity. Viscount Sidmouth, now secre- tary of state for the home depart- ment, rose in the House of Lords on the 29th, to move an address to the Regent on the oceasion, ex- pressing their thanks for the com- munication, and declaring their resolution to take into consideration the documents laid before them, and to concur in the necessary mea~ sures. He said he should after- werds propose to refer the papers to acommittee of secrecy, and there- fore would not anticipate what might be thought necessary by { that 114] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. that committee, He then gave some reasons why his Majesty’s ministers had resorted to the step of laying the affair before parliament; and concluded by moving an address of the tenor above mentioned. Earl Stanhope said he had no objection to the words of the ad- dress, but wished there had beena further explanation of the measures intended, which were left vague and ambiguous; and he proposed adding the words “ not violating the’principles of the constitution.” The Earl of Liverpool contend- ed that the addition was wholly unnecessary ; aud after some fur- ther conversation it was rejected without a division, and the address was agreed to. Lord Sidmouth then proposed that a secret committee should be appointed consisting of eleven lords to be chosen by ballot, which was also agreed to. In the House of Commons, on the same day, Lord Castlereagh moved a similar address to the Regent, and the appointment of a committee of secrecy of 21 mem- bers chosen by ballot, both of which motions were carried. The report of the secret com- mittee was laid before the House of Commons on July 8th, contain- ing a brief detailof the particulars alluded to at the beginning of this chapter. It was ordered to be printed, and taken into consider- ation on the 10th. On that day, Lord Castlereagh rose, and after various preliminary observations on the extent and causes of the existing disorders, and the insufficiency of the means hithertoemployed for their sup pres~ sion, he proceeded to state the proposed powers to be granted by a bill which he should ask leave to bring in, and the duration of which he would limit to the shortest pe- riod at which parliament could -be assembled to act as circumstances might require, There were three points to which he thought atten- tion ought particularly to be di- rected : — Ist. To make a more effectual provision to keep the rioters from possessing themselves of arms. 2. To guard against the effect of tumultuary meetings. 3. To give more effectual power and more extensive jurisdiction to the magistrates of the disturbed districts. As to the first, respect- ing arms, the law at present re- quired that a deposition should be made on oath that arms were de- posited in a certain place before search could be made. He would propose the alteration of giving to any magistrate of the disturbed districts the power of searching, and of authorising his officers by his warrant to search, not only for stolen, but for secreted arms; and also of calling on the inhabitants to surrender their arms, receipts being given for the same, At the same — time he wished to makea provision for suffering those to retain their arms who might have occasion to use them iu defence of their pro- perty. As to tumultuary meetings, which had lately taken place «not only inthe vight,butin theday time, of great numbers of persons, for the purpose of training, at present the magistrates could do no more than read the riot act, and order them to disperse, and that not iil the end of an hour; his preposal there- fore was that they should have a power of immediately dispersin a tumul- GENERAL a tumultuous body, and to make those who did not disperse when called upon, liable to punishment. With regard to the third point, he had to observe, that in many parts there were not magistrates sufh- cient to enforce the law with due vigour, and on the borders of the disturbed counties offenders might escape to another jurisdiction. He would therefore propose, that for the time being, the magistrates in the disturbed and adjacent counties should have a concurrent jurisdic- tion. Heconcluded by moving for a bill ** For the preservation of the public peace in the disturbed coun- ties, and to give additional powers to the justices for a limited time for that purpose.” Mr, Whitbread declared that he was by no means satisfied with this proceeding. The consequence of not being allowed to enter upon the verbal evidence was the jejune report with which the house had been affronted, and which left it in comparative darkness. The no- ble lord had made a statement of what he called facts, which in many parts was wholly unwar- ranted by the report on the table. His own wish had been to try the truth of the anonymous informa- tion, but though he had twice di- vided the committee, and had in one instance 7 out of 17, and in another 9 out of 19, they were obliged to content themselves with the intelligence which government had thought proper to supply. The honourable gentleman then called im question many of the assertions of the noble lord, particularly with respect to the existence of an armed force among the rioters, of regular leaders, distinct combinations, and HISTORY. (11s depéis of arms. He strongly ob-+ jected to the proposed measure of searching for arms, and alluded to the horrors which measures of that kind had occasioned in Ireland. He hoped the revocation of the orders in council would cause part of the evil to fall of itself, but said that peace was the only radical remedy for all our grievances. Mr. Wilberforce said, that con nected as he was with that part of the country which was the seat of these disturbances, he could nots without the most painful feelings, contemplate the necessity for the measures now proposed; it, how- ever appeared to him that these measures did not outgo the neces- sity of the case, and even if govern- ment had asked for larger powers, not for the purpose of carrying them at once into execution, but of cautiously feeling their way according to the situation of the country, he should not have hesi- tated to bestow them. As to the source of these disorders, he could not concur in the opinion that they proceeded from an interruption to commerce, or a scarcity of pro- visions. He was convinced that thedisease was of a political nature, arising from certain mischievous publicationsindustriously circulat+ ed to alienate the affections of the people from the laws and govern- ment of their country. Several other members spoke on the subject, and the debate at length digressed into a discussion of the severities employed in Ire- land at the period of the rebellion. Lord Castlereagh’s motion was in fine put and carried without a division, after which he brought © in his bill, which was read a first [I 2] time, 116] time, and appointed for a second reading. - On July 13, the order of the day being moved for the second reading of the bill, Mr. Whitbread rose to declare that his opinion was not at all altered respecting it, but his objections were still more con- firmed. There was no evidence before the house to prove the alle- gationin the preamble, that assem- blies of men were in the habit of forcibly demanding and taking arms. He would repeat, that due exertions had not been made to pre- serve the peace under the existing laws ; in some cases the magistrates had been supine: in others they had acted with violence and a per- verted judgment, There was now every appearance of a cessation of the disorder; and though the hon. member for Yorkshire had ascribed the evil to inflammatory publica- tions, he himself, and others who thought with him, had declared that work and a lower price of provisions were likely to. restore tranquillity. Mr. A. Smith concurred with his friend the member for York- shire in the idea of the mischief that had been done by the circu- lation of pamphlets which stirred up discontent in the people. He agreed as to the necessity of arm- ing the law with additional powers on the present occasion, and in general approved of the proposed bill. He, however, objected to that part of it which sanctioned two magistrates in collecting the arms which might be scattered in individual hands over the country. ‘The subsequent speakers in the debate only repeated with greater or less force the arguments for and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. against the bill which had been’ already advanced. Mr. Brougham, indeed, adduced a number of facts’ to prove that the tumults were owing to distress solely, and to shew the mischief and irritation which had proceeded from the en- couragement given to spies, and the intemperate zeal and prejudice which in some instances had been displayed by the magistrates. These cases, however, were by others said to have been grossly exagger- ated, and the general impression was manifestly in favour of the bill. On a division there appeared, for the second reading 131, against it 16. It was accordingly read and committed. On July 16, Lord Castlereagh having risen to move the further consideration of the report on the’ bill, took the opportunity of cor- recting a mistake which had pre- vailed in the house, that it was the intention of ministers to give ma- gisterial powers to persons not con- nected with the disturbed counties. He said it was the intention merely to consign this authority to the sons of peers, and of persons qua- lified to sit in parliament, though not in fact qualified to act as justices, - The bill being recommitted, a debate rose respecting the clause empowering single magistrates to search for arms on suspicion. This was objected to by severalmembers as an excess of power which might lead to abuse; and Mr. Giles, ob- serving that he saw no reason for the distinction of requiring two oc more magistrates to sign the war- rant for receivingarms, and not re- quiring it for the search for arms, moved, as an amendment, nie the _ time for an effectual search ; GENERAL HISTORY. ¢he warrants of two or more ma- gistrates should. be necessary in both cases. The clause was de- fended from the impossibility in many instances of procuring the concurrence of two magistrates in and the clause was carried on a divisien by 77 against 18. A second division took place on _ the clause empowering magistrates to lodge the arms so taken in a safe depét, which passed by 75 against 16. When the third reading of the bill was moved, July 20, the former objections were renewed, particu- larly with respect to the powers granted of searching for arms; and it was asserted that the necessity of such a measure no longer existed, tranquillity having been restored in the disturbed districts. Mr. Bath- urst, however, declared, that on this very morning information had been received at the secretary of state’s office that eight new at- tempts for seizing arms had been made within these few days. Mr. Tierney then proposed the follow- ing amendment to be inserted by way of rider: ‘ Provided always that it shall be lawful for his Ma- jesty, by and with the adviee of his privy couucil, to declare such dis- tricts as are now subject to the operation of this act, to be no lon- ger in a state of disturbance, and that this act shall no longer be in force in such districts.” Lord Castlereagh approved of © the amendment. A division then took place upon the question of the third reading of the bill ; ayes, 69 ; noes, 15. The bill was then read and passed. ae The report of the secret com- mittee of the House of Lords was [117 presented by the Earl of Harrowby on July 14. It is much more co- pious and minute than that of the Commons, particularly with re- spect to the military organization of the rioters. See State Papers. The bill for the preservation of the public peace being sent up from the Commons, its second reading was moved, July 23, by Lord Sidmouth, who introduced it with some observations on the ne- cessity of such a measure, and hoped that its enactment would not be delayed a single day. As it_was understood ,that there should be only one discussion on the sub- ject, a few general remarks only were made by those who were hostile to the principle of the bill, and it was read, and committed for the following day. On the third reading, before a very thin house, Lord Holland rose, and made objections to the bill, similar to those which had been urged in the House of Com- mons. He contended that the nature of the evidence brought to prove its necessity, was not such as could justify the measure pro- posed ; and he particularly objected to the powers granted of searching for and taking away arms from private perSons by a single magis- trate. He concluded with mov- ing the amendments of inserting two magistrates instead of one ; and that the magistrate should attend the search in person, and not delegate his power to the con- stable. Lord Stanhope said he disap- proved of the bill on several grounds, but principally because it was ‘inconsistent with the law of the land, which provided that the officers 118] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. officers of the hundred should go so sufficiently armed as to quell any riotous proceedings. The Earl of Darnley also op- posed the bill, which was defended by Earls Camden and Liverpool. The third reading being carried, Lord Holland’s amendments were put and negatived. He then pro- posed as a third amendment, that the magistrates should not have the power of search in the night. This was rejected on a division by 17 against 6, and the bill was passed, Its operation was limited to the 25th of March, 1813, CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [119 CHAPTER XIII. Mr. Canning’s Motion for a future Consideration of the Catholic Ques- tion—the same by Marquis Wellesley—Biul for explaining and im- proving the Toleration Act—Lord Holland’s Motion respecting In- formations Ex-Officio—Mr. Sheridan’s on the Attorney-General of Treland—Bill to prevent the Escape of French Prisoners—Conver- sation on Overtures from the French Emperor—Prince Regent's Speech on the Prorogation of Parliament. ; OTWITHSTANDING the re- peated failures of the at- tempts in parliament to procure-a concession of the claims of the Irish Catholics to an equal partici- pation in the rights and preroga- tives of their fellow citizens, the’ advocates of their cause, probably Imputing the opposition in part to circumstances of temporary irrita- tion, resolved not to give up the contest, but to appeal, as it were, from the heat of the monient, toa future period of calmness and so- briety. In pursuance of: this idea, Mr. Canning, on Juve 22, rose in the House of Commous to make a motion on the subject. He began: his speech with alluding to a cir- cumstancewhich might be regarded as embarrassing to an advocate of the Catholics, but which he con- sidered as only one symptom of the habitual irritation of the public mind in Ireland, and an additional motive for an immediate consider- ation of the question in the proper place ; this was, the receipt on that morning of the resolutions of the aggregate meeting of Irish Catho- lies at Dublin. He shewed that the warmth of these resolutions was not to preclude a temperate discussion of a great political ques- tion, but rather to inculcate the propriety of dropping the recollec- tions of all that had passed in former debates, and considering the subject as if now presented for the first time. He then laid down three principles on which, in his Opinion, the whole matter tested. 1. He would assume as a general rule, that citizens of ‘the same state, living under the same go- vernment are entitled, prama facie, to equa! political rights and privi- leges, 2. That it is at all times desirable to create and matutain the most perfect identity of interest aid feeling among all the members of the same conimunity. 3. That where there exists in acy commu- nity a great permanent cause of political discontent, which agitates men’s! minds without having any tendency to subside of itself, 1t be- comes the duty of the supreme power in the state to determine in what mode it may most adyantage- ously be set at rest. The right honourable gentleman then went on to enlarge upon these several heads, with the force and eloquence 120) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. eloquence habitual to him ; but as his path lay directly through all those topics which had already so often been brought forwards in the former debates on the Catholic question, it would be superfluous prolixity to go through his train of argument, and we shall only tran- scribe the motion with which he concluded. It. was, ‘* That this house will, early in the next session of parliament, take into its most serious consideration the state of the laws affecting his Majesty’s Roman Catholic subjects in Great ‘Britain and Ireland ; with a view to such a final and conciliatory ad- justment, as may be conducive to the peace and strength of the united kingdom ; to the stability of the protestant establishment ; and to the general satisfaction and con- cord of all classes of his Majesty’s subjects.” General Matthew, who spoke next, moved as an amendment, ** That the House should take the Catholic claims into their early and immediate consideration, aud go into a.committee upon them on Thursday next.” Of the debate which followed, we shall, for the reason above assigned, decline giving a sketch, One of the most observable cir- cumstances was, that Lord Castle- reagh made a liberal declaration in favour of an inquiry into the Ca- tholic claims, That the general feeling of the House was similar was proved on the division, when, after the amendment of General Matthew had been negatived, the original motion was carried by the decisive majority of 235 to 106, In the House of Lords, on July i, the Marquis Wellesley, after a streng argumentative speech, but of which the topics were such as had been amply dwelt upon in former debates, made a motion precisely the same with that of Mr. Canning. The previous question was moved upon it by the Lord Chancellor, and a number of lords on each side declared their senti- ments upon the subject, in the arguments and observations already so often repeated. The division showed an extraordinary balance of opinion in the members of that house. ‘On the motion of the pre- vious question, the numbers were, contents, present, 74, proxies, 52 ; total, 126: not-contents, present, 74, proxies, 51 ; total, 125. Majo- rity, 1. Ministers, and their usual supporters, were ranged on each side ; and of the royal dukes, two voted on one side, and three on the other. Even the bench of bishops was divided, though un- equally, for 15 supported the pre- vious question, and three alone opposed it. Such was the state in which the close of the session left the very important question of Catholic emancipation. In the debates concerning*Lord Sidmouth’s motion of last year to make alterations in the act. of tole- ration, it had been stated, that different decisions respecting the meaning of certain clauses of that act had been given by the justices at the quarter sessions of different counties. It was, therefore, a laud- able purpose of government to in- troduce a legal exposition of them which might prevent any future disagreement. | As On July 10. Lord Castlereagh moved the bringing in ofa bill to repeal certain acts, and. amend other acts, relating , to religious worship GENERAL HISTORY. worship and assemblies, and per- sons teaching or preaching therein. He stated that in consequence of certain decisions at the quarter sessions, doubts had arisen as to the question of qualification ; and that the object of this bill was, to place the dissenters in the situation in which they practically stood previously to such decisions. The bill was brought in and read. At the order of the day for the third reading of this bill, July 20, Mr. W. Smith congratulated the house vn the unanimity with which it had hitherto passed, as a favour- able omen of the increasing: libe- rality of the times. He thought it would remove the practical evils of which the dissenters had to com- plain, although it did not recognize their great principle, that the civil magistrate had no right to interfere in matters of religious opinion. It removed the arbitrary discretion of magistrates, and required no other oath than that of allegiance. As an act of toleration, it was cer- tainly the most complete which had hitherto been passed in this country. The honourable member concluded by moving a clause “ to eoutinue the exemptions now en- joyed by the toleration act, without requiring a fresh oath.” The Chancellor of the Exche- quer concurred with the honourable, gentleman in bis congratulations, which he was happy to consider as not arising from indifference to religion, since the same parliament had distinguished itself by its boun- tiful regards to the established church; and he instanced in the grants madeto theparochial clergy, and the exemption of the smaller livings from the land-tax. He gave the late Mr. Perceval the cre- dit both of those measures and of [121 the design of the present bill. He alluded to an intention of the honourable gentleman to have brought in a bill for the protection of a particular sect (the Unita- rians), and was glad that he had not put it into execution, for he believed the persons in question were in no danger of molestation, and such a bill might have given great offence to many well-meaning persons, by exposing doctrines to contumely which were generally viewed with great veneration. In a future session means might be devised to reconcile the respect due to thosé doctrines with a full pro- tection to the decent profession of opposite opinions. Mr. Whitbread said, he had ex- amined the bill, and found it the same that he had intended to have brought in, and drew the same happy inferences from its silent progress as his honourable friend had done. He hoped this spirit would continue till the great work of religious freedom received its final consummation, Mr. Smith’s clause was then brought up and agreed to, and the bill was read a third time and passed. The second reading of the bill in the House of Lords was moved, on July 23, by the Earl of Liver- pool, who observed that the sub- ject could not be properly entered into without repealing certain acts which remained on the statute book, but which no one would now think of putting in force. Among these were the conventicle, and the five-mile acts. The latter was entirely abrogated : some parts of the former were retained in another shape. In order to com- bine the most ample toleration with the requisite securities, it was pro- posed 129] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. posed in the present bill to give to places for religious worship noto- riety and publicity, and to require from the preachers and teachers’ of the samie some test or security in the oaths taken by them, Meet- ings for worship in which the per- sons assembled did not exceed 20 above the family of the occupier of the house, were exempt from any restriction. Others were required to be registered, and their meetings were to be held with unbolted doors. The preachers of congre- gations were to take the required oaths at the sessions, but were not required to take them antece- dently to their exercising the duties of teaching and preaching. Earl Stanhope objected to the bill, that it was founded in its preamble and clauses upon expe- diency alone,and did not recognize the right of religious worship, which he contended to be the un- alienable right of man. Lord Holland, though he agreed with his noble friend as to this right, was nevertheless a warm friend to the bill, as so much gained to the cause of toleration. Viscount Sidmouth could not give his unqualified approbation to the bill. He regretted the exten- sion of the number allowed at un- registered meetings, from five to twenty. Hethought the exemp- tions granted from civil duties and the militia might lead to abuses: and he particalarly lamented that no qualification was required from preachers or teachers, but that all persons, whatever might be their ignorance or moral character, might assume the office on taking the oaths, He did not, however, meaui to oppose the bill. The Lord Chancellor expressed a dissent from the elause granting exemptions, but said it would be — best judged of in the committee, The bill was then read a second time, and committed. In the committee on this. bill, July 24, the Lord Chancellor ob- | jected to the clause granting exs emptions to teachers and preachers exercising any other profession or | occupation; and coutended that complete justice was done by the exemption before granted to all teachers or preachers exercising no other profession except that of a schoolmaster. He therefore, mov- ed to strike out the clause. Lord Holland was disposed to acquiesce in this amendment, but was doubtful how it might affect dissenting ministers in the posses+ sion of land. The Lord Chancellor thought that the same rule might apply to them, as did to the established clergy : namely, that though they could not take land to farm, yet | that being in possession of a lease of land in consequence of the death of a relation, or holding land in fee simple, was not con sidered as farming. The clause was struck out. Earl Stanhope moved some amendments which were nega- tived, and the bill passed through the committee. The report was received on the next day, when the bill passed. It is to be observed that Earl Stanhope had some time before in troduced into the House of Lords a bill ** For preventing the imposi~ tion of disabilities upon persons on account of religious opinions, or the exercise of their religion,” which was founded on the enlarged prin- ciplesthat he held on these subjects, and in supporting which he took occasion 5 4 GENERAL occasion to speak very slightingly of the former then intended bill. | Phe second reading of his bill was, however, negatived by a’ division of 31 against 10. _ ‘Phe’ defeat in the last session of the attack upon informations ex- officio did not prevent the noble lord (Holland), who had a princi- pal share in it, from bringing the matter again before parliament, though in a different shape. His lordship, on July 3, presented to the House of Lords two bills rela- tive to ex-officio informations, the object of the first of which he stated to be, to prevent delay be- tween the commission of the offence and the filing of the information, and between thelatterand proceed- ing to trial; and that of thesecond, to repeal so much of the act of the 48th of the King, as related to holding persons to bail upon ex- officio informations. They were then read a first time and ordered to be printed. The order of the day for the se- cond reading being moved on the 17th, Lord Holland rose, and made his introductory speech on the sub- ject. As the whole of his argu- ment, as well as those which fol- lowed, were of a legal nature, it is impossible to do them justice in ‘the abridged form which our com- pass would admit, and we must therefore content ourselves histori- eally with a sketch of the result. His lordship after arguing at length upon the abuses to which these in- formations were liable, and the power they gave of inflicting pe- nalties upon obnoxious persons, for which the law gave no redress, came to the purport of the bill he intended to move, which was only the first of the above mentioned, HISTORY. the late period of the session hav- ing induced him to defer the se- cond. He said, it was a measure merely of regulation. It left un- touched ‘the purposes for which these informations were instituted : it did not interfere with the speedy prosecution of enormous offences; but meant to counteract that prin- ciple by which the terror of a cri- minal information was kept hang= ing over a man’s head. The first clause enacted, that no informa- tion should be filed by the attor- ney-general within Great Britain and Ireland, unless it should be filed and exhibited in a given time (to be specified) after the misde- meanor or offence committed. The second was, that if any infor- mation ex-officio be not proceeded upon, and the offender brought to trial within so many months, all further proceedings upon the same should cease, except such tmal should, upon cause shown, have been postponed by a rale or order of the King’s Bench. His lord- ship concluded by moving the se- cond reading of the bill. Lord Ellenborough expressed his surprise at the bill which had beea brought in, and wished his lord- ship had taken better advice on the subject. He made many legal objections to it, and showed the m- conveniences to which it would give rise. He concluded with say- ing, that it was of so light and fri- volous a nature, that he would not propose that it be read a second time this day three months, but would treat it as it deserved, by moving ‘‘.that it be rejected.” Lord Erskine stated a number of arguments in defence of the bill, and said, with respect to some of the objections made by the chief justice [12s 1244] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. justice, which applied to the bill as now printed, that his noble friend chad professed his willingness to amend it. To the bill, if confined to cases of libel, and guarded in its limitations, he not only saw no objections, but considered that it would be productive of the great- est good, by removing odium from the administration of criminal jus- tice. After a reply by Lord Holland, the house divided on Lord Ellen- borough’s amendment : contents, 16; non-contents, 7: majority against the bill, 9. This question acqured addition- al interest from a circumstance which happened about this time in Ireland aud became a matter of de- bate in parliament. On July 13, Mr, Sheridan said, in the House‘of Commons, that he understood that an ex-officio prosecution had been commenced against Mr. Fitzge- rald, a printer in Ireland, for the publication of a pamphlet contain- ing a statement of the various acts affecting the Roman Catholics, ac- companied with observations,which he had read, and saw nothing in it libellous but the acts themselves. The notice served on Fitzgerald was extremely curious: it required him to show cause before Mr. Saurin, the attorney-general, at his house in Stephen’s green, why a criminal information should not be filed against him. He submit- ted that a proceeding of this na- ture was quite illegal, and should now move for the production of a copy of it. Lord Castlereagh said that this was the first time he had heard of the subject, and he hoped the hon. gentleman would not press his motion withouta notice; to which Mr. Sheridan acceded. Mr. Sheridan, on July 21, rose in pursuance of this notice; to call the attention of the house to the ‘summons sent by the attorney-ge- neral of Ireland to Mr. Fitzgerald. © He related the fact as above stated, and said, that he knew not on what authority an attorney-general could require a man’s attendance at his own house, but he knew that such a practice might lead to mischievous consequences, Sup- posing an ignorant man should be summoned in that manner, the at- | torney-general might ask him to sit down, téte-da-téte with him, perhaps over a bottle of wine, in his nice snug little back parlour of a star-chamber, where he might be induced to utter unguarded things which might tend to his prejudice when he came to his trial. He did not suspect any such design from Mr. Saurin; but the esteem in which he stood rendered it the more necessary to examine his proceed- ings. He understood that Mr. Fitzgerald did attend the sum- mons, and that the attorney-gene- ral had nothing to say to him. Mr, Sheridan coneluded with moving, that a copy of the notice in ques- tion be laid before the house. Mr. Wellesley Pole stated it to have been the ordinary practice in Ireland for the attorney-general to give notice to the party against whom an information was about to -be filed, of such an intention, and to call upon an individual to show cause why such information should not be filed; .the purpose of which was, not to draw from him what he might have to offer in his defence, but to give him an opportunity GENERAL opportunity of offering any expla- nation that might induce the at- torney-general to forbear further proceedings. The right honoura~ ble gentleman then digressed to the libel itself, and the justice of pro- secuting it, and said, he could not possibly agree to the paper being Jaid on the table, as trials were now pending on the question. The speakers who followed de- viated still further from the pro- per subject of the motion, to which Mr. Sheridan, in his reply, recall- ed the attention of the house, shew- ing that the character of the pub- lication presented had nothing to do with his motion, which was only to inquire into the legality of the summons issued from the attorney- general for attendance at his own house. This, indeed, the ministers _ were aware did not admit of an easy defence ; as Lord Ellenborough, in the debate on Lord Holland’s mo- tion, had declared .that he should not have acted as the attorney-ge- neral of Ireland had done. The motion, however, was negatived on a division by 67 against 23. The atrocious character of the war between England and France, in which so many years had passed without a cartel for the exchange of prisoners, appears to have in- duced, among the captives of the latter nation, a state of despair, which subverted all the customary rules of honour, and rendered the parole given for the purpose of ob- taining the indulgence of a lax de- tention, of no avail for restrain- ing individuals from attempts to escape. The frequency of such attempts,’and the ready aid af- forded in consequence of bribery, at length excited the attention of * government, and the measure was HISTORY. adopted of augmenting the pu- nishment of those who should be convicted of assisting in such escapes. On July 14, Lord Castlereagh rose in the House of Commons to movea repeal of the existing laws relating to the aid given in effect- ing the escape of prisoners of war, and substituting a bill by which the crime, instead of a misde- meanor, should be made a felony, punishable by transportation, el- ther for life, fourteen years, or se- ven years, as might be agreed on. He said, that when it was known that prisoners of the highest rank im the enemy’s army had effected their escape by means of an or- ganized system for conveying them out of the country, by a succession of persons so as to elude pursuit, the house would perceive the ne- cessity of providing against the danger. He then made a motion accordingly. After Mr. Whitbread had ex- pressed his hope that some mea- sure would be adopted for an ex- change of prisoners, and Lord Cas- tlereagh had assured him that the fault did not rest with this govern- ment, leave was given to bring in the bill. No opposition appears to have been made to its provi- sions, and the second reading of it in the House of Lords was moved by Lord Sidmouth on July 23. His lordship, in introducing his motion, remarked, that from a list laid upon the table it appeared that within the last three years 464 of- ficers on parole in this country had made their escape; whilst —a splendid contrast—there was not a single instance of an officer in our service having broken his parole. He dwelt upon the seriousness se the [125 / i126] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the crime of assisting in these escapes, which an eminent judge had considered as nearly approach- ing to that of high treason : and he said, that by the proposed bill it was only made a transportable fe~ lony, the period of transportation to be determined by the enormity of the offence. No debate ensued ; and the bill shortly after passed into a law, In the month of April, at the time when the French emperor was on the eve of a war with Rus- sia, he thought proper to make overtures for a peace with Eng- land, and a correspondence took place between the two govern- meuts on the subject, which soon closed without having produced any effect. No notice of this cir- cumstance was taken in parliament till the letters which passed on the occasion had appeared in some fo- reign papers. On July 17, Lord Holland, in the House of Lords, requested to know from Lord Li- verpool whether ministers were in possession of any further informa- tion respecting the overture from France than what had been pub- lished in those papers, and whe- ther it was the intention of the exe- cutive government to take the sub- ject into their consideration, He would abstain from delivermg any opinion respecting the answer to that overture, further than that he was not disposed to admit the ex- istence of king Joseph at the head of the Spanish government, asa principle of negociation ; yet he should have approved entering into a negociation upon the principle of rendering Spain independent of France. At the same time he could not but protest against the difficulty which appeared to be felt in designating the emperor of France as emperor. He also wish~ ed to know whether Lord Castle- reagh had received any answer to his lettez, Lord Liverpool did not hesitate to admit that the correspondence published was substantially cor rect; and he had no objection to produce the papers if called for. With respect to the recognition al- luded to, government had aeted upon the general principle that such acknowledgments were not to be made gratuitously, but as objects of stipulation for an equi- valent. With respect to the mat- ter of the answer, he waspersuaded that there were few in the country who would not agree, that if the acknowledgment of Joseph Buona- parté as king of Spain were made a necessary preliminary by the French government, no negocia- tion could be entered upon by this on such a basis. It had therefore been thought requisite tocall for an explicit declaration on that head in the first instance, No communi- cation in reply had been received, and there the matter rested. This conversation seems to have been all that passed in the House of Lords on this topic. In the House of Commons, on July 21, Mr. Sheridan rose to speak upon this subject. He be- gan with observing, that his ho- nourable friend, Mr. Whitbread, had burried to town for the ex- press purpose of declaring that he conceived ministers to be entirely wrong, and that the late overture from the French government was the best opportunity that could possibly have been afforded for en- tering into.a negociation for peace. The honourable gentleman then proceeded | ~ ensued. GENERAL proceeded to refute this anticipated ‘opinion, by a number of remarks relative to the perfidy and delusory politics of the French ruler, not without some of those glowing sentiments relative to the maritime rights of Great Britain, and the ho- nourable character of this nation, which are found to be popular in every assembly, from the highest to the lowest. He concluded with making a motion for an address to the Prince Regent, requesting the production of the correspondence which had passed on this occasion. Mr. Whitbread, after seconding the motion, expressed some sur- prise at the manner in which _his right honourable friend had intro- duced his observations, as if they were answers to some preceding speech of his against the honour and interests of his country —asup- position which was the mere work of his own imagination, He then, in his proper person, made a va- riety of remarks on the proposals for accommodation contained in the letter of the Duke of Bassano (Maret), and also upon former of- fers of negociation by the French government, which he was inclin- ed to think sincere ; and he main- tained the general sentiments re- specting the necessity of peace to this country, which he had ex- pressed on many former occa- sions. It cannot be necessary to give a sketch of the other speeches in the political conversation, as it may be rather termed than debate, which That nothing further could properly have been done by the English government in this negociation, seems to have been the general opinion, The ques- HISTORY. [197 tion for an address was put and carried, The correspondence there- upon laid before parliament will be found among the State Papers, This long session was terminat~ ed on July 30, by the speech of the Prince Regent, delivered by com- mission, His Royal Highness, af- ter his-acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity displayed by both houses of parliament in the display of their public duties, re- fers with warm approbation to the exertions made in the Peninsula, particularising the capture of Ciu- dad Rodrigo and Badajoz, and ex- presses his confidence that the con- test in that quarter will be brought to an issue which will secure the independence of the two nations. He then adverts to the new war kindled in the north of Europe, as an additional proof of the little se- curity that can be derived from submission to the tyranny and usurpation of the French govern- ment; and he trusts that they will approve of his affording to the powers that may be united in this contest, every degree of assistance and co-operation consistent with his other engagements, and the in- terests of the kingdom. He as- sures them that he views with sin- cere regret the hostile measures which have been adopted by the United States of America, but is willing to hope that the accustom- ed relations of peace and amit may yet be restored; should his expectations, however, be disap- pointed, he relies on the support of every class of his Majesty’s sub- jects, to enable him to support a contest in which the honour of the crown and the best interests of the country must be involved. - After 128] After the customary thanks to the House of Commons for their liberal supplies, and regrets for the additional burthens imposed on the people, his Royal Highness mentions the great concern with which he has observed the spirit of insubordination and outrage which has appeared in some parts of the country, and applauds the dili- ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. gence employed by parliainent in * Investigating its causes, and the wise measures taken for its sup- pression. He concludes with re- commending to them individually the exertion of their powers for the preservation of the public peace, and for promoting a spirit of obe- dience to the laws, and attachment to the Constitution, CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. F199 CHAPTER XIV. Domestic Occurrences—Negociations for a Change in the Administra- tion—Disturbances in the Country—Affairs of Trish Catholics— Dissolution of Parliament and General Election. OX of the subjects which most interested the British public during the first half of the present year was, the expected changes in the administration, concerning which, at different pe- riods, curiosity was kept on the stretch by negociations, either openly carried on, or suspected to be secretly transacting, among the several parties regarded as candi- dates for the great offices of state. The Prince Regent had indeed left the reins of government in the hands of his father’s ministers for a longer time than had been gene- rally predicted; butit was thought that the commencement of the new era of his unresiricted re- gency could not fail to be marked by the accession to power of some, at least, of those to whom he had formerly given his confidence; and although the actual ministers had eonducted the government with as little interruption from opposition as most of their predecessors, their tenure was commonly considered as temporary and insecure. Early in the year, the cabinet sustained a loss, in the Marquis of Wellesley’s resignation of the post of secretary of state for foreign af- fairs, which, on account of the in- fluence and abilities of that noble- man, could not be regarded as in- Vou. LIV. considerable. The motives by which he was induced to resign, as they afterwards appeared ina statement made public by his friends, were such as augured more unfavourably than even the act 1t- self for the duration of the minis- try. His objections, it was there said, arose in a great degree from the narrow and imperfect scale on which the efforts in the Peninsula were conducted. He had repeat- edly with reluctance yielded his opinions to his colleagues on many other*important poiuts; and he was convinced by experience that the cabinet possessed neither ability and knowledge to devise a good plan, nortemperand discernment to adopt what he thought necessary. To Mr. Perceval’s judgment or attainments he could not pay any deference without injury to the public service, Entertaining these sentiments, the marquis had, on the 16th of January, requested permission to withdraw from the cabinet, and this desire was noti- fied to the Prince Regent and Mr. Perceval at the same time, with the expression of his lordship’s wish that the precise time of his resignation might beaccommodated to the pleasure of his Royal High- ness, and the convenience of Mr. Perceval, as soon us the restrictions fK] should 130} ANNUAL: REGISTER, 1819. should expire. Mr. Perceval is then accused of using all his en- deavours to procure the removal of Lord Wellesley before that period, and proposing various persons to the Regent to supersede him in his office. The Regent, however, continued to press his lordship to retain his post; but when, at the expiration of the restrictions, it appeared to be the intention of his Royal Highness to continue Mr. Perceval at the head of the govern- ment, Loid Wellesley again ten- dered the seals to the Regent with increased earnestness. Being.com- manded to state his opinion on the formation of a cabinet, he declared that in his judgment it ought to be formed on an intermediary princi- ple between instant cohcession and eternal exclusion with respect to the Roman Catholics, and on an understanding that the war should be carried on with adequate vigour. He added, that he should be ready to serve with Mr. Perceval on such a basis; but would never again serve under him in any circum- stances. The sequel of this pro- posal was, that in two days after- wards Lord Wellesley received, through the Chancellor, the Prince Regent’s acceptance of his resigna- tion, and accordingly delivered up the seals on Feb, 19. While this trial of strength be- tween Mr. Perceval and Lord Wel- lesley, with their respective friends, was depending, a remarkable let- ter, afterwards made public, was written by the Prince Regent to his brother, the Duke of York, dated Feb. 13, in which, after speaking of the motives of duty to their common father which had induced him hitherto to wave his- privilege of making a change in the - executive government, and notic- ing the present crisis of affairs, in which he had no objects to attain, but such as were common to the whole empire, he said, ‘* I cannot conclude without expressing the gratification I should feel, if some of those persons with whom the early habits of my public life were formed, would strengthen my hands, and constitute a part of my government. With such support, and aided by a vigorous and united administration, formed on the most liberal basis, [ shall look with ad- ditional confidence to a prosperous issue of the most arduous contest in which Great Britain was ever engaged. -You are authorised to communicate these sentiments to Lord Grey, who, [ have no doubt, will make them known to Lord Grenville.’ A negotiation with these lords ensued, the failure of which, with its causes, are stated in our report | of the debate on Lord Boringdon’s motion in the House of Lords, March 19, for an address to the Prince Regent on the forming of an efficient administration. From that result it appeared that the differences on political opinion between the Grenville party (as it is commonly called) and the ex- isting ministry, were such as pre- cluded any coalition between their leading members. Lord Castlereagh, on Feb. 28, received the seals of office as the successor to Marquis Wellesley in the foreign secretaryship; and from that time the ministry went on un- changed, and without any symp- | tom of want of stability, till the assassination of Mr. Perceval, in the beginning of May. Of that atrocity, which will ever rank among GENERAL among the most memorable and tragical incidents of the year, a full relation will be found in the Chronicle and the Parliamentary Debates. One conclusion univer- sally drawn from it was, that a very considerable, if not radical, change in the administration was now become imevitable; and the ministers themselves seemed to regard their places as only held pro tempore till their successors were agreed upon. The Earl of Liver- pool, on whom the post of leader now deyolyed, attempted to ac- quire an accession of strength by the association of the Marquis Wellesley and Mr. Canning. Upon the failure of this attempt, Mr. Stuart Wortley made that motion with respect to a strong and effi- cient administration, thediscussion of which will be found in the de- bates. Its result proving that the ministers were no longer supported by a majority of the House of ‘Commons, the Prince Regent di- rected negociations to be opened for effecting the purpose of the ad- dress presented to him by that house. The Marquis Wellesley was the first person to whom this important and delicate commission was intrusted; but after a short interval, he tendered to his Royal Highness his resignation of the authority vested in him. For the curious and interesting account given. by himself to the House of Lords, of the obstacles which ren- dered his negociation fruitless, we refer to the debates. The same powers were next transferred by the Regent to Lord Moira, who treated with Lords Grey and Grenyille upon a_basis that seemed to remove all difficul- hes toa final adjustment. The fail- HISTORY. [131 ure of this treaty in consequence of a difference respecting the house- hold appointments, with the very extraordinary conduct of Lord Moira on the occasion, is recorded in our account of the debates, As it there appears, to his lordship is solely owing the continuance of a ministry, whose removal, he once said, as the only circumstance which could give the Roman Ca- tholics of Ireland a prospect of ob- taining a redress of their griev- ances, ‘‘ought to be rapturously hailed by the whole country.” The Earl of Liverpool, on June 8, stated to the House of Lords that the Prince Regent had on that day appointed him first commis- sioner of the treasury, and autho- rised him to complete the arrange+ ments for the ministry ; and thus a termination was put to all expec- tations of a change of men or measures, at least to any consider- able extent. The majority in par- liament, actuated either by the hae bitual concurrence with establish- ed power, cr by the conviction that the past contests had been merely for place and emolument, immedi- ately restored their support to the ministers, and no further cry was heard for “a strong and efficient administration.’’ The principal ac= cessions made to the ministerial list were, Lord Sidmouth, as se- cretary of state for the home de- partment; Earl of Harrowby, lord president of the council; and Mr. Vansittart, chancellor of the exche- quer. 1 During a great part of this year the country was kept in a state o alarm in consequence of the dispo~ sition to riot, which, commencing in the preceding autamn in the hosiery district of Nottingham- [K 2] shire, 1329] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. shire, had gradually spread over the extensive and populous tracts of the Lancashire and Cheshire cot- ton manufacture, and the clothing parts of the West Riding of York- shire. As very copious notices of these outrages are given in our ' Chronicle, in addition to those which appear in the debates of parliament on the bills intreduced for their suppression, and the mi- nute report from the secret com- mittee of the House of Lords on the subject, we shall only briefly advert to them as a part of the do- mestic history of the year. The numbers and daring spirit of these rioters, the system of organization and deliberate plan under which they acted, and the weapons with which many of them were pro- vided, rendered them truly formid- able to the master-manufacturers and peaceable inhabitants of the disturbed districts, and excited se- rious apprehensions in the minds of many for the general safety of the kingdom. Indeed, if there was no exaggeration in the infor- mations which gave rise to the re- ports made by the committees of parliament, designs were entertain- ed among the leaders, of deep and dangerous import; and their un- doubted seizure of fire-arms, and administrations of oaths of secrecy and confederacy, confirm in part the suspicions suggested. It was, however, ascertained that all these leaders were persons of the lowest ranks im society, who, though they had a considerable influence over their immediate followers, were utterly unable to frame or conduct any thing like a widely- extended insurrection against the government. If, therefore, there was any justness in the character given in parliament of thesedisturb- ances, asbeing of a political nature, rather than the result of temporary distress and want of employment, the term must be understood, not as pointing to any particular me- ditated change in the constitution, but toa vague spirit of misrule and insubordination, possibly fostered by inflammatory writings incul- cating levelling notions. It is, however, to be observed, that the existence or dispersion of such writings among the rioters is no part of the information contained in the reports to parliament. It was found necessary, as these eutrages increased, to station a large military force in the disturb- ed counties; which on various oc- casions was called upon to act; but such interference seems always to have been kept within moderate bounds, and not to have exceeded the necessity of the occasion, The terrors of the law were also, after a due term of forbearance, called in to assist in repressing and punish- ing the violations of the public peace; and several of the most guilty paid the forfeit of their lives at the assizes of the counties which were the scene of these disorders. By these means, together with the remedies adopted for the distresses of the labouring poor, and the pros- pect of increased employment, tranquillity was in great measure restored before the close of the year, in most quarters; yet occa- sional outrages still occur, and it has not yet been thought safe to withdraw the strong hand of co- ercion. ‘ The uncommonly high price of provisions, occasioned by many ‘concurrent causes, and by no means relieved by the product “ the GENERAL the last harvest, has been the cause of petty riots in various parts of the kingdom, unconnected with the serious commotions above-men- tioned, and which have required no extraordinary exertions for their suppression. It is observable that the metropolis did not participate in any of these popular tumults, though the frequency of burglaries and street robberies proved that a great number of lawless banditti were loose upon the public. The catholics of Ireland have continued stedfast in the pursuit of that restoration to the full rights of citizens, which has long been the very natural object of their desires, and to which it will be very diffi- cult to convince them by argument that they have not a well-founded claim. They have, however, dur- ing this year avoided any of those contests with government which, in the opinion of many, threw some discredit on their cause, and subjected them to the imputation of attempting to gain by intimida- tion, what they could not obtain by an appeal tojustice. On the other hand, the government of that country, content with asserting the authority of the laws, has treated with great lenity those breaches of them which appeared to proceed rather from inconsiderate ardour, than a spirit of defiance. After Mr. Kirwan, in the month of January, had been tried before the King’s Bench at Dublin, for acting as a delegate for one of the parishes of that city at a meeting of the catholics, and found guilty, the sentence pronounced upon him was only a fine of one mark, and the attorney-general entered.a noli prosequi upon the others who lay under a similar charge. HISTORY. [133 On Feb. 28, the aggregate meet- ing of the eatholics was held at Dublin, in which a petition to the Prince Regent was read and un- animously voted. It was presented to his Royal Highness in the month of April. This contains, in respectful, but firm and explicit language, a statement of their grievances and their claims. It begins with copying that civil test of allegiance to the established go- vernment and its head, and of re- nunciation of all principles subver- sive of this allegiance, and disa- vowal of any designs hostile to the present church establishment, which they have taken, and are willing to take, on the sanction of a solemn oath, in lieu of spi- ritual tests to which their con- sciences will not suffer them to submit. It remarks, that for nearly the last twenty years the progress of religious freedom has been ob- structed ; and whilst other Christian nations have hastened to unbind the fetters on religious dissent, the Roman catholics of Ireland have remained unrelieved. . It refers to the numerous penal laws and in- capacities still, in force against them, and from which they seek relief. «* Our object (they say) is avowed and direct—earnest, yet natural. It extends to an equal participation of the civil rights of the constitution of our country— equally with our fellow-subjects of all other religious persuasions : it extends no further.” It frankly reminds his Royal Highness, that an equal degree of enthusiasm can- not be expected in the defence of their country from men who feel themselves excluded from a fair par- ticipation of the benefits of a good constitution,as from those who fully partake 134] partake of those blessings. On the whole, it may be regarded as per- chaps the most concise, yet com- prehensive statement of the case of the petitioners that has appeared in an authentic shape. See State Papers. The parliamentary debates will show how often this important to- pic came under consideration in the two houses, and with what result. It was kept alive by a number of petitions to the legisla- ture poured in from the catholics of the different Irish counties, and also by many from protestant bo- dies in that country, in support of the former ; for it appears either that the protestants had lost their habitual fears and jealousies of their catholic neighbours, or that they were convinced, that between Opposite dangers, the least was that of conceding, what it would be finally unsafe to refuse. Ex- pectation seems to have kept the catholics in a state of moderation till after their cause had sustained two defeats in parliament, and they saw a ministry established which they had_ reason to suppose decidedly adverse to their cause ; when they could not be prevented from breaking out into a degree of intemperance. At an aggregate catholic meeting held at Dublin on June 18, a set of resolutions pro- posed by Lord Kileen was passed, in which, after declaring their deter- mination of renewing their petitions to the legislature, they allude to disappointments proceeding from ‘the fatal witchery of an unwor- thy secret influence, spurningalike the sanctions of public and private virtue, the demands of personal gratitude, and the sacred obliga- tions of plighted honour.” The ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. general strain of these resolutions was in asimilar style of angry cen- sure levelled at a high mark ; and arriving in England at the time when a new effort was made in their favour, it occasioned some embarrassment to their friends. The issue, however, of the subse- quent motion for taking their case into consideration early in the next session of parliament, was a com- plete victory in the House of Com- mons, and as nearly as possible a drawn battle in the House of Lords —appearing to evince an approach- ing national decision in their fa- vour. But cither this prospect, or the known inclinations of the ministry, now began to animate the zeal of all in England, who, from motives of interest, or reli- gious prepossessions, were foes to all concessions which trench upon the exclusive privileges of the esta-: blishment ; and the remainder of the year passed in the active pro- moting of petitions against the ca- tholic claims, from both the uni- versities, from different clerical bo- dies, from counties, towns, and pa- rishes ; whilst a variety of publica- tions, addressed to that hatred of popery which has for some genera- tions been a ruling passion among the different denominations of pro- testants in this country, kept up the ferment in the public mind. As the ministers, at the time of the prorogation of parliament, ap- peared to be possessed of all the usual influence of government, and the Regent’s terminating speech expressed full satisfaction in the measures which had been adopted by that assembly, the nation in general, notwithstanding some pre- ceding rumours, did not seem to expect its speedy dissolution. sa? o GENERAL of the late parliaments, indeed, had been suffered to live out their assigned period ; but manifest causes for anticipation had existed in some instances, and in others, a year ouly had been retrenched from their term of existence ; but the present parliament had nine- teen months to run before its legal expiration. It was, therefore, to the general surprise, that by a procla- mation issued from the Prince Re- gent, on Sept. 29, a dissolution of parliament was declared, with the announcement of writs for a new one returnable on the 24th of No- vember next. As no public rea- son has been given for this step, conjecture has been left to imagine the most probable. It might be thought that the pledge given by the House of Commons of an early attention to the eatholic claims, concurred in by a majority which seemed to augur a prevailing dis- position to grant them, suggested to those who were adverse to the measure this effectual means of defeating it; but the ministers themselves differed on this topic ; not to add, that such a change of sentiment in the Prince Regent is scarcely conceivable, as should in- duce him to give his sanction to a project for overthrowing attempts which he once undoubtedly fa- voured, Whatever were the im- mediate motives for ministers in advising this measure, it certainly displayed a confidence in their po- pularity with the nation at large, or, at least, inthe powers in their hands for procuring such a return of representatives as would rather augment than diminish their influ- ence. The remainder of the year was, HISTORY. of course, occupied with all the bustle of a general election; but the shortness of the notice, joimed to the circumstances of the time, seems to have abridged the usual proportion of contests, especially m the counties. For the same reason, few of those riots were heard of which have so often disgraced this period of popular licence. As far as the temper of the nation can be judged by the return of repre- sentatives, the cause of opposition had at least gained no ground by the events of the year. In the metropolis, and the towns of Bris- tol and Liverpool, the candidates in that interest underwent a defeat. The case of the latter great com- mercial port was extremely re- markable. Though it had been peculiarly a sufferer from the ope- ration of the orders in council which had ruined its American trade, the election went in fa- vour of one who, when a mem- ber of administration, had taken a great share in promoting those or- ders, to the rejection of the person who had been the principal instru- ment of their repeal —so little con- fidence can be placed even in men’s apparent interests, when opposed by their political prejudices! It is true, the system of carrying on almost the only foreign commerce left in this country, that by licen- ces, has a direct tendency to aug- ment the influence of government over the mercantile interest ; while the manufacturersin many branches are equally subjected to the same influence by means of contracts. The monied interest in the metro- polis has always been notoriously at the disposal of every existing administration. [135 CHAPTER 136] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. CHAPTER XV. Naval Affairs ; Capture of La Corcyre—Of La Pomona and a Store Ship—Loss of the Manilla and Laurel—Capture of the Merinos— Of the Rivoli—Of a Flotilla off Dieppe—Destruction of two French Frigates and a Brig near 0 Orient—Of a Danish Squadron near Mardoe—Convoy brought out of Languillia—Another Attempt _ at the same Place—The Attack Brig tuken by the Dunes. HE attention of the French emperor has, during this year, been so much engaged by his conti- nental projects, thatthe mighty pre- parations he seemed to be making 10 the past year for contending with Great Britain on the ocean, pro- duced no sensible addition to the power and enterprise of his navy, which for the most part lay quiet in port, and offered very few op- portunities to the British com- manders stationed in the European seas of gratifying that ardour for distinguishing themselves in their country’s service by which they are so honourably characterised. An account arrived at the Admi- ralty, in February, of the capture, on November 19, by the Eagle, Captain Rowley, of the French frigate La Corcyre, pierced for 40 guns, but mounting only twenty- six eighteen pounders on the main- deck, and two six-pounders on the quarter-deck. She had a comple- ment of 170 seamen, and 130 sol- diers, was laden with wheat and military stores, and was bound from Trieste to Corfu, She had two companions, which escaped during the chace that began off Fano, and terminated near Brin- disi. The action was short, as, in- deed, the inequality of force would have rendered a protracted resist- ance only a fruitless waste of lives. No one was hurt on board the Eagle. In the same sea, off Lissa, a very severe action was fought between three English and three French frigates, which did credit to the bravery and conduct of both par- ties, though success, as usual, re- mained to the English. The French squadron having been de- scried to the south of Lissa on No- vember 28, the ships Alceste, Ac- tive, and Unité were warped out of the harbour of St. George, and on the morning of the 29th eame in sight of the enemy off the island of Augusta. The French commo- dore formed in line, and for a short time stood towards his anta- gonists ; but finding the English bearing upon him in close line un- der full sail, he bore away to the N.W. His rear ship separating, Captain Murray Maxwell, the Bri- tish commodore, detached “the Unité after her, and himself, in the Alceste, commenced action with the other two. On passing the rearmost to get at the commodore, a shot GENERAL a shot bringing down his main- topmast, he dropt a little astern, en which triumphant shouts of Vive ! Empercur resounded from the French ships. Captain Gor- don, however, in the Active, push- ed on, and brought the sternmost to close action ; whilst the French commodore, shortening sail, fairly engaged the Alceste. After a warm conflict of two hours and twenty minutes, the French commo- dore, in the Pauline, thought pro- per to bear away to the westward, the crippled state of the Alceste not suffering Captain Maxwell to pursue him. ‘The other ship then struck, and proved to be the Po- mone of 44 guns, and 322 men, commanded by Captain Rosamel, whose skill and courage are very honourably recorded by the victor. He had fifty men killed and wounded ; his antagonist, the Ac- tive, had thirty-two, among whom were Captain Gordon, who lost a leg, and his first lieutenant, who had an arm carried away. In the mean time, Captain Chamberlayne in the Unite had overtaken his chase, which struck after a trifling resistance, and 1o his mortification proved to be only a store ship of twenty-six guns and 190 men, named La Persanne. The Active was sent with the prizes and pri- soners to Malta, and the two others were immediately refitted for service. In addition to the naval losses by shipwreck at the close of the last year, that of the. Manilla frigate of ‘thirty-six guns, Captain Joyce, was - reported by Admiral Winter, com- mander of the Dutch Texel fleet, as occurring near the end of Janu- ary. This ship having struck on the Haak sand in a dreadful gale HISTORY. [137 on the evening of the 28th, made signals of distress, upon which some fishing boats were sent out to her relief. These were obliged to return without being able to reach her; but on the next day, the weather becoming more mo- derate, they approached her, when the chief pilot risked his life by venturing upon the shallows and sunken rocks, and the English hav- ing made a raft of empty barrels, he was enabled to bring off thirty- five of them. During the 30th and 31st all the rest of the crew were brought safe to land, whence they were marched as prisoners to Amsterdam ; the whole loss from the wreck appearing to have amounted only to six men. The ship went entirely to pieces. On this occasion, the exertions of the Dutch to preserve the lives of the sufferers were highly meritorious. About the same time the Lau- rel, Captain S. C. Rowley, a fine new frigate, was lost in Quiberon bay. This ship, with two other frigates, had been ordered to pur- sue three French frigates which had escaped from the Loire; and on the morning of January 31, they weighed anchor, aud made sail through the passage Taigneuse. It blew hard, and the weather be- came hazy ; when the Laurel struck upon a sunken rock, and had a large hole made in her bottom. She was backed off, and the men continued pumping, till the vessel was reported to be sinking, when the cable was cut, and she was run ashore on a reef of rocks, about a mile from the French coast. In this situation, a heavy fire being opened upon her from the enemy’s batteries, a flay of truce was hoisted. The firing was, however, con- tinued, 138] ANNUAL REGISTER, tinued, till three boats, with about 70 men and 4 officers, were sent onshore from the ship, who deli- vered themselves up as prisoners. The French are then said, with an inhumanity which appears to have been merely gratuitous, to have refused permission for the boats to return for the remainder of the crew, who would have been their prisoners; and they must all have perished, had not Captain Somer- ville, against the remonstrance of his pilot, gallantly worked his ship up among the rocks, brought her to anchor, and taken the men off the wreck, after they had been upon it in a very perilous situation for several hours. The French fired on the boats till they were out of reach. A letter from Captain Taylor, of the Apollo, to Vice-admiral Pel- lew, dated Feb. 14, mentions, that on the preceding day, on rounding Cape Corse, he fell in with a French frigate-built store-ship and a corvette. On closing with them, the former vessel struck, and proved to be the Merinos, com- manded by M. Honoré Coardonan, captain of a frigate, and a member of the legion of honour, the ship quite new, of 850 tons, pierced for 36 guns, but carrying only twenty 8-pounders, with 126 men. She was bound to Sagona for timber. The Apollo suffered no loss, though exposed ‘for four hours to batteries on shore. The corvette made her escape with the assist- ance of boats from the shore. Capt. Talbot of the Victorious, senior officer of the upper part of the Adriatic, communicated on March 3rd to Capt. Rowley, an ac- count of lis success in capturing a line-of-battle ship of the enemy. On Feb. 21, the Victorious, in 1819. company with the Weazel sloop, descried a Jarge ship with several small ones proceeding from Venice to Pola in Istria, A signal for chace was made, the enemy be- ing in a line of battle, with two gun boats and a brig a-head of the large ship, and two brigs astern. The Weazle, Capt. Andrews, was directed to bring the brigs astern of the commodore to action, in order to induce him to shorten sail, which had the intended ef- fect. At half past four in the af- ternoon the Victorious commenced action with the line-of-battle ship the Rivoli, of 74 guns, at the dis- tance of half-pistol shot, neither ship having hitherto fired a gun ; and the water being smooth, every shot told, and the carnage on both sides was dreadful. At five, one of the brigs engaged with the Weazel blew up, and that vessel went in chase of the rest, but was recalled by captain Talbot, who thougbt that as they were in only seven fathoms water, one er the other of the great ships might get aground and want assistance. Capt. Andrews, on being recalled, placed — his brig on the bow of the Rivoli, and raked her with three broad- sides, That ship, for nearly two hours, had been rendered perfectly — unmanageable, and had been able to keep up only a very slow fire. At nine o’clock she struck, and was taken possession of, She bore the broad pendant of Commodore Barre, the French commander in chief of the Adriatic, who dis- played great skill and valour in the action. He lost 400 killed and wounded, including his captain and most of his officers, out of 862 persons, with whom he entered into action. The Victorious also sustained a severe loss of men, not enume- GENERAL enumerated. She had at the com- mencement only 506 actually on board, of whom 60 were on the sick hist: Of the French brig en- gaged with the Weazel, which blew up, only three men were saved ; the Weazel did not lose asingle man. Few actionsin any year have afforded more convincing proof of the superiority of British seamanship. A spirited action on a small stale was reported in March by Mr. Hatvey, commander of the sloop Rosario, off Dieppe. On the 27th of that month, in the morn- ing, he observed an enemy’s flo- tilla, consisting of 12 brigs and one lugger, standing along shore, and immediately made sail, with the in- tention of cutting of the leeward- most. The flotilla formed into a line, and engaged the Rosario as she passed ; and when she luffed up to attack the sternmost, they all bore up to support her, and en- deavoured to close with the sloop. The commander, not chusing with his small force to run the nsk of being boarded, bore away toa brig -m the offing, which proved to be the Griffin, Captain Trollope, and made the signal for an enemy, which was answered. He then im- mediately hauled his wind, and pursuing the flotilla, which was making all sail for Dieppe, began to harass the rear, and at length dashed intothe midst of them, re- ceiving and returning their whole fire. He disabled some, and ran others on shore, before he was joined by the Griffin, which could not come up sooner. - Capt. Trol- lope gallantly contributed his part ; and the result was, the capturing three of the enemy, driving two on shore, and much damaging the HISTORY. [139 others. This flotilla was proceed~ ing from Boulogne to Cherbourg : each brig carried three long brass 24-pounders, and an eight-inch brass howitzer, with a complement of 50 men ; and they were assisted by batteries om shore, keeping up a Constant fire of shot and shells. The loss on board the Rosario was, however, only five wounded. The account of a successful at- tempt to intercept two French frigates and a brig off !’Orient, was communicated in a letter dated May 24th, from Captain Hotham, of the Northumberland, to Rear- Admiral Sir H. B. Neale. The writer states, that having, accord- ing to orders, proceeded off VOrient with the Growler gun- brig in company, the French ves- sels were descried on the morning of the 22nd, the N.W. point of isle Groa bearmg N. from the Northumberland ten miles distant, crowding all sail to get into the port of Orient. Capt. Hotham’s first endeavour was to cut them off to wmdward of the island; but not being able to effect this, he caused the Northumberland to be pushed round the S. KE. end of Groa, and got to windward of the harbour’s mouth before the enemy could reach it. He continued to beat to windward between Groa and the continent in order to close with them, unavoidably exposed to the fire of the batteries on each side when within their range. The enemy, after some consultation, at length bore up in a close line with every sail set, and made a bold attempt to run between the North- umberland and the shore, under cover of the numerous batteries with which it is there lined, Capt. Hotham placed his ship to meet them 140] them as close as he could to a point, with her head to the shore; but they hauled so close round the point, following the di- rection of the coast, that he did not think it prudent to pursue that plan with a ship of sucha draught of water. He therefore bore up and steered parallel to them at the distance of two cables length, giv- ing them broadsides, which were returned by a very brisk fire from the ships and batteries, highly de- structive to the Northumberland’s sails and rigging. It was Captain Hotham’s object to prevent them from passing on the outside of a dry rock ; but there was evident hazard in bringing his ship so near the rock as to leave them no room to pass : this was, however, effect- ed by the skill and care of the master; and the French ships at- tempting, as the only alternative, to sail between the rock and the shore, all grounded. During the falling tide, the Northumberland was employed in repairing da- mages: she was then brought to anchor with her broadside bearing upon the enemy’s ships, which had all fallen over on their sides next the shore as the tide left them. A continued fire was kept on them for more than an hour; when their crews having quitted them, their hottoms pierced with shot, and one of them completely in flames, Captain Hotham got under sail, leaving the Growler to prevent by its fire the return of the men to their vessels. In the evening, the first frigate blew up with a dread- ful explosion ; and soon after, the second appeared to be on fire. She also blew up during the night ; and a third explosion heard on the wext day was doubtless that of the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. brig ; and thus the work of de- struction was completed. Captain Hotham was informed that these vessels were L’ Arianne and L’An- dromache, of 44 guns and 450 men each, and the Mameluke brig of 18 guns and 150 men: that since January they had been cruiz- ing in yaricus parts of the Atlan- tic, and had destroyed 36. vessels of different nations, the most va- Juable parts of the cargoes of which they had on board. The loss of men in the Northumberland was not considerable in proportion to the warmth of the action. On July 7th, Capt. Stewart, of his Majesty’s ship Dictator, with three armed brigs, being off Mar- doe, on the coast of Norway, cb- served the mast heads of a Danish squadron over the rocks. Captain Robilliard, of the brig Podargus, having a man on board acquainted with the place, offered to lead in to attack them; but on the en- trance he ran a-ground, and the Flamer brig being left to assist her, Capt. Stewart was deprived of their assistance. The Calypso, Capt. Weir, however, led the way through a passage of 12 miles among the rocks, in some places so narrow that there was scarcely room for setting out their studding- sail booms, tll at length they came within reach of the enemy, who had been retiring before them un- der a press of sail. These con- sisted of the Nayaden frigate of 38 guns, but mounting 50, three stout brigs, and 25 gun-boats, lying an- chored close together in the small creek of Lyngoe. The Dictator ran her bow on the land with her broadside to the enemy, and being seconded by the Calypso, their fire was so powerful, met i a GENERAL half an hour the frigate was bat- tered to pieces, and flames were seen bursting from her hatchways, the brigs had struck, and most of the gun-boats were beaten, and some sunk, The Podargus and Flamer being a-ground were at this time engaged with numerous gun-boats, and batteries, but were at length safely got afloat. At three in the afternoun, the Dicta- tor, Calypso, and Prize brigs, were returning through the passages, when they were assailed by a di- vision of gun-boats so placed be- hind the rocks that no gun could be brought to bear onthem. In this situation, the prize brigs ran aground, and it was necessary to abandon them in the state of com- plete wrecks, humanity forbidding setting them on fire, on account of the many wounded they had on board. In this bold enterprize the English squadron suffered a loss of 50 in killed and wounded : that of the Danes was at least 300. Of minuter successes, one most worthy of notice was commu- nicated by Capt. Josias Rowley, of the America, in a letter dated off Languillia, May 10th, address- ed to Vice-admiral Sir Edward Pellew, the commander-in-chief off Toulon. It states, that the America, in company of the Le- viathan and Eclair, having, on the preceding day, fallen in with a convoy of 18 sail of the enemy deeply laden, which took shelter under the town and batteries of Languillia, on the coast of Genoa, it appeared to him and Captain Campbell practicable to destroy them by getting possession of the batteries. For this purpose, the marines of the America and Le- Ai HISTORY, viathan were landed at day-break on the 10th, and whilst a party was detached to carry a battery to the eastward, which was effected, the main body rapidly advancing through a severe fire of grape, car- ried the battery adjoining the town of Languillia, consisting of four 24 and 18-pounders, though pro- tected by a strong body of the enemy posted in a wood and in several contiguous buildings. The fire of the Eclair having in_ the meantime driven the enemy from the houses on the beach, the boats proceeded to bring out the vessels, which were secured by various contrivances ; and 16 being towed off, the marines were re-embarked without’ molestation, though a strong party was advancing from the town of Allassio to reinforce their friends. The loss in the spi- rited attack on the batteries was much less than might have been expected, but the America’s yawl was unfortunately struck by a chance shot, and ten marines and a seaman were drowned. Another attempt was made, on June 27th, to carry off a convoy from the towns of Languillia and Allassio, by the Leviathan, Capt. Campbell, who had also under his command the Curacoa, Imperieuse, and Eclair. The marines landed on this occasion were attacked, as soon as formed on the beach, by treble their number; but rushing on with their bayonets they drove the enemy from their batteries, killing many, spiked the guns, and destroyed the carriages, and re- embarked with several prisoners. The vessels were, however, so firmly secured, that they could not be brought away, and they yer e- [141 149] destroyed by the fire from the ships. The nayal success in the Da- nish sea was in some degree balanced by the loss of his Majes- ty’s brig Attack, on August 18th, which, being surrounded by 14 gun-vessels off Foreness in Jut- Jand, was obliged, after a gallant resistance, to yield to a vast supe- riority of force. The brig hada smaller crew on board than that of each \of her antagonists; and the commander, Lieut. Simmonds, was most honourably acquitted for the surrender, by a court-martial. ANNUAL REGISTER, isig. These were the most memora- ble occurrences respecting the Bri- | tish navy in the European seas during the year 1812; and if not highly important, they were such as sufficiently evinced that the zeal and activity of our country- men engaged in this service had — suffered no diminution for want of adequate antagonists. We shall reserve the painful task of record- ing the reverses in a different quar- ter, to that narrative of the new war in which this kingdom is un- — fortunately engaged, which must occupy some of our future pages. iT CHAP, GENERAL HISTORY. [14s CHAPTER XVI. War in the Peninsula—Valencia taken by the French— Their Failure at Tarifja—Lord Wellington’s Investment of Ciudad Rodrigo—Cap- ture of that place by Storm—Attempt on Tarragona—Further Suc- cess of the French in Valencia—Investment of Badajoz by Lord Wellington—Its capture—Irruption of the French into Portugal— Successes of Spanish Parties—Expedition of General Hill to Al- maraz— Defeat of Ballasteros at Bornos—Capture of Lequitio— Advance of Lord Wellington to Salamanca—Capture of its Forts— Marmont’s Advance—Battle of Salamanca—Retreat and Pursuit of the French—Valladolid entered—Affair of Cavalry at Ribera—Al- lied Army enters Madrid, and Fort La China taken—Astorga capi- tulates—Blockade of Cadiz broken up—Biiboa evacuated —Seville recovered by the Allies—Lord Wellington advances to Burgos. Fai- lure of Attempts to take its Castle. French collect and advance— Retreat of the Allied Army, which returns to Freynada.—Transac- tions of the Spanish Cortes and Regency—Public Signature of the Constitution—Settlement of the Succession—Lord Wellington ap- pointed Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Armies—Ballasteros displaced—Affairs of Portugal. te conclusion of the last year left the important city of Valencia invested on all sides b ‘Marshal Suchet, without any other prospect of defence, than its own orce,and the fugitives from Blake’s defeated army, afforded. The lines with which Valencia are surround- ed are said to have been 6,000 toises in extent, and to have cost the city 12 millions of reals, and the labours of some thousands of men for two years in forming them, They were, in fact, an in- trenched camp, defended by nearly 20,000 troops of the line, 6,000 militia, and 100 pieces of cannon. “The French trenches were opened ‘in the nights of the Ist and 2d Jan. within 70 to 80 toises of the Spa- nish works, and in four days the en- Sineers pushed mines within 50 toises of the fosse. Batteries were erected at GOtoises distance, and the effects of these operations caused theSpaniards to abandon their lines, and take post in the suburbs. On the 5th a bombardment was begun, and a capitulation was offered to the town by Suchet, which was rejected by Blake. The bombard- ment was recommenced, and in three days and nights 2,700 bombs were thrown into the city, causing many fires and explosions. The engineers by that time had made a lodgment in the suburbs, and had placed mines under two of the principal gates. The horrors of an assault were impending over this populous city ; and in order to avert them, General Blake now consented toa capitulation. By its terms, Valencia was put into the power 144] power of the French, with about 18,000 treops of the line (including the sick in hospitals) made prison- ers of war, a great number of officers of rank, 374 pieces of ar- tillery, and a great quantity of mi- litary stores, The militia was dis- armed, and means were taken to restore the tranquillity of the pro- vince. Asa reward for this signal success, the title of Duke of Al- bufera was conferred upon Marshal Suchet. While the French arms were thus victorious in this quarter, they failed in an_ inferior enterprize, probablymuch against expectation. It was mentioned at the conclu- sion of the Peninsular transactions of the last year, that the design against the town of Tariffa having been resumed, Gen. Victor had invested it with a considerable force, and that a breach was made in the wall. This circumstance is reported by the brave commander, Col. Skerret, on Dec. 50th, when an assault was expected. On the evening of the 31st, a strong co- lumn was seen rapidly advancing to the breach, and suitable prepa- rations were made to receive the attack. The intrepid resistance of the defenders was crowned with success. In less than an hour, vic- tory declared for them; the bold- est of the assailants fell at the foot of the breach, and the mass of the column made a precipitate retreat. A very pleasing instance of hu- manity succeeded this exertion of valour. The ground between the town and the enemy’s battery was strewed with their wounded, who must have perished had they re- mained there. Colonel Skerrett therefore hoisted a flag of truce in ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. token of permission to carry them off; and this humane act was very feelingly acknowledged by the French commander. time the enemy kept up a partial fire, by which the breach was widened, and another assault was expected ; when on the morning of January 5th, the columns of i t From that — the enemy were descried already — at a distance, having left behind them their artillery, ammunition, and stores. A detachment of the garrison was sent out to take pos- session of them, which rescued from the flames the articles that had been set on fire. A number of dead was found on the place, © indicating the great loss which the besiegers must have suffered dur-_ ing the whole period. ‘* Thus we have seen (says Col. Skerrett, with allowable exultation) the utmost effort of the Freuch has been frus- trated by 1,800 British and Spanish troops, with only the defence of a _ paltry wall; and as army of 10,000 men, conducted by a mar- shal of France, retreating from thei silently in the night, after having been repulsed and defeated, leaving behind all their artillery and stores, collected at a great ex- pense, and by immense exertions.”’ Lord Wellington, who in the autumn had placed his troops in cantonments across the Agueda to recover from their sickness and fatigues, was in motion at the very commencement of the year. Ina dispatch dated from Gallegos, Ja- nuary 9, 1812, he informs the fo- reign secretary of state that he in- vested Ciudad Rodrigo on the pre- eeding day. He mentions having taken by storm a new redoubt con- structed by the French on the a o GENERAL of St. Francisco, and that he had broke ground within 600 yards of the place. Lieutenant-General Hill had arrived on December the 30th at Merida, whence General Dombrewski had retired in the night, leaving his magazines of provisions. General Hill had re- moved forward with ‘the intention of attacking General Drouet, who retired first upon Zafra, and then upon Llerena: General Hill there- fore returned to Merida, where he put his men into cantonments. In another dispatch, dated January the 15th, Lord Wellington gives an account of the progress of the siege, which had been facilitated by two successful attacks on posts of the enemy, close to the body of the place, and had enabled the be- | siegers to establish a second paral- - lel at the distance of 150 yards from it. On the 20th, his lordship was enabled to send the welcome in- telligence of the capture of Ciu- dad Rodrigo, that important fron- tier town, which had se often been the object of military operations. The fire of the batteries having considerably injured the defences of the place, and made breaches regarded as practicable, Lord Wel- lington determined on a storm, though the approaches had not been brought to the crest of the glacis, and the counterscarp was still entire. The attack was made on the evening of the 19th, in five separate columns, for the disposi- tion of which, we refer to the ac- count in the Gazette. All these attacks succeeded, and in less than an hour the assailants were in pos- session of and formed upon the _ Famparts of the place, each column contiguous to the next. The ene- Vou, LIV. HISTORY. my then, who had sustained a se« vere loss in the conflict, submitted. The loss of the besiegers was also considerable, especially in officers of rank. Of these, Major-General M‘Kinnon was killed by the ex- plosion of a magazine close to the breach. His Lordship bestows the warmest encomiums on all the officers engaged in this service, and the success of such a spirited enterprize redounds equally to the honour of the Commander, and those who acted ander him. The fruits of victory were a garrison of 1,700 men, besides officers, ‘and 153 pieces of ordnance, including the heavy train of the French army, with great quantities of ammunition and stores. The losses of the be- sievers from January the 15th to the 19th, amounted to nearly 700 ofall descriptions, killed, wounded, and missing. The sense of the Spanish na- tion on this success was displayed in a vote of the Cortes, by accla- mation, conferring on Lord Wel- lington the rank of a Grandee of the first class, with the title of Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, The French, at this time, were concentrating their northern forces about Salamanca, and for this pur- pose had evacuated the province of Asturias. The Guerillas were every where upon the alert to give them all possible molestation, During the siege of Valencia, the Spaniards, in Catalonia, under the command of General Lacy and Baron d’Eroles, by way of diver- sion, or to improve the opportu- nity of the absence of the French main army, made an attempt upon Tarragona, in which they were assisted by an English naval force. The French General De Caen, {VJ however, [145 146] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. however, having dispatched thi- ther the division of La Marque, with a party of the garrison of Bar- ‘celona, under the orders of General Mathieu, the Spaniards were at- tacked on the heights of Alta- fouilla, January the 24th, and de- feated, with considerable loss of men, arms, and baggage, and the whole of their artillery. A dif- ferent account was given of this affair by the Spaniards; it is, how- ever, certain, that the attempt on Tarragona failed. After the capture of Valencia, Marshal Suchet pursued his suc- cess, and the French became mas- ters of Alzira, St. Felipe, Gandia, and Denia; Peniscola surrendered soon after. Soult, with his corps of observation, at this time occupied the frontiers of Murcia, and had pushed an advanced party as far as the camp at Lorca. Lord Wellington remained some time at Ciudad Rodrigo, in order to repair the fortifications, and put it in a defensible state; and then, placing it under the command of a Spanish Governor, he withdrew to Freynada. Badajos was the next object of his arms; and after making due preparations, he moved from Freynada on the6th of March, and arrived at Elvas on the 11th. At this time there were none of the enemy’s troops in the field in Estremadura, except a part of the 5th corps at Villa-Franca, and a division under Gen. Darican, at La Serena. On the 15th and 16th his Lordship broke up the canton- ments of the army, and invested Badajos on both sides the Guadiana, on the 16th. On the following day he broke ground, and esta- blished the first parallel. A sortie was made by the garrison on the 19th, which was presently repulsed without having effected any thing. At the time of the investment, General Sir Thomas Graham cross- ed the Guadiana, with a body of troops, and directed his march to-. wards Llerena; whilst Lieutenant- General Sir Rowland Hill, who had returned from Miranda to his cantonments near Albuquerque, marched again to that town. The operations of the siege were car- ried on without intermission, not- withstanding the unfavourable wea- ther, and the swelling of the Gua-_ diana, which damaged the bridges of communication; and, on the 25th, a fire was opened from 28 pieces of ordnance, in six batteries. On the evening of that day, a strong out-work, called fa Picu- rina, was gallantly stormed by a body of 500 men, who firmly es- tablished themselves in it. On March the 3Ist, a fire was opened from 26 pieces of cannon, in the second parallel, which was conti- nued with great effect. A second sortie was driven in with loss. At this time the movements of Gene- rals Sir Thomas Graham and Sir Rowland Hill had obliged the ene- my to retire towards Cordova; but intelligence had been received that Marshal Soult had broke up from before Cadiz on the 23d and 24th, and marched upon Seville with all the troops that were there, with the exception of 4,000. The fur- ther particulars of the siege will be found in the dispatch copied from — the London Gazette, and a concise narrative of the result will suffice for an historical relation, Breaches — being made in the bastions of la Trinidad and Santa Maria, Lord Wellington determined to attack the place on the night of April me 6th. GENERAL 6th. Simultaneous attacks of dif- ferent parts of the works were planned; of which, that of the _castle of Badajos by escalade, con- ducted by Lieutenant-General Pic- ton, was the first that succeeded, _and the third. division was establish- ed in it at about half past eleven. In the mean time the breaches in the bastions were vigorously as- saulted by the 4th and the light divisions; but such were the ob- stacles raised by the enemy upon and hehind the breaches, and so ob- stinate their resistance, that the as- sailants, after a long coutest, and considerable loss, were ordered to retreat. The possession of the castle, however, which was secured by the success of the other divi- sions, decided the fate of the town, for it commanded all the works both of and in the place; and at day-light General Philippon, the Commandant, who had retired to Fort St. Christoval, surrendered, with all the staff, and the whole garrison. These, at the beginning of the siege, had consisted of 5,000 men; but about 1,200 had been killed and wounded during the ope- rations of the siege, besides those who perished in the assault. The total loss of the besiegers in killed, wounded, and missing, from the investment to the capture, amount- ed to upwards of 4,850, British and Portuguese. This might perhaps be thought a dear purchase; but besides the glory to the allied arms in gaining this second strong place _ by storm, the possession of two im- portant fortresses on the frontiers of Portugal was of so much conse- quence to the security of that king- dom, and to the suecess of future #perations in the peninsula, that, ina military consideration, it jus- HISTORY. [147 tified the payment of a high price. In order to make a diversion in favour of the garrison of Badajos, Marshal Marmont advanced to Ciudad Rodrigo, and kept it block- aded: at the same time, a French party made a reconnoissance upon Almeida, but were so received that they had no inclination to make an attempt upon the place. On April the 17th, Marmont broke up from the neighbourhood of Ciudad Rod- rigo, and proceeded to Sabugal, His advanced guard followed Gen, Alten through the lower Beira as far as Castello Branco, which it en- tered on the 12th, but whence it retired on the 14th, and the place was repossessed by Alten and Gen, le Cor. Soult, who had advanced from Seville into Estremadura, as far as Villa-Franea, on hearing of the fall of Badajos, retreated on the Yth towards the borders of Andalusia. General Graham directed Sir Sta- pleton Cotton to follow his rear with the cavalry; and coming up with the French cavalry at Villa Garcia, with the brigades of Gene- rals le Marchant and Anson, he defeated them on the I1th, witha considerable loss in killed and prisoners. The French retired on that day froin Llerena, and after- wards entirely quitted Estremadu- ra. Lord Wellington, as soon as he was apprized of Soult’s retreat, put his army in motion towards Castille. During this period the Spanish parties were extremely active in different quarters, That distin- guished Guerilla chief, Espos y Mina, was successful in various en- counters in Navarre, and the neigh- bouring districts, and when appa- rently surrounded by different de- L2 tachments 1 148] tachments of the enemy, contrived to escape through the midst of them, and became as formidable as before. General Ballasteros, who had been declared Captain- General of Andalusia, on the 14th of April surprised and destroyed a column under General Rey, Me- rino, an enterptising chief, sud- denly attacked a considerable body of the enemy near Aranda, on April the 16th, and made upwards of 500 prisoners, with several officers. This success gave him an opportunity of making a just, though severe, retaliation for the execution of three members of the junta of Burgos by the enemy, and of some of Merino’s soldiers who had fallen into their hands: twenty prisoners were put to death for each of the former, and ten for each of the latter. On the other hand, the French, collecting in force on the borders of Gallicia, made a feint of attacking that pro- vince, to favour their design of re- entering that of Asturias, which they effected on May the 17th, under General Bonnet, and took up their former quarters in Oviedo, Grado, and Gijon. On April the 24th, Lord Wel- lington was at Alfayates, on the Portuguese border, the enemy hav- ing retired upon his advance. They had crossed the Agueda on the 23rd, and were then in full re- treat towards the Tormes. General Drouet was at that time at Fuente Ovejuna, in Cordova, and Marshal Soult at Seville. His Lordship, on the day of the above date, dis- patched Sir Rowland Hill to carry into execution the plan of an at- tack upon the enemy’s posts and establishments at the passage of the Tagus, at Almaraz, in Estre- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. madura, near the border of New Castile. This post afforded the — only good military communica- — tion below Toledo across the Ta- gus, and from that river to the Guadiana, all the permanent bridges below that of Arzobispo having been destroyed in the ope- rations of the war, and left un- repaired. The bridge at Almaraz — was protected by strong works thrown up by the French on both | sides of the river, and was further covered on the southern side by the castle and redoubts of Mira- bete, about a league distant, com- manding the pass of that name, through which runs the only car- riage road to the bridge, which is that to Madrid. The necessary preparations for this expedition would not permit General Hill to begin his march from Almendralejo till the 12th of May. On the 16th, he formed his force into three columns, the left directed against the Castle of Mi- rabete; the right, against the forts of the bridge; and the center, to the high road leading to the pass of Mirabete. The approach was so difficult, that it was day-break on the 19th, before the attack could be made. The right column, pro- vided with scaling ladders, moved to the assault of Fort Napoleon, a strong fortress on the left bank of the river. The ardour of the troops broke through all obstacles, and in the midst of a destructive fire they rushed on with fixed bayonets, and drove the garrison through the se- veral intrenchments across the bridge, which, having been cut on the other side, obliged many of the fugitives to leap into the river, where they perished. The panic communicated itself to the garri- son GENERAL HISTORY. son of Fort Ragusa, on the right bank, who abandoned their works, and fled in great confusion. The victors then effected the destruc- tion of all the material parts of the forts and works for the defence of | the bridge, and made prize of the magazines and 18 pieces of can- ‘non, with 259 prisoners. The at- tack upon Mirabete served only as a diversion, inducing the enemy to believe that the attack upon the forts near the bridge would not commence till that was decided. In this spirited exploit the British loss in killed and wounded fell short of 200. For further particu- lars we refer to the Gazette ac- count. General Mill then returned to Almendralejo. The southern point of Andalusia continued to be the scene of ac- tions between the French and Spa- niards. General Ballasteros on the Ist of June, sustained a very severe engagement ‘against a French di- vision, under Gen. Coursoux, in the plains of Bornos, which finally terminated in the defeat of the Spaniards, who lost from 1,000 to 1,500 men in killed and wounded. Ballasteros, however, ‘retired no farther than to his ground before the battle, and was not molested in his retreat. A combined attack upon the French troops in possession of the post of Lequitio in Biscay, by the Guenillas, assisted by Sir Home Pop- ham’s squadron, took place on the 21st of June, and succeeded, with the capture of the garrison of the fort commanding the place. Attention was now chiefly fixed upon the allied army of Lord Wel- lington, which had been for some time advancing upon the French under Marmont. It crossed the [149 Agueda on June 13th, and arrived in front of Salamanca on the 16th. The enemy on its approach re- treated across the Tormes, leaving about 800 men in some forts con- structed upon the ruins of colleges and convents in Salamanca. The allied army entered the city, but Lord Wellington found it necessary to break ground against the forts. Marmont at this time was retiring upon the Douro. In Estremadura, Major-general Slade’s brigade of cavalry had fallen in with two French regiments of dragoons, which they broke; but pursuing incautiously they were attacked by the enemy’s reserve, and driven back with considerable loss. The forces under Marshal Soult and General Drouet had made a junec- tion, and moved forward to Llerena and St. Olalla; upon which, Ge- ‘neral Hill had called in his de- tachments, and concentrated his forces at Albuera. The batteries against the forts of Salamanca began to fire on the 17th. Marmont, on the 20th, made a forward movement in order to communicate with the forts, and on the night of the 2{st his troops established a post on the right flank of the allied army. Lord Wellington having directed General Graham to attack this ‘position on the 22nd, the enemy were driven from the ground with considerable loss. They then made a fresh movement, the object of which was, to communicate with their garrisons by the left bank of the Tormes, which river they crossed in force on the 24th; but the approach of General Graham on that side the river caused them to’ retire to their former position. Meantime the siege of the forts did 150] did not proceed with the rapidity that Lord Wellington had ex- pected. An attempt to storm the principal work on the night of the 23rd failed of success, with con- siderable loss ; Major-general Bowes was among the slain. On the 27th, the buildings in the largest fort, St. Vincente, being set on fire by the guns of the besiegers, and a breach being made in another fort, the commander of St. Vincente, in order to gain time, expressed a desire to capitulate after a certain number of hours. Lord Welling- ton, however, perceiving his object, ordered an immediate storm of the two other forts, which succeeded ; and the commander of St. Vincente then sent a flag to notify the sur- render of that fort, on the terms of the garrison being prisoners of war, which was accepted, though the storm of the place had com- menced, These forts were found to be so strongly constructed, that they could not possibly be taker without a regular attack. They cost the allies above 450 in killed and wounded. Upon the intelli- gence of this event, the French army retired. Lord Wellington on July Ist broke up his camp, and advanced towards the French, who were marching upon Torde- sillas. Sir Stapleton Cotton at- tacked their rear-guard on the 2nd, and drove it in to their main body, but the rest of the allied army were too far distant to impede them in their passage of the Douro, after which they took a position on that river, with their center at Tordesillas. Lord Wellington took post at Rueda. On the 7th the French were reinforced by the junction of General Bonnet, who had advanced from Asturias, They ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. afterwards extended to their nght as far as Toro, where they employed themselves in repairing the bridge which they had before demolished. General Hill at this time had left Albuera, and moved towards the enemy, who retired before him towards Cordova. He had reached + Llerena on the 9th. Marmont now turned upon the allies, and assumed the part of an assailant. He sent a considerable body over the Douro at Toro on the 16th, while Lord Wellington on that night moved the allied army to their left, with the in- tention of concentrating on the Guarena, a river that runs into the Douro. The French on the same night recrossed at Toro, and Marmont moved his whole army to Tordesillas, where, on the 17th, he again crossed the Douro, and on the same day assembled his troops at Nava del Rey. Various movements then succeeded between the two armies; and the French, on the 18th, made an attack ona body stationed at Castrejon under the command of Sir Stapleton Cotton, who resisted till the cavalry joined him, and then re- treated in excellent order to the main army on the Guarena. The enemy then erossed that river, and indicated an intention of pressing upon the left of the allied army, but it was defeated by a timely attack made by General Allen’s brigade of cavalry, supported by a body of infantry. In this affair a French general was taken, with other prisoners. A _ variety of other movements were made, in which it was the object of Mar- mont to cut off the allies from their communication with Sala- manca aud Ciudad Rodrigo, a 0 F GENERAL ef Lord Wellington to frustrate this purpose. On the 2lst the allied army was concentrated on the Tormes, and the enemy had moved towards the same river. Two armies moving in sucha confined space of ground could not be long without coming to a ge- neral engagement ; and this result was hastened by the intelligence Lord Welliugton received on the night of the 2Ist, that General Chauvel had arrived at Pollos on the 20th with the cavalry and horse artillery of the northern army, to join Marmont, which he would effect within a day or two. Of the subsequent manceuvres no exact idea can be formed without plans, and we refer to the gazette account for the particulars, It was evidently the English com- mander’s object to find a favour- able opportunity for an attack ; aad this he obtained in the after- noon of the 22nd, by an extension of the enemy’s line to the left in order to embrace a post on a hill occupied by the right of the allies. Lord Wellington then, strengthen- ing his right, ordered an attack on the enemy’s left, which completely succeeded ; as did likewise an at- tack on the front, in which they were driven successively from height to height. The fate of the battle was for a time suspended by the stand made by a French division, which drove back a di- vision of the allied army, but some troops being brought up in time, success was restored in this quarter. The enemy’s right, reinforced by the fugitives from their left, con- tinued to resist, till it was dark, when they at length broke and fled, and the discomfiture of the French army was now complete. HISTORY. [151 They were pursued as long as any of them were to be seen together, but the darkuess of the night favoured the escape of many. At break of day the pursuit was re- newed; and the cavalry crossing the Tormes, the enemy’s rear- guard was overtaken, when their cavalry fled, leaving the infantry to its fate. The pursuit was after- wards continued to Penaranda that night ; and on the 24th the victors were still pursuing the flying enemy. Such was the battle of Sala- manca, the most considerable and glorious fought under English com- mand during the present war in Spain. No estimatecould bemade of the enemy’s Joss in the field, which was undoubtedly great. The trophies of victory were returned at eleven pieces of cannon, several ammunition waggons, two eagles, and six colours ; prisoners, one ge- neral, three colonels, three leu- tenant-colonels, 130 officers of in- ferior rank, and between 6 and 7,000 soldiers; and many more prisoners continued to be brought in on the following days. Marshal Marmont was severely wounded, and four French general officers were said to have been killed. The loss on the part of the allies was also considerable, amounting, in killed, wounded, and missing, British and Portuguese, to about 5,200. One general officer, Ma- jor-general le Marchant, was killed, and five others were wounded. Of the small share the Spaniards had in this action, fought on their ground, and for their cause, a judgment may be formed from their return of loss, consisting of two killed and four wounded. The victorious army continued its 152] its march after the enemy, part of whom crossed the Douro at Puente de Douro on the 27th, and the remainder proceeded to the bridge of Tudela over that river. It ap- pears that on the 21st Joseph Buonaparté left Madrid with the army of the center directing his march by the Escurial upon Alba de Tormes; but hearing on the 25th of Marmont’s defeat, he re- treated towards Segovia. Nothing, therefore, could be more timely than Lord Wellington’s victory, as the delay of a very few days would materially have strengthened the French army. The rear-guard of the fugitives maintained itself in some strength on the left bank of the Douro during the 28th and 29th: but on the approach of the light divisions and cavalry of the pursuers, it crossed the river, and followed the motions of the main body, abandoning Valladolid, in which they left seventeen pieces of cannon, much ammunition, and their hospital with about 800 sick and wounded. Parties of the allied army entered that city on the 30th, where they were received” with enthusiastic joy. , The central French army, in the meantime, had arrived at Segovia, with the apparent mtention of making a junction with Marmont’s on the Upper Douro. To prevent this, Lord Wellington moved on Au- gust Ist to Cuellar. On the same day Joseph Buonaparteretired from Segovia and marched through the pass of Guadarama, leaving an ad- vanced guard of cavalry. He de- stroyed the cannon and ammuni- tion which were in the castle, carried off the church plate and other valuable property, and levied a contribution on the inhabitants. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. Advices from General Hill at this time mentioned a brisk action be- tween the allied and French cavalry in the neighbourhood of Ribera, terminating in favour of the former. Lord Wellington finding that Marmont’s beaten army continued its retreat upon Burgos, in a state not likely to take the field again for some time, determined either to bring king Joseph to an action, or compel him to quit the capital. He accordingly moved from Cuellar on August 6th, reached Segovia on the 7th, and halted the follow- ing day at St. Ildefonso. The ad- vanced cavalry, after passing the Guadarama, moved forwards on the 11th, and driving in the French cavalry, about 2,000 in number, established itself at Majalahonda, under Brig.-general d’Urban. The enemy’s cavalry returned in the afternoon ; when general d’Urban, having formed the Portuguese ca valry, supported by the horse ar- tillery, ordered a charge upon the leading squadrons of the French. The yalour of the Portuguese, however, notwithstanding the ex- ertions of their officers, gave way, and they turned about before they reached the enemy. They fled through the village of Majalahonda to a body of dragoons of the Ger- man legion, leaving unprotected some guns, which fell into the hands of their pursuers. The Ger- man cavalry bravely made a charge and stopped theFrench, who, upon the advance of other troops, finally retreated ; but considerable loss was incurred in this unfortunate affair. The army moved forwards, and on the 12th two of its divisions entered Madrid, where they were received with extraordinary —_ 0 GENERAL of joy. Joseph had retired with the army of the centre by the Toledo road, leaving a garrison in fort la China in the palace of la Retiro. On the evening of the 13th la Retiro was invested, and prepara- tion was made for attacking the works on the next morning, when the commandant of Ja China sent an offer of capitulation. The ho- nours of war were granted him, upon surrendering the whole gar- rison and all the persous in the fort prisoners, with all its maga- zines and artillery. The total number of prisoners of all de- scriptions amounted to 2,500. Of brass ordnance 189 pieces were found, with a great quantity of ammunition, stores, provisions, and clothing. Such were the first fruits of the victory of Salamanca, In the south-east of Spain the cause suffered a reverse by the repulse of an attack upon General d@’Harispe’s posts at Cuastalla and Ybi in Valencia. General O’Don- nel, with the army of Murcia, at- tacked the post of Castalla on July 2ist, but was defeated with the loss of about 3,000 men. His retreat was covered by General Roche, who had advanced from Alicant to co-operate in the enter= prize. On August 10th General Maitland, with an expedition sent by sea from Sicily, after hovering for several days on the coasts of Cataloniaand Valencia, and making demonstrations of landingin various parts, disembarked at Alicant. Astorga, which had been long under siege by the Spaniards, ca- pitulated on August 18th, its gar- rison, consisting of three battalions, surrendering prisoners of war, upon the condition of being exchanged, HISTORY. as soon as circumstances should permit, for Spanish prisoners. The French General Foy, who marched from Valladolid with a considerable force to raise the blockades of Toro and Zamora, and the siege of Astorga, arrived too late for the latter purpose, though he effected the others. The desertion of the long-con- tinued blockade of Cadiz by the French, was another important consequence of Lord Wellington’s victory. This city, the seat of the Spanish legitimate government, had for some years been im a state which rendered its inhabitants pri- soners on the Jand side, and sub- jected them to much distress from scarcity and sickness. This was aggravated by the sense of dan- ger from a bombardment, which, though distant, had latterly, by means of improvements in de- structive contrivance, become more serious. All the attempts of the Spaniards themselves to break up the blockade had failed ; and even when the enemy had been obliged to withdraw the greatest part of their troops, the strength of the works discouraged any effort to force them. But at this period, the advance of the allied army to the centre of the kingdom, aud the weakened state of the invaders in the east, whence many veteran corps had been recalled to augment the mighty army destined against Russia, rendered it no longer safe to carry on operations at so many detached points, and concentration of force was now become uneces- sary. On the night of the 24th and morning of the 25th of Au- gust, the French abandoned their works opposite to Cadiz and the ~Isla, except the town of port Santa [153 154] ANNUAL REGISTER, Santa Maria, where a body of troops remained till the middle of the day, and then withdrew to Cartuga. Before the besiegers de- parted, they employed themselves in destroying all the forts and batteries in the lines, affording a grand and gratifying spectacle to Cadiz of immense fires and suc- cessive explosions. They left be- hind them a very numerous artil- lery, mostly rendered unservice- able, and a large quantity of stores and powder unconsumed, testifying the precipitation with which the retreat was made, On August 11th in the morning, the French evacuated Bilboa, and on the same and_ the following day it was occupied by Spanish troops. On the 13th however, a French force of 3,000 men, under General Rouget, advanced from Durango to recover the town. They gained possession of its two bridges, but were attacked in their position on the 14th by a force under General Renovales, who compelled them to make a precipitate retreat to- wards Zornoza. On the 2lIst the French again advanced towards Bilboa with an additional force, and madea vigorous attempt to re-enter it, which was resisted by Generals Mendizabel and Reuo- vales, and terminated in a defeat of the assailants, who hastily re- treated with considerable loss to Durango. Immediately after the evacuation of the lines of Cadiz, the city of Seville was also freed from the invaders. On August 27, a com- bined force under General La Gruz and Colonel Skerret entered Se- ville, in which were eight French battalions of infantry and two re- giments of cavalry ; and after a tu- 1812. multuary fight in the streets, on the bridge, and in the suburbs, the French were driven out, leavin horses, baggage, and effects, ha about two hundred prisoners. The — inhabitants were so zealous in their country’s cause, that they rushed forward in the midst of a heavy fire to lay planks across the broken bridge for the passage of the allied troops. About the same time the French evacuated the city and cas- — tle of Arcos, in Andalusia, and all the line from Guadalete to Ronda, blowing up their fortifications, and destroying cannon and ammuni- tion. Marshal Massena was now ex- pected from France, to take the command of the army of Portugal (so called by the French), and it became necessary for Lord Wel- lington to attend closely to its motions. He accordingly quitted Madrid on the Ist of September, having previously ordered his troops to be collected at Arevalo.. From that place the army moved on the 4th, and on the Gth crossed the Douro. It advanced into Valladolid, the enemy retiring before it on the Puiserga, which river they crossed. At this time, Joseph Buonaparté had made a junction with Marshal Suchet in Valencia. The latter was posted upon the Xucar, watch- ing the troops under General Mait- land, which, after an advance from licanty had retreated, and were cantoned in the villages about that city. Marshal Soult was in Gra- nada: he had been followed by Ballasteros, who had been suc- cessful in harassing his rear. Cor- dova and Jaen were cleared of the invaders. General Sir Row- land Hill was at Truxillo, whence he was to advarce to Oropesa. Lord GENERAL Lord Wellington continued following the enemy who were retiring upon Burgos; and on the 16th he was joined by three divisions of infantry and a small body of cavalry of the Gallician army under General Castanos. On the 17th the enemy were driven to the heights closeto Burgos, through which city they retired in the night, leaving behind them some stores and a quantity of provision. A considerable garrison was placed in the castle of Burgos which com- mands the passage of the river, and retarded the crossing of the allied army till the 19th, The French had also fortified with a horn-work the hill of St. Michael, three hun- dred yards from the castle, and commanding some of its works. The possession of this hill was a necessary preliminary to an attack on the castle; its outworks were therefore immediately occupied by the allied troops ; and as soon as it was dark, an assault was made on the horn-work, which was carried, but not without considerable loss. On the night of the 22nd, Lord Wellington directed that an at- tempt should be made to storm the exterior line of the enemy’s works. The attack was to have been made by detachments of the Portuguese who occupied the town of Burgos, and invested the castle on the south- west side, while a detachment of English under Major Laurie should scale the wallin front. The Portu- guese unfortunately were not able to overcome the opposition they met with, and the escalade could not take place. The loss on this failure was severe. The French army was now about Pancorbo and Miranda on the Ebro, with their advanced post at Breviesca. HISTORY. [155 A mine which had been laid under the exterior line of the castle exploded on the night of the 29th, and madea breach in the wall, which a party of the assailants im- mediately attempted to storm ; but the darkness causing the detach- ment which was meant to support them to miss its way, they were driven off. The superiority of the enemy’s fire afterwards prevented the construction of batteries for widening the breach. A second mine, however, being sprung on October 4th, another breach was made, which was immediately stormed with success, and the al- lied troops established themselves within the exterior line. The French were still upon the Ebro, and made no effort to disturb the besiegers. Some days previously, General Hill was on the Tagus be- tween Aranjuez and Toledo. Bal- lasteros was at Granada, which had been quitted by Soult, who march- ed on through Murcia to make a junction with King Joseph. The garrison of the Castle of Burgos made sorties on the 6th, and the 10th, in which they con- siderably injured the works of the allies, and occasioned some loss of men ; the besiegers, however, ef- fected a breach in the interior line, and lodged some troops close to it. Things continued nearly in the same state till the 18th, when Lord Wellington having received a sup- ply of ammunition, and completed another mine, determined upon storming the breach in the second line as soon as that should explode. The attempt was made with great gallantry, but the fire of the ene- my directed to the spot was so powerful, that the assailants were obliged to retire with considerable loss. 156] loss. The hopes of final success now grew fainter, especially as the French army began to make de- monstrations of a serious design to raise the siege. The army of Por- tugal had been reinforced by fresh troops from France, and by all the disposable part of the army of the North, and was now in formidable strength. On the 13th they had made a reconuoissance of the allied out- posts at Monasterio; and on the 18th they had made an attack in force, and gained possession of the heights commanding that town, whence the outpost had been obliged to retire. They afterwards attempted to drive in other outposts, but for the time were repulsed. General Hill now sent intelligence of the enemy’s in- tentions on his side to move to- wards the Tagus ; and it was be- come necessary for Lord Welling- ton to be near him, that their two armies might not be insulated and rendered incapable of communica- tion. His lordship therefore found it advisable to take the mortifying step, on the night of the 20th, of breaking up the siege, and moving his whole army back to the Douro. He affirms, that he was never’ very sanguine in his hopes of success in this siege, though the advantage he would have derived from the possession of the place appeared to justify a trial. He probably de- pended upon a coup de main, his artillery being apparently inade- quate to regular operations. The time lost before Burgos was, how- ever, a serious evil, by allowing the enemy to collect all his force, and was probably decisive of the remainder of the campaign, The retreat was at first unper- ceived by the enemy, who did not follow till late on the 22nd, They ANNUAL REGISTER, i812. afterwards pressed close on the rear of the allied army, making at-_ tacks with their cavalry and light troops whenever they had an op-~- portunity, in which considerable losses were sustained. On the 24th the army took up its ground on the Carrion; and on the 26th reached Cabecon, where it crossed the Pisuerga. The enemy having found means to pass that river, Lord Wellington broke up from — Cabecon, and crossed the Douro on the 29th. Finding that the French were in full march to Tordesillas, he marched again on the 20th, and posted his army on the heights be- tween Rueda and that town op- posite to the bridge. He con- tinued in that position on Novem- ber 3rd, the enemy having made no attempt to cross the Douro, along which river their army was ex- tended from Toro to Valladolid. The allied troops were withdrawn from Madrid, having first destroy- ed the fort of La China, and all the stores and guns it contained, which had not been carried away. A body of the enemy entered that capital on November 1. Sir Row- land Hill, who had retired from the Tagus, and taken post on the Jacama, was directed to quit that position, and march northwards ; and in the beginning of Novem- ber he arrived unmolested on the Adaja. The bridge of Toro having been repaired by the enemy sooner than Lord Wellmgton had expected, he directed Sir Rowland Hill to con- tinue his march upon Alba de Tormes, and on November 6th he himself broke up from his position before Tordesillas, and proceeded for the heights of St. Christoval in front of Salamanca, On the 8th he took | GENERAL | téok his position on those heights ; and upon the'same day General Hill occupied the town and castle of Alba, posting troops on the Tor- ‘mes to support them. The ene- ‘my, on the 10th, having brought up their forces near the positions of the allies on the Tormes, at- tacked the troops in Alba with a considerable body of infantry, and twenty pieces of cannon : but find- ing that they made no impression, they withdrew at night. On the 14th, the enemy having crossed the Tormes in force, Lord Wel- lington broke up from St, Christo- val, and moved with an intention to attack them ; but finding them too strongly posted, he withdrew all the troops from the neighbour- hood of Alba to the Aripiles, or heights near Salamanca which had been the scene of his victory. Find- ing, on the 15th, that the enemy were strengthening their positions, and pushing on bodies to inter- upt the communications of the al- lied army with Ciudad Rodrigo, his lordship determined to move upon that place, which he reached on the 19th, followed by a large body of the enemy, which, how- ever, did not press upon his rear, ‘Some loss was sustained from a _ eannonade in passing a river ; and -Lieutenant-General Sir Edward 3 t had the misfortune to be _ taken prisoner, as he was riding ) alone through awood. Lord Wel- lington had reason to believe that the whole of the enemy’s dispos- able force was upon the Tormes in the middle of this month, and he computed them at 80 or 90,000 men, with 200 pieces of cannon. On the 24th of November, the head-quarters of the allies were again established at Freynada on HISTORY. (157 the Portuguese frontier, and the greater part of the enemy’s forces had re-crossed the Tormes, and were marching towards the Douro. General Hill had withdrawn south- wards to Coria, in Estremadura. Such, in its main points, was the peninsular campaign of the year 1812; for the numerous con- flicts between the Guerilla parties and the scattered forces of the in- vaders, besides that they are repre- sented in totally different colours by the several antagonists, had too little influence on the general re- sult to require a particular narra- tive. It will be seen, that the vi- gorous efforts made by Lord Wel- lington to penetrate to the centre of Spain, and take advantage of the weakened condition of the French, whose ruler had in this year directed the chief force of his empire to a very distant quarter, formed the great chain of events, They obliged the invaders to with- draw their- forces from the south- em provinces, to break up the lines of Cadiz, which had so long held the Spanish government in inglorious fetters, to remain merely on the defensive on the eastern coast after the capture of Valencia, and to concentrate all their dispos- able force against the progress of the conqueror at Salamanca. That they were at last successful, and that the high hopes of the British nation, elevated by repeated tri- umph, were finally frustrated, only proves that the strength and acti- vity of the French in Spain were greater than had been calculated upon, and, probably, that the ex- ertions of the Spaniards were as much less. The conduct of Lord Wellington obtained universal ap- plause and admiration from his countrymen 7 158] countrymen, and was repaid by more honours and rewards than had been bestowed on any British general since the time of Marlbo- rough. In the course of the year he added to his former titles those of Earl and Marquess, and received from parliament the most substan- tial proofs of the nation’s gratitude. That he could have done more than he effected, no one has yen- tured to surmise ; but whether it was within the duty, or the power of the English ministry to have placed him at the head of a greater force, will be differently judged of according to the opinion formed of the importance of the contest, and the resources of the country. That his army must have been much di- minished by the severe service to which it was put, could not be doubted; and they who were ac- quainted with its state must have been apprized of its inadequacy to effect the great things which were fondly expected from it; at the same time, so many other demands pressed upon the purse and the po- pulation of Great Britain, and its internal condition was so disturbed, that it is not extraordinary if sup- plies to maintain this distant war were dealt with a sparing hand. The public has never been acs quainted with the extent of the losses sustained by the allied army in this campaign; but there is no doubt that they must have been very considerable. In particular, its retreat from Burgos to its winter quarters, pursued by a superior and enterprising foe, though con- ducted with great military skill, could not fail of being very disas- trous. But more than its loss of men, horses, and equipage, is to be lamented the stain incurred by its ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. character on the occasion ; a stain impressed by the commander-in« chief himself. Lord Wellington, in an address to his army, has, in the face of his country, and all Eu- rope, reproached it with a want of discipline, greater, he says, than any army with which he had ever served, or of which he had ever read. He proceeds: ‘* It must be obvious to every officer, that from the moment the troops commenced © their retreat from the neighbour- hood of Burgos on the one hand, and from Madrid on the other, the officers lost all command over their men. Irregularities and outrages of all descriptions were committed with impunity ; and losses have been sustained which ought never to have occurred.” It is to be hoped that his lerdship’s feelings have given a degree of exaggera- tion to his expressions; otherwise it is difficult to conceive how such troops can recover the esteem of their countrymen, or deserve the confidence of their allies. We shall now take a view of the transactions of the Spanish Cortes and government during a period so fertile of important events to the nation. That many persons were dissatisfied with the proceedings of the Cortes, and were probably jealous of a design of that body, to perpetuate its power under a re- publican constitution, appeared from a speech of one of the mem- bers, Senor Vera, on December 29. After asevere censure of their con- duct, he moved the following pro- positions: 1, That a new regency should be forthwith appointed, and at its head a personage of the royal family, invested with the full pow- ers of king according to the consti- tution, 2. That such person be empowered | i | | GENERAL empowered to treat with friendly or neutral powers with regard to the maintenance of the armies. 3. That within the period of one month precisely, the discussions on the constitution be terminated, the regency be appointed, and the congress bedissolved. 4. That the Cortes do not re-assemble till the year 1813, according to the con- stitution, A warm discussion then took place, in which the elo- quent and patriotic Senor Ar- guelles appeared as the principal defender of the Cortes, On the succeeding day he moved the fol- lowing counter-propositions : 1. That no royal person be placed at the head of the regency in the ab- sence of Ferdinand VII. 2. That the ordinary Cortes be convoked at the precise period required by the constitution, and that the existing Cortes do not separate till the re- gency is arranged, the council of state, and the supreme tribunal of justice appointed, and the general treasury and the tribunal of ex- chequer accounts organized. 3. That on the dissolution of the Cortes, a deputation of sixty of their body remain, clothed with ample powers for watching over the constitution, &c. till the next Cortes be assembled. 4. That a special committee be appointed to devise the proper means for bring- ing to a speedy issue the great ob- ject of organizing the government. The issue of this debate was, that the propositions of Vera were rejected, and those of Arguelles appointed for discussion. __ On the 2nd of January the Cortes discussed a project presented for the improvement of the system of government, when the following propositions were approved : That HISTORY. [159 in the present circumstances there shall be appointed twenty counsel- lors of state, of whom two only shall be ecclesiastics; two only grandees of Spain : and the sixteen others taken from persons who serve, or have served, in diploma- tic, military, economic, or magis- terial offices; and who have dis- tinguished themselves by their ta~ lents, knowledge, or services: of these, at least six from the pro- vinces beyond the seas. A number of articles were then read and ap- proved respecting the obligations and powers of the regency. The change of the regency soon took place, in which the Duke del Infantado, then resident minister in England, was declared presi- dent, and the count of Lavistal (O’Donnel) vice-president. The members of the late regency were nominated counsellors of state. The new regency, on January 23, issued an address to the Spanish nation, urging them in energetic language to make every possible exertion for the safety and inde- pendence of the country, and not concealing the imminent dangers with which it was surrounded. The actions of this body corre- sponded with their words ; they were vigorous, prompt, and deci- sive: a variety of reforms were made, and attention was particu- larly paid to recruiting and disci- plhining the regular army, and to the formation of officers fit to be intrusted with command. The regency, in March, direct- ed a circular address to the people of Spanish America, setting forth to them the arduous struggle in which the mother country was engaged with an implacable foe, and the sa- lutary labours of the Cortes in form- ing 160] ing a constitution for the general benefit ; and expressing their hope that their American brethren would aid the cause by a voluntary sub- scription among all ranks and classes, to be deposited in the royal chests, and remitted to Spain. The Cortes, about this time, gave a further proof of the liberality of their sentiments, by a decree to enable all Spanish subjects of Moorish origin, either by the fa- ther’s or mother’s side, to take de- grees in the universities, and to enter the religious orders, or the priesthood — privileges, of which former bigotry had deprived them. The 18th of March presented an august and interesting spectacle to the citizens of Cadiz, and to all the Spaniards assembled for the purpose of witnessing the com- pletion of the labours of their repre- sentatives. On that day the general and extraordinary Cortes held a solemn sitting for the purpose of a public signature of the articles of the constitution. Deputies from all parts of the Spanish monarchy were present, and 184 persons signed two copies of the constitution. A decree which had been approved at a secret sitting was then read, re- lative to the succession to the crown, the object of which was to guard against its coming into the possession of those who were just- ly considered as enemies to the national independence. It was to the following effect: “ The gene- ral and extraordinary Cortes, con- sidering that the welfare and secu- rity of the state are incompatible with the concurrence of circum- stances in the persons of the Infant Don Francisco de Paula, and the Infanta Donna Maria Louisa, Queen of Etruria, brother and sister of ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. Don Ferdinand VII. have resolved to declare and decree, that the In- fant Don Francisco de Paula, and his descendants, and the Infanta Donna Maria Louisa and her de- scendants, remain excluded from the succession to the crown of the Spains. fault of the Infant Don Carlos Maria and his legitimate descend- ants, the Infanta Donna Carlotta Joaquina, Princess of the Brazils, and her legitimate descendants, shall come to the succession of the crown; and in default of her heirs, then Donna Maria Isabel, here- ditary Princess of the two Sicilies, and her legitimate descendants; and in default of these three nearest relatives of Ferdinand VII. and their descendants, then shall suc- ceed the other persons and lines who ought to succeed according to the constitution, in the order and form which it has established. At the same time the Cortes declare and decree excluded from the suc- cession to the crown of the Spains the Archduchess of Austria, Donna Maria Louisa, daughter of Francis Il. Emperor of Austria, by his first marriage, as also the descend- ants of the said archduchess.”’ A commission was then appoint- ed to carry the constitution to the regency, which received it with profound respect, and engaged to guarantee its observance in all the Spanish dominions. On March 20th, all the deputies assembled in — the hall of congress to swear to the constitution ; which being perform- ed, the regency co the hall, and with due solemnity took the oath of office prescribed in the 173d article of the constitution. The president of the Cortes then addressed the regency, and was replied In consequence, in de- GENERAL replied to by the president of that body; and the day closed with a solemn proclamation of the eonsti- tution, anda grand dinnet, at which the British ambassador was a conspicuous guest. _ In May, the Regency caused to be publishedia deere of the general and extraordinary Cortes, signily- ing; that, as it is provided in the. coustitution that the» Cortes be assembled every year, and that tlie observanée of this rule could never be more necessary than in the pre+ sent circumstances of the nation, the ordinary Cortes is to be con~ voked for the year 1813; but that as it is impossible that the deputies from the more distant parts can be assembled by the Ist of March, the opening is deferred to the Ist of October. Itisalsoa regulation, that no deputy for the present ex- traordinary Cortes can be elected for the ensuing ordinary Cortes, » _. The Cortes passed a decree in ‘June, detailing the mode of apply- ing to the wants of the state such part of the tithes as exceed what is “necessary for the maintenance of those who held ‘them. The juntas in the provinces were to assign the several quotas, and the intendants to levy them. Ia this month the Duke de Infantado arrived at Cadiz; and took his seat as president of the Regency. _ At asitting of the Cortes in Oc- tober, Senor Castello made a long and well-reasoned discourse con- cerning the inhumanity and in- justice of that regulation in’ the American colonies called the Mitas, by which each district is required to contribute a certain number of men for the cultivation of the land, the working of mines, and other ~ Vou. LIV, HISTORY. (16% task labour; and after a full discus- sion of the subject, the following propositious were put to the vote, and unanimously approved: 1, That the Mitas should be for ever abo- lished: 2. That the Indians should be exempted from the personal service they gave the clergy, or any other public fuuctionary whatever ; obliging them, nevertheless, to satisfy the parochial rights, in the same manner as the other classes: 3. That the public charges, such asthe rebuilding ef churches, and mnakiire roads, should be equally borne’ by all the mbhabitants indis- criminately:- 4. That divisions of lands should be made to the In- dians, leaviiig tothe provincial de- puties the care of assigning the quotas: 5. That in all the Ameri- ean ‘territories, some of the digni- ties should necessarily remain with the Indians. The policy as well as justice of thus endeavouring to coucilate this much-injured part of the colonial population to the mo- ther country, by redressing the cruel wrongs under which it has so Yong groaned, is evident; and if it has been a consequence of the civil war kindled in those regions be- tween the native and transatlantic Spaniards, the friends of humanity may be gratified by some compen- sation for the evils of which the war has been the cause. Ta the historical account of the last year, notice was taken of the jealousy prevailiis in the Spanish nation of any attempt to place their armies unter British com- mand, The great success and high merits of Lord Wellington in the campaign of this year overcame, in the general feeling, this repug- nance as far as regarded his person ; and 162] and the Cortes, which had elevated him to the rank of a grandee of Spain, at length gave the strongest proof of their esteem and confi- dence by a resolution declaring him commander-in-chief of the Spanish armies, When, in conse- quence of this appointment, his lordship sent an order to General Ballasteros, captain general of Andalusia, and undoubtedly one of the most zealous and active of the Spanish commanders, to move his army, that officer felt his honour so much piqued, and considered it . as such a national degradation, that he declined obedience. In a letter which he addressed to the war minister on the occasion, he stated in strong terms his sense of this affront, as he understood it, to his countrymen, and concluded with saying, that if the national armies and citizens, on being asked their opinion, should agree to the nomi- nation, he sold: resign his em- ployments, and retire to his home, in order to convince the world that he was actuated by no private views, but only by a regard to honour, and the good of his coun- try. The Regency, however, would not permit such an infrac- tion of the obedience due to the sovereign authority by any person of whatever rank ser ving under it; and issued a notice acquainting the public with the discharge of Don Fr. Ballasteros from his command in the army, and the appointment, ad interim, of Don Joaquim Virues in his stead. At the same time Ballasteros was put under arrest in the midst of his army, which made no resistance, and received an order to depart for Ceuta. To obviate any unfavourable impres- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. sion on the nation from this mea- sure, the secretary at war, on October 80, read before the Cortes a memorial (which was printed) setting forth the deplorable state of the country when the Regency assumed the reins of government, and the additions which had been made to its military force during the present year, with the im- provement. of its prospects since the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo by Lord Wellington. It) also men- tioned that orders had been sent to the generals in chief of the armies to. act in concert with, and ‘in’ obedience to, the Duke of rit Rodrigo. Such was the general atiitat of aifftins in Spain towards the close of 1812; meliorated, no doubt, by the liberation of the seat of government from a hostile block- ade, and by the recovery of seve- ral of the southern provinces from the yoke of the invader; but manifestly displaying the necessity of much more vigorous and com- bined efforts on the part of the nation to effect the expulsion of the foe, and secure its independ- ence, than have yet been made, even upon the supposition that the French arms shall continue to find so much occupation in other parts as to prevent any considerable re- cruit to their force in the Penin- sala, A plan has since been open- ed by Lord Wellington, of a con- nected system of “military com- mand and operation through the whole country, which, if carried into execution, may produce effects much more considerable than can be expected from the desultory efforts of guerillas and detached parties; but whether national jea- lousies | GENERAL, lousies and prejudices will permit | its adoption, seems at the present a matter of doubt. The kingdom of Portugal during this year enjoyed that exemption from hostile devastations which had been secured by the exertions of its great defender, interrupted | only by that irruption of the French into the lower Beira which was in- tended as a diversion in favour of | Badajos, then under siege by Lord Wellington. Opportunity was therefore given for the operations of agriculture, and the other means of recovery from the severe cala- mities it had undergone; and it cannot be doubted that the sums of money derived from English subsidies, and the expenditure of the English troops in their passage through Lisbon, materially aided the resources of the country. The assiduity of Marshal Beresford and the authority of Lord Wellington had placed the military establish- ment of Portugal upon a very re- spectable footing ; and before the -close of 1811 there were numbered _ of troops of the line and in gar- rison above 54,000, of militia 58,000, and of the ordenanza, | armed partly with pikes, partly | with muskets, above 200,000. Of the regulars, a large proportion served with the allied army in Spain, and on various occasions acquired great credit. On Febrnary 13, the govern- ment of Portugal issued a procla- mation addressed to the people in general, comparing their past and present state, and although point- ing out the improvement of their condition, yet showing the neces- sity of precautionary measures against such sudden inroads as HISTORY. [163 might possibly be made by the enemy. Of these, they specify the three following: 1. All persons capable of bearing arms must be exercised in the use of them; and those whose age or sex unfit them for military service, must take measures by anticipation for re- pairing the places of security in case circumstances shall make it necessary ; 2. They must carry off or conceal all money, gold, silver, or jewels which might tempt the avarice of the enemy: 3. They must carefully conceal, or if ne~ cessary destroy, all provistons that cannot be carried off, and remove cattle and carriages, in order to deprive the invader of means of subsistence and advance. That the Portuguese government did not entirely depend upon this country for defraying the expense of a war, a principal object of which was the security of that kingdom, wasevinced by the asser- tion of Lord Liyerpool when, in March, a message was brought to parliament from the Prince Regent, recommending the continuance of the subsidy paid to Portugal. His lordship said, that it would be a mistake to suppose that this sub- sidy of two millions sterling was adequate even to the military ex- penses of that country; for that its government had advanced, in addition, the sum of 1,800,000/. The treaty of amity, naviga- tion, aad commerce between Por- tugal and Russia, concluded at Petersburgh in 1798, now draw- ing toa termination, a renewal of it was agreed upon by the two parties, to remain in force till June 1815, with no other alteration than an addition to the duty on Portuguese [M 2] wines 164] ANNUAL REGISTER, i812. wines imported into Russia, cor- _ responding to the additional duties since laid upon other wines. The remainder of the year offers nothing remarkable with respect to this part of the Peninsula, which, partly by the exertions of its own troops under British command, had the satisfaction to see its security 7 from the common enemy greatly improved during the operations of this campaign, by the recovery of — the strong fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos from the pos- session of the French, and their retreat from the other parts of its frontier. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [165 CHAPTER XVII. France—Decree concerning Valencta—French occupation of Swedish Pomerania—Report by Murat—March of the Army towards Poland —Treaty with Prussia—Decree in favour of America—Napoleon arrives at Dantzic—Negociations—Treaty with Austria—Papers relative to the Differences with Russia—Advance of the French to Wilna—Polish Diet and Confederation—Riga—Alliance between _ England, Russia, and Sweden—Russians quit their Camp on the Duna, and French cross that River—Various Actions—Dunaberg taken—Smolensko carried by the French—Action of Valentina—Ad- vance towards Moscow—Great Battle of Borodino—French enter Moscow— Conflagration of that Capital—Enterprize of the Garrison of Riga—Alarms at Petersburgh—Advanced Guard of the French defeated—Moscow evacuated —Success of Witgenstein at Polotzk— Conspiracy at Paris—Negociations attempted with the Russtans— French retreat—Various Actions—Davoust and Ney defeated— - Dreadful sufferings of the French—Napoleon quits the Army, and arrives at Paris—Addresses of the Senate and Council, and Replies —Conclusion, 2 Mara French Emperor, on his | return from his tour in the Low Countries at the latter part of ¥811, was evidently meditating a grand stroke for the purpose of terminating his differences with the court of Petersburgh in a man- ner conformable to that continental system which he had made the base of his policy ; and the fate of the Peninsula was to be a secon- dary consideration in his councils till the other object was obtained. In the mean time, he was not un- mindfal of that plan ofattaching his generals and soldiers by rewards, at the cost of the vanquished, which has been discernible in all his wars. By a decree issued from the Tuilleries on January 2lst, he declares the annexation to his ex- traordinary domain of effects in the province of Valenciato the amount of a principal of 200,000,000 liv. ordering at the same time that the Prince of Neufchatel shall transmit to the intendant-general of that domain a statement of the generals, officers, and soldiers of his armies in Spain, particularly in that of Arragon, who have distinguished themselves, in order that they may receive proofs of his imperial munificence. The first military operation of Napoleon which cau be considered as connected with his northern projects, was the occupation of Swedish Pomerania. In January, a body of 20,000 French troops, ae 166] as itis said, under General Friant, entered that province. The capi- tal, Stralsund, being very weakly fortified, with a small garrison, made no resistance to a colonel who was sent to take possession of it on the 26th, and who required quarters and provisions, saying, in answer to a demand of payment for the latter, ** It is our custom and orders, that the country in which we are should furnish us with every thing needful.”” Friant entered on the following day; and when the Swedish general Peyron informed him that he should resist the occupation of the Isle of Rugen, the Freneh general told him that he was his prisoner, and put seals on the custom-house. A body of 2,000 men was drawn out with the intention of marching to Rugen over the ice; but the lieu- tenant who commanded a small fortress there, resolutely declaring that he would repel force by force, they were for the present remand- ed. The purpose of this unwar- rantable seizure of Pomerania was evidently that the French emperor might have a pledge in his hands to influence the conduct of Sweden in the approaching contest. Rugen was afterwards occupied by the French, the vessels and packets on the coast were detained for their service, and the Freneh colours were hoisted in place of the Swe- dish. In February, a fleet arriv- ing off Stralsund with General Engelbrecht on board, to ascer- tain the state of the French troops in Pomerania, and bring back those of Sweden, no communication _ with the shore was permitted, and all correspondence with the general was declined by the French com- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. mander, so that the fleet was obliged to sail back without effect- ing any thing. The French conservative senate held a sitting on March J0th, at whichthe Duke of Bassano (Maret), minister for foreign affairs, deli- vered in a report, the substance of which was, an invective against the maritime policy of England, and an exposition and eulogy of all the measures taken by the Emperor for asserting the liberty of the seas, and retaliating her arbitrary measures. In this piece it is explicitly declared, that ‘ till the British orders of council are rescinded, and the principles of the treaty of Utrecht towards neu- trals are again in full vigour, the Berlin and Milan decrees will re- main against those powers who allow their flags to be denation- alised.”’ A report of the minister of war follows, which begins with telling the Emperor that ** the greatest part of his Majesty’s troops have been called out of the territory for the defence of the grand interests which are to ensure the preponderance of the empire, and maintain the Milan and Berlin decrees so fatal to England,” It goes on to state the inconveniences which have arisen from committing the guard of the maritime places and establishments, during the absence of the troops of the line, to the fifth battalions, depéts, and marine troops ; and it proposes a division of the national guards into three bands, of which the first is to be composed of all the conscripts from 1806 to 1812 who have not been called to the army, and have not since married, out of which cohorts are to be formed, constantly under arms GENERAL HISTORY. erms, to do the coast duty. This plan was, of course, unanimously adopted ina senatus-consultum. It might be regarded as an indication that the whole strength of the French empire was about to be put forth in some mighty effort. Early in the spring, the French army, united to that of the Confe- deration of the Rhine, was in march to the frontiers of Poland. At tlie end of March, the field equipage of Napoleon had reached Dresden, and Marshal Ney had his head-quarters at Wiemar, A portion of the troops of Prussia had been placed at his disposal, the monarch of that country having been induced in this month to ra- tify a treaty of alliance with the French emperor, which was de- clared defensive against all the powers in Europe with which ei- ther’of the contracting parties has entered or shall enter into war, and reciprocally guaranteeing to each other the integrity of their present territory. That the Prussian king hesitated for some time to which of the great powers he should ally himself, since neither of them was likely to suffer him to. remain neuter, is very probable, but the rapid advance of the French would soon putan end to his inde- cision. About this time great changes were making in the French troops quartered in Spain. Some regiments of the imperial guard, and some Polish regiments, which were become veterans by their ser- vice in that country, were marched to France, while others, doubtless comparatively raw troops, were in motion to replace them. In the month of April, troops of all the nations under French command were incessantly proceeding to- [167 wards the Russian border. They crossed the Vistula to the number of 80,000, about the 20th, and af- terwards took possession of Elbing and Konigsberg. Napoleon left Paris on the 9th of May, accompanied by the Em- press and the Prince of Neufchatel (Berthier), and proceeded to Metz. Some time before his departure he had issued a decree tending to con- ciliate the American government to France ; the tenor of which was, that in consequence of an act of Qnd ef March 1811, by which the Congress of the United States enacted exemptions from the pro- visions of the non-intercourse act, which prohibit the entrance into the American ports to the ships and goods of Great Britain, of its co- lonies and dependencies ; consider- ing the said law as an act of re- sistance to the arbitrary pretensions consecrated by the British Orders in Council, and a formal refusal toadhere to a system derogatory to the independence of neutral pow- ers; it is decreed, that the decrees of Berlin and Milan are definitive- ly, and from the Ist of November last, considered as never having taken place with regard to Ame- rican vessels. The French emperor and em-~ press reached Dresden on the 16th, where they were to meet the em- peror and empress of Germany. Before this time the emperor Alex- ander, who had left Petersburgh on April 2Ist, was at Wilna, where was General Barclay de Tolly, general-in-chief of the first army of the west. In the begin- ning of May, the head quarters of the duke of Abrantes (Junot) were at Glogau in Silesia, and the French and allied troops of which his 168] his army consisted, were cantoned on both banks of the Oder. A numerous corps of Prussians was assembling at Breslau under Field- marshal Count Kalreuth. Quit- ting the festivities at Dresden, Na- poleon suddenly appeared at Dant- zic on June 7th, where he took a view of the different points of the coast. At this period, negociations seem to have been carrying on be- tween the two emperors; and a suspicion generally prevailed that the Russian would be so much overawed by the terrible storm impending over him, that his firm- ness would give way; whiist it was very certain that Napoleon, in the confidence of power and former success, would not yield a single poiut in a contest which had seemed to him important enough to justify such vast preparations. It was, however, an advantage to Alexander, that the destructive war between Russia and Turkey was at length terminated by a peace, which set free the veteran troops upon the banks of the Da- nube. On the other hand, a trea- ty was now made public, which had been signed in March, be- tween the emperors of France and Austria, and which included a re- eiprocal guarantee of each others territories, with the stipulation, if either of them should be attacked or menaced by another power, of sending a succour of 24,000 in- fantry and 6,000 cavalry, with 60 pieces of cannon, to march at the first requisition, The treaty also guaranteed the integrity of the do- minions of the Ottoman Porte in Europe, and recognized the prin- ciple of neutral navigation ; and the Austrian cmperor renewed his engagement to adhere to the pro- ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. hibitive system against English commerce, The immediate commencement of hostilities was preceded by the publication at Paris of certain pa- pers, the first of which was a note addressed on April 25th, by the Duke of Bassano, minister of fo- reign relations, to Count Roman- zow, Chancellor of Russia. In this paper, after a statemeut of the stipulations of the treaty of Tilsit, and the public wrongs imputed to the English cabinet, the writer proceeds to complain of the aban- donment by Russia of the princi- ples of that treaty, and of her en- gagement to make common cause with France, The first cause of complaint is the ukase which opened the ports of Russia to all ships laden with English colonial produce, English property, pro- vided they were under a foreign flag. The next is, the opposition made by Russia to the French an= nexation of the duchy of Olden- burg, rendered necessary by the uniting of the Hanseatic towns to France. Instead of amicably treat- ing for an indemnity for the duchy, the Russian cabinet made an affair of state of it, and issued a manifesto against her ally. Rus- sia is then charged with having disclosed the plan of a rupture ready formed : for, while dictating terms of peace to Turkey, she suddenly recalled five divisions of the army of Moldavia, in conse- quence of which, the army of the duchy of Warsaw was obliged to repass the Vistula, and to fall back upon the confederation, through the menacing posture of the Rus- sian armies, The paper then states four points on which the emperor of France was desirous that a ne- gociation GENERAL jation should be opened with icc Kurakin, and sketches the terms on which a conciliation might have been effected; and concludes with mentioning the overtures lately made to England, and with saying, that, whatever may be the situation of things when this note shall arrive, peace will still depend upon the determina- tions of the Russian cabinet. A note is then given from Prince Kurakin, the Russian minister at Paris, to the minister of foreign affairs. The prince states, that he is ordered to declare, that the pre- servation of Prussia, and her in- dependence from every political engagement directed against Rus- sia, is indispensable to the interests of his Imperial Majesty. In order to arrive at a real state of peace with France, it is necessary that there should be between her and Russia, a neutral country, not oc- eupied by the troops of either power. ‘The first basis of a nego- ciation must therefore be, a com- plete evacuation of the Prussian states, and of all the strong places of Prussia; a diminution of the garrison of Dantzic; the evacua- tion of Swedish Pomerania, and a satisfactory arrangement between the crowns of Sweden and France. On these conditions, the Emperor of Russia, without deviating from the principle laid down for the commerce of his states, and the admission of neutrals iuto his ports, will bind himself not to make any change in the prohibitive measures established in Russia against direct trade with England, and will also agree to a system of licences simi- Jar tu that in France, provided it be not calculated to augment the deterioration already experienced HISTORY. [169 in the trade of Russia. He will likewise treat on certain modifi- cations in the Russian customs for the advantage of the French trade. Further, he will conclude a treaty of exchange for the duchy of Ol- denburg for a suitable equivalent, and will withdraw his protest in support of the rights of his family to that duchy. Other papers published on this occasion were, the correspondence between the Duke of Bassano and Lord Castlereagh, respecting over- tures for peace, which have been already mentioned as a topic of parliamentary discussion ; with va- rious letters that passed between the Russian and French ministers. The publication of these pieces by the French government, indicated that it was confident in the good~ ness of its cause, at least as it would appear in the eyes of its own subjects, to justify the final appeal to arms; accordingly, a bulletin was issued from the grand army on June 22nd, shortly stating that no means were left to effect an understanding between the two courts, and that the emperor had issued orders to march for the pur- pose of passing the Niemen. Then followed «brief proclamation to his soldiers, conceived in his usual confident and laconic style; and this was his declaration of war. The disposition of the different French armies is thus mentioned in the bulletin: “In the com- mencement of May, the first corps arrived on the Vistula at Elbing and Marienburg, the second corps at Marienwerder, the third at Thorn, the fourth and sixth at Ploczk, the fifth at Warsaw, the eighth on the right of Warsaw, and the ninth at Pulawy.”” What was 170] was the united amount of all these divisions has not been exactly stated ; but it may be affirmed that never, probably, in modern Eu- rope, forces so numerous, and composed of such various people, were led under a single command to the decision of a political con- test. It is agreed that the armies of Russia, extensive as that em- pire is, were greatly outnumbered by the invaders ; whence a defen- sive plan was necessarily the only one that could be thought of by the Court of Petersburgh, to meet the danger. The French divisions were all in advance at the beginning of June. On the 11th of that month, the Prince of Ekmuhl (Davoust) had his quarters at Konigsberg, where he was joined by Napoleon in person; and on the 19th, the French emperor had advanced to Gumbinnen in his march to the Niemen. Three bridges being con- structed over that river, part of the army crossed without opposition on the evening of the 23rd, and on the 24th Napoleon was at Kowno on the other side. The rest of the army passed on the following days, and pushed forward in divisions, the Russian light troops retreating before them on all sides. Wilna, the capital of Lithuania, at which the emperor Alexander had for some time resided, was given up without a contest, the Russians, on the approach of the French, burn- ing the bridge over the Vilia, and after setting on fire their large ma- gazines in that city, hastily re- treated. On the 28th Napoleon entered Wilna, and the bridge was re-established. The Russians were pursued by the French advanced gnard, aud some skirmishing took ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. place, but with no material loss on either side. The Duke of Reggio. (Oudinot) had previously crossed the Vilia, near Kowno, on the 25th, and advanciug up the coun- try, had cbliged the Prince of. Wittgenstein, commandant of the first Russian corps, to evacuate all Samogitia, and the country be- tween Kowno and the sea, and re- tire upon Wilkomirz. On Oudi- not’s advance, the Russians. still retreated, and set fire to their ma~ gazines at Wilkomirz. At this time, a Polish party, un- der the influence of France, as- sembled a General Diet at War- saw, at which, on June 28th, a committee made a long report, dwelling in strong language on the injuries the nation had at dif- ferent periods sustained from Rus- sia, and the ties by which it was bound to France. It concluded with an act of General Confedera- tion, the sole object of which is declared to be, ‘* to rejoin the fragments of their country, dis- membered by the most unjust vio- lence, and to restore it to its former existence and prosperity.’” They then determine to delegate their - powers to a General Council, to be attached to the Grand Marshal, and to reside at Warsaw ; and to send a deputation to the King of Saxony, requesting his approbation of this act; and another to the Emperor Napoleon, begging his protection of “ the cradle of reviv- ing Poland.” Sanguinaryand un- justas Buonaparté’s proceedings to- wards Russia must be accounted, we cannot wonder that Poland, cruelly treated as she had been by the powers which usurped all her territory, and blotted her from the list of nations, should readily seize an GENERAL HISTORY. an occasion of recovering her poli- tical existence under the shelter of superior force. The French divisions continued to advance, and the Russian op- posed to them, to pursue the plan of gradual retreat. The latter reached the Duna about the 7th of July, without any considerable Joss, and began to concentrate on its banks. During these opera- tions the weather from extreme heat changed to cold and storm, which occasioned the loss of seve- ral thousand horses to the French army. Riga was now regarded as exposed to imminent danger, and its governor issued a proclamation to encourage the inhabitants to a vigorous resistance. Some British ships of war had entered its har- bour to assist in its defence. The Emperor Alexander, by a procla- mation, informed his subjects, that the French had passed the Russian border, and that Napoleon having paid no attention to the most mo- derate proposals of agreement, was resolved upon the ruin of the country, leaving him no other al- ternative than to repel force by force. About this time, treaties of peace and friendship were rati- fied between the King of Great Britain and the Emperor of Russia, and King of Sweden; thus sealing a bond of alliance which entirely changed the political system of the north of Europe. On the 9th of July, the French adyanced posts were on the Duna. Prince Bagrathion, the Russian commander, had been intercepted in his march towards Wilna, and had been obliged to move towards the Dnieper, whilst the French sessed themselves of Novogro- dek and Minsk, The great Duchy [171 of Lithuania was now considered by them as nearly conquered ; and Napoleon published an act, organ- izing a provisional government in it, with a national guard and a gendarmerie. The Emperor of Austria had at this time recalled his ambussador from Petersburgh, and had sent his quota of troops as ally to France, under the command of the Prince of Schwartzenberg, who had reached the Russian territory, The main Russian army, which was collected in a strongly en- trenched camp at Drissa on the Duna, evacuated it on the 18th, and moved eastward towards Wi- tepsk, where the Emperor Alex- ander was on the 19th. The King of Naples (Murat) crossed the Duna without opposition on the 20th, and spread his cavalry along the right bank of that river. Va- rious partial actions had occurred during these movements, the cir- cumstances of which areso diffe- rently related in the bulletins on each side, that nothing is left cer- tain but the general results. From these it appears that the Russians still persevered in their plan of re- treat, but occasionally checked the temerity of the invaders, who be- gan to experiencea greater degree of resistance in proportion to their advance. The Prussians, who com- posed the chief force of Marshal Macdonald, had been advancing through Courland, and a Russian corps at Mittau had been obliged to fight its way to Riga. This city was now thought in such imme- diate danger of a siege, that its suburbs were burnt down, witha vast destruction of naval and build- ing timber. The Russian army, when it quit- ted the entrenched camp at Drissa, consisted 172] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. consisted of five corps d’armée, one of which, under Gen. Wit- genstein, remained to cover Pe- tersburgh, while the other four marched by Polotzk to Witepsk. On July 25th, two French ‘divi- sions under Geu. Nansouty, en- countered the Russians in front of Ostrovno. On that and the two following days there was much sharp fighting in this quarter, the strength of the Russians being stated in the French bulletin at 60,000 infantry and 1,500 caval- ry. The loss on both sides was considerable, but the fruits of vic- tory remained with the French, who took many prisoners, and se- veral pieces of cannon. On the evening of the 28th, the Russian army was in full retreat towards Smolensko, and on that day the French entered Witepsk. During these transactions, Prince Bagra- thion, on his march, was attacked by the Prince of Eckmuh! (Davoust) near Mohilow, and an engagement ensued which continued the great- est part of the day. It concluded with the retreat of Bagrathion, un- molested, in the direction of Smo- lensko, where he joined the grand army. The vicinity of Polotzk was also near this time the scene of severe contest. Marshal Oudinot having crossed the Duna with the view, it is supposed, of coming round upon Riga was attacked by Count Witgenstein on the 30th and 31st, who, according to the Russian accounts, gained a com- plete victory. A French bulletin, however, represents the result of another action, on August Ist, to have reversed this fortune, and left the Russians in the state of entire defeat. The capture by storm of the fortress of Dunaberg, on July 30th, was a proof thet, on the whole, success still continued to attend on the French arms. The French troops now went for a short time into what were called quarters of refreshment, in order to recruit from their losses and fatigues. They were again in motion about the 12th of August, and the main body, under the King of Naples and the Prince of Eckmuhl, marched upon the Dnie- per in order to obtain possession of Smolensko, at which city the — principal force of the Russians was assembled. On August 16th, the heights of Smolensko were com- manded by the French troops: the place was reconnoitred by Napo- leon in person, and the army was arranged in its position. The par- ticular operations which ensued are not intelligible without a plan ; but it appears that the attack and de- fence were both conducted with vigour and resolution. On the night of the 17th, a dreadful con- flagration broke out in the town; and after midnight it was aban- doned by the Russians, who re- tired across the river. It was oc- cupied onthe 18th by the invaders, who at length succeeded in extin- guishing the fire. The contest for this important place is said to have engaged 100,000 men_ on each side; and the loss of lives could not fail to be considerable, but that of the Russians is, by the French accounts, stated at triple their own. On the 19th the French crossing the Dniester, made an at- tack on the Russian rear-guard, the last column of which retreated to the second, which was posted on the heights of Valentina. An action was brought on to force this position, in which a large od off a" of troops on each side was engaged, and the point was obstinately con- tested: it terminated in an unmo- lested retreat of the Russians. The banks of the Duna, near Polotzk, were the scene of some severe en- counters on the 16th and 17th, between Witgenstein and Oudinot, in which the success seems to have been nearly balanced. Of a number of inferior actions it is not worth while in this sketch to take notice. An accurate and impartial history of the campaign alone can render them intelligible, and clear them from the obscurity and con- tradictions resulting from the de- signed misrepresentations of both parties, At the beginning of the inva- sion of Russia, it appeared to have been the design of Napoleon to make a push at once for Peters- burgh, probably supposing that the imminent danger or capture of this metropolis would terminate the war, But the plan pursued by the Russian commanders to draw the principal force of their antagonists towards the Dnieper, necessarily changed that of the invader, whose object now became the possession of the ancient capital of the em- pire, Moscow. Its central situation amidst some of the most. fertile provinces of Russia, its vast ex- tent, and its ready communication with Poland and the countries of Europe to the west, obviously ren- dered it a most important station for carrying on a war which was now likely to be protracted at least to another campaign. Smolensko is in the direct road to Moscow, and at a less distance from it than from Wilna; to have occupied that city was therefore a material point GENERAL HISTORY. [173 gained towards the further progress of the invading army. The ad- vance of the latter, and, the retreat of the Russians before them, de- stroying or carrying off their ma- gazines, continued as before; and on the 29th, General Caulincourt entered Viasma, .a_ considerable town on the Moscow road. At this time Gen. Kutusoff had taken the chief command of the Russian armies. Hitherto no opposition of con- sequence had been given, to the French in their approach. towards the capital, but the time was now come in which an effort was to be made worthy of the prize contend- ed for. The Russians had taken a strong position at the village of Moskwa, between Ghijat and Mo- jaisk, where they were descried by the French on September Sth as they had begun to form a redoubt upon a height. This was immedi- ately attacked by Napoleon’s order, and carried. The next day passed in reconnoitering; and at day-break on the 7th, the French made an attack on the whole of the Russian position. They state the Russian forces to have amounted to 120 or 130,000. men, and acknowledge an equal number of their own, The battle soon became general, and lasted till night, with a dread- ful carnage on both sides. Batte- ries were taken and retaken, en- trenchments carried and recovered, and in the end each party claimed the victory. The French, who named this the battle of Moskwa, triumph without reserve. General Kutusoff says, that the result was, that the enemy,. with his superior force, in no part gained an inch of ground, and that he himself remained 174] ANNUAL REGISTER, remained at night master of the field of*battle, The village of Boro- dino gives the Russian appellation to this terrible conflict. Both sides made the usual demonstrations of success by acts of pious gratitude, which are always understood as addressed more to earth than to heaven; and it is left to the test of consequences to determine which was the chief gainer or loser by the event. One result which cer- tainly was not expected at Peters- burgh when they were singing Te Deum, was, that seven days after, being the 14th, at midnight,’ the French, after no other contest than some skirmishing with their ad- vanced guard, entered Moscow. Of the circumstances attending the capture and conflagration of this great city, very different ac- counts have been given. In the French bulletin which first relates the event, it is said that the gover- nor, Rostopchin, wished to ruin the city when he saw it abandoned by the Russian army—that he armed 3,000 malefactors from the prisons, and 6,000 satellites, and that the French advanced guard, when ar- rived at the center of the city, were received with a fire of mus- ketry from the Kremlin, or cita- del—that the King of Naples or- dered a battery to be opened, which soon dispersed this rabble; and that complete anarchy prevailing in the city, some drunken madmen ran through its different quarters, every where setting fire to them, the governor having previously car- ried off the firemen and engines. A subsequent bulletin gives the following account: ‘* On the 14th, the Russians set fire to the Ex- change, the Bazar, and the Hos- 1812. pital. On the 16th a violent wind arose: three or four thousand ruf- fians set fire to the city in 506 places at once, by order of the governor. Five-sixths of the houses: were built of wood; the fire spread with a prodigious rapidity ; it was an oceau of flame. Churches, of which there were 1,600, above 1,000 palaces, immense magazines, nearly all have fallen a prey to the flames. The Kremlin has been preserved. Above a hundred of the incendiaries have been appre- hended and shot; all of them de- clared that they acted under the orders of Rostopchin, and the di- rector of the police.’”” The horrid circumstance Is added, that 30,000 sick and wounded Russians had been burnt; but it is to be hoped that this is an exaggeration. A subsequent French account from Moscow says, that 300 incendiaries had been arrested and shot: they were provided with fusees six inches long between two pieces of wood, and also with squibs, which they threw upon the roofs of houses. The fires subsided on the 19th and 20th, but three-fourths of the city had been destroyed. Itis afterwares said that only one-tenth remained unconsumed, While the shock occasioned by this terrible catastrophe ef one of the most populous cities in Europe was still recent, the friends to the Rus- sian cause were willing to impute the disaster rather to the fire of the assailants, or to the con- fusion and anarchy prevailing in a captured city, than toa premedi- tated purpose on the part of the governor or the court; but when the proofs seemed to accumulate of a commanded agency in spread- ing | ing GENERAL HISTORY. the flames, arguments were fot wanting to show that on such emergencies, sacrifices of this kind, however severe, were not only jus- -tifiable, but were the truest patri- otism ; and that the depriving an imveterate foe of a comfortable abode during the winter in the heart of the country, was a point of such essential consequence, that it could scarcely be gained at too high’a price; and the sequel will render probable the justness of this Feasoning. It may be added, that nothing could more convincingly prove the fixed determination of the Russian government to enter into no compromise’ with the in- vader, than a resolution rather to destroy the venerable capital of the empire, than to-bargain for its safety. ~ General Kutusoff, in his report to l¢ Empeior Alexander of the loss of Moscow, mentions, however, as one reason for his declining to risk another battle to save it, that its issue would not only have proved destructive to his army, but have reduced Moscow to ashes. He further says, that all the valuables, the stores in the arsenals, and al- most all other property, imperial or private, were previously carried away, and that scarcely a single inhabitant remained in the town; which, on the other hand, looks more like a design of sacrificing the buildings. The general proceeds to say, that though the abandon- ment of the capital is very morti- fying, yet, that considermg the advantages which may accrue from it, the circumstance is no longer to be lamented. His pur- pose is, to occupy with his forces a line which shall command the roads leading to Tula and Kaluga, and « [175 annoy the whole line of the ene- my from Smolensko to Moscow. Baron de Wintzingerode was at this time posted to the north of Moscow, in order to cover Twer, and the roads leading to Peters- burgh, and other places on that side. A powerful Russian force was assembling tothe westward, of which the army from Molda- via formed a part. The garrison of Riga having been reinforced with a consider- able body of troops, its governor, Lieutenant-general Essen, laid a plan for surprising the Prussian corps posted in three divisions be- tween Mittau and Riga. He moy- ed on September 26, and obliged General D’Yorck to abandon his post, and retreat beyond Mittau. A series of actions took place dur- ing some succeeding days, which concluded with the return of the Russians to Riga, on October 2, after having, according to the Prus- sian accounts, sustained considera- ble losses. The Prussians saved the park of artillery destined to the siege of Riga, re-entered Mit- tau, and re-possessed theinselves of the positions they before occu- pied. The impression made at Peters- burgh by the fall of Moscow was necessarily that of great alarm, of which the court seems to have participated, even whilst it was en- deavouring to tranquillize the peo- ple. A supplement to the Peters- burgh Gazette of October 2, under the title, ** For Information, by> special Command,” acquaints the public, that measures are adopting in that city for the removal of cer- tain necessary articles; not, how- ever, from any apprehension of danger to the metropolis—aud-it proceeds 176] roceeds to state the circumstances vy which its safety is secured—but through timely foresight to be he- forehand with the freezing of the rivers. After some attempts at distinguishing between no present, but possible future, danger, it con- cludes with expressing a determin- ation, “* whatever may be the pro- gress of the enemy, rather to drain the last drop of the cup of misery, than by a scandalous peace, to subject Russia to a foreign yoke.”’ Another precautionary measure, not only important in itself, but as it included a - pledge of inviolable fidelity to, and confidence in, a new ally, was that of sending the whole naval force of Russia to win- ter in the English, ports, where. it arrived safe at the latter end of the year. vine si Napoleon continued at Moscow, and flattering accounts appeared in the French papers of his success in restoring order and procuring plen- ty in the place; at the same time it, is certain that he began to find his situation very uneasy, and severely felt the disappointment resulting from the destruction of so large a portion of the city, and the flight of its inhabitants. An extraordin- ary and atrocious proof of the acuteness of his feelings on this occasion, appeared in his appoint- ing amilitary commission at Mos- cow, on September 24, to try a number of poor wretches who bad been apprehended in the act of spreading the flames through the city on the days when the French entered it. Though a principal ob- ject of the inquiry was, to produce evidence that the conflagration was ordered and directed by the gover- nor, yet these men were capitally condemned for executing coms ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. mands, to them lawful; and tert ofthem were put to death with the ordinary forms of justice. After this mean act of vengeance, Na- poleon employed himself as if it were his intention to establish win- ter-quarters in the ruins of Mos- cow;,if such had not been his plan, it must be reparded as, in- fatuation, or indecision, unworthy of his. former character, which, in- duced him to postpone the moye~ ment of his vast army to a season immediately . bordering .upon..a northern. winter. But whatever might be his) secret purpose, his determination, was precipitated by, the event of, an action on the 18th of October. General. Kutusoff, having received information of the march of. a. French corps under General Victor, from Smolensko, to reinforce the grand army, re- solved to attack theadvanced guard commanded by Murat, and said to consist of 45,000 men, before they could be supported by the maim army. The attack succeeded, and left in the hands of the victor a considerable number of prisoners, and 38 pieces of cannon, which the badness of the roads prevented the French from. carrying’ away, The.consequence. of. this victory was, that on the 22nd the corps of General Winzingerode entered Mos= cow, which was evacuated, by the French garrison in sach haste, that they left the hospitals in the power of the foe. About the sametime other successes attended the Rus« sian cause. Count Witgenstein, after two days’ hard fighting with the French, under Marshal Gou- vion St. Cyr, in which he drove the enemy from his entrenchments, and pursued him to Polotzk, car- ried that place by storm on a er GENERAL HISTORY. ber 20. A number of prisoners were made in those actions, which cost many men on each side. While the French emperor was triumphing amidst the ruins of a hostile capital, 1,500 miles distant from his own, an attempt was made to subvert. his power at home, which, for a time, bore a formidable aspect, and if not speedily suppressed, might have been the commencement of a new revolution. Early in the morning of October 23, three ex-gene- rals, said to have been of the re- publican party, Mallet, Uahorie,and Guidal, having framed a ficti« tious senatusconsultum, wenttothe barracks occupied by the first divi- sion of the national guards and the dragoons of Paris,and having read a proclamation, informing them of the pretended death of the empe- ror on the 7th, ordered these troops, in the name of the regent, to follow them. The troops obey- ed, and suffered themselves to be led to different posts, where they relieved the guards. The conspi- rators then presented themselves at the apartments of the minister of the police, and the prefect of the police, whom they arrested, and carried to prison under an escort of 300 men. Another division, in the mean. time, was marched to the house of the commandant of Paris, General Hullin, when Mal- let informed him that he was no longer commandant ; and on Hul- lin’s hesitating to resign bis autho- rity, Mallet shot him in the neck with a pistol. Mallet then pro- ceeded with the design of arresting the chief of the etat-major of Pa- ris; but this person had several of- ficers in his apartment, who prov- ing too powerful for Mallet, ar-- Vor. LIV. [177 rested him. They then harangued the troops which had accompanied him, and having succeeded iu con- vincing them that the emperor was not dead, and that this was a con- spiracy, they laid down their arms. The troops cantoned in Versailles and the neighbourhood were then sent for, the barriers were shut, and the conspirators, being, be« sides the three generals, about 20 officers and sub-officers, were ar- rested and committed to prison 5 and in a short time Paris was per+ fectly tranquil. It is asserted by authority, that not a single citizen of Paris or the departments was suspected of being an accomplice in this affair. A military commis- sion was convoked to try the cvl- prits, which declared the three ex- generals and eleven others “ guilty of the crime against the safety of the state,” and adjudged them to death, acquitting the rest. The execution took place on October 30, in the plain of Grenelle, in the midst of a numerous coucourse of spectators; and thus the conspi- racy seems to have been completely extinguished, no relics of it having since been, brought to light. Itsexist- ence, however, is a proof that dis- affection prevails to a certain de- gree in the national guard of Paris, that body which acted so import- ant a part in the Revolution, and which may possibly give origin to some future political change. It is proper to remark, that several additional and varying circum- stances relative to the conspiracy have been published from private communications, some of which indicate much deeper contrivance and greater probability of success than could be inferred from the accounts anthorised by the govern- [NJ ment ; 178] ment; but nothing has since ap- peared to give room for suspect- ing that any germ of it is still in being. The desertion of Moscow by Na- poleon (who quitted it the day af- ter the defeat of Murat) was equally a subject of surpriseand speculation at Paris, the public papers of which exhausted their ingenuity in find- ing excuses and motives for this event. One of them thus con- cludes its reasonings: ‘ To say that the emperor has left Moscow is only to say, that this father of the soldiers marches wherever great operations demand his presence. His presence commands victory ; ~it will still watch over the safety of the victorious army.’’ We shall see in the sequel how well this ex- pectation was verified. The first proof of the great change of situa- tion between the two armies, was the mission of Lauriston to Kutus- off, in order to propose an armis- tice and treat of peace. The an- swer given was, that no negocia- tion of this kind could be enter- ed upon till the French had re- passed the Vistula; and when Lau- riston observed in reply, that they must then retire fighting every inch, since the Russian armies were marching on all sides, Ku- tusoff rejoined, that as the French had not been invited to Moscow, they must get back as they could. Murat also is stated to have gone to the advanced posts, and held a conference with General Milar- dovitch, probably for the purpose of bringing about an armistice, but from which he derived no satisfac- tion. At this time the Russians had cleared both banks of the Duna, as far as Witepsk, from the inva- ders ; and the province of Volhyaia ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. was entirely freed from the ene= my. The French grand army first di- rected its march upon Kaluga ; but finding obstacles in that quarter, the route was changed towards Mojaisk. The Russians pressing upon it, an engagement was brought on at Malo-yaroslavetz, on the 24th, in which, as usual, the French claim a victory; at least, it appears that they checked their pursuers. On November 9, Napoleon arrived with the impe- rial guard at Smolensko. Of the encounters.in this interval, between the retreating and the pursuing ar- mies, the relations by the two par- ties are so irreconcilable that we shall not attempt to form them into a consistent narrative. It is only certain that much loss was sustained by the French, which they were not in a condition to re- pair. The Russian winter, which began on the 7th with deep snow, greatly added to their difficulties and sufferings, and their bulletins acknowledge the loss of many men by cold and fatigue in their night bivouackings. Two intercepted letters from the viceroy of Italy, Eugene Napoleon, to the Prince of Neufchatel, atford undeniable evi- dence of the extreme distress to which the retreating French were reduced. Inthe first, dated No- vember 8, he speaks of an attack on the head, rear, and center of his columns by the enemy, in which two of his cannon were carried off ; and after mentioning his embarrass- ments, and his critical situation, he says, ‘* I must not conceal from your highness, that after using every effort in my power, I have yet found it impossible to drag my artillery, and that, in this respect, great GENERAL great sacrifices must be expected.” In the second, on the following day, he mentions the incredible ef- forts he has made for a small ad- vance, and says, ‘‘ These three last days have cost us two-thirds of the artillery of this corps of the army. Yesterday about 400 horses died ; and to-day perhapsdoublethat num- ber have perished, exclusive of the great number which I have caused to be put on for the military bag- gage, and for that of individuals, Whole trains of horses have pe- rished in the harness at once.—I must not conceal from your high- ness, that these three days of suf- fering have so dispirited the sol- dier, that I believe him at this*mo- ment very little capable of making any effort. Numbers of men are dead of hunger or cold, and others in despair have suffered themselves to be taken by the enemy.” In thisdreadful condition he was again attacked by General Platoff, at the head of his Cossaks, who, in his report to Marshal Kutusoff, speaks of 3,000 prisoners, and 62 pieces of cannon, as the result of his vic- tory. The pursuit of the retreating ar- my, on its route to Smolensko, still continued ; and on the 10th, a body of 2,000 men, with 60 officers, be- ing a division of General Auge- reau’s corps, was surrounded b the cavalry of Count Orloff Deniz- off, and laid down their arms, after a feeble resistance. On the 14th. Count Witgenstein, who had made himself master of Witepsk, was attacked by Marshal Victor, in consequence of an order to drive him beyond the Duna. After an obstinate action, which continued the greatest part of the day, the French retired with considerable HISTORY. [179 loss, having failed of their purpose. Several other actions took place, which are represented as being uniformly favourable to the Rus- sians, and were preludes to much More important successes. The French, who, after blowing up the fortifications of Smolensko, were marching upon Krasnoi, a town to the south-west of that city, were overtaken by the advanced troops of Marshal Kutusoff’sarmy, which had made prodigious exertions for that purpose, and on November 16, the corps of Marshal Davoust, which had been turned by Prince Galitzin, was brought to action. The battle lasted the whole day, Napoleon himself being in the field, which he quitted without waiting for the issue. It termin- ated in the complete destruction or dispersion of Davoust’s army, which, besides a very heavy loss in killed and wounded, had above 9,000 men, with two generals and many inferior officers, taken pri- soners, and lost 70 pieces of can- non. An additional force was then sent to reinforce General Millardovitch, in order to stop the advance of Marshal Ney with the rear divisions of the French, On the 17th, under cover of a thick fog, Ney’s troops got unperceived to the foot of the Russian batteries, and endeavoured to pierce through the lines of their opponents. Their efforts, however, were ineffectual, and after great carnage from the Russian cannon and musketry, the remainder, in number 12,000, at midnight, laid down their arms, giving up their cannon, bayyage, and military chest. Ney himself escaped, wounded, by flight across the Drieper. In the further retreat to the [N 2] banks 180] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. banks of the Berezyna, various en- counters took place, the result of which is, as usual, very differently related by the two parties. The most considerable was one which terminated, on the 28th, in the capture, by General Witgenstein, of a French division, said to con- sist of 8,800 men. During this time the cold was intensely severe, occasioning dreadful sufferings to the fugitives, and almost annihil- ating their cavalry. When they arrived at the spot where the roads to Minsk and Wilna divide, they took the route to the latter town, first sending off their wounded, with the baggage. In these move- ments, Napoleon always marched in the midst of his guards, whom, by care and indulgence, he had preserved in tolerable plight. It is mentioned in the French ac- counts, that to such a degree was the cavalry of the army dismount- ed, that it was necessary to collect the officers who had still a horse remaining, in order to form four companies of 150 men each. This sacred squadron, as it is termed, in which generals performed the func- tions of captains, and colonels of subalterns, never lost sight of the emperor. At length, all danger from the pursuers being passed, Napoleon, on December 5, having called together his principal offi- cers, and informed them of the appointment of the king of Naples as his heutenant-general, set off in a single sledge under the title of the Duke of Vicenze. He passed through Wilna, Warsaw, Dresden, Leipzic, and Mentz, and arrived at Paris on the 18th, at half past eleven at night. Thus terminated a campaign more destructive of human lives than perhaps any other in which the ruler of France has been en- gaged, and certainly more injuri- ous than any other to his political and military reputation. He was able, indeed, at the head of an immense force, to penetrate to an- other and remoter European capi- tal; but instead of attaining the professed object of his mighty pre- parations—an object apparently in- commensurate with his exertions —all he effected was,'the destruc- tion of a fine city, and the devas- tation of a large tract of country, at the price of leaving the hostile plains thronged with the carcases of his subjects and allies, a still greater number in a state of: capti- vity, and all his artillery and stores in the hands of the enemy. He obtained no addition of glory, ei- ther as a statesman or a general, . and returned like a fugitive, escap- ing from danger and disgrace. Every art, however, had been em- ployed to palliate these misfor- tunes, or conceal their extent from the eyes of the French people; and the recent suppression of a conspi- racy had, as usually happens, strengthened the authority of the government. He was, therefore, received at Paris with the accus- tomed tokens of reverence and at- tachment ; and on the 20th, being seated on his throne, surrounded by all the great officers of state, he was waited upon in full cere- mony by the senate, whose presi- dent, the Count Lacepede, deli- vered an address to him asloyal and adulatory as if he had been an he- reditary monarch returning in tri- umph. Hisreply was remarkable: it particularly alluded to the duty of courage in magistrates, and their obligation to die in defence of GENERAL of their sovereign and his throne. «« When (said he) I undertook the regeneration of France, I entreated of Providence a determinate num- ber of years. Destruction is the work of a moment; but to rebuild requires the aid oftime. The ral- lying cry of our fathers was, The king is dead—long live the king. These few words comprehend the principal advantages of the monar- chy.” This was a manifest intima- tion of the necessity of supporting an hereditary succession in the new dynasty. The council of state being next introduced to pay their hom- age, the Count Defermon, minister of the finances, pronounced a speech, in which he touched upon the delicate topic of the late con- spiracy, planned, he says, ‘* by a maniac, who, for a previous of- fence, had deserved a punishment which his Majesty had been so ge- nerous as to remit.’ Napoleon’s answer contains a sentence which might become our warmest op- posers of theoretical principles of government, ‘ It is to that ideal system, to those dark metaphysics which, in pursuing withsubtlety the HISTORY search after first causes, seek to found upon their basis the legisla- tion of nations, instead of accom- modating laws to the knowledge of the human heart, and to the lessons of history, that we must attribute all the misfortunes which our fa- voured France has experienced.” He makes the same allusion to the necessity of courage in a magistrate that was contained in his reply to the senate, and reminds the coun- cil of the examples of the presi- dents Harlay and Molé in the time of the League. Notwithstanding these public exhibitions of loyalty, it is afirmed in private accounts, that on the ar- rival of intelligence, which could not be suppressed, of the disastrous condition in which Napoleon had left his army, many symptoms broke out of popular discontent and indignation. Nothing, how- ever, occurred which indicated any serious danger to his authority ; and the year closed with the most ostentatious declarations of a reso- lution to persist in the same politi- cal plans, and with confident pre- sages of final success. [181 CHAPTER 182] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. CHAPTER XVIII. Russia.—War with Turkey—Treaty of Peace—Treaties with Sweden and England—French Invasion and Retreat.—Sweden: its Policy— Diet—Treaty with England—Warlike Preparations—Denmark— Austria—Hungarian Diet—Germany—Sicily : its new Constitution — Turkey. bs beer that relates to the oc- currences in the Russian empire during this year has been necessarily anticipated in the last chapter, on account of its inti- mate connection with the affairs of France; but various circum- stances remain to be considered, in which Russia either stood apart from that power, or acted upon her own plans, without the imme- diate compuision of events. The close of the last year left the Russians in a course of success against the Turks, who, under the grand vizier, had crossed the Da- nube with their best troops. The Petersburgh gazette contains a re- port from General Kutusoff of the surrender of the vizier’s army ‘as prisoners of war, with all their artillery, on November 26th (De- cember 8th)after having lost 10,000 men in different attacks. This event, it was generally thought, would beso decisive of the Russian superiority, as to lay the Turks at their feet, and oblige them to con- sent to such conditions of peace as might be imposed by the con- querors ; but the Ottoman Porte continued firm in the resolution of making no sacrifice of territory, and appearances were made of vi- gorous preparation for another cam~ paign. Doubtless, the prospect of an approaching necessity to the Russians of employing their prin- cipal force in the defence of their own country, which the French emissaries would not fail of making known in its full extent atyCon- stantinople, greatly encouraged that court in its determination. An armistice, however, for an inde- finite period, was in the meantime concluded between the Russian and Turkish commanders, and a congress for negociations of peace was sitting at Bucharest. Notice having been given of the cessation of the armistice, arms were resumed on the 10th of Fe- bruary, and the Russian troops were put in motion towards dif- ferent points of the Danube to prevent the crossing of that river by the Turks, The Russian ad- vanced guard passed to the right bank of the Danube on the 13th with little opposition, and the Turkish posts fell back upon Rudschuck, where the grand vizier lay with 20 or 25,000 men, wait- ing to be joined by the reinforce- ments which were on their march from all parts of the Ottoman em- pire. General Langeron was at this time commander-in-chief of the Russians, and his head-quarters were GENERAL were at Giurgewo. These warlike demonstrations, however, had no consequences, The exhaustion of one empire, and the critical state of the other, rendered the necessity of a peace so evident to both parties, that after a considerable time spent in adjusting the terms, a treaty was finally concluded, the ratification of which was announced at Petersburgh by a Te Deum on August 14th. By its principal article respecting territory, the river Pruth, from its entrance into Moldavia to its junction with the Danube, and the left bank of the Danube to its mouth at Kilia, are declared the European boundaries of the two empires; the Porte re- linquishing to Russia all the dis- tricts, fortresses, aud towns to the left of the Pruth. The Danube may be navigated by the merchant vessels of both powers, but Russian ships of war are not to come higher than the mouth of the Pruth. Full amnesty is granted to the subjects of each power who have taken the opposite part in the war; and in particular, the Porte grants a pardon to the Ser- vians, and consents to demolish the fortresses lately erected in their country, putting garrisons in the ancient fortified places. _The Porte also offers its mediation to restore peace between Russia and Persia, on the frontiers of which, hostilities had for some time subsisted, and _ with some disadvantage to the Russians. Thus was terminated a destructive and protracted war, with an acquisition to Russia of an unhealthy slip of country to her already unwieldy mass of ter- ritory, at a cost which she doubt- less severely felt in the arduous HISTORY. contest almost for existence that awaited her. It was the obvious policy of the Russian court, not only to free itself from an enemy, but to ob- tain new friends, in order to strengthen it for the coming en- counter. The Swedish govern- ment,which had given unequivocal proof of a disposition to assert its independence against the requisi- tions of France, was naturally the first object of amicable negociation, and. a Russian general arrived at Stockholm on March 21st for the purpose of opening a treaty. Some difficulties probably arose, for the sovereigns of the two countries | thought proper to have a personal interview in order to bring matters to a final adjustment. The Em- peror Alexander, and the crown- prince of Sweden, met at Abo in Finland on August 28th. The emperor, who had been on the spot some days, waited upon the crown-prince immediately after his arrival ; and banishing all cere- mony, they had a conference which lasted four hours, aud from which all their attendants were excluded ; but the English minis- ter, Lord Cathcart, was present. The result has not been made pub- lic, but it was the general opinion that Alexander promised the resti- tution of Finland to Sweden within six months, on the condition of a co-operation of the Swedish troops against the French. We shall see, however, that no such co-operation actually took place during the cam- paign of this year. No difficulty seems to have oc- curred in settling a treaty between Russia and England, the interests of the two nations so well coin- ciding [iss 184] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. ciding in opposition to the ambi- tious projects of the French ruler. A treaty of peace and amity was ratified on August Ist, by which the former relations of friendship and commerce between the. two countries were re-established, and an alliance defensive against all powers who, in resentment of this treaty, should attack either of the contracting parties, was agreed upon, The assistance given by the English fleet in the de- fence of Riga, and the confidence with which Russia intrusted its whole naval force to winter in the English ports, have already been mentioned as consequences of this renewed friendship. Whatever fluctuation there might have been in the Russian councils at the remote prospect of a contest with the most formidable power that Europe had ever beheld, there was no symptom of indecision as the storm rolled nearer: and the conditions which the court of Petersburgh proposed as the price of a continuation of its amity in- dicated a firm resolution to main- tain the independence becoming a great and powerful empire. Alex- ander had taken post at Wilna in order to be at hand for assisting in the deliberations respecting peace and war. When the attack upon his troops at Kowno, and the ad- dress of Napoleon to his army, had decided the point of hostility, he issued, on June 25th, general orders to his armies, declaring the war to be commenced, and ex- pressing confidence in the bravery of his troops, and the justice of his cause. The plan of the cam- paign was wisely framed on the defensive system, avoiding as long as possible a general action witha foe so much superior in numbers and appointment, and whose im- petuosity and military skill would doubtless render his first onset almost irresistible. Alexander him- self, when compelled to leave Wil- na, prudently returned to Peters- burgh, aware that the presence of the sovereign, when not profes- sionally qualified for military com- mand (which he can very rarely be), is only an impediment to the operations of his generals. The disasters occasioned by the first rush of this dreadful torrent were met with a resolution and magnani- mity onthe part of the Russian government; and even after the loss and destruction of the ancient capital, not the most distant idea seems to have been admitted of yielding to the will of the invader, Nor, ina war like this, would it be just toattribate to a want of feeling for the severe sufferings of its sub- jects, this pertinacity of resistance ; it was not a war for the attainment of an object of ambition, in which the happiness of the people had little or no concern, but for that national independence, without which there can be neither public honour nor private prosperity. Further, it became evident, after the battle of Borodino, that the plan adopted was almost certain of final success. The assailants were continually diminishing in number and strength ; while the reinforce- ments of the defenders were con- centrating on al} sides, and their confidence rose in proportion as that of their enemies subsided. The sure aid of their terrible winter was also approaching ; and even had the- houses of Moscow been left standing, no prudent general would have thought of wintering in GENERAL HISTORY. in the heart of a hostile country, cut off by a long tract of deserts (for such they had been rendered) from all military communication with the source of his supplies. The retreat of the French was at length fully decided, and Russia was left at liberty to adopt a system of action not imposed by the present necessity of making defence against superior power. At this period, in October the Emperor Alexander issued a pro- clamation which gave a spirited, but unexaggerated, view of the relative situation of the two anta- gonists. ‘‘ Russians! (said he) at length the enemy of our country, the foe of its independence and freedom, has experienceda portion of that terrible vengeance which his ambitious and unprincipled ag- gression had aroused. From the period of his march from Wilna, his army, great in numbers, as- sured in valour and discipline, and elated at the remembrance of vic- tories gained in other regions, threatened no less than the subju- gation of the Russias, The system which we had thought fit to adopt strengthened that confidence. The sanguinary battles fought on his route, and which gave him tem- porary possession of Smolensk, flattered him with all the illusions of victory. He reached Moscow, and he believed himself invincible and invulnerable. He now exulted in the idea of reaping the fruit of his toils, of obtaining for his sol- diers comfortable winter-quarters ; _ and of sending out from thence, next spring, fresh forces to ravage and burn our cities, make captives of our countrymen, overthrow our laws and holy religion, and subject every thing to his lawless will. [18s Vain presumptuous hope ! insolent degrading menace! A population of forty millions, attached to their sovereign and country, and devoted to their religion and laws, the least brave man of whom is superior to his confederates and victims, can- not be conquered by any hetero- geneous force which he could muster.” After recounting what has been done, the emperor goes on to observe, “‘Much however remains to be done, and that is in your power. Let the line of his retreat be rendered memorable by your honest indignation: destroy every thing which can be of ser- vice to him, and our commanders have orders to remunerate you. Render your bridges, your roads, impassable. In fine, adopt and execute the suggestions of a brave, wise, and patriotic heart, and show yourselves deserving of the thanks of your country and your sove- reign.” With what effect these injunctions were put in practice may be inferred from the narrative already given of the disastrous re- turn of the surviving French from the country they had so cruelly desolated. It only remains to be observed, that the Russians, not contented with the complete ex- pulsion of their invaders, followed up their success without takin the repose usually allotted to the winter, and exerted themselves for the recovery of the districts an- nexed to their empire, and the renewal of their former influence in that part of Europe. But the particulars of these vigorous efforts will form materials for the public history of another year. SWEDEN continued during this year to fix the attention of poli- ticians, by a system of conduct that 186] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. that gave scope to a variety of conjectures, but which was pro- bably a necessary consequence of her peculiar situation. The state- ment of her affairs made by the crown-prince to the king, on the resumption of the royal authority by the latter on January 7th, was noticed in our last volume. It evidently pointed at a system of independent neutrality as that which ought to be adopted by the kingdom, and which it possessed - the means of maintaining. In the same month, some representations were made by the Swedish mi- nister at Paris on behalf of mer- chants whose ships had been taken by French privateers during the war; to which the answer given was, that the war had liquidated all these claims. Shortly after, the French chargé d'affaires at Stockholm made a requisition in - behalf of certain French, Dutch, and Genoese creditors of the state, demanding that the commissioners for the national debt should pay them, if not their capitals, at least the interest which had accrued. To this, the Swedish minister for fureign affairs was directed to re- turn the same answer that was given in the former case, ** That the war between the two powers had liquidated all debts whatever.” These replies and retorts indicated little wish in the two courts to live in harmony with each other. The occupation of Swedish Po- merania by the French has been mentioned as one of the earliest military events of the year. It seems at first to have produced the intended effect of influencing the Swedish government; for in an official publication by that govérn- aent on the subject of the en- trance of’ the French into Stralz sund, it is said that this proceeding was not to be regarded as a hostile’ act. An application, also, made by the merchants to the Crown Prince for permission to import goods from Great Britain, met with a decided negative; and it was followed by strict orders to the governor of Gottenburgh not to admit British merchandize into the ports of Sweden without im- mediately sequestrating the same. As the prospect of hostilities be- tween France and Russia, how- ever, became more certain, the conduct of Sweden assumed a more determinate aspect; and when the Russian general Von Suchtelen was on his mission at Stockholm, he was joined in the beginning of Apmil by Mr. Thornton, the Eug- lish minister, though as yet under no public character. On April 20th the diet of the kingdom as- sembled at Orebro. It was opened by a speech from the king, in which, after alluding to the happy effect of various acts passed at the former diet, he says, “I have called you together at a moment when great and important occur- rences out of our native country seem to threaten Europe with new misfortunes. Guarded by her situa- tion from the forced obligation of paying obedience to foreign sway, which possibly might not accord with her own interests, Sweden has every thing to hope from unity, valour, and conduct; every thing to lose, if she gives herself up to intestine divisions, and un- wise fear.’’, His Majesty proceeds to set forth the advantage of union, and hints at the reasons which in- duced him to convoke the diet at Orebro rather than at Stockholm; and GENERAL ahd he concludes his “ fixed de- termination of going hand in hand with his son (the crown-prince) in defiance of threats from with- out, and possibly, of opinions at home, to maintain the liberty and independence of this ancient realm.”’ In the reply of the crown-prince to the states, there is a passage, ad- dressed particularly tothe burghers which still more explicitly declares the policy intended to be adopted. ** You will show what a nation is. capable of effecting when deter- mined to free its commercial in- dustry from all foreign yokes.” At this period, orders were sent to the coast to afford British ships in distress every assistance they might require; and Mr. Thornton was received at Orebro as the accredited minister of Great Britain at the Swedish court. The following decree relative to commerce was afterwards issued by the Swedish government : Art. 1. From the 15th of Au- gust all the ports of Sweden shall be opened to vessels of every flag and nation ; but every foreign ves- sel is only allowed to import such goods as are either produced or manufactured in that very country or its colonies, Art, 2. All goods imported by foreign vessels to pay 40 per cent more duty than such as arrive in Swedish ones; every vessel acting againsttheabove order, and import- ing such goods as are not derived from her home country, shall be confiscated, together with its cargo. Art. 3. Swedish vessels are al- lowed to import all goods from every place of the world. The exports are equal for Swedish as for foreign vessels. The diet closed on the 18th of “HISTORY. [187 August, with a speech from the king, in _ which he congratulates the assembly on the spirit of unanimity which had_ prevailed in their deliberations. ‘* You have shown (he says) thata kmg with upright intentions, and an open candour, need not fear, even under foreign circumstances of great ims port, to rely on the deputies of his people; and that no foreign power can loosen or break those bonds of union, which bind together the heir to Sweden’s throne, and the free-born heirs to Sweden’s soil.’” He informs them that, confident in the maxim, that strong defensive preparations are the best means to ensure the peaceable situation of a state, he had found it necessary to pay a particular attention to the mnilitary force of the kingdom ; and he further announces, that on the 18th of last month he had concluded a peace with the king of Great Britain, which had been ratified two days ago. The crown- prince also delivered his farewell address on the same day, in which the leading topic was an eulogy on the coolness maintained in the de- liberation of the diet amidst the din of arms resounding from the Dwina to the Tagus, and the aui- mosity of some of their neighbours. The only warlike hint appears in the following passage, addressed to the order of knighthood and no- bility : «* Should circumstances re- quire it, should there be no hope for Sweden pursuing her way in peace, then will your king have recourse to your manly courage, and our watch-word shall be God, liberty, and our native country.’ The treaty with England above alluded to consists of only four articles, the import of which as the 188), the restoration of the relations of peace and commerce between the two nations on the footing whereon they stood on the Ist of January 1791, and an engagement on the part of the king of Great Britain to concert measures with the Swedish government for the secu- rity and independence of Sweden, in case she should undergo any at- tack in resentment of the treaty now entered into. The interview between the crown prince and the emperor of Russia at Abo has already been noticed, This circumstance, with the assembling of a fleet at Gotten- burgh apparently for the embarka- tion of a body of troops, excited great expectations in the north of some immediate co-operation on the part of Sweden with the armies of Russia; although the cautious language of the king and prince to the states seemed clearly to limit the intentions of the Swedish go- vernment to merely defensive mea- sures, It is true, the opportunity might have been taken, of an at- tempt to recover Pomerania, while the French armies were otherwise employed ; but the final success of the campaign was yet dubious; and Sweden, by keeping up a respect- able neutrality, might hope to ob- tain on easy terms by negociation, what could only be gained at great cost and hazard by war. The marching of troops towards the sea-ports was, however, continued till the month of October, when the lateness of the season began to render faint the expectation of the sailing of an expedition during the current year. In fact, whatever might have been the motive for ‘keeping up appearances of this kind, the Swedish government ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. steadily adhered to a plan whick can scarcely be doubted to have been dictated by the soundest policy relative to the circumstances of the country. Exhausted as it was by a former war, and by no means free from party dissension at home (of which sufficient in- timations are given in the king’s speech to the diet), it would have been the height of imprudence to have plunged into a dangerous quarrel; and the firm assertion of the national independence was glory enough for one of the se- condary states of Europe, at a time when so many of the first class were reduced to a condition which rendered them the mere satellites of overgrown power. With respect to Sweden we have only further to mention, that its government concluded a treaty of peace with the regency of Spain acting in the name of Ferdinand VII., thus bind- ing itself still more firmly to the cause opposed to that of France. DENMARK, overawed, robbed, impoverished, could scarcely do more in this revolutionary state of the north than give some tokens of her existence as an independent country. Her continental posses- sions entirely at the mercy of France, it could not be expected that, even if willing, she should desert the anti-commercial system imposed by its ruler, how grievous soever to her own mercantile in- terest; and it was enough not to be compelled to follow in the train of dependents which Napoleon led to the subjugation of her former — great ally. She still carried on a petty maritime war with England, of which some of the events appear in ouraccount of naval transactions ; and her flotillas possessed worse an GENERAL HISTORY. and animosity enough to become troublesome, if not formidable, adversaries. In the meantime, in all personal occurrences between the Danes and English, there ap- pears to have subsisted a feeling of ancient kindred and alliance which has alleviated the rancour of po- litical resentment ; and thearrogant dictatorial conduct of the French minister, Alquier, at the court of Copenhagen, has probably inspired the nation at large with an earnest wish to be delivered from servitude. Its internal sufferings from scarcity of provisions have been very dis- tressing ; and few countries in Eu- rope seem at present more entitled to commiseration. Domestic dis- sensions aggravate the calamities under which it labours. In the ' latter part of the year we are told that the reigning prince had dis- missed all his ministers, and had assumed the sole conduct of affairs, with the assistance only of his aides-de-camp. The French troops in Holstein and Sleswick having been withdrawn to accompany their countrymen to Russia, the Danish militia had been embodied to a number beyond all precedent, apparently from jealousy of the warlike preparations of Sweden; and their augmentation had proved an additional cause of discontent. The government being absolute, there exists little community of interest between prince and peo- ple; and if the former, as is as- serted, adheres firmly to the French alliance, it may be because he finds a powerful protector neces- sary for the support of his authority at home. Tue Court oF VIENNA was principally occupied, about the be- ginning of the year, in the great [189 work of restoring the finances. A circular published at Vienna on December the 28th, 1811, has the following preamble: ‘ By a de- cree of the 18th of this month, his Imperial Majesty having judged it indispensably necessary for the relief of the finances, and providing for the necessities of the State, to raise the contribution, called the Contribution of the Classes, with the addition of 50 per cent, and the personal contribution, during the course of the military year 1812, has ordered that these taxes shall be raised within the said year.’’ That the burdens of a state should be continued, and even increased, for a period subsequent to the re- storation of peace, is a necessary consequence of the long and dread- ful wars in which Europe has been engaged, and must be expected by all the powers who have had the misfortune to share in them. Al- though rigorous measures of taxa- tion could be carried with little opposition in the hereditary domi- nions of Austria, the same facility did not exist in the kingdom of Hungary. The winter session of the Hungarian diet was a scene of longer and more violent discussions than had been witnessed for ma- ny years. The magnates and re- presentatives of the people concur- red in opposing financial measures introduced as absolutely necessary for the salvation of the state. They urged that the constitution of the country did not permit them to acquiesce in the imposition of such heavy burdens: that the brave and loyal Hungarians were always rea- dy to make sacrifices in support of the rights of their sovereigns; but that if they were to adopt the finan-~ cial plan proposed by the ministers, an 190] an unequal proportion of the pub- lic burdens would be laid upon them, for the relief of the here- ditary states. As much inconve- nience arose from the prolongation of these disputes, the courts of justice being in the mean time shut, and the expeuses of the diet continually augmenting, it was at length agreed that Hungary should pay within two years, 24 millions of florins in bills of exchange ; de- liver into the imperial magazines four millions of measures of grain, of different sorts; and submit to an extraordinary impost of two florins for each quintal of salt during three years. After the Emperor of Austria had consented to form a family union with the French Emperor, nothing less could be expected than that their political systems would partake of the same con- eert. The treaty, therefore, be- tween the two courts, of which mention has been already made, could excite no surprise; and as the Austrian limited the succour given to Napoleon, in his war with Russia, to the contingent specified in the terms of the agreement, no particular hostility against that power on his part could be infer- red. It is not to be doubted that Austria, as the third military power on the continent, must always view with an eye of jealousy the predominance of either of the other two; but her past humilia- tion by France, and the vast re- sources, and overbearing ambition of its Ruler, must naturally disin- cline her to contribute to the ag- grandisement of an empire already so dangerous to the independence of Europe. The Austrian army under Price Schwartzenberg ap- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. pears, indeed, to have taken its part in good earnest; and if the accounts communicated by its commander are tu be credited, it fully maintained the reputation of its valour and discipline; but how far the Emperor Francis will think himself bound to persist in his alliance, should the face and for- tune of Europe put on a new as- pect, time and events alone can determine. With respect to the rest of Ger- many, its dependent kings and insignificant princes, so few traces remain of its separate existence, that nothing has occurred histori- cally to distinguish the Germanic body from the general mass of sub- jects and satellites which swell the train, and are linked to the desti- nies, of the French Emperor. If any thing of a national spirit still exists in that part of Europe, it must be impatient to liberate itself from such a state of degradation ; but without some rallying point, at which the scattered force ofa mar- tial people may be concentered, it will be vain to expect any effectual resistance to a power which has the art of making division the in- strument of mutual subjugation, Such a point was once afforded by Prussia; but the sovereign of that country must exert much more vigour than has hitherto appeared to belong to his character, before he can shake off the fetters which at present hold him as a state pri+ soner in his own dominions. Of the remainder of Europe, Siciiy has presented the principal object of curiosity, at least, if not of interest. It was impossible that such a divided rule, in one island, as that of a foreign court on one hand, and a foreign army in the GENERAL the other, over a native population averse to both, could subsist in tranquillity ; and after the return of Lord William Bentinck, a con- spiracy of spies and assassins in the interest of France was discovered, in the month of December 1811, and its ringleaders, being arrested, were tried by a military commis- sion at Messina, and some of them capitally condemned. The rooted dislike of the Queen to the Eng- lish ascendency in Sicily, and her attachment to the French interest, were sufficiently manifest in the transactions of the last year: the notorious incapacity of the Kin also rendered him unfit to hold the reins: nothing therefore remained, in order to settle a regular govern- ment, correspondent with the views of the British cabinet, but to place the authority in the hands of the nation at large, supported by the English army. As a step to this change, the fugitive Barons were recalled in January, and were wel- comed to Palermo by a great escort of nobility, to the high displeasure of the Queen. Lord W. Bentinck was declared Captain-General of all the troops in the island, and gained general applause by his firm and prudent conduct. The King soon afterwards, on the pre- text of indisposition, made a formal resignation of his royal authority to his son. When, upon the motion in the English Parliament for a re- newal of the subsidy of 400,000/. to his Sicilian Majesty, this fact was taken notice of, Lord Castle- reagh assured the house that no fraud or violence had been used to induce the King to take this step, which he chose rather to call a temporary substitution of another authority, than an abdication. HISTORY. riot It now became the great object to frame a new constitution for the island, and the intimate connection which had for some years subsisted between the Sicilians and the Eng- lish caused the British constitution to be adopted as the model. On July the 20th, the Parliament of the Island assembled in the usual manner at Palermo, when they en- tered upon the important business, pursuant to the instructions of his Royal Highness, the Vicar-Gene- ral, or delegate of sovereign autho- rity. They began by fixing the limits of the legislative, executive, and judiciary powers; the first of which they lodged in the Parlia- ment, the second in the King, with personal inviolability, but with re- sponsible ministers. The judges were declared independent, but impeachable by the Commons, if guilty of criminal conduct. The Parliament instead of being, as be- fore, divided into three branches, was to consist only of two houses ; one of Commons, composed of the representatives of the cities and ba- ronies; and one of Lords, formed by the union of the ecclesiastical and baronial branches. The pri- vileges of these houses, and the mode of enacting laws, were co~ pied from the English constitution. It was a proof both of the wisdom, and the patriotism of the barons, that they renounced the feudal privileges which had descended to them through eight centuries, and were confirmed by the laws of the kingdom, and contented them- selves with the common rights of citizens. Thus, apparently with- out opposition, one of the worst governed countries in Europe has acquired the means of becoming one of the best governed, provided it 192] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. it shall possess virtue and courage to maintain the advantages it has gained, and the issue of the great subsisting contest shall leave them free from the control of foreign sway. It was not to be expected that a change in the constitution from absolute to limited monarchy should be acquiesced in by the Court without a struggle; and various intimations have been given of attempts by the Queen’s party to excite disturbances, and to destroy that English influence through which the change has been effected. It is probable that a greater resistance would have been made, had not Lord W. Bentinck possessed, in the disposal of the sub- sidy, a powerful means of restrain- ing violent measures, The im- possibility of paying the Sicilian army without its aid obliged the Queen very reluctantly to leave it entirely under his command, and thus deprived her of that support to arbitrary power which seldom fails to be given by a military force entirely organized and ap- pointed by the Crown. After all, her disaffection to the new order of things must have remained in activity, since we are told, in letters from Sicily, dated October the 30th, that the Queen was or- dered to reside at Saint Marga- rita, a retired situation on the southern side of the island, and was prohibited from coming to Palermo; and that there was an intention of sending her to Vi- €nna in the summer. The affairs of TurKEy, apart from its war with Russia, have afforded little worthy, of record during the present year. Con- stantinople has been afflicted with one of those periodical returns of pestilence, to which it must be ever liable, while the system of fatalism prevents the use of any precautionary measures against that scourge; and it is said that an unusually large proportion of its population has been swept off by the disease. Smyrna, like- wise, and other cities in the em- pire, have suffered under the same calamity. It does not appear that any thing effectual has been done towards the suppression of that formidable class of sectaries, the Wahabees, In the spring, intel- ligence was received of the defeat of Jussum Pasha, in an engage~ ment with them near Medina. He lost some thousand men, and re- tired in disorder. to the banks of the Red Sea, where he was wait- ing for reinforcements. — * The peace with Russia, however necessary, having been attended. with some cession of the Turkish territory, was regarded as: disho- nourable at the Porte, and the go- vernment gave some of the usual tokens of its displeasure. Prince Demetri Morousi, formerly Hospo- dar of Moldavia, one of the Otto- man Plenipotentiaries, who signed the treaty, was beheaded at Schum- la, the Grand Vizier’s quarters, by orders from the Grand Seignior, as having been a partizan of Russia; and the richest individual in Rud- shuck fell a sacrifice to a similar imputation. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY. [13 CHAPTER. XIX. United States of America—Resolutions in favour of War—Mr. Gal- latin’s Budget—Cvurrespondence between Mess. Foster and Monroe— Animosity increased by Henry's Mission—Act for an Embargo— Other War Meuasures—Opposition—War declared—State of Votes—Aation with the Belvidere Frigate—Disturbance near Mon- treal—Congress adjourned—Riot and Massacre at Baltimore—Ge- neral Hull’s Incursion into Canada, and Capture—Refusal of the President to confirm an Armistice—Capture of the Guerriere— Letters of Marque issued by England—American Antigallican Par- ties—Defeat and Capture of General Wadsworth—Congress re- assembled— President’s Message—Engagements between the Frolic and Wasp, and the Macedonian and United States—General Dear- born’s Advance to Champluin—Blockade of the Chesapeak and Dela- ware. ROM the temper manifested by the President and Congress of the UnitEp STATES towards the close of last year, it was evi- dent that nothing could prevent a war between that country and Great Britain, but either a change in the system pursued by the latter, or a dread in the former to come to the point of actual hostilities, under the prospect of much suffer- ing from abroad, and much dis- content at home. That, however, the America Government might calculate upon a support of their measures from public opinion, suf- ficient to ensure the compliance necessary for their execution, might be inferred from the man- ner in which the resolutions of the committee of foreign relations were received by the House of Re- presentatives, the most popular part of the constitution. On the division, which took place in this Vou. LIY. discussion, the several resolutions were carried by majorities, of which the lowest was 109 to 22, and the highest 110 to ll. A motion in the same house for the indefinite postponement of a bill for raising 25,000 additional troops was rejected by a majority of 98 to 29—a division which might. be re- garded as almost the immediate forerunner of hostile proceedings. It appeared at this time, that the advocates for war, besides the lure of rich prizes to be made by the American privateers, threw out confident expectations of the eon- quest of Canada. Mr, Gallatin’s budget was laid before Congress on January the 12th. It recommended a loan of 10 millions of dollars, to meet; the exigencies of the present year, and calculated that a like loan would be necessary for. several years to come. It also gave the comforta- ble 194] ble prospect of continually in- creasing taxes to pay the interest of these loans A correspondence between Mr. Foster, the English minister, and Mr.. Monroe, the American secretary of state, was soon after communicated to Con- gress, with the President’s remark upon it, which was in these words: ‘« The continued evidence afforded im this correspondence of the hos- tile policy of the British govern- ment against our national rights, strengthens the considerations re- commending and urging the pre- paration of adequate means for maintaining them,” It would be superfluous to give a sketch of the arguments used on each side in this discussion—argaments refer- ring to the beaten topic of the French decrees and English orders of council, and which have proved totally inefficacious to produce conviction on the different parties. In reality, the law of nations, though perpetually referred to, is so vague in its principles, and so varying in its application, that it can never be relied on actually to decide points on which the inte- rests of contending states strongly draw in opposite directions, and no umpire exists to whom appeal can be made. In the present un- happy quarrel, both parties boasted of their moderation and forbear- ance: both alleged the reason and justice of their cause; yet both were in fact determimed by motives of state-policy operating exclusively upon themselves. When the particulars of raising the necessary supplies for the war, and equipping an adequate mili- tary foree, came to be discussed in Congress, the great majorities in fuvour of the measures proposed ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. by government uo longer appear~ ed, and several questions were barely carried. It might now have been hoped that the near prospect of the inevitable burdens conse- quent upon open hostilities, would have occasioned a pause, during which the friends of peace on both sides might possibly discover some expedient to bring matters to an agreement; but just at thisjunc- ture an incident occurred which added new exasperation to the ex- isting ill will. The President, on March 9th, sent a message to both houses, laying before them copies of documents to prove, that at a recent period, the British govern- ment had sent a secret agent into the United States, for the purpose of fomenting disaffection against the constituted authorities, and eventually of effecting a separation intheunion. The circumstance to which this complaint referred, was the mission of a Captain Henry into Massachuset’s, by Sir James Craig, governor of Canada, re- specting which, an inquiry in the English parliament has already been reported. It there appeared that some improper steps had in fact been taken by Sir J. Craig, but without the knowledge of the government at home. The mem- bers of parliament, however, who most condemned this conduct, a- greed that the President would have acted more correctly in mak- ing a remonstrance to the British administration, and receiving its explanations, before he brought the charge mto Ccagress ; but he pro- bably could not resist the tempta- tion of making use of such an op- portunity to rekindle the animo- sity of his fellow-citizens against this country, which was perhaps beginning GENERAL HISTORY. beginning to subside. It was, in- _ deed, too efficacious for this pur- pose; for it is said, that when the documents were read, a burst of indignation proceeded from all parts of the house. A thousand co- pies were ordered to be pritited for dispersion throughout the Union. In the beginning of April, at a secret sitting of Congress, an act was passed for laying an embargo on all the ships and vessels of the United States, for the term of 90 days from the date thereof; the purpose of which was doubtless to expedite the manning of the Ame- rican ships of war, and to prevent any more pledges from remaining in the’ power of an enemy on the commencement of hostilities. ‘This act was ‘followed by another, pro- hibiting the exportation of specie, and of any goods or merchandize; foreign or domestic, either by land or water, during the continuance of theembargo. Asa further pro- gress towards hostilities, a bill was introduced into the House of Re- presenitatives: about the ‘erid of April, ‘for the protection, reco very, and indernnification of Ame- rican seamen,” the first clause’ of which declares that every person who; under pretence of a comimis- sion’ froma foreign power, shall impvess ‘upon the high seas'a na+ tive seaman’ of the United States, shall be adjudged a pirate and a — felon, and upon conviction, shall suffer death. Another article gives to every such seaman impressed under the British flag, the right of attaching in the hands of any British subject, or in the hands of any debtor ofany British subject, a sum equal to 30 dollars per month for the whole time of his detention. F195 This violent bill passed to a third reading in the House of Represen~ tatives, ‘such were the feelings which at that time governed the American republic! An attempt was made by the moderate party to adjourn the two houses, in or- der te give time for a cooler dis« cussion of these topics, but it failed of effect.’ The mercantile interest in the éastern states also petitioned for some relaxation of the embar- go; anda motion was made for the repeal of the non-importation act, upon the ground of the nés cessity of bringing home property belonging to the citizens of the United States, previously to’ en- gaging in a war, but the govern ment would not yield in either of these points.’ At the same’ time, while hostilities were impending with one of the belligerent powers, the relations with the other were by no means satisfactory; aiid on May 26th, a ¢orrespondence was taid before Congress by the Presi» dent, between Mr. Barlow, the ‘American minister at Paris, end the secrétary of state, in whieh the former states the inattention’ of the French government to his com- plaints and claims for redress, and antiounces that he is obliged, after long waiting, to send away his dis+ patehes without the treaty which he expected to have concluded. * The témper of the House of Representatives with respect ‘to a war with’ England, was rendéred manifest by the result of a’ motion by Mr. Randolph, on’ May 29th. That gentleinan, after’ a long speech coneerning the ie Tee lations of the United States with Great Britain and Frante, sibmit- ted to the house the following re- [0 2] solution ; 196] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. solution: ‘*That under the pre- sent circumstances it is inexpedient to resort to a war with Great Bri- tain.’ The question being then put, that the house do proceed to the consideration of the said reso- lution, it was negatived by 62 votes against 37, All hopes of pa- cific measures now therefore rested upon the determination of the se- nate. On June 4th, the President laid before Congress copies of a correspondence which had lately taken place between Mr. Foster and Mr. Monroe. It chiefly con- sisted of a long argumentative let~ ter from the former relative to the old subject of the orders in council, and the French decrees, of which it is sufficient to remark, that not the least expectation is held forth of any further relaxation on the part of Great Britain. On the contrary, Mr, F. says express- ly, ‘* America, as the case now stands, has not a pretence for claiming from Great Britain a re- peal of her orders in council.”” Pre- viously, however, to this commu- nication, the President had sent a long message to both houses, da- ted June Ist, in which he set forth all the injuries, and hostile ‘measures (as he considered them) practised by the government of Great Britain, and still persisted in, towards the United States, and recommended the subject to their early deliberations. (See State Pa- pers.) In consequence, discussions, with closed doors, took place in the two houses, the final result of which was an act passed on June 18th, declaring the actual existence of war between the united king- dem of Great Britain and Ireland, and’the United States of America. A list has been published of the votes in the House of Representa~ tives on this momentous occasion, by which it appears that the ma- jority for declaring war was 79 against 49, The supporters of war were chiefly the southern and western states, to Pennsylvania in- clusive: the votes for peace were chiefly in the eastern and northern states, New York taking the lead. As commercial grievances consti- tuted a great part of the complaints against Great Britain, adduced to justify the resort to arms, it is highly probable, that if the orders in council had been repealed early enough for intelligence of the event to have reached America before the final decision, the ad- vocates for peace would have ac- quired so much additional strength as, at least, to have deferred the declaration of hostilities till time had been given for negociating on the other points in dispute, In- deed, little doubt seemed to be entertained on this side the At- lantic, that the news of the repeal, protracted as it was, would arrive time enough to prevent actual war, But the first recoil from a resolu- tion full of hazard and mischief having passed, men were brought to regard it as a thing decided, and to consider what public or private advantage could be made of the new state of affairs. Sub- sequent events, too, render it highly, probable that the Ameri- can government had. anticipated credit from ‘the commencement of the war, especially from the conquest of Canada, which seems to have been regarded as an easy task. The first act of hostility be- tween GENERAL tween the two powers occurred al- most immediately after the decla- ration of war. Commodore Rodgers, of the President frigate, leaving New York with a squadron of ships of war, having received in- telligence that a British convoy had sailed about a month before from Jamaica, made course to the southward; and on June 23rd fell in with the Belvidere English. fri- gate, Capt.: Byron, to which he gave chace. The President alone got near enough for action, and a runuing fight’ ensued for three hours, after which the Belvidere kept on, her way for Halifax un- molested, having undergone some damage, and had some men killed and wounded. The President also incurred some loss of men, chiefly from the bursting of one of her own guns. Capt. Byron, conclud- ing from this attack that war was declared, captured three American merchant vessels before he arrived in port, which were released by Admiral’ Sawyer, commander en the Halifax station. _ An occurrence near Montreal, about this time, doubtless animated the hopes of the Americans with respect to the meditated expedition against Canada. By a late militia law, a draft of 2,000 men was to be made from the militia of the province, for three months, in or- der to be trained and disciplined. Some of those who were to be drafted from the parish of St. Claire, having refused to march to La Prairie to join the division stationed there, an officer was sent to apprehend the refractory per- sons as deserters. Four of these were taken and carried off, but were followed by « mob who ress HISTORY. [197 cued one, and threatened to come the next day to La Prairie, and h- berate all the young men of their parish who were kept there, Ac- cordingly, a large body assembled at La Chine to execute this pur- pose, when they were met by a police magistrate, with a detach- ment of regular troops. A par- ley ensued, in which the insur- gents pleaded that they did not consider the militia act as fully passed, and that it had not been properly promulgated among them. They declared their readiness to concur in the defence of their country, but persisted in their de- termination relative to the object they had in view. | The riot act was then read, and on their re- fusal to disperse, shots were fired by the troops, which were return- ed by the imsurgents; the latter were however soon dispersed with a trifling loss. On the next day a larger force was marched to the spot, who made a considerable number of prisoners, and brought them to Montreal. The governor acted with prudent lenity on the occasion, and discharged them upon a promise to deliver up the instigators of the insurrection, and the deserters. It is said that two attorneys, members of the house of assembly, were the chief pro- moters of this act of resistance, which at such a crisis was certain- ly of dangerous import. On July 6th, an act passed the Congress) to prohibit American vessels from proceeding to, or trading with, the enemies of the United States, and also to forbid the transport of. articles of mu- nition of war, or provision, | to the British | settlements in North America, 198} ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. America, and for other restrictive purposes. Authority was given to the President to grant passports for the transportation of ships or property belonging to British sub- jects from the limits of the United States, but, the citizens of these states were prohibited from taking licences for trading from the Bri- tish government. From this, day; the Congressadjourned till the 2nd of November. _ Parties are the inseparable con- comitants of free governments, and the republic of the United States has always had its, full share of the dissentions springing from this source. A wat so differently af- fecting the different parts of the union, could pet. but be. received with great diversity, of feeling. At Boston, on the day of its declara- tion, all the ships in the port dis- played flags half mast. high, the usual token of mourning; and a town meeting was held in that city, in which a number of reso- lutions were passed, stigmatizing the war as unneccessary and ruin- ous, and leading to a connexion with France destructive to Ameri- can liberty and independence. Very different were the popular sentiments in the southern. states, where swarms .of privateers were prepating to reap the expected harvest of prizes, among the West India islands. Of. the, towns: in this interest, Baltimore stood fore- most in violence and outrage. A newspaper published. there, enti- tled «¢ The Federal Republican,” had «rendered itself obnoxious by its opposition to, the measures of the war-party, and menaces had repeatedly been thrown out against the conductors,.|On the night of July 27th, a mob assembled be- fore the house of the editor, for the purpose of destroying it. In expectation of this attack, he had collected a number of friends with fire arms to defend it from the inside, among whom were Gene~ rals Lee and Lingan. A furious affray arose, in which the mob were several times repulsed with loss. At length a party of mili+ tary were brought to the spot by the mayor and General) Stricker, to whom those of the defenders who were left in the house, 26 in. number, surrendered them- selves upon assurance of» their safety, and were conducted to prisov. On the next day,’ at the shameful instigation. of ‘a ‘public journal,. the mob >re-assembled before the jail, with the inten- tion of taking their revenge; and having’ broken open: the ‘doors, after some of the prisoners had rushed through and made: their escape, they fell upon’ the rest with: clubs, and beat them till scarcely any signs of life remained. General Ligan, a man of 70, and formerly a friend of Washing- ton, was killed on’ the spot. Ge- neral Lee, a distinguished | parti- san in the tevolutionary ‘wat, had his skull fractured; and many others were severely injured. | The militia refused to tari out’ while this massacre was perpetrating, and the:mayor is said to have ab- serited) himself, It must be added, that ‘this utrecity was regarded with ‘horror ‘and indignation in all.the other parts of the United States. | Dushendgs . « «The campaign against Canada commenced early in July. On the: 11th ‘of that month,’ en Hu GENERAL Hull with a body of 2,300 men, regulars and militia, crossed the river above Detroit and marched to Sandwich in the province of Upper Canada. He there issued a pro- clamation to the Canadians ina style expressing great confidence of success, and threatening a war of extermination in case of the em- ployment. of savages, which ap- peared to be an object of his pecu- liar dread. The Indians were, however, already engaged in hos- tilities with the subjects of the United States on their border ; and intelligence was soon after received of the capture of Fort Michili- machinack, July 17, by a combined force of English, Canadians, and Savages, the latter of whom were hitherto kept in perfect order. General Hull’s next operations were directed against Fort Malden or Amherstburg ; and after having driven in the militia who opposed im, he arrived with part of his forces at the river Canard, which he thrice attempted to cross, but was foiled with considerable loss, Major-General Brock, in the Bri- tish service, had in the meantime been active in collecting succours for the relief of Fort Amherstburg, and on August 12, ke entered that place with a reinforcement, having met with no obstacle, on account of the superiority of the British naval force on the lakes. The Americans had now become dis- punted, and had given up their opes of taking the fort with their present means. They retreated to their own fort of Detroit, and the British in their turn became assail- ants, Batteries were constructed opposite to that post, and a party crossed the river, and took a posi- tion to the west of it. Gen. Brock HISTORY. 199 now resolved upon an assault, though his united force consisted of no more than about 700 men, including militia, and 600 auxiliary Indians, This extremity was, how- ever, prevented by a proposal of capitulation from General Hull. The terms were soon settled, and the important fort of Detroit was surrendered, on August 16, with 2,500 men and 33 pieces of ord- nance. (See London Gazette.) This was donbtless a severe morti- fication to the Americans, as it gave a decisive proof of the inferio- rity of their military prowess or skill to those of the enemy they had provoked, and damped. their hopes of the conquest of Canada. That these had been sanguine, may be inferred from the refusal of the president of the United States to continue an armistice which had been temporarily agreed upon be- tween General Prevost, the gover- nor-general of Canada, and Gen. Dearborn, commander-in-chief of the American forces in the nor- thern states. This measure had been proposed by the governor, in the hope that the repeal of the orders in’ council, of which inielli- gence had reached America, would have led to an amicable adjustment of the subsisting differences ; but the government of the United States, determined, it should seem, to pursue a favourite object, would not consent to a suspension of its operations, The loss"and disgrace,incurred by the surrender of Gen. Hull were, however, in some degree balanced to the Americans by their success on the element which had long been the theatre of triumph to their adversaries, The strength of the navy of the United States © consisted 200] consisted in a few frigates of a rate corresponding to thelargest British, but in size, weight of ‘netal, and number of men, almost equal to ships of the line of battle. This difference seems not to have been known, 6r not attended to, in the English navy, the officers of which, with their habitual readiness to meet an enemy, would certainly never decline an encounter where the nominal force was any thing near a parity. In engaging with other enemies, the superiority of British skill and valour had indeed often compensated the difference of force, but the American navy was manned by sailors many of whom were, unfortunately, Bri- tish, and many more had been trained in British service. The fatal consequence of this misappre- hension was first experienced by the English frigate Guerriere, com- manded by Captain Dacres, which, on August 19, being in lat. 40° 20’ and long. 55 W. was brought to action by the American frigate Constitution, Captain Hull. The respective force is thus stated: Guerriere, rating 38 guns, but mounting 49, her gun-deck 18 pounders, carronades 32 ; com- plement, 300 men, but only 263 on board at quarters: Constitution, rating 44 guns, but mounting 65, gun-deck 24 pounders, carronades 32. pounders ; complement, 450 men. The engagement was sharp, but of short duration, for the Guerriere being totally dismasted, and rolling so deep as to render her guns useless, while the enemy was enabled to rake her at pleasure, it became absolutely necessary, in order to prevent a further loss of lives for no purpose, to strike her colours. Of the crew, 15 had ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. been killed, and 63 wounded, and the injury sustained by the ship was so great, that after the men were all taken out, the captors set her on fire. Not the least impu- tation fell on the conduct of Capt. Dacresor his ship’s company during the action, who yielded only to irresistible superiority of physical’ strength. It is pleasing to add, that they received the most hdritir able and humane treatment from the American commander. The triumphant arrival of the Con- stitution at Boston, whence she had been fitted out, doubtless rendered the war less unpopular than it had originally been in that town, and stimulated the spirit of marine enterprize. The English government, on the intelligence of a declaration of war by the Congress of the United States, and the i issue of letters of marque and reprisals, had done no more by way of retaliation, than to direct that American ships and goods should be brought in and detained till further orders ; but the disregard of the American government to the notified repeal of the orders in council, and its refusal to continue the armistice agreed upon by the commanders on each side in Canada, being now made known, the Prince Regent published an order, dated Oct. 13, for granting geveral reprisals against the ships, goods, and citi=- zens of the United States, in the usual form towardsa hostile power ; concluding, however, with a de~ claration, that wothing in this order was to annul the ” authority before given to his Majesty’s naval commander on the American station, to sign a convention for re- calling all hostile orders issued wv the GENERAL the respective governments, with a view of restoring the accustomed relations of amity and commerce. _ Although: the’ war ‘declared ‘by America against Great Britain might eventually operatein favour of France, and: was undoubtedly suitable to the politics of that power, yet no. proof has appeared of the existence of a proper French party im the United States ; even the violent proceedings at Balti- more seemed to have no other causes than the rancour of opposite domestic factions, and’ considera- tions of Jocal interest. But the existence of an Antigallican spirit was obvious and avowed, and de- testation of the. politics of the ruler of France was expressed with as little reserve in America as in England. Of this, a remarkable example was given ina memorial _ addressed to the president from the county of Rockingham in New Hampshire. After stating many arguments against the necessity and policy of war with England, it thus concludes : ‘* On the subject of any French connexion, either close or more remote, we have made up our minds. We will, in no event, assist in uniting the re- public of America with the mili- tary despotism of France. We will have no connexion with her principles or her power. If her armed troops, under whatever name or character, should come here, we shall regard them as enemies.” This remonstrance, amounting almost to a defiance of the supreme authority, was signed by 1,500 inhabitants. A similar spirit, though somewhat more uarded, was displayed in the reso- utions of a body of more weight and consequence, being a conven- HISTORY. [201 tion of delegates from 34 cities and counties of the state of New York, held at Albany on the 17th and 18th of September. The resolu- tions chiefly go to an assertion of the right of citizens to’ mquire into the justice and expediency of a war, even after it is declared, and to a condemnation of the grounds of that entered into with England; though at the same time they acknowledge’ the obligation of paying full obedience in the capacity of magistrates, soldiers, and citizens, to all constitutional requisitions of the proper autho- rities. They proceed to state, that the subscribers shall be constrained to consider the determination to persist in the war, after official notice of the revocation of the British orders in council, as a proof that it has been undertaken on motives entirely distinct from those hitherto avowed ; and ‘* that they contemplate with abhorrence even the possibility of an alliance with the present emperor of France, every action of whose life has de- monstrated, that the attainment, by any means, of universal empire, and the consequent extinction of every vestige of freedom, are the sole objects of his incessant, un- bounded, and remorseless ambi- tion.” If this temper be generally prevalent in the northern states, an alliance offensive or defensive be- tween France and the United States can scarcely be effected without a dissolution of the union, unless, in the progress of the war, the animosity against Great Britain, and the dread of her power, shall rise to a much higher pitch. The disaster which befel Gen. Hull had disconcerted the plan for the invasion of Canada, but the design 202] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. desigti was by no means renounced. A considerable force was assembled in the neighbourhood of Niagara, and on October 18, the American Géneral Wadsworth, with 15 or 1,400 men, made an attack on the British position of Queenstown, on the Niagara river. On receiving the intelligence, Major - General Brock hastened to the spot, and led on a few troops for its defence. He had previously sent orders to Brigade-Major Evans, who com- manded at Fort George, to batter the opposite American Fort Nia- gata, which was done so effectu- ally that the garrison was forced to abandon it, . General Brock was unfortunately killed while cheering on his, men, and the position was for a time taken by the enemy. Reinforcements, however; being brought up. by, Major - General Sheatie,, the next in command, the Americans were attacked ; and after a short but sharp conflict, in which they sustained a cousider- able loss in killed and wounded, General Wadsworth surrendered himself prisoner on the field, with upwards of 900 men and many officers, the troops to which they yielded being about the same number. The loss on the part of the .British was small, with the exception of General Brock, in whom bis country was deprived of an officer of distinguished courage and ability. An account given of this affair to the American govern- ment by General Van Renselaer, contains some singular instances of want of concert and subordination, which prove how far the military establishment of the United States was at this period from the organi- zation necessary for success avainst a skilful and well-appointed ad versary. bo weary On November 4, Congress as- sembled after its adjournment, when a message from the president was communicated to both houses. Its leading topic was the state of the war in which the country was engaged, and a summary of its principal occurrences. In adverts ing to the failure of the attempts upon Canada, heavy complaints were made of the employment of savage auxiliaries by the British government, and inciting them to hostilities, for which, it was said, no pretext had been ‘given by the example of the American govern- ment. The effect, however, was, stated to have been that of rousing to arms the citizens on the frontier, of whom, an ample force, with the addition of a few regulars, was proceeding towards the Mi- chigan territory. A complaint was then made of a refusal on the part of the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut to furnish the re- quired detachments of militia towards the defence of the mari+ time frontier, in consequence of a novel exposition of the provisions of the constitution relative to the militia ; and the bad effects of such a want of concutrence was pointed out. With respect to the over- tures for an amicable ‘termination of the differences with Great Britain, the president’ informed Congress of the terms on which their chargé d’affaires at London . was authorised to agree to an armistice. These were, that the orders in council should be repeal- ed as they affected the United States, without a revival of the blockades violating acknowledged rules ; GENERAL rules ; that there should be an im- mediate discharge of American seamen from British ships, anda stop to impressments from Ame- rican ships, with au understand- ing that an exclusion of the seamen of each nation from the ships of the other should be stipulated, and that the armistice should be im- proved into a final adjustment of all depending controversies. This adyance, the president says, was declined, from an, avowed repug- nance tosuspending the practice of impressing during the armistice, aud without any intimation that the arrangement proposed respect ing seamen would be accepted. With respect to France, he com- plains of the continued procrasti- nation in finishing the discussions between the nations; and in no- ticing the French decree,, §* pur- porting to be a definitive repeal of the Berlin and Milan decrees,” he says, that although made the ground of the repeal of the British orders in council, it isrendered, by the time and manner of it, liable to many objections. He concludes with recommending proper mea- sures for a vigorous prosecution of the war, and with a solemn asser- tion of the justice of the cause for which it was undertaken. The correspondence between Lord, Castlereagh and Mr. Russell, and between Admiral Warren and Mr. Monroe, respecting an armis- tice and negociation, was laid be- fore Congress, and afterwards print- ed iv the American papers. The balance of success in the naval war continued to prepon- derate on the side of the Ame- ricans. Besides the numerous captures made by their privateers, actions took place between ships of HISTORY. [203 war which tended to augment their confidence. On the 18th of Oc- tober, his Majesty’s armed brig Frolic, conyoying the homeward- bound trade from the bay of Hon- daras, while in the act of repairing damages to her masts and sails received ina violent gale onthe preceding night, descried a vessel which gave chase to the convoy, She proved to be the United States sloop of war Wasp, which. the Frolic gallantly brought to action, though in her crippled state, in order to, save her, convoy,, She soon, however, became. so un- manageable, that the Wasp. was enabled to take a raking position, whilst the Frolic could uot get a gun to bear. The result was, that every, individual officer being wounded, and not more than 20 of the crew remaining, unhurt, the enemy boarded, and made prize of the brig. On the same afternoon, however, his Majesty’s ship Poic- tiers re-captured the Frolic, and took the Wasp: | The respective force of the two vessels is not, men- tioned, but Captain Whinyates of the Frolic, represents his fire as superior in the beginning, and at- tributes his misfortune solely to the injury done to his vessel by the storm. A second action between frigates of the two nations was of much more serious consequence. The Macedonian frigate, Capt. Carden, being in lat. 29, long. 29°, 30’ W. on October 25, descried a ship which proved to bea large frigate under American colours. He did not hesitate to close with her as soon as possible, and the action began at nine A.M. After an hour’s firing, on coming to close quarters, he found his antagonist’s force 204] force so much superior, that he had no chance for success, except from some fortunate accident. ‘He bravely continued the action to two hours and ten minutes, when the injuries his ship sustained from the enemy’s fire having rendered her a perfect wreck, lying’ hke a log upon the water, whilst his oppo- nent was still in good condition, and a heavy loss being mcurred in killed and wounded, he submitted, however unwillingly, to surrender rather than make still’ greater sacrifices. On being taken on board the enemy’s ship, the United States, Commodore Decatur; he ceased to wonder at the event of the battle. She was of the scant- ling of a 74 gun ship, mounted thirty 24-pounders on her main- deck, 22 carronades 42-pounders two 24-pounders on her quarter- deck and forecastle, and had a complement of 478 picked men. Of Captain Carden’s crew there were 104 killed and wounded. In these several defeats sustained by the British navy no honour was lost, since every thing was done in ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. defence that could be effected by courage and conduct against supe- rior force; but the unusual cir- cumstance of English striking to foreign ships of a similar class, produced as much mortification on one side, as triumph on the other, and both beyond the occasion. The American ~ government seems, notwithstanding its failures by land, to have persisted in its purpose of invading Canada. Gen. Dearborn, on November 16, ‘broke up his camp from Plattsburg, and marched to Champlain, on the Canada line, the nearest point to Montreal. No operations of con- sequence, however, were under- taken during the remainder of the year. In England, more active mea- sures by sea against a foe now re- garded as worthy of serious atten- tion, were contemplated, and a public notice was issued by the Prince Regent, on December 26, that the ports and harbours of the Chesapeak and Delaware were placed in a state of blockade. CHAPTER GENERAL HISTORY... [205 CHAPTER XX. Spanish America—Buenos Ayres render of Caraccas, and counter and Montevideo—Venezuela—Sur- Revolution— Mexico—Conspiracy at Vera Cruz—Peru—West India Islands—Jamaica—Dominica— Barbadoes—St. Domingo—East Indies—Surrender of Kallinjar— —Java—Conspiracy at Travancore—Mauritius—Persia. rt provinces of Spanish America were still the theatre of asanguinary civil war between the two parties of independents and loyalists, and the mother country remained in great measure deprived of the aids which she had been accustomed to receive from these rich possessions. The negociations mentioned in the history of the last year as having been commenced in the month of October between the Viceroy Elio and the Junta of Buenos Ayres, were concluded by a treaty of pacification dated the 2lst. The articles begin with the resolution of both parties to acknowledge no other sovereign than Ferdinand VII. The Junta then, though considering itself at present with- out the necessary powers for recog- nizing the authority of the Cortes, yet makes a declaration of the in- divisible unity of the Spanish nation, of which the provinces of the River Plate form an integral part. It also consents to remit to Spain all the pecuniary succours it is able to contribute, for the sup- port of the war in which she is engaged against the usurper of Europe. Another article defines the districts which are severally. to remain subject to the Junta and the Viceroy, and the latter pledges himself for the withdrawment of the Portuguese troops from the Spanish territory. Correspondence and commerce are to be restored between Buenos Ayres and Monte- video, and foreign ships may enter the ports of both territories. The Viceroy declares that no change shall take place in the system esta- blished by this treaty, till the Cortes make known their pleasure, which shall be communicated to the government of Buenos Ayres. From the terms of this conven- tion, so favourable to the interests of the mother country, it may be conjectured that the Junta of Buenos Ayres found themselves under. difficulties in maintaining sufficient authority to enable them to support the cause of independ- ence ; and some subsequent events proved, that even in the capital, dissentions prevailed among those engaged in the same cause. On December 7, the patrician body of troops, discontented at the appoint- ment of a new colonel without consulting them, turned out the whole of their officers from: the barracks. The. other | regiments were immediately called to arms, and cannon were planted in the streets. An action ensued, in which, 206) ANNUAL REGISTER, 119. which, after considerable blood- shed, the patricians were obliged to surrender, and the ringleaders were tried and condemned, some to be shot, and others to imprison- ment. The old Junta had been deposed in the preceding month and a new one established, con- sisting of only four members. The Cabildo interfered with them in the mapagement of public-affairs, and party contests were extremely prevalent in the city. In the meantime their authority im the provinces was diminished, and that of Cordova threw off its depends ance on the capital, and set up a government of its own. To these evils wasadded a quarrel with the Portuguese, whose troops sent in aid of the Montevideans refused to return home according to the: sti- pulation in the late treaty, and took possession of Maldonade. A corps under General Artigas was sent from Buenos Ayres to dislodge them, which entered: the: territory of Montevideo, contrary to agree- ment, and made an attack upon a body of Portuguese, but without success. .The Montevideans were irritated with this breach of treaty, and fitted out a naval force to pre- vent the ‘troops of Buenos Ayres from passing to their side of the river; whilst the government of Buenos Ayres, in order to provide supplies for a war, had: laid an embargo on all property belonging to Spaniards in Europe, “Lima, Montevideo, and the Peruvian pro- vinces oceupied by the ‘adverse party. In ‘this state were affairs about the middle of February. Advices in March stated. that the blockade of Buenos Ayres was re- sumed by the Montevidean squa- dron, and that the property of Spaniards was still under sequestra~ tion at that city, but had not been confiscated. ; Further advices received from Buenos Ayres, up to May 20, gave some particulars of the hostility subsisting between the Juntaof that city, and the viceroy (now Vigo- det) at Montevideo. The occur- refices were.of no great import- ance; but the papers on each side displayeda high degree of animo- sity. The Portuguese, whom the Montevideans denominated §¢ their generous alljes,”’? were encamped on therivulet of St. Francisco, 18 leagues from Salto, where Artigas was posted with the troops of Bues nos Ayres. At this last city: had arrived two ships from) Philadel+ phia laden with arms: and military stores. Anoras pevact Not long after, Buenos Ayres was on the brink of experiencing a counter-revol ution from a conspi- racy in its bosom, which, had: it heen carried into effeet, would pros bably have rendered the whole-city a scene of bloodshed and rapine A Spaniard, named Martin Alzaga, represented as a man of a daring and turbulentdisposition,associated a considerable namber of his coun- trymen, under an oath -ofisecrecy, ina plot, the purpose of which was to take possession by! surpriseofvall the strong posts of the:city, disarm the Americans, and restore the as» cendancy of the Spaniards...» With this was connected: the ‘assassina~ tion of the members of ‘govern- ment and magistrates, and doubht- less many other persons of conse- quence were marked as’ victims. The discovery of the design was owing to the: incautious langua held by one of the conspirators in the presence of a slaye, whore- ’ ported GENERAL ported what he had heard to a person in his confidence, by whom it was disclosed to the government. The fact was made known in a proclamation, issued on July 4, by the superior authorities; and on the 25th it was announced in ano- other proclamation that twenty-five of the conspirators had perished on the scaffold, and that judicial pro- ceedings were still going on against persons suspected of beiug accom- plices. Upon the first alarm it is said that more than six thousand men speedily collected to assist the regular force in guarding the city, and apprehending the guilty. The government of Montevideo in con-~ sequence of these events prohi- bited all intercourse with Buenos Ayres. The Portuguese troops commenced a retreat from San Francisco on July 13, an armistice having taken place between the Prince Regent of Portugal and the government of Buenos Ayres. This measure was notified by the latter ina gazette extraordinary, in terms that gave offence to the court of Rio Janeiro, which thought proper officially to contradict the assertion that his Royal Highness had soli- cited the armistice, and affirmed that he had assented to it only in furtherance of the beneficent views and wishes of his Britannic Ma- jesty; for the restoration of tran- quillity to the provinces of the ri- ver Plate. The friendly media- tion of the British court on this occasion was well received at Bue- nos Ayres, and rendered the Eng- lish name more popular than it had lately been. _In a farther account from that city dated August 31, it is said that the Junta had dispatched an Officer to the viceroy at Montevideo HISTORY. [207 with a proposal to send deputies to treat for the cessation of hostilities, which, it was hoped, might lead to the renewal of a friendly com- munication between the parties. The province of Venezuela, which had so decidedly declared an absolute independence on the mother country, was in the early part of this year visited by a ter- rible catastrophe, the effects of which had a powerful influence upon its political state, On the 26th of March, in the afternoon, a violent shock of an earthquake was felt at the city of Caraccas, which threw down the greatest part of its buildings, and buried a great number of the inhabitants under their ruins, Its port of La Guayra participated in the destruc= tion ; and several other towns in the province were sufferers from the same dreadful calamity, which extended over a wide district (See Chronicle). To tranquillize the minds of the people after this dis- aster, a proclamation was issued by the government, drawn up in an admirable spirit of patriotism, and sound philosophy. The fol- lowing extract will show what were the impressions on the occasion from which it was thought most necessary to guard the public mind. ‘What consequence will you draw from this terrible event? The superstitious and fanatie wilt tell you, in mysterious language, that’ it is a Hien eit of Ged, who, in his displeasure, especially against the inhabitants of this city, has in this manner manifested his wrath. The ill-affected will sug- gest to you, that nothing better is to be expected by acity hated by God for having proclaimed her in= dependence, and declared herself against 208] against the tyranny of the ambi- tious. The enemies of liberty and equality will endeavour to persuade you, that the noble resolution with which Caraccas detests tyrants, and makes war against despots, is the cause of this disaster, and that only by changing your sentiments,and by again bending yourself to the yoke which you have shaken off, you will appease the anger of the Al- mighty. Such will certainly be the language of the superstitious, the ill-affected, and the enemy. But, citizens, a true Christian, who follows the doctrine of Jesus Christ, divested of trifling preju- dices and partial interests, will tell you, that the earthquake had the same origin as the various beauties and horrors which are daily expe- rienced by the human race in every part of the globe—the necessary operation of that nature which God ordered so as to excite his creatures to admire his omnipstence, to adore him in his works, and to acknow- ledge that men were not created for the apparent felicity of this life.”’ All the rest of this address is in the same manly and enlightened strain, and does honour to the composer, Dr. Miguel Jose Sanz, vice-president of the representative body. -The evil consequences, however, which were anticipated in the pro- clamation, did not fail to take place. The ecclesiastics inculcat- ed the notion that the earthquake was a punishment inflicted by heaven on, account of the pro- vince’s renunciation of its alle- giance to Ferdinand VII., and their influence over a bigoted people, now depressed from the severe losses they had susiained, rendered such an idea deeply impressive. A ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. correspodence was entered into by some persons of weight, with the Spaniards. in Porto Rico, and with the royal army at Coro, com- manded by General Monteverde. This leader, taking advantage of the discouragement and disunion prevalent among the independent party, and joined by a body ,of troops from Maracaybo, entered Valencia in April, without opposi- tion, General Miranda and the Congress, who had retired thither after the earthquake, retreating be- forehim. He thence advanced to Mearani, which was evacuated by Miranda, who withdrew to Vit- toria. Other places submitted without a. struggle, apparently wearied with the sacrifices de- manded formaintaining their new= ly-acquired freedom. . In this emer- gency, the states of the confedera- tion had recourse to the desperate expedient of creating a dictator in= vested with unlimited powers, which office they conferred on Mi- randa in the month of May, He issued a proclamation on the occa sion, in which he set forth the perilous circumstances of the coun- try, and the evils prevailing in the commonwealth, of which the most urgent was the total disorder of the finances. He suggested some, mea- sures to be employed for the me- lioration of their affairs,, aud, so- lemnly promised, never , to, sheath the sword till he. had established the liberty of . Venezuela, and avenged her of her,enemies.. » Success still attended the royal- ists, who, on July 6, took, by sur- prise the important harbour of Porto Cavello. Miranda is then said to have agreed upon an armistice which terminated in a secret ca~ pitulation. However that might e, GENERAL be, he appears to have made no effectual resistance to the progress ef the royalists ; for, on July 28, Caracas capitulated to Monteverde, and three days afterwards, its port of La Guayra surrendered at dis- cretion. Miranda, who had gone thither with the intention of em- barking on board an English vessel with his treasure, was delivered up, it is affirmed, by his own party, aud was confined in a dungeon ; probably, therefore, he was falsely charged with previously negociat- ing with the opposite party. Thus, to all appearance, has terminated the independence of Venezuela, which, in its beginning, seemed firmly based on the general con- sent ofa high-spirited and enlight- ened people. Want of steadiness and moderation, the radical faults of the Creole character, had ren- dered the success of the revolution dubious even before the terrible earthquake, though that event un- doubtedly hastened its defeat. Mi- randa was sent to Spain in the be- ginning of October. Don Fer- nando Melhado came from Porto Rico to take possession of the pro- vince of Caracas, but Monteverde refused to deliver it up in its pre- sent unsettled state. _ In the viceroyalty of new Gra- nada, towards the close of 1811, e province of Santa Martha, which adhered to Spain, proclaim- ed war against that of Carthagena, which had declared itself independ- ent, had abolished the Inquisition, and administered oaths of fidelity to the officers, civil and military. Several battles, with alternate suc- cess but little bloodshed, had been fought between the two contend- ing provinces on the river Magda- lena, upon both banks of which Vou. LIV. HISTORY. [209 fortifications had been erected. No information has reached us of the sequel of events in these parts. The rich and extensive kingdom of Mexico has been a theatre of war and confusion during the whole of the year. Accounts re- ceived thence in Noy. 1811, men- tioned that the southern coast was in astate of complete insurrection ; that in the center of the kingdom parties of insurgents were nume- rous, and did not, as formerly, dis- perse on the approach of the roy- alists; and that in New Gallicia alone tranquillity was preserved by the exertions of the viceroy’s troops. Communications from province to province were cut off; the work- ing of the mines, and agriculture, were suspended ; and a British fri- gate was about to sail from Vera Cruz without the bullion which she expected to receive. In the month of March, intelli- gence was received, that a danger- ous conspiracy was discovered at Vera Cruz on the 16th, the plan of which was, to’ gain possession of the park of artillery, the bastions, the volunteers’ quarter, and the port of La Mole, and by calling the people to arms, to revolutionize the city. Above thirty persons were apprehended as having heen concerned in this plot, and it was found that they had set on foot a correspondence with Morellos, the revolutionary leader, who had pro- mised to assist them. It was added, that news had arrived from the city of Mexico, stating that the royal general Calleija was continuig the siege of Quatla, where Morellos had posted himself; and that tran- quillity prevailed in the rest of the kingdom, The next account from Vera Cruz, however, affirmed that [P] the 210] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the Mexican insurgents amounted in number to 74,000 ; and that the reinforcements which had arrived from Cadiz would be barely suf- ficient to keep them in check, but by no means to suppress them A letter from Vera Cruz, dated July 17, says, ‘* The rebels ap- proach even to our walls. It is now two months since we heard whe- ther Xalapa exists; and we know as little of Oaxaca and Guatimaia, because the whole leeward coast is ina state of revolt. We have received with difficulty a single letter from Mexico, which con- firms the account of the defeat of Morellos in Cuantla-amilpas. It appears, however, that he succeed- ed in escaping with sixty of his partizans, and is now at the head of 14,000 men, with whom he is obstructing the roads.’’ Further advices received at New Orleans from Mexico up to August 19, stated that the insurgents had two large armies on foot; one com-~ manded by Ryan (Ravon), the other by Morellos: that the for- mer was laying siege to the city of Mexico ; and the latter, after hav- ing reduced Acapulco, had march- ed across the table land, defeated the royal army under Calejas, and pursued its advantages to the very walls of Vera Cruz, which it had invested. But this account is sus- pected of exaggeration. Our information of the state of affairs in Peru is very scanty, and httle more is known in. general than that considerable commotions still subsist in that kingdom. It is asserted from Buenos Ayres that symptoms of an _ inde- pendent spirit. were manifested at Lima; and that on March 4, the governor offered to instal a Junta, provided the presidency were secured. to himself, and the. government at Cadiz was recog= nized. The province of Cocha- bamba continued. its. connection with the Junta of Buenos Ayres, and had a military force on foot. The province of Potosi, with the greater part of Peru, remained faithful to. the mother country... Goyoneche, the royal commander, was. at the head of 4,000 men; ‘and in July: was said to be advancing to Co- chabamba, having routed. some detachments which opposed. his march, dadun iis ot. Such, upon the whole, was the mass of intelligence received dur~ ing this year, from the southern parts of America; from the gene~ ral result of which it. may be in= ferred, that the cause of colonial independence rather lost than gain= ed ground ; and if Spain should be, able finally to free herself from her invaders, and recover. her place among nations, it is probable, by: adopting a liberal system of policy: towards her transatlantic subjects,, that she might. still retain them under her dominion, though cer- tainly not bound by those fetters in which she has so long held: them. boltbor au Jigs The West India islands have af- forded little matter for the history: of the present year. At Jamaica’ a disposition was shown in the House of Assembly, towards: the close of the past year;: to withhold. the usual supplies for the mainte-) nance of the troops, on the pretext: of the taxes with which the: island’ was burdened, and other griev-. ances; but the opposition party: was out-voted.: In answer, ‘how- ever, toa message from the ‘leu- tenant-governor, recommending e | the “GENERAL HISTORY. - the house .to..furnish . supplies for various. fortifications, it.. was Teptesented, , that such was’ ,the istress of. their constituents, that they could. not provide money for mauy objects which they thought highly expedient; and they, as- serted that the.expence of the ord nance department ought to be de; frayed at the.geveral cost of the empire. .. They passed a resolution for the support of the white troops necessary for the protection of the island, but upon'a new and more economical plan.’ ,» At Dominica, some differences rose between the governor, Barnes, and the council, , The governor had ~~ dissolved two successive Houses of Assembly ; one for hav- ing refused to vote the necessary supplies; the other for haying de- clined to meet in October. last, when a general alarm prevailed on account: of the conspiracy at Mar- tinique. The board of conncil, declaring their disapprobation. of the refusal of the house to meet for the dispatch of public business, added their belief that the motives which. actuated the individuals were good, and that the utmost harmony: prevailed in the legisla- tive intercourse between the buard and the house. . Governor Barnes commented. with severity upon the inconsisteney of this declaration, and from several circumstances in- timated his’ opinion that there was, a design to alienate the affections of the French inhabitants from his ajesty’s gavernment. ‘In consequence of the scarcity of provisions in Barbadoes, the le- gislature,. at the recommenda- tion of the’ governor,,. granted a bounty on. the importation, of o! fou yams, potatoes, and plantains, from Dutch Guiana; and the governor by proclamation opened the ports for some other articles of supply. These measures were productive of beneficial effects. Soon, after. the commencement of the. American war, the West Indian seas swarmed. with priya- teers; which made numerous cap- tures, and from the shelter they obtained in. small) islands of diffi- cult_agcess, , were not easily disco- vered,.or avoided. A meeting of the merchants and: others concern= ed in the coasting trade of Jamaica was held at Kingston on September 25, in which a resolution was passed relative to its unprotected. state, and a,committee was appointed to wait upon Vice-admiral Sterling, requesting him to grant all the protection to the coast in his power to afford. He informed them that two cruizers were already stationed on the coasts, and that upon the arrival of other vessels of war, they, should be employed on the same service. It appears, howeyer, that during the remainder of the year, the defence of the commerce of the West India islands was yery inadequate to the means of annoy- ance possessed by the enemy. The usual periodical scourge of these islands, a hurricane, occurred on the night of October 12, and occasioned much damage in vari- ous parts. of Jamaica, sweeping away outhouses and negro habita- tions, uproofing buildings, tearing up trees by the roots, and destroy- iag cane ,and other plantations. The. mischief at sea was not very considerable, the duration of the tempestuons, weather being short. At St. Lucia most of the vessels m. [P2] the 919] ANNUAL REGISTER, {sie. the port were driven on shore, but it was expected that some of them would be got off again. The negro government of St. Domingo (Hayti) has this year been a scene of that disorder and mutation, which may always be ex- pected where the strongest sword is the only source of authority. The mimic monarch, Christophe, has been encountered with superior force by his rival Petion, and for the time, at least, has sunk under the contest, Petion is stated to have made the whole of Christophe’s cavalry prisoners about the 15th of April. During his absence, however, from Port au Prince, Christophe had suddenly appeared before that place, and gained possession of a strong fort; on which account all the British shipping had been or- dered away by Captain Vashon. But this success was only tempo- rary. Petion took from him St. Mark’s, Cape Nicholas Mole, and Gonaives. Christophe was deserted by his staff officers, and fled to the mountains; and, in fine, the seat of his power, Cape Francois, submitted without resistance to his rival, who advanced to it at the head of 12,000 men. The occurrences reported during this year from the British posses- sions in the East Indies have been of no great importance. The strong fortress of Kallinjur in Bundlecund has submitted to the British arms, after a resistance which in the first instance was suc- cessful. Colonel Martindell, who commanded the force led agaiust it, ordered an assault on February 2. The troops advanced in three columns to storm « breach which had been made by the artillery, but on arriving under the walls, thev found a perpendicular precipice td be surmounted before it could be reached. Ladders were applied, which were thrown down by the garrison, and in the mean time the assailants were exposed to a very destructive fire of cannon and mus- ketry. They at length found it ne- cessary to retreat, with a severe loss of officers and men, whieh chiefly fell upon the European part of the force. The action, however, was not thrown away, for the display of courage and enterprise made such an impression on the com- mander of the fort, that he soon after surrendered by capitulation. Accounts from Java state, that an expedition fitted out at Batavia, under colonel Gillespie and Cap- tain Sayer of the Leda, against Palambang, had been completely successful ; and that on its return, the army had been employed against the rajah of Jacgocatra, who had shown symptoms of disaffection. His fortress and town were storm= ed, and himself.taken prisoner, with the whole of his property. Though he had a force of 10,000 men, the loss of the victors was in- considerable. The Dutch islands of Macassar and Timour are‘also said to have been captured by the same expedition ; and the resources of Java were found sufficient not only for its own security, but for aiding in the general defence) of the British empire. The fort of Nowanuggar belonging to the Jam- raiah, submitted to the British arms on February 24, just as the troops brought against it under Lieutenant colonel Lionel Smith were on the point of storming. A dangerous conspiracy was de- tected among the native troops at _ Travancore, the object of which was, to GENERAL HISTORY. to massacre their European officers whilst assembled at an entertain- ‘ment to be given by the British re- sident at that court. It was dis- closed by a confidential sepcy, and the ringleaders were seized upon, two of whom, native officers, were blown from a cannon in front of the line drawn up to witness their punishment. Several Nairs and Faquirs, instigators of the mutiny, were afterwards hung. Governor Farquhar of the Mau- ritius made public, in May, a cor- respondence with Rear-Admiral Stopford at the Cape of Good Hope, in which the latter announces his receipt from England of the act imposing fresh penalties against any further traffic in slaves, and [213 declares the impossibility of suffer- ing the admission of slaves into the islands under his excellency’s go- vernment. At the same time the governor informed the merchants, planters, and other inhabitants of the islands, that regulations had been made for trade between Eng~ land and them, by which they were placed on the same footing with the private merchants in other parts of India. Accounts were received from Persia that a definitive treaty of alliance between that government and Great Britain had been con- cluded by Sir Gore Ouseley, on terms highly advantageous to this country. CHAPTER 214] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Ly ws | CHAPTER XXI. Meeting of the New Parliament—Regent’s Speech, and Debates there- on—Thanks and Grunt to Lord Wellington — Renewal of the Gold Coin Bill—Motion on the German Legion—Prince Regent's Message respecting a Grant to Russia, and Detates. .N November 24th the House of Lords having assembled, a commission was appointed for the new parliament. The attendance of the Commons was then re- quested, and the commission was read. The Commons were then directed by the Lord Chancellor to proceed to the choice of a Speaker ; and on the same day, a number of members having been sworn, Sir John Nicholl rose, and proposed the late Speaker, Mr. Abbott, for that office. His motion was. se- couded by Mr. Cartwright, and was received with great applause from all parts of the house. Mr. Abbott was accordingly placed in the chair, and the house adjourned to the next day. The other usual forms being gone through, the Prince Regent, on the 30th, came to the House of Lords in state, and delivered a speech from the throne. After touching upon his Majesty’s lamented indisposition, and the diminished hopes of his recovery, his Royal Highness ad- verted to the successes in the Peninsula under the conduct of Lord Wellington, and their final good effects, notwithstanding his retreat from Burgos, and evacua- tion of Madrid. He then men- tioned the restoration of peace _and friendship with the courts of Petersburgh and Stockholm, and spoke in terms of eulogy of the resistance made by Russia to the arms of their invaders auguring a happy termination of the contest. He informed parliament of a sup- plementary treaty entered into with his Sicilian Majesty and hinted at the new measures concerted with the government of that island, for an active co-operation in the com- mon cause. With respect to the declaration of war by the United States of America, he observed, that it was made under circumstances which might have afforded a rea- sonable expectation that the ami- cable relations between the two countries would not be long inter- rupted ; but that the conduct and pretensions of that government had hitherto prevented any ar- rangement for that purpose. He took notice of the defeat of the attempts against Canada ; and said, that his efforts were still directed to the restoration of peace, but that until this object could be attained without sacrificing the - maritime rights of Great Britain, he should rely on their support for a vigorous prosecution of the war. The conclusion of the speech re- commended an early consideration of a provision for the effectual goverment of the Indian provinces, in GENERAL im consequence of the approaching expiration of the charter of the East India Company. It adverted to the success of the means em- ployed for suppressing the spirit of outrage and insubordination which had appeared in some parts of the country, and expressed a hope that atrocities so repugnant to the British character would never recur; and ended with the usual declaration of confidence in the wisdom of parliament, and the loyalty of the people. . The accustomed complimentary address was moved in the House of Lords by Lord Longford, and seconded by Lord Rolle. The Marquis Wellesley then arose, and after an introduction alluding toa passage in the speech expressing the Prince Regent’s conviction that he should find no want of that firmness and perseverance in the prosecution of the war, which had distinguished parliament on former occasions, he proceeded to a review of the events in the war with Spain. Layimgit down as a principle that the war was necessary in order to check the ambitious projects of the French ruler, and divert his forces, and.affirming that the successes of the last campaign, imperfect as they were, had been felt in Russia as the salvation of that empire, he drew» the inference, that whilst France was engaged in the north, we ought to have redoubled our efforts in the opposite quarter, and to have strained our resources ‘to the utmost extremity.” <“ I wish; my lords (said he) we could fix in our minds some definite idea of the objectof our exertions in the Peninsula. My own idea has always been, that the true object a6 HISTORY. of the Spanish contest was, the expulsion of the’ French forces from Spain. “Phis is the clear practical object at which we ought toaim. With this, then, in» our view, let us inquire what has been done, compared with what might have been done. I have said else- where, that it was my opinion that the war in the Peninsula had not been carried on. with adequate vigour for this purpose.” The marquis then went on to a critical examination of the last campaign in Spain, in which, while paying a tribute of praise to Lord Wel- lington, almost exceeding the mo- desty of fraternal eulogy, he at- tempted to show that his plans had been continually cramped by a de- ficiency of strength, that supplies were scanty and tardy, that co- operation was feeble and ill-di- rected, and that thesystem adopted by ministers was ‘‘ timid without prudence, and narrow without economy; profuse without the fruits of expenditure, and slow without the benefits of caution.” His lordship ‘commented upon other points touched in the speech ; but concluded with saying, that he should move no amendment on the address, and that his chief in- tention had been to press upon the house the great subject of the Spanish war, in which we had no alternative between vigour and de- feat. Lord Liverpool in reply ob- served, that it was extremely easy for the noble lord to sit down in his closet, and wish for, or ima- gine, a particular effort of any given magnitude; but must not every exertion depend on the ap- plicable resources of the country, and [215 216) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. and be proportioned to the demand made upon it from other quarters ? He desired to know what addi- tional exertions could have been made. They had, in effect, grown with the progress of the war. Three or four years ago it would not have been thought practicable to inake those efforts in the Penin- sula which the country had re- cently witnessed. He then made the following statement; that in- dependently of the force required for the maintenance of our Indian empire, our colonial possessions, and for our domestic defence, we had, on the 25th of June,,in Sicily, the Mediterranean, and the Penin- sula, a force of 127,000 men, of which the British troops (including the Germaus) amounted to 91,000, and the Portuguese to 36,000. In June last, Lord Wellington had under his command 58,000 British troops, exclusive of Portuguese. Since the 24th of December last, not fewer than 20,000 men and 7,000 horses had been conveyed to the Peninsula. He said further, that never had any requisition been made by Lord Wellington that had not been complied with. Lord Liverpool made observations on some other points in which the marquis had formed objections to the speech; and with respect to the omission of mentioning the Catholic question,heacknowledged that for his part he had not been able to see his way to any satis- factory adjustment. Lord Grenville restated the views on which he had originally opposed the war in the Peninsula, and attributed the disappointments there chiefly to the delusion of ministers in trusting to the co- operation of the Spanish armies, In adverting to the American war, he said, he could not repress his astonishment and indignation at the language of those who pro- fessed their belief that the aban- donment: of the orders in council would necessarily lead to the re- storation of peace. There was a time when such a concession would have produced both peace and alliance ; but, as im the first fatal war with America, concession was made too late. He thought the house was indecently pledged in the address to the prosecution of this war, though not a document was produced to prove its justice. After some other speaking on the occasion, the address wasagreed to without a division. In the House of Commons, the address on the speech was moved by Lord Clive, who was seconded by Mr. Hart Davis. Mr. Canning then arose, and very exactly pur- sued the same line of argument and eloquence with that followed by Marquis Wellesley in the other house. The vigorous prosecution of the war in every quarter was the point which he principally laboured to enforce, and he con- cluded amidst expressions of ap- plause from different parts of the house. Lord Castlereagh then took up the ministerial cause, on the ground that Lord Liverpool maintained in the House of Lords. Mr. Whitbread afterwards made a number of observations, the gene- ral tenor of which was, to moderate the high-wrought descriptions and sanguine expectations presented in the speeches of those who preceded him, and to inculcate the propriety of taking the opportunity of a time at GENERAL at which the different contending powers had all experienced re- verses, to set on foot negociations for peace. He then proposed an amendment tothe address, which consisted in omitting the warlike part-of it, and terminating by re- commending to his Royal High- mess the Prince Regent, in the present state of affairs, when no dishonourable object could be im- puted to great Britain, Russia, or France, the commencement of overtures for the general pacifica- tion of Europe. Sir George Heathcote seconded the amendment, and some other members joined in the debates, after which the address was voted without a division. On the question for bringing up the report of the address in the House of Commons, December Ist, Mr. Creevey rose to notice the omission in the speech of any mention of the state of the revenue and commerce of the country, and after some observatious on this head moved, as an amendment, that the address be brought up this day week. It was seconded by Captain Bennett; and the question being put, a desultory debate or conversation ensued, in which a number of members gave their opinion on various topics suggested by the address; as, war and peace, the finances, the dis- pute with America, &c. These, -on the present occasion, could be discussed only in a very cursory manner; for, as Mr. Ponsonby remarked, addresses were now merely complimentary echoes to the speech, and were no more pledges to any specific measures to be proposed by ministers, than -Bill. HISTORY. [217 the signature of * your very hum- ble servant” to a letter, pledged thesubscriber toa particularservice. Two facts, however, were stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer which may deserve recording : that in 1809 the sum of 2,800,000/. had. been granted for the service of the Peninsula, and during the eleven corresponding months’ of the present year, no less than 114 millions had been applied to the support of the Spanish cause; and that, while the exports of the king- dom were in the last year but 84 millions, in this year they were 13 millions. He also explained a sup- posed idea thrown out by him concerning a tax on capital, to have been no more than an as- sertion, that if the necessity of such a tax should occur, the nation would bear it rather than submit to an insatiableand insolent enemy. The address was then read and agreed to. Thanks to Lord Wellington, and a grant to him of 100,000/. to be laid out in land, were the subjects which next engaged both houses of parliament; but as they exer- cised the oratory rather than the argumentative powers, of the dif- ferent speakers—~since there was scarcely any other contention than which party should most highly extol the merits of the illustrious general—it is unnecessary in this place to record any particulars. The votes on both questions passed unanimously. A second reading of the renewed gold coin bill being the order of the day in the House of Commons on December 8th, Mr. Creevey rose to state his objections to the He said, that when the bullion 218] bullion committee sat upwards of two years ago, gold was at4/. 105, an ounce, but was at present 5/. 5s. an ounce, so that the depreciation of paper was 85 per cent. The obligation to take paper at: its nominal value. was. therefore an enormous violation of property, by which all classes were losers ex- cept the Bank. As the measure had produced such mischievous consequences, and there was dan- ger that the depreciation might go still further, he wished time might be given for reconsidering the sub- ject, and he moved that, instead of the words ‘* be now read a second time,”’ there be inserted that it ** be read a second time on the 3rd of February.” In the debate which ensued, much of the ground was again gone over which had been taken at the first passing of the bill. One of the most material circumstances which occurred was a question put by Mr. Ponsonby to the Chancellor of the Exche- quer, what) price he gave for bills to remit abroad? | which for some time he declined: to, answer; but at length he said 67 pence per milrea.! In) answer to & com- plaint of| an excessive issue of pa- per currency by the bank, Mr. Manning stated that the amount yesterday was 223 millions, where- asin July and August 1810 it was near 25. millions. | The general opition in the house seemed to be that the meusure, however objectionable in its principles, was ati this time necessary; ‘and on a division, the ‘second tead- ing was carried by 129 against 19. | 00 On the bringing up of the re- port of «the gold coin bill, De- rence between them. ANNUAL REGISTER, isieg. cember 11th, Mr. Whitbread, in, order, he said, to bring the matter to a test, moved the rescinding the third resolution of May last, which stated the opinion of the Chancel- lor of the Exchequer, ‘ that in all cases wherein coin might be used for legal purposes, the promissory notes of the bank of England, and guibeas, were, in public estimation, considered equivalent, and were generally so accepted.”’ Upon this motion the house divided. Noes 63; Ayes 26—Majority against it 37. : ; Mr. Huskisson then rose, and said, that if the observations of the Chancellor of the Exchequer were correct, they must go to this length—that the paper, currency could not fail under these condi- tions; 1. that the coin should re+ main under a determinate weight and value as fixed by the royal au- thority: 2, that the paper curren- cy should exactly correspond with the coin according to its denomina- tion: 3. that the law should be re-enacted making it penal to doubt the equivalency of the two sorts of currency. Thus then, if paper currency should fall so low as that a nominal thousand pound’s worth would buy only a quartern loaf, still.coin should retain its re+ lative value to the papers and it should be penal to make any diffe- But it was impossible that any legislative act should establish such an equaliza- tion. He,had been informed that “een tie liad sent a great num- ner of bank notes to Canada for the payment. of our troops and | other establishments im that pro- vince, and that, being estimated according to theit teal value, they were GENERAL HISTORY. were sold there at a discount of 30 per cent. From the necessity of the case he had approved of that part of the bill which virtu- ally made bank notes a legal tender, but he could see no use in that part which made it crimi- nal tosell gold coin at more, than the legal value., A few low and ignorant people had been convicted upon it, while millions of guineas had been exported, notwithstand- ing all the vigilance of govern- ment. He was not alarmed at the idea of a gold price and a paper price, which had preyailed in Ire- land, and now subsisted in Portu- gal, where the effect was, that their gold coin was still in cir- culation, while ours had all disap- peared. Instances were given by other members of the actual existence of two pricesin this country ; and several of the former arguments on the subject were recapitulated. The report was, however, agreed Daisy li ey, pew bat _The debate was resumed on the motion for the third reading of the bill, December 14; but the read- ing was carried on a division, by 80 against 15. ) In the House of Lords, the gold coin bill underwent but little dis- cussion, and it passed into'a law before the recess, oan On December 10th, Lord Folk- stone rose in the House of Com- mons; in pursuance of his notice, to call the attention of the. house to animportant sabject. He had in the last | session complained of an infraction of the law by the employment of foreign officers in the British army, anda teturn had been ordered; which was incom [219 plete; as. it only contained those employed at home, and not those on foreign. service. He should therefore make motions to supply this defect. His lordship then adverted, to an order, in the Ga- zette, in August last, relative to German officers, which stated, that in consideration of their services, particularly at the battle of Salas manea, they should receive instead of temporary, permanent rank in the army; This appeared to him an attempt: to introduce perma- nently and for ever in our army those officers who were, under an act of parliament, serving onlyin a temporary way, till one yeat after the conclusion of the war. But he understood that another construc tion was put upon it, and he begged leave to:ask the noble lord opposite (Palmerston) whether he was. right in his interpretation, or, if not; what was the real means ing of the order ? Lord) Palmerston at. first only replied that the effect of: the order was not to give to foreign officers any advantages or privileges in- consistent with theact. under which they were serving. This explana- tion not being satisfactory to Lord Folkstone, he moved for an address to the Prince Regent for copies of all the orders issued respecting the rank of. officers serving in the Gers mau legion, iA , ‘Lord Palmerston then observed, that the arguments of the noble lord were founded on a misconcep- tidn which might» be: sufficiently explained») Temporary and. pers manent rank m the army were terms that merely designated two different services. Permanent rank meant the ordinary rank and pros motion 220) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. motion of the army. Temporary rank signified an exception, and was generally given to those who raised men for rank, and for other reasons whieh occasioned the granting them high commissions. It was also confined to particular corps and services, but did not give full brevet promotions with the rest of the army, nor did it eonfer half pay. His lordship went on to state the different con- ditions on which foreign corps were serving in our army; and said, that the order, in fact, did not apply to all the German officers, but only to those of higher ranks who had _ entitled themselves to favour and reward. All these officers, however, were serving un- der a law which declared a limit to their services; and the order could not be meant to operate in defiance of the law. It was, he conceived, clear, that when the operation of the law) ceased, the commissions must fall to the ground with that act in which they originated. The advantage they received from the order was, that when the act expired, their rank having been ordinary and permanent, their names would be printed in the army lists, in their respective ranks, and they would have their honours and titles re- maining. His lordship then pro- nounced an encomium on the Ger- man legion, and concluded with saying, that it would be well that the new parliament should have its opinion understood of the le- gality and propriety of continuing the present system of employing every means of carrying on an offensive warfare which offered it= self in the present circumstances. Mr. Ponsonby particularly ob- jected to the last part of the noble lord’s speech, and hoped that the house would not on the present, or any other occasion, express an opinion on a subject not connected with the motion that was before them. He concurred in the praises of the German corps, but adhered to the opinion that parlia- ment ought to look with a consti- tutional jealousy to the employ- ment of foreign soldiers, especially within this realm. Lord Milton having alluded to the conferring of the command of a district in England on Baron Linsingen, a german; General Stewart asked why, when foreign- ers were intrusted with commands against the enemy, they should not be equally trusted in this country ? But he was reminded by Mr. Can- ning, that while he viewed the sub- ject with a military eye, it was the duty of the house to view it ina constitutional light also; and he referred to the case of king William and his Dutch troops, which par- liament had obliged him to dis- miss. In the further discussion, some censure was pointed against — the present rage of Germanizing and Frenchifying our troops in | their dress and equipments, and — various bad consequences of this mode were pointed out. The motion was then put, and negatived ; but three others were agreed to, relative to returns of the — foreign officers and soldiers em- ployed in the British service. On Dec. 17, a message was sent to both houses from the Prince Regent, recommending the grant- ing a relief to the suffering subjects of his Majesty’s good and great — ally, ‘French invasion of Russia, GENERAL ally, the Emperor of Russia. It was ordered to be taken into consideration in both houses on the following day. In the House of Lords, on the 18th, the Earl of Liverpool rose ‘to move an address pledging the house to concur in the object of the message. He made an introductory speech, in which he stated the circumstances of the and the system of defence adopted by the government of that coun- try, an essential part of which was, the sacrifice of habitations and property, that the enemy might be deprived of the advantage of possessing them. Besides the destruction of the great capital of Moscow, which he represent- ed as a voluntary act. on the part of the inhabitants, a num- ber of towns aud villages had shared the same fate, by which yery great sufferings had _ been brought on the people; and as the purposes of the invasion had been, to strike a deadly blow at the resources of this country, our gra- titude was engaged to contribute to their relief. Lord Holland said, that he found himself placed in a very painful situation by the considera- tions on which this motion was urged; for whilst he must doubt whether this was a wise or poli- tic grant, he felt, that when once proposed, it might be un- wise and unsafe to reject it. He then stated some reasons why he thought that it would have lit- tle efficacy in producing the in- tended relief; yet he would not oppose it, principally because he would not have it imagined that a HISTORY. [221 any member of that house could be insensible to the merits or the sufferings of the Russians, He further hoped that the pro- posal might be regarded as evi- dence of a complete co-operation and concert between the two governments, not merely for car- rying on the war, but as _ to its objects, and the grounds on which. a general peace might be established. The address was then unani- mously agreed to, In the House of Commons, the House having resolved itself into a committee of supply, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on rising to move the grant, said, that had it not been from some intimations of dissent given -yes- terday, heshould not have thought it necessary to preface his’ mo- tion with many observations, It had been suggested that the mes- sage had taken the House by surprise. The surprise was as much upon government, as upon the house: it arose from > the gratifying intelligence, that the enemy had been driven beyond the bounds of the ancient Russian empire; and it was thought bet- ter that parliament should not delay a relief to the people who had made such sacrifices to. the cummon cause, lest it. should be anticipated by the generous con= tributions of individuals. Another consideration was, that a great subscription had been entered in- to at Pertersburgh, and commit- tees had been appointed in Rus- sia, to inquire into the losses of individuals, and to apportion the relief to be distributed. As to the sum which ought to. be granted, 999] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. sranted, there would probably be a differetice of opinion,” but, con- sideritig’ the occasion, ‘it obvi ously would be improper that’ it should bea scanty or penurious grant. He’ concluded with mov- ine “that a sum not exceeding 200,000. should be granted’: to his Majesty, to be applied to- wards the relief of the sufferers in Russia.”” fee svat Mr. Ponsonby said, he~should vote for the grant, but not for the reasons assigned by the last speaker. It would not’ afford either speedy or ‘effectual relief to the sufferers; but he looked upon it in the light of a gift to the Emperor of Russia, and as a mark of gratitude for the extraordinary efforts made: by that country in resisting’ the « power of France, and ‘opposing’ the continental system which was’ at- tempted to be forced upon it. Mr. Bathurst defended ‘the words ‘speedy and effectual’ applied to the grant, as being used relatively, and in conjunc- tion with other measures of re- lief. ' Mr. Whitbread said, that after fully exercising his judgment up- on the question, he could not suffer the vote to pass unani- mously.. He thought the pro- posed’ grant would prove inef- fectual, and that it was incon- sistent with the sentiments of justice ‘which the house was bound to entertain for the dis- tresses of their own countrymen. The sum was too paltry to be of any real use; and it was the duty of the Russian government to protect its people, ‘and to alleviate their wretchedness, oc- casioned’ by anvact’ unparalleled mm ‘the ‘history of the» world— the conflagration of | Moscow. The sum appeared to be ‘in reality a contribution to car on’ the war, and ‘no other. than a ‘paltry ‘and contemptible’ sub- sidys) 9) THoOD OF ves ‘:Lord Castlereagh strongly’ dis- claimed the appellation’ given to’ the grant by the last speak- er, and said, ‘that by the ‘vote now proposed, ‘we were subsidi- zing’ the’ sensibilities “and ' ge- nerous feelings of all the world. - Sir Francis Burdett could not consent. to give away money which, whilst it could not be effectual to relieve the calamities of Russia, would add to the bur- dens ‘already so’ severely felt by the community at home. He thought it was hard that ‘the people’ of this’ country should be called upon to ‘support’ ‘the emigrants of all nations; and yet when relief was requested for our starving manufacturers, the answer was, that in times like this, economy must be attend- éd to, and it was’ impossible for the house to grant relief to an extent that would ‘be of ‘any avail. | is “Dab Mr. Wilberforce did not doubt that the sum’ asked for would be of material’ benefit’ to ‘the Russians, as similar grants had been in other cases; ;It* would shew at least ‘the’ sympathetic feelings of the’ house’ for ‘the distresses of the Russian ‘péople ; and he ‘could “not conceive: why nations should not be generous, as well as individuals. - , “The resolution was then agreed to.’ ' , ; Nothing GENERAL Nothing further of import- ance occurred in Parliament be- fore its adjournment for the Christmas recess. It should be recorded, that in HISTORY, [223 addition to the parliamentary aid granted to Russia, considerable private subscriptions were entered into for the relief of the suffer- ers in that country. vy grit ‘ * 2 «RSI Ey eRe nee ‘ari re it i oa pe Phebe eS leh al IE IRION » rk ee ropntedisacto dial | ol he FORE ae; % eee fewusen an tye as le wi Leng br 5 ie’ Ye CHRONICLE. JANUARY. XTRACT from the Danish newspaper of the 31st of De- cember, 1811 :— “© We have received accounts that the English ship St. George, 98 guns, commanded by admiral Reynolds, and the Defence of 74, capt. David Atkins, were driven ashore on the morning of the 24th instant, near Cape Ryssenstein, in the lordship of Rinkiobing. The crew of the former is said4o have consisted of 350 men, and of the latter, of 550 men, not including the officers. Half an hour after the Defence had touched the ground, the whole went to pieces, and all the crew (excepting five seamen and one marine, who saved themselves by holding pieces of timber) were drowned, Capt. Atkins reached the shore, dead. The day after, in the after- noon, there were seen from the Jand some part of the cabin and poop of the St. George, upon which were standing many men. Part of the mast was cut away, and some men endeavoured to escape on it; but it is conjectured, that few have been saved, since the waves and the current, with the wind coming from the N.NW. would sweep them off before they reached the land. Some, likewise, attempted to save themselves on a Vou. LIV. raft, but are said to have perished ; and when the accounts came away from Lemvig, intelligence had reached that place, that the St. George had totally gone down, and that only twelve men of the crew had been saved. The ship was upwards of 300 fathoms from the land.”’ Lemvig, Jan. 6.—There were no more than eleven men saved of the crew of the St. George, as the twelfth died before he could be brought into a house. These sea men state, that the ship, previous to the loss of her masts, had like- wise had her rudder broken by striking on the Redsand ; and the one which was made on board to replace it, was too weak to steer and govern the ship, in a gale of wind in the North Sea, and which might, probably, cause the ship’s stopping. The Defence first took the ground; and onsignal being given by her of theaccident,theSt. George immediately let go her anchor, but in bringing up with the anchor she took the ground abaft, so that her forepart, which had deeper water, and was confined down by the ca- ble, was, ina short time, under wa- ter. To save them by boatsand craft from the shore was impossible. Such as were hoisted out were im- mediately driven from the ship, with the exception of one single boat, 2 ANNUAL REGISTER, boat, in which about 20 men at- tempted to save themselves, but it upset alongside the ship, and they wereall drowned. On the after- noon of Christmas-day, when the last of the eleven men left the ship, on asmall piece of plank, admiral Reynolds and captain Guion, the commander of the ship, were lying dead aside each other, upon the quarter-deck, as were also about 508 men ofthe crew, who had died through fatigue and cold, and from the sea breaking over them ; only about fifty men remaining still alive, whose cries were heard until it became dark, when, it is to be hoped, that an end was put to their misery. Two daysafterwards, when the gale was abated, and the wind, being easterly, was off the shore, a Danish, boat, with two of the English sailors, went on board to bring away the corpses of the ad- miral, the captain,and several other persons ; but they found the deck was washed away by the sea, with all the bodies lying onit. It is supposed the ship must now be broken right athwart, although both ends of her are still percepti- ble, and thatit must be the ammu- nitiou lying in the bottom, which holds her together. Among the ship’s crew, which is said to have been no more than 750, about 40 were reckoned in the class of offi- cers; and of these, exclusive of the admiral and captain, ten were lieutenants, one secretary, one captain, and three lieutenants of marines. The secretary, who was a married man, was half dead when he came on shore, and ex- pired immediately after. A quan- tity of gold coins found upon his person, such as whole and half guineas, Dutch ducats, &c. and 1812. likewisesome English Bank-notes, is, so far as yet known, all the money saved. According to the report given by the survivors, the admiral must have been a most gallant man. He would not quit his ship, but die on board her. He was a widower, and has left two daughters behind him, and a son, who is a captain. . A great number of dead bodies have driven on shore between Hausbye and Nessum, all of which were interred with military ho- nours. Forty-seven barrels of gun- powder have been saved out of the Defence. Narrative, by a Persononboard the Grasshopper, of the circum- stances attending the loss of that Vessel and the Hero.—On Wed- nesday the] 8thof December, 1811,, we sailed from Wingo Sound, in. company with his majesty’s ships Hero, Egeria, and Prince William armed ship, with a convoy of 120: sail or upwards. The Egeria and Prince William, with the greatest part of the convoy, separated from us in the tremendous weather we had shortly after leaving the Sleeve ; and on the23rd instant, we found ourselves in company with the Hero, and about eighteen sail, mostly government transports. At half-past eleven on that day, captain Newman made signal to come within hail; when he told us, as he conceived we were near about the Silver Pitts, he should steer S. W. after noon, which was accordingly done ;,and at the close of the day,.we steering that course, running at the rate of nine knots per hour, at about ten o’clock, the night-signal was made to alter course to port two points, which was repeated by us. At this time only CHRONICLE. 8 only four of the convey were in sight, and they were shortly lost sight of in the heavy squall of snow and sleet. At half past three the hands were turned up, the ship being in broken water: we found we were on a sand bank, the pilots imagining it to be Smith’s Knoll. The captain instantly ordered the brig to be steered S. SE. thinking to get out to sea; but she conti- nued striking so hard for a length of time, that we had almost given ber up for lost, when suddenly, and very fortunately, we fell into three fathoms water, upon which the captain caused an anchor to be let go, when we perceived the Hero again (as we then thought) also at an anchor, though she fired several guns, and burnt blue lights : but, alas! when the day broke, we had the mortification of wit- nessing a most horrible scene,— the Hero was totally dismasted, and on her larboard beam-ends, with her head to the N. E. about a mile from us, upon the Haeck’s Sand, as we then found we were inside of it, off the Texel Island: the ship’s _ company were all crowded together on the poop and forecastle. As soon as day-light had well appear- ed, she hoisted a flag of truce and fired a gun, which we repeated, and very shortly after saw a lugger, two brigs, and several small vessels, plying out of the Texel to our assistance; but owing to the flood- tide having made, and the wind blowing a perfect gale at N. NW. the lugger was only able to come within two or three miles of us by two o’clock in the afternoon, In the mean time we hoisted out our boats, and made an attempt to get near the Hero, but the surf was so high, that it was all ineffectual, and we were under the cruel ne- cessity of seeing so many of our brave countrymen perishing, with- out being able to render them any assistance. The Grasshopper at the same time was constantly strik- ing very hard, though every thing had been thrown overboard to lighten her, except the guns, upon which it was feared she would have bilged. The master was then sent to sound in every direction, for a passage to make our escape by, (though I have since found out that an escape was totally impos- sible); but quarter less three, and two fathoms and a half, were the only soundings he could meet with. The captain, therefore, with the opinion of the officers, agreed, that we had no chance of saving our- selves, but by surrendering to the enemy, who were at this time, as Ihave before mentioned, coming to our assistance, and that of the Hero, from whose wreck, I am sorry to say, not one soul has been saved. I observed, likewise, about five miles to the northward of us, a vessel on shore, with her fore- mast standing, and another some distance from her, both of which I took to be the transports that were under our convoy. The commading officer here has since informed us, that the telegraph has reported that eight or ten ves~ sels were wrecked upon the coast to the northward, on the 23rd instant, and had shared the fate of the poor Hero. Atransport, called the Archimedes, beat over the Haecks as well as ourselves, with the loss of her rudder ; but hassince been wrecked, though the crew are saved, and now prisoners of war, as well as we. At close of day, wa the weather threatening tg 2 4 ANNUAL REGISTER, be worse, and the brig striking so repeatedly, we cut the cable and ran for the port in view : when we approached the lugger, which was by this time anchored, she sent a pilot to us, who took us into the Texel, where we surren- dered to the Dutch squadron, under the command of admiral de Winter, who, I must in justice say, has behaved to us in the most humane and attentive manner. They also used every means in their power to save the crew of the un- fortunate Hero; but the badness of the weather rendered it totally impossible. I now must conclude my narrative with the most heart-~ felt regret, at having to announce to the public and the friends of the poor sufferers, their severe logs. P. S. We lost but one man, Mr. King, the pilot, who was killed by a capstern bar, which flew out as we were heaving in cable to put service in the hawse. America.—Richmond, Dec. 27. —Last night the play house in this eity was crowded with an unusual audience: there could not have been less than six hundred persons in the house. Just before the con- clusion of the play, the scenery caught fire, and im a few minutes the whole building was wrapt in flames. It is already ascertained that sixty-one persons were de- voured by that terrific element. We are informed that the scenery took fire inthe back part of the house, by the raising of a chande- lier ;—that the bov, who was ordered by one of the players to raise it, stated, that if he did so, the scenery would take fire, when he was commanded in a peremp- tory manner to hoist it. The boy 1812. obeyed, and the fire was instantly communicated to the scenery. He gave the alarm in the rear of the stage, and requested some of the atteudants to cut the cords by which the combustible materials were suspended. The person whose duty it was to perform this business became panic struck, and _ sought his own safety. This un- fortunately happened at a time when one of the performers was playing near the orchestra, and the greatest part of the stage was obscured from the audience by a curtain, The fire falling from the scenery upon the performer, was the first notice which the people had of their danger. Even then many supposed it to be a part of the play, and were, for a little time, restrained from flight by a cry from the stage that there was no danger. There was but one door for the greatest part of the audience to pass. Men, women, and children were pressing upon each other, while the flames were seizing upon those behind; who, urged by the flames, pushed those out who were nearest the windows; and people of every description began to fall, one upon another, some with their clothes on fire, some half roasted. All of those who were in the pit escaped, and had cleared them- selves from the house before those who were in the boxes could get down, and the door was for some time empty. Those from above were pushing each other down the steps, when the hindermost might have got out by leaping into the pit. In addition to the list now given, it is believed that at least 60 others perished, whose names are not yet ascertained, [Here CHRONICLE. 5 {Here follow the names of 62 persons, among whom were the governor of the province and his lady.] Jan. 1.— Interment of John Wil- liams.—On Monday, Dec. 30, at midnight, the body of this wretch was removed from the House of Correction, Cold Bath-fields, to the watch-house, near Ratcliff- highway ; and yesterday morning, at about ten o’clock, he was placed on a platform, erected six feet above a yery high cart, drawn by one horse. The platform was composed of rough deals battened together, raised considerably at the head, which elevated the corpse. A board was fixed across the lower end, standing up about six inches, to prevent the body from slipping off. On this platform the body was laid; it had on a clean white shirt, very neatly frilled, quite open at the neck, and without a neck- handkerchief or hat, but the hair neatly combed, and the face clean washed, The countenance looked healthful and ruddy, but the hands and the lower part of the arms were of a deep purple, nearly black. The whole of the arms were exposed, the shirt being tucked quite up. The lower part of the body was covered with a pair of clean blue trowsers, and brown worsted stockings, without shoes. The feet were towards the horse ; on the rightyleg was affixed the iron Williams had on when he was committed to prison. The fatal mall was placed upright by the left side of his head, and the ripping-chisel or crow-bar, about three feet long, on the other side, About ten o’clock the procession, attended by the head constable, and headboroughs of the district ; and about 250 or 300 constables and extra constables, most of them with drawn cutlasses, began to move, and continued at a very slow pace until they came opposite the house of the unfortunate Marr, in Ratclifl-highway, where they stopped for about a quarter of an hour. By the shaking of the cart the head of Williams had got turn- ed to one side, and looked from the house where the murder was com- mitted ; but before the cart Jeft the place, a person ascended the plat- form, and placed the face of the corpse directly opposite the scene of atrocity. The procession went down Old Gravel-lane, along Wap- ping High-street, entered New Gravel-lane by Wapping wall, and continued slowly to approach the spot where the second mur- der was perpetrated; on reach- ing which, it stood for another quarter of an hour, and then pro- ceeded, again entering Ratcliff- highway, and passing along it until it came to Cannon-street, where it turned up; and on reach- ing the top where the New-road crosses, and the Cannon-street road begins, a large hole being prepared, the cart stopped. After a pause of about ten minutes, the body was thrown into its infamous grave, amidst the acclamations of thousands of spectators. The stake which the law requires to be driven through the corpse had heen placed in the procession, under the head of Williams, by way of pillow; and after he was consigned to the earth, it was handed down from the platform, and with the mall was driven through the body. The grave was then filled with quick lime, and the spectators very quietly dispersed. During the whole 6 ANNUAL REGISTER, whole procession all ranks of per- sons who were present conducted themselves with a solemnity rarely witnessed in the east part of the town; and until the body was lowering into the earth, hardly a whisper was to be heard in the street. Not a single accident hap- pened. Williams is buried close to the turnpike-gate in the Cannon- street road. 2. The infant son of Mrs. Del- low of St. Martin’s-lane, Cannon- street, who was stolen on the 18th of November, has at length been recovered, The extensive circulation of hand and posting-bills, minutely describing the child, and offering a reward of one hundred guineas for his recovery, caused great but ineffectual vigilance in the coun- try, until the latter end of last week, when a woman at Gosport observed a neighbour of her’s in possession of a boy, bearing the marks described, and answering to the age of three years old. She immediately thought it was Tho- mas Dellow, who had been so long missing ; the more so, as she had reason to believe that the pretend- ed mother had never borne a child. She communicated her suspicions to the nearest magistrate, who sent for Mrs, Magnes, the pretended mother. The moment she was in- terrogated on the subject, she con- fessed the whole affair, and her motive for the robbery. Magnes, her husband,:who was a gunner on board one-of his ma- jesty’s ships, and had saved a con- siderable sum of money for a man in his station of life, was extremely partial to children, and had often expressed his most anxious wish to have a little darling as he used to 1812. term it. His wife, not less anxious to gratify him in this respect, wrote to him while at sea, that she was in the family-way. The gunner, high- ly delighted that he had obtained his desired object, sent home the earnings of many a cruise, amount- ing to 300/., witha particular charge that the infant should be well ng- ged, and want for nothing; if a boy, so much the better. The next letter from his hopeful wife announced the happy tidings that his first-born was a son, and that she would name him Richard, after his father. The husband ex- pressed his joy at the news, and counted the tedious hours until he should be permitted to come home to his wife and child. At home he at length arrived, but at an unfortunate time, when the dear Richard was out at nurse,at a considerable distance ; change of air being necessary to the easy cut~ ting of his teeth. Magnes’ time being short, he left his home with a heavy heart, without bemg able to see his offsprng ; but he was as= sured, that on his next trip to Gos- port he should have the felicity he had so often pined for, of clasping his darling to his bosom. 1t was not until November last that he was at liberty to revisit home, when he had again the mortification to find that his son, whom he expected to see a fine boy of three years old, had not yet cut his teeth, or that he was from home on some other pretence. Magnes, however, was not to be pacified thus : he would go and see his son, or his son should come to him. Mrs. Mag- nes, finding him determined, thought the latter much the best way ; and accordingly set off to fetch the boy. The metropolis oc- curred i CHRONICLE. eurred to her as the market best calculated to afford her a choice of children. She visited the west end of the town, but saw nothing there to correspond with her husband’s views of a fine boy ; the children appearing pale, wan and emaciated. She then turned her attention to the east, and passing down St. Mar- tin’s-lane, she was struck with the rosy little citizen, Tommy Dellow, and at once determined to make him her prize. He was playing with his sister at the green-grocer’s shop- door, into which Mrs. Magnes went, with the double view of pur- chasing some apples, and carrying off the boy. Luckily, as she had made her purchase, a gentlewoman came into the shop to buy potatoes, and so engaged the mistress, that she forgot the children under her charge. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mag- nes lost no time. She made much of the sister, caressed the boy, and gave him an apple. The children being pleased with her attention, she asked the little girl to show her to a pastry-cook’s shop to buy some cakes, whither she took both the girl and the boy. She got clear off with the latter, and left the girl behind. The same night she left town for Gosport with the boy, having rigged him out accord- ing to the taste of her husband, with a new dress, and a black hat and feather. Mrs. Magnes, in or- der that she might speak to the name of her boy with a safer con- science, stopped at Kingston, and had him christened, “ Richard Magnes,” by which name he was introduced to his fond father on the following evening at Gosport. Magnes, supposing all his wishes Tealised, was made truly happy. 7 It is no exaggeration to say, that poor Magnes felt a parental affec- tion for the boy ; and that when the imposition was discovered be- fore the magistrate, he was grieved to the heart at being obliged to part with him under all the cir- cumstances of the transaction. The magistrate at Gosport immediately acquainted Mr. aad Mrs. Dellow with the discovery ; and stated to them, that their child was safe, and ready to be delivered to its pa- rents. On Monday the father set off for Gosport, and the next day received his lost child. If he could feel any diminution of his joy, it was on account of Magnes, who parted with little Dellow with a sorrowful heart, and excited the commiseration of all who witnessed the scene. As for Mrs. Magnes, she was lodged in the House of Correction at Gosport, for a day or two, and is expected by the coach this morning, to undergo an exa- mination at the Mansion-house. Mr. Dellow and his boy arrived in town yesterday morning. 2. One of the Glasgow coaches was overturned last October, in consequence of running a race with a post-chaise on the road from Edinburgh, whereby a Mr. Brown was killed, and his wife so bruised as to be inimminent danger. A verdict has since been found, in consequence of an action brought in the Court of Sessions, against the proprietors of both the coach and chaise. Lord Meadowbank, ordinary, has found the defend- ants liable to the following da- mages :— ae 3) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. To Mrs, Brown, in compen- sation of damages suffered by her person - - - £.300 To her for the loss of her husband - - - - -~ 200 And to each of the children eight in number, 130/. each =- - = =,- = ,1040 1540 With full expense of process. 2. Six French prisoners, who lately escaped from the castle of Edinburgh, haye been re-taken to their old place of confinement. On Friday last, information was given to the commandant of Linlithgow Local Militia, that a number of foreigners had been seen skulking among lord Hopetoun’s planta- tions: a party was immediately sent out, which descried them at some distance in the fields. On seeing the party, they all separated, taking different directions ; six of them, however, were taken, after considerable fatigue, four of them hid among the whins, and two of them in the hollow of a stack in a barn-yard. Onstheir escape, they had made for the sea, near Cra- mond, where, finding a boat, they sailed up the Firth, till opposite Hopetoun-house, where they land- ed, intending to pursue their journey to Port-Glasgow by land. They had subsisted for three days on raw turnips. Qn being taken, they were carried to Linlithgow gaol, fed and clothed, and conduct- ed to Edinburgh on Saturday last. 3. An unfortunate accident oc- curred at Portsmouth theatre on Tuesday. A lad, 14 years of age, son of a widow, a slop-seller, went with some companions to the gal- lery. On their gaining the top of the stairs, which opened on the back of the gallery, he rushed di- rectly down to the front, exclaim- _ ing, he would either get a front seat, or go into the pit. There was no iron-railing above the resting- place to prevent his falling over, and he was precipitated tea a height of thirty feet. Surgical assist- ance was immediately procured, and the theatre closed. The ma- nager had him conveyed to his private dressing-room, where he lingered till eight o’clock the next morning, and died. 3. In consequence of a recent “ decision in the court of Teinds (or Tithes), in Edinburgh, none of the established clergy of Scotland will have a smaller stipend than 160/. sterling, and 8/. 6s. Sd. for commu- nion elements, besides a manse and glebe in the country parishes. We have to record one of the most daring robberies that was ever committed, as well as the pitt’ perseverance and exertions y police officers, to detect and apprehend robbers. Reid, belong- ing to Perry’s party of the patrole, received information, that the house, No. 4, in Bury-street, St. James’s, kept by Mrs, Martin, was marked to be robbed by a gang of thieves, who had got to the know- ledge that she in general went out every evening, principally to the play, through the thoughtless and imprudent conduct of her fe- male servant, who had admitted one of them, named Clayton, to visit her as a sweetheart ; having got acquainted with her undera false representation that he was a trunk-maker, living in Oxford- street. Monday se’nnight was the time fixed on for the perpetration of the robbery. Perry, Reid, Lim- berick, aud others, applied to a neigh- is : CHRONICLE. ighbour residing opposite to Mrs. Martin’s house, to accommodate them with a room to watch the proceedings of the night. They went there about half past seven _ o'clock, and in about three quarters of an hour after, three or four men and two women came and walked up and down in the front of Mrs. Martin’s house; and after some time, one of the men knocked at Mrs. Martin’s door. The servant girl answered it; the man who knocked at the door proved to be Clayton, who pretended to be the girl’s sweetheart ; they crossed over the way talking together, he kiss- ing and squeezing her. Clayton expected to be admitted that night, but the girl was not able to fulfil her promise, owing to her mistress being unwell, and consequently not going out. On the following Tuesday night, about eight, or half past eight o'clock, the officers being at their usual place to watch, observed Clayton knock at Mrs. Martin’s door. The servant came to the door; they walked away together, and went to a liquor shop and had seme gin. When they were sepa- rating, he professed such strong love for her, that he was nearly broken hearted at parting with her,! and kissed her at least a dozen times. On Wednesday night, about the same time, Clayton and two other men appeared before Mrs. Martin’s house. They threw stones against the kitchen window, which not answering the purpose of bringing out the girl, they threw some half-pence, which had the desired effect. She came out, and went and had some liquor with them, Clayton. kissed and courted the girl for some time in the street. 9 During all these visits, Clayton wished very much to go into the house; but the girl told him she dared not, her mistress being still ill, and remaining confined in the house.—On Thursday night Clay- ton attended alone ; but his com- panions were supposed to be at an adjoining house. The girl came out, and they went and drank to- gether.—On Friday night Clayton was accompanied by two or three more men; they walked up and down in the front of the house, while Clayton knocked at the door, The girl answered it, and came out to him, and they talked together for some time; the whole gang were very eager to get into the house that night. On Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights, Clayton pursued similar conduct, going with the girl her errands, drinking together, &c. On Tuesday night,* the girl told Clayton that her mistress was so much recovered, that she expected she would be well enough to go the following night to the play. On Wednesday night, about eight o’clock, Mrs. Martin, accom- panied by a maleand female friend, went in a coach to the theatre,. In a few minutes after, the servant girl came out, and returned shortly after with Clayton, ,arm in arm together. They talked together several minutes at the door, and then went in together. In about a quarter of an. hour after, Clayton came out, and returned in about five minutes, accompanied by ano- ther man. Clayton knocked at the door, and the girl opened it. She appeared to refuse letting the other man in; but Clayton forced open the door, and the other man rushed in. The officers, who had been 10 been upon the close watch every night, then went over to the house, and heard ‘all three talking very loud in the kitchen. From the noise, and what they saw through a key-hole, they ascertained that the two men were dragging the girl up stairs against her will, and she was exclaiming, ‘ Lord have mercy upon me, what shall Ido!’ One of the men told her, if she made such a noise he would blow her brains out, and pre- sented a pistol to her head, and kept it there. They forced her up stairs, she continuing the above exclamations in defiance of their threat; the officers heard doors being broke open, &c. and in a few minutes after the other man; whose name is Jenkins, came down stairs, and returned with the kitchen poker; they then heard other doors break open, but not hearing the noise of the girl continued, the officers were afraid she was being murdered, and were proceeding to break open the street-door with an iron crow, which the girl hearing, exclaimed it was her mistress, gave a sudden spring, released herself from them, ran down stairs, and the robbers after her: they got into the pas- sage just as the officers had broke open the door, and were also in the passage. Clayton and Jenkins ap- peared as if nothing had happened, and wanted to get out. Perry and Reid seized them: the villains made a most desperate resistance, which they were enabled to do, being very tall, stout, powerful men ; the officers, however, soon secured them. On searching Clay- ton, a large clasp-knife and a bad dollar were found. On Jenkins were found a pistol, two bad dol- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819, lars, &c. On examining the house, the officers discovered that a large quantity of property had been packed up ready to be carried off. Several rooms and closets were broke open; and they were in the act of breaking open a chest when | they were disturbed. A duel took place last month at Bourdeaux, between two mer- chants. On the first fire, one of the parties fell, and the seconds immediately approached, supposing that he was mortally wounded ; after a close inspection they found he had not sustained any inju- ty, his antegonist’s ball having glanced aside, and lodged in the trunk of a tree; but he was nevertheless dead ; having, it is conjectured, anticipated by his terrors that fate which he might otherwise have escaped. His an- tagonist was wounded in the right arm. According to the tables publish- edin the almanack of the French Board of Lengitude, the population of the French empire amounts to 43,937,144 souls. Of this num- ber, it is supposed that 28 mil- lions speak the French language, 6,453,000 the Italian, 4,063,000 the Dutch or Flemish, 967,000 the Breton, and 108,000 the Basque. The population of the states con- nected with the system of France, in which number are included the kingdom of Italy, Swisser- land, Spain, the Confederation of the Rhine, &c. is estimated at 38,141,541 souls. The largest emerald which has ever been seen has lately been im- ported from the East Indies ; it was one of the most valuable stones of Tippo Saib’s crown. It is of an extraordinary size, and its weight is CHRONICLE. js supposed to exceed considerably 506 grains. 4, The following is given as a correct account of the late disco- very of frauds in the naval de- partment :— A man in Spitalfields being on some occasion examined by the magistrates at Union-street, stated certain circumstances which ap- peared to justify a suspicion that there existed a confederacy for de- frauding poor seamen, under pre- tence of procuring their discharges, and the public, by obtaining Green- wich pensions for persons who were not entitled tothem. Though the information was not very pre- cise, and was in some particulars rather suspicious, the magistrate thought it his duty to transmit it to the secretary of the Admiralty, who, on an accurate examination of the man, thought that his ac- count was probably correct. Mea- sures were therefore concerted for detecting the offenders; and at last, proof was obtained of Gawler, late a clerk in the Navy Office, having given aseamen a false dis- charge, and of his having certain public papers and documents in his house. An examination was then had at the Admiralty, before Mr. Croker, the comptroller of the navy, and Mr. Graham ; and warrants were issued against the person of Gawler, and for the seiz- ure of his papers. Gawler him- self absconded ; but his papers were taken ; and, on examination, disclosed a series of extensive frauds, and implicated another clerk in the Navy Office, of the name of Needham, who, with four or five inferior agents, is now in custody, and will, it is to be ex- pected, be brought to justice. The if investigation is, however, so ex~ tremely intricate, and the papers so voluminous, that it is not pos- sible to speak with certainty as to the extent of the frauds ; but we hear that it is already ascertained, that on Greenwich Hospital alone they amount to about 1,000/. a year; and we do not doubt, from the activity and industry which are exerted in the investigation, that the whole system of fraud will be detected, that the offences already committed will be exposed and punished, and that measures will be taken to prevent, as far as possible, occurrences of similar im- positions on individuals and the public. Nottingham, Jan. 4.—On Friday night last two frames were broken in Pleasant-row, in this town, One more, we understand, has since been broken in Milk-street, and three others in other parts of the town. In many villages in this county, and on the borders of Der- byshire, the terror and alarm of the inhabitants is such, occasioned by the late nocturnal attacks on the property of peaceable {individuals, that they are afraid to go to bed at nights; and it has been deemed necessary to keep watch alternate- ly, for the protection of their pro- perty. Nottingham, Jan. 5.—The ex- traordinary measures resorted to by the corporate body of this town, seem to have had little other effect than that of making the frame- breakers more cautious, and, if possible, more systematic in their operation ; for they wait the op- portunity of the occasional absence of the watch, enter a house, break a frame or frames with wondrous expedition, and, before alarm can be 12 be given without manifest danger to the person who might give it, the signal-gun is fired by the com- mander for immediate dispersion. From only three frames being broken in this town, and its imme- diate vicinity, during the early part of last week, some people flattered themselves that the mischief was subsiding ; this opinion, however, has proved fatally incorrect, for nine frames were broken on Friday evening at Basford, two miles hence ;_ and this morning, about six o’clock, two lace-frames were broken in one of the most popu- lous neighbourhoods in this town. When the depredators had. done the mischief, they discharged four pieces, in open defiance of the civil authorities, and quietly dis- persed, On the 5th inst. early in the morning, as a boy was passing on the edge of the river at Waterford, in Ireland, he found a dead female body in the mud. He communi- cated the circumstance to the in- habitants of a house near the place. They returned with him, and found a female corpse, mangled in such a manner as would be horri- ble to describe. On inquiry the strongest proofs appeared that the ill-fated being had been murdered at the termination of the wall lead- ing to the city; that the author of her death had thrown the body over the wall; that he then drag- ged it as far into the river as seem- ed to be consistent with his own safety, and there left it, in the hope of its being carried away with the stream. Fresh blood in considerable quantities was visible on the wall, on the adjoining gate, and in some places between them and the river; whilst the marks of ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. footsteps, and the impression of the body were discernible through the whole space from the road to the spot where it was abandoned. A stone of several pounds weight, and nearly covered with blood, was found beside the body, with which it was evident some of the wounds on the head had been in- flicted. There were other wounds on the head that bore the appear- ance of having been given ,by a sharp instrument. The dress in- dicated the wearer to have been in a humble station, but it did not resemble that of the peasantry in that part of Ireland. 6. The aggregate meeting of the county and city of Cork was held in thatcity. It was fully attended by Protestants as well as Catholics. After a long discussion, it was re- solved unanimously, that a petition should be presented to both Houses of Parliament, at the time whena committee, to be appointed for that purpose, shall think most con- ducive to its success, It was also agreed to address the Prince Re- gent, at such time as the commit- tee shall think proper. 10. Wednesday morning, about two o’clock, the house of Mr. Cumming, at Christleton, near Chester,was attempted to be broken into by two men and a woman, but were providentially prevented by the courage of an old lady, who snatched up a sabre, and immedi- ately attacked the villain who was entering the window, by cutting his hand in such a determined manner, as to cause him to let go his hold, and fall to the ground, leaving several marks of bleod be- hind him. It is supposed the wounds may lead to a discovery of these offenders. They were seen after CHRONICLE. after the attempt by the watch- man, coming through Boughton. Dublin, Jan. 7.—The following - is given as a correct statement of the facts relative to the discovery of a treasonable association in Jre- ljand :— *«< About eight days ago, a meet- ing was held of the trustees of the Charity School belonging to the Catholic Chapel in Church street. The school-master neglected to at- tend at the usual hour, and arrived in a state of intoxication as the trustees were about to disperse ; he was severely reprimanded for his absence, and required to state the reason of it. He endeavoured to excuse himself, saying, that he had been detained by important busi- ness ; but, as his duty required that all his time should be devoted to the school, the trustees refused to admit of any such excuse; and then he stated broadly, that he had been engaged in the business of the new association, to one divi- sion of which he. said he was se- cretary. The nature of this asso- ciation was inquired of him, and he gave the following acount :— s* «That it was an association in- stituted for the purpose of separat- ing Ireland from England, by force of arms—that it had also for one of its objects the extirpation of heresy —that, however, the most active person he knew of in it was a Mr. Fisher, a Protestant, who assured him, and the other persons he en- gaged in the plan, that it had the sanction of the Catholic Commit- tee, and Mr. Hay was their private secretary—that he had been sup- plied with a blunderbuss, and many others were armed, as it was easy to procure arms out of the 13 stores at the Castle!—and that an attack was shortly to be made in Dublin, as they were assured that the garrison was at present very weak.’ ‘‘ Such was the substance of the statement made by this man. The trustees adjourned to the next day, and then called him before them. Being sober, he wished to conceal or retract the facts; but being closely pressed, he admitted that he had become a member of such an association, and repeated the ac- count he had given the preceding evening, with this addition, that he believed the name of Fisher was not a real, but an assumed name. The trustees immediately dismissed him from his employment as school- master, and endeavoured to make him sensible of the crime he had committed, and of the evident falsehood of the répresentations that had been made to him. ‘On Thursday, the 2nd, those facts were communicated, for the first time, at the rooms belonging to the Catholic Committee, in Capel-street, to Mr. Hay, in the presence of major Bryan. The gentleman who made the commu- nication was not present at the exa- mination of the schoolmaster ; and it therefore became necessary to ascertain the facts from some per- son who was. This could not be done until Friday. On that day several members of the Catholic Committee met at D’Arcy’s, in Earl-street; and the facts being stated to them, they unanimously resolved to communicate the entire transaction to the attorney-gene- ral, in the presence either of Mr. Grattan, or of the knight of Kerry ; a precaution which, circumstanced as 14. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. as the members of the Catholic Committee were, they thought pru- dent, and could not be improper. ‘Neither of those distinguished gentlemen were in town on Fri- day; but expresses were sent to them, and also to lord Fingal, who was at Killeen Castle; and early on Saturday morning the three arrived in town. *‘It was the opinion of those gentlemen, that they ought, in the first instance, to wait on the attor- ney-general, to inform him that lord Fingal, and some other Catho- lic gentlemen, had a communica- tion to make to him, touching the existence of a treasonable conspi- racy—that they were then ready to make it—and to know if the attorney-general was ready to re- ceive them for that purpose. This course was accordingly adopted. “ Mr. Grattan and Mr. Fitzge- rald accordingly waited on the at- torney-general on Saturday last, and stated the object of their visit. Mr. Attorney-general was not then ready to receive the commu- nication, We understand that he asked if there were any informa- tions on oath; and recommended to lord Fingal and the other gen- tleman to go before a police ma- gistrate, and give their informa- tion to him—said, that the usual way was to go before a magistrate —and did not seem to think it at all necessary to see the Catholic gentlemen himself. **We understand that the at- torney-general was strongly press- ed to receive the communication, and to submit it to the Irish go- vernment: that he asked, whether the gentlemen meant to come to him as a committee? to which the knight of Kerry replied, ‘ No, sir, they will wait on you merely as individuals,’ ‘At length the attorney-gene- ral appointed the hour of twelve on Monday, the 6th, at Mr. Pole’s of- fice, in the Castle, for receiving the communication. He said he wanted to go to his country seat, and supposed there could be no danger in the mean time. ** The earl of Fingal, major Bry- an, and Mr. O’Connel, were ap- pointed to go to Mr. Pole’s office, at that hour. They did so accord- ingly, and were accompanied by Mr. O’Gorman. We understand that they gave a brief statement of the confession made by the school- master—gave in his name, and the names and residences of some of the trustees who were, witnesses to that confession; and also some printed papers belonging to the association. They were received by the attorney-general and Mr. Pole with ceremonious politeness, and having made their communi- cation, withdrew, leaving it to the government to act as they should think fit. 9. This morning, an instance of youthful rashness occurred in the inland department of the Post-of- fice, for which no plausible reason could be assigned. ' One of the messengers hearing the report of a pistol in the inland office, ran immediately to the place from whence the noise proceeded, and saw a youth, named Kelner, about 17 years of age, sitting ona chair, by the fire-side, leaning his head upon his hand, and holding a pocket-handkerchief to his face. The messenger conceiving the pis- tol might be fired for idle sport, imme= CHRONICLE. immediately retired. Shortly af- terwards one of the clerks entered the office, and observing the young man in the same position, asked him what was the matter? He made no answer: this excited a good deal of surprise; and upon coming close to him, he observed blood dripping from his clothes on the floor, very profusely. He in- stantly wentin search of a surgeon. It being then only six in the morn- ing, he with difficulty procured medical assistance; but upon his return to the office he missed voung Kelner. It appears, that after the young man had gone in search of a surgeon, he went away, and nothing has since been heard ofhim. The dripping of his blood was traced into Lombard-street, but there every clue for discover- ing whither he had fled failed. In- quiries were made for him at the Virginia coffee-house, where he had lodged, but there he had not arrived. He had engaged lodgings in Dove-court, Lombard-street, of which he was to have taken pos- session last night, but they had not heard of him there. Some days since he had been seen playing in the office witha new pair of pistols, the locks and barrels of which he was curious in the inspection. The body of this poor youth was afterwards found in the Thaines. On Sunday evening, Jan. 12, the shop of Mr. Pryor, a respect- able boot-maker, residing at No. 71, High-street, Borough, South- wark, was entered by two des- perate villains, though by what means is not yet discovered, but certainly with an intent to rob the premises. While employed in packing up several pair of boots in 15 a large skin of leather whrch they found in the shop, the servant went down stairs to empty a vessel in the cellar: on her way thither, though she passed through the shop, she did not observe any person; but on her return she perceived two men, one of them packing up boots, and the other coming as from the back part of the premises, to whom she said, *‘ What! are you going to take boots away to-night? it is Sunday !’’ thinking they were some of her master’s journeymen. At this instant one of the villains made up toher, and threatened her, that if she uttered a word he would instautly murder her. On looking round, she discovered the other to have a black crape over his face, which so alarmed her, that she screamed out murder! mur- der ! several times, and ran to- wards the shop door, which was then open, and which in her fright she shut, and thereby inclosed her- self with these monsters. She continued to scream, though one of them had levelled a blow at her head which knocked her down. On her rising, and not ceasing to call out murder! thieves! &c. one of the wretches seized her by her hair, and with a sharp instrument cut her throat right across the wind-pipe. She then fell to the ground, and remembered no farther of what passed. The screams of the girl had by this time alarmed the family up stairs, which consisted of Mr. and Mrs, Pryor, and three young men, lodgers. Mrs. Pryor then went down stairs, and on her reaching the bottom, actually fell over her wounded servant, as she lay sense- less on the floor. The terror of Mrs. Pryor may be better conceived than 16 than described. Notwithstanding her fright, however, she got up stairs ; but it was net a matter easy to determine in the minds of those above, who should venture down to attack, what they supposed a banditti of murderers. Mr. Pryor and his lodgers then went down, and found the servant as we have before described, the shop door being wide open, and, we are sorry to say, that the perpetrators of this horrid crime escaped, leaving be- hind them the skin of leather, tied up, full of new boots and shoes. Medical aid was instantly seut for, and the wound on the neck was pronounced not mortal, What adds to the daring atrocity of this act is, that it was committed so early as between eight and nine o’clock ; and the premises of Mr. Pryor are as public as any situation can be, being situated in the High- street of Southwark, not many yards from the Town-hall, which is as great a thoroughfare as the Strand or Fleet-street. Nottingham, Jan.13.—The latest aceounts which we have received represent the hopes which were entertained of seeing a speedy end .to the outrages in that neighbour- hood as being again disappointed. Last week frame-breaking and burning increased, but only one burglary had been heard of. The gang in Derbyshire, it was believ- ed, was nearly broken up. On the 2nd instant, an idle wretch, who had excited suspicion by a sudden transition from rags and poverty to well dressed plenty, was arrested at Heanor, in that county : and we understand, from information he has given, that two other des- peradoes were taken at a public- house in Loscoe, last Wednesday, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. and conveyed in chains to Derby gaol; one of whom, a celebrated pedestrian, and well known asa deserter, had long been the terror of the neighbourhood for miles around. A stack, containing twenty tons of valuable hay, was set fire toat Mansfield on Sunday evening ; the flames of which drew a part of a congregation from the methodist chapel in that place, during divine service. On Wednesday evening, a large wooden hovel, containing a quantity of straw, the property of Mrs. Daykin, of Bagthorpe, was set fire to at Basford, the whole of which was consumed. The frame- breaking at Basford, on Friday night, had created considerable sensation. An elderly woman, the wife of a person who held seven of these frames, has sworn to several persons as being concerned in the outrage (two of whom are com- mitted), on which account, such was the indignation excited against her among some of the stocking~’ makers of Basford, that it was judged expedient to remove the family with their furniture, esort- ed by the military, to Nottingham, as a place of refuge, lest they should fall a sacrifice to the ven- geance of the rioters. 16. A most important disco- very has been made within these two days, which removes every shadow of doubt respecting the guilt of the late suicide Williams. It was proved before the magis- trates of Shadwell office, that three weeks before the murder of Mr. Williamson and his family, Wil- liams had been seen to have a long French knife with an ivory handle, That knife could never be found in Williams’s trunk, or amongst any of the clothes he left behind him, at | CHRONICLE. gs jt the Pear-Tree public-house. The subsequent search to find it has been successful. On Tuesday, - Harrison, one of the lodgers of the - Pear-Tree public-house, in search- ing amongstsome old clothes, found a blue jacket, which he immediately recognized as part of Williams's apparel, He proceeded to exa- mine it closely, and upon looking at the inside pocket, he found it quite stiff with coagulated blood, as if a blood-stained hand had been thrust into it. He brought it down - to Mrs. Vermillye, who instantly sent for Hope and another of the Shadwell police officers, to make further search in the house. Every apartment then underwent the -most rigid examination, for about an hour and a half, when the off- cers came at last to a small closet, where they discovered the object of their pursuit. In one corner of the closet there wasa heap of dirtystock- ' ings and other clothes, which being removed, they observed a bit of wood protruding from a mouse- hole in the wall, which they nmme- diately drew. out, and at the same instant they discovered the handle of a clasp-knife, apparently dyed with blood; which upon be- ing brought forth, proved to be the identical French knife seen in Williams’s possession before the murders; the handle and blade of _which were smeared’ all over with blood. This fact completes that chain of strong circumstantial evi- dence already adduced against the suicide. The bloody jacket also tends to confirm his guilt. It is pretty clear, that that part of his apparel must have been stained swith the blood of the unfortunate Mrs. Williamson, when the suicide »_ You. LIV. was transferring her money with his bloody hand, to his pocket. 18. An uncommon circumstance in the annals of juries occurred on Thursday. The case of the ship Anna Maria came on to be tried at Guildhall; after which, the jury retired to consider of their verdict; Mr. G..Barclay being their foremans When the court closed, the jury had not made up their minds on the subject. They continued in the Irish chamber all night, and yesterday morning they were as undecided as ever. To- wards the afternoon, Mr. B. Hut- ton, one of the jurymen, petitioned the court to be released, which was attended to. We understand that a new trial will be necessary, and of course afresh jury. .. Nottingham, Jan. 19.—Oa Sa- turday night week a number of men, supposed not less than forty, disguised in various ways, and armed with pistols, &c. proceeded to the house of Mr. Benson; and, after sentinels had been placed at all the neighbours’ doors, and the avenues leading to it, about eight entered; and some of them drove the family into the pantry, with threats of immediate death, if they created the least alarm with the exception of one woman, who was expected every hour to fall in travail, and she was permitted to remain in, the parlour; the rest proceeded into the work-shop, and demolished the eight frames in about as many minutes. They escaped without detection. On Monday evening, about six o’clock, eight men entered the house of Mr. Noble, at New Radford, in various disguises, and armed witlr different instruments; while one Ory remained, 18 remained below to take care of Mrs. Noble, the others proceeded up stairs to demolish four warp lace frames, because they were making what is called two-course hole. In vain Mr. Noble informed them that he was receiving eight- pence a yard more than the stand- ard price, ‘« If was not the price,” they said, “ but the sort of net they objected to;? and he was forced out of his frame with the blow of a sword which narrowly missed his head, and which cut asunder nearly the whole of the threads across his frames. The screams of his wife, (which a severe blow on the head with the butt end of a pistol could not still), brought him down to her assistance, where he found a neighbour who had come mat the back door to their aid, ‘and who, in conjunctién with Mr. Noble, seized the man in the house, and attempted to disarm him; but he, finding himself in danger, called out ‘“* Ned Ludd,” when his companions rushed down stairs, before they had demolished the fourth frame, to his rescue: and in the scuffle, one of them snapped a pistol, which happily missed fire. When their compa- nion was liberated, they found the door fast ; but they cut it in pieces in a few seconds, and forced their ‘way through a collected crowd, threatening destruction to any one who should attempt to 6ppose them. The house of Mr. Slater of New Radford, was also entered late on Tuesday night; the first man presenting a drawn sword to his breast when he opened the door, suspecting it had been his own apprentice who wanted to come in; but the depredators con- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. tented themselves with cutting the warp asunder on the beam of the frame, and with taking away the wheels which are necessary to the formation of the two-course hole mesh. The same night two plain cotton frames were broken at Sneinton; their holders being charged with working at an abated price. On Saturday night week, a hay-stack was burnt at Bulwell; and we have just learnt that two frames, belonging to a hosier in this town were last night broken in the parish of Westhallam, in Derbyshire. A picquet of ahundred men now parades the streets of Not- tingham, in separate parties, headed by the civil authorities every night. 24. The following article is ex- tracted from the Plymouth Tele- graph :—* On the evening of the 20th instant, Margaret Hoxtable of Dodbrooke, near Kingsbridge, a child only nine years old, was sent onan errand by her mother toa neighbouring shoemaker’s; but it was to return no more—for en- ticed, as it is supposed, by two men, with whom she had been seen on the Totnes road, she was first violated, and then murdered in the most inhuman manner. Her pa- rents made every research and in- quiry for their child, but to no purpose, until the following morn- ing, when her shift was discovered about a mile from Dodbrooke, much torn and dyed with blood. On searching further, her mangled corpse was found in the same field, perfectly divested of clothing. Her head, smashed to pieces, apparently with stones, was literally driven into the earth. The perpeétators of this crime have hitherto escaped detection.” , 25. On CHRONICLE. _ 95. On Thursday night week Jast, in the evening, as Mr. Brani- gan, of South-lodge, in Tipperary, was going from his house to his stable, three men, who had lain in ‘wait, presented their pieces at him, and desired him to deliver his arms. Mr. B. who had no arms, returned into the house, pursued by one of the ruffians, who com- manded him to quench the candle. Mr. B. obeyed, and instantly locked up the villain on the inside. Feelin his danger, the fellow discharaudl his blunderbuss. The muzzle was so close to Mr. B. that his clothes were set on fire, and his shoulder miserably lacerated; but Mr. B. seized the ruffian. Mrs. B. hearing the shot, ran out of the parlour with a candlestick in her hand, and struck the villain three blows on the face; which so stunned him, that she and her husband were able to drag him to the kitchen. The robber was beginning to struggle, when an unexpected auxiliary ap- peared. A house-dog seeing his master attacked, secured the rob- ber by the arm which held the blunderbuss ; and he was so per- fectly crippled, that Mr. and Mrs. B. tied him and locked him up in the cellar. Mr. B. then hearing the fellows abroad firing shots, Joaded the blunderbuss, and guard- ed the house until] morning, when he sent for a magistrate, who eame with a military force, and took Michael Wall, the fellow ‘thus secured, and another named Cooney. Nottingham.—The outrages in is town and the counties adja- cent are continued with as much activity and malignity as ever, and may be said to have assumed a 1g more decided character than at any period since the commencement of the malpractices. A letter received in town yesterday morning states, that between 30 and 40 frames were broken on Sunday night, and several the following evening. The most turbulent spirit is strongly manifested in all the proceedings of the Luddites, which have been extended to Yorkshire. They have destroyed by fire, a crop-mill at Leeds, merely because upon a new plan, it was found to do the work of a number of men, conse- quently was a considerable saving to the proprietors. Catmankey, Basford, New Radford, and Lidley were scenes of the most daring depredations in the beginning of the week. 28. The spirit of insurrection which has so long disgraced the county of Nottingham has been rendered doubly alarming, from the secrecy with which it has been conducted, and the dispatch with which the objects it embraces have been carried into execution. In most of the villages where so many frames have been broken, parties of the military have been stationed, but their exertions have been in- adequate towards the apprehension of the offenders. Such is the re- gularity with which their plans are Jaid, and the dexterity with which they are carried into effect, that it has been found impossible to detect them. They assemble and disperse when their object has been obtain- ed ina moment. They are mar- shalled and disciplined like a regu- lar army, and are commanded by one particular leader, under whose banners they swear to conquer or die! at the moment of my age this 29 this letter, I hear with extreme re- gret, that general Hawker, is gone off to Bulweil, a manufacturing village, about six miles distant, with a strong party of the Berk- shire Militia, and two officers, to quell a most serious disturbance in that quarter. I hear that two other regiments (of infantry) have re- ceived orders to march forthwith to Nottingham; the proportion of military now in this town being insufficient for the purpose of pro- curing the public security through- out the country. Thata farther military force is necessary in the county, there can be but one opi- nion. Several Bow-street officers have arrived from London, and more are daily expected. 29. It is impossible to convey a proper idea of the state of the pub- lic mind in this town during the last four or five days: the constant parading of the military in the night, and their movements in va- rious directions during both night and day, give us the appearance of a state of warfare. May we not have it more in reality ! The destruction of more than 20 frames, at Lenton, on Thursday evening last, within a few hundred yards of our barracks, and two be- ing cleanly carried away in a neigh- bouring hamlet the same night, heightened the state of alarm ; and the operations of several subsequent nights have given it an additional increase. On Saturday night the frame- breakers crossed theriver Trent,and broke fourteen frames at Rudding- ton, and twenty at Clifton, leaving but two whole in the latter town. An express was sent off to Notting- ham for atroop of the Hussars, who ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. went with all possible speed; | and as many of the Bunney troop of yeomanry as could be collected (they being in the neighbourhood of the scene of action), were imme- diately mounted—one party pur- sued the depredators, while others seized all the passes over the Treut,. fur the space of four miles, under a full persuasion that the Luddites: could not escape; but, such is the generalship of the latter, that they seized a boat which nobody else had thought of, and repassed the river in two divisions, in perfect safety, and escaped. The same night a frame was broken at Bulwell, while asergeant and six men, belonging to the Berkshire militia, were employed: to watch it—the parties exchanged shots several times, but it is not known that any one was wounded,. though one of the Luddites lost a shoe and his hammer. On Sunday night 45 frames were broken at Selson, Bagthorp, and the neighbouring hamlets, about. nine miles from this town; and the same evening, about seven o'clock, a circumstance took place at Bas- ford of the most daring description; for, while three soldiers were in the house of one Wm. Barns, to protect three frames, a party of Luddites entered the house, and immediately confined the soldiers ; and while two of the party stood sentry at the door with the soldiers’ muskets. others demolished the frames; and, when the mischief was done, the muskets were dis- charged, and the soldiers liberated, the depredators. wishing them @ good night. On Monday evening three more frames were broken in the same village, CHRONICLE. y willage, one of which was taken and fixed on the top of the round- house, or village prison, and there left as a public spectacle, which was seen by many. These things are done almost in the face of eight officers from Bow-street, an immense local po- lice, and three regiments of sol- diers. The last mentioned night 26 frames were demolished at Cot- grave, a village six miles south of the Trent; and the depredators again escaped across the water without detection; and, notwith- standing the number of men who have been taken up, it is the gene- ral opinion, that not one real frame-breaker has been taken; nor, from the best information that can be obtained, has any thing like correct evidence been drawn from any of the prissners. Four prisoners were yesterday brought in, with great parade, by three several parties of military and civil officers; two of whom are il who have had _ frames roken in their own houses, and another is a well-known maniac ofthe name of Waplington, who is at the present time a pauper of St. Mary’s parish, in this town, and who has for years been in the habit of wandering about. It ex- cited much laughter to see a Bow- street officer, with this poor crea- ture confined in a cart by his side, driving furiously along the streets, and guarded by about half a score of Hussars. It is supposed the maniac has been caught in one of his wandering excursions; and, as usual, refused to give an account of himself. © 27. On Saturday week the shock ofan earthquake was felt in many ~ 1 places in Oxfordshire. In Tets- worth, Islip, Blechingdon, Radley, and Wolvercott, the windows were much shaken. It was accompanied by a deep rumbling noise, similar to the sound of adistant discharge of heavy ordnance. On Monday last, that ancient edifice, the tower of Christ Church, Oxford, which contains Great ‘Vom, was in imminent danger of being destroyed by fire. A room adjoin- ing this venerable structure, the hearth-stune of which was laid on a large oak beam, it is conjectured, had taken fire, and been secretly burning for two or three days be- fore it was discovered. Alarm was given, and assistance procured in time to prevent the consequences that must otherwise have ensued. Considerable discussion took place at Lincoln, on Thursday, at a meeting for the adoption of the system of national education, on an amendment moved by Sir R. Heron, “ That the plan of edu- ** cation adopted by the meeting, « should be suchas not to exclude « the children of Christian dissent- “‘ers from the advantage of the ‘education proposed; and that ‘those children should be per- ‘mitted to attend divine service ‘ at the respective places of their ‘religious worship.” A debate arose on the principle, that it mili- tated against the fundamental ob- ject of the society. The speakers were, in support of sir Robert Heron’s motion, Mr. Langton, Mr. Mawer, and Mr. Draper. In sup- port of the original proposition, the lord lieutenant, the dean of Lin- coln, sir J. W. Gordon, the rev. S. Turner, col. Ellison, the rev. Mr. Hett, Mr. Turner, Mrs Dalton, Mr. Cholmeley, Mr. Hare, Mr. F. Chaplin, t on ena 22 Chaplin, and Mr. Massingberd. The amendment was negatived, and the original resolutions carried. _ Leeds Sessions. -— The ‘olera- tion Act. — Mr. Robert Wood, a preacher in the methodist con- hection, presented himself before the magistrates, and requested that the vaths might be administered to him, that he might make the declaration required by the Tole- ration act, to qualify him to offi- ciate as a dissenting teacher. The Bench inquired, if he was appointed a teacher to any specific congregation ? _ The Rev. Mr. Wood, sen. who is also a travelling preacher in the same connection, replied, that his son was to preach at Bramley. Recorder.—* Suffer the young man to answer the question him- self.” Mr. Robert Wood.--« It is in- tended that I should preach at Bramley, Armley, and other vil- lages in the vicinity.” The recorder, after some con- versation with the Bench and the counsel near him, resumed :— *« From a report of a case just pub- “ lished, it appears, that the Court ‘* of King’s Bench have decided, ** that a protestant dissenter, who ** states himself'as one who preaches “* to several congregations, without ** showing that he has a separate ** congregation attached to him, is “‘not entitled to take the oaths *‘and make the declaration re- *‘ quired by the Toleration act. “It will, therefore, be necessary “* for you to prove your appoint- ““ment to preach to a separate *‘ congregation, before you can be ** entitled to take the oaths.” Mr. Maude here observed, that though the Court of King’s Bench ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. did not, in the case cited, think proper to issue a mandamus to compel the magistrates to ad- minister the oaths, it did not fol- low that tie oaths might not be administered as heretofore, with- out requiring those new conditions which were never before heard of, Mr. Hainsworth, in reply, said, the magistrates could only admi- nister the oaths agreeably to the provisions of the Toleration act ; and if that act required certain pre- vious conditions, it was not in the power of that bench, or any other, to dispense with them; for if the magistrates, in the case alluded to, had required any thing to be done which the law had not made ne- cessary, the Court of King’s Bench would have issued a mandamus to compel them to administer the oaths. In these observations the Court coincided, and refused to adminis- ter the oaths. Before the court adjourned, Mr. Holtby, a student under the tuition of the rev. Mr. Steadman, a dis- senting minister at Bradford, pre- sented himself for the same pur- pose, and his application was rejected on the same grounds ; but it appeared that this gentleman had made application to an improper sessions, the court having no juris~ diction out of this borough; and he was advised to make application to the sessions for the riding. On this the applicant expressed some surprige at the new provisions which, after the lapse of a century, had been discovered in the Tolera- tion act, and that magistrates had been uniformly in the practice of administering the oaths, without any reference to those conditions which CHRONICLE. which the Court of King’s Bench had decided to be necessary. We insert this article as exem- plifying that ambiguity in the To- eration act which produced the bill for its amendment, passed with general concurrence in the present session. The Manilla frigate, captain Joyce, was unfortunately wrecked on the Haak sand, off the Texel, on the 20th January. She remain- ed on the sand-bank for two days, during which time the Dutch fish- ing and pilot-boats, under the di- rection of admiral de Winter, made considerable exertions to save the crew; of whom, about 180 were preserved, including the cap- tain. The frigate was completely water-logged, and could not be brought off. She had been sent to the Texel to ascertain the fate of the Hero and Grasshopper. 30. A man named John Bunton, was lately committed to the city gaol, at Norwich, for burglariously entering the premises of Messrs. Aggs, in the night, and stealing some twistcotten. The conductor of the manufactory has a daughter who superintends the department performed by women, and sleeps in a room adjoining. She was awakened by a noise, when, slip- ping on a great-coat that lay in her room, she ran to her father’s chamber, who not being dressed with sufficient speed, she snatched up a large hammer, and went alone in the dark into the manufactory, where she perceived Bunton taking the twist cotton from a loom. She instantly struck him on the back of the head with the hammer, and on his turning about repeated the blow upon his forehead with such effect, as to bring him to the ground co- 23 vered with blood. _Apprehending he might have accomplices, she shrieked, which brought her father to her assistance, and they secured the robber. 31. Some uneasiness was last week excited at Glasgow, originat- ing in the distresses which have for a considerable time been experi- enced by the operative weavers in that city and neighbourhood. For about a year past the wea- vers have been without full em- ployment; and those who have been able to procure work havehad their wages so much reduced, that few of them have been able to earn more than seven shillings per week, though many of them have large families. About ten days ago, delegates from these men waited upon the magistrates of Glasgow, to repre- sent to them their distressed state, and to solicit their attention to the misery of their families. What was the result of this application we have not Jearnt; but in a day or two after circular notices were sent to all the operative weavers for many miles round Glasgow, inviting them to assemble at the public Green, as on Thursday last. The magistrates, alarmed for the possible consequences, invited the delegates to a conference; repre- sented to them the dangers that might-be apprehended from so large an assemblage, and induced them to circulate new notices, prohibit- ing the proposed meeting. The magistrates, we understand, have paid particular attention to the representations of these men; and we have no doubt, from the decorum which has been exhibited, that public order will be main- tained. The 24 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. The master manufacturers have been required by the magistrates to have a meeting upon the busi- ness, and we doubt not that they will see the propriety of giving an increase of wages to those they ‘employ. It cannot be denied that it is an extreme hardship to work- men, whenever there is a scarcity of employment, to experience at the same time a great reduction in the price of their labour. : “A fine racoon was last week taken in the woods at Lord Grosve- nor’s seat at Eaton. It was disco- vered in the cleft of an aged oak, by a groom, who quickly started it, and with the assistance of dogs had it secured. It is supposed that this native of the forests had made its escape from the menagerie of some travelling showman. FEBRUARY. 1. The city of Catania, which is not more than seven leagues from the crater of tna, has been strongly menaced by the torrents of lava with which the valley of Nusara was filled. The stream of lava flowed not more than one league from the walls of the city, which the inhabitants, in their first alarms, abandoned. A few days before the eruption of the volcano, a slight trembling was experienced at Messina, which da- maged many of the houses. Dur- ing the whole of the period of alarm, vessels were kept at Cata- nia, on board which the English troops in garrison there might em- bark, in case the lava should pe- netrate into the city. Some of our officers caused themselves to be transported to the foot of Mount /Btna, that they might examine more closely the course of the lava vomited from the crater. The town of Sargans, consist- ing of about 400 houses, was re-~ duced to a heap of ashes on the night ef the Sth of December. There were a number of store- houses filled with grain, which were likewise destroyed. Four- teen of the inhabitants perished in the flames, British Naval Force. — The following is extracted from the official returns of the force of Great Britain, up to the lst inst.: At sea, 80 of the line, 9 fifties, 129 frigates, 97 sloops, 5 bombs, 123 brigs, 30 cutters, 59 schoon- ers—total 522. In port and fitt- ing, 43 of the line, 7 fifties, 30 frigates, 38 sloops, 1 bomb, 29 brigs, 6 cutters, 17 schooners— total 171. Guard-ships, 4 of the line, 1 fifty, 4 frigates, 5 sloops— total 14. Hospital ships, é&c. 34 of the line, 4 fifties, 2 frigates —total 40. Total in commission, 161 of the line, 21 fifties, 165 frigates, 130 sloops, 6 bombs, 152 brigs, 86 cutters, 76 schooners— total 747. In ordinary, and repair- ing for service, 69 of the line, 13 fifties, 56 frigates, 37 sloops, 6 bombs, 10 brigs, 2 schooners— total 193. Building, 32 of the line, 2 fifties, 13 frigates, 5 sloops —total 52.—Grand total, 202 of the line, 36 fifties, 234 frigates, 172 sloops, 12 bombs, 162 brigs, 36 cutters, 78 schooners—in the whole, 992 vessels of war. Of the varied force of the British navy, there are in the Mediter- ranean, 87 vessels; $2 of the line. Off the coast of Spain and Portugal, 72; 15 of the ao B CHRONICLE. 25 In the English Channel, 82; 14 of the line. 2. An alligator was shot through the head at Ghazepoore by an offi- cer of the 67th regiment, which was 29 feet in length and seven in circumference. In the stomach were found several half-digested human limbs, the heads of two children, and more than twenty stones — probably swallowed in order to assist digestion, A melancholy accident happened Jately at Bergen, in Norway. In consequence of the heavy rains, an enormous stone was detached from the mountain, and falling upon some buildings, crushed 49 per- sons to death. A silk weaver, named John Urssulak, died latety at Lemburg, in Prussia, at the age of 116 years. He had had six wives. The last, who survives him, brought him a son twelve months ago. He was extremely healthy and active, and walked six miles the day before his death. 3. For some time past, Oster- ley-park, the residence of the earl of Jersey, and its neighbourhood about Brentford, have been infest- ed with numerous poachers. On Wednesday night, between eleven and twelve, George Wood, the gamekeeper, with three men, went in pursuit of poachers; and when they came to a field close under a wood belonging to the noble earl, they heard a_ noise, which, they had no doubt was the report of an air gun. They made towards the part whence the report came, and heard four more similar reports. When they came near the spot, they heard the break- ing of bushes, and a large dog bark, who flew at them, and ena- deavoured to seize them; but they kept him off, and ran forward towards the bushes, where they observed a man going from them and running away. ‘They ran after him, and coming near him, be turned about and presented a gun at them: however, they pursued him courageously, when the man turned his gun and endeavoured to knock the gamekeeper down with the but-end of it; but failing in that, he set offagain. The game- keeper followed closely, and he threw his gun into the bushes: the gamekeeper at length seized him by the collar, when a man of the name of John Goodfellow, rushed from a cover, and struck the gamekeeper a violent blow with an iron instrument; he re- peated the blow, which knocked the gamekeeper down before he could recover himself, and enabled the man whom he had secured, and who had the gun, to escape. At this juncture Shepherd and Fletcher, two of the men who were out with the gamekeeper to assist him, came up and secured Goodfellow. A light was then procured, and the iron instrument proved to be an air-pump belong- ing to an air-gun, which was thrown into the bushes by the man who escaped. The air-pump was found about a yard off the spot where the gamekeeper received the blows. On the same spot was found a bag, containing leaden bul- lets, and another containing a hare and a pheasant, which appeared to have been killed by bullets. The air-gun was found in the bushes where the man threw it when he was pursued. Goodfellow was conveyed to the public office, Bow-street, on ‘Thursday after- noon, 26 noon, and was convicted under the Game Acts of 39 and 40 of Geo. 3rd.; and detained fur the assau!t on the gamekeeper. 5. On Saturday morning the curiosity of the inhabitants of Brighton was attracted by the ap- pearance of nearly one hundred men, attired in yellow jackets and trowsers, walking about the streets smoking their pipes, who, after much inquiry, were found to be Spanish and German deserters, and prisoners from the French armies in Spain and Portugal, that had _ volunteered into the British ser- vice. ‘Twenty of them have been received by the 10th hussars, and the rest are to be incorporated with the German Legion. 6. A most daring gang of thieves and receivers of stolen . goods has been discovered and broken up, in the neighbourhood of Abergavenny and Crickhowell. They consisted principally of men employed at the iron-works in that district, of whom fiye have been committed to Brecon gaol, and two to Monmouth, charged with offences in the respective counties. A constable at Crickhowell had very minutely examined the house of one of the parties suspected of receiving the goods, when, upon sitting down in the lower apart- ment, he thought one of the flag- stones moved. This induced a further search, and on, removing some of the stones, he found con- cealed, in a place curiously con- structed for the purpose, a large quantity of shop-goods of every description. Early this morning, some vil- Jains entered the house of John Johnston, esq. of Danson-bill, near Welling, in Kent, (late the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. seat of sir John Boyd, bart.) The butler, who slept on the ground floor, was awakened about three o’clock by. the noise of some- thing falling in the housekeeper’s room adjoining. Conceiving it might be some of the servants, he got up, and for a frolic, tock a blunderbuss and advanced to the door, calling out, “ now for your brains:’? all was dark; at that moment a person pushed him, and another knocked him down; they then trampled upon him, and one of them made a cut at his throat with a sharp instrument, but with- out injuring him materially. The butler, who is a strong man, held the blunderbuss fast, and contrived to discharge it, though without effect. By this time the family were alarmed; Mr. Johnston sprung a rattle, and arming him- self, and one of his sons, proceed- ed down stairs; they found the hall door open; and on descend- ing to the range on the ground- floor,the butler had just recovered himself, the villains having fled but a few minutes; the other ser- vants collected together, and the house was searched. It appeared thata boy had beenlet down into the coal-cellar, through the aperture outside the house, and had found means to make his way so as to open the outer doors for the rob- bers, who proceeded to the library, opened an escritoire where the keys of others were deposited, which they took, and by this means rummaged all the drawers com- pletely. Mrs. Johnston kept some valuables there, the whole of which were afterwards found below stairs in the pockets of a great coat, that they had pressed into the service ; they then proceeded to the house- keeper’s CHRONICLE. keeper's room, and packed up in a card cloth all the plate they could lay their hands on. Nothing, however, bas been missed, with the exception of a small box they found in the escritoire, containing twenty or thirty guineas in gold. The whole plan of these robbers evidently showed that they acted from good information, as they found out keys where no stranger could have done so, and by this means got access directly to the 27 places where valuable articles were kept; they had a dark lantern ; and it is remarkable that the boy, while the villains were struggling with the butler, was present, and managed the lantern so as to throw all the light on the butler’s face, and hide the persons of the robbers. The butler behaved with great courage: he received several cuts on the hands, besides that on the throat, and was much bruised. Return of the effective Strength of the Regular and Militia Forces, on the 25th of June, 1811, and the 25th Dec. 1811. Adjutant-General’s Office, Feb. 11, 1812. At Home, on the 25th of June, 1811. CAVALRY. INFANTRY. . For. and Foot r For. d Total sohee Gen. Brit. Colonial. | Gds. Sat. Colonial. “ge, pe Militia. Total. 13,575 25911 6344 | 47,442 2,192 | 69,144 1 77,424 1 146,568 Abroad on the 25th of June, 1811. 1140 | 3350 | 98,076 34,851 | 147,613 | ......... | 147,613 TOTAL. 3731 | 6694 | 145,510 37,043 | 216,757 | 77,424 | 294,181 At Home, on the 25th of Dec. 1811. 10,196 23,771 12,050 1865 | 3748] 45,501 2,745 | 65,909 | 77,159 | 143,068 Abroad, on the 25th of Dec. 1811. 11,719 2136 | 3130| 99,735 36,320 | 153,040 | wcanpeses | 153,040 TOTAL. 23,769 4001 | 6878 | 145,236 39,065 | 218,949 | 77,159 | 296,103 Return of the number of recruits raised quarterly, by the ordinary modes of recruiting,—finally approved for the regular army (exclusive of fo- reign and colonial corps) in the year 1811 :— Men.—For a limited period, 1,639. For life, 7,893 Total 11,471 Boys.—For alimited period, 360. For life,1,580( ~°* >”? The number of desertions from the regular army at home, from ne 25th of December, 1810, to the 24th of December, 1811, was 631. 11. On Friday se’nnight, Mr. Batley, of the Old Park, near Wellington, Shropshire, was found mourdered in a stone-quarry near that place: there was a deep wound on the crown of his head, another over his eyes, both appa- rently made with a large sharp in- strument, and two deep gashes across his throat; his head was dreadfully fractured in several places. His house was ransacked, all the drawers, &c. opened, every thing of value taken, and the keys were 28 ANNUAL REGISTER, were put in his pocket. There was no blood found near the body. Some suspicions being entertained respecting a neighbour, who had attempted to borrow money from the deceased, he was apprehended, and stands charged with the mur- der by the coroner’s inquisition. It appears that the prisoner lived about a mile from the deceased, and one of the neighbours stated, that she saw Bailey go by her house towards that of the prisoner about five o'clock on the night when the murder was committed. Another witness said, she saw the prisoner, about nine o'clock on the same night, dragging something from a new-built house, in which he carried on his business of a cooper—that he left his burden on the steps while he looked up and down the road, and then dragged it round the house. Upon examining these premises, much blood was discovered upon the walls, and on the floor in the cellar; the former had been scraped, and the latter was covered with sand: the pri- soner accounted for this blood by saying, that part of a horse had been left there. A shirt was found under the coals in the cellar, having the initials of the deceased upon it. In the prisoner’s house a cooper’s adze was discovered, with marks of blood upon it, and the edge of which fitted the wounds on the top of the head and over the eyes of the deceased; the fractures on the skull corresponded with the hammer-formed part of the adze. The prisoner was com, mitted to Shrewsbury county gaol on Monday. 14. Letters received yesterday from Manchester state, that several of the most respectable manufac- 1812. turers had been recently threatened with the conflagration of their pre- mises. The villains, it is added, had even the audacity to send a circular letter to several houses which they had marked out for de- struction. The first house on their list was that of Messrs. Haigh, Marshal, and Co.; and on Sunday night, these gentlemen’s premises were set on fire, and entirely destroyed. Every precaution has been taken to prevent further mis» chief; anda strict inquiry is mak- ing to trace out the incendiaries. 17. On Tuesday, an inquest was held at Otley, in Yorkshire, on the body of a gentleman, who, on the preceding Sunday, had put a pe- riod to his existence by a pistol, It appeared that he first came to Otley in April last, and had divided the intermediate time between that place, Harrawgate, and Thorp-arch, visiting each alternately. He point- edly avoided all society, and des voted the whole of his time to deeds of charity, never suffering a day to pass without distributing from one to fifty pounds in the course of the morning. On the Sabbath he generally confined him- self to the house, avoiding religi- ously every secular pursuit. On the Friday before his death, he came from Thorp-arch to Otley. On his arrival, the peopie at the inn observed a considerable change in him ; his spirits were more de- pressed. Verdict—Lunacy. He left a particular request to be bu- ried in the church—yard at Kirby Overblow, and he was there in- terred on Wednesday last. 19. On Monday se’nnight, a dis- tressing scene occurred at Happis- burgh, in Norfolk. A north- country vessel had driven ashore the CHRONICLE. the gale which prevailed during that day and the preceding evening, and was lying just beyond the breakers. Five brave fellows of the above place went off in a boat, though a most tremendous surf, to assist the crew in their endeavours to get the vessel off, she being light. After having cleared the breakers, and, as they vainly hoped, surmounted all their difficulties, whilst under the bow of the vessel, a sea, beavier than they had before experienced, struck the boat, and in an instant turned her bottom upwards. The specta- tors on the beach viewed with painful solicitude the fate of the poor sufferers. After watching for a quarter of an hour the progress of every wave, nota man could be seen afloat. The boat, which had been driven by the tide, by this time approached the shore near enough for the persons standing thereon to seize hold of her; while they were employed in dragging her out of the reach of the break- ers, asea struck her with such vio- lence as to bilge in one of her sides, from whence crept, uninjured, the five men whose fate they were de- ploring. They ascribed their truly providential escape to the sudden- ness with which the boat was cap- sized, by which means not only themselves were overwhelmed by her, but a quantity of air was in- cluded; and by holding on the seats, they were enabled to keep their heads above water, and by so doing respiration continued, and their lives were preserved. 20 Therev. Ebenezer Aldred, a dissenting minister, from the High Peak, in Derbyshire, appear- ed in a boat upon the Thames, dressed in a white linen robe, with his long hair flowing over his 29 shoulders, and announced that the seven vials , mentioned in the book of Revelations, were to be poured out upon the city of London. 22. Mr. Standen, who resides near Hastings, in returning from market, was stopped at Holling- ton lane, about a quarter of a mile from the town, by two soldiers of the 16th dragoons, armed with pis- tols. They demanded his money, instantly knocking him from his horse, wounded him severely in the face, and then robbed him of his pocket-book containing 30/.; and, after much ill usuage, permit- ted him to depart. Instead, how- ever, of proceeding towards his home, Mr. Standen returned by a circuitous rout along the beach by the sea side, into the town, and gave the alarm at the principal inns and public-houses, before the footpads could succeed in reaching the town or their quarters un- observed. Measures were imme- diately taken by the commanding- officer, to intercept the robbers on their return to their quarters. On being secured, the offenders were taken before the magistrates, when it was discovered that their clothéshad been turned, and blood stains were fresh on the inside of their jackets. Finding the evidence so strong against them, they confessed the robbery, and stated that they had concealed Mr. Standen’s pocket- book behind the shutters of a blacksmith’s shop, where it was accordingly found, with its con- tents. The prisoners were com- mitted to Lewes gaol, for trial at the assizes. 24. The following is an extract from the Nottingham Review of Friday :— “Jtis with much pain that we have 30 have to renew our weekly list of broken frames: as, however, the frame-breakers still continue their operations in despite of every ex- ertion of the civil and military au- thorities, we must do our duty to the public. This morning, about five o’clock, a number of men en- tered in at the chamber window of Mr. Harvey, West-street, Broad- lane, in this town, and while some of them secured the family, others roceeded into the workshop, and Nemolished five warp-lace frames, which were employed in mak- ing two-course-hole net: they were all very valuable frames, and one of them was 72 inches wide ; and, what is worthy of remark, Mr. Harvey had, a short time ago, removed from New Radford to this town, asa place of safety. Two frames were left unbroken ; and it is supposed they weresaved through a neighbouring woman calling out ‘murder,’ and who had a pistol discharged at her to make her cease her noise. Mr. Harvey had two loaded pistols and a blunderbuss in his house, the former of which the frame breakers took away ; and as they were descending from the window, it was thought by persons’ who saw them, that the nightly piquet was receiving them to conduct them to prison ; but it turned out to be about twenty-five of their companions, armed and dressed in soldiers, great coats, one of whom was dignified with a large staff, and, it is supposed, he was the commander of the party. On Monday morning, five men entered the house of Edward Or- son, of Stanton, in Derbyshire, and broke one narrow cotton, frame.” _, About a week ago, serjeant ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Ives, of the West Essex militia, was stopped between Stilton and Norman-cross, at eight in the evening, by a number of fellows, who, after having knocked him down and robbed him of his watch and money, wrenched open his jaws, and with savage cruelty cut offa piece of his tongue! It is said that the serjeant has lately been active in suppressing the plat- trade at Norman-cross barracks ; revenge, therefore, in all probabi- lity, instigated the ruffians to this atrocious act. Plymouth, Feb.25.—To-day this place has been visited by a more dreadful thunder-storm than has been experienced here for many years. The lightning was exceed- ingly vivid, and the claps tremend- ously loud, accompanied with a heavy shower of hail. Several persons who were on the citadel at the time, distinctly saw the elec- tric fluid strike one of the guns; its direction was from S. W. to N. E. nearly. In this dreadful storm the fore and main top-mast of his majesty’s ship, Tonnant, were struck with lightning, which shattered them, and beat down and wounded no less than twenty four persons on board that vessel. A merchant brig, which also was at anchor in Cawsand bay, and near the former, was struck at the same time, on board of which two men were killed. A seaman, who was at the main’ top-mast head of the Salvador del Mundo, in Ha- moaze, was also struck by the lightning, and knocked down dead on the deck; and another seaman who was standing on the quarter- deck of this vessel at the moment, was so much burned, that his life is despaired of. These awful oc- currences CHRONICLE. currences took place from eleven to twelve o'clock. 25. On the evening of a fair at Ballynahinch, in Ireland, the week before last, the spirit of party broke ‘out between several of the lower orders, styling themselves Thresh- ers on the one side, and Orange- men on the other, who proceeded to the utmost violence. They ran up and down the streets, pursuing ‘and pursued, armed with sticks, huzzaing and shouting; after which, the attack became more seri- ous by vollies of stones thrown in every direction; an attack was made upon some of the houses, the windows of three of which were wrecked, when two shots were fired from one of these houses, by which a man was killed on thespot, and another dangerous- ly wounded. Two other men lay dangerously ill from bruises from bludgeons and stones, and several others received like damage,—not dangerously. There were on both sides above 300 people. On Friday se’nnightlast,a meet- ‘ing took place at Castle Connor, near Ballina, in the county of Ros- common, between Mr. O. Joynt and Mr. P. M‘Kim, attended by their respective secondsyand a vast number of spectators, when, on the first fire, the latter was struck in the forehead, and instantly ex- pired. MARCH. 1. A caricature has been exhi- bited at Paris, in which the empe- ror and the king of Rome are the most prominent characters. The emperor is represented as sitting at a table in the nursery, with a cup 3k of coffee before him, into which he is squeezing beet-root, Near to him is seated the young king of Rome, voraciously sucking the beet- root. The nurse, who is steadfastly observing him, is made to say, «© Suck, dear, ‘suck, your father ‘says it is sugar.” Dolphins.—The journal of the department of Cotes du Nord con- tains a report from M. le Maoux, professor of natural history, to the prefect of the department, stating that some fishermen of Plonbazla- nec lately fell in with seventy enor- mous dolphins, which they chased. One of these animals, having been — wounded, fled towards the shore, and all the rest proceeded in the same direction. Having got a- ground, and being deprived of their element, they struggled several days, uttering mournful sounds. The scene filled the spectators with pity and terror. Among the se- venty, twelve were sucking, each seven feet and a half long ; the largest of the adults was a female, nineteen feet long, and her great- est circumference was ten feet. 2. A most daring robbery was committed at Reading. The judges entered the town for the purpose of holding the assize. Mr. Sergeant Marshall officiated as judge for Mr. Justice Lawrence. Coming out of the charch in grand procession, the sergeant judge in his robes was hustled and robbed of his gold watch and seals. When the Bath coach, which left town on Monday night, March 2, arrived at Chippenham on the suc- ceeding morning, the people of the inn were surprised at seeing three outside passengers lyingin a state of insensibility ; on a nearer approach, they perceived that vitality esc een 32 been actually extinct in two of them for some time, the bodies be- ing perfectly cold. The third, a soldier, had some faint signs of ani- mation left; but he expired the following morning. From some papers found in the pockets of one of them, he proved to be a jour- neyman pewterer, from London, who being afflicted with a contrac- tion in his wrists, had obtained an order for admission into the Bath Infirmary, for the benefit of the waters. On the above fatal night it rained incessantly ; and to the cold, added to the drenched state of their garments, the fatal catas- trophe was doubtless owing. 3. The Nottingham paper of Sa- turday dues not make any mention of disturbances during the last week ; buta disposition to riot has manifest- ed itself near Huddersfield, in York- shire. Last Saturday week a num- ber of persons assembled near the premises of Mr. Joseph Hirst of Marsh, with their faces blacked, and their persons in other respects ‘disguised, and having forcibly ob- tained admittance into the dress- ing-shops, proceeded to destroy all the machinery used in the dressing of cloth, such as dressing frames, shears, and other implements, used in what is commonly called gig mills, the whole of which they com- pletely demolished. The same, or a similar party, then proceeded to the workshops of Mr. James Bal- derson, of Crossland-Moor, where machinery of a similar description is employed; upon which they committed similar depredations, completely destroying or render- ing useless the whole of the ma- chinery. The depredations appear- ed to the magistrates to be of so alarming a nature, that they ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. were induced to apply to general Vyse, at Beverley, for military aid, who dispatched an express to Leeds, with an order for the ‘troop of Scotch Greys stationed there, to proceed immediately to Huddersfield. It not being thought expedient to leave Leeds with- out military, a squadron of cavalry was marched from Sheffield, and arrived about nine o'clock on Tuesday morning ; and, in the af- ternoon of the same day, a squa- dron of the 20d Dragoon Guards, stationed at the barracks near York, was dispatched to Hudders- field, to relieve the Scotch Greys, who returned to Leeds on Thurs- day. 5. Several dead bodies were found on the north shore, near Li- _ verpool, which were of course, sup- posed to have come from some vessel which must have been wrecked dur- ing the very severe gales of the pre= ceding night. By the inseription on part of the stern of a vessel which has been found, she appears to have been the Fly packet, from Newry to Liverpool. There is reason to be-~ lieve, from the best information that has yet been received, that the number of persons on board was not less than forty, every soul of whem appears to have perished. 9. Disturbances in the vicinity of Huddersfield continue... On Wednesday an armed party. broke into amill, situated between Slaith- waite and WHuddersfield; after they had effected their purpose, the leader drew up his men, each man answering to a particular number instead of his name, then fired off their pistols, and marched away. 10. At the Isle of Ely assizes, on Thursday last, Michael Whiting, a shop CHRONICLE. a shopkeeper at Downham, near Ely, and a dissenting lay preacher, was Indicted under lord Ellenbo- rough’s Act, in a charge of admi- nistering poison to George Lang- man and to Joseph Langman, his brothers-in-law. It appeared in evidence that the Langmans resided together at Downham, and were small farmers; and that their fe- mily consisted of themselves, a sister, named Sarah, about ten years of age, and a female do- mestic, of the name of Catharine Carter, who acted as their house- keeper and servant: they had ano- ther sister who was married to the prisoner. On the morning of Tuesday the 12th of March last, they sent their sister to the pri- soner’s house to borrow a loaf; the ptisoner returned with her, and -brought a loaf with him, and told the Langmans, that as he under- siood their housekeeper was going on a visit to her friends, for a day or two, he would bring them some flour and pork to make a pudding for their dinner. He went away, and shortly afterwards returned with a bason of flour and pork; and, addressing himself to the housekeeper, said, “« Catharine, be sure you make the boys a pudding before you go.” He then took the young child home with him to dinner. The housekeeper made two puddings, but observed the flour would not properly adhere; she left them in a kneading trough ; and the Langmans boiled one for dinner : they had hardly swallowed two or three mouthfuls before they were taken exceedingly ill, and seized with violent vomitings. Buspecting the pudding had been poisoned, one of the Langmans gave a small piece to a sow in the Vor. LIV. 33 yard, which swallowed it, and was immediately taken sick, and after lingering a Jong time, died. The elder brother soon recovered, but the younger one continued in a precarious state for several days. The remnants of the puddings were analyzed by Mr. Woolaston, professor of chemistry at the Uni- versity of Cambridge, and found to contain a considerable quantity of corrosive sublimate of mercury. The prisoner, who it appeared was a dealer in flour, attempted to account for the puddings being poisoned, by stating, that he bad then lately laid some nux vomica to poison vermin, and that some ot it must accidentally have been carried into his flour-bin. Mr. Woolaston, however, positively stated, that the pudding contained no other poisonous ingredient than corrosive sublimate; and it came out in evidence, that the prisoner, who sold drugs, had purchased of the person whom he succeeded in business, a considerable quantity of that poison. It also appeared, that the flour-bins belonging to the prisoner had been searched, and that immediately upon its being discovered that the Langmans had taken poison, the prisoner emptied his bins into the privy, and washed them out. Mr. Alley, from Lon- don, conducted the prisoner’s de- fence; the trial lasted till six o’clock at night, and the jury, after deliberating about ten mi- nutes, found the prisoner guilty, and the judge immediately passed sentence of death, and he is left for execution. By the deaths of the two Langmans, under age, the prisoner’s wife, and the child he took home with him, would have become entitled to the father’s estate, 34 estate, as the heiresses of their brothers. A letter from Serampore, dated March 12th, gives an account of a fire which broke out in the printing-office, at the Mission- house, on the evening of the 11th of March, destroying 2,000 reams of English paper, worth 5,000/. and founts of type in fourteen lan- guages, besides English. The loss could not be less than 12,000/. and all the literary labours of the missionaries were interrupted at once. Hamburgh, March 12. ~- The following notice has been pub- lished here :— ‘*« The undersigned, inspector of printing and bookselling, hastens to inform the public, that maj.-gene- ral baron Pommereul, counsellor of state, director-general of print- ing and bookselling, has authorized the following journals to be dis- patchéd and received, without any special permission on his part, throughout the whole of the 32nd military division. [Here follows a list of these journals, which are all of them German periodical pub- lications, on medicine, agriculture, natural history, &c.] In order to procure these journals, recourse may be had to the different book- sellers and post-offices in the $2nd military division, who will point out the forms to be observed. «Tt is to be hoped that the edi- tors and authors of these journals will know how to appreciate this beneficent permission. It will be for their interest to abstain from every dissertation or reflection of a political nature. The right of publishing articles on subjects con- nected with politics belongs to go- vernments alone. Every scientific ieee ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. journal, therefore, which shall per- mit their insertion, will become liable to suppression, in addition to the prosecutions which the editor and author will thus draw upon themselves. On the other hand, by strictly confining themselves within the sphere of the sciences and arts, to which their journals are appropriated, they may rest assured of the favour and approba- tion of a wise government, which protects the sciences and arts that are truly useful, and every thing that contributes to improve them. (Signed) «“JOHANNOT, Inspector of Printing, &c. “ Hamburgh, March 6.” 16. At the Lincoln assizes, John Fieldsend, late of Driby, who vo- luntarily surrendered himself into custody, on the 9th of March instant, was tried for felonicusly killing Joseph Faulkinder, on the 7th of May, 1810. The deceased, it appeared, was a youth about 9 years of age, in the service of the prisoner’s father. For some of- fence, the prisoner severely whipped the lad, who, however, went home, ate his supper heartily, and made no complaint; but in the night complained of one of his knees, grew drowsy, and died, with- out being suspected to be very ill, in two days. On examining the body, it was found ~ much bruised and discoloured about the loins and thighs; and, on being opened by two surgeons, they gave it their opinion that he had died from the absorption into the system of extravasated and mortified blood. The jury, however, from the peculiar circumstances of the case, acquitted the prisoner, who, it is to be observed, had at first gone to America; but, as if unable to “CHRONICLE. to rest there, had returned, and delivered himsclf up to take his trial. 17. On St. Patrick’s-day, a riot took place at Portsmouth between the North Cork militia stationed at Gosport, and some watermen, who insulted the soldiers. The Irishmen attacked the watermen, who procured the aid of their countrymen, and in a short time the beach was thronged with coms batants. All the shops were shut up, and a regiment was ordered out to quell the disturbance, which with difficulty they accomplished, but not till one boy was killed, and abeut twenty men and a boy wounded, some of them danger- ously. The following night the streets were patrolled by parties of soldiers. A very sudden and fatal acci- dent occurred on Sunday se’n- night, at the distillery of Messrs. Hewit and Co. on the water- course, Cork. The iron hoops of a large worm cooler, which contained nearly sixty thousand gallons of water, suddenly burst, and this vast body, which in a mo- ment became unconfined, impe- tuously spread and overwhelmed every thing which presented any resistance to it. A wall which was immediately between this large vessel and the street, was forced from its position, and two females who were passing, killed, and one so dreadfully bruised as to render the amputation of both legs necessary to preserve life. 19. Corporal Lennie, of the Fife- shire militia, was found at seven o'clock on this morning, on the road between Stonehaven and Ber- vie, nearly covered with snow, and with life almost expended. He 35 had been left in Aberdeen on Wed- nesday, in charge of the barracks, to deliver them over to the 21st regiment ; and set out with some of his comrades, at four o’clock in the afternoon, for Stonehaven, which he reached about eight. He soon after left that place alone, and as he had only got to the dis- tance of three miles from it, he must have remained among the snow for upwards of nine hours, during a very intense frost. Un- der an unremitting application of the means for restoring suspended animation, he continued in insen- sibility until five in the afternoon. When first discovered, he was taken to Uras, where he recovered. He had no recollection of any thing after leaving Aberdeen, when, he said, he was excessively fatigued. It is probable, that the covering of snow protected him considerably from the effects of the frost, other- wise he must have fallen a victim to the cold. Maidstone, March 20. — The following instance of passionate cruelty deserves record. Thomas Burton, a farmer at Kingsnorth, near Ashford, was in- dicted for the murder of John Manley, a drummer-boy of the 73rd regiment. It appeared, that the deceased, with four others, _went from Ashford, to gather wild plums on the hedges, on the 5th of September last. They tres- passed in the prisoner’s orchard, at Kingsnorth; and while there, the prisoner and his man came up. The soldier lads, on seeing them, endeavoured to make their escape, but the prisoner overtook the de- ceased as he was getting over a fence, and gave him a violent blow on the head with a stake which he D2 held _ breast. 36 held in his hand, which the wit- nesses for the prosecution described as thick as their arm. The blow knocked the deceased down, but he got up on his knees and begged for mercy. The prisoner then gave him another stroke on the The deceased got up, walked a little way, and fell down again; he was removed to some straw near, and the prisoner seeing he was badly hurt, sent imme- diately for a surgeon, but before the surgeon came he was dead. It appeared, on examination, that there was a fracture in the skull, and a great effusion of blood on the brain, but that the skull was so remarkably thin, that a blow not very violent would probably have caused the fracture. The jury found the prisoner guilty of man- slaughter. He was fined a shilling, and discharged. At the Stafford assizes, B. My- cock was tried for the murder of his brother, on the 10th of Febru- ary. It was proved that he lived with the deceased more than two years, and on some difference be- tween them, left his service at Christmas last, and from that pe- tiod to the time of the murder, lived with Mr. Harris, at Throwley- hall, within a mile of the deceased’s premises ; and that on the morning after the murder, he came into the house, clasped his hands, and ex- claimed—* Ah, mistress, what is amiss; what is amiss?—is he dead ?” It was farther proved that the pri- soner had a gun repaired about the latter end of December last; that it was borrowed on the i0th of Feb- ruary by his nephew, G. Butt, to shoot a hare, and returned on the same day, loaded with shot, No. 4. It was placed by the prisoner under ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. some straw. On the 11th of Feb- ruary, G. Butt and his brother, on hearing of his uncle Joseph’s death, went to look for the gun, which was found under the straw, unloaded, and had every appear- ance of being recently discharged. It was further proved, that the prisoner told his nephew, G. Butt, to state at the inquest, that the gun was his. After ten’ minutes deli- beration, the jury found the pri- soner~—Guilty. He was executed on Wednesday, and his body deli- vered for dissection. Bury St. Edmunds, March 21.— Trials for Murder. Edmund, alias Edward Thrower, was indicted for the murder of Eliz. Carter, at Cratfield, Suffolk, on the 16th of October, 1793. This prisoner was brought to justice by a train of ac- cidents. He confessed the murder to one Heads soon after it was committed; but Heads, according to his statement, knew he was so much given to speaking false- hoods that he disbelieved him. The murder is just similar to that of the Marr and Williamson fami- lies. The prisoner went alone and knocked out the brains of Eliz. Carter, as she was fastening her window shutter, and then he went into the house and killed her fa- ther in a similar manner, whilst the old man was sitting in his arm chair. Some years after this, Heads, who had never before heard from any one but the pri- soner that a murder of that sort had been committed, heard a bro- ther felon in Norwich gaol Jament- ing that he had always been sus- pected of that murder innocently, and Heads recollected the confes- sion the prisoner had made to him several years ago, of which he made depo - CHRONICLE. depositions before two magistrates, eleven years since, but Thrower, the prisoner, was never heard of, and supposed to be dead. At the time of the general alarm at the horrid murders of the Marr and Williamson families, Mr. Arch- deacon Oldershaw, a magistrate, was observing to Mr. Fox, in com- mon conversation, that a murder resembling those, occurred at Crat- field 19 years ago ; and in mention- ing his taking the deposition of Heads, he observed Thrower was suspected, but he never was found. -Now Mr. Fox had a legacy to pay Thrower’s wife, which could not be done without her husband’s signature, and through this inci- dent the prisoner was taken into custody, aswell as Heads, both of whom had been transported. Heads, in his evidence, told the same story he had done eleven years ago, of the prisoner’s confes- sion ; and a person proved having heard a female shriek on the night ofthe murder, and that he saw a man run from the house. The body of the young woman- was proved to have been found in the garden, which corroborated Head’s story. There being other strong circumstanstial evidence, the pri- soner was found guilty, and or- dered for execution on Monday at Ipswich, and afterwards his body to be dissected. Jolin Smith, aged 39, and Eliza- beth his wife, aged 27, were in- dicted for the wilful murder of Mary Ann Smith, daughter of the male prisoner, at Cookley, in the county of Suffolk, by starving, beating, and exposing her three successive nights ina shed, in the month of December last, by which her fect became mortified, &c. 37 It appeared in evidence, that the male prisoner had three children by a former wife, who died about three years ago, and he married the female prisoner on the Sth of last November; and that from the 10th of December until the 11th of February, 1812, when the eldest of the three children, the subject of this indictment, died, the tor- tures administered to them were too horrible even for description. Previous to his marriage with the female prisoner, the three children were admired by every one for their cleanliness’ and healthy appearance, and the male prisoner was marked for his pa~ rental kindness and affection to- wards his offspring. Lucy Smith, sister of the male prisoner, proved that on the 4th of February, the male prisoner called on her in tears, and said his eldest child was dying. Witness found two of the once-healthy children sitting by the fire in a state so completely emaciated, that they appeared indifferent to any objects. On going upstairs a shocking ob- ject presented itself in the person of the eldest child, in bed, who was unable to stir from her emaci- ated state, and she was the picture of death. The poor child called out “ Aunt, aunt, don’t leave me.” Witness challenged them with starving the children, and they agreed that they had not much drink, It also appeared afterwards that the child’s feet were in a state of mortification, from having been exposed three nights in an outhouse, by the unnatural father. She was also much bruised about the neck and body by beatings; and her father confessed having hung her up toa beam by the mid- dle, 38 dle, without cause. The other two children were in a shockingly emaciated state, and the witness took them under her roof. Mrs. Clark proved completely that the children were all in a State of starvation. She often car- ried them cake and a little wine, which they all ravenously de- voured. Three surgeons gave it as their opinion, that the child died from the effects of barbarous treatment and want of food. No disclosure of the mortified feet was made until it was found the child could not be saved; and one witness stated that the female prisoner had said they could live better without the children. To enter into a minute description of the barbarities towards the chil- dren would fill a volume. They were of the ages of four, seven, and nine years. The male prisoner was universally allowed to have been a kind tender father and hus- band, until his second marriage, and to such extent that he was particularly noted by many coun- try gentlemen, some of whom spoke on this occasion. The prisoners were found guil- ty, and ordered for execution at Ipswich on Monday next, whi- ther they were immediately con- veyed. At the Wexford assizes, last week, Luke Green was. convicted of the wilful murder of his son; the prisoner was a sweep, and his son was his apprentice. The pri- soner, on the 3rd of December, came home somewhat in liquor, and began quarrelling with the deceased: the child, to avoid his fury, run up the chimney ; the pri- soner immediately put a bundle ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of straw into the grate, and set fire to it, which burned him in such a manner that he languished for nine days, and then died. Prisoner was between sixty and seventy years of age. Edinburgh, March 23. — Trial of Hugh M‘ Intosh, Netl Sutherland, and Hugh M‘Donald. -— The pri- soners wereaccused, at the instance of his majesty’s advocate, of having committed various crimes between the hours of ten of the night of the 31st of December, 1811, and four of the morning of the 1st of Janu- ary, 1812. The evidence, which was very long, disclosed a history of the outrages of the night preceding New Year’s Day. The Court met again at two o’clock on Saturday, when the jury returned their verdict, all in one voice finding the panel, Hugh M‘Intosh, guilty, actor or art and part, of the murder of Dugald Campbell, as libelled ; and allin one voice finding the pan- els, Hugh M*Donald, Hugh Mé‘Intosh, and Neil Sutherland, guilty, actors or art and part, of robbing ensign Humphrey Coch- rane of his silver watch, as libelled; and further finding, all in one voice, the said panels, Hugh M‘Donald, Hugh M‘Intosh, and Neil Sutherland, guilty, actors or art and part, of robbing Nicol Al- lan of his yellow metal hunting watch, as libelled. Their lordships, in delivering their opinions, expressed in strong terms the horror they felt at the extent of the guilt and depravity which the evidence on this trial unfolded—at the existence of an association of such a nature, and for such a length of time, as oe o CHRONICLE of which the prisoners had been proved to be members, and which was altogether unparalelled in any age or country. They were sentenced to be hanged on the 22nd next. On Monday the 23rd, at mid- night, about 40 men, numbers of them armed with pistols and other weapons, entered the shear- ing mill of William Thompson and brothers at Rawden, about seven miles from Leeds. Six or seven of the men, principally armed, seized the watchman, and held him on the floor. The commander or- dered those who were not engaged in this service, to “go to work,” and they proceeded to destroy the shears, of which they broke from thirty to forty pairs, and ma- terially injured the machinery. They then assembled on an ad- joining eminence, and after an- swering to their numbers, dispersed instantly. This proceeding was performed in about twenty mi- nutes ; in the course of which the depredators destroyed thirty-six windows, and injured three pieces of fine woollen cloth. And on Wednesday night the finishing shops of Messrs. Dickinson, Carr, and Shann, were entered, and eighteen pieces of fine cloth, dressed by machinery, torn and cut into shreds. 26. Earthquake in South Ame- ricd.s — ‘* The 26th of March has been aday of woe and horror to the province of Venezuela. At four p. m. the city of Caraccas stood in all its splendor; a few minutes later, 4,500 houses, 19 churches and convents, together with all the other public buildings, monuments, &c. were crushed to atoms by a sudden shock of an 39 earthquake, which did not last a minute, and buried thousands of the devoted inhabitants in ruins and desolation. «« That day happened to be Holy Thursday ; and at the precise hour every place of worship was crowded to commemorate the commence- ment of our Saviour’s passion by public procession, which was to proceed through the streets a few minutes afterwards. The number of hapless sufferers was thus aug- mented to an incredible amount, as every church was levelled with the ground before any person could be aware of danger. The number of sufferers taken out of the churches (two days after this disaster}, amounted alone to up- wards of 300 corpses. An idea of the extent of the number of dead is differently stated, from 4 to 6, and as far as 8,000. Horrible as this catastrophe appears, it would be a matter of some consolation to know that the vicinity of that city offered some support or shelter to the surviving mourners; but the next town and seaport thereto, viz. La Guayra, has in proportion suffered still more, as well as its immediate coast. Huge masses of the mountains detached them- selves from the summits, and hurled down into the vallies. Deep clefts and separations of the im- mense bed of rocks still threaten future disasters to the hapless sur- vivors, who are now occupied in burying and burning the dead, and in relieving the numerous wounded and cripples perishing for want of surgical aid, shelter, and other comforts.” The subjoined letters from Ca- raccas, and La Guayra, its port, afford some interesting particulars with AO with regard to this terrible con- vulsion of nature, which seems almost to have rivalled the earth- quake that laid Lisbon in ruins more than half a century ago. Extract of a letter from Tho- mas Molini, esq. dated Caraccas, March 29, 1812, to his brother, in . London :—* The dreadful catas- trophe that took place in this city on Thursday last, my pen is not able to describe : you will, without doubt, receive the dreadful details from other quarters. ! «« My only motive for writing, is to allay your appreliensions rela- tive to my person, and I hope you will receive this letter as soon as the shocking account reaches Eng- land. «* On the day above mentioned, at about seven minutes past four in the afternoon, we experienced one of the most dreadful earthquakes you can imagine. In less than three minutes one quarter of the town was laidin ruins, and the re- maining three-fourths of the houses rendered totally uninhabitable. The number of lives lost is not yet ascertained, but the most moderate accounts estimate it at 5,000 souls. “« Similar accounts have reached us from La Guayra, and various other quarters: what is the extent of the evil in the interior we do not yet know. I fear the calamity has been general throughout the con- tinent. ««P.S. general Miranda is well, and was out of town when the dreadful event happened.” Extract of a letter from captain Cuthbert, of the ship Highlander, dated La Guayra, April 1, 1812: «« Since my arrival here, one of the greatest calamities has occurred at this place that ever happened in ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. any country. On the 26th ult. whilst on board, I heard a most dreadful report of an earthquake : it lasted as nearly as my recollection will serve, about two minutes. I soon learnt that the town of La Guayra was laid in ruins, and that numbers of the inhabitants were killed and buried in them. The. city of Caraccas, I understand, has experienced a still worse fate, and has been totally abandoned by the unfortunate inhabitants. The rocks and mountains were rent asunder ; and it is impossible for pen to de- scribe the devastation occasioned by this horrible explosion. The cargo which I was to have taken on board has shared the fate of. nearly all the goods in the city, and has been swallowed up in the general ruin. When the shock was first felt on board, every per- son was impressed with the feeling that the ship was beating to pieces on the rocks. On my going on shore, the most awful and afilict- ing scenepresented itself; hundreds of the suffering inhabitants were seen mixed with heaps of ruins, and many of them still yet alive with their heeds out, imploring assistance from their fellowcitizens, who, instead of affording them aid, were throwing themselves prostrate before images, beating their breasts, and imploring for themselves the protection of their saints. When the alarm had in some degree sub- sided, the bodies of the dead were sought for. I regret I have not been able to ascertain the extent of the loss which this hapless city has sustained.” An account of the total value of the forged notes presented at the Bank of England for payment, and refused, from being al or CHRONICLE. for the eleven years from 1st Janu- ary, 1801, to 3lst December 181i:— The nominal value of the forged notes, presented for payment, and refused, within the above-men- tioned period, is 101,6611. _ H. Hass, chief cashier. Bank of England, March 26, 1812. . N. B. The above return includes all forged notes, supposed to have been fabricated on the continent, and presented within the aforesaid period. 28. French Prisoners. —Upwards of 1,000 French prisoners have escaped from this country during the war, and so many persons have lately been detected in assisting in their escape, that those concerned have had a vehicle made for the conveyance of Frenchmen to avoid suspicion or detection, exactly re- sembling a covered cart used by calico-printers with strong doors at each end, but with seats in the inside to hald a number of men. One of them was detected about a week since in a very extraordinary way. Some revenue officers went into a public-house near Canter- bury, where two men were play- ing at cards whom they suspected to be Frenchmen on their way to escape from this country. They communicated this to a magistrate, who informed them that at that hour of the night (about eight o'clock) the constable was gene- rally intoxicated, and it would be of no use applying to him; but advised them to procure the assist- ance of some of the military in the neighbourhood, which the officers accordingly did, and surrounded the house. The landlord refused to open the door, saying it was too Jate. The soldiers told him they 41 were in search of deserters. A short time after two men came out of the back door, and the revenue officers suspecting they were two Frenchmen, secured them. Ano- ther came out directly afterwards, whom the soldiers stopped; he also wasa Frenchman. ‘They were conveyed away in custody. This was a mere chance detection, as the two men whom the revenue officers had seen at cards in the public-house early in the evening, proved not Frenchmen, but trades- men of the neighbourhood; and while the officers were gone to the magistrate and after the military, a cart such as we have described arrived at the house with four Frenchmen. The fourth man, who was some time in coming out after the others, escaped into the Lon- don road, whither he knew the cart had returned, and overtook it, but the driver would not for a con- siderable time take him up, as he had only seen him in the night time, till he made him understand that he was connected with one Webb, the driver’s employer. It being ascertained that the three Frenchmen in custody had been brought there ina cart, pursuit was made, and it was overtaken, and the driver and the Freachmen were taken into custody ; they were exa- mined before a magistrate, when it appeared, from the confession of the driver, &c. that the four French- men were officers, who had broke their parole from Ashby-de-la- Zouch. The cart had been fitted up with a seat to hold a number of Frenchmen. He was employed by Mr. Webb to drive the cart. The Frenchmen cnly got out of the cart at night to avoid observation. They stopped at bye places, and made 42 made fires under hedges. At a place near Brentford, a woman connected with Webb made tea for them. They stopped on Beck- enham Common to rest the horse, about ten o’clock at night; when a horse patrole passing at the time, suspected something to be wrong, but could not ascertain what. He insisted on the driver moving off; and when he was about putting the horse into the cart, an accident happened which nearly led to their discovery: The Frenchmen all being at the back of the cart, the driver lost the balance, when he was putting in the horse, and the cart fell backwards, which caused the Frenchmen to scream violently; but it is supposed the patrole had gone too far to hear the noise. Webb was apprehend- ed, and examined before a magis- trate in Kent, but he discharged him. However, afterwards, the magistrate meeting with Webb in Maidstone, where he was attend- ing the assize on a similar charge, he took him into custody. 29. The late Dowager Countess Stanhope. — Her ladyship’s will, which has been proved in Doctors’ Commons, is in these words, viz. “‘ Ovenden, 11th Feb. 1805. ‘© This is the last will and testa- ment of me, Grisel, dowager countess Stanhope, written with my own hand. After payment of all my lawful debts, I give and be- queath all I am possessed of at my death to my dearly beloved son, Charles earl Stanhope, from my approbation of his private and public conduct ; and I appoint him my executor. IfI die at Ovenden, I wish to be very privately buried ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, in the family vault in Chevening church. «« Witness my hand, this eleventh day of February, in the year of cur Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and five. “G. STANHOPE.” There are two codicils to the will, both dated in the year 1808, the first of which contains the fol- lowing clause, namely, “1, Grisel, countess dowager Stanhope, having written, in my own hand, on several books which I have given to my dear son, the words, *‘ For Chevening Library,’ I do hereby will and desire that all such books shall belong to my said son only, as I am much dissatisfied with the conduct of my grandson, Philip Henry (lord Mahon) with respect to my most honest, most worthy, and most dearly beloved husband.” By this, and the second codicil, sundry legacies are left to several of her ladyship’s servants, to her son’s steward, and to the poor of Chevening village, who have re- sided there twenty years, or. up- wards. Amongst her ladyship’s papers, a remarkable manuscript, written in her own hand, was found, which contains the following pray- er to the Almighty, composed by her husband, the late Philip earl Stanhope, which exhibits not only a religious zeal the most fervent, but also a high degree of sublime patriotic devotion. Copy of my dear lord’s prayer, from the original in his own hand- writing ;— Oat “O Almighty and everlasting God, the all-wise and all-righteous ruler of mankind, vouchsafe to grant CHRONICLE. grant the prayer of thine unworthy servant, that, if in the course of thine inscrutable and adorable pro- vidence, I can contribute, even by the sacrifice of my life, or fortune, or character, to the preservation of my native country, fromthose heavy ealamities and distresses which to us short-sighted creatures have ap- peared impending over it (and wherewith at this time our enemies threaten us), as also to the refor- mation of manners, and the ad- vancement of genuineundissembled virtue, by means whereof thy gra- cious favour may be regained, and public peace and happiness pro- cured, I may always in that case be willing, and, when strength- ened by thy divineassistance, able to surrender for those desirable ends, every blessing and comfort of life, and life itself, into thy most boun- tiful hands, from whom I have re- ceived them all.” - 80. The Derby assizes were at- tended by great crowds of per- sons. One of the most dangerous gangs of nightly depredators that has infested England for many years has been broken up. They were formed by one John England, who resided at a little stone-house, the first on the right hand on en- tering Derby, from Nottingham. This gang was wholly made up of deserters, with the exception of England, who, as a brewer, la- bourer, and petty huckster, used every art for the purpose of finding a cover for the rest. He never went out himself with his com- rades to plunder, but always point- ed out the object; and his concu- bine (wife of one Matthew Bush, of Wessington, who was principal witness against one of the depre- dators on these trials,and who was 43 attempted to be seized as a deser- ter as he entered the hall), pro- vided them with caps, masks, and other things necessary for disguise. He used to have a share of the plunder; but at length he out- witted himself. Three of these depredators, James Tomlinson, Perceval Cook, and John England, were put to the bar, charged with entering a dwelling-house, at mid- night, on the 23rd of December, and robbing Mr. Hunt, at Oc- brock Mill, of thirty-five one- pound notes, and several other articles. Theprisoners were found guilty. Cook and Tomlinson were then convicted on another indict- ment, of the robbery of the house of Mr. Brentneal, at Lock-grange. 31. Wyatt, of Fowey, was tried at Launceston assizes, for the murder and robbery of Isaiah Falk Valentine. The pri- soner kept a public-house in Dock, called the Jolly Bacchus, from whence he removed in November last to the Rose and Crown, at Fowey. The deceased, a person of the Jewish persuasion, was in habits of intimacy with the pri- soner. About the 16th of No- vember, two letters were addressed to Valentine (then in Dock) by the prisoner, desiring him to come down to Fowey, where he (the prisoner) had some buttons, or guineas, to dispose of. Relying on this statement, Valentine ac- cordingly went down on the 19th of the same month ; but on his ar- rival, instead of introducing Va- lentine, as he had proposed, to the persons whom he had stated as dealing in coin, the prisoner con- trived to amuse and deceive him, in various ways, until Monday evening, the 25th of November, when, 44 when, under the pretence of taking him (Valentine) to captain Best, he led him to a place or quay call- ed the Broad Slip, in Fowey, and pushed him into the water, where he first suffocated, and then robbed him of 260/., which he afterwards deposited in a heap of dung on his own premises. Nodoubt whatever could be entertained of the pri- soner’s guilt, from a long but strong train of circumstantial evidence; andafter atrial of eleven hours con- tinuance, on Thursday last, he was found guilty of felony aud murder, and sentenced to be hung at Laun- ceston. On Saturday morning _ last, soon after eight o’clock, Julien Dubois and Guillaume Beury were taken from Winchester gaol to the usual place of execution, and after some time spent in prayer, were launched into eternity. On the morning of the execution, the officers of the prison went to their cells soon after five o’clock, and found the prisoners » a lifeless state, and the floor covered with blood. The surgeon of the prison was immediately sent for, the effu- sion of blood stopped, and them- selves sufficiently recovered to at- tend the exhortations of the priest, who represented to them the great sin they had committed in attempt- ing their own lives; and they ex- pressed their contritionforit. They effected their purpose by means of a short piece of glass, with which they made an incision in their arms, and enlarged the orifice with an old rusty nail, sharpened ; which they had concealed about their wooden shoes. They had expressed a wish to be shot instead of hanged, as a death more agree- able to a soldier; but being in- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. formed that could not be done, they appeared resigned. Beury, considering that he should effec- tually destroy himself, had left a written paper in his room, stating, that when a valiant Frenchman was sentenced to die by the com- mon executioner, rather than dis- grace himself, his family, and his country, by such an ignominious end, he preferred dying by his own hands. Atthe place of execution, and on receiving sentence of death, Beury exclaimed, Vive l’Empereur ! After their bodies had hung the usual time, they were taken down, and buried in the Catholic burial ground. APRIL. Kingston, April 1.—Adam Lee, Thomas Lee, and Eleanor his wife, were indicted for a highway rob- bery, by stopping Elizabeth Col- lier on the 21st of October last, and forcibly taking from her her clothes, pockets, money, &c. The prisoners were three gipsies, and the case excited a considerable degree of interest, on account of the cruel manner in which the prosecutrix had been treated. Elizabeth Collier, when called, was in a very languid and debili- tated state, from the ill-usage she had received. She stated, that she lived, in October last, at Hors- ham, in this county, with a Mr. Giles. On the morning of the 21st of October, she was sent to Walton, by her mistress; and on her return home she saw the three prisoners. Thewoman gipsyasked her if she would have her fortune told—she replied, no, she knew her fortune very well. Immedi- ately CHRONICLE. ately the prisoner, Thomas Lee, came up to her, and caught her by putting his arm round her neck. The other came up, and they drag- ged her towards the parkIpaling of - sir John Frederick’s park. While the men were dragging her, the woman kicked her several times. They then loosened a paling from the park, and dragged her through the aperture into the old park. Here they abused her very much by beating her violently. She fainted away; and as she recover- ed, she found that they had strip- ped off her gown, pockets, petti- coat, and left her almost naked. She made a noise, but they were not gone; and they told her if she made any more noise they would murder her. She then described the dress of the persons of all the three. She said that Thomas Lee, the taller gipsey, had more hair and whiskers. They were taken the next day, and she recognized them again, except that the whis- kers of Thomas Lee had been shaved off. Another witness proved that she passed the same place shortly be- fore, and she saw the three pri- soners near the spot, which the prosecutrix had described as the same of the robbery. Foy, the officer, stated, that when Thomas Lee was taken in custody, he appeared as if his whiskers had been lately cut off, as that part of his cheek seemed much lighter in colour than the rest of his face. But with respect to Adam Lee, he did not take him into custody, but took his word for his appearance at the office. The prisoner did appear on the day, but the girl not being there that day to identify him, he was 45 again let go at large, on a promise to appear on the following Wed- nesday, which he did, and appear- ed to answer the charge. This was all the evidence on the part of the prosecution, the case resting on the correctness of the prosecutrix as to the identity of the prisoners, For the prisoners an alibi was set up, to support which a great number of witnesses were called ; the general outline of which was, that Thomas Lee and his wife were in their hut, at Brixton Causeway, on the day of the robbery, and for several days preceding. Some of the witnesses had not seen them so near the time as to be inconsistent with the fact of their having been to the distance of 12 miles, the place of the robbery; but others spoke with more certainty as to seeing them at near nine o'clock, the time of the robbery. Several witnesses also said they saw no alteration in the appearance of Thomas Lee’s face, nor did it appear to them that he had cut off any whiskers or hair. With respect to Adam Lee, some witnesses stated, that they saw him near four on the day; but, on cross-examination, they did not seem to have fixed the day by any certain reference. The learned judge told the jury, that this was a case of great nicety, and begged their particular atten- tion to the evidence, observing, that it merely depended on the credit they should give to the pro- secutrix. He then detailed the whole, most minutely observing upon the bearing of every part of it; and said, it was for: them to determine between the contradic- tory testimony. The 46 The jury found the prisoners all guilty. A gardener at Glasgow prac- tises a mode of destroying cater- pillars, which he discovered by ac- cident. A piece of woollen rag had been blown by the wind into a currant bush; and when taken out was found covered by the leaf- devouring insects. He immedi- ately placed pieces of woollen cloth in every bush in his garden, and found next day that the cater- * pillars had universally taken to them for shelter. In this way he destroys many thousands every morning. 4. On this morning, between three and four o’clock, the Newry Fly coach was stopped by a strong band of robbers, who, without any intimation, fired into the coach, but without injuring any of the passengers. They proceeded to hand out those in the coach, one by one, and with the most dread- ful imprecations, made them deli- ver up all they possessed. There were two ladies, Mrs. Hamilton and daughter, whom the robbers obliged to kneel down in the road, declaring they would shoot them instantly ; one of the gang, how- ever, interfered, and even declared he would not allow their baggage to be touched. However, the captain of the banditti ordered every thing to be carried off. Money, watches, trinkets, clothes, every particle was plundered. The rev. Mr. Beresford was inthecoach, and is said to have lost 2001. ; ano- ther gentleman lost 600/. and it is thought that the villains carried off with them, altogether, more than 2,000/. in cash and property. » Accounts from Carlisle state, that on Saturday strong symptoms ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of insubordination were manifested by the lower orders of the people, but no serious mischief ensued. On Monday, the populace, to the amount of about 3,000, went to Sandsfield (Port Carlisle), with an intention of unshipping several care goes of corn and potatoes, that were destined to go coastways; but before they had accomplished their purpose, they were checked by the arrival of the military and several magistrates. The populace ap- peared perfectly satisfied with the assurances of the magistrates, who are said to have promised to use every exertion to prevent fore- stalling. Allterminated quietly at Sandsfield, except that some of the magistrates and officers were assailed in the suburbs on their re- turn, by women and boys, with a few stones. The soldiers were marched up to the market-place, and followed by an immense con- course of people: many, no doubt, attracted by curiosity. Some of the officers were hissed and hooted at on their retiring, when they suddenly wheeled, drew their swords, and ran to their men, who were still under arms, and ordered them to clear away the populace, by which many were wounded. The mob, as if momentarily ap- palled; did not farther incommode them, and the officers went to mess, leaving the soldiers under arms, After the lapse of a few minutes, the populace assembled in great numbers before the mess- room, broke the windows, and threatened vengeance to the offi- cers. On this the Riot Act was read. Some rounds, it is stated, were afterwards fired, by which a woman was killed, and several men wounded; and most of the houses CHRONICLE. houses in the market-place exhi- ‘ited some mark of the firing. 6. Thursday last, a passenger in a stage-coach, which runs daily from Chichester to Brighton, was seized, near Shoreham, with a violent fit of insanity, and bit a lady who was in the coach with him in a most shocking manner, about the face and arms. The coach- man and outside passengers, hear- ing her screams, got down, and with much difficulty rescued her from the jaws of the maniac. Two gentlemen then got in the inside, and pinioning his arms, prevented him from doing further mischief. On the arrival of the coach in Brighton, he was lodged in the poor-house. 6. The much-talked-of baron Geramb, who has for a year or two past made so conspicuous a figure in this metropolis, is, at last, or- dered out of the country. This _ singular person ushered himself into public notice in London, by publishing a most inflated and ridiculous letter, which he dedieat- ed to the earl of Moira; in which he described himself as an Hun- garian baron, who had headed a corps of volunteers in the cause of Austria against Buonaparté; and stated, that after the peace he went to Spain, to give the benefit of his courage and profound military ex- perience to the oppressed patriots of the Peninsula. He accompanied this production with every other mode of obtaining notoriety, — such as filling print-shop windows with three or four different en- gravings of his person, which few fools bought, in various costumes: a star,a death’s head and cross-bones, and other terrific emblems, adorn- ed the person of the baron. No- 47 body has walked the public streets for some time past, who does not know this redoubtable nobleman. Wherever notoriety could be ac- quired, there was the baron Geramb. At the funeral of the lamented duke of Albuquerque, he exhibited himself in all the parade of grief, in a jet black uniform. Where money alone could not gain ad- mittance, the magnificent exterior of this seeming magnate of Hun- gary was sure of procuring an in- troduction. At the opera, at the theatres, and the park, his furred mantle and resplendant stars were seldom missed. When that won- derful master of the histrionic art, Mr. Coates, played, or rather at- tempted to play, Lothario, last winter, at the Hay-market, the Hungarian baron sat with inde- scribable dignity in the stage-box, and appeared the patron of the ab- surdities of the night, consoling the white-plumed Lothario with his nods, and bows, and cheers, for all the coarse and severe, but justly merited, raillery which was unsparingly dealt out to him from the pit and galleries. But the ba- ron was formed to embellish a court as well as to dignify a play- house. He was frequent in his inquiries after the health of the British sovereign at St. James’s ; and appeared with more than usual splendor at the celebrated féte of the Prince Regent at Carlton- house. The fascinations of that scene of courtly festivity and princely elegance became the sub- ject of the baron’s pen; and he accordingly published a letter to «¢ Sophia,” describing in the most romantic language, all the splen- did objects of the night, and the feelings with which his chivalrous mind 48 mind was impressed. What the baron has been doing since we can- not exactly say, but he has done enough to get himself sent out of the country. It is said that he al- leges he had proposed to engage 24,000 Croat troops in the service of England, a proposal which he pretends to have considered as fa- vourably received by our ministers abroad, because they (Mr. Bath- urst, general Oakes, and Mr. Henry Wellesley, to whom he ap- peals) did not hesitate granting him passports, to enable him to come to England, to submit his plan; and for this service his charges were—Journey from Lon- don to Cadiz, 250/.; establish- ment in London, 22 months, at 2001. per month, 4,400/.; return to Hungary, 700/.—total 5,350/. The baron, it seems, while the of- ficers were besieging his castle, told them he had two hundred pounds of gunpowder in his house, and, if they persevered, he would blow up himself and that toge- ther; but finding them not inti- midated, he surrendered. The ba- ron, it is reported, has had uncom- mon success in certain gaming- houses. He is now at Harwich, on his way to the continent. He is said to be a German Jew, who having married the widow of an Hungarian baron, assumed the title by which he has passed. 7. A singular circumstance is stated in the case of Wyatt, of Fo-ey, convicted of the murder of Valentine, the Jew. The prisoner was brought up to receive sentence on Thursday, and Mr. Justice Chambre, supposing it to be Fri- day, sentenced him to be executed on the Monday. The act of par- liament enacts, that persons con- _ victed of murder shall be executed ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. within 48 hours after their con- viction; they are therefore gene- rally tried on the Friday, in order that they may have the benefit of Sunday, which is a dies non. The sentence, however, not being con- formable to law, as it allowed a longer period than 48 hours be- tween the conviction andexecution, the prisoner was brought up again on Friday, and sentenced to be executed on Saturday. The exe- cution was respited till the 1st of May, and the opinion of the judges is to be taken respecting the lega- lity of the sentence. 8. King’s Bench Court.— An ac- tion was brought by an upholsterer in Sloane-square, against a gentle- man of fortune, who married a sis- ter of lord Pomfret, and resided in Suffolk, to recover the sum of 5541. 12s. 7d. disputed as a sur- charge upon the bill for furnishing the defendant’s house. The amount of the whole bill was 2,404/. which had been reduced by payments on account to 1,354/. 12s. ‘7d.; and 800/. more having been paid into court. The principal debateable article was the charge of 700/. for a bed, which, according to the statement of Mr. Garrow for the plaintiff, was made in the most ex- pensive manner, after a drawing supported and ornamented with griffins, eagles, cherubim,and doves, a gold sun with beaming rays at the head of it, and the silk manu- factured according to the defend- ant’s own pattern. Mr. Garrow stated the profits which accrued to the plaintiff upon this bed to be little more than 100/. and that the plaintiff was anxious, for the sake of his reputation, for a verdict, upon the evidence of the uphol- sterers whom he should call, and who would speak to the fairness i the CHRONICLE. the charges. The attorney-gene- ral, for the defendant, offered to refer the case to any person, not an upholsterer; but the plaintiff preferred to go on, and after he had proved the delivery of the various articles in his bill, lord Ellenborough asked one of the witnesses what was the highest price at which his master had ever before provided a bed; and upon being answered 2001. his lordship said that it be- came tradesmen to intimate the probable expense of such an article as this to their customers, and to take their sane judgment upon the manufactory of it. Did the witness ever know any other person, who was suffered to go at large, pur- chasing such abed? The witness replied, he did not. Mr. Garrow said, that he should be able to prove that the defendant saw the drawings of this bed, and was furnished with an estimate of its expense, nearly to the full va- lue charged. The Attorney-General said, that if he were driven to ajury, heshould rely most strongly upon the ground his lordship had suggested. Lord Ellenborough said, that tradesmen were in some degree the guardians of our safety, as to or- ders given them ; and this bed was charged at above three times the price of any one which the plaintiff ever sold in his life. F The Attorney-General repeated his readiness to leave the case to any gentleman to say what the plaintiff ought to have, supposing every article was ordered. Lord Ellenborough never heard of such a bed to be slept upon. There was in the neighbourhood of the place in which the court sat (at the Mansion-house), a bed mvou LIV. 49 which cost 2,000/. but that was a public thing, which ought not to go- vern the bed of any private per- son. Mr. Garrow said, that his client had not been, till now, aware that the reference would be binding, and that he would haye a verdict for its amount. He was now willing to consent to it; and Mr. Bolland was chosen as the referee. 8. Letter from Manchester.— « As you will, no doubt, hear of va- rious reports of riots and tumults in this town, I think it right to put you in possession of their causes and ef- fects. Every occurrence I shall re- late to you passed under my own eye; you may, therefore, most im- plicitly depend upon the facts. “ On Saturday last an advertise- ment appeared in the Manchester papers, for the purpose of conven- Ing a Meeting at the Great Commer- cial Room over the Exchange, on the Wednesday following, ‘ Topre- pare a dutiful and loyal address to his royal highness the Prince Re- gent, expressive of the strong as- surances of our attachment to his royal highness’s person, and of our ardent zeal for the support of his government. «“ This advertisement was signed by about 150 loyal subjects. The consequence was, that an opposition sprung up in order to defeat the object of the meeting, by propos- ing and carrying a counter-address. The better to ensure success, the opposition caused hand-bills to be distributed, and placards to be posted throughout the town and the country for ten miles round. These being, in general, of an in- flammatory tendency, calcalated to rouse the passions of the people, it is impossible to conceive the great E and 50 and sudden effect they produced on the public mind; nor was it ever d eamed of by even the indiscreet friends of the Prince Regent them- selves, until they observed on the day previous to the meeting, the people crowding to town in every direction from the country ; and then they were fully aware of the imprudence of their conduct. Alarmed at the threatening aspect of affairs, they held a consultation amongst themselves ; and afterem- ploying a surveyor to inspect the building in which it was intended the meeting should take place, the committee of the Manchester Exchange communicated officially to the public, that there was some- thing so rotten in the state, or rather in the staircase of the build- ing, that it would be dangerous and unsafe to permit a crowd to as-. semble in any part of the build- ing. “« This notification was not at- tended with the desired effect. The people assembled in thou- sands, by ten o'clock in the morn- ing ; and by eleven the rabble had complete possession of the Com- mercial Rooms both above and be- low stairs. They did not act asa deliberative body; for without much .consideration they com- menced breaking the windows of the upper room, cut of which they threw the benches, chairs, tables, and, in short, demolished maps, lamps, and every moveable in the room. It was proposedby some of the most desperate to set fire to the furniture, but they did not proceed to this extremity. By this time {twelve o'clock) some thousands of the mob had taken possession of St. Ann’s-square. One of the town demagogues mounted a tem- ANNUAL REGISTER, 18i2. porary rostrum in the middle of the square, and read aloud the re- solutions agreed to at the last Common-hall, every one of which was unanimously re-passed amidst the loudest acclamations. Matters were thus proceeding,when sudden~ ly arriyed from the barracks the re- giment of Scotch Greys, and the Cumberland regiment of militia. The Riot act was immediately read, and time allowed for the mob to disperse ; and in fifteen minutes afterwards, not ten persons could be found together in this quar- ter of the town. Never did sol- diers perform their duty with more propriety. They were fre- quently provoked to acts of vio~ lence, but conducted themselves, notwithstanding, with great mode- ration and forbearance towards the rabble. No lives were lost that I have heard of, but several were wounded by the sabre. From twelve o’clock in the day all the shops and warehouses were shut up. »” “ Eight o'clock at night.—I just learn that several of the rioters have been lodged in New Bailey prison. The constables and mili- tary are parading the streets. The mob, in small bodies, are still as- sembled at distant parts of thetown, and appear to be refractory.” |» « Nine o’clock.—The night is dark, and it is apprehended some mischief may occur before morn- -ing; the inhabitants are mostly afraid of fire, and many will not go to bed. At present, thank God, all is well, and I hope will continue so.” & To the above it is pleasing to add, that we have seen a gentle- man, who left Manchester, in the mail, at twelve o’clock on Wed- nesday CHRONICLE. nesday night, at which time the town was quiet. 10. A warm debate occurred in the quarterly assembly of the cor- poration of Dublin on the 10th in- stant, on a motion for grantiug the freedom of the city to major O'Donoghue, who acted as captain under colonel Skerrett in the de- fence of Tariffa. This was strongly opposed on the ground of his being a Papist. An amendment was moved and carried, that the word “ thanks ” should be substituted for “« freedom.” —The petition of the board of aldermen, against the po- pish claims, was adopted by a ma- jority. — 11, Leeds.—Last Sunday night, about 12 o’clock, a number of arm- ed men, with their faces covered, entered the workshop of Mr. Smith, of Snowgate-head, near Holmfirth, in the neighbourhood of Hudders- field, and broke all his dressing frames and shears. They proceed- ed from thence to Horn Coat, about a mile distant, entered the dressing-shop of Mr. J. Brook, and not content with breaking his frames and shears, which they en- tirely destroyed, they broke and demolished his household furniture and all the windows. From thence they proceeded to Reins, near Honley, about three miles farther, where they arrived about two o'clock, and entered the workshop of Mr. James Brook, and broke one frame, which was all he had, and which had been taken down about five weeks. At the earnest | entreaty of Mr. Brook, they were prevailed upon not to break his | shears. __ One case has occurred which | has spread alarm through the ma- | nufacturing district On Thursday aa | night, about twelve o'clock, the ex- tensive cloth manufactory of Mr. J. Foster, of Horbury, near Wake-~ field, was surrounded by a large “body of armed men, who after se- curing all the approaches to the premises, proceeded to break into that part of the mill appropriated to the dressing of cloth, where they completely destroyed all the shears and frames ; the former were not merely snipped, but absolutely broken in pieces. They then de- molished all the windows, and, as if actuated by the most diabolical phrenzy, broke into those parts of the premises, against which these depredators do not pretend to have any ground of complaint ; the scrib- bling-mill and weaving-shops, and materially isjured the machinery,’ and wantonly damaged a. quan- tity of warp ready for the loom ; destroying not merely the glass of the window, but the trames, which were of cast-iron, the windows of the dye-houses, the counting- house, and even the dwelling-houses contiguous to the work-shop shared the same fate. At the commencement of these outrages, a detachment from the main body invested the dwelling- house of Mr. Foster's sons ; they shivered the door in pieces, and broke the window and frame ; and proceeded to the lodging-room of the young men, and demanded the keys of the building, under pain of instant death. They dragged two of them out of bed, and tied them together, making them lie naked upon the floor; the other they compelled to accompany them with the keys. The dwelling- house occupied by the book-keeper was also broken into, and his fami- ly treated with brutal violence. kL 2 They 52 They afterwards sct fire to the building, which was extinguished, after their departure, before it com- municated to the main body of the building. Having accomplished their object, they assembled’in a field, when the leader called over their numbers, to which each an- swered. Having ascertained that their whole number was there, he said, ‘* The work is done, all is well, disperse,” which order was obeyed. ll. Truro—We observed last week some symptoms of commo- tion among the miners ; the first and most pernicious effect of which was, to alarm the farmers and dealers in grain, potatoes, &c. and ‘to check the open sale and free circulation of provisions through the country ; and the action and re-action of the two evils heighten- ing each other, till Saturday and Sunday last, the workmen at seve- ral of the mines then resolved to stop working till they were sup- plied. This could not be done at the moment. They assembled in groups of considerable numbers, in the quarter between Redruth and Truro, and then dispersed over the country with their empty sacks, to purchase corn among the farm- ers. On Monday, about noon, they began to enter Truro, but not in crowds or riotously. Few of them looked like fathers of families. The far greater part were boys, and no small number of dai girls (as the girls are called who work about the mines), and seemed rather to have come from curiosity, having been thrown idle by the stopping of the works. We must do them the justice to say, we could not have conceived so many of them ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. would quit their work under such circumstances, and do so little mis- chief. The precautionary measures, and the apprebensions they gave rise to, formed the most serious part of the business. The leading men in most of the populous parishes had already, as we have said, exerted themselves to apply all possible relief. The next duty of magistracy was to protect property, and preserve the public peace, rather by aw- ing the turbulent, than contending with them. With this view the high sheriff signed an order for the march of a part of the Monmouth and Brecon regiment, from Falmouth to Redruth. All was quiet to-day at Redruth market; where, however, about 100 of the Welch regiment still continue ; the remainder having returned to Falmouth, withthe arms of the Stannary artillery regiment, to be lodged in Pendennis castle. A letter received this evening from a respectable friend in Llogan, says, that all the miners are re- turned to their duty. Two large cargoes of American flour now in Falmouth are expected to be land- ed there; and several other cargoes are expected from America, be- sides barley from other parts. The magistrates are doing all in their power to relieve them, and to pu- nish the ringleaders in any further disorders. 12. On Sunday morning the vil- lage of Hankelow, near Nantwich, was alarmed by a report, that George Morrey, farmer, had been murdered during the preceding night having been found with his brains dashed out, and his throat cut from earto ear! It was sup- posed that the crime had been perpetrated CHRONICLE. perpetrated by some villains, who had entered his house for plunder ; and his wife affected complete ig- norance of the awful transaction. Traces of blood from the bed of the deceased were found. Qn ex- amining the servant-man, blood was found on his shirt. An officer was sent for, and the man taken into custody. When the constable was taking him to a magistrate, he said ‘** Well, I suppose I must be hanged ;” and on being pressed for his meaning, confessed, that the murder of his master was de- termined upon between his mis- tress and himself; and_ stated, that he had been urged to the hor- rid deed by his mistress, who want- ed him to marry her. The con- stable unlocked the hand-cufs with which he had locked himself to the prisoner, fastened the latter by the same instruments to an as- sistant, and ran back to take the wife. When he entered the house, he told her the confession of the servant, and bid her prepare to ac- company him. She covered her face with her apron, drew a razor from her breast, and ran it across her throat, making a deep incision, A surgeon sewed up the wound, which is not considered dangerous. The young man is about 19 years ef age, the woman 40. The following confession dis- closes a scene of almost unpar- ralleled horror :— Voluntary Confession of J. Lo- mas, taken before Faithful Thomas, one of his Majesty's Coroners for the County of Chester, Aprit 14, 1812. — Stateth—That his mis- tress, Edith Morrey, set him on to murder his master, and he was to have all he had. She told him to go to a public-house, in Hanke- 53 low, on Saturday afternoon, the 11th of April, to get some drink, and she would get things ready te kill him. His master was gone to Audlem, and she told him (J. Lomas) that he must not go to bed. He came home about 12 o'clock ; and as soon as his master was gone to bed and asleep, his mistress came up to his room. He was asleep; she awoke him, and told him his master was fast asleep, and he must come and kill him. He refused ; she went down stairs, and afterwards came up again, and went down again, and he followed her. She had got the axe ready, and gave it into his hand. He said it would be found out, and they should be sure to be hanged. She said she would see him safe, and swear he was fast asleep in bed, and would send the servant-girl to call him up. He (Lomas) said his master would awake before he reached the bed, and she said she would go in first, and put up her hand if he was fast asleep, for him to come in and kill him. She put her hand up two or three times, and then said he must come in. He (Lomas) then went in, and his mistress held the candle, while he struck his master three times with the axe on his head. He struck him the first time over his temple. After he had struck him three times, he heard the servant-wench, who slept in the next room, get upon the floor, and he said the servant- woman was coming; on which his mistress wetted her. finger and thumb, and put the candle out. He (Lomas) ran away towards the door, and his master was shouting, « Oh Lord!” His mistress turned him back again, and -said he must go 54 go again, as he had not killed him ; she said he must kill him. Then he went again and struck him in the dark three or four times, with the axe; he thinks he only hit-him once with the head of it, and then he ranout of the parlour. His mistress met him in the house- place, and opening a sheath, took out a razor, which she put into his hand, saying he must go and kill him ovt: he must cut his throat. He refused, but she gave him a bit of a push, and said he must go. She then went first, and he fol- lowed her with the razor in his hand. She flung the out-door of the house open, and then went into the room where the. ser- vant-girl slept, and shut the door after her, and he (Lomas) went into the parlour. His master was coming off the bed backwards, and he touched him, on which his master rose up, and catched at him by the breast, and by his right hand that he had the razor in. He (Lomas) sprung out of his arms, and then laid hold of him by the head, as he was upon his knees, and cut his throat twice. He loosed him and ran, and his master fell to the floor, and he went up stairs and got into bed. After a while, the servant girl, Hannah Evans, came up to him to shout him up. She came and shook him, and he desired her to go down stairs again, and to leave the candle. He had the bloody shirt on, and he did not put his arm out of bed; he was afraid of her seeing it. He then got up, and put his coat on over his bloody shirt. He dried his bloody hands upon his waistcoat: he also put his smock-frock on, and went down stairs. When he came ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. down stairs, the servant-girl said, somebody had murdered her mas- ter, and he was desired to go in and see if he was dead. He went to the parlour door and just peeped in, and said he thought he was. Leeds, 13.—The following ac- count of the affair at Mr. Cart- wright’s mill, at Rawfolds, between Cleckheaton and Littletown, may be depended upon as correct:— About 20 or 30 minutes after twelve o’clock on Saturday night, this gig-mill was attacked by the Luddites, or Snappers; and the win- dows and door of the mill were assailed by a furious mob, who commenced their attack by the firing of arms and the beating of hammers and hatchets. The guard in the mill instantly repelled the assault by a steady, firm, and well- directed discharge of musketry from within. A regular engage- ment succeeded, which continued from 15 to 20 minutes, during which time, not fewer than 140 shot were discharged from within. The assailants were foiled in their attempt to force the windows or doors, and did no other damage than break the glass windows of the mill. The deluded mob did not escape unhurt. Two of the unhappy men were left wounded upoa the spot, and there is great reason to believe that several more received the contents of the de- fenders’ muskets, as traces of blood have been observed. The two wounded men were put under the care of surgeons as soon as could be done; one of them, John Booth, a tinner’s apprentice, at Hudders- field, died after having his leg amputated. Samuel Hartley, a cropper, of Huddersfield, who worked CHRONICLE. 55 worked with one Webb, or Web- ster, at the same place (and for- merly with Mr. Cartwright at Halifax), was shot through the breast; he died yesterday afternoon. From the direction of the shot, itis conjectured that hereceivedhis wound in the act of firing on the mill, or in an attitude similar to that of firing a musket. Several hammers, masks, and a_pick-lock ey were left upon the premises. Both the men died without making any confession of their accomplices, but several must have been so jvounded as to lead to the know- Jedge of them. Letters received yesterday state, that since the resistance made by Mr. Cartwright and his assistants, the rioters have not ventured to appear in great numbers in that neighbourhood. Of the deluded wretches concerned in that attack, two more have since died of the wounds they received on that oc- casion ; which makes the number of lives lost four. To prevent the recurrence of similar dangers, the military no longer waited for tu- multuous assemblings, .but went about, dispersing the disturbers wherever they found them meeting together in small numbers. The town of Macclesfield was on this day the scene of an alarm- ing riot, apparently originating from the high price of provisious. A disorderly mob of colliers, car- ters, and others from the neigh- bourhood, assembling in the fields, entered the town, and began de- stroying the windows and furniture of the houses of a number of shop- keepers. Asthe efforts of the ma- istrates to disperse them proved ineffectual, it was found necessary to call in the assistance of a party of the Cumberland militia, and of the Macclesfield volunteer cavalry, who, after much skirmishing, suc- ceeded in entirely clearing the town, and apprehending some of the ringleaders. Several casualties occurred on the occasion, but no lives were lost. 13. Bristol.—At Bristol some dis- turbances took place the last mar- ket day, on account of the dear- ness of provisions. Potatoes had been on the rise for some time previous; and the farmers who bad several waggon loads at the mar- ket, were attempting to advance their price, when a mob assem- bled, andthreatened them with their vengeance. Some of the respect- able inhabitants of the town .in consequence interfered, and endea- voured to appease the mob by-pro- mising to prevail on the farmers to sell the potatoes at the price of the previous market day. In thisthey . were unsuccessful; and the con- sequence was, that the mob seized the provisions in spite of every op- position, and either destroyed or catried away the whole. 13. Between four and five o’clock en this morning the Highgate Tunnel fell in. The labour of several months was thus in a few moments converted into a heap of ruins. Some of the workmen, who were coming to resume their daily labour, describe the noise that preceded it like that of distant thunder. It was the crown arch, near Hornsey-lane, that first gave way ; and the lane, in consequence, fell some feet deep, and instantly became impassable. The houses in the vicinity felt the fall Jike the shock of an earthquake. The number of persons whom the fine- ness of the weather attracted on Sundoy, 56 Sunday, to inspect the works, was not less than 800. Sheffield, 14.——At 12 o'clock to- day, about 40 or 50 poor men (who are employed in preparing a piece of land for a new burying- ground) came marching in wood- en clogs into the potatue market, where their numbers being much increased, they began to throw the potatoes in every direction, break- ing the windows all round the market-place, and driving the farm- ers and others from the market. They then proceeded to break open the potatoe-cellars, which were soon emptied of their contents. One part of the mob made up High-street to Mr. Woollin’s four- warehouse, where they broke a few squares of glass, but did no other damage. The greater part of the people then rushed to the local militia store-room, burst it open, and took from 6 to 800 stand of arms, which they broke in pieces. The military now arrived, and pre- served the remainder. The volun- teer cavalry were called together, and the local militia drum’s beat to arms under a very strong guard. Many thousands of people are col- lected. The head-quarters are at the Tontine, with a number of can- non planted before the house. The soldiers have taken several of the ring-leaders into custody; the shops are all shut in ; the Riot act has been read three times, but all to no purpose. Two post-chaises with rioters are gone for York Castle, guarded by cavalry and two field-pieces. Ar- tillerymen have just passed, to guard the ammunition. Extract of a letter from Mrs, Goodair at Stockport, to her hus- band in town :—~— ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. “© Bulkeley Arms, Stockport, April 14th, 1812. “We had been for some days under great apprehension of the mob. This morning, about nine o'clock, the people began to assem- ble in considerable numbers. They halted at our large gates (at Edge- ley ), and remained there for nearly an hour, calling to us at intervals to open our windows, and throwing stones in order to compel us to comply with their wishes. Finding neither of any avail, they proceed- ed towards this town, their num- bers increasing as they proceeded along. Instead of entering by the usual road, they visited several houses and factories, where they broke all before them. They then returned to Edgeley, in number about 3,000. On perceiving them from our cottage coming down the road, I assembled the children and nurse in the parlour, and fastened the windowsand doors; the garden- er presently rushed into the room, and conjured us to fly that moment, if we wished to save our lives. It was with difficulty I could speak, but each snatching up a child, we escaped atthe great gatejust in time to avoid the rabble. We proceeded to Mr. Sykes’s, but before we reach- ed our destination we saw our cottage enveloped in flames. Every thing, I have since learnt, was con- sumed by the fire, and nothing left but the shell. The mob next proceeded to the factory, where they broke the windows, destroyed the Jooms, and cut all the work which was in pro- gress; and having finished this mischief, they repeated the three cheers which they gave on seeing the flames first burst from our dwelling. Their ery was, ‘ a or / CHRONICLE. 57 for Sykes’s ;? but before they could accomplish their wicked pur- pose on our friend, some military arrived, accompanied by Mr. Tur- ner, whose exertions have been indefatigable. He nad been much distressed on seeing our house in flames, and had seen nobody to in- form him of our escape. The fe- males of Mr. Sykes’s family are gone to Manchester for security, whilst we have taken refuge here. The post-chaise in which we came was escorted by four Scotch Greys. The’ rioters were headed by two men, dressed in women’s clothes. who were called general Lud’s wives. We are again left without apparel, but such as the kindness of our friends supplies. Mr Sykes has been trying to get more soldiers at Edgeley, for the rioters appear worse than ever. Marsland and other families have taken shelter at Manchester. Mr. Garside, who: endeavoured to protect our proper- ty, and even ventured to reproach the mob for their conduct, has been severely beaten and bruised. « It is now nine o’clock at night, and I learn the mob are more out- rageous than ever at Edgeley. Fresh soldiers have been just sent there. Another troop of horse is expected to-night.” 15. On Wednesday evening an extraordinary investigation took place at Bow-street. Croker, the officer, was passing along the Hampstead-road ; he observed at a short distance before him two men on a wall, and directly after saw the tallest of them, astout man, about six feet high, hanging by his neck from a lamp-post attached to the wall, being that instant tied up and turned off by theshort man. This unexpected and extraordinary sight astonished the officer; he made up to the spot with all speed, and just after he arrived there, the tall man, who had been hanged, fell to the ground, the handkerchief with which he had been suspended hav- ing given way. Croker prodaced his staff, said he was an officer, and demanded to know of the other man the cause of such conduct; in the mean time, the man who had been hanged recovered, got up, and on Croker’s interfering, gave him a violent blow on his nose, which nearly knocked him back- ward. The short man was endea- vouring to make off ; however, the officer procured assistance, and both were brought to the office, when the account they gave was, that they worked on canals, They had been together on Wednesday afternoon, tossed up for money, and afterwards for their clothes; the tall man who was hanged won the other’s jacket, trowsers, and shoes; they then tossed up which should hang the other, and the short one won the toss. They got upon the wall, the one to submit, and the other to hang him on the lamp- iron. They both agreed in this statement. The tall one, who had been hanged, said, if he had won the toss, he would have hanged the other. He said, he then felt the effects upon his neck of his hanging, and his eyes were so much swelled that he saw dou- ble. The magistrates expressed their horror and disgust ; and or- dered the man who had been hang- ed to find bail for the violent and unjustifiable assault upon the offi- cer, and the short one for hanging the other. Not having bail, they were committed to Bridewell for trial. 16. Stockport. 58 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 16. Stockport.—The rioters have continued their depredations on the factories. The town in conse- quence had been placarded, begging the people to desist from outrages ; and that no means shouldbe left un- tried to reduce the price of provi- sions by thenext market day. The rioters were not limited to the weavers alone, the lower classes of mechanics in general »were inter- mixed with them. On Wednes- day morning, upwards of 2,000 of them assembled on Cheadle Heath, to plan their measures for the day. They proceeded to major Parker’s, and broke every window in the house. This gentleman had no- thing to do with the weaving trade ; and it could not be supposed he was in any respect obnoxious to their vengeance. Information had been conveyed to them that Mr. Good- air’s gardener had been the means of saving the lives of his mistress and children, by informing them of the danger with which they were threatened; the consequence was, that they sought his life. Hetook refuge at a farm-house, where he remained secreted until the arrival ofa party of horse to escort him out of their reach. It appears that about thirty of the Scotch Greys arrived in time to save several arti- cles of furniture in Mr. Goodair’s cottage, after it had been set onfire, and also succeeded in securing two of the incendiaries. 19. Carlisle—On Friday night, a body of about 300 men and women, the men armed with guns _ and pitchforks, proceeded to Dals- ton, about four miles from Carlisle, and broke open the warehouses of Messrs. Richardson and Dugdale, and carried away hams, bacon, and flour, to the amount of 500/. The military immediately marched to disperse the rioters, and succeeded in taking into custody about forty, chiefly girls. The plan of the rioters appears to have been organ~ ised, as they had scouts stationed to watch the movements of the military; for long before the sol- diers could reach the place of desti- nation, the ringleaders, with the greatest part oftheir associates, had decamped with their booty through the fields, and it is believed, lodged it safely in their homes. The horse are at present patrolling the streets, and the 55th regiment are under arms, 20. The last letters from Shef- field state, that the town was per- fectly tranquil on Thursday after- noon. Huddersfield was also in a state of quiet. In the neighbour- hood of Stockport, unfortunately a spirit of turbulence continued. A letter, dated on Thursday even- ing, says, they had been tolerably quiet all day, but had received alarming accounts from the coun- try. The weavers still assembled in great numbers, and proceeded in bodies to the houses of gentle- men and farmers, from whom they extorted money and victuals. Many carried arms openly. Dr. Mitchel’s house was attacked on Wednesday night, and several bullets fired at him without any effect. Letters of the same date represent the meeting of the Luddites, the day before, on Cheadle Heath, to have been held, not merely with a view to the outrages which immediately ensued, but also for the purpose of arranging future operations on a larger scale. ‘They were assembled by a party of weavers, the majority of whom had been discarded for misconduct. Several harangued the mob, Oe CHRONICLE. 59 mob, and induced them, it is said, to elect a body of delegates to hold “a second congress.” They spoke of sending deputations to other manufacturing districts; and in the mean time, until the strength oftheir friends couldbe ascertained, they counselled their auditors to avoid contests with the military, and to confine themselvesto noctur- nal depredations. It is stated, that at this meeting, which they deno- minated their ‘ Virst Congress,’* they determined upon an immediate attack of the manufactory of Messrs. Bury and Co. but were prevented in consequence of its being guarded by soldiers. 20. Manchester.—The works of Messrs. Daniel Burton and sons, at Middleton, where machinery is _ used in great perfection in printing calicoes, were attacked on Satur- day by a numerous mob, who commenced their operations by the firing of musketry into the factory. Messrs. Burton being apprised of their intentions, had prepared for defence, and at the first volley five of the misguided rioters unhappily fell: several were wounded. This resolute conduct had the desired effect, and the rioters were dis- persed without further mischief. To-day large mobs having assem~ bled at New Cross and at Knot- mill; they entered the shops and houses, taking meal, flour, and potatoes, with every other article ‘that fell in their way. There is also a mob assembled at Middleton, and in every other direction. The town is now in confusion, not knowing where it will end. At Bolton, and some miles round, the inhabitants are in great alarm. At Eccles all the shops are shut up; the passengers and coachman of the Liverpool coach were stoned in passing through. There are two of the coaches filled with soldiers and ammunition, sent off to Mid- dleton, there not being a sufficient number of military to dispel the mob. 21. A shocking outrage was com- mitted near Ballypatrick. While the family of a farmer there, named Patrick Keefe, were asleep, their dwelling-house was set on fire, and the first communication of the dreadful event was by the falling in of the particles of the burning timber. Keefe had, some time back, gotten iron gratings to his windows, and a strong lock to his door. Awakened by the cry of “ Fire” from his wite, they both jumped up, and, in their agitation, lost the few moments that might have saved some of the family in an ineffectual search for the key. Missing this, Keefe recollected a window through which he might pass, and made for it, the burning timbers still falling in upon them; while he was making this effort, his wife ran to bring some of their children from an inner room, but out of which neither she nor they came alive. Of a family. of nine persons, either in youth or middle life, within a few minutes, but one was left to relate this horrid story. Keefe was removed to the House of Industry, dreadfully burned. The coroner’s inquest found, that eight persons came by their death by the house in which they were being maliciously set on’ fire by some person or persons un- known. The high sheriff, on going to the House of Industry, found Keefe covered with ulcers, unattended ; and no threat, nor entreaty, 60 entreaty, nothing of reward of punishment, was sufficient to pro- cure from the surrounding savages, a car to convey Keefe to Dublin, The sheriff went for military assistance to the next station, and, on his way, meeting a return car- riage from Nine-Mile House, he made use of that to convey the sufferer. 21. Riots in Yorkshire.—Wehave already given the particulars of the attack upon Mr. Cartwright’s cloth-mill, at Rawfords, about eight miles from Leeds, and now subjoin the sequel of the narrative of that sanguinary conflict, ex- tracted from the Leeds Mercury of Saturday last :— On the cessation of the firing, the ears of the guards were assail- ed with the cries of two unfortu- nate men, weltering in their bluod, and writhing under the torture of — mortal wounds: — “ For God’s sake,” cried one of them “ shoot me—put me out of my misery !”— « Oh!” cried the other, “help! help !—I_ know all, and will tell all.” On the arrival of a detach- ment ofthe Queen’s Bays, which took place about an hour after the attack commenced, the men were removed on litters from the field to the Star Inn, at Roberttown, and medical aid was called in with all possible dispatch. One of them proved to be a cropper, named Samuel Hartley, formerly in the employment of Mr. Cartwright ; a young unmarried man, about twenty-four years of age, and a private in the Halifax Local Militia, in which regiment Mr. Cartwright is acaptain. The other was John Booth, a youth about 19, son of a clergyman in Craven, and appren- tice to Mr. Wright, of Hudders- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. field, tanner. Hartley had receiv- ed a shot in his left breast, appa- rently while making a blow at some part of the mill, which, pass- ing through his body, lodged be- neath the skin at the left shoulder, from whence it was extracted with a portion of bone. In this situa- tion he languished till about three on Monday morning, when he ex- pired. Booth’s wound was in his leg, which was shattered almost to atoms: it was found necessary to have the leg amputated, but, owing to extreme loss of blood before the surgeons arrived, spasms came on during the operation, and he died about six o’clock on Sunday morn- ing; having previously observed, that if he should recover, ‘he would never be brought into such a scrape again.” On Monday a coroner’s inquest returned a vers dict of—justzfiable homicide. None of the wounded men, except Hart- Jey and Booth, have yet been disco- vered. On the morning after the en- gagement, a number of hammers, axes, false keys and picklocks, with two masks, a powder-horn, and a bullet-mould, were found upon the field, which was stained in several places with blood: and it is evi- dent that many others besides those left on the field were wounded, as traces of gore were distinctly mark- ed in almost every direction, and in one place to the distance of four miles. Although the assailants exceeded a hundred, the number opposed to them was very incon- siderable, and of that number one of the military conducted himself in so unsoldierlike a manner, that he was placed in confinement, and waits the issue of a regimental court-martial. ¢ 24: A CHRONICLE. 4, A writ of inquiry was exe- cuted at the Town-hali, Plymouth, by the special appointment of the Under Sheriff of Devon for ascer- taining the damages in an action brought by Mrs. Bentley, wife of corporal Bentley of the Royal Marines, against lieutenant Gib- bons, late the commander of the Alphea schooner. The plaintiff was ordered to be fastened to a buoy, where she was left for some time in a most dangerous situation. The jury gave her a verdict for 5001. We learn by letters which were received in town yesterday from Manchester, that the vicinily of that town was become a continued scene of riot and outrage. It was hoped that the death of the men who were killed in the attack on Mr. Burton’s factery, on Monday last, would have operated as a salutary warning to the rest of the rioters, and have been the means of deterring them from attempting further mischief; but this was not the case: the loss they had suffer- ed only stimulated them to seek revenge. On the day following (Tuesday), the mob assembled more numerously at Middleton than ever; and notwithstanding the house of Mr. Emanuel Burton, who had conducted the defence of his father’s premises the day before, _ was defended by the military, it was attacked, and ultimately burnt to the ground. The rioters were armed with guns, pick-axes, and scythes. About three o’clock in the afternoon a reinforcement of cavalry was sent from Manchester, who, immediately on their arrival, charged the rioters, and cut down several of them. The old inde- pendent corps were to be called G1 out, and other armed bodies were forming. Manchester, April 25.—* Since Tuesday we have been more peace- able here than was expected. The formation of a horse patrole well armed, and the activity displayed in making extensive nightly cir- cuits round the town, have been of essential service. In consequence of the proceedings of last Saturday, it was presumed that the farmers would be very sparing of supplies for to-day’s market. Printed no- tices were accordingly circulated in the neighbourhood and country, assuring them, that every protec- tion, both by the civil and military power, would be afforded. The patrole, therefore (about seventy or eighty), assembled at half past five, and in parties, patroled all the roads leading to the town. There has not been the slightest disturb- ance hitherto. 26. On Friday afternoon, about four o’clock, a large body of rioters suddenly attacked the weaving fac- tory, belonging to Messrs. Wroe and Duncroft, at West Houghton, about thirteen miles from this town; of which, being unprotected, they soon got possession. They instantly set it on fire, and the whole of the building with its va- luable machinery, cambrics, &c. were entirely destroyed. The building being extensive, the con- flagration was tremendous. The damage sustained is immense, the factory alone having cost 6,000/. The reason assigned for this horrid act is, as at Middleton, * weaving by steam.? By this dreadful event, two worthy families have sustained a heavy and irreparable injury, and a very considerable number of poor are thrown out of employment. 62 employment. The rioters appear to level their vengeance against all species of improvement in ma- chinery. Mistaken men !—what would this country have been with- out such improvements? Not one of the incendiaries are taken, nor was there a soldier in that part of the country. 27. Letters received on Satur- day from Manchester, inform us, that Wednesday and Thursday passed over without any particular outrage in that place or the vici- nity; but that tranquillity was far from being restored. The rioters continued to hold nocturnal meet- ings in the fields, devising plans of fresh tumult. The execution done among the rioters at Middleton, on Tuesday, by the military, is stated to have been considerably greater than wasatfirstsupposed. A number of dead bodies had been found in the adjoining woods, and, adding those who died of their wounds to the number killed on the spot, it is said that from twenty-five to thirty of the misguided populace became the victims of their own folly and criminality. 27. During the last eight months (says an Austrian journal), not fewer than 5,000 Servian families have emigrated to Hungary,— 2,000 from Bosnia, besides great numbers of individuals from Mol- davia and Wallachia,—all to es- cape the ravages of war. 30. Letters from different parts concur in stating, that the great tumults have subsided, but that shocking outrages are committed by small parties of depredators and assassins. Mr. Cartwright, who so bravely defended his property in Yorkshire, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. has been fired at on three distinct occasions, but without dving him the slightest injury. Mr. Horsefall, a principal ma- nufacturer, was shot in the neigh- bourhood of Huddersfield by four men who fired at him on Tuesday evening last, from behind a wall, as he was returning from Manches- ter market. The Luddites have had the audacity to placard the streets of Nottingham in the night, offer- ing a reward for Mr. Wilson, the mayor, dead or alive. He had committed no other offence than signing the offer of reward of 500/. from the corporation of Notting- ham, for the discovery of the as- sassin who shot Mr. Trentham. These infatuated men are said ac- tually to meet in the streets of Nottingham in*small partiés, in the day time, and triumphantly talk over their nightly depreda- tions. Every thing was tranquil in Manchester on the 29th ult. The rioters were becoming mere ma- rauders. The local militia had as- sembled, and the public mind was more at ease. 30. * Manchester.—We are all quiet here at present, but are anxious to see what may happen the next two or three days, as the general meeting of the Lud- dites is said to be fixed for to- morrow, but the place we have yet to learn. The Bolton rioters’ com- mittee, or rather the delegates, had planned a secret meeting, at which some important matters were to be discussed. The fact became known to the officers and police, and it was deemed expedient not to prevent it from taking place. The conse- quence CHRONICLE. quence was, that last night the whole assemblage, consisting of twenty-five men, were taken, toge- ther with all their correspondence. A man has been apprehended at Eccles, in attempting to seduce the local militia, by offering five gui- neas bounty, and 15s. per week, to all that would be twisted in (the term for swearing in). Many of the delegates are’going round the country on the same service.” Accounts which left Manchester after the post, state, that another weaving manufactory had been burnt down; and that a woman who had offered to give evidence against some of the rioters, had been killed while the military were escorting her to a magistrate to make her depositions. Mr. Horsefall, who was shot from behind a wall by four ruffians, in the vicinity of Huddersfield, died on Thursday night of the wounds he received. A deputa- tion of the trade arrived in town on Saturday, to wait on Mr. Ry- der, and to consider of the means for the better security of their per- sons and property. It is said to have been ascertain- ed by the magistracy, that a regu- Jar organization has commenced in several places, and even oaths of fidelity and secrecy have been ad- ministered. ' During the last week, not fewer than seven regiments proceeded to- wards Cheshire and Lancashire. 30. A meeting of magistrates and neighbouring gentry was held last week at Carlisle, which was nu- merously attended by the towns- people and workmen. Some of the weavers stated, that in conse- uence of the low price of labour, they were compelled to perform 63 twice the former quantity of work, and thus nearly double the quan- tity of goods was manufactured by the same number of hands as other- wise would have been; that they had previously presented a petition to the magistrates for advance of wages; and that, though promises of an advance had, on a recent oc- currence, been held out, these pro- mises were no longer regarded. The meeting broke up without do- ing any thing. A deputation of weavers waited on Mr. Christian with a petition, in which were ab- stracts from two acts of parlia- ment. asserting the power of the magistrates to regulate the price of manufacturers’ labour. Mr. Chris- tian promised them, that as soon as possible, his father, Mr. Curwen, would hold a meeting of the magis- trates, when their petition should be duly considered. 30. The Luddites at Nottinghara appear to have relinquished their system of frame breaking, only to commit acts of much greater atro- city. Letters from thence, received yesterday, mention the following outrage :— On Monday night last, about eleven o'clock, Mr. Trentham, of the house of Trentham, Tierney, and Morton, in the weaving trade, was way-laid on his return home by two ruffians. Just as he was about to step up to his door, one of them placed himself before him, and, presenting a pistol, shot him through the left breast: the assas- sins then made their escape. The report of fire-arms having brought the neighbours to the spot, surgi- cal assistance was immediately pro- cured, and the ball was extracted from the back, alittle below the left shoulder. Mr. Trentham be- ing 64 ing sixty-three years of age, little hope is entertained of his recovery. The corporation of Nottingham have offered a reward of 500/. for the discovery of the villains; and it is expected that government, before whom the transaction has been laid, will make a similar offer. Government sent off yesterday reinforcements to Nottingham, con- sisting of two rifle companies of the North York. 30. The Queen held a drawing- room at St. James’s palace. It being the first which her majesty has held since the king’s birth-day in 1810, and there having been no court for the ladies during a lapse of nearly two years, great prepara- tions were made by the _ higher ranks for their appearance on this occasion. The public splendors of the court were likewise consi- derably increased on this revival of them, by the invitations of the Prince Regent, which were issued to the number of 400, to a magni- ficent entertainment given in the evening at Carlton-house, by his royal highness;to her fmajesty, the princesses, and the nobility and gentry. The palace of St. James’s and the vicinity bore rather the appearance of the celebration of a birth-day, than the holding of a drawing room in the usual man- ner. Parties of the Life Guards were stationed in the morning at all the avenues, and in the front of the palace, who, with the assist- ance of the police, preserved great regularity and order in the passing of the carriages and sedans, to and from the palace. At noon, Bond- street, St. James’s-street, and Pall- mall, were all ina bustle, thronged with superb carriages, and elegant ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. equipages, and the windows filled with spectators. All the arrange- ments resembled those for birth- days; and numbers of tickets were issued from the lord chamberlain’s office, for spectators in the anti- rooms, guard-chamber, &c. Her majesty, with the princesses Au- gusta and Mary, left the queen’s house about one o'clock, and alighted at the duke of Cumber- land’s apartments at St. James’s, where they were received by his Royal Highness. Here her majesty and the princesses dressed, the royal jewels having been previous- ly brought thither from the Bank, After partaking of some refresh- _ ments in the duke’s apartments, they proceeded with a numerous train of attendants through the gallery and the ball-room, and en- tered the grand council-chamber, where her majesty received the company, and the numerous per- sons who had the honour of being presented. The Prince Regent went from Carlton-house to St. James’s pa- lace, and appeared in full state, for the first time since the establish- ment of the regency. The proces- sion of his royal highness consisted of three carriages, drawn by two horses each; within them, his aides- de-camp, pages of honour, &c. The servants wore their state liveries, and new state hats, adorned with blue feathers. Then followed the state coach of his Royal Highness, drawn by six bays in superb red morocco harness, decorated with red ribbands. On the sides of the carriage walked four state helpers, The coachmen and four footmen wore black velvet caps, like those of his majesty’s servants. The Prince Regent was. habited in mi- litary CHRONICLE. litary uniform; he was accom- panied by the duke of Montrose master of the horse), and lord ohn Murray (lord in waiting). The procession was escorted by a party of the life guards, and ar- rived at St. James’s at half past three. Earl Cholmondeley (lord teward), and the earl of Maccles- field, and other officers of state, waited at the bottom of the grand staircase for the Prince Regent, and conducted his RoyalHighnessto the grand council-chamber, where his Royal Highness paid his respects to his royal mother. He remained in the drawing-room half an hour. Their royal highnesses the princess of Wales, the duchess of York, the dukes of York, Clarence, Kent, Cumberland, Cambridge, and Sussex, their highnesses the duke of Gloucester, and the princess So- phia of Gloucester, and his serene highness the duke of Brunswick, were also present. The wife of a respectable far- mer, at a village in the neighbour- hood of Liverpool, died a few days ago under melancholy circum- stances. About two years ago, having hada quarrel with a female servant, the young woman, after leaving the house, propagated a re- port, that an improper connection had for;some time subsisted be- tween her late mistress and a man in the neighbourhood. This ru- mour reached the ears of the hus- band, who took it so much to heart that he quitted his home, and ne- ver returned till a few weeks since. His wife wasso affected by his desertion, and the cause of it, that she fell into a decline, and on her husband’s return, was past re- covery. She earnestly solicited an interview, which, having obtained. Vor. LIV. 65 she assured him, on the word of a dying person, that she was entirely innocent. He believed her, and a reconciliation took place, but too late, as she died a few days after- wards. The young woman being threatened with a prosecution, con= fessed her guilt, and attested the innocence of her mistress, and has in consequence been excommuni- cated in theneighbouring churches. Description of the eruption of the Souffrier mountain, on Thursday night, the 30th of April, 1812, m the island of St. Vincent. —The Souffrier Mountain, the most northerly of the lofty chain run- ning through the centre of this is- land, and the highest of the whole, as computed by the most accurate survey that has been taken, had for some time past indicated much disquietude; and from the extraor= dinary frequency and violence of earthquakes, which are calculated to have exceeded two hundred within thelast year, portendedsome great movement oreruption. The apprehension, however, was not so immediate, as to restrain curiosity, or to prevent repeated visits to the crater, which of late had been more numerous than at any former period, even up to Sunday last, the 26th of April, when some gentle- men ascended it and remained there forsome time. Nothing un- usual was then remarked, or any external difference observed, ex- cept rather a stronger emission of smoke from the interstices of the conical hill, at the bottom of the crater, To those who have not visited this romantic and wonderful spot, a slight description of it, as it lately stood, is previously necessary and indispensable to form any con- ception of it, and to the better un- F derstanding 66 derstanding the account which follows; for no one living can ex- pect to see it again in the per- fection and beauty in which it was on Sunday, the 26th instant. About 2,000 feet from the level of the sea (calculating from con- jecture), on the south side of the mountain, and rather more than two-thirds of its height, opens acir- cular chasm, somewhat exceeding half a mile in diameter, and be- tween 4 and 500 feet in depth: ex- actly in the centre of this capacious bowl, rose a conical hill about 260 or 300 feet in height, and about 200 feet in diameter, richly cover- ed and variegated with shrubs, brushwood, and vines, above half- way up, and for the remainder powdered over with virgin sulphur to thetop. From the fissures in the cone and interstices of the rocks, a thin white smcke was constantly emitted, occasionally tinged with a slight blueish flame. The precipitous sides of this mag- nificent amphitheatre were fringed with various evergreens, and aro- matic shrubs, flowers, and many Alpine plants. On the north and south sides of the base of the cone were two pieces of water, one per- fectly pure and tasteless, the other strongly impregnated with sulphur and alum. This lonely and beau- tiful spot was rendered more en- chanting by the singularly melodi- ous notes of a bird, an inhabitant of these upper solitudes, and altoge- ther unknown to the other parts of the island: hence principally call- ed, or supposed to be, invisible: though it certainly has been seen, and is a species of the merle. A century had now elapsed since thelast convulsion of the mountain, or since any other elements had ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. disturbed the serenity of this wil- derness than those which are com- mon to the tropical tempest. It apparently slumbered in primeval solitude and tranquillity, and from the luxuriant vegetation and growth of the forest which co- vered its sides from the base nearly to the summit, seemed to discountenance the fact, and falsify the records of the ancient volcano. Such was the majestic, peaceful Souffrier on April the 27th; but we tred on “ fonem reposifum ci- neri doloso,” and ourimaginary safe- ty was soon to be confounded by the sudden danger of devastation. Just as the plantation bells rang twelve at noon on Monday the 27th, an abrupt and dreadful crash from the mountain, with a severe concussion of the earth, and tre- mulous noise in the air, alarmed all around it. The resurrection of this fiery furnace was proclaimed in a moment by a vast column of thick, black, ropey smoke, like that of an immense glass-house, bursting forth at once, and mount- ing to the sky, showering down sand, with gritty calcined parti- cles of earth and favilla mixed, on all below. This driven before the wind towards Wallibon and Morne Ronde, darkened the air like a ca- taract of rain, and covered the ridges, woods, and cane-piecés with light grey-coloured ashes, re- sembling snow when slightly co- vered by dust. As the eruption increased, this continual shower expanded, destroying every appear- ance of vegetation. At night a very considerable degree of igni- tion was observed on the lips of the crater; but it is not asserted that there was as yet any visible ascension of flame. The same awful CHRONICLE. awful scene presented itself on Tuesday ; the fall of faville and calcined pebbles still increasing, and the compact, pitchy column from the crater rising perpendicu- larly to an immense height, with a noise at intervals like the mut- tering of distant thunder. On Wednesday the 29th, all these menacing symptoms of horror and combustion still gathered more thick and terrific for miles around the dismal and __half-obscured mountain. The prodigious co- Jumn shot up with quicker mo- tion, dilating as it rose like a bal- loon. The sun appeared in total eclipse, and shed a meridian twi- light over us, that aggravated the wintry gloom of the scene, now completely powdered over with falling particles. It was evident that the crisis was as yet to come— that the burning fluid was strug- gling for a vent, and labouring to throw off the superincumbent Strata and obstructions which sup- pressed the ignivomous torrent. At night it was manifest that it had greatly disengaged itself from its burthen, by the appearance of fire flashing now and then, flak- ing above the mouth of the crater. On Thursday, the memorable 30th of April, the reflection of the rising sun on this majestic body of curling vapour was sublime beyond imagination—any comparison of the Glaciers, of the Andes, or Cordilleras with it, can but feebly convey an idea of the fleecy white- ness and brilliancy of this awful column of intermingled and wreath- ed smoke and clouds : it afterwards assumed a more sulphureous cast, like what we call thunder-clouds, and in the course of the day a ferruginous and sanguine appear- 67 ance, with much livelier action in the ascent, a more extensive dila- tion, asifalmost freed from every ob- struction. Intheafternoon,the noise was incessant, and resembled the approach of thunder still nearer and nearer, with a vibration, that affected the feelings and hearing; as yet there was no convulsive mo- tion, or sensible earthquake. Ter- ror and consternation now seized all beholders. The Charraibs, set- tled at Morne Ronde, at the foot of the Souffrier, abandoned their houses, with their live stock, and every thing they possessed, and fled precipitately towards town. The negroes became confused, for= sook their work, looked up to the mountain, and as it shook, trem- bled, with the dread of what they could neither understand or de- scribe—the birds fell to the ground, overpowered with showers of faville, unable to keep them- selves on the wing; the cattle were starving for want of food; as not a blade of grass or a leaf was now to be found: the sea was much discoloured, but in no wise uncommonly agitated; and it is remarkable, that throughout the whole of this violent disturbance of the earth, it continued quite passive, and did not at any time sympathise with the agitation of the land. About four o’clock p. m. the noise became more alarm- ing, and just before sun-set the clouds reflected a bright copper- colour, suffused with fire. Scarce- ly had the day closed, when the flame burst at length pyramidically from the crater, through the mass of smoke; the rolling of the thun- der became more awful and deaf- ening; electric flashes. quickly succeeded, attended with loud F2 claps ; 68 claps ; and now, indeed, the hur- ly-burly began. Those only who have witnessed such a sight, can form any idea of the magnificence and variety of the lightning and electric flashes ; some forked zig- zag playing across the perpendi- cular column from the crater— others shooting upwards from the mouth like rockets of the most dazzling lustre—others like shells with their trailing fuses flying in different parabolas, with the most vivid scintillations from the dark sanguine column, which now seem- ed inflexible and immoveable by the wind. Shortly after 7 p. m. the mighty caldron was seen to simmer, and the ebullition of lava to break out on the N. W. side. This, immediately after boiling over the orifice, and flowing a short way, was opposed by the acclivity of a higher point of land, over which it was impelled by the im- mense tide of liquified fire that drove it on, forming the figure V in grand illumination. Some- times, when the ebullition slack- ened, or was insufficient to urge it over the obstructing hill, it recoiled back, like a refluent billow from the rock, and then again rushed forward impelled by fresh supplies, and scaling every obstacle, carrying rocks and woods together, in_ its course down the slope of the mountain, until it precipitated it- self down some vast ravine, con- cealed from our sight by the inter- vening ridges of Morne Ronde. Vast globular bodies of fire were seen projected from the fiery fur- nace, and bursting, fell back into “it, or over it, on the surrounding bushes, which were instantly set in flames. About four hours from ‘ing it. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the Java boiling over the crater, if reached the sea, as we could ob- serve from the reflection of the fire and the electric flashes attend- About half-past one, ano- ther stream of lava was seen descending to the eastward towards Rabacca. The thundering noise of the mountain, and the vibration of sound that had been so formida- ble hitherto, now mingled in the sullen monotonous roar of the rolling lava, became so terrible, that dismay was almost turned into despair. At this time the first earthquake was felt: this was fol- lowed by showers of cinders, that fell with the hissing noise of hail during two hours. At three o'clock, a rolling on the roofs of the houses indicated a fall of stones, which soon thickened, and at length de- scended in a rain of intermingled fire, that threatened at once the fate of Pompeii, or Herculaneum. The crackling and coruscations from the crater at this period ex- ceeded all that had yet passed. The eyes were struck with mo- mentary blindness, and the ears stunned with the glomeration of sounds. People sought shelter in cellars, under rocks, or any where, —for every where was nearly the same; and the miserable negroes, flying from their huts, were knock- ed down, or wounded; and many killed in the open air, Several houses were set on fire. The estates situated in the immediate vicinity seemed doomed to destruc- tion. Had the stones that fell been proportionably heavy to their size, not a living creature could have escaped without death ; these having undergone a thorough fu- sion, they were divested of their natural CHRONICLE. natural gravity, and fell almost as light as pumex, though in some places as large as a man’s head. This dreadful rain of stones and fire lasted upwards of an hour, and was again succeeded by cinders from three till six o’clock in the morning. Earthquake followed earthquake almost momentarily, or rather the whole of this part of _ the island was in a state of conti- nued oscillation ;—not agitated by shocks, vertical or horizontal ; but undulated like water shaken in a bowl. The break of day, if sueh it could be called, was truly terrific. Darkness was only visible at eight o'clock, and the birth of May dawned like the day of judgment: a chaotic gloom enveloped the mountain, and an impenetrable haze hung over thesea, with black sluggish clouds of a sulphureous east. The whole island was co- vered with faville, cinders, scoriz, and broken masses of volcanic matter. It was not until the after- noon that the muttering noise of the mountain sunk gradually into a solemn yetsuspicious silence. Such were the particulars of this sublime and tremendous scene, from com- menceinent to catastrophe. Of the effects of this eruption the following account is given ina letter from the Speaker of the As- sembly of St. Vincent’s to the Co- lonial Agent in London. «* On one estate, called Wallibou, to leeward, and on five more to windward ; or, as we speak here, in the Charaib country, the earth is still covered with what I will term ashes, from six to twelve inches; andon one estate, the walls of the boiting-house fell in, as it is 69 supposed from the effects of an earthquake. «« Excepting the one estate to leeward, and those five to wind- ward, I do not believe the injury has been very great. The ashes have fallen abundantly on two or three others, but, it is hoped, not enough materially to injure the soil; this, however, as well as the effect where it is deeper, must be ascertained by experience. We have no data to judge whether it be a mere caput mortuum, or if it contains the sources of vegetation ; ifthe latter, labour and industry may bring matters about ; but, if the former, I do not know what to say. So therivers which turn the mills on these estates, may resume their courses: but no human wis- dom can do more than conjecture on the subject. «“: The estates, from the Charaib boundary, and from Wallibou, have not, as I understood, received any injury; the ashes fell indeed to “the extent of many miles at sea, for after the great and heavy part was deposited, the lighter particles seem to have been dispersed in all directions throughout the island ; it has made a light thin crust about one-fourth or one-eighth of an inch thick, which we consider as doing more good than harm. “‘ Only one white man and I be- lieve forty or fifty negroes have been lost, and some magass houses, negroe houses, and other buildings took fire, from the ignited stones which were discharged to a consi- dcrable distance, and at certain pe- riods in great profusion.” The manner in which distant parts were affected by this awful phenomenon is strikingly described in 70 in the following article from Bar- badoes, dated May 2nd. «* Yesterday morning at four o'clock, the atmosphere was per- fectly clear and light; but at six thick clouds had covered the hori- zon, from whence issued, in tor- rents like rain and particles finer than sand, volcanic matter; andaat eight it was as totally dark as we ever recollect to have seen the most stormy night. It then became ne- cessary to procure lights, not only in the dwellings of families, but lanterns were obliged to be used in 'passing from one part of the street to another. On the preceding night, it however seems, that ma- ny persons heard sounds like those which follow the discharging of cannon ; and some go so far as to say, that they clearly observed the flashes to leeward of us, the same as if vessels were engaged at sea ; therefore, as these clouds came from the northward, it is much to be dreaded, that some one of the neighbouring islands has experi- enced the dismal effects of a vol+ canic eruption. This awful state of darkness continued until 20 minutes past twelve at noon, when the glimmerings of Heaven’s light were gradually perceptible, and about one o’clock it was so far clear as to be compared with that of about seven o’clock in the even- ing. The eruptive matter, how- ever, still continued, and as was the case during the whole time of its descent, numerous flocks of exotic birds were heard warbling the melancholy note of croaking, as if they were messengers of past, or presagers of future evil. We shall, in common with our fellow- inhabitants, feel extremely anxious ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. for arrivals from the neighbouring islands: should these fortunately have escaped any convulsion of the earth, this phenomenon will form a subject of much philosophical interest, and learned discussion. To describe the feelings that per- vaded the community during this awful period, is impossible—it is far more easy to be conceived.” MAY. 1. A young German of the name of Rontgen, who left Eng- land about a twelvemonth since for Africa, in order to prosecute dis- coveries in the interior of that country, has, we are sorry to learn, been murdered by the Arabs, ‘be- fore he had proceeded any great distance from Mogadore, where he spent some time perfecting himself in the Arabic language. He was a promising young man, and an enthusiast in the cause in which he was lost, and supposed to understand Arabic better than most who have entered Africa. At an early age he formed the plan of going to that country, and gave up his connexions in Germany, to prosecute his intentions. His fa- ther was well known in Europe, and raised himself from obscurity by his talents for mechanics. It ig since affirmed in the German papers, that he was not killed, but has recovered of his wounds, and intends proceeding on his travels. 3. A shocking circumstance.oc- curred at Nottingham. Mr. Old- know, a respectable mercer, in a fit of insanity, took away the lives of two of his children, by nearly severing their heads, and afterwards placing CHRONICLE. placing a pistol to his mouth ter- minated his own existence. The oldest was about seven years of age, and the other only six months. 11. Assassination of Mr. Per- _ceval.—About a quarter past five Mr. Perceval was entering the lobby of the House of Commons, where a number of persons were standing, when a man, who had a short time previously placed him- self in the recess of the door-way within the lobby, drew out a small pistol, and shot Mr. Perceval in the lower part of the left breast. The ball is supposed to have enter- edthe heart. Mr. Perceval moved forwards a few faltering steps, nearly half way up the lobby, and was in the act of falling, when some persons stept forward and caught him. He was immediately carried to the room of the Speaker’s secretary, to the left of the lobby, -by Mr. W Smith, Mr. Bradshaw, and another gentleman. Mr. Lynn, the surgeon, in Parliament- street, was immediately sent for; but on examining the wound, he considered the case utterly hope- less. All that escaped Mr. Per- ceval’s lips previously to falling in the lobby, was ‘* murder,” or «“ murdered.” He said no more afterwards. He expired in about ten or twelve minutes after receiv- ing the fatal wound. Several members of both Houses of Par- liament went into the room while he was dying: among others, his brother, lord Arden: all of them appeared greatly agitated. There -was very little effusion of blood from the wound, externally. His body was subsequently removed into the Speaker’s house. Lord Francis Osborne, lord Ossulston, 71 and some others, were crossing the lobby at the moment of the assassi- nation, and were very near to Mr. Perceval. The deed was perpe- trated so suddenly, that the man who fired the pistol was not in- stantly recognized by those in the lobby ; but a person passing at the moment behind Mr. Perceval, seized the pistol (which was a very small one) from the hand of the assassin, who retired towards a bench to the left; he surrendered it without any resistance. Mr. Goodiff, an officer of the house, took hold of him, and asked if he were the villian who shot the mi- nister. He replied, “I am the unhappy man ;” but appeared quite undisturbed. It is said, that he added something about the want of redress of grievances from minis- ters; but if he did say so, it was heard by very few. On searching him, a few pouuds were found in his pockets, and some printed papers, copies of which he is said to have previously distributed among members. He was taken to the bar of the House of Com- mons, andindentified as theassassin. Another pistol, similar to that which he had fired, was taken from his pocket in the house. All the doors of the house were then locked, and he» was conveyed by the private passage up stairs to two of the apartments called the prison rooms, in the upper stery, over the committee rooms. Here he underwent an examination for some time, which was attended by aldermen Combe and Curtis, and by Mr. Read, Mr. Colquhoun, Mr. Fielding, and other magistrates ; and several members of the House of Commons,. Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Wynne, Mr. Stephen, Jord Cas- tlereagh, 72 tlereagh, Mr. Secretary Ryder, &c. After an examination of various witnesses, among whom were lords Qssulston and Francis Os- borne, general Gascoyne, Mr. H. Sumner, the officers of the house, and several strangers, the man was fully committed to New- gate for trial. A hackney-coach was brought to the iron gates in Lower Palace-yard ; but the crowd, which was at first’ composed of decent people, had been gradually swelled by a concourse of pick- pockets and the lower orders, who mounted the coach, and were so exceedingly troublesome and even dangerous, that it was not deemed advisable to send him to Newgate in the manner intended. Repeat- ed shouts of applause were heard from the ignorant or depraved part of the crowd, as if they were hail- ing some oppressed but innocent victim; some of whom even at- tempted to open the opposite door of the coach, as if to give the mur- derer an opportunity of escape. A party of life guards arrived about this time, and formed a semicircle in Lower Palace-yard, by which the mob were kept more at a dis- tance. It was, however, thought more prudent to send him away by another outlet, and so avoid all confusion. He was therefore taken out by the speaker’s entrance, and conveyed to Newgate. His name is Bellingham. He has been en- gaged in mercantile concerns at Liverpool, and was recognised by generals Tarleton and Gascoyne, the members for that place. He is about 5 feet 9 or 10 inches in height, with rather a thin visage, @ nose somewhat aquiline, and of genteel appearance. He has been ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. a good deal about the House of Commons during these few weeks, and dined several times in the coffee-room. He preserved, dur- ing the most part of the proceed~ ings, an air perfectly calm, and the appearance of one under no sort of agitation, but who had de- liberately and fully made up his mind to the atrocious act he has committed, and the awful conse- quences that would ensue to him- self. He observed to a police officer, after his commitment, that he knew what his crime was, and what its result would be. Hehad lodgings in New Millman-street, near the Foundling Hospital. His landlady, who is a young widow, with a family, stated, that he had been very serviceable to her in the recovery of a child of her’s which had been missing, and that he had taken her yesterday morning to see the European Museum. He used to complain toher of money due to him, which he was wronged of, and without getting which, he must be a ruined man. Further particulars relative to the Murder of Mr. Perceval.—On the examination of Bellingham on Monday nightat the House of Com- mons, Gen. Gascoyne, Mr. Hume, lord Francis Osborne, Mr. Col- borne, and others were examined. The prisoner, on being asked whether he had any thing to say to their depositions, stated, that when general Gascoyne seized him, he held him. with so much violence, that he was apprehensive his arm would be broken, and that he then said, “ you need not press me, I submit myself to justice.” A bundle of papers, brought from the prisoner’s lodgings, were i . z consigned CHRONICLE. consigned to the charge of lord ‘Castlereagh, to be submitted to the privy council. The witnesses were then bound over to give their evidence before the grand jury, and thereafter at the Old Bailey, in the event of a true bill being found against the prisoner “ For the wilful murder of the Right Honourable Spencer Perceval.” The prisoner was asked, what he had to say against the fact with which he was charged, and cau- tioned by sir'John Hippesley not to say any thing that would be injuri- ous to himself. The prisoner spoke to the follow- ing effect :— “TI have admitted the fact; I admit the fact, but wish, with per- mission, to state something in my justification. I have been de- nied the redress of my grievances by government ; I have been ill- treated. They all know who I an, and what I am, through the Secre- tary of State and Mr. Becket, with whom I have had frequent commu- nications. They knew of this fact six weeks ago, through the magis- ~trates of Bow-street. 1 was accus- ‘ed most wrongfully by a gover- nor-general in Russia, in a letter from Archangel to Riga, and have soughtredressin vain. Iama most unfortunate man, and feel here (placing his hand on his robap a sufficient justification for what have done. ” Lord Castlereagh informed him, that he was not then called on for his defence, but merely for what he had to urge in contradiction to the - charge. Any thing he might feel de- - sirous of stating, in extenuation of his crime, he had better reserve for his trial. 73 The prisoner said, Since itseems best to you that I should not now ex- plain the causes of my conduct, I will leave it until the day of my trial, when my country will have an opportunity of judging whether I am right or wrong.” Upon being again questioned, he repeated, “I admit the fact;” which admission was accordingly entered upon the record. The Bow-street officers were called in, and the prisoner having been per- mitted,to dress, was handcuffed by Vickery and Adkins. He applied for his money, which having been left in the possession of Mr. Bur- gess, who had withdrawn, Mr. Whitbread assured him he should have it returned to him in the morning. He also asked whether he should be allowed an attorney and “counsel ? when? Mr. Whit- bread signified to him that Mr. Combe would take care that every necessary indulgence should be allowed him, consistent with his situation. In no part of the pro- ceeding did he betray extreme agi- tation; but at the moment that one of the witnesses said, ‘*‘ I sup- ported Mr. Perceval into the secre- tary’s room, and in a few minutes he died in my arms,” the prisoner shed tears, and seemed much affect- ed. The pistol with which the act was perpetrated is a small pocket pistol, about six inches long, the barrel rather better than two inches in length, with the cock on the top, and a stop to the trigger. The calibre is nearly half an inch in diameter, and the barrel very strong. The pistol taken from his breeches pocket was primed, and loaded with one ball. Before the arrival of the life guards he was re-conducted to the prison- 74 prison-room, where he found much fault with Vickery, the officer, for having inquired from some female something relative to his private affairs. He calmly said, he knew the consequence of the act he had committed, which he did not con- sider of a private nature. On Vic- kery’s answering, that he had only spoken in general terms to the fe- male, and she told him she had in herpossession a memorandum of 201. due by a Mr. Wilson to him, the prisoner, in the most uncon- cerned manner, replied, he knew what it was ; it was a bill that he expected would have been paid next day, at half-past nine o’clock. He did not talk at all inco- herently, except on the subject of assassination ; respecting that deed, he said, that he expected to be brought before a tribunal where ample justice would be done to him ; and that he expected to be liberated, and ultimately to have his claims satisfied. He was conveyed to the secre- tary of state’s office for the home department, where he was placed in a room, in which he walked nearly the whole time. On the breaking up of the council he was sent to Newgate. His commitment was signed by Michael Angelo Taylor, Esq. M. P. who accom- panied him in the coach to New- gate, where he’ was double iron- ed. He has been perfectly calm and collected since his imprison- ment. His time yesterday morning was employed in writing a letter to a friend at Liverpool, which con- ‘sisted of three sides of a quarto sheet of paper, written with appar- ent Correctness ; a space purposely ~being left for the wafer, so that the letter might be opened without the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. writing being defaced. This has been sent to Mr. Ryder’s office. He states that he drew the pistol from his right hand breeches pocket. He has made particular inquiry of the keeper as to what direction the ball took. Being asked if there was any other person close to him when he fired, or between him and Mr. Perceval, he replied there was none, or he should have been fearful of firing, This wretched man is stated to be a native of St. Neot’s in Hunt- ingdonshire, and aged 42 years. It is added, that he was brought up in a counting-house in London ; and some years ago went to Arch- angel, where he lived with a Rus- sian merchant, in whose employ- ment as clerk, he continued three years. Having formed a connexion with a Mr. Borbecker, in the tim- ber line, he returned to England in order to seek a contract for the supply of timber ; and entered iato considerable engagements with the merchants of Hull. Ships were in consequence sent out to Archangel to bring home cargoes; but Mr. Borbecker having meanwhile be- come a bankrupt, the vessels re- turned in ballast. Bellingham, who still remained at Hull, was arrest- ed, and thrown into prison, by the disappointed merchants, for the non-fulfilment of the contract ; and during his confinement, or soon afterwards, he wrote a pamphlet with the intent of ridiculing the merchants of Hull. On the re- covery of his liberty he proceeded again to Archangel, where he en- tered into various’ speculations, which ended in his involving him- self in still more numerous difficul- ties. He was there very trouble- some to the government, sending to CHRONICLE. to them memorial after memorial, on subjects relative to his private concerns ; and he, moreover, ge- nerally, conducted himself with so much passion, that at length he was sent to prison, where he re- mained a considerable time ; claim- ing, in vain, the protection of the British minister, who, indeed, could render him no assistance. The term of his confinement hav- ing expired, Bellingham repaired to England full of complaints against the Russian government. He married in London, but took up his abode at Liverpool. He commenced the business of an in- surance broker, whilst his wife pursued that of a milliner, He continued at intervals to present, memorials to the British govern- ment on the subject of his claims ; but these were concerns with which government had nothing to do. For the last few weeks he has been in attendance about the House of Commons ; and a short time ago he addressed, to several members of the House, a printed statement of his grievances, requesting their interference in his behalf. It is said, that his last application to go- vernment on his affairs, was made on Monday morning, when he re- ceived a repulsive answer, which is supposed to have confirmed him in his dark and bloody purpose. Bellingham was brought to his trial, the courts being sitting, on the 15th, when, there being no difficul- ty in proving the fact, he was, with- out hesitation, brought in guilty. There was a slight attempt to engl him insane ; but except is persuasion that what he had committed was perfectly justifiable, and an apparent expectation that the act would be so considered on 75 his trial, no other marks ofan alienat- ed mind could be adduced. His execution took place on the 18th before Newgate. He pre- pared for his fate with great com- posure by the usual religious exer- cises, and, during the whole scene manifested an extraordinary degree of firmness and _self-possession. He denied that he had any accom- plices in the deed (as indeed there could be no suspicion of this kind), and persisted to the very last in re- fusing to express any contrition for his crime. His behaviour on the whole was such as apparently to render him, in his last mo- ments, rather an object of interest than of detestation. The whole passed without any tumult or acci- dent. 12. Disturbances in the Country. —The rioters have lately, in some parts, entered houses by night, in parties of 20 or 30, for the purpose of procuring arms. Two more at- tempts at assassination have been made, though happily without suc- cess. It is said, that just before these riots broke out, several per- sons, known to be United Irishmen, arrived in the manufacturing dis- tricts from Ireland, for the purpose of binding the rioters together by oaths. At Leeds, on the 8th of May, the family of colonel Campbell, commanding officer of the Leeds district, was thrown into serious alarm : between 10 and 11 o’clock at night, two men, whose voices were distinctly heard, placed them- selves in a plantation behind the colonel’s house, at Woodhouse, about a mile from Leeds, and dis- charged two muskets in the direc- tion of the guard-room, just at the moment when two hussars were entering 76 entering the court, but the trees intercepted the shots. The sentinels went in pursuit of the offenders, but they escaped under the cover of night. In the absence of the guard, and just as the colonel’s son, accompanied by a soldier, was turning the south-east corner of the house, four or five men were observed to collect in front, and one of them discharged another musket, but the shot passed with- out doing any mischief. Soon after the firing, the colonel, who had been on military duties, drove into the court, and having strength- ened the guard, the night passed without further molestation. At Huddersfield the Luddites were very active in collecting arms last week, and have been too suc- cessful. They proceeded to peo- ple’s houses, in the townships of Almonbury, Wooldale, Farnley, Netherthong, Meltham, Honley, and Marsden, and many other places in the neighbourhood ; they entered the houses by about 20 or 30 in a gang, and demanded all the arms in the house, on pain of instant death. By this means they have cbtained’ possession of up- wards of 100 stand of arms, and not one night has passed without some arms having been so taken. To check this alarming evil, major Gordon has obtained possession of 200 stand of arms from the inha- bitants in the neighbourhood ; the military are in this manner daily employed in collecting arms, but they have not yet discovered the depot of the Luddites. 15. The friends of humanity will be happy to learn from the supple- ment to the Buenos Ayres Gazette of May 15th, that a representa- ANNUAL REGISTER, is!2. tion had beenmade by the Cabildo to the governor, that although the evil of slavery cannot be abolished at once without infringing the rights of property, and letting loose on society a set of people debased by their abject situation, yet that it was time to attack the abuse at the fountain head, and not only do justice to the Africans, but remove a source of corruption and a bar to industry from the Americans ; it therefore proposed to govern- ment to abolish the slave trade. The result was the following decree of government :— ‘s Conformably tothe rights of hu- manity,the representations of the re- spectable authorities of this capital, and the liberal principles proclaim- ed,and defended with valouranden- ergy by the united provinces of the Riodela Plata,—thegovernment,on the 9th of April last, made the fol- lowing decree, which, by this, is ordered to be published. *‘ Article 1. The importation of cargoes of slaves is absolutely prohibited in the territory of the united provinces. «« Art. 2. The cargoes that may arrive within one year, from the 25th of May next, shall be order- ed to leave our ports immediately. «« Art. 3. At the expiration of the year, the ships and cargoes of that description that may ar- rive on our coasts, shall be con- fiscated ; the slaves on board are declared to be free, and govern- ment will take care of putting them to useful occupations. « Art. 4. All the authorities of the state are strictly charged with the observance and executions of the present decree, which shall be published, circulated, and ——. e CHRONICLE. 77 ed in the secretary of state’s office. (Signed) _ Fertcrano ANTONIO CHICLANA, BERNARDINO DE REVADAVIA, Nicotas Herrera, Secretary.” « Buenos Ayres, May 15, 1512. 18. Loss of the Irlam.—On Sun- day morning last, the weather being thick and hazy, the ship I:lam (letter of marque), from Barbadoes to Liverpool, laden with sugar and cotton, and having on board part of the skeleton of the 16th regiment of foot, commanded by captain Hall, consisting of 10 officers, and 62 rank and file, and 32 wonien and children, struck on Tuscar rock; the unhappy sufferers had but just time to get into the boats, some half-dressed, others almost naked, wlien she filled with water, and in a short time went to pieces. The only means by which the passengers and crew could save their lives was to seek refuge on the rock, which was almost in- accessible at that side, the summit being not less than 30 feet from the surface of the water. This they were enabled to accomplish with the assistance of a number of men, (providentially there for the purpose of laying the foundation of a light-house), who effected the task by drawing the men up from the boats, one by one, with a rope fastened round the waist, and placing the children in a bag made fast to the end of the rope. At this time a brig hove in sight, and Jay-to; when seven of the officers, the ladies, the master, and anum- ber of the sailors and soldiers, were conveyed on board, by the frequent returning of the boat. During this, it began to blow with in- creased violence, and the vessel was compelled to get under weigh, leaving on the rock three officers, 16 privates, one woman, the mate, and 12 seamen, who, after remain- ing there for two days and nights, were on Monday evening brought to Wexford. The officers lost property to a considerable amount. One gentleman had plate on board worth 3007. The mate lost a box containing 200 guineas, the fruit of many years toil.— / Wexford Jour.) 20. This afternoon a violent hail-storm was experienced at Stratton-park, Hants, the seat of sir Thomas Baring, which was attended with thunder and light- ning; the hail-stones were unu- sually large, many of them being three inches in circumference, and in a few minutes no less than 1,050 squares of glass were broken in the hot-house and cucumber and melon frames: all the fruit and plants being laid waste. Many panes in the windows of the man- sion were also broken. 21. A tempest of thunder, light- ning, aod rain, was felt through an extensive district, eastward from Bedford, as far as Wisbech and some parts of Norfolk. Two horses were killed by the lightning near Wisbech; and at Witcham (in the Isle) a barn full of wheat and a bean-stack were set fire to and consumed. The same day, about noon, a tremendous storm of rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning, came on at Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, and conti- nued falling in torrents for about an hour. In about a quarter of an honr afterwards, either from the water running from the hills, or, asit is conjectured, from the bursting of a thunder cloud or water-spout upon a hill a ay the 78 the eastward of the town, from which the water descended in tor- rents, the lower part of the town was completely inundated. Very serious losses have been sustained : and the poor people whose houses lay near the river are almost ruin- ed, the greatest part of their goods being carried away. A_ liberal subscription for their relief has been raised amongst the principal inhabitants. 23. Letters wete received yester- day from Manchester, which com-. municate the unpleasant intelli- gence, that during the last few days several violent outrages have been committed by the Luddites. No fewer than three persons had been shot in different parts of the country, without any discovery or even suspicion of the murderers. Besides these atrocities, a gentle- man, obnoxious to the hatred of the Luddites, was attacked in a Jane, in the middle of the day, by several men who were strangers to him: after receiving a violent blow on the head with a large stone, he had the good fortune to escape by the swiftness of his horse. A working man, who had been mistaken for another person that had given information against the Luddites, was taken to a coal- pit with an intent of precipitating him to the bottom, when it was discovered that he was not the man whom the assailants were in quest of; aud in consequence he was suffered to depart, without sustaining any injury. All possi- ble means have been tried to in- duce the Luddites in prison to divulge the whole extent of their plan, and to impeach their ring- leaders, but without effect. Some havs een promised protection, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. and a competency for life, but te no purpose. On May 24, a special commission for the trial of the rioters in Cheshire was opened * by judge Dallas at Chester: the trials began on the 26th, and on the 30th, the court finally broke up, the judge having passed the following sentences, viz :— Collin Linden, James Wilson, alias Roach, Forster Roach, James Bennett, Richard Wood, James Tomlinson, and William Thomp- son, for obtaining money contrary to the king’s peace, from John Parker, esq.; Richard Lowndes, James Torkington, and John Hen- shall, for rioting at Pownall Fee and Styall, and obtaining several _ sums of money with force and vio- lence; Jos. Thompson, for enter- ing the dwelling-house of J. Goodair, at Edgeley, and stealing thereout silver spoons and other articles, and also setting fire to the same; W. Greenough, for entering the shop of Alice Berry, at Tintwisle, and taking away a quantity of flour; James Cross- Jand, for threatening the life of Robert Thorniley, a manufacturer at Tintwisle, and breaking and de- stroying his tools; John Temple, for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Samuel Wag- staff, and stealing five silver tea spoons and other articles; and John Heywood, for riotously as- sembling and breaking the factory of Messrs. Sidebothana, and break- ing and destroying a machine, received sentence of death. Eight were ordered to be trans- ported for seven years. John Jackson, William Stubbs, and Thomas Livesley, for riotously assembling and continuing toge- ther CHRONICLE. ther at Macclesfield upwards of an hour after proclamation had been made to disperse. The two former to be imprisoned three years, the latter one year. Thomas Whitaker was convicted on the evidence of one Parnell, of administering an unlawful oath to 18 or 20, in which they entered into asolemn obligation to destroy steam-looms, &c. Whitaker was sentenced to seven years trans- portation. His lordship passed the awful judgment. of death upon sixteen; and, in a most impressive address, held out not the smallest hope of mercy. Only five however were left for execution. 25. A lamentable accident hap- pened last'week in a coal-mine at Orrell, near Liverpool. The work- men had been warned not to ap- proach a certain part with fire or light ; notwithstanding which, one of them entered it with a lighted candle; when a tremendous ex- plosion took place, by which all in that part of the mine, consisting of nine men and one woman, lost their lives. 26. The Carlisle Journal states, that tumult and disorder at present prevail in that neighbourhood, to a greater extent than at any time since the disturbances first broke out. It enumerates a varie- ty of outrages. Even the asylum of the poor was not spared by these offenders. On Monday night the workhouse of St. Cuthbert’s parish was entered by one of the windows, and a quantity of bacon and hams taken away.—The Leeds Mercury says, the arms-stealing system stil] prevails in the vicinity of Huddersfield. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Monday, 79 May 26.—Yesterday, one of the most terrible accidents on record, in the history of collieries, took place at Felling, near Gateshead, Durham, in the mine belonging to Brandling, esq. the member for this place, which was the admi- ration of the dictrict for the excel- lence of its ventilation and arrange- ments. Nearly the whole of the workmen were below, the second set having gone down before the first came up, when a double blast of hydrogen gas took place, and set the mine on fire, forcing up such a volume of smoke as darken- ed the air to a considerable dis- tance, and scattered an immense quantity of small coal from the upper shaft. In the calamity, 93 men and boys perished, the- re- mains of 86 of whom are still in the mine, which continues un- approachable. Meetings are to be called at Newcastle, and the neighbourhood, to raise subscrip- tions for the widows and orphans of the sufferers. 28. Lincoln—A storm came on here in the afternoon, which was uncommonly severe, and has been attended with very fatal con- sequences in this neighbourhood. At Southray, a village three miles from Bardney, three boys were killed by the lightning, namely, John East and Richard Pask, aged 12 years, and Levi Day, 11 years. They were tending geese, in coms pany with another, named Charles Blakey, about the same age, who escaped in a most providential manner. They were in a field near home, and, when the storm approached, retired to a hovel. Here they sat down on the ground, Blakey having two companions on one side, and one on the other. How 80 How long they had been in the hovel, is unknown to him; but, in a moment, he became alarmed. He jumped up in a fright, saying, “ Come, boys, let us go home; we shall all be killed in this place.” His companions did not speak, and he ran home, where he in- formed his mother, he thought his companions were all killed by the lightning, as they did not speak or stir. Several of the neighbours went to the place immediately, and there found them ali lying dead. The lightning fell on their heads, and ran down their dodies, burning their necks, shoulders, and breasts, in a dreadful manner, causing ma- ny large brownsores. Blakey was hurt on the right arm and thigh, having a place on each scorched nearly as large as a half crown. A dog was in the hovel, and re- ceived no injury. Two of their shirts were burned, but the out- ward garments were not damaged. 29. The university of Cambridge was thrown into great consterna- tion, by the appearance of fire in one of the apartments of Trinity College, at nine o’clock in the evening; it was, however, ex- tinguished without damaging any other part of the building. There had been no fire or light in the apartment for the previous twenty- four hours ; and this is the third or fourth instance of fire breaking out in different colleges of this university, without any discover- able cause. Much serious investi- gotion has consequently taken place, but hitherto without effect. JUNE. 1. The Installation of the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. knights lately added to the order of the Bath, took place in the usual- form. Early in the morning several troops of the'horse guards were post- ed in detachments in the avenues leading to Westminster-abbey. Par- ties of the foot guards were posted within the abbey, and every prepa- ration suited to the occasion was made. At about ten o’clock theper- sons connected with the ceremony met in the House of Lords, and at eleven the procession commenced in the following order :— Six ushers, with wands. The drums of his majesty’s household. The serjeant trumpeter, with his mace. Squires of the knights elect. Knights elect, and the proxies of those who were absent; wear- ing tle surcoat, and girt with the sword of the order; carry- ing the mantle on the right arm, and bareheaded. The squires of the knights’ com- panions, wearing black velvet caps. The knights’ companions, in their full costume. The duke of York, as grand mas- ter, attended by his aides-de- camp in uniform. vi The pursuijvants and javelin men, closing the procession. The procession moved under a temporary boarded covering from the prince’s chamber to the south- east door of the abbey, passed down the aisle, crossed by the west-end, and then turned through the great transept of the abbey to Henry the seventh’s chapel, where the ceremony was gone through in the usual manner. Temporary ranges of seats had been erected among the monu- ments, CHRONICLE. ments, and they were filled with handsome and well-dressed fe- males. At the west-end of the nave, and at the back of the organ, two galleries were erected for the friends of the dean and chapter, and for ladies of distinction. At the close of the ceremony, the procession returned in the same order as before ; the newly created Knights wearing their hats and plumes. The Order of the Bath is now extended to fifty Knights, includ- ing the Sovereign and the Grand Master. The number installed was twenty-three, as follow :— Right Hon. Sir Arthur Paget The Earl of Wellington Hon. Sir Geo. James Ludlow Sir Samuel Hood, bart. Earl of Northesk Sir Richard John Strachan, bart. Hon. Sir A. Forrester Cochrane . Sir John Stuart, Count of Maida Sir Philip Francis Sir G. Hilaro Barlow, bart. Viscount Strangford Sir Richard Goodwin Keats Sir George Beckwith Sir David Baird Hon. Sir John Hope Sir Brent Spencer Lord Cochrane Sir John Cope Sherbrooke Sir Wm. Carr Beresford Lieut.-General Graham Lieut.-Gen. Rowland Hill Maj.-Gen. Sir Sam. Auchmuty Right Hon. Henry Wellesley, am- bassador in Spain. 2. Several antiquarians attend- ed the opening of several bar- rows, situated about a mile to the eastward of the village of Rotting- dean. A number of urns were found, containing bones, supposed to be those of Roman soldiers who had Vor. LIV. 81 fallen in battle about 2,000 years ago; but no coins were discovered. 3. Yesterday morning, a little before eight o'clock, a man, of a very gentlemanly appearance, dressed in black silk stockings, black small-clothes, marcella waist- coat, and dressing-gown, a white nightcap on his head, and carrying asmall poker on his left arm, walk- ed through St. James’s Park. His uncommon appearance attracted a number of followers. He pro- ceeded to Yorkshouse, and knock- ed at the door; the porter, observ- ing his strange appearance, did not open the door; however, he re- peated his knock with a degree of consequence, which induced the porter to open the door. He then presented a letter for the Duke of York, observing, that it was upon state affairs, and it must be given to his Royal Highness directly. The porter told him it was impos- sible to deliver the letter to his Royal Highness immediately, but he should have it very shortly; with which the other appeared sa- tisfied, observing, he should call again about ten o’clock. He then left York-house, and proceeded along the Park, the crowd increas- ing. Vestentiy, between eleven and twelve o'clock, as two females, genteelly dressed, were passing the end of the Mall, opposite the Queen’s Palace, they were very rudely accosted by a man with a large open clasp-knife, in a posi- tion as if he intended to cut them down ; they screamed out, ran away, and escaped from him into Pimlico. After this, he went up to a man who had the appearance of a porter, near one of the seats, and in a more direct manner at- G tempted 82 tempted to stab him ; but this per- son also avoided the attack, and escaped. A gentleman, who had been an observer of this outrage- ous conduct, watched the man into the White Horse public-house, in Pimlico, and then went in search of a police officer, and found Nicholls, belonging to the Bow-street office, in the Park, who went and took him into cus- tody; and under a pretence of treating him with some-lamb-chops and ale, he got him quietly across the Park to the office, where he underwent an examination before Mr. Graham, when it appeared, that a soldier on duty at the Queen’s guard, observing the prisoner’s conduct, had taken the knife from him. Neither of the females, nor the man he had attacked, attended, they not being known; but the gentleman who had observed him fully proved the above statement. The account the prisoner gave of himself was, that his name was Erasmus Hooper, and that he had been an officer in the navy; that he had been extremely ill-treated, or he should have been a post- captain; but, instead of that, he had been tried upon false charges by a court-martial, and had been broke. On searching him, papers and a book were found, that fully proved him to be the man he re- presented himself to be; and that he had served on board the ships the Marquis of Ely and the Ernest. A letter from the Secretary of the Admiralty acknowledged the re- ceipt of his application to be rein- stated, The book contained an alphabetical list of the marine force of the country, a full descrip- tion of signals by day and night, also of telegraphic communica-~ ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. tions. Application was made at a navy agent’, in the Adelphi, whom he referred to, who ac- knowledged having been his agent; and said the prisoner had been there yesterday morning, when his conduct was such that there was no doubt but he was deranged. He was ordered to be detained. The company of flying artillery, under the command of captain Smith, passed through Brighton, from Lewes, for Hive, for the pur- pose of practising with shot and shells, at a target, on the beach, nearly fronting that place. Seve- ral of the Shrapnell shells, loaded with musket-bullets, which were not intended for use that day, had been fixed, in boxes, to the car- riages of the field-pieces, for the inspection of the general; and to one of these boxes, containing four shells, a spark, by some means, found its way, when three of the four shells were presently explod- ed, and their destructive contents dispersed in all directions. Ma- jor-general Hamond had his lip cut through; lieutenant T. Blaker, of the local militia, was stunned by a fragment of the gun-carriage striking him on the back part of the head; and two of the artillery~ men were severely hurt, though neither had any bones broken. — 8. Fire in Plymouth.dock.—The fire was first discovered in the morning, between three and four o'clock, in the eastern rope-house of Plymouth dock-yard; and ap- parently, to those who first disco- vered it, burst forth in several places at the same time. Analarm was instantly given by the firing of the sentinels on duty in the yard, and on board the-alvador del Mundo, CHRONICLE. Mundo, guard-ship, in Hamoaze, when every assistance was render- ed as early avd promptly as _possi- ble; but before any effectual force could be brought to operate, the flames had made considerable pro- gress, and burnt with incredible fury; and, notwithstanding the good supply of water, and the ex- ertions used at the engines, the fire was not subdued until seven o'clock. Fortunately, there were scarcely any stores in the building, but the machinery therein has been mostly destroyed or mate- rially injured. The building is up- wards of 1,400 feet in length, and the fire having broke out about the center, it was found necessary, in order to preserve any part of it, to cut off as much as possible at each extremity, whereby about 400 feet of the premises were saved. The house in which the fire commenced is consumed; and it was fortunate that the cables, on their being manufactured, were in- variably removed to another place, which prevented any of those valua- ble articles from being destroyed, _ The loss sustained by the public on this occasion, it is supposed will not exceed 12,0001. Il. The atrocious practice of stealing arms has been Jately car- ried to an alarming extent in the West Riding of Yorkshire. On Wednesday se’nnight a num- ber of persons, about seven or eight, went undisguised to the house of Mr. Milnes, in Horbury, and rousing him from his sleep, demanded entrance. Mr. Milnes not appearing inclined to obey, they threatened if he did not in- stantly open the door they would immediatcly force it. Mr. Milnes, finding he could make no availing 83 resistance, gave them admittance. They then insisted upon having his firearms; but on being satis fied that he had none, they de= manded money and refreshment: he then gave them some silver, and bread, cheese, and beer. They then requested that he would al-~ low them to take some to some poor fellows who they said were watching at a distance; with this requisition he thought it also pru- dent to comply, and they then civilly took their leave of him. On Sunday night following, these de- predators made a farther attack on several houses at Notherton (a place in the immediate vicinity of Horbury), where they succeeded in obtaining seven or eight stand of arms; and upon this occasion they behaved with peculiar atro- city, by wantonly firing several musket balls intoone of the houses. The success of these nocturnal dee predators on this occasion is the more remarkable, as, on the day before (Saturday), the chief con- stable of the district, and the con- stable of Horbury, had received di- rections to receive the fire-arms of such of thé inhabitants as were disposed to give them up, and which they carried into effect the same day. Most of the inhabit« ants readily gave up their arms to the custody of the civil magistrates, but some few refused. The con- stables were much hooted and abused by the populace whilst they were executing this duty, and one of the mobhadthe effrontery to take from his pocketa handful of musket balls, which ke threw into the air, exclaiming, “ Here are hailstones for you.” It is said there is a per- son in Horbury employed in cast- ing these leaden messengers of G2 death , 84 death. Every article of Jead, such as pumps, water-spouts, &c. which can'be readily conveyed away, is constantly disappearing. The glar- ing violation of the laws of society and of private property, evinced in these nocturnal visits, though an evil’ of great magnitude, is, as it were, lost in the contemplation of the more atrocious purposes for which those instruments of death are collected. On Thursday night last, the same system of depredation was pursued at Osset, about a mile from Horbury. At half past twelve a party of men, consisting of about twelve persons, surrounded the house of Mr. Butterfield, and de- manded his fire-arms, threatening him with instant death if he hesi- tated; at two other houses they fired two musket balls through the door. This lawless banditti then went down the common, where they entered every house likely to contain arms, and insisted upon their being delivered up, threaten- ing to shoot the owners if the least delay was manifested. These de- predators were armed with mus- kets and pistols: They obtained on this occasion about six stand of arms. 13. In the Court of Chancery, in the case of George Ross, a bankrupt, the lord chancellor held, that a person attending on the commissioners under his commis- sion, though not summoned to attend, and though his presence was not required by them, was protected from arrest by any of his creditors. His lordship accordingly ordered that the bankrupt should be discharged; and that al] the costs, charges, and expenses in curred by him since his arrest, . hour. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. should be paid by his creditors, at whose suit he was arrested. 15. Naples. — Vesuvius, which had been quiet for several years, has suddenly broken out. At nine o'clock, on the morning of the 12th, loud reports proceeded from the bosom of the mountain, which was followed by an eruption of cinders and smoke. After this the mountain remained quiet for an At eleven o'clock two fresh reports were heard, when the cra- ter vomited forth fire and smoke, which completely covered the ho- rizon. On the 13th and 14th the mountain was calm, but at the in- stant we are writing, the volcano is again in action, and its crater is covered, with'an immense column of smoke. 15. Chester—This day Joseph Thompson, and John Temples, found guilty at the special com- mission held for this county, on the 25th ult. for the trial of the rioters were executed, pursuant to their sentences, at the new drop, behind the city gaol. About half past twelve o'clock they left the castle; when the so- lemn procession, escorted by a party of the Oxford Blues, and ac- companied by the proper officers, proceeded through the city to the new gaol, followed by an immense crowd of people. On the arrival of the convicts at the latter place, they were conducted to the chapel, where they very devoutly joined the clergyman in prayer. At one o'clock they ascended the drop, and soon after were launched into eternity. Manchester.— About twelve o’clock on Saturday the awful sen- tence of the law was put in execu- tion upon the eight persons con- demned CHRONICLE. demned at the late special assize at Lancaster, viz. James Smith, Tho- mas Kerfoot, John Fletcher, and Abraham Charlson, for burning, &c. Messrs. Wroe and Duncough’s weaving-mill at West Houghton ; John Howorth, John Lee, and Thomas Hoyle, for breaking into the house of John Holland, in this town, and stealing bread, clicese, &c.; and Hannah Smith, for high- way robbery, by stealing potatoes at Bank Top, in thistown. Their conduct throughout confinement, manifested the greatest indiffer- ence and unconcern, as to the aw- ful state in which they were placed; and all the pathetic exhortations of the reverend the chaplain were frequently repeated before signs of repentance appeared. Before be- ing turned off, however, they be- came penitent, and confessed their offences. 16. The Sarah and Eliza, P. Macarthy, Master, arrived at Ports- mouth on Tuesday, laden with wine; on account of government. Seven friars and three nuns came passengers in her; they are of the religious orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans, and were obliged to fly from Valencia at the time that place was besieged by Suchet, they having strenuously exerted themselves during the seige in op- posing the French. The friars wear adress of coarse brown cloth, with a cowl affixed, with which they occasionally cover their heads. The nuns are dressed in black,:. with long black veils, which they generally wear thrown over their heads, so as to leave their faces quite unconcealed. On the 9th instant, a marine on board the Fyen prison ship, lying in the river Medway, fell from a stage into the sea, and was sinking, 85 when a French officer, of thename of Guillon Khor, jumped immedi- ately, with his clothes and boots on, from the forecastle, which is about thirty-five feet high, after him, and held him for several mi- nutes at the risk of his own life, the marine holding him fast by the collar, which no doubt would have caused the death of the French of- ficer, if his strength had not sus- tained him till a boat came in time to save them; the marine was al- most lifeless. Abstract of non-resident and re-~ sident and incumbents.—It appears by the abstract of a return of the number of non-resident and resi- dent incumbents in England and Wales, presented to the House of Commons, and ordered to be print- ed on the 28th ult. that the num- ler of Incumbents in England and Wales, is ........500: a cisendOZ6) Of which are resident ...... 4421 Non-resident from ex- emption ,........... 2671 Non-residents by li- CENGES ....3 wet aonskd + Non-residents not in- cluded in licences or exemptions,...... 1017 Miscellaneous cases of non-residents ...... 38 Totalnon-residents 5840 Which shows that of the whole number of incum- bents, the numbér of non- ‘residents exceeds the number of residents.,... » 1419 17. Acompetition took place at the sale of the Roxburgh Library, for the Decameron of Boccacio, a single volume in small folio, printed in the year 1471: it was knocked down to the marquis of Blandford, for 2260i.!!! 18. Thecommotions inthe manu- facturing 86 facturing counties were never more alarming than at present. Letters, which arrived in town yesterday, from the vicinity of Manchester, felate various outrages recently committed by the persons desig- nated Luddites. Atalate hour in the evening they assemble in large gangs, and proceed from house to house, in the small villages, in search of fire-arms, which they seldom fail to obtain, as they gene- rally proceed on information. One account which we have seen states, that a gentleman had two guns, one an old and the othera new one: the latter he was desirous of preserving, and therefore hid it be- tween a mattrass and bed. A night or two afterwards, several armed men demanded admittance into his house; which having obtained, they desired possession of all the fire-arms on the premises. The gentleman gave up the old gun, as the only one he had; but this did not satisfy them; they told him where to find the other, and threat- ~ ened to shoot him if he delayed a moment to obey them. The new gun was in consequence resigned. The churches are every where plundered for lead, to be converted into bullets. Between eleven and_ twelve _ clock on Thursday night, Mr. Nadin, assisted by a picquet of mi- litary, took into custody (and seiz- ed the papers of) thirty-eight per- sons unlawfully assembled ata pub- lic-house, in Ancoat’s-lane, Man- chester. They stated the object of their meeting to be for the purpose of petitioning for peace and parlia- mentary reform, but their papers and books appeafed to be of a dif- ferent tendency. ‘They were exa- mined by the magistrates, at the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. New Bailey, on Friday; which examination was adjourned to Sa- turday, when it was resumed, and the whole thirty-eight were com- mitted to Lancaster gaol, to take their trials for having administered the abominable and unlawful oath, known by the term of twisting-in. At the Newcastle races, just as the race was finished, the tempo- rary stand belonging to the White Hart inn, being loaded with about 200 persons, gave way in the mid- dle, and involved nearly 100 in the crash. About forty were seri- ously hurt, and ten or twelve dan- gerously, several of them having broken limbs. 18. Anaggregate Catholic meet- ing was held in Dublin, the earl of Fingall in the chair. Lord Killeen moved a series of thirteen resolu- tions, recommending the renewal of an earnest application, by peti- tion to the legislature, for the to- tal and unqualified repeal of the penal laws: the petitions to be. prepared and presented without delay ; lamenting that ‘* the pro- mised boon of Catholic freedom had been cruelly intercepted by the fatal witchery of an unwor- thy, secret influence,’”? — recom- mending catholic freeholders not to support candidates who do not pledge themselves to support the catholic cause,—and returning thanks to lords Grey, Grenville, Donoughmore, and Mr. Grat- tan. Counsellor O’Gorman begged it might be distinctly understood, that any arrangements or condi- ‘tion which might be connected with Mr, Canning’s motion in the House of Commons, would have no influence on the conduct of the catholics of Ireland, as they were determined CHRONICLE. determined to obtain their freedom unconditionally. A resolution was then -passed for calling another aggregate meet- ing on Thursday se’nnight; and that the Board, thus authorised to prepare the petitions, should have the same ready for the considera- tion of the meeting on that day. Two French officers, on parole in Reading, fought a duel, in a field not far from the New Inn, on the Oxford-road, when one of them received a ball, which passed through the back part of his neck. Unable to procure pistols; they agreed to decide the affair with a fowling-piece, at about fifty paces, by firing alternately. The first discharge was conclusive. The officer who fired rendered every assistance to his wounded antago- nist. He accompanied him in a post-chaise to his lodgings, where a surgeon dressed his wound, which is said to be not dangerous. 20. Sheffield. — Yesterday there were great rejoicings in this town, in consequence of the determina- tion of government, to suspend for atime the Orders in Council ; by which America will have an oppor- tunity of evincing her desire to re- main on amicable terms with this country. The ringing of bellsand the firing of cannon were among the modes resorted to by the people to demonstrate their joy on this occasion. We fervently pray, that neither the people, nor the govern- ment, may ever have cause to re- pent of this measure; evidently conceded by the latter to relieve the present distresses of the former. Leeds.—The beneficial effects of the repeal of the Orders in Council are already apparent, in the im- pulse given to the woollen trade. 87 Bales of cloth, which have been stored in the warehouses of the American merchants for months, in some instances, we may say, for years, are now in transit to the place of their destination; and we are peculiarly happy to state, that there were more purchasers in the Leeds cloth-halls this morn- ing, than there has been on any market-day since the enactment of the celebrated Orders in Council. Stafford—It was reported at Newcastle, and the Potteries, on Thursday last, that ministers had pledged themselves to abandon the Orders in Council. In conse+ quence of which considerable re- joicings took place, particularly in the Potteries ; and the countenances of the people resumed an appear- ance of satisfaction and pleasure, such as we have not witnessed on any recent occasion, 24. A nest of villains has been discovered in the Isle of Wight, deserters from the several detach- ments there ; who were proceeding, in a systematic plan, to rob and plunder; they had dug a cavern to contain their booty, in which were found remains of lambs, sheep, and calves. Three of them meet- ing a countryman, stopped him, and asked him to buy a watch; the man prudently told them he had no money, but would go and get some; instead of which he applied to a company of sheep- shearers, who, with the man, took them before a magistrate of the island, who recognised on the back of one of the robbers, a coat he gave to a poor man whose house they had lately broke open, They were committed to prison. In the renewed Turnpike Acts, passed this session, a new lagen las 88 ANNUAL REGISTER, has been introduced, enacting— that if any person or persons shall ride upon any causeway or foot- paths, or shall drive any horse, cattle, swine, cart, or carriage thereon, or shall wilfully cause any damage whatever to be done, he or they shall for every such offence, be liable to a fine of 20s. half to go to the informer, and the other half to be applied to the purposes of the act: and the collector of the tolls for the time being, must affix on a board, in legible cha- racters, his christian and surname over his door, under a penalty of 10/. A singular phenomenon was witnessed at Marseilles. On a sudden a rush of water from the sea came into the port, forming a current so rapid, that it drew every thing with it through the gullet. The chain was shut to keep in the vessels, the alarm guns fired, and the générale beat. The sea then retired all at once, leaving the harbour dry, and all the vessels aground. Almost at the same in- stant the sea returned by leaps and bounds, with extraordinary impe- tuosity, filling again the harbour, placing afloat the vessels, and in- undating the quays. Afterwards, every thing returned to its usual state. It was first believed that it was the effect of a water-spout, which, having pumped the water from the sea a short distance from the harbour, had occasioned the current which left it dry, and then having let fall rapidly the column of water which it kept suspended, produced the mass of water which inundated the quays: but the same phenomenon occurring again in the course of the day, and the water in the harbour flowing and 1812. ebbing without ceasing, being in a continual state of oscillation, the idea of attributing it to a water- spout was given up. It is now supposed to have been produced by a distant earthquake, and it is recollected that a similar event happened in that port in 1756, during the earthquake at Lisbon. 25. Huddersfield. — Last Mon- day, about midnight, a great num- ber of armed men, with their faces disfigured by broad black marks down each cheek and over the forehead, assembled near the dwelling-house of Mr. Fisher, a shopkeeper at Briestwistle, and after firing two guns or pistols, demanded admittance into Mr. F.’s house, which he refused. They then broke open the door, and two of them rushing into the house, seized Mr. F. who had just got out of bed; they each present- ed a pistol to his breast, and threat- ened him with instant death if he stirred afoot. Not intimidated by this threat, Mr. F. rushed from them towards the door, when he was seized by other six men, who placing a sheet over his head, face, and arms, kept him in that situa- tion while their comrades ransacks ed the house, and took from his pocket-book bills to the amount of 116/. besides 20/. in notes, andsome cash out of a drawer, but to what amount Mr. F. does not exactly know. When the depredation was completed, the leader cried out to the guard placed over Mr. F. «* Let him go: don’t hurt him; we have got what we wanted, and we will bring it back in three months,” and immediately made off. The committee appointed to inquire into the causes which re- tard the decision of suits in Chan- cery, CHRONICLE. ‘ery, and appeals and writs of error before the lords, have reported that the arear of Chancery causes is undiminished, and the appeals to the Chancellor from the master of the Rolls increased in number. At the end of Hilary term, 1812, 109 original causes remained, set down in the Chancellor’s paper for hearing, and 39 appeals from the Rolls. Re-hearings remained much thesameasbefore. Thebank- ruptecy arrears were diminished. The committee are concerned to find so great a number of causes before the House of Lords, waiting for decision. There remain to be heard—19 appeals from England; 179 ditto Scotland; and 57 ditto Ireland:—11 writs of error from England; 2 ditto Scotland; and 6 ditto Ireland. 29. The German papers mention, that the count of Gottorp, who had resided for some time at Her- renhut, wished to become a mem- ber of the Society of Moravian Brethren ; but the directors of the Union would by no means give their consent to it, it being con- trary to their institution to connect themselves with crowned heads, or those who have been such. Mr. Sadler, the aéronaut, made his twenty-third ascent at Man- chester, and alighted at Oakwood, about six miles from Sheffield. He made the passage in forty-eight minutes, so that he must have travelled at the amazing rate of a mile in a minute. 30. A melancholy accident oc- curred on the river Thames on Sunday last. Eleven persons, all married men, engaged a sailing- boat of the wherry kind. The wind which had been very high, becoming more moderate on sea- 89 reach, they made fast the main- sail to the side of the boat; soon after which, a sudden gust of wind upset the wherry, and six of the unfortunate men were drowned. Another account states that nine lost their lives. Most of them have left large families. The number of French commis- sioned officers, and masters of privateers and merchantmen, who have broken their parole in the three last years, ending 5th June, is 692, of whom 242 have been retaken, and 450 escaped. A considerable number of officers have besides been ordered into con- finement, for various other breaches of their parole engagements. The Abbé Romanelli has visited lately all the catacombs which surround Naples. He likewise entered the subterraneous caverns of the church of St. Gennaro ; and, assisted by a guide, explored them to the extent of two miles and a half, in the midst of human ashes, broken coffins, skeletons, and ruins. He beheld on all sides, Greek inscriptions, sculptured upon stone or marble; and paint- ings of Christians who had suffer- ed martyrdom. He also noticed the remains of some altars, the tombs of the first Neapolitan bishops, and one catacomb, the inscriptions on which recorded the ravages of a pestilence in Naples, in 1020. The island of Goree, off the African coast, now contains 2,000 blacks, who have been rescued from slave ships by our cruisers, A plan has been lately devised for recruiting the West India regi- ments from them; and some offi- cers are about to be sent out, to carry it into effect. ' JUL. 90 JULY. : 1. An official return of the pri- soners of war at present in Great Britain, laid before the House of Commons, states the total number of French prisoners at 52,649, Danish, 1,868 — Grand _ total, 54,517. 4. This morning, about seven o’clock, one of Mr. Butt’s powder mill’s, at Hounslow, blew up. Two men employed in it, who were at a short distance at the time, were knocked down, but not killed. Their bodies presented a most shocking spectacle; they were so changed and black, that they could scarcely be known. A surgeon was sent for, who advised their being conveyed to St.George’s Hospital, which was accordingly done in the afternoon, in a caravan used for conveying powder to London. Their groans and screams, when they were moved, were ex- tremely distressing. St. Vincent’s.— The Wallibon Quarter, on Sunday night last, witnessed a scene of horror and devastation, much more terrific and destructive in its effects than even the memorable night of the awful eruption of the Morne Souffriere. Prodigious masses of ignited substances which were ejected from the mouth of the Wallibon river, effectually stopped the rolling of its waters ; anda vast Jake, in a constant state of effer- vescence, had formed near its source, which continued daily to increase, till it covered about four acres of land. On Sunday night last, the diffusion of water, from the fall of heavy rains, became so great that the frightful reservoir overflowed, and the prodigious ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. flood burst through the barriers of — volcanic combustibles withirresisti- — ble fury; and such was its destruc- tive impetuosity, that it completely inundated the adjacent valley; and besides its ravages in bearing down a number of negro houses, several lives were lost, and others so dreadfully scalded from the river of liquid fire which overwhelmed them, that their lives are despaired of. The mountain, too, during the dreadful scene, had a return of one of its terrific fever fits; its roarings caused a general conster-_ nation; and on the following night, about eleven o'clock, a most violent concussion of the earth, such as the oldest inhabitants never experienced, was felt all over the island. 6. Plymouth.— This morning, about nine o'clock, the inhabitants of Plymouth were thrown into in- describable terror. Mr. Hyne, flour-merchant, of Old-Town, Ply- mouth, while sitting at break- fast with his wife and two children, suddenly seized one of them, and cut its throat; he then seized the other, and on the interference of his agonized wife, he fired a pistol at her, when she fell; and he completely severed the windpipe ‘of the second child. He finished the horrible business by blowing his own brains out with a second pistol. The consternation of the neighbours on rushing into the scene of blood, may be easily con- ceived. Mrs. Hyne was found living; a ball had entered her shoulder, and she had been stunned for the moment by the report of the pistol, which was held very close, and which only missed its intended effect by the agitation of Mr. Hyne. The unfortunate and wretched CHRONICLE. wretched perpetrator of this deed was about 30 years of age, had always borne a good character, and was considered to be a man pos- sessing property. He had trans- acted business on the Saturday preceding ; was seen walking on the Hoe, at Plymouth, on the sab- bath evening, with his family, ap- parently a happy group ; and had promised to meet several trades- men at Plymouth-dock on Monday morning. Another account.---On Monday morning Mr. Hyne rose early, leav- ing Mrs. Hyne asleep, and having sent his two maid servants out of the house on frivolous errands, he took the youngest child, about thirteen months old, to the bottom of the garden, and cut its throat; he then returned to the kitchen, and placed the child on a chair. The next victim was a fine child, three ears of age, whose brains he lew out with a pistol. He then rushed up the stairs to his wife’s chamber, found her awak- ing, kissed her, and discharged a pistol at her; the ball entered the left breast. He then went on the staircase, fired a pistol at his left breast, rushed down stairs, and dropped dead in the kitchen. The report of Mrs. Hyne’s death is premature; and from some symptoms which have appeared, her recovery is thought to be not impossible. A coroner’s inquisition was taken on Monday last, at Osbournby, near Falkinghafn, on the body of a man named Page, who had died under circumstances of peculiar horror. The deceased was a pau- er, belonging to the parish of Silk iloughby, but not choosing to stay in the workhouse, he was 01 in the habit of strolling about from town to town, subsisting upon the provision which he begged. It was his custom to deposit what he procured in this way beyond the immediate cravings of nature, with- in his shirt next to his body ; and having considerable store of meat and bread so placed, he, in the early part of last week, it is sup- posed, feeling unwell, laid himself down in a field in the parish of Scredington, to sleep» The meat, from the heat of the weather and of the man’s body, soon becoming putrid, was struck by flies ; and in a short time the maggots which were so oceasioned, not only prey- ed upon the inanimate pieces of flesh, but began literally to con- sume the living substance. Fa- voured by the drowsiness and sloth of the wretched man, these ver- min made such havoc in his body, that when, on Tuesday, he was found by some persons who were accidentally passing in the field, he presented a sight disgusting in the extreme. White maggots, of an enormous size, were crawling in and upon his body, and the re- moval of the outer ones only served to show hundreds of others, which had penetrated so deeply, that it was clear the very vitals of the miserable man were invaded by them. Page was conveyed to Osbournby, and a surgeon was immediately procured, who dress- ed the parts affected ; but the suf- ferer died in a few hours after, The jury returned a verdict to the effect that thedeceased was ‘* eaten to death by maggots !” 8. Avery extraordinary robbery took place at Galley’s Quay, at the Custom-house, early this morning. Ten bales of valuable silk, and two boxes 92 boxes of ostrich’s feathers, recent- ly imported, were brought in a hoy the day before, alongside the above quay, previeusly to being landed, and the duties paid thereon. Two watchmen were put on board the hoy for the purpose of security. About five o’clock in the morning a party of men came on board, and said they had instructions from the proprietors of the goods to take the hoy down the river again, as she had been brought up by mis- take, and that they would shortly return for that purpose. The vil- lians were as good as their words but for fear of being suspected, they carried the hoy out into the stream, and then forced the watchmen below, where they re- mained confined until the whole property was taken away in craft brought for that purpose. The loss is rendered more heavy to the im- porters as the Custom-house claims the payment of the duties. The property is valued at between 2 and 3,000/. 9. A fire broke out at the village of Gamblingay, in Cambridge- shire. It began at a blacksmith’s shop, and for want of engines, wa- ter, and proper assistance, it con- sumed twenty-three houses. 10. St Vincent’s Gazettes to the 18th May, state, that the Souf- friere mountain had continued to be agitated up to the 7th, but had since shown scarcely any signs of ‘commotion. By the eruption, the large rivers of Rabacca and Walli- bon were dried up, and in their places was a wide expanse of barren land. The melted minerals which were dashed into the sea, had formed a promontory which jutted out some distance from the main land, at Morne Ronde. The ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. quantity of matter discharged frons the crater, is supposed to exceed twenty times the original bulk of the mountain. ' 10. Winchester Assizes.—John James, a youth of nineteen, was indicted for the wilful murder of his mistress, Elizabeth Hill, at Shal- fleet, near Yarmouth, Isleof Wight. It appeared that his master, to whom he was apprenticed as a shoemaker, was gone with his son to church on the morning of Sun- day the 2lst of June last, leaving his wife and this lad at home. On their return, in company with a neighbour, they discovered Mrs. Hill lying on the kitchen floor, with three deep wounds inflicted with a hatchet on her head and face, and her throat cut across. On interrogating the boy, who was deliberately walking before the house, he very calmly confessed the foul deed. He stood at the bar, during the whole of the trial, with his eyes bent on the ground, in a kind of melancholy apathy. He viewed the dreadful instru- ments, produced in court, with unaltered aspect; he heard the awful sentence with indifference, and retived without having uttered a word, beyond a refusal to say any thing. He declares that he entertains no sorrow for the action; for had any one else come in his way, he should have done the same thing. His mistress, he says, was always too good to him. He feels no terror at his approaching fate, but expresses himself truly happy and content to die. When strongly interrogated as to the pro~ bable motive of his conduct, he re- ferred the inquirers, without com- ment, to the 3rd chapter of Job. He appears an enthusiast of the Methodist CHRONICLE. Methodist persuasion. The judge sir Allan Chambre) commented with much feeling on the danger- ous effects of vulgar and literal conceptions of scriptural passages. 10. Mahon. — The following in- teresting and affecting little story is related by one of the officers of the Swallow: In the gallant and sanguinary action which that ship maintain- ed against so superior a force, close in with Frejus, a short time since; there was a seaman named Phelan, who had his wife on board; she was stationed (as is usual when women are on board in time of battle) to assist the surgeon inthe care of the wounded. From the close manner in which the Swallow engaged the enemy, yard-arm and yard-arm, the wound- ed, as may be expected, were brought below very fast ; amongst the rest a messmate of her hus- band’s (consequently her own), who had received a musket ball through the side. Her exertions were used to console the poor fellow, who was in great agonies, and nearly breathing his last ; when, by some chance, she heard her husband was wounded on deck ; her anxiety and already overpowered feelings could not one moment be restrained ; she rushed instantly on deck, and received the wounded tar in her arms; he faint- ly raised his head to kiss her—she burst into a flood of tears, and told him to take courage, “ all would yet be well,” but had scarcely pronounced the last syllable, when an ill-directed shot took her head off. The poor tar, who was closely wrapt in her arms, opened his eyes once more—then shut them for ever. What renders the circum- 93 stance the more affecting was, the poor creature had been only three weeks delivered of a fine boy, who was thus in a moment deprived of a father anda mother. As soon as the action subsided, “ and nature began again to take its course,” the feelings of the tars, who want- ed no unnecessary incitement to stimulate them, were all interested for poor Tommy (for so he was called) : many said, and all fear- ed, he must die ; they all agreed he should have a hundred fathers ; but what could be the substitute of a nurse and a mother ! however, the mind of humanity soon dis- covered there was a Maltese goat on board, belonging to the officers, which gave an abundance of milk ; and as there was no better expedi- ent, she was resorted to, for the purpose of suckling the child, who, singular to say, is thriving and get- ting one of the finest little fellows in the world; and so tractable is his nurse, that even now she lies down when poor little Tommy is brought to be suckled by her. Phelan and his wife were sowed up in one hammock, and it is need- less to say, buried in one grave. 20. At the assizes for Hert- ford, an action was tried, in which Yarrow, a hair-dresser at Ware, was plaintiff, and colonel Calvert, M. P. and captain Elvin were defendants. The plaintiff was a serjeant of the 3rd com- pany of the eastern division of Hertford local militia, of which the defendants were colonel and ad- jutant. The plaintiff, after the regiment had been disbanded, had been taken from his shop at Ware, and tried for a trifling military offence by a court-martial, who sentenced him to solitary confine- ment 94 ment for one month, and tlie de- fendants ordered him to the county gaol, and to be kept on bread and water. Lord Ellenborough said, the sentence was‘not warranted by law, and that the defendants. hav- ing even exceeded the sentence, must be answerable in damages. Verdict for plaintiff, Damages 201. 22. Murder of the Count and Countess D’ Antraigues, at Barnes, in Surrey. — The count and coun- tess D’Antraigues, French no- blesse, and distantly related to the unfortunate family of the Bourbons, resided on Barnes-terrace, on the banks of the Thames. They lived in a style which, though far from what they had formerly moved in, yet was rather bordering on high life than the contrary. They kept a carriage, coachman, foot- man, and a servant out of livery. The latter was an Italian, or Pied- montese, named Lawrence; and it is of this wretch we have to relate the following particulars. The count and countess intending to visit London as yesterday, order- ed the carriage to be at the door by eight in the morning, which it accordingly was ; and soon after that hour they were in the act of leaving the house to get into it, the countess being at the door, and the count coming down stairs, when the report of a pistol was heard in the passage, which it has since appeared took no effect, nor was it then ascertained by whom it was fired. Lawrence was at this time in the passage, and on the smoke subsiding, was seen to rush past the count, and pro- ceed with great speed up stairs. He almost instantly returned with a dirk in his hand, and plunged it ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. up to the hilt in the count’s left shoulder ; he continued his course, and. made for the street-door, where stood the countess, whom he instantly despatched, by plung- ing the same dirk into her left brest. This last act had scarcely been completed, when the count appeared also at the door, bleeding and following the assassin, who made for the house, and ran up stairs. The count, though ex- tremely weak and faint, continued to follow him, but so great was the terror occasioned, that no one else had the same resolution. The assassin and the count had not been up stairs more than a minute, when the report of another pistol was heard, which satisfied those below that Lawrence had finally put an end to the existence of his master. The alarm was now given, and the ery of murder! murder! resounded from every mouth. The countess was still lying at the front door by which the turnpike road runs, and at length men of sufficient resolution were found to venture up stairs, and, horrible to relate, they found the count lying across his own bed, groaning heavily, and nearly dead, and the blood-thirsty villain lying by his side, a corpses He had put a period to his own existence, by placing a pistol, that he found in the room, in his mouth, and dis- charging its contents through his head. The count only survived about twenty-five minutes after the fatal blow, and died without being able to utter a word. The countess had by this time been brough into the house; the wound was directly on her left breast, extremely large, and she died about five minutes before her nf husband, CHRONICLE. husband, also without uttering a single word. The servants of the house were all collected last night, but no cause for so horrid an act as at that time known: all was t conjecture. The following circumstances, in so extraordinary a case, may be, however, worth relating. The count, it appears, always kept a brace of pistols hanging loaded in his bed-room, and a small dirk. About a month ago the countess and the servants heard the report of a pistol up stairs, and were in consequence greatly alarmed: when one of the latter, a female, went up stairs, and looked into her master’s room: it was full of smoke, and she screamed out; on its clearing away she saw Law- rence standing, who told her no- thing was the matter, he had only fired off one of his master’s pistols. It afterwards appeared he had fired it into the wainscot ; it was loaded with ball, and the bullet from the pistol is yet to be seen. The count and countess were about 60 years of age. The latter was highly accomplished, a great proficient in music, and greatly admired for her singing, in fashion- able parties. There is no reason whatever to believe that Lawrence was insane. Only about ten mi- nutes previous to his committing this deed of blood, he went over to an adjoining public-house and took a glass of gin; he had lived only three months in the family, and report says, was to be dis- charged in a few days. The count and countess had re- sided in their house at Barnes for four or five years, and have left an only son, who, we understand, is 95 at present in this country studying the law. Besides his house on Barnes- terrace, count d’Antraigues had a town establishment, No. 7, Queen Ann-street, West. He was 56, and the countess 53 years of age. The count had eminently dis- tinguished himself in the troubles which have convulsed Europe for the last 22 years. In 1789 he was actively engaged in favour of the revolution; but during the tyran- ny of Robespierre, he emigrated to Germany, and was employed in the service of Russia. At Venice, in 1797, he was arrested by Berna- dotte, at the order cf Buonaparté, who pretended to have discovered in his port-folio, all the particulars of the plot upon which the 18th Fructidor was founded. The count made his escape from Mi- lan, where he was confined, and was afterwards employed in the diplomatic mission of Russia, at the court of Dresden. In 1806 he was sent to England with creden- tials from the emperor of Russia, who had granted him a pension, and placed great dependance upon his services. He received here letters of denization, and was often employed by government. The countess was the once celebrated mademoiselle St. Huberti, an actress at the theatre Francoise. She had amassed a very large for- tune by her professional talents. Trial and conviction of Dawson at Cambridge Assizes.—The pri- soner was arraigned on an indict- ment, with numerous counts, viz. for poisoning a horse belonging to Mr. Adams, of Royston, Herts, and a blood mare belonging ta Mr. Northey, at Newmarket, in 1809; 96 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809; and also for poisoning a horse belonging to sir F. Standish, and another belonging to lord Foley, in 1811, at the same place. He was tried and convicted on the first case only. The principal witness, as on the former trial, was Cecil Bishop, an accomplice with the prisoner. He had been for some time acquainted with Dawson, and on application to him had furnished him with corrosive sublimate to sicken horses. He went on to prove that Dawson and he had become pro- gressively acquainted, and that on the prisoner complaining the stuff was not strong euough, he prepared him a solution of arsenic. Wit- ness described this as not offensive in smell; the prisoner having in- formed him that the horses had thrown up their heads, and refused to partake of the water into which the corrosive sublimate had been infused. The prisoner complained the stuff was not strong enough; and on being informed if it was made strong it would kill the horses, he replied he did not mind that, the Newmarket frequenters were rogues, and if he, meaning witness, had a fortune to lose, they would plunder him of it. The prisoner afterwards informed witness he used the stuff, which was then strong enough, as it had killed a hackney and two brood mares. Mrs. Tillbrook, a housekeeper at Newmarket, where the prisoner lodged, proved having found a bottle of liquid concealed under Dawson’s bed, previous to the horses having been poisoned ; and that Dawson was out late on the Saturday and Sunday evenings pre- 1812. vious to that event, which took place on the Monday. After Daw< son had left the house, she found’ the bottle, which she identified as having contained the said liquid, and which a chemist proved to have contained poison. Witness also proved that Dawson had cautioned her that he had poison in the house for some dogs, lest any one should have the curiosity to taste it. Other witnesses proved a chain of circumstances which left no doubt of the prisoner’s guilt. Mr. King, for the prisoner, took a legal objection, that no criminal offence had been committed, and that the subject was a matter of trespass. He contended, that the in- dictment must fall, as it was neces- sary to prove that the prisoner had malice against the owner of the horse, to impoverish him, and not against the animal. He also con- tended that the object of the pri- soner was to injure and not to kill. The objections, however, were over-ruled without reply, and the prisoner was convicted. The judge pronounced sentence of death on the prisoner, and in- formed him, in strong language, he could not expect mercy to be ex- tended to him. g6. At York assizes, Elizabeth Woodger and Susannah Lyall were charged with the wilful murder of a new-born male infant. The following is a brief but correct sketch of this extraordinary case: —On the 12th of March, the wife of G. Needham, of Blackburn, near Rotherham, was delivered of two children, a girl and a boy; the former was perfectly formed, but in the boy there was a defi-~ ciency in the superior part " the CHRONICLE. the head, the brain not being protected by any bony matter, but merely covered by a mem- brane. Woodger, a midwife, con- ceiving that it was not likely to live, formed the design of putting a period to its existence, which was accomplished by drowning it in an earthen vessel. It was then buried, but was taken up again on the 17th of March, for the pur- pose of the coroner's inquest. The surgeon who examined the body, stated, that the child was pertectly formed, except his head, which was deficient in the superior part an inch and a half Any pressure upon it must have pro- duced dangerous consequences ; and he did not think it possible that the child could have survived more than a few hours. The pri- soners used no concealment, and it was clear that they acted under mistaken apprehensions as to the law, and thought they were jus- tified in what they did. Several ladies gave the prisoners a most excellent character for humanity. The evidence having been gone through, his lordship in his address to the jury, said—*I think this prosecution may be of great use to the public, in removing an erroneous opinion, that the law allows the right of deliberately taking away the life of a human being under any circumstances whatever. It is therefore highly necessary that the contrary should be known.” The jury found the prisoners guilty, but recommended them to mercy, on account of the mistaken notion under which they acted. His lordship said he should not pass sentence npon the prison- ers, but should write by that night’s post to the secretary of Vor. LIV. G7 state, to make a representation of the case to the Prince Regent. 22. On this day General Wel- lington gained a complete victory over the French army command- ed by marshal Marmont, near Sa- lamanca. York, July 26.—The business on the crown side finished yester- day afternoon. Only one prisoner received sentence of death, and that sentence will be commuted to imprisonment. Mr. Justice Bailey said, he should not finally dis- charge either the grand or petit juries, as their services might pos- sibly be wanted again. It was the intention of the judges to continue the assizes by adjournment, that, if the state of the county should require it, they might resume the assizes, and try such persons as should be committed; but he trusted there would be no occasion for this. Several of the rioters have been tried, and some of them found guilty. The York Herald, to a report of the trials, has sub- joined the following paragraph :— *« It may be proper here to add, that the most perfect order and de- corum prevailed io the court during the whole of the trials for rioting ; and there is in the city no military parade, nor any thing to indicate that the county is not in a state of the most profound tranquillity and security. 27. A master of languages, named Dandon, died lately at Ber- lin, literally from denying himself the necessaries of life. It appears that he gave instructions to his pupils during the day, and solicited alms at night. Under the floor of his apartment were found con- cealed 20,000 crowns in specie. Me had no other heir than his H brother, 98 brother, whom he had refused to see for 37 years, because he had sent a letter to him without paying the postage. 28. Strabane.—We feel exceed- ingly sorry to notice, that a spirit of discord and party dissension has lately prevailed in some parts of this. county, particularly about Killeter, the fatal effects of which were on Tuesday last (being the fair day of Killeter) unhappily exemplified. On the morning of that day, the Longfield corps of cavalry and infantry went to the fair, in consequence, it is said, of a report that a large body of countrymen intended to collect there for the purpose of rioting. In the course of the day, a dispute arose about the payment of cus- toms, and some of the cavalry were dispatched to quell the riot. In their progress to the scene of action, much confusion ensued in the crowded streets, and several people were thrown down; and it being reported that a poor old wo- man had been killed by the care- lessness of the yeomen, the crowd began to follow the cavalry, and throw stones at them. They re- treated to the high part of the street, and sounded the bugle for the infantry to join them, who were also assailed in the same manner by the populace, and some of them severely hurt; this conduct so exasperated the yeo- manry, that they fired among the crowd, when, unfortunately, four people were killed on the spot, and twelve severely wounded. These are all the particulars of this un- fortunate affair which we have yet learnt. (Belfast Paper.) 29. On the 20th of June last, captain Wyse, of the Modesty, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. which arrived at Waterford, on the 20th instant, spoke the wreck of the brig Polly, of Boston, in lat. 51. 56. N. long. 37. 40. W. and took of two men, who had sub- sisted for one hundred and ninety- one days on the wreck, during which period they had eaten one of their companions. The Polly sailed from Boston on the 12th of December, bound to Santa Cruz, in the West Indies. On the 15th, she sprung a leak, carried away allher masts, and upset, by which Mr. J. S. Hunt, supercargo, and a negro girl, were lost. The. brig afterwards righted, but, of the crew, which, including passengers, consisted of nine persons, seven perished upon the wreck, and the other two must have inevitably shared the same fate, had they not been fortunately extricated from a state of unexampled suffering and peril, by capt. Wyse. 30. A very superb entertain- ment was given by the duke and duchess of York, on Thursday, at Oatlands. The dukes of Clarence, Kent, Sussex, and Cambridge, arrived there in the course of the morning. The Prince Regent and the Duke of Cumberland arrived soon after two o'clock. At half- past two the royal family of the Bourbons arrived, consisting of the count de Lille, Monsieur his brother, the duke d’Angouleme, son to Monsieur, the duchess d’Angouleme, daughter to Louis XVI. and the duke de Berri, the prince of Condé, the princess de Condé, the duke de Bourbon, the duchess de Serrent, and the duke de Grammont. They were re- ceived in all due»form, by the duke and duchess of York and their attendants, and were con- dueted ‘a CHRONICLE. ducted to the grand room opposite the Thames. The queen, and _ princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, and Charlotte of Wales, arrived about three o’clock from Windsor, escorted by a party of life guards. They were received by the Prince Regent, and the duke and duchess of York, and conducted to the grand drawing-room, where they were formally introduced to the French princes. The duke of York’s band was stationed in a marquee, on the lawn adjoining the drawing room; and on the entrance of the queer, they struck up “God save the King.” Soon after four o’clock a most sumptu- ous dinner was served up in the grand dining-room. ‘The duchess d’Angouleme sat between the queen and princess Charlotte of Wales; her majesty particularly directed her discourse to this in- teresting stranger. In July, the celebrated classical scholar, Heyne, died at Gottingen, in the 83rd year of his age. He retained all his literary ardour to the last; and several persons had letters from him, written both in German and Latin, which were dated the evening before his death. Statement of the number of barrels brewed by the twenty prin- cipal porter-houses, from July 5, 1811, to July 5, 1812. Barrels. Barclay, Perkins, and Co. 270,259 Meux, Reids, and Co. - 188,078 Hanbury and Co. - - 160,164 Whitbread andCo. ~ - 122,446 Calvert and Co. - - - 108,212 Henry Meaux and Co. ~ 102,493 Coombe and Co. - - - 100,824 Goodwin and Co. - - 81,022 Elliott and Co. - - + 58,035 « 99 Cox and Campbell (Gold- en-lane) - - - - 51,274 Taylor - - - - - = 51,220 Clowes and Co. - - - 34,010 Hollingsworth and Co. - 28,038 Martineau and Co. - - 24,443 Hodgson - - - - = 24,142 Pryors - - - + = = 20,210 Starkey - - - - - 18,136 Tickells.~ => = = « 18,051 Dickinson - - - = =- 16,292 Green and Co. = = - 14,890 Statement of the number of bar- rels of ale brewed by the eight principal ale brewers in the Lon- don district, from the 5th of July, 1811, to the 5th of July, 1812 :-— Stretton, Broad-street,Gol- den-square - + - = 24,362 Charrington and Co. Mile- end = =m, oo MORI Wyatt, Portpool-lane - - 18,067 Goding and Co. Knights- bridge - - - - - = 13,055 Thorpe and Co. Clerken- Welly) Merten atin alt ant eae Webb and Co. St. Giles’s- 7,136 Davies, Lambeth - - - 6,925 Hale and Co. Redcross: street - - - - - - 6,653 AUGUST. 1. Statement of the French Army. —Estimate of the numbers, al- lowing to each battalion 600 men, and to each squadron 200. Infantry of the line, 610 bat- talions - 366,000 Light infantry, 160 battalions 96,000 Cavalry, 332 squadrons - 66,400 528,400 H2 Auxiliaries, 100 ANNUAL REGISTER, 18i2. brought over 528,400 Auxiliaries, &c. &c. Infantry of the line, 162 bat- talions - 97,200 Light infantry, 7 battalions = - 4,200 Cavalry, 27 squa- drons - 5,400 106,800 635,200 Exclusive of the troops in the artillery and engineet de- partments, of which there are French, 501 companies, which taken at 100 men each 50,100 In the auxiliaries, 19 companies 1,900 52,000 Men 687,200 A lamentable accident happen- ed in the small town of Villemur, near Toulouse. A house, which was re-building, suddenly fell, and in its fall pulled down ano- ther. A number of persons of dif- ferent ages, and both sexes, were buried in the ruins. By great ex- ertians and labour, twenty-three persons were dug out, of whom three were dead, killed at the in- stant of the fall, another died two days afterwards, and all the rest weremoreor lesshurt. Thelandlord of one of the houses which fell was found in the cellar, with half his body buried in the ruins, but his head was secured by pieces of wood, which, crossing each other as they fell, formed a kind of arch over him. In this situation he re- mained five hours, and heard the dying groans of a girl of sixteen, who expired over his head, crush- ed to death between the timbers, which, by the particular manner in which they fell, had saved his life. A mother, with a child in her arms, was killed by a blow from one of the falling beams, and her child fell at her feet. The cries of the little infant were heard, and it was at length got out, no otherwise hurt than by a few scratches on the face. All the money on board the Abergavenny, lost some years ago near Weymouth, to the amount of 60,000/. in dollars, has been re- covered by means of the diving- bell. The vessel has been since blown up, under water, so as to prevent the wreck from forming a dangerous shoal. 3. Government, in order to check the escape of French prisoners, as also the guinea export and smug- gling system, gave orders, a few days since, for the seizure of all gallies of a certain description, carrying eight oars; seventeen were seized at Deal, ten at Folke- stone, Sandgate, &c. They area beautiful description of boats, about forty feet long, painted on the outside so as to elude the sight at sea in the night, so lightly con- structed that nothing can catch them, and in calm weather they can row over to the French shore in two hours. A memorial from some mer- chants interested in the trade of New South Wales, praying for leave to import direct from thencea considerable quantity of mother- of-pearl, and pearl shells, the pro- duce CHRONICLE. duce of a new fishery contiguous to Otaheite, was lately referred from the board of trade to the East India company. The direc- tors refused their permission, un- less the pearl shall be laden on board vessels chartered by the company from Botany Bay to China, and from thence to Eng- land with tea. In the cause for non-residence, Hardy » Hon. and Rev. Cathcart, tried last week at York, before Baron Wood, a verdict was found for the plaintiff with 930/. damages. 4. Last week, a shark of consi- derable length was caught with a strong conger line, at Devil’s Point, Stonehouse, near Plymouth Dock : seven mackerel were found in his belly, and it is supposed to have been the same fish that the day before attacked. a soldier of the Lancashire militia, who was swim- ming in Mill Bay, and wounded him severely in the legs. This should operate asa caution toswim- mers, who reside on the shores washed by the Atlantic, as sharks are not unfrequent in the channel, and at this season pursue the shoals of mackerel and pilchards into the bay and harbours. 7. Maidstone.—William Brown, a private of the royal artillery, was indicted for the wilful murder of Isabella M‘(uire, a child of the age of seven years. The circum- stances of this case were of an ex~ traordinary nature. The prisoner was Servant to a lieutenant Web- ber, and bore a most exemplary character in the regiment; some things, however, had been stolen from his master’s closet, and he was suspected of the theft. He ab- sented himself all the night of the 101 4th of April, and on the morning of the 5th, as early as between five _ and six he came back to the bar- racks, and wakened a person of the name of Jefferys, with whom he had lived. After some preli- minary conversation, he told him he had committed a crime for which he must be hanged, and de- sired to be taken to the guard-house. Adam Little, serjeant-major, there received him in custody; and de- siring to speak to the serjeant in private, he then told him, that the last night he had murdered a little girl. The serjeant desired him to state further particulars. He said, that getting over a style, which led into a lane, he saw the child at play, who cried when she saw him; that he then took the child in his arms, and with his finger and thumb strangeld it. As soon as it was dead, he carried it under his arm for some distance, and laid it on some stone steps in a place he described. A witness was called, who found the child in a place where the pri- soner had described he had left it ; and the surgeon stated, that by the marks under the throat, the child had evidently been strangled in the manner described by the pri- soner. The prisoner could ascribe no motive for this act; but told the serjeant he had no malice against the child, and could not tell how he came to do it. Mr. Curwood, as counsel for the prisoner, examined as to whe- ther the prisoner might not be la- bouring under temporary inflam- mation of the brain, from the im- proper use of mercurial medicine. The serjeant said, he knew the prisoner had administered gah an 102 and laudanum to himself, without medical advice, but he did not kaow in what quantities. The lord chief baron, in sum- ming up the evidence, stated, that the mere atrocity of the act itself must not be considered evidence of insanity, otherwise the most guilty criminals would escape, and here was evidence much too slight to infer any derangement of mind. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he received sentence to be executed on the Monday. 8. Four fine children, -belonging to Richard Builth, a day-labourer, of Abbeydore, were consumed by fire in their father’s cottage, on Thursday se’nnight. Their mo- ther had hired herself at a neigh- bour’s house to bake bread, and left her children in the cottage, desiring the oldest, who was only five years of age, to take care of the others, the youngest of whom was a sucking child. It could not be known how the house caught fire, for the whole was in a con- flagration before it was disco- vered. 10. Since the abolition of the slave trade, about 2,000 negroes have been rescued from slave ships by our cruizers. These men are now at Goree, and it is from them that the West India regiments are to be recruited. 12. « Liverpool.—This afternoon the inhabitants of this town were gratified with the long-expected ascent of this intrepid aéronaut. Se- veral hours before the time fixed for the ascent, crowds of people had occupied all the lanes and avenues leading to the ground which was a convenient inclosed field, near St. Domingo, about a mile and a half from the town. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. At twelve the town was nearly deserted ; and the shops being al- most universally shut, it wore the aspect of Sunday, but with scarcely a person in the streets. The bal- loon was inflated within the in- closed area, which was partitioned off into three divisons, for the ad- mission of spectators, at fixed prices. Here upwards of two thou- sand persons were assembled. The operation of filling the balloon. commenced about ten o'clock, and after it was inflated, the car was attached to it, and Mr. Sadler placed himself in his. vehicle, amidst the acclamations of the spectators. “ The ascent, which tock place at half past two, was sublime ; not rapid, but deliberate and graceful ; exhibiting the beautiful proportions of the whole vehicle, and the deco- rations of the car. The wind took the aéronaut in a south-east direc- tion, towards Knowsley-park ; but as it was not Mr, Sadler’s inten- tion to travel far, be attained his highest altitude in about twenty minutes, at which time the bal- loon itself was reduced to a very diminutive size, and the car was totally invisible. ‘* The approach of the balloon to the earth was soon after appa- rent, and the descent was gradual and majestic. We suppose the actual descest to have taken place in the neighbourhood of Knows- ley-park, about four miles from this.””— Liverpool. Courier. On this day, the birth-day of the prince regent, the first stone of the Breakwater, in Plymouth Sound, was lowered down. At ten o'clock in the morning two boats from every ship in. Ha- moaze atterided at the admiral’s stairs, CHRONICLE. stairs, Mount Wise. About noon the commander in chief, sir R. Calder, accompanied by admiral sir E. Buller, bart. and all the cap- tains or commanders of his majes- ty’s vessels in commission at this port, rowed off in procession, with flags and streamers flying, passing between the island and the main, and rounding the eastern end of Drake’s island on their passage towards the outer part of the Sound. The mayor and corporation of Plymouth also went in procession to the Barbican-stairs, where they took water, and also proceeded to the sound. A vast number of boats from the shore were scatter- ed over the Sound; and the ships of war were decorated with the colours of different nations—the Standard of the United Kingdom flying over the whole. Towards one o’clock the boats assembled round the vessel that held the stone (about four tons weight). The Camel store-ship gave the signal, by firing a gun; and the stone was lowered to its base, at the western extremity of the Breakwater, amid a royal salute of cannon from the ships in Cawsand Bay, Plymouth Sound, and Ha- moaze. The scene, heightened by the beauty ofa fine day, was charm- ing beyond description ; the grand open bosom of the Sound was crowded by an immense number of pleasure-boats, cutters, barges, &c.; the men of war, in comme- moration of the birth-day of the prince, bearing the royal standard at the main, were decorated with numerous and variegated flags, and formed a pleasing picture, surrounded as they were by the 103 numberless parties sailing around them. 13. At the late Lewes assizes, James Robinson, who holds a mill in the neighbourhood of Oswes- try; John Hughes, landlord of the Red Lion, and post-master at Rye ; and William Hatter, fisherman of \ that town, were convicted before the right honourable lord Ellen- borough, of a conspiracy to effect the escape of general Phillippon, and lieutenant Garnier, two French officers, who, in breach of their parole of honour, absconded from Oswestry, on the 30th of June last. The evidence adduced in support of this charge satisfied the jury, not only that these men were guilty of this conspiracy, but that Robinson and Hatter had actually conveyed the two Frenchmen to the enemy’s coast ; and the jury, without hesitation, found them guilty. His lordship, in a most impressive manner, after expatiat- ing on the enormity of this of- fence, which he declared was scarcely to be distinguished from high-treason, adjudged Robinson and Hughes to be confined in the common gaol of the county of Sus- sex, for the space of two years, and within the first month to be placed in and upon the pillory on the sea-shore, near the town of Rye, and as near as could be with- in sight of the French coast, that they might be viewed, as his lord- ship observed, by those enemies of their country, whom they had by their conduct so much befriended : and Hatter, having been on the same day convicted of an offence, for which he had been sentenced to be imprisoned for twelve calen- dar months, was adjudged to be imprisoned in the same gaol me the 104 the space of two years, to be com- puted from the expiration of his first sentence, ‘* Sheffield.—This day our town has been in a state of confusion and riot, which has not yet ceased. Lord Milton, the earl of Effing- ham, Messrs. Wortley, Parker, and Corbett, justices of the peace, are allnow here. The horse soldiers are parading the streets, and the militia are underarms. The popu- lace have drawn up a paper, which they have called upon the flour- dealers tosign, engaging that they will sell flour at three shillings per stone; and threatening them, if they do not, to destroy their pre- mises. I believe most of them have complied; and there have been some hundred stones sold at that price this afternoon, in all parts of the town. Some flour- dealers have certainly lost this day hundreds of pounds, by their being obliged to sell it at reduced prices. Lord Milton made a speech to the populace, and told them they must endeavour to wait until the harvest was got in; at which they were much infuriated. The mob threw several stones at his lordship, but the military pretected him. Some of them threatened to proceed to Wentworth-house. What seems most alarming is, that every night there are meetings of the mob in the vicinity of the town: I trust, however, all will be settled peaceably. It is now ten o'clock at night, and the town seems tolerably tranquil, Flour of late has sold for seven shillings per stone, nearly treble to what it is sold for on ordinary occasions.” The following curious pheno- mena were witnessed at Giessen, in the circle of the Upper Rhine: ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. —On the 13th of August, after continued sultry weather, a piece of woody ground, comprising twelve English acres, suddenly sunk about five feet; on the 20th it felltwo feet more; on the 24th it sunk another foot, and continu- ed giving way, almost impercepti- bly, until, by the 4th of Septem- ber it had sunk fifteen feet. This frightful chasm remained near a week, and was visited by thou- sands. On the 12th the surface of the land became marshy ; since which water was observed to rise, and by the 19th, it had entirely filled the vacuity, and presented a level sheet of water. 16. The minister of Rothsay hrought an action of trespass, in the Court of Exchequer, at Edin- burgh, against a person employed by the collector of assessed and property taxes, for levying the same contrary to the laws of the ancient realm of Scotland. The reverend gentleman pleaded ex- emption as a clergymanof the established church of Scotland, in virtue of certain acts of the Scot- tish parliament, which, he con- tended, exempted the Scottish clergy from payment of all taxes, past, present, and to come. On the part of the crown, it was an- swered, that no such exemption was ever given by the acts in ques- tion; and should they have even hap- pened to contain any such favour- able clause, the whole had been unconditionally surrendered at the Union. The court was occupied two entire day upon this serious question, when an opinion was unanimously given, that the clergy had no right whatever to the ex- emption claimed, 19. The illuminationsin London, on CHRONICLE. on account of lord Wellington’s ory, which commenced . on Monday the 17th, were continued for three days, and were attended with much disorder nnd mischief. The liord mayor incurred consi- derable blame on this occasion, for having sent notice to an evening paper, on the third day, signifying his intention of particularly ilu- minating the Mansion-house on that night. French Prisoners.—As a proof of the good treatment of the prison- ers of war in this country, the fol- lowing comparative statement of those sick and in health will be the best answer to the calumnies of the Moniteur :— Thursday, August 20. In health. Sick. On board prison-ships Hamoaze - - 6100 61 In Dartmoor depot 7500 74 This small proportion of sick is not the common average of per- sons not confined as prisoners of war. At Dartmoor depot 500 pri- soners, such as labourers, carpen- ters, smiths, &c. are allowed to work from sun-rise to sun-set; they are paid 4d. and 6d. per day, according to their abilities, and have each their daily rations of provisions, viz. a pound and a half of bread, half a pound of boiled beef, half a pound of cabbage, and a proportion of soupand small beer. They wear a tin plate in their caps, with the title of the trade they are employed in, and return every evening to the depot to be mus- tered. 20. Mr. Mungo Park.—The fol- lowing interesting extract from a periodical publication, contains the particulars of the melancholy end of this enterprising traveller :-— 105 «© The last accounts of Mr. Park, from himself, were from Sansand- ing, on the Niger, whence he transmitted his journal to the go- vernment. The African Institu- tion are about to publish this im- mediately, for the benefit of his unfortunate family. Along with Mr. Park’s Journals, will be pub- lished than of Isaac, a native Ma- hometan, who having accompanied him to Sansanding, was afterwards sent by governor Maxwell to pro- cure some account of his fate— he returned to Senegal, after an absence of twenty months, and made his report in writing. From it we extract the following account of Mr. Park’s death, as given to Isaac, by Amadee-Fatouma, who accompanied him from Sansanding on board a large schooner-rigged canoe, in which he had undertaken the navigation of the river to its mouth. Amadee Fatouma ac- companied him till two or three days after he had reached the king dom of Haoussa. ‘© Next day,” says he, ‘ Mr. Park departed, and I slept in the village (Yaour). Next morning I went to the king to pay my re- spects to him. On entering the house, I found two men, who came on horseback; they were sent by the chief of Yaour. They said to the king, ‘ We are sent by the chief of Yaour, to let you know, that the white men went away, without giving you or him (the chief) any thing—they havea great many things with them, and we have received nothing from them ; and this Amadee-Fatouma, now before you, is a bad man, and has likewise made a fool of you both.’ The king immediately ordered me to be put in irons, which was ac- cordingly 106 cordingly dane, and every thing I had, taken from me—some were for killing me, and some were for preserving my life. The next morning the king sent an army to a village called Boussa, near the ri- ver’s side—there is before this vil- lage a rock, across the whole breadth of the river—one part of the rock is very high: there is a large opening in this rock, in the form of a door, which is the only passage for the water to pass through: the tide current is here very strong, thearmy went andtook possession of the top of this open- ing. Mr. Park came there after the army had posted itself: he never- theless attempted to pass. The people began to attack him, throw- ing lances, pikes, arrows, and stones. Mr. Park defended him- self for a long time: two of his slaves, at the stern of the canoe, were killed—they threw . every thing they had in the canoe into the river, and kept firing ; but be- ing overpowered by numbers and fatigue, and unable to keep up the cance against the current, and no probability of escaping, Mr. Park took hold of one of the white men and jumped into the water—Mar- tin did the same, and they were drowned in the stream in attempt- ing toescape. ‘The only slave re- maining in the boat, seeing the natives persist in throwing wea- pons at the canoe, stood up, and said to them, ‘ Stop throwing now; you see nothing in the canoe, and nobody but myseif; therefore cease. Take me and the canoe, but don’t kill me.’ They took possession of the canoe and the man, and carried them to the king. * I was kept in irons three ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. months; the king then released me, and gave me a female slave. I immediately went to the slave taken in the canoe, who toid me in what manner Mr. Park and all of them had died, and what I have related above.’ 21. Chester.—Wednesday, his majesty’s justices of assize, R. Dallas and F. Burton, esqrs. ar- rived at the Castle, and immedi- ately opened their commission. This day they proceeded to the trial of John Lomas and Edith Morrey, both of whom were ac- cused of the murder of her hus- band. After the trial had occu- pied the court nearly seven hours, the prisoners were both convicted, and ordered for execution on Mon- day, the 24th instant. On receiv- ing his sentence, Lomas stretched out his hand, and exclaimed—« [ deserve it all—I don’t wish to live —but I hope for mercy.” He maintained the greatest composure throughout the trial. Mrs. Mor- rey, the miserable widow; pleaded pregnancy: ajury of matrons was empanneled, and. they returned a true bill. Her execution, there- fore, will most likely be put off till the commencement of the ensuing year. She maintained the same composure on her trial which she all along manifested; and, with the exception of the unusual heat, did not seem at all incommoded. Another account.—The trial of Lomas and Edith Morrey occupied the court from eight in the morn- ing till two in the afternoon. The hall was crowded te suffocation, and the heat was extreme. Edith Morrey, the female prisoner, when first brought to the bar, had a veil before her face, but it was ordered to be taken off. She covered her face CHRONICLE. face during the whole of the trial with her handkerchief, and most of the time reclined her head on the front of the bar. Throughout the whole of the awful proceed- ings she preserved a sullen un- moved hardness. We understand, that during her examination by the matrons, she shed tears. She does not appear, from the time of her imprisonment, to have entertained apprehensions of being convicted. Last week, it seems, she purchased some articles of wearing apparel, and spoke confidently of going home ason Saturday last. Lomas, from his first being taken into cus- tody, to the period of trial, openly and unreservedly‘ confessed the crime in all its circumstances. 22. Bristol.—The following most disgraceful and inhuman conduct was witnessed last week in this city. On Wednesday, as .one of the serjeants of the Leitrim militia was walking, between eight and nine o'clock, through St. James's church-yard, he was ac- costed by a man, who asked him if he belonged to the Irish militia regiment quarteredin Bristol. His answer was, that he did- He then asked him how he liked this coun- try; he replied very much. He then began to abuse the serjeant, -by damning him and every one from his country ; when a second man came behind him, and with a carving knife, or some similar instru- ment, cut the sinews of his right leg in so dreadful a manner, that the poor fellow has not been able to be removed from the public- house to which he was immedi- ately conveyed. The serjeant re- collects well the face of the man who spoke to him. His deposi- tion as to the facts stated, has, we 107 understand, been properly taken down, and we. trust that the mis- creants will be soon discovered. The serjeant bears a most excellent character in his regiment; indeed the conduct of the whole regiment, since they have been among us, has been truly exemplary. 25. Dublin.—On Monday morn- ing last, as Pierce O’Brien Butler, esq. of Dunboyne-castle, and his family, consisting of Mrs. Butlerand their two daughters, were proceed- ing on their way from Caher to Mi- chaelstown, on the road to Mal- low, they were stopped within two hundred yards of Tincurry-gate, and within sight of four or five cabins (some of whose inhabitants were looking on at the transac- tion), by a single footpad, armed with a blunderbuss, who demanded their money. Mr. Butler per- ceiving from the fellow’s manner that he was no veteran in the busi- ness, parlied with him to gain time, not being armed; when the fellow called out to a colleague to come forward; and, on Mr. But- ler’s looking round, he immediately saw the second freebooter in a ditch, armed also with a short blunderbuss on the rest, and le- velled at his (Mr. Butler’s) person. Mr. Butler then gave the first as- sailant his watch, with which he thought to satisfy him; and the ruffian looked at and examined it, during which his comrade saying semething to him, he threw back the watch, and swore vehemently that he would lodge the contents of the blunderbuss in Mr. Butler’s body, unless he instantly gave up his money. Mr. Butler, however, escaped by giving up eight guinea notes which he had loose in one of his waistcoat pockets: very luckily 108 luckily for himself, he had con- trived, while the robber was exa- mining his watch, to slip his pocket-book, containing nearly 300/. in notes, under the cushion of the seat. 25. This morning, at2Zo’clock, an alarming fire broke out at Mr. Hol- land’s, tallow-chandler, South Aud- ley-street, Grovesnor-square. It began in the back melting ware- house, in Reeves’s Mews, and three of the adjoining stables were soon burnt to the ground. There were nearly 400 tons of tallow on the premises, all of which were consumed, and, of course, added greatly to the fury of the flames. Fifty chaldron of coals, belonging to a retail dealer in that article, were also consumed. The follow- ing are some of the houses which have been destroyed or damaged on this occasion :—That of Messrs. Stodart and Bolton, Coach-makers, —the carriages all saved; the house of madame Jaymond, mil- liner, has sustained much damage ; that of Mr. Parsons, baker, Monnt- street, burnt, and, a quantity of flour; Mr. Teby’s stables, and Mr. Butcher’s slaughter-houses, — in Reeves’s Mews, totally consumed ; the house of Mr. Owen, tinman, much damaged. The 3rd guards, from Portman barracks, and the members of various volunteer as- sociations, attended with great ala- crity, and greatly assisted the fire- men in their exertions. A fireman was considerably bruised by the fall- ing in of the roof of Mr. Holland’s house, but no lives were lost. composition of this work he em- ployed 40 years, during which he spared no pains or expense to bring it to maturity ; at the same time he acted with zeal and vigour as a ma- gistrate and ceputy-lieutenant of the county. Mr. Hasted was the son of Edw. Hasted, of Hawley, in Kent, esq. and barrister-at-law, descended from the noble family of Clifford. His mother was of the ancient family of the Dingleys in the Isle of Wight. He was mar- ried,.and left four sons and two daughters. Having met with ad- verse fortune in his latter years, he quitted Kent, and for some time lived in obscurity. A few years ago he was presented by the Earl of Radnor to the mastership of Lady Hungerford’s hospital at Corsham, Wiltshire, a comfortable asylum, to which he removed, and where he died. Having also obtained a decree in chancery for the recovery of his estates in Kent, of which he had been defrauded, he was re- stored to a state of independent competency. 15. Theophilus Jones, esq. the historian of Brecknockshire, a gentleman much beloved for his frank, benevolent, and social dis- position. Henry Penton, esq. aged 75, a native of Winchester, which city he represented in several successive parliaments. Sir Henry Parker, Bart. of Mel- ford-hall, Suffolk. Colonel Wm. Cavendish, M. P. for ll CHRONICLE. for Derby, aged 28. He was the eldest son of Lord George Henry Cavendish, and cousin to the Duke of Devonshire. The cause of his death was an overturn from his curricleinHolker-park, Lancashire, as he was returning from ashooting excursion: he pitched on his head, and never spoke more. He mar- ried the eldest daughter of Lord Lismore, by whom he has left three or four children. 16. Mrs. Willes, aged 71, niece to Dr. Wilcocks, Bp. of Rochester. 18. Mrs Lindsey, aged 7%, re- lict of the late Rev. Theophilus Lindsey : a lady distinguished for strong sense, firmness, and cultiva- tion of mind, and the worthy partner in all fortunes of her excel- lent husband. 19. At the storming of Ciudad Rodrige, Major-Gen. M‘ Kinnon. He was decended from an ancient family in Scotland, and entered at an early age in the Coldstream regi- ment of guards. He first served under the Duke of York in Hol- land. At the rebellion in Ireland he was brigade major to General Sir G. Nugent, and distinguished himself equally by his courage and humanity. He was in the expedi- tion in Egypt; in Germany with Lord Cathcart ; and at the taking of Copenhagen. In 1808, he em- barked for the Peninsula, and fought with great reputation under Lord Wellington. He was married to the youngest daughter of the late Sir J. Colt, bart. 20. Mrs. Jebb, widow of the late John Jebb, M. D. aged 77. This lady was the daughter of the Rey. Jas. Torkington, and of lady Dorothy Sherard, daughter of the Earl of Harborough. She was married, in 1764, to Dr. Jebb, 169 then resident in Cambridge, and engaged in various controversies and reforming plans which have rendered his name celebrated. Mrs. Jebb entered with great spirit and intelligence into all her husband’s views, and even took up the pen in their support. She was parti- cularly the assailant of Dr. Powell, master of St. John’s college, the chief academical adversary of Dr. Jebb ; and it was on occasion of a pamphlet against him, under the signature of Priscilla, that Dr. Paley said, “* The Lord had sold Sisera into the hands of a woman.” When Dr. Jebb removed to Lon- don, and adopted the medical pro« fession, his wife was not in the least behind him in the patriotic zeal by which he was animated, Parliamentary reform, and all those principles of government which characterise the warm friends of liberty, wereever objects the nearest her heart, nor did age and infir- mities make any abatement of her political ardour. Yet with this earnestness of disposition sheunited all the amiable softness of the female character, and was not less estimable for the qualities of the heart than for those of the under- standing. Her frame was so slight _and feeble, whilst her manner was so animated, that she seemed rather soul than body; and it was a wonder that the frail tenement of clay could so long harbour a mind of such activity. 21. At Bath, in his 80th’year, Edward Fisher, esq. late of Hen-~ bury, Gloucestershire, whose time, and a considerable part of his for- tune, from an early period, were spent in acts of benevolence. 24. In consequence of wounds received at the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo, 170 Rodrigo, Major-General Robert Craufurd. He had long served under the most distinguished com- manders of our army, all of whom hada high opinion of his military talents. In private life his character was equally amiable and estimable. He has left a widow and four children to lament his loss. Isabella Susanna. Countess of Beverley, second daughter of Peter Burrell, esq. of Beckenham, in Kent. Her ladyship was married in 1775 to Lord Algernon Percy, second son of the late Duke of Northumberland, afterwards Lord Lovaine, and Earl of Beverley. She has left a numerous issue. 29. The Rev. Sir John Knightley, bart. of Fawsley Park, Northamp- tonshire. Urania Portsmouth. William Brodie, esq. one of the magistrates of Marlborough-street office. . At the Admiralty, the Lady of Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, bart. 30. Sir Jonathan Lovett, bart. of Liscombe-house, Bucks. 31. The Right Hon, Lady Charles Spencer, aged 68, sister to the late, and aunt to the present, Duke of St. Albans. Countess Dowager of Lately, the Rev. Cesar Morgan, . D. D. Prebendary of Ely. Thomas Vyvyan, esq. Trewan, Cornwall, aged 77. The Hon. Mrs. Pennant, daugh- ter of the Viscount-Harwarden. Lieut.-Colonel Henry Lennon, ef the Bengal establishment. February. 7. Caroline Dowager Lady Scars- dale, daughter of Charles Earl of Portmore. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 11. Lady Catharine Stewart, wife of General Stewart. , 12. Mr. Andrew Cherry, mana- ger of the theatres at Monmouth’ and Swansea, and author of several’ dramatic pieces of the minor class. 13. Major-Gen. Charles William Este, aged 74. 15. Lord Henry Lennox, third son of the Duke of Richmond, in his 15th year. He was midship- man on board the Blake, in the harbour of Port Mahon, when going aloft to assist in furling the sails, he fell overboard, and was unfortunately drowned, though one of his comrades swam to save him. 17%. Sir William Maxwell, bart. of Monreith, Scotland. 18. Colonel. Matthew Smith, Major of the Tower, aged 73. 19. The Hon. Mary Talbot, mo- ther of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and daughter of Sir George Mostyn, Flintshire. 23. Frederick Cavendish, esq. son of Lord Charles Cavendish, and brother of the late eminent philosopher, Henry Cavendish, about the age of 80. He had long resided at Market-street, Bedford- shire, where he made himself re- markable by various eccentricities, but also displayed much benevo- lence and goodness of heart. He had received in his youth a serious injury in the head from a fall into an area out of an upper window, which rendered him unfit for public life, and was doubtless the cause of some of his peculiarities. He lived a bachelor; and on his death his landed property came to the Duke of Devonshire, and his per- sonal estate to his maternal cousins, the Earls of Ashburnham’ and Bridgewater, and the Hon. F. Kgerton. , The { CHRONICLE. The Hon Lady Stanhope, eldest sister of the late Lord Delaval. She was twice married, first to Sir William Stanhope, brother to the ‘celebrated Earl of Chesterfield ; and secondly, to C. Morrice, esq. noted for his lyrical compositions. She died at the house of Sir J. ‘Astley, bart. in Norfoik, whom she made her heir. At Stoke, near Plymouth, Szr Charles Cotton, commander of the Channel fleet. He was of the family of Cotton of Cambridge- ‘shire; and entering into the navy, ‘was made post-captain in 1779. He commanded the Majestic under Lord Howe on the Ist of June 1794; and the Mars in the follow- ing year during the masterly retreat of Admiral Cornwallis before the whole French fleet. He obtained a flag in 1797, and served in the Channel fleet under Lord St. Vin- cent, gaining the esteem of that great commander by his conduct. In 1807, he commanded the expe- dition sent to Portugal, when he greatly contributed to animate the Portuguese to the defence of their country. SirCharles long opposed the disgraceful convention of Cin- tra, and pointed out: means by which the enemy’s threat of pillag- ing Lisbon might be rendered abor- tive. Hewas advanced to the'rank of admiral in 1808, and after com- manding inchief in the Mediterra- nean, retarned to take the com- mand of the Channel fleet. He hore the character of an excellent naval officer, and a worthy man, zealously attached to his king and country. 28 John Till. Allingham, esq. author of various approved dramatic compositions. 171 Lately Mr. Francis Jukes, aged 66, the first who brought to per- fection the art of engraving in aqua-tinta. He was long a pub- lisher of prints in Howland-street. Mary widow of the late Henry Lord Baron Annaly, of Tenelic, county of Longford, aged 74. March. 1. Maxwell Garthshore, M. D. F. R.S. aged 80, long a practitioner of eminence in London, -distin- guished for his humanity to the poor, and his zeal for the interests of science. Paul Orchard, esq. of Hartland Abbey, Devon, representative in four parliaments for Callington. 4. Frances, wife of the Hon. Washington Shirley, and first cousin to Viscount Dudley and Ward. 8. Sir W. Langham, bart. of Cottesbrook-house, Northampton- shire. 9. In his 80th year, the Rev. Andrew Burnaby, D.D. Archdeacon of Leicester, and during 43 years Vicar of Greenwich. He was the author of a considerable number of publications, of which, his « Tra- vels in North America,” and «© Journal of a Tour to Corsica,” were the fruit of travels in the early part of life; the rest were chiefly theological, consisting of sermons, general and occasional, charges, &c. Dr. Burnaby was re- garded as an able and elegant writer, and a strenuous defender of the established church. He pos- sessed great urbanity of manners, and was highly esteemed for his public and private virtues. | 10. P. J. de Loutherbourg, esq. an eminent painter, especially ia the 172 the walk of landscape, and one of the oldest members of the Royai Academy. 12. Miss Lowth, only surviving daughter of the late Bishop Lowth. 13, The Earl of Uxbridge, Lord Lieutenant of the counties of An- glesey and Stafford, &c. &c. aged 68. He left a numerous family, and is succeeded by his eldest son Henry William Lord Paget. 15. The Hon. Lieut.-Gen. Vere Poulett, of Addington House, Bucks. 18. John Horne Tooke, esq. aged 76, adistinguished character both in the political and the literary world. Mr. Horne, as he was first named, was the son of a poulterer in West- minster, and was brought up for the clerical profession. He receiv- ed his school education both at Eton and Westminster, and about his 18th year was entered, of St. John’s college, Cambridge. He took orders, and obtained the cha- pelry of New Brentford, the only preferment he ever possessed. The clerical character, indeed, was that in which he had no ambition to excel; and after a tour to the con- tinent, he plunged into the politics of the day, and closely connected himself with Mr. Wilkes, whom he assisted in fighting his battles with ministerial power. It was not long, however, before a rupture took place between them, in which Mr. Horne, at least, did not lose ground in the estimation of the public. When that extraordinary political phenomenon, Junius, made his appearance, among many other objects of his virulent attacks, Mr. Horne came in for a share; but the spirited manner in which he repelled and returned the hostility left that formidable masked cham- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. pion little cause of triumph. True to his political principles, when the contest broke out with our (then) fellow-subjects of America, he became a warm advocate for their cause; and after the battle of Lexington, having publicly deno- minated the bloodshed of the day, a ‘base murder by the King’s troops,” he was prosecuted by the attorney-general, and was sen- tenced to imprisonment in the King’s-bench. He had now resigned his cleri- cal function, and attempted to pre- pare for the bar, for which he was excellently qualified, but his inde- lible character, excluded him from the inns of court. His political influence with the popular party was, however, considerable, and he exerted it to render odious that coalition between the members of the North ministry, and the oppo- sition, which eventually proved so prejudicial to the -latter. He twice became a candidate for Westminster, Mrs Fox being each time one of his opponents, and he was twice defeated, but not with- out having taken occasion to read to the House itself a very home lesson on the corruptions openly practised at elections. Mr. Tooke (he had now assumed that name in compliance with the request of Mr. Tooke, of Purley, in Surrey), was not a man who could view the great event of the French revolu- tion without an application of its principles to those parts of our own constitution, which, in the opinion of many wise men and good citizens, stood in need of essential reforms. He became an active member of the leading so- cieties instituted for those purposes; and when government thought proper CHRONICLE. proper to take judicial notice of them, his influence and abilities of course gave him the honour of be- ing among the persons selected for legal victims. On October 25, 1794, a memorable day! he, with several others, was arraigned for high treason. After the acquittal of Mr. Hardy, who was first tried, little danger probably attended the rest; Mr. Tooke, however, had the opportunity of distinguishing himself by his characterestic acute- ness, presence of mind, and intre- pidity, on his trial; and some of the witnesses appeared much less at their ease when examined by him, than he was himself whilst his fate was under determination. His political consequence suffered no diminution from the ordeal he had undergone; on the contrary, it more attached his friends to him, as aninnocent and injured man; and in 1801, Lord Camelford was instrumental in procuring him a seat in parliament, as representa- tive of the noted borough of Old Sarum. The figure he made in the House of Commons probably disappointed public expectation ; his appearance in that assembly, however, was sufliciently dis- pleasing to certain persons, to ex- cite an attempt for his removal, on the plea of ineligibility, as being one in holy orders. The point was settled by an express act of parliament; and from that time Mr. Tooke ceased to be a political character, at least publicly, though his counsels are commnoly sup- posed to have considerably swayed the conduct of a popular baronet, one of his most intimate and at- tached friends. There was another character in which Mr. Tooke, during the 173 later years of life, appeared more conspicuously,—that of a philolo- gist. Atthe time of his confine- ment in the King’s-bench, he had written a pampblet, in the form of a letter, to Mr. Dunning, concern- ing the English particle, the sub- ject of which was suggested by something which occurred relative to the information against him. He further pursued his idea in *« The Diversions of Purley,” pub- lished in 1786. This was at length enlarged to two quarto volumes, forming a theory of grammar, which, from its novelty and inge- nuity, and the depth and acuteness of its researches, obtained the ge- neral concurrence of the learned, and placed the author among the first philosophical critics on lan- guage. Mr. Tooke was reduced to a state of great corporeal debility for a considerable time before his death, but without losing his pow- ers of mind, or the cheerfulness and serenity of his temper. He was indeed happy to the last in the habit of viewing every thing on the bright side; and although few men had suffered more from bodily pain, and undergone more enmity and obloquy, he always spoke of life as a source of enjoy- ment. He had caused a vault to be made in his garden at Wimble- don, in which it was his purpose to be interred, and had composed an inscription for his tomb; but his executors thought proper to alter this disposition, and he was buried in the family vault at. Ealing, with a respectable attendance of friends. - 24. Lady Williams, relict of Sir » Edward Williams, of Langoed Castle, Wales. 26. Lady Julia Percy, second daughter 174 daughter of the Duke of Northum- berland, aged 27. ' Lady Eleanor Cavendish, wife of the Hon. Frederick Cavendish, and sister to the Earl of Arran. April. 1. Sir Frederick Evelyn, Bart. aged’ 68, of Wotton, Surrey. David Orme, M. D. senior licen- tiate of the London College of Physicians, aged 84. . 2. Sir John Callender, Bart. of Scotland. . AR. Wyatt, Esq. aged 85, formerly governor of Fort Marlborough, in Sumatra. ‘ _Mrs. Burke, relict of the cele- brated Edmund Burke, aged 76. 4. Bacon Frank, Esq. many = an active magistrate for the Vest-Riding of Yorkshire. 6. Thomas Fydell, Esq. aged 71, late a representative for Boston, in Lincolnshire. David, Earl of Airly, at Kinnalty House, in the county of Forfar. 7. At Madeira, aged 54, Robert Willan M. D. late an eminent medical practitioner in London. He was distinguished by sagacity, and accuracy of observation ; and was particularly celebrated for his knowledge of cutaneous diseases, of which he; gave exact descrip- tions, illustrated by plates, in seve- ral publications. He was a sound classical scholar, and a man of great humanity and strict virtue. 8. John, Earl of Ashburnham, aged 88. He is succeeded by his son George, Viscount St. Asaph. 9. Lieut.-Gen. James Nethersett, aged 78. He was one of the last surviving officers who fought under General Wolfe. 11. Jane, Duchess of Gordon, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. aged 64. . Her Grace was the eld« est daughter of Sir W. Maxwell, Bart. of Monreith,: and was mar- ried to the Dake of Gordon in 1767,:by whom she had two sons’ and five daughters, all at present living. She had the satisfaction of seeing the success of her cates! in educating and introducing het daughters, by the splendid settle- ment of three of them as duchesses, and one as a marchioness. ye - 12. Sir. Wy Plomer, Knight, Al- derman of Coleman-street ward. 13. Mr. Abraham | Pether, of Southampton, aged 56, a distin- guished artist, particularly in moon- light landscapes. ; 17. In his 78th year, Francis ‘An- » nesley, Esq. LL.D. F.A.S. master of Downing-College, Cambridge, and hereditary trustee of the Bri- tish Museum. Mr. Annesley had been twice a representative of the Borough of Reading. He was a person of exemplary benevolence, and was universally beloved and respected. He possessed a valua- ble collection of editions of the classics, and of etchings. by the best masters. 20, Edward Forster, Esq. Wal- thamstow, aged 83, governor .of the Royal Exchange Assurance Office, and late governor of the Russia company. He passed thro’ life in. general esteem for. the discharge of every duty, public and private ; and gave proofs of re- spectable literary talents by writ- ings both in prose and verse. - The Dowager Lady Onslow, re- lict of Richard Lord Onslow, aged 94. Lora, Viscountess Downe, re- lict of John, 4th Viscount Downe, aged 72. She was the only daughter and heiress of William Burton, CHRONICLE. Burton, Esq. of Luffenham, Rut- landshire. } Alicia, Countess of Errol. 27. Rev. Samuel Glass, D.-D. E.R. S. Rector of Wanstead, Es- sex, prebendary of Wells and St. Paul’s, and Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty. _ Lately, daine. . _ Lady Burdett, aged 77. John Richardson, Esq, clerk of the peace, and receiver-general for Cumberland. . Rev. Robert Lucas, D. D. rector of Ripple, in Worcestershire, au- thor of a volume of poems, and another of sermons. Lady Mansel, relict of Sir W. Mansel, of Iscoed, aged 65. _ Lady Kyffin, relict, of Sir Tho- mas Kyffin, of Maynam, in the county of Caernarvon. | Lady Catherine Charteris, daugh- ter of the late Earl of Wemyss. Gustavus Hume, Esq. an emi- nent surgeon at Dublin, aged 85. The Right Rev. James Lanigoan, Catholic Bishop of Ossory. _ Lady Blunden, widow of the late Sir John Blunden, Bart. Sir C. Burton, Bart. of Polarton, in the county of Carlow. Vice-Admiral | Lums- May. 9. James Nixon, Esq. A. R.A. an eminent miniature painter, aged 71. . John Clerk, of Eldin, Esq. F.R.S. author of a valuable work on Na- val tactics, which is. reckoned to contain the first idea of the manceu- vre of breaking an enemy’s line. 11. The Right Hon. Spencer Per- ceval, first Lord of the Treasury, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, shot by an Assassin (See History 175 and Chronicle). He was born in 1762, and was the second son of John, late Earl of Egmont, by a daughter of the Earl of North- ampton. Being brought up to the law, he obtained a reputation at the bar, which in 1801 pro- cured him the post of solicitor- general, and in the following year that of attorney-general.. He was a strenuous supporter of Mr. Pitt’s ministry, and a warm opposer of that which succeeded, it. On the formation of a new administration, he took a share in it, and gradu- ally rose to. the station of first mi- nister of this country; Of his political measures, and, principles, as well as his -talents, different opinions were of course entertained by the different parties: to his private cliaracter for benevolence, integrity, and domestic. virtue, all parties have borne testimony.. He married the daughter of the late Sir Thomas Spencer Wilson, Bart. by whom he left a numerous issue. » 12... Charles Sturt, Esq. of Brownsea-Castle, Dorsetshire, for- merly, member. for Bridport, dis- tinguished for his philanthropy. - Sir William, Henry Langham, Bart. aged 16. 13. The Right. Rev. Thomas Dampier, Bishop of Ely. _ 14, Sir. William Eliott, Bart. of Stobbs, in the county of Rox- burgh. 16. Sir Frank Standish, Bart. of Lancashire. | 18., Sir Edward. Littleton, Bart, of Teddesley park, Staffordshire, in his 86th year. He represented the county of Stafford in four parliaments, and. was highly re- spected for his virtues and en- dowments. ; 20. Mary 176 20. Mary Countess Dowager of Macclesfield, aged 86. Shewas the eldest daughter of Sir William Heathcote, Bart. 23. The Rev. Louis Dutens, rec- tor of Elsdon, Northumberland, and historiographer to his Majesty, aged 83. Mr. Dutens was born in France of a respectable Protest- ant family. In his memoirs he has given an account of the inci- dents of his youth, much in the style of a novel, from which it appears that he early displayed the quick parts and sentimental suscep- tibility common among his coun- trymen. He came over to Eng- land, and for some time acted as a private tutor: but in 1758 he ob- tained the appointment of chaplain and secretary to the Hon. Stuart Mackenzie, envoy-extraordinary to the court of Turin. He was thus initiated into public life, and was instrumental in bringing about the peace of Paris, for his services in which he obtained a pension. He afterwards returned as chargé d’af- Saires. to Turin, where he passed two years, and published an edition of Leibnitz, and composed a work in French, in which he claimed for the ancients most of the discoveries in science attributed to the mo- derns. He then became attached to the family of the Duke of Nor- thumberland, and made a long tour with Lord Algernon Percy. He had previously received from the Duke a presentation to the tich living of Elsdon. He after- wards spent many years partly abroad, partly in England, and much in the company of the great ; and’ having obtained a considerable legacy from Mr. Mackenzie, he passed’ the latter part of his life in ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. literary retirement and social inter- course. He was the author of some other works in the French language, the last of which was a learned inquiry into the use of vaults among the ancients. 25. Edmond Malone, Esq. an as- sociate of Johnson, Burke, Rey- nolds, and other distinguished per- sons their contemporaries; and well known as an editor and com- mentator of Shakspeare, and by various other literary labours. He was descended from an ancient family in Ireland, and was the second son of Edmund Malone, one of the judges of the court,’ ofCommon Pleas. He was brother’ to Lord Sunderline. 26. Anne Lady Fortescue, mother of the present ‘Parl of that title, aged 82. 27. Lieut.~Col. Cha. C. Morgan. 29. Sir J. Macartney, Bart. Lately, Hon. G. Melville Leslie, brother to the Earl of Leven: Right Rev. Dr. John Douglas, Rom. Catholie vicar-apostolic of the London district, and Bishop of Centuria in partibus, aged 69. George Hart, Esq. Rear-admiral of the red. The Hon. Mrs. Orde, wife of the Rev. Mr. Orde, and daughter of the late Lord Dorchester. Mr. Vincent Shepherd, of Aln- wick, architect, celebrated’ for his taste and skill in copying the Gothic style of building, aged 62. Lady Frances Anne Tenison, wife of T. Tenison, Esq. and daughter of Edward Earl of Kingston. Dowager Lady Foults. Lately, The Princess Charlotte Frederica, of Anholt Koethen. The Landgrave Charles Emanuel of Hesse Iheinfelds. . Prinee CHRONICLE. Prince Joseph of Lorraine. M. Sonini, the celebrated French traveller. Brockmann, a celebrated actor in Vienna, on whose death the thea- tre was closed for ten nights. June. 2. Lady Glynne, relict of Sir Stephen Glynue, Bart. At Paris, Vice- Admiralde Winter, long commander of the Dutch fleet, and distinguished for bravery and humanity. 9. Sir FP. Molyneuz, Bart. aged 75. He had held for upwards of 46 years the office of gentleman-usher of the Black Rod to the House of Lords. 1: Rev. Dr. Moodie, a minister of Edinburgh, and Hebrew pro- fessor in the University. 12: The Rev. Philip Parsons, M. A. Rector of Eastwell and Snave, andminister of Wye, inKent, aged 83. He was exemplary in the discharge of his clerical duty, as well as of that of master of the school at Wye, where many of the first gentlemen of the county were educated under him. He was the author of séveral works in verseand prose, among which were, a paper in The World, on advertising for curates ; New-market, or an Essay on the Turf; Dialogues of the Dead with the Living ; and Monu- ments in Churches in the Eastern Parts of Kent. 14. Mr, George M‘Allister, pro- fessor of the art of painting and staining of glass’ at Dublin, in which he had arrived at great ex- cellence, when he was cut off at the early age of 26. 22. Richard Kirwan, Esq. F.R.S. President of the -Royal Irish Vou. LIV. 177 Academy, and of the Dublin Li« brary Society, member of the most considerable literary societies in Eu- rope, and universally known among the votaries of science by his valu- able writings in chemistry, miner- alogy, and other branches of know- ledge. 25. The Dowager Lady Harring- ton, relict of Sir J. Harrington, Bart. Mr. Harrison, a celebrated vocal performer, for many years the lead- ing tenor singer in the kingdom, distinguished for sweetness, taste, and expression. 26. Charles Stedman, Esq. of the Stamp-office, author of a his- tory of the American war. At Clifton, of a decline, Philip Mallet, Esq. Barrister at law, This gentleman possessed in an extra- ordinary degree the affection and esteem of his friends, on account of the noble independence of his spi- rit, his frankness, strict honour, vir= tue, and philanthropy. His politi- cal principles were tliose of the purest advocates for reform, and he maintained them with great en- ergy on various public occasions ; nor can it be doubted that if his health had permitted, he would have become a distinguished speak- er. He was singularly studious, and’ greatly attached to the philo- sophy of the human mind, of which he gave proof by his Abridgment of Locke on the Human Under- standing ; and his editions of Ba- con on the Advancement of Hu- man Learning ; and Hobbes on Hu- man Nature, and on Liberty and Necessity, with an elaborate life of the author prefixed, which he just lived to finish. These publications, valuable in themselves, give a fore- taste of what might have been ex- N peeted 178 pected from him, had he enjoyed a . longer term of existence. 27. Joseph Woods, esq. aged 74, a member of the Society of Friends ; a man of retired habits, but of cultivated understanding, strict integrity, and kind disposi- tion. He was from the first a member of the society for the abo- lition of the slave trade, whase cause he effectually served by his clear and eloquent writings. 30. Lzeutenant-general Baron de Hompesch. John Mackenzie, esq. of Glasgow, aged 70, agentleman distinguished by his ardour in promoting all the best interests of mankind. He was an eminent agriculturist, an en- ' lightened patriot, and a true sage. Lately, Lady William Seymour, widow of Lord William Seymour. { rth Massey, Hermitage, Lime- rick. Sir Joseph Peacocke, Bart. Barn- tick, county of Clare, aged 78. At Rio Janeiro, the Marquis of Pombal, son of the celebrated prime-minister of that name. July. 9. James Mingay, esq. senior king’s counsel, a bencher of the Inner Temple, and recorder of Ald- borough, bar; He. was member for Thetford in the short-lived. parliament of 1806. 10. The honourable J. Bligh Jo-. celyn, second son of the Karl of. Roden, and a lieutenant in the navy. At Berlin, Charles Lewis Wilde- now, M. D. professor of botany, and member of the Academy of Sciences, in that city, author of ANNUAL REGISTER, long eminent at the. 1812. the Flora Berolinensis, and other esteemed botanical works. 11. David Rattray, M. D. aged ; 75, more than fifty years a physi- cian at Coventry, in high reputa- tion, and extensive practice; 14. Sir T. Fletcher, Bart. Betley-court, aged 66. 16. Rev. William Murray, D.D- aged 75, for thirty-six years mas- ter of the free-school of Dungan- . non. 20. Lady de Crespigny, Rich- mond-house, Surrey. 21. Joseph Denman, M. D. aged. . 82, late physician at Bakewell, Derbyshire, and an active magi- ° strate in that county: author of an Essay on the Buxton Waters. 22. At the battle of Salamanca, | Major-general Le Marchant, ana- of - tive of Guernsey. He served his- , first campaign under the Duke of York on the Continent, where, having observed the superior use of the cavalry sword by the Hunga- rian hussars, he was principally instrumental in introducing the same system into the British army. He had afterwards a great share in the establishment of the Royal Mi- litary College, of which he was ap- pointed lieutenant-governor. He was sent to Portugal in 1811, with the commandof a brigade of caval- ry, where he distinguished himself asan active andenterprising officer, and obtained the public approba- tion of Lord Wellington. 23. John Davies, esq. aged 94, captain in the royals. He had served at Dettingen and Fontenoy, | and was aid-de-camp to General , Hawley. ; 24. Francis Hardy, esq.. aged , 61. He had been eighteen years. representative for Mullingar pane ris CHRONICLE. {irish parliament, and always voted on the purest patriotic principles. He was lately a benefactor to the li- terary world, byhisvery interesting Memoirs of Lord Charlemont, who was his intimate friend. 25. At Venice Vicc-admiral Villaret Joyeuse, grand-cordon of the legion of honour, and governor of that city. 30. Sir J. Parnell, bart. Lately, Christian Gottlieb Heyne, aged 83, the celebrated classical professor at Gottingen, and one of the most eminent critics and scho- lars in Europe. Lady Lucinda Ramsay, daughter of the late Earl of Dalhousie. August. 8. At Dublin, in his 92nd year, General Charles Vallancey, LL. D. F. R.S. director of the corps of royal engineers in Ireland, and one of the vice-presidents of the Dub- lin society: He was the author of numerous works, of which the ear- liest related to the art of fortifica- tion; butthe greater part tothe his- tory and antiquities of Ireland, to the study of which he was enthu- siastically attached. OF these are, A Grammar of the Iberno-Cel- tic, or Irish Language ; an E&- say on the Antiquity of that Lan- guage ; a Vindication of the An- cient History of Ireland; and Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, in several numbers. 9. Sir J. Shaw Stewart, bart. of Ardgowan, Scotland, aged 74. 10. The hon. Frances Elizabeth Domville, wife of Compton Dom- ville, esq. and daughter of the Bi- shop of Kildare. 22. Major-general Kirkpatrick, on the Bengal establishment, a gentle- 179° man particularly conversant with the history, antiquities, religions, and languages of the East. Among other situations of trust in the East India company’s service, he was ambassador and resident with the Nizam at Hydrabad, and at the courts of Madajee Scindiah, and Shah Allum, the great Mogul. He published, besides other works, a translation of the biography of the Persian poets, by Dowlat Shah; an account of the kingdom of Na- paul, whither he had accompanied the deposed rajah in order to re- store him ; and a selection of Tip- poo Sultan’s letters. He had made. a most valuable collection of Per- sian and other Oriental MSS. which he deposited at the library of the India-house, where they are liberally left open to the public. The general was universally es- teemed, as well for his private virtues, as his talents in public offices. Sir John Eden, bart. of Windle- . stone, Durham, aged 72. He was elder brother of Lords Auckland and Henley, and represented the county of Durham from 1774 to 1790. 27. At Bray, in the county of Wicklow, in his 81st year, John Lord de Blaquiere, K. B. and a privy-councillor in Ireland. His Lordship was brought up to busi- ness ; was principal secretary to the lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1772, whence he gradually rose to his titles and honours. He left a nu- merous family, of whom the eldest son is now a prisoner in France. 30. Penelope, wife of Sir Henry Every, bart. of Eggington, county of Derby. Lately, Rear-admiral Laird, Strathmartin, Scotland. N 2 September 180 ANNUAL REGISTER, September. 1. At the Escurial, of a typhus fever, Major-general Wheatley, \st guards. 6. Major-general Robert Bowles, of the Bombay establishment, aged 68. 9. Harriet Countess of Romney. 19. Sir Thomas Dingley Hatton, bart. of Long-Stanton, county of Cambridge. His death was the con- sequence of being thrown out of a curricle. 20. The honourable Mrs. Vane, relict of the honourable Charles Vane, of Mount Ida, Norfolk. * Lady Rebecca Peyton, wife of Sir Yelverton Payton, bart. aged 87. 21. Lady Amcotts Ingilby, wife of Sir J. Ingilby, of Ripley-park, Yorkshire. At Bologna, in consequence of a fall from a balloon which had taken fire on being’ entangled in a tree, M. Zambeccari. At Manheim,in consequence ofa similar accident, Bittorf, a mecha- nician. 23. The Prince of Waldeck, inhis 68th year. 24. Lady Harriet Jane Hay, 4th daughter of James Ear! of Errol. 26. At New-York, of a dropsy brought on by habitual intemper- ance, the celebrated actor, George Frederic Cooke, in his 57th year. He was anative of BerwickuponTweed, and after having acted for some time at Dublin, was engaged at the theatre in Covent-Garden in 1800. His forcible, though coarse, style of acting was so much admired, that the audiences were willing to pardon his many offences against order and decorum arising from ebriety. He exclusively excelled *« representing characters of deep 1812. and energetic villany, and in the expression of bitter sarcasm. His manner was entirely his own, and he may be ranked among the small number of original actors. 30. Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Lord Sinclair. Major-general William Grant, R.A. aged 84. He had distinguish- ed his zeal and bravery in a service of sixty years. The honourable John Astley Ben- neit, youngest son of the Earl of Tankerville, and a captain in the navy. Lately, at the storming of Fort Cayetano, Major-general Foord Bowes. On his passage from Calcutta, Major-general Macan. October. 1. The right honourable Lady Helen Dalrymple, relict of Hugh Dalrymple, esq. of Fordell. 8. At Castlerosse, Kerry, aged 58, Valentine Brown, Earl of Ken- mare. - 4. The Rev. Anthony Hamilton, D.D. rector of Hadham, Hertford- shire, vicar of St. Martin in the Fields, London, and archdeacon of Colchester, aged 74. ‘The Rev. John Bickerton Dew- hurst, Hackney, in his 35th year. This excellent person was brought up to the dissenting ministry, but had chiefly employed himself in private tuition, and in the acquisi- tion of learning, of which he pos- sessed a larger share than falls to the lot of many who have obtained much higher distinction in the world. A degree of modesty, bor-~ dering on diftidence, locked up the stores of his mind in company, une less particularly called forth; but no one ever consulted him upon ~ CHRONICLE. upon a literary topic without re- ceiving satisfactory information, the result of very extensive read- ing, committed to a most tena- cious memory. In classical litera- ture he was not only elegantly but critically skilled, and his know- ledge inspired respect even in a Porson. If he had lived to com- plete the plan of study he had laid down to himself, he would proba- bly have ranked with the first scholars of the age. The only fruits of his learning which he is known to have given to the public, were the classical and biographical articles in the Annual Review, and a series of papers in the Athe- nzum, containing an account of Greek authors, from Homer to Thucydides. These are distin- guished by good taste, sound erudi- tion,and spirit of candour and li- berality which was one of his cha- racteristics. His private character was such as to gain theaffectionand esteem of all who knew him; and few men have left the world more sincerely regretted by their friends. 6. At Keith-hall, Scotland, Wil- liam Keith, Earl of Kintore. Major-general Brock, in an ac- tion with the Americans in Upper Canada. 13. Moolvy Meer Abdool Ali, a native of Lucknow, and a professor of Oriental literature in the East- India College near Hertford. 16. Baroness Dimsdale, Hertford, aged 82. t At Carlsrhue, the Hereditary Prince of Baden. 17. James Lind, M.D. F. B.S. late physician at Windsor, aged 78. 20. The right honourable Hene- age Finch, “Karl of Aylesford, in his 62d year. His lordship mar- ried Lady Louisa Thynne, daugh- 18] ter of the Marquis cf Bath, by. whom he had fourteen children. 21. Lady Jane Mackenzie, daugh- ter of the late Earl of Cromarty. 23. Grace, Countess Dowager of Meath, in her 84th year. 28. Mrs. Susannah Duncombe, widow of the late Rev. J. Dun- combe, of Canterbury, joint-trans- lator with his father of the works of Horace. Mrs. Duncombe was the daughter of Mr. Highmore, a portrait painter in London, whose taste in the arts and love of letters she inherited. She was intimately connected with many eminent vo- taries of literature, of both sexes, in her day, before the death oi her husband, twenty-six years since ; after which she lived chiefly in re- tirement, highly esteemed and be- loved by her friends and relatives. Of her literary effusions none met the public eye except a paper or two in the Adventurer, and some pieces in the Poetical Calendar, and Nichols’s Poems. Thomas Eagles, esq. collector of the customs at Bristol, a gentle- man of great literary accomplish- ments, and the translator of the Deipnosophiste of Athenzus. November. 3. Sir Charles Talbot, bart. of Chart park and Mickleham, Sur- rey, M. P. for Bletchingly. 4. Philip St. Martin, Count de Front, ambassador from Sardinia. 5. Major general Broadhurst, in the East India company’s service. 7. Lieutenant-general. Richard England. 9. At Paris, in a very advanced age, David Sintzheim, grand rabbi, and president of the central con- sistory 182: sistory of the Jews in the French empire. 17. Edward Jerningham, esq. aged 75, brother to the late, Sir W. Jerningham, bart. of Costessy, Norfolk ; known to the public by several works in verse and prose. 19. Nicholas Wanostrocht, LL.D. aged 68, many years master of an academy at Camberwell, and author of a number of esteemed element- ary works, Latin and French. 27. The Lady of Sir Cuthbert Heron, bart. South Shields 38. Str Alexander Douglas, bart. of Glenbervie. | December. 7. Lady Anne Davy, relict of Sir John Davy, bart. Creedy, near Crediton, 9. Wm. Russell esq. of Slaugh- ter’s-court, county of Worcester, in the commission of the peace for that and three adjacent counties, aged 63. 12. The honourable Lady Grant, of Airdrie. 14. George Byng, Viscount Tor- rington, aged 72. He is succeeded by his only brother, the honourable John Byng. Sir John. Dick, bart. Preston- field. 16. In his 68th year, the Rev. Tsaac Gosset, D. D. F. R. S. well known in the metropolis as a most intelligent purchaser and collector of books, and conspicuous at all public sales by his diminutive per- son. Dr. Gosset was of a refugee French family, and was the son of a modeller in wax, settled in Lon- don. He displayed from’ early years an extraordinary passion for rare books, and was trained to so- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. lid literature udner Dr. Kennicott, at Exeter college, Oxford, and other learned men. He became eminent as a preacher, notwith- standing his personal disadvan- tages, but never sought or obtain- ed preferment. He was a good scriptural critic, and had thought much and freely upon various to- pics, which, with his natural flow of spirits, and his friendly and communicative disposition, render- ed him highly entertaining in con- versation. His prominent charac- ter, however, was that of an adept in bibliography, in which quality he was looked up to by all of the same turn, to whom he readily im- parted his knowledge. He was married, and left two sons anda daughter. Gustavus Adam Baron Nolchen, his Swedish Majesty’s Chamber- lain, and minister plenipotentiary for the affairs of Pomerania at the court of Great Britain, aged 80, after a residence of near 49 years in this country. Hisexcellency began his diplomatic career with being chargé d’aftaires at the court of Berlin, whence he was removed tobe minis- ter plenipotentiary at this court. He had resided inthat quality for thirty years, when he was recalled by the present King of Sweden, when re- gent, to take upon himself the of- fice of president of a court of jus- tice. This he declined, and re- turned to London in a private ca- pacity, being strongly attached to England. On the accession of Gustavus IV. he was restored to the rank of foreign minister, which he continued to possess. He mar- ried the widow of the honougable S. C. Lemaistre, a judge in India, by whom he left two sons. Baron Nolcken passed through life with high A04. CHRONICLE. chigh respectability for his conduct and talents. © 26. In his 85th year, Mr. John Moody, formerly of Drury-lane Theatre, and the father of English actors. His forte lay in low come- dy, particularly in the parts ofIrish- men, and he was the original Ma- ‘jor G’ Flaherty and Capt. O’Cutter. 27. General John Caillaud, of the East India service, aged 88. 28. Lady Rowley, mother of Sir Ea Rowley, Tendering-hall, Suf- folk. 183 29. Lieutenant-colonel J. Boag, R. A. aged 79. He was present at the death of General Wolfe on the plains of Abraham. 30. Sir Denzil Cope, bart. Bram- zil-park, Hants. 31. General Sir Thomas Mus- grave, bart. colonel of the 76th foot, and governor cf Gravesend and Tilbury forts, aged 75. Lately, Gideon Fournier, esq. F. R. S. barrister at law, and. chief magistrate of the county of Sur- rey. CENTENARY DEATHS. January. Ann Morris, Bath, 104. Sarah White, Bindon Cottage, near Lullworth, Dorset, 101. Hen. Chandler, Steeple Claydon, Bucks, 102: Mrs. Herbert, Buglawton, Che- ‘shire, 100. Mr. E. Jeffs, Greet, Gloucester- shire, 105. Mrs. Wood, Whitchurch, Salop, Morris, Leeds, -102. Mrs. Martha February. At Jamaica, Anne Wignell, a free black woman, aged 146. She was brought from Africa at the age of 12, about 14 years before the destruction of Port Royal by the great earthquake in 1692. March: P. MIntyre, near Haddington, 101. He had been in the Pre- tender’s army at the battle of Cul- Joden, where he received a wound. John Ursaulack, Lemburg, Prus- sia, 116. April. Mrs. Sheppard, Winchester, 102. Mr. John Brown, Carpenter, of Wymondham, Norfolk, 104. William Chatfield, Cowfield, Sussex, 105. James Hinchliffe, clothier, Mil- shaw, Yorkshire, 102. Morgan Corslet, Crosswen, Gla- morganshire, 109. Mrs. Price, Rhayader, Radnor, 100. James Brown, Birse, ‘Aberdeen, 103. Christian Catanach, ibid, 101. Hugh Blaney, Hannestown, Ire- land, 100. Margaret Bowlanger, near Cler- mont, [reland, 102. Mrs. Dorothea Borough, Limer- ick, 104. May. Mary Norbury,Macclesfield,100. Mrs. Parsons, Buxted, Dorset, 101. Mrs. Powel, Hereford, 102. Samt. 184 Sam. Mog, who was a soldier under General Wolfe, at Quebec, 102. —— Crosier, a poor woman at Oxford, 106. Mrs. Ann Vaughan, Meole Brace, Salop, 100. Eliz. Beech, Market-Drayton, 104. William Hardy, Caldwell, York- shire, 102. David Gaddis, Cargina, Scot- land, 102. Janet Read, Irvine, 103. _ Mrs. Jones, county of Meath, 100. Thomas O’ Brien, county of Li- merick, 110. Cornelius Madigan, county of Clare, 117. — Mrs. Belinda Crawford, county of Galway, 115. June. Mrs. Wary Harris, near Fal- mouth, 113. Eliz. Williams, near Tavistock, 1h Mr. Godwin, Newport, 100, and 7 months. Ann Harris, Badcock, Cornwall, 113, and 6 months. Ann Retford, Sunderland, 100, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Mary Jones, Berkely ,Gloucester- shire, 101. Eliz. Bourne, Worcester, 106. John Holliday, near Leeds, 100. Catharine Samuel, Caermarthen, 102, July. Mrs. Mary Clarke, Bristol, 104. Mrs. Sarah Yeomans, Notting- ham, 102. She had been married 70 years, and her husband is now in his 98th year. At Kingston, Jamaica, Esmina Diamond, a free black woman, 130. Mr.Charles Clarke,Over-Peover, Cheshire, 103. Petronella King, Taunton, 102, A, Royals, Yarmouth, 103, August. Isabella Sharp, Gateshead, 114. September.. Mr. Henry Martin, Stithians, 104. November. Marion Moray, Portmoak, Fife- shire, 102. Mrs. Scott, Bradninch, Devon, 104. SHERIFES. CHRONICLE. 185 SHERIFFS Appointed by the Prince Regent in Council for the Year 1812. Bedfordshire, J. Cooper, of Toddington; Esq. Berkshire, George Elwes, of Marcham, Esq. Buckinghamshire, C. Salter, of Stoke Poges, Esq. Cambridgeshire and Huntingdons. John Carstairs, of Woodhurst, Esq. Cheshire, Edmund Yates, of Ince, Esq. Cornwall, J. Vivian, of Pencallenneck, Esq. Cumberland, Thomas Hartley, of Linethwaite, Esq. Derbyshire, R. Bateman, of Foston, Esq. Devonshire, James Hay, of Collypriest, Esq. Dorsetshire, Thomas Horlock Bastard, of Charlton Marshall, Esq. Essex, Sir Robert Wigram, of Walthamstow, Bart. Gloucestershire, Sir William Hicks, of Whitcomb-Park, Bart. Herefordshire, Thomas Jay, of Derndale, Esq. Hertfordshire, J. Currie, of Essenden, Esq. Kent, J. Wells, of Bickley, Esq. Lancaster, Edward Greaves, of Culcheth, Esq. Leicestershire, R. Cheslyn, of Langley, Esq. Lincolnshire, George Lister, of Grisby, Esq. Monmouthshire, C. Lewis, of St. Pierre, Esq. Norfolk, J. Turner Hales, of Hardingham, Esq. Northamptonshire, Peter Denys, of Easton Neston, Esq. _ Northumberland, Ralph Bates, of Milbourne-Hall, Esq. Nottinghamshire, Hugh Blades, of Ranby Hall, Esq. Oxfordshire, Francis Sackville Lioyd Wheate, of Glympton-Park. Rutlandshire, Gerard Noel Noel, of Exton, Esq. Shropshire, Richard Lyster, of Rowton, Esq. Somersetshire, William Vaughan, of Moneton Combe, Esq. Staffordshire, Thomas Mottershaw, of Silkmore-House, Esq. Southampton (Hampsh.), Thomas Thistlewaite, of Southwick, Esq. Suffolk, Richard Moore, of Melford, Esq. Surrey, Thomas Starling Benson, of Champion Lodge, Esq. Sussex, George Francis Tyson, of Singleton, Esq. Warwickshire, Samuel Peach, of Idlicote, Esq. Wiltshire, Sir William Pierce Ashe A’Court, of Heytesbury, Bart. Worcestershire, J. Baker, of Waresley, Esq. Yorkshire, Sir Thomas Slingsby, of Scriven Park, Bart. SOUTH WALES. Carmarthenshire, J. George Phillips, of Cwingwilly, Esq. Pembrokeshire, Henry Scourfield, of Robeston-Hall, Esq. Cardiganshire, Griffith Jones, of Cardigan, Esq. Glamorganshire, Morgan Popkin Traherne, of Goytraherne, Esq. Brecon, Charles Fox Crespigny, of Tallyn, Esq. Radnor, Thomas Grove, the younger, of Cwn Ellan, Esq. NORTH i 186 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. NORTH WALES. Merionethshire, William Wynne, of Penairth, Esq. Carnarvonshire, G. T. Smyth, of Penydyffryn, Esq. Anglesey, Hugh Bulkeley Owen, of Coedana, Esq. Montgomeryshire, G. Meares, of Pynnant, Esq. Denbighshire, William Edwards, of Hendre-House, Esq. Flintshire, Hugh Humphrys, of Parypille, Esq. APPENDIX [ 187. ] “APPENDIX to CHRONICLE. ARTICLES FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE London Gazette Extraordinary, Tuesday Jan. 21. Downing-street, Jan. 20, 1812. APTAIN HARRIS, com- manding his Majesty’s ship Sir Francis Drake, arrived last night at Lord Liverpool’s office with a dispatch, of which the fol- lowing is a copy :-— Batavia, Sept. 29, 1811. Sir,—I had the honour to ac- quaint you, in my dispatch of the ist instant, that the conquest of Java was at that time substantially accomplished by the glorious and decisive victory of the 20th of August. lam happy to announce to your excellency the realization of those views, by the actual surrender of the island and its dependencies by a capitulation concluded between their excellencies Lieut.-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty and General Jansens, on the 18th of September. I have the honour to inclose a report which the commander-in- ehief has addressed to me, of the proceedings of the armysubsequent to the 26th of August, with its inclosures. Your excellency will. observe with satistaction, from these docu- ments, that the final pacification of the island has been hastened by fresh examples of the same spirit, decision, and judgment which have marked the measures of his excel- lency the commander-in-chief, and of the same gallantry which has characterised the troops since the hour of their disembarkation on this coast. L ; The commander-in-chief will sail in a few days for India; and I flatter myself that I shall be able to embark on board his Majesty s ship Modeste, for Bengal, about the middle of October. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed ) MinTo, To his Excellency R. T. Farquhar, esq. &c. Isle of France. Modeste, off Samarang, Sept. 21, 1811. My Lord,—I have the honour to submit to your lordship, a continu- ation of the report which it is my duty to lay before you, of the proceedings of the army under my command, of Immediately on receiving the, intelligence of General Jansens retreat from Bugtenzorg by an eastern route, and the occupation of that post by our troops, I placed a force, consisting of the 3rd bat~ talion of Bengal volunteers, and @ detachment 188 detachment of artillery with two guns, under the order of Colonel Wood, and directed his embark- ation, in communication with Rear Admiral Stopford, who order- ed three frigates on this service, for the purpose of occupying the fort of Cheribon. Transports were at the same time put in a state of pre- paration for a force, consisting of the detachment of the Royal, and a company of Bengal artillery, a troop of his Majesty’s 22d dragoons, his Majesty’s 14th and 78th regi- ments of foot, the 4th battalion of Bengal volunteer Sepoys, the Ma- dras pioneers, and a small ordnance equipment, with which it was my intention to embark, and accom- panying Rear- Admiral Stopford with the squadron, for the attack of Sourabaya and Fort Louis, to- wards which place it was supposed the enemy had retired. A large part of his Majesty’s 14th regiment, the royal artillery, and six field-pieces, were, by the kindness of Rear-Admiral Stopford, received on board his Majesty’s ships of war, and they, with the transports, sailed as they could be got ready for sea, with orders to rendezvous off the point of Sidayo, near the western entrance of the harbour of Sourabaya. _I embark- ed on the 4th of September ; and early in the morning on the 5th, sailed to join the troops in his Ma- jesty’s ship Modeste, which the admiral, in attention to my conve- nience, had allotted for my accom- modation. ’ On the 6th of September, when on the point of Indermayo, I Jearned from an express-boat which had been boarded by Commodore Broughton, that Cheribon was in possession of the frigates detached ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. on that service, having separated from the transport on board of which all their troops but the com- modore had embarked. Captain Beaver, the senior officer of the squadron, had landed the seamen and marines, and occupied the fort, which surrendered to his summons in time to make a prisoner of Bri- gadier Jamelle, while passing on his route from Bugtenzorg, with many other officers and troops. ~ Letters intercepted on this occasion from General Jansens, announced his intention to collect his remain- - ing force near Samarang, and to retire on Solo, This intelligence determined me to sail for Cheribon, where I arrived on the evening of the 7th of September ; and finding that no troops had yet arrived, that a detachment of seamen and mas rines had marched inland on the Bugtenzorg road, and been success- ful in securing great numbers of the fugitives from thence, and gaining possession, on terms of capitulation, of the post of Carong Sambong on that route, I sent im- mediate orders for the march of reinforcements from the district of Batavia. The cavalry, half of the horse artillery, and the detachment of his Majesty’s 89th regiment from Bugtenzorg, were desired to join me at Samarang, by the route of Che- ribon, and the light infantry volun- teer battalion was ordered to em- bark at Batavia for the same place. 1 obtained from Captain Beaver, of his Majesty’s ship Nisus, the dispatch of vessels in every direc- tion to meet the straggling trans- ports on their route to Sourabaya, and direct them all to rendezvous at Samarang ; addressinga letter to the Hon. Admiral Stopford, to Commodore Broughton, and 7 * » the APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. the captains of his Majesty’s ships, requesting them to give similar or- ders. I sailed the same evening in the Modeste, and, after meeting the Windham transport, and order- ing her with the 3rd volunteer bat- talion to Cheribon, directed my course to Samarang. I arrived there on the Mth, and was shortly afterwards joined by Rear-Admiral Stopford, the commodore, and a few transports, having onboard a part of his Majesty’s 14th regiment, half the 78th, the artillery de- tachments, six field pieces, and the detachment of pioneers. To ascertain the fact of General Jansens’ presence, and feel how far the capture of General Jamelle and the troops from Bugtenzorg might have changed his plan, I re- peated to him on the 10th, in concert with the admiral, an in- vitation to surrender the island on terms of capitulation ; and Captain Elliott and Colonel Agnew were charged with the communication. They saw the general—received his reply,—ascertained that he had still with him at least a numerous staff, —and that he professed a determi- nation to persevere in the contest. The small force with me did not admit of my attempting to assault the place, while it was supposed to be thus occupied ; but an attack was made that night by the boats of the squadron, on several gun- . Vessels of the enemy moored across the entrance of the rivers leading to the town end; the precipitation with which they were abandoned, gave a character of probability to accounts which reached us from fishermen and others, that the general was occupied in withdraw- ing his troops to the interior, and had fortified a position at a short 189 distance on the road towards Solo or Soercarta, the residence of the Emperor of Java. On the 12th of September, as no other troops had arrived, it was determined to attack the town: a summons was first sent to the com- mandant, and it appeared, that the enemy had*(as at Batavia) evacu- ated the place, leaving it to be surrendered by the commander of the Burghers. It was that night occupied by a detachment under Colonel Gibbs ; and all the troops I could collect were landed on the following day. It was ascertained that the enemy had retired to a strong position, about six miles distance on the Solo road, carrying with him all the chief civil, as well as military officers of the district, and that he was busied in completing batteries and intrenchments in a pass of the hills, where he had collected the residue of his regular troops, some cannon, and a force, including the auxiliary troops of the native prin- ces, exceeding eight hundred men, cavalry, infantry, and artillery, commanded by many European officers of rank. As any cheek of the attempts of our troops at this important period might have been productive of the worst effects, I thought it prudent to wait the hourly expect- ed arrival of a larger force; but after two days passed at Samarang without their appearance, I resolv- ed to risk an attack with the slender means at my disposal, rather than to give the enemy confidence by a longer delay, or afford them time to complete their works, which were said to be still imperfect. For these reasons, on the even- ing of the 14th, I had directed preparations 190 preparations to be made for an at- tack on the following day, when intelligence arrived that the Wind- ham had sailed for Cheribon with some troops, and several vessels were seen in the offing; I there- fore countermanded the orders, in the expectation of succours; but the admiral, anxious, on account of the approaching unfavourable sea- son, to secure asafe anchorage for the ships, sailed in the morning, with two ships of the line and three frigates, to attack Fort Louis, and, if successful, to occupy the harbour of Sourabaya. The Windham alone arrived in the course of the night, and even the very slender reinforcement which she brought was, situated as we were, of great importance, and it enabled me to withdraw all the European garrison from the fort of Samarang, and to add a company of Sepoys to the field force, which thus strengthened did not exceed one thousand one hun- dred infantry, and the necessary artillery to man four six pounders, with some pioneers. I did not think it proper to as- sume the direct command of so small a detachment : I confided. it to Colonel Gibbs, of his Majesty’s 69th regiment, proceeding, how- ever, with the troops, that 1 might be at hand to profit by any fortu- nate result of the attack. Experience had warranted my reposing the fullest confidence in the valour and discipline of the troops I had the good fortune to command, and taught me to ap- preciate those which the enemy could oppose to them. Many of the fugitives from Cornelius were in their ranks, and the rest. of their forces were strongly impress- ANNUAL REGISTER, ed, by their exaggerated accountsy) 1812. with the dangers to be dreaded from the impetuosity of our troops. I did not, therefore, feel appre- hension of any unfortunate result from attacking the enemy with numbers so very disproportionate ; but from our total want of cavalry, I did not expect to derive from it any very decisive advantage, be- yond that of driving them from the position they had chosen. The small party of cavalry, of which I had been disappointed by the absence of the transports which conveyed them, would have been: invaluable ; much of the enemy’s force was mounted, and they had some horse artillery, while not even the horses of my staff were arrived, and our artillery and am- munition were to be moved by hand by the lascars and pioneers, who for this purpose were attached to the field-pieces. Colonel Gibbs marched at two o’clock on the morning of the 16th from Samarang, and after ascend- ing some steep hills, at the distance of near six miles, the fires of the enemy appeared a little before the dawn of day extending along the summit of a hill, which crossed our front at Jattee Allee, and over part of which the road was cut; the doubtful light, and great height of the hill they occupied, made the, position appear at first most formid- able. It was resolved to attack it immediately ; and as the leading division or advance of the detach- ments moved forward to turn the: enemy’s left, a fire was opened on them from many, guns placed on the summit of the hill, and various positions on its face, which com- pletely commanded the road ; these were answered by our field-pieces as APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. as they. came up, with the effect, though fired from a considerable distance, and with great elevation, of confusing the enemy’s artillery in directing their fire, from which avery trifling loss was sustained. Their flank was turned with little difficulty but what arose from the extreme steepness of the ascent; and after a short but ineffectual attempt to stup, by the fire of some guns advantageously posted across a deep ravine, the advance of the body of our detachment, the enemy abandoned the greatest part of their artillery, and were seen in great numbers, and in great confusion, in full retreat. Our want of cavalry to follow the fugitives with speed, the steep- ness of the road, and the necessity for removing chevaux de frise with which the passage was obstructed, gave time for the escape of the enemy, while our troops, exhausted by their exertions, were recovering their breath. It was evident that their army was completely disunited; several officers, some of them of rank, were taken; their native allies, panic struck, had abandoned their officers, and only a few pieces of horse artillery remained of their field ordnance. With these they attempted to cover their retreat, pursued by Col. Gibbs, who, with the detachment, passed several in- complete and abandoned batteries ; and at noon, and after twelve miles march over a rugged country, ap- proached the village of Oonarang, in which, and in the small fort beyond it, the enemy appeared to have halted, and collected in irre- gular masses. Small cannon from the fort and village opened on the 191 line as it advanced. Our field- pieces were brought up to a com- manding station, and by their fire covered the formation of the troons, who, led by Colonel Gibbs, were advancing to assault the fort, when, it was evacuated by the enemy; alarmed by our fire, they were seen to abandon it and its vicinity in the utmost confusion, leaving some light guns with much ammu- nition and provisions in the village, where they had broken the bridge to impede pursuit ; the road beyond it was covered with the caps, cloth- ing, and military equipments of their troops, who seem to have been completely routed and dis- persed. A number of officers made pri- soners confirmed this belief; our troops had however marched so far, that they were unequal toa longer pursuit, and were quartered in the fort and the barracks which the enemy had quitted. Early in the night Brigadier Winkleman, with some other offi- cers, came into my quarters with a flag of truce from General Jansens, who was stated to be fifteen miles inadvance of my position, Solatiga, on the road to Solo; the brigadier was charged torequest anarmistice, that the governor-general might communicate with your lordship on terms of capitulation. He was in- formed by my direction, that he must treat with me, and that with- out delay ; I, however, consented, in consideration of the distance of his position, to grant, for the ex- press purpose of capitulation, an armistice of twenty-four hours, to commence from six o’clock on the following morning, and limited in its effect to the forces present. With 192 With this answer Brigadier Win- kleman returned, accepting the armistice proposed. _ I was perfectly aware of the ge- neral sentiments of Rear-Admiral Stopford, regarding the object on which our joint services were em- ployed, from the unreserved com- munication I had held with him. He had sailed for Sourabaya with the declared intention of attacking Fort Louis, and of returning to his station when theservice wasaccom- plished ; and he was most anxious for its speedy termination, as he had informed me, he did not think ships would be safe on the northern coasts of Java after the 4th of October, unless Sourabaya was in our possession. All these considerations were strong in my mind against the delay of a reference to him; and confident that the important object of obtaining for Great Britain an immediate surrender of the island ought not to beimpeded or delayed by any point merely of form, I did not hesitate to act individually, and on my sole responsibility, for the interests of the state. I had also cause to fear, if the favourable moment was allowed to pass, that the allies of the enemy might re- cover from their panic, that Gen. Jansens might learn the small amount of our force, that he might again collect his troops and retire on Solo, where, profiting by the period of approaching rains, he might prolong the contest; and though I could not doubt its ultimate success, a war in the inte- rior would have embarrassed our arrangements, and have involved the affairs of the colony in inex- tricable confusion. On the forenoon of the 17th of ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. September, the Commander de Kock, brigadier and chief of the staff of the French army on Java, arrived at Oonarang, with powers from General Jansens to treat of a capitulation, which ZI authorized Col. Agnew, the adjutant-general of the forces, to discuss with him on my part: the result was, the signature by them of the articles I have the honour to inclose, No. 1, with which General de Kock re- turned in the afternoon to obtain General Jansens’ approval. At three o’clock in the morning on the 18th, Brigadier Winkleman arrived at my quarters from Gen. Jansens, who declined to sign the articles which had been agreed upon, adverting particularly to those which concerned the debts of the government to individuals. He requested that I would meet the general half-way, or stated that he would, if preferred, come to my quarters at Oonarang, for the pur- pose of discussion or explanation of those articles. As the situation in which it is evident he stood deprived him of all claim to those terms of capitu- lation which had he profited by the former invitations made while he still possessed the means of de- fence, he might perhaps have ob- tained, and as my situation with a force unequal to prosecute opera- tions further in the interior would not admit of delay, I assumed a firm tone; and desiring Gen. Winkle- man to be mformed that personal respect for the character of Gen. Jansens had alone induced me to grant any terms to his army, an- nounced to him that the armistice’ would cease at the appointed hour, and the troops march forward at the same time. Colonel APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. Colonel Agnew gave orders for this purpose in his presence ; and informed him that if Gen. Jansens allowed the opportunity of capitu- lating now offered to escape, by not accepting the terms already prepared, no other could be offered. Brigadier Winklemanreturned with all speed to General Jansens, and Colonel Gibbs marched with his detachments at six o’clock on the road to Soligata, where, after ad- vancing about five miles, he was met by Brigadier Winkleman, bearing the capitulation confirmed by the signature of Gen. Jansens, and accompanied by aletter, No. 2. which strongly marked the acute-» ness of his feelings at being com- pelled, by the desertion of his allies, and the destruction of his army, to adopt this measure. The detachment counter-march- ed immediately, and after sending a company (at the request of Bri- gadier Winkleman) to secure the guns in the post of Soligata, moved back to Oonarang, whence on the evening I returned to Samarang, just before General Jansens had announced his intention of joining me at {the former place. The general, with great part of his officers, also reached Samarang that night. I visited him on the following day, and arranged for the equipment of a transport to convey him to Batavia with his suite, on which they embarked this morning. Thave dispatched Colonel Gibbs to assume the command of the division of Sourabaya, to which I have allotted his Majesty’s 78th regiment, the 4th volunteer batta- lion, the light infantry battalion, and the royal artillery ; I have sent a small detachment under Major Vou, LIV. 193 Yule, of the 20th Bengal regiment ; an officer on whose conduct I have much reliance, to accompany the Prince of Samanap and his force to the island of Madura, where I have directed the Major to assume command, subject to the general control of Colonel Gibbs; he has been instructed to occupy the small forts of Joanna and Rambang on his route, and I have directed that of Japara to be occupied from Sama- rang. Idiamayo and Pacalonga have been garrisoned by troops from Cheribon. In mentioning the Prince of Samanap, it would be unjust to him not to report, that, prior to my march from Samarang, to attack the enemy, he sent to ask my orders, being, with two thousand of his people, within a short distance at Damak. He visited me on my return to Sama- rang, and expressed an earnest wish for the protection and friendship of the British nation. As Colonel Wood requested per-, mission to relinquish the command of Samarang, and return to Bengal, I appointed Lieutenant - Colonel Watson, of his Majesty’s 14th regiment, to relieve him in the command. The 14th regiment, a small detachment of artillery, and part of the 3rd volunteer battalion, have been stationed at Samarang, and will shortly, L trust, be reinforced. by the arrival of the detachments of the horse- artillery, cavalry, and 89th regi- ment. I have detached Captain Robin- son, your lordship’s aid-de-camp, with a small escort, to the courts of Solo and D’Jogocarta, to deliver a letter from me to the Emperot and Sultan, and announce the change that has taken place; I O have 394 have also called upon the residents at their courts, Van Braam and Englehard, to continue, agreeably to the capitulation, the exercise of their functions in behalf of the British government, and to secure carefully the public property of the late government, placed in the territories of the respective princes at whose court they reside. I have also required the other public functionaries of the late government to continue in the temporary exercise of their func- tions, which hitherto I have found no instance of their declinjng to perform. It will be necessary soon to ar- range for the guard of honour at- tached to the Emperor and Sultan of the troops of the European go- vernment of Java, and for the oc- cupation of the forts at their capital, and on the lines of communication to and between these; but this will be easily arranged when the troops ordered to Samarang shall have arrived, and the report of Captain Robinson shall have war- ranted a judgment of the strength of these detachments. I embarked this morning in his Majesty’sship Modeste for Batavia, and shall have the honour of re- ceiving your lordship’s personal commands, and discussing with you the several military arrangements which it may be necessary to make for the security of the island of Java and its dependencies, previ- ous to my return to Madras, which it is my wish to do without delay. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) S. AUCHMUTY, Lieut.-Gen. To the Right Hon. Lord Minto, Governor-general, &c. ANNUAL REGISTER, 11812. The articles of capitulation fol+ low, with various official returns, and the proceedings of the naval force under Rear-Admiral Stop- ford. From the London Gazette, Jan. 25. Tariffa, Dec. 24. Sir,—I have the honour to re- port, that, on the 20th instant, the enemy invested this town with — from 4 to 5,000 infantry, and from 2 to 300 cavalry. As it was not advisable to. fight so superior a force, I resisted him for an hour with the cavalry and infantry, Spa- nish and British piquets of the gar- rison, reinforced by a company of the 95th, and two six-pounder field-guns of Captain Hughes’ Brigade. The loss of the enemy was considerable. On the lst, Captain Wren, of the 11th, des- troyed, with his company, a small piquet of the enemy. The 22nd, I made a sortie at the request of Ge- neral Copons, and in conjunction, with his troops, with the intention to ascertain the numbers of the enemy,.by inducing him to show his columns. His light troops suf- fered ‘considerably from our shells. The enemy is now making his ap- proaches at a long musket-shot from the town; but the ground so completely commands us, and is so favourable to him, that our small guns have little or no effect upon him. I have, &c. (Signed) J. B. Skerretr, Colonel. To Major-general Cooke, &c. ries be Dec. 30. Sir,—In my last I had the ho- nour APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. nour to state, that the enemy had invested this town on the 20th instant; since which period he has rapidly carried on a regular paral- lel and approach against the wall of the town, which I consider as doing much honour to the garrison. I have several times found it neces- sary to drive back the enemy’s ad- vance, and to interrupt his works, in which we have met with a slight loss; and the enemy, from being exposed to the fire of the few small guns we possess on the towers, has suffered considerably. It was only on these occasions that we materi- ally annoyed the enemy; for the wall of the town is so completely commanded, that, in a few hours’ work, he has every where much better cover than ourselves. The enemy yesterday opened his fire at half-past ten, and continued to batter in breach at a distance of about 300 yards, with four French 16-pounders on the east wall, near the Retiro gate, and four howitzers -and other smaller pieces playing on the island and causeway. He con- tinued a constant fire until night, the first and each shot passing through the wall, and through some houses in the rear of it. Be- fore night a practicable breach was effected. He this day continued to widen the breach, and, I imagine; will not attempt the assault un- til it is extended to the tower on each flank (a space of about forty yards). I have traversed the streets, and have taken the only measure by which there is a chance of pre- serving the place—that of defend- ing the houses. The enemy’s force employed in the siege is stated at 10,000; probably this is in some degree exaggerated, A con- 195 stant fire of musketry is imter- changed. I have particularly to regret the loss of the service of Lieutenant Guanter, deputy-assist- ant quarter-master-general, a very intelligent and brave officer, who is severely wounded. Inclosed is a return of killed and wounded since my last. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) J. H. SkerRerr, Colonel. — ee _ London Gazette Extraordinary. Downing-Street, Jan. 28. Capt. O'Donoghue, acting aid- de-camp to Colonel Skerrett, has arrived this morning at Lord Li- verpool’s office, with dispatches from Major-General’ Cooke, of which the following are copies :— My Lord,—lI beg leave to con- gratulate your Lordship upon the complete failure of the enemy’s ex~ pedition against Tariffa, and refer you to the inclosed copy of my letter to Gen. Lord Wellington, convey- ing Col. Skerrett’s reports of the French having been repulsed with great loss in assaulting the breach which they had effected in the wall, and of their having retreated on the night of the 4th, leaving their heavy artillery and a quantity of stores on the ground. Your lordship will see that Co- lonel Skerrett, and the brave troops under his command, have tho- roughly done their duty. He has expressed his sense of the effectual co-operation of the Spanish troops under General Copons, who, in his report gives his full approbation of the conduct of Colonel Skerrett, 02 and 196 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. and the British troops under his orders, upon this, as he has done upon former occasions during the last three months. Capt. O’ Donoghue, of the 47th regiment, acting aid-de-camp to Colonel Skerrett, has charge of this dispatch, and will give your lord- ship any details relative to the late events at Tariffa. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) G. Cooke, Major-General. The Earl of Liverpool, &c. Cadiz, Jan. 10. My Lord,—I last night received a dispatch from Colonel Skerrett, dated the Ist instant, of which I have the honour to transmit a co- py, reporting the defeat of a strong column of the enemy on the day before, in an assault of the breach which they had made in the wall of Tariffa. I received at the same time intelligence from Lieutenant- General Campbell, that the French had broke up from before the place on the night of the 4th, leav- ing their artillery, &c, and retiring by a pass of La Pena, under the fire of the navy. I have this morn- ing received Colonel Skerrett’s re- port of that most satisfactory event by his aid-de-camp, Captain O’Do- noghue, and I beg leave to refer your lordship to copies of them. I have, &c. Grorce Cooxr, Maj.-Gen. Gen. Lord Visc. Wellington, &c. Tariffa, Jan. 1. Sir,—In my last [ had the ho- nour to state, that the enemy com- menced to batter in breach on the 29th of December; since which period, until yesterday, he kept up a heavy fire of cannon on the breach, and of shells on the town, causeway, and island. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 31st Dec. a strong column was seen rapidly advancing to the breach; our musketry several times check- ed the enemy; and the firm front and intrepid behaviour of the troops, in less than an hour, gain- ed a complete victory. The most bold of the enemy fell near the foot of the breach, and the mass of the column made a precipitate re- treat. The situation of the enemy’s wounded, with which the ground was covered between his battery and our fire, where they must in- evitably have perished, induced me, from motives of compassion, to hoist a flag of truce to carry them off. Some were brought into the place over the breach; but from the extreme difficulty attending this, I allowed the enemy to carry the remainder away. General La- val, the French commander-in~ chief, expressed his acknowledg- ments for the conduct of the British and Spanish nations on this occa- sion, in the most feeling and grate- ful terms. We have made prison- ers, ten officers, and twenty or thirty soldiers; the enemy’s loss has been very severe. The co- Jumn that attacked the breach was two thousand men composed of all the grenadiers and voltigeurs of the army. The enemy invested this town on the 20th of Decem- ber, since which period, one thou- sand British and seven or eight hundred Spanish troops, with only a defence of a wall, which appears to have been built as a defence against archery, and before the use APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. use of gunpowder, have resisted an army of ten thousand men, with a regular battering train of artillery, and have at last defeated and repulsed them. The wall of the town has the additional disad- vantage of being commanded with- in half musket shot, and flanked or taken in reverse in almost every part. The conduct of all the troops has been admirable, and that of Lieutenant-Colonel Gough, and the 2nd battalion of the 87th regi- ment, exceeds all praise. Equal credit is due to the indefatigable exertions of Captain Smith’s royal engineers, to whom much of our success is due. I have on all oc- casions received the greatest assist- ance from the military experience and the great exertions of Lieute- nant Colonel Lord Proby, second in command. We have to regret the loss of two officers killed: Lieutenant Longley, royal engineers, and Lieutenant Hall, 47th regiment. I have &c. (Signed) J. B. SKERRETT, Colonel. To Major-general Cooke, &c. &c. Return of killed, wounded, and missing inthe action at Tariffa on the 31st of December, 1811. Royal Engineers—1 lieutenant killed. 2d Battalion 47th regiment— 1 lieutenant, 1 rank and file, kill- ed; 1 lieutenant, 2 rank and file, wounded. 2d Battalion $7th regiment— 5 rank and file killed; 1 lieute- nant, 1 ensign, 21 rank and file, wounded, 2d Battalion 95th regiment— 1 rank and file killed; 1 rank and file wounded. 197 Total—2 officers, 7 rank and file, killed; 3 officers, 24 rank and file, wounded. Names of officers killed and wounded Royal Engineers— Lieutenant Longley, killed. 2d Battalion 47th regiment— Lieutenant Hall, killed; Lieutenant Hill, slightly wounded. 2d Battalion 87th regiment— Lieutenant M. Carroll and Ensign Waller, slightly wounded. (Signed) — T. Bunsury, Brigade-Major. Tariffa, Jan. 5. Sir,—In my letter of the Ist in- stant, I had the honour to relate the particulars of our proceedings here, and of our victory at the breach. Since that period the enemy has kept up a partial fire, and the breach was yesterday com- pletely open for the space of 25 or 30 yards. From the movements of the ene- my last night, I was induced to suppose he intended another as- sault, and the garrison waited in eager expectation to give him ano- ther proof of British valour. To our astonishment, this morning at daylight, the columns of the ene-« my were already at a distance, having taken advantage of a dark and stormy night to make a pre- cipitate retreat, leaving in our pos- session all his artillery, ammuni- tion, stores, &c. &c, I immedi- ately ordered Major Brand, with a part of the 47th regiment, to fol- low the enemy ; he took possession of his artillery, waggons, and a quantity of stores, time enough to save them from the flames, the enemy having set fire to them. We have made some prisoners. From 198 From the number of dead found upon the ground the enemy occu- pied, his loss on the whole most have been very great. Marshal Victor was present in the French camp, to give orders for the re- treat. We have thus seen the greatest effort the French are capable of making frustrated by eighteen hun- dred British and Spanish troops, with only the defence of a paltry wall ; and an army of ten thousand men, commanded by a marshal of France, retreating from them si- lently in the night, after having been repulsed and defeated, leav- ing behind all their artillery and stores, collected at a great expense and by immense exertions. I inclose a return of artillery and stores taken from the enemy. The unremitting vigilance and ex- ertion, the zeal and intrepidity, of every individual of this garrison is above praise. I have the honour to dispatch this by my acting aid-de-camp, Captain O’Donoghue, of the 47th Kegiment, who is in possession of every information relative to my proceedings at this place, an offi- cer of great merit and considera- ble length of service. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) J.B. Skerrett, iro! Colonel. London Gazelte Extraordinary, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1812. Downing-Sireet Feb. 4. Major the honourable A. Gordon has arrived this evening at Lord Liverpool's Office with a dispatch, addressed to his lordship by Gene- ral Viscount Wellington, dated Gallegos, Jan. 20, 1812. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. My Lord,—I informed your lordship in my dispatch of the 9th, that I had attacked Ciudad Rodri- go, and in that of the 15th, of the progress of the operations to that period ; and Ihave now the plea- sure to acquaint your lordship, that we took the place by storm yesterday evening after dark. We continued from the 15th to the 19th to complete the second parallel, and the communications with that work; and we had made some progress by sap towards the crest of the glacis. On the night of the 15th, we likewise advanced from the left of the first parallel down the slope of the hill, towards the Convent of St. Francisco, to a situation from which the -walls of the Fausse Braye and of the town were seen, on which a bat- tery of seven guns was constructed, and they commenced their fire on the morning of the 18th. In the mean time, the batteries in the parallel continued their fire; and yesterday evening their fire had not only considerably injured the defences of the place, but had made breaches in the Fausse Braye wall, and in the body of the place, which were considered practicable; while the battery on the slope of the hill, which had been com- menced on the night of the 15th, and had opened on the 18th, had been equally efficient still further to the left, and opposite to the suburb of St. Francisco. I therefore determined to storm the place, notwithstanding that the approaches had not been brought to the crest of the glacis, and the counterscarp of the ditch was still entire. The attack was accordingly made yesterday evening in five se- parate columns, consisting of the j troops APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. troops of the third and right divi- sions, and of Brigadier-general ‘Pack’s brigade. The two light columns, conducted by Lieute- nant-colonel O’Toole, of the 2d Cacadores, and Major Ridge, of the 5th regiment, were destined to protect the advance of Major- General M‘Kinnon’s brigade, form- ing the third, to the top of the breach in the Fausse Braye wall; and all these, being composed of troops of the third division, were under the direction of Lieutenant- General Picton. The fourth column, consisting of the 43d and 52d regiments, and part of the 95th regiment, being of the light division under the direc- tion of Major-General Craufurd, attacked the breaches on the left, in front of the suburb of St. Fran- cisco, and covered the left of the attack of the principal breach by the troops of the third division ; and Brigadier-General Pack was ‘destined with his brigade, forming the fifth column, to make a false attack upon the southern face of the fort. Besides these five co- lumns, the 94th regiment, belong- ing to the third division, descended into the ditch in two columns on the right of Major-Gen. M‘Kin- non’s brigade, with a view to pro- tect the descent of that body into the ditch, and its attack of the breach in the Fausse Braye, against the obstacles which it was supposed the enemy would construct to op- pose their progress. All these attacks succeeded; and Brigadier-General Pack even sur- passed my expectations, having con- verted his false attack into a real one, and his advanced guard, un- der the command of Major Lynch, having followed the enemy’s troops 199 from the advanced works into the Fausse Braye, where they made prisoners of all opposed to them. Major Ridge, of the 2d battalion of the 5th regiment, having es- caladed the Fausse Braye wall, stormed the principal breach in the body of the place, together with the 94th regiment, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Campbell, which had moved along the ditch at the same time, and stormed the breach in the Fausse Braye, both in front of Major-General M‘Kinnon’s bri- gade. Thus these regiments not only effectually covered the ad- vance from the trenches of Major- General M’Kinnon’s brigade by their first movements and opera- tions, but they preceded them in the attack. Major-Gen. Craufurd, and Ma- jor-Gen. Vandeleur, and the troops of the light division on the left, were likewise very forward on that side ; and in less than half an hour from the time the attack com- menced, our troops were in pos- session of, and formed on the ram- parts of the place, each body con- tiguous to the other. The enemy then submitted, having sustained a considerable loss in the contest, Our loss was also, [ am concern- ed to add, severe, particularly in officers of high rank and estima- tion inthis army. Major-General M‘Kinnon was unfortunately blown up by the accidental explosion of one of the enemy’s expense maga- zines, close to the breach, after he had gallantly and successfully led the troops under his command to the attack. Major-General Crau- furd likewise received a severe wound while he was leading on the light division to the storm, and I am apprehensive that I. shall be deprived 200 deprived for some time of his as- sistance. Major-General Vande- leur was likewise wounded in the same manner, but not so severely, and he was able to continue in the field. I have to add to this list, Lieutenant - Colonel Colborne, of the 53d regiment, and Major- Geo. Napier, who led the storm- ing party of the light division, and was wounded on the top of the breach. I have great pleasure in report- ing to your lordship the uniform good conduct, spirit of enterprize, and patience and perseverance in the performance of great labour, by which the general officers, of- ficers, and troops of the Ist, 3d, 4th, and light divisions, and Bri- gadier-General Pack’s brigade, by whom the siege was carried on, have been distinguished during the late operations. Lieutenant-Gene- ral Graham assisted me in super- intending the conduct of the de- tails of the siege, besides perform- ing the duties of the general officer commanding the first division; and Iam much indebted to the sug- gestions and assistance I received from him for the success of this en- terprize. The conduct of all parts of the third division, in the operations which they performed with so much gallantry and exactness on the evening of the 19th, in the dark, afford the strongest proof of the abilities of Lieutenant-General Picton and Major-General M‘Kin- non, by whom they were directed and led; but I beg particularly to draw your lordship’s attention to the conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel O*Toole of the 2d Cacadores, of Major Ridge of the 2d battalion 5th foot, of Lieutenant-Colonel ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Campbell ‘of the 94th regiment, of Major Manners of the 74th, and of Major Grey of the 2d bat- talion 5th foot, who has been twice wounded during this siege. It is but justice also to the 3d division to report, that the men who performed the sap belonged to the 45th, 74th, and 88th regi- ments, under the command of Captain M‘Leod of the royal en- gineers, and Captain Thompson of the 74th, Lieutenant Beresford of the 88th, and Lieutenant Metcalf of the 45th, and they distinguish- ed themselves not less in the storm of the place, than they had in the performance of their laborious duty during the siege. ‘ I have already reported in my letter of the 9th instant, my sense of the conduct of Major General Craufurd, and of Lieutenant-Colo- nel Colborne, and of the troops of the light division, in the storm of the redoubt of St. Francisco, on the evening of the 8th instant. The conduct of these troops was equally distinguished throughout the siege, and in the storm nothing could exceed the gallantry with which these brave officers and troops advanced and accomplished the difficult operation allotted to them, notwithstanding that all their leaders had fallen. I particularly request your lord~ ship’s attention to the conduct of Major-General Craufurd, Major- General Vandeleur, Lieut.-Colonel Barnard of the 95th, Lieut.-Col. Colborne, Major Gibbs, and Ma- jor Napier of the 52d, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel M‘Leod of the 43d. The conduct of Captain Duffy of the 43d, and that of Lieutenant Gurwood of the 52d regiment, who was wounded, have likewise been APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. been particularly reported to me; Lieutenant-Colonel Elder, and the 3d Cacadores, were likewise dis- tinguished upon this occasion. The Ist Portuguese regiment, under Lieut.-Colonel Hill, and the 16th, under Colonel _ Campbell, being Brigadier-General Pack’sbri- gade, were likewise distinguished in the storm, under the command of the Brigadier-General, who par- ticularly mentions Major Lynch. In my dispatch of the 15th, i reported to your lordship the at- tack of the Convent of Santa Cruz, by the troops of the Ist division, under the direction of Lieutenant- Genera! Graham, and that cf the Convent of St. Francisco, on the 14th instant, under the direction of Major-General the honourable C. Colville. The first-mentioned enterprize was performed by Cap- tain Laroche de Stackenfels, of the Ist line battalion of the King’s Ger- man legion; the last by Lieute- nant Colonel Harcourt, with the 40th regiment. This regiment re- mained from that time in the sub- urb of St. Francisco, and materially assisted our attack on that side of the place. Although it did not fall to the lot of the troops of the 1st and 4th divisions to bring these operations to their successful close, they dis- tinguished themselves throughout their progress, by the patience and penny with which they per- ormed the labours of the siege. The brigade of guards, under Ma- jor-gen. H. Campbell was particu- arly distinguished in this respect. I likewise request your lordship’s attention to the conduct of Lieu- tenant-Colonel Fletcher, the chief engineer, and of Brigade Major Jones, and the officers and men of the Royal Engineers. The abi- 201 lity with which these operations were carried on exceeds all praise; and I beg leave to recommend those officers to your lordship most particularly. Major Dickson, of the royal ar- tillery, attached to the Portuguese artillery, has for some time had the direction of the heavy train at- tached to this army, and has con- ducted the intricate details of the ~ late operation, as he did those of the late sieges of Badajoz, in the last summer, much to my satisfaction. The rapid execution produced by the well-directed fire kept up from our batteries, affords the best proof of the merits of the officers and men of the royal artillery, and of the Portuguese artillery employed on this occasion. But I must particu- larly mention Brigade Major May, and Captains Holcombe, Power, Dynely, and Dundas, of the royal artillery ; and Captains Da Cunha and Da Corta, and Lieut. Silva of the 1st regiment of Portuguese ar- tillery. I have likewise particularly to report to your lordship the con- duct of Major Sturgeon, of the royal staff corps. He constructed and placed for us the bridge over the Agueda, without which the en- terprize could not have been at- tempted; and he afterwards ma- terially assisted Lieutenant-Gene- tal Graham and myself, in our reconnoissance of the place, on which the plan of the attack was founded ; and he finally conducted the 2d battalion 5th regiment, as well as the 2d Cacadores, to their points of attack. The adjutant-general, and the deputy quarter-master-general, and the officers of their several depart- ments, gave me every assistance throughout this service, as well as those 202 those of my personal staff; and I have great pleasure in adding, that, . notwithstanding the season of the year, and the increased difficulties of procuring supplies for the troops, the whole army have been well supplied, and every branch of the service provided for during the late operations, by the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Commissary-ge- neral Bisset, and the officers be- longing to his department. The Marshal del Campo, Don Carlos d’Espana, and Don Julian Sanchez, observed the enemy’s movements beyond the Tormes, during the operations of the siege ; andi am much obliged to them, and to the people of Castile in ge- neral, for the assistance I received from them. The latter have inva- riably shown their detestation of the French tyranny, and their de- sire to contribute by every means in their power to remove it. I will hereafter transmit to your lordship a detailed account of what we have found in the place; but I believe there are 155 pieces of ‘ordnance, including the heavy train belonging to the French army, and great quantities of ammunition and stores. We have the Governor, General Banier, about seventy- eight officers, and one thousand se- ven hundred men, prisoners. I transmit this dispatch by my aid-de-camp, the honourable Ma- jor Gordon, who will give your lordship any further details you may require; and I beg leave to recommend him toyour protection. ~ I have the honour to be, &c. WELLINGTON. Tinclosea return of the prisoners, and of the ordnance which has been taken on this occasion. I have not yet been able to collect the returns ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of the killed and wounded; I there~ fore transmit a list containing the names of those who have fallen ac- cording to the best information I could obtain, and I will forward the returns to your lordship as soon as possible. Gallegos, Jan. 22. My Lord,—I have the honour to inclose the returns of the killed and wounded of the troops engaged in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, which it was not in my power to transmit to your Lordship in my dispatch of the 20th instant. I have the honour to be, &c. WELLINGTON. Return of killed, wounded, and missing, of the army under the command of his Excellency Gene- ral Lord Viscount Wellington K.B. at Ciudad Rodrigo, between the 15th and the 19th days of January, 1812. Total British loss between the 15th and 19th of January, 1812.— 1 General staff, 5 Captains, 2 Lieu- tenants, 8 serjeants, 1 drummer, 113 rank and file killed;—3 Gene- ral staff, 1 Lieut.-Col. 2 Majors, 19 Captains, 28 Lieutenants, 5 Ensigns, 2 staff, 28 serjeants, 5 drummers, 403 rank and _ file, wounded ; 5 rank and file missing. Total Portuguese loss,—1 ser- jeant, 18 rank and file, killed ;—1 Captain, 3 Lieutenants, 1 serjeant, 91 rank and file, wounded ;—2 rank and file missing. General total,—1 General staff, 5 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, 9 serjeants, 1 drummer, 131 rank and file, killed ;--3 General staff, 1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 2 Majors, 20 Captains, 31 ‘Lieutenants, 5 Ensigns, 2 staff, 29 serjeants, 5 drummers, APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 5 drummers, 494 rank and file, wounded ;—7 rank and file mis- sing. C. STEWART, Maj.-Gen. and Adj.-Gen. Fromthe London Gazette, March 28. [Transmitted by Sir E. Pellew.] His Majesty's Ship Alceste, off Lissa, Dec. 11, 1811. His Majesty’s ships under my orders having been driven from their anchorage before Lugina, by strong gales, had taken shelter in Lissa; when the telegraph on Whitby Hill signalized three sus- picious sail South; Alceste, Active, and Unité, were warped out of Port St. George, the moment a strong E.N.E. wind would per- mit; and on the evening of the 28th ult. off the south end of Lissa, I met with Lieutenant M‘Dougall, of his Majesty’s ship Unité, who, with a judgment and zeal which does him infinite credit, had put back, when on his voyage to Malta in a neutral, to acquaint me he had seen three French Fri- gates, 40 miles to the southward. Every sail was carried on in chace, and at nine in the morning of the z9th the enemy were seen off the island of Augusta: he formed in line upon the larboard tack, and stood towards us fora short time; but finding his Majesty’s ships bearing upon him under all sail in close line abreast, he bore up to the N. W. and set steering sails. At eleven the rear ship separated, and stood to the N. E.; I immediately detached the Unité after her, {and Captain Chamberlayne’s re- ort to me of the result I have the onour to inclose). At twenty minutes after one p.m. the Alceste 203 commenced action with the other two, by engaging the rear in pass- ing to get at the Commodore, but an unlucky shot soon after- wards bringing down our maintop- mast, we unavoidably dropped a little astern: cheers of ‘Vive l?Em- pereur’ resounded from both ships, they thought the day their own, not aware of what a second I had in my gallant friend Captain Gordon, who pushed the active up under every sail, and brought the stern- most to action, within pistol-shot ; the headmost then shortened sail, tacked, and stood for the Alceste, (which, though disabled in her masts, I trust he experienced was by no means so at her guns), and after a warm conflict of two hours and twenty minutes, it ended by the French Commodore making sail to the Westward, which, from my crippled state, I was unable to prevent, and the other surrendering after being totally dismasted and five feet water in the hold; she proved to be the Pomone, of 44 guns, and three hundred and twen- ty-two men, commanded by Cap- tain Rosamel, who fought his ship with a skill and bravery, that have obtained for him the respect and esteem of his opponents: the other was the Pauline, of similar force, commanded by Monsieur Mon- ford Capitaine de Vaisseau, with a broad pendant; they were from Corfu, going to join the squadron at Trieste, The Alceste had twen- ty killed and wounded, Active thirty-two, and Pomone fifty ; and it is with poignant regret I inform you, that Captain Gordon has lost a leg: but, thank God, he is doing , well; his merits as an_ officer need not dwell upon, they are known to his country; and he lives 204 lives in the hearts of all who have the happiness to know him. His first Lieutenant, Dashwood, lost his arm soon after he was wound- ed, and the ship was fought by Lieutenant Haye in a manner that reflects the highest honour upon him; his services before had fre- quently merited and obtained the high approbation and strong re- commendation of his captain, who also speaks in the warmest praise of acting Lieutenant Moriarty, Mr. Lothian, master, Lieutenant Meers, royal marines, and every officer, seaman, and marine under _ his command. And though our suc- cess was not so complete as I trust it would have been, could the Al- ceste have taken up her intended position alongside Pauline, instead of that ship, from the fall of our top-mast, being enabled to manceu- vre and choose her distance, I feel it my duty to state, that every offi- cer and man here behaved most gallantly. I was most ably assisted on the quarter deck by my first Lieutenant, A. Wilson, and Mr. H. Moore, master; and the main- deck guns were admirably direct- ed by Lieutenant James Montague and Mr. James Adair, acting in the place of Lieutenant Hickman, at Lissa, with the gun-boats. In justice to two very deserving offi- cers (Lieut. Miller, royal marines, Active, and Lieut. Lloyd, royal marines, Alceste), it is necessary to mention they were ashore with most of their respective parties at Camesa Castle and Hoste’s Islands, for the defence of Lissa, hourly threatened with an attack from the enemy, assembled in great force at Scisina. The Kingfisher hove in sight, and joined soon after the action; and Captain Tritton rendered essential service ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. by taking the prize in tow. Cap- tain Bligh, of the Acorn, to whom I have intrusted the defence of Lissa in our absence, has had an arduous duty to perform; but no difficulties arise, when all are actu- ated by zeal for his Majesty’s ser- vice ; and the little squadron you have done me the honour to entrust me with, possess it in an eminent degree. Unité has just joined, af- ter seeing the Persanne into Lissa; and Captain Chamberlayne, with his usual alacrity, has repaired his damage, and made the sig- nal of being fit for service; and I am happy to say, this ship will in a few hours more be perfectly so also. I intend sending the Active with prizes and prison- ers to Malta as soon as possible, which, from the state of her wounded officers and men, I am sure will meet your approbation. Inclosed are lists of the killed and wounded, and I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) Murray Maxwe Lt. To Capt. Rowley, &c. His Majesty's ship Unité, ‘Nov. 29, 1811. Sir,—I am to acquaint you, that in obedience to your signal to chace this morning, I was enabled, by the superior sailing of his Ma- jesty’s ship under my command, to so far close immediately in the wake of the enemy’s. frigate at noon, as to exchange bow and stern chasers, but the very variable state of the weather from that time, the wind veering from the south to the east, and our opponent keeping directly astern, prevented my get- ting closer until near four o'clock, when, part of our broadside being fired at him, he returned his, and struck his colours. You will judge my APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. my astonishment at her proving to be La Persanne, of 860 tons, 26 9- pounders, anda complement of 125 men and 65troops, having on board 120 iron anda few brass ordnance; she was commanded by Moas. Joseph Endie Stotie, Capitaine de Frigate, whose masterly ma- nceuvres and persevering resistance for near four hours, reflect great credit on him. Our masts, yards, sails, and rigging, bear ample tes- timony to his galling fire. We have only one man wounded ; the enemy two killed, and four wound- ed. The coolness and steady atten- tion to my orders on the part of my First Lieutenant, Mr. W. Crabb, Lieutenant M*‘Dougall, Lieutenant Hotham, Mr. Gibson, lately promoted for his gallantry on board the Active, and the whole of the other officers and ship’s com- pany, could only be equalled by theirextreme disappointmentat dis- covering, at the enemy’s surrender, we had been opposed to a vessel of inferior force. I inclosea list of our defects, and the name of the wound- edman—(Thomas Tate, ordinary, severely )—I remain, &c. ( Signed) E. H. CHAMBERLAYNE, Capt. M. Maxwell, Captain of his Majesty’s ship Alceste, and senior officer, &c. List of the enemy’s squadron en- gaged by his Majesty’s ships Al- ceste, Active, and Unité, off Lissa, on the 29th of November, 1811. La Pauline, M. Montfort, Cap- tain, of 44 guns, 322 men, and 1,100 tons ; escaped. La Pomone, C. Rosamel, Capt. of 44 guns, 322 men, and 1,100 tons, taken. Has in her hold 42 iron and 9 brass guns, and 220 iron wheels for gun carriages. 205 La Persanne, M. Stotie, of 26 guns, 190 men, and 860 tons, taken. Isa store ship of 26 nine pounds guns (new) ; has about 130 iron and some brass guns in her hold. (Signed) Murray MAxwELt, Capt. Admiralty-Office, March 31st. Copy of a letter to Rear-Admi- ral Foley, commander-in-chief in the Downs :— His Majesty's sloop, Rosario, off Dieppe, March 27th. Sir ;—It is with much satisfac- tion I have to acquaint you, that at half-past eight a. m. Dieppe bear- ing S. W. four or five*miles, we observed an enemy’s flotilla, con- sisting of twelve brigs and one lugger, standing along shore ; and immediately made sail to cut off the leeward-most. The enemy, by signal from their commodore, formed into a line, and engaged us severally as we passed ; but upon luffing up to-cut off the sternmost, the whole bore up to support her, and endeavour to close with us. Finding them thus determined to support each other, and the small force of the Rosario not admitting my running the risk of being laid on board by several at once, I bore up to a brig we observed in the offing (and which’ proved to be the Griffon) and made the signal for an enemy. The moment she had answered, we hauled to the wind, and at forty minutes after twelve, began to harass the enemy’s rear, who were then endeavouring to get into Dieppe under all sail ; tacked and wore occasionally to close, receiving and returning the fire of the whole line each time ; at half-past one, being far enough to windward, run into the body ae the 206 the enemy, and by cutting away the running rigging ofthe two near- est, drove them on board each other, backed the maintopsail, and engaged them within musket shot till they were clear ; then stood on and engaged another, whose main- mast and foretop-mast soon went by the board, when she immedi- ately anchored; passed her, and drove the next in the line on shore ; two more of their line yet remain- ed to leeward ; bore up and ran the nearest one on board (then not more than three quarters of a mile from the shore). So far the Ro- sario had acted alone, as the Grif- fon had not yet arrived within gun- shot ; bore away with. prize be- yond range of the batteries, and hailed the Griffon (then passing under a press of sail), to chase the remaining brig, and which service she performed in a very handsome manner, by running her on shore near St. Aubin, under a very heavy fire from the shore; seeing no probability of the Griffon being able to destroy the brig, made her signal to attack the enemy in the S.E., then anchoring close in shore. In the mean time we were getting the prisoners on board, and repair- ing the running rigging, which was much damaged. Capt. Trol- lope having closed with the enemy, run the Griffon in shore of one at anchorfnearly in the center, and in the most gallant manner laid her on board, cut her cables, and stood out, under the fire of the batteries, and the whole of the other brigs : upon passing the Griffon, I found her too much disabled to immedi- ately make sail again to the attack, but being determined to have ano- ther (and although we had nearly as many prisoners as our own sloop’s company )I run the dismast- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ed one on board, which we found the enemy had deserted, but this circumstance the darkness of the night prevented our being enabled previously to discover, at which time the remaining seven of the flo~ tilla were under weigh, getting into Dieppe harbour. I must beg leave to mention the very able as- sistance I received from the exer- tions of my first lieutenant, Mr. James Shaw, in boarding the ene- my, and during the whole of the day/in the arduous task of working the ship while engaging ; and the conduct of the whole of the other officers andship’s company was such as to merit my warmest approba- tion. Wehaveonly one petty officer and four men wounded ; the officer is Mr. Jonathan Widdicome Dyer, midshipman, whose unremitted exertions during the action, and ac- tivity in boarding (whenhereceived the wound), together with his ge- neral good conduct, renders it my duty to recommend him: The flotillais the fourteenth divi- sion, commanded by Monsieur Sarue, capitaine de vaisseau, and commandant de division; sailed from Boulogne at ten p. m. the 26th instant, and intended going to Cherbourg ; each brig has three long brass twenty-four pounders, and an 8-inch brass howitzer, with a complement of fifty men. When I consider this flotilla, united to batteries keeping up a constant fire of both shot and shells, and the very small force we had, I trust the having taken three, run two on shore, and much damaged the others, will show our zeal for the public service, and meet your ap- probation. I have the honour to be, &c. B. Harvey, Commander. Rear-Admiral Foley, &c. Londow APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. London Gazette Extraordinary. Downing-street, April 24th. Captain Canning, aid-de-camp to General the Earl of Wellington, ar- rived last night at this office, bring- ing dispatches, addressed by his lordship to the Earl of Liverpool, of which the following are extracts or copies : Extract of a Dispatch from the Earl of Wellington, dated Camp before Badajoz, April 3rd. We opened our fire on the 31st of March from 26 pieces of can- non, in the second parallel, to breach the face of the bastion at the south east angle of the fort called La Trinidad ; and the flank of the bastion by which the face is defended called Santa Maria. The fire upon these has continued since with great effect. _ The enemy made a sortie on the night of the 29th, upon the troops of General Hamilton’s divi- sion, which invest the place on the right of the Guadiana, but were immediately driven in with loss. We lost no men on this occasion. The movements of Lieut.-Gen. Sir T. Graham and of Lieut.-Gen. Sir Rowland Hill, have obliged the enemy to retire by the different reads towards Cordova, with the exception of a small body of in- fantry and cavalry, which remain- ed at Zalamea de la Serena, in front of Belalcazer. Marshal Soult broke up in front of Cadiz on the 23rd and 24th, and has marched upon Seville with all the troops which were there, with the exception of four thou- sand men. f I understand that he was to march from Seyille again on the 30th or 31st. 207 Ihave not heard from Castilesince the 30th ultimo. One division of the army of Portugal, which had been in the province of Avila, had on that day arrived at Guadapero, within twoleagues of Ciudad Rodri- go; and it was supposed that Marshal Marmont was on his march with other troops from the side of Salamanca. The river Agueda was not ford- able for troops on the 30th. Copy of a Dispatch from the Eart of Wellington, dated Camp be- Sore Badajoz, April 7th. My Lord ;—My dispatch of the 3rd instant will have apprised your lordship of the state of the opera- tions against Badajoz to that date, which were brought to a close on the night of the 6th, by the capture of the place by storm. The fire continued during the 4th and 5th against the face of the bastion of La Trinidad, and the flank of the bastion of Santa Ma- ria; and on the 4th, in the morn- ing we opened another battery of six guns, in the second parallel, against the shoulder of the ravelin of St. Roque, and the wall in its gorge. Practicable breaches were effect- ed in the bastions above-mention- ed, in the evening of the 5th ; but as I had observed that the enemy had entrenched the bastion of La Trinidad, and the most formidable preparations were making for the defence as well of the breach in that bastion, as of that in the bastion of Santa Maria, I determin- ed to delay the attack for ano- ther day, and to turn all the guns in the batteries in the second paral- lel on the curtain of La Trinidad, in hopes that by effecting a third breach, the troops would be a € 208 bled to turn the the enemy’s works for the defence of the other two, the attack of which would besides be connected by the troops des- tined to attack the breach in the curtain. This breach was effected in the evening of the 6th, and the fire of the face of the bastion of Santa Maria and of the flank of the bastion of La Trinidad being overcome, I determined to attack the place that night. I had kept in reserve, in the neighbourhood of this camp, the 5th division, under Lieut.-General Leith, which had left Castile only in the middle of March, and had but lately arrived in this part of the country, and I brought them up on that evening. The plan for the attack was, that Lieut.-Gen. Picton should attack the castle at Badajoz by escalade with the 3rd division; anda de- tachment from the guard in the trenches, furnished that evening by the 4th division, under Major Wil- son of the 48th regiment, should attack the ravelin of St. Roque up- on his left ; while the 4th division, under the Hon. Maj.-Gen. Col- ville, and the light division under Lieut.-Colonel Bernard should at- tack the breaches in the bastions of La Trinidad and of Santa Ma- ria, and in the curtain by which they are connected. The 5th divi- sion were to occupy the ground which the 4th and light divisions had occupied during the siege, and Lieut.-General Leith was to make a false attack upon the outwork ealled Pardeleras, and another on the works of the fort towards the Guadiana, with the left brigade of the division, under Major-General Walker, which he was to turn into a real attack, if circumstances ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. should prove favourable; and Brigadier-Gen. Power, who in- vested the place with his Portu- guese brigade on the right of the Guadiana, was directed to make false attacks on the téte-du-pont, the fort St. Christoval, and the new redoubt called Mon-cceur. The attack was accordingly made at ten at night, Lieut.- Gen. Picton preceding, by a few minutes, the attack by the remain- der of the troops. : Major-General Kempt led this attack, which went out from the right of the first parallel ; he was unfortunately wounded in crossing the river Rivellas below. the inun- dation; but notwithstanding this circumstance, and the obstinate re- sistance of the enemy, the castle was carried by escalade, and the 8rd division established in it at about half-past eleven. ‘ While this was going on, Major Wilson, of the 48th regiment, carried the ravelin of St. Roque by the gorge, with a detachment of two hundred men of the guard in the trenches, and, with the assistance of Major Squire, of the engineers, established himself within that work. The 4th and light divisions moved tothe attack from the camp, along the left of the river Rivellas, and of the inundation. They were not perceived by the enemy till they reached the covered way, and the advanced guards of the two divisions descended without diffi- culty into the ditch, protected by the fire of the parties stationed on the glacis for that purpose ; and they advanced to the assault of the breaches, led by their gallant offi- cers, with the utmost intrepidity ; but such was the nature of the ob= stacles prepared by the enemy * the APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. the top and behind the breaches, and so determined their resistance, that our troops could not establish themselveswithintheplace. Many brave officers and soldiers were killed or wounded by explo- sions at the top of the breaches ; others who succeeded to them were obliged to give way, having found it impossible to penetrate the obstacles which the enemy had prepared to impede their progress. These at- tempts were repeated till after twelve at night, when, finding that success was not to be attained, and that Lieut.-General Picton was established in the castle, I ordered that the 4th and light divisions might retire to the ground on which they had first assembled for the attack. In the mean time Major-Gen. Leith had pushed forward Major- General Walker’s brigade on the left, supported by the 38th regi- ment under Lieut.-Col. Nugent, and the 15th Portuguese regiment under Lieut.-Colonel De Regoa; and he had made a false attack upon the Pardeleras with the 8th Cacadores under Major Hill. Maj.- General Walker forced the barrier on the road of Olivenca, and en- tered the covered way on the left of the bastion of St. Vicente, close to the Guadiana. He there de- scended into the ditch and esca- laded the face of the bastion of St. ‘Vicente. Lieut.-General Leith supported this attack by the 38th regiment and the 15th Portuguese regiment ; and our troops being thus establish- ed in the castle which commands all the works of the town, and in the town; and the 4th and light divisions being formed again for the attack of the breaches, all re- Vor. LIV. 209 sistance ceased ; and at daylight in the morning, the governor, Gen. Philippon, who had retired to fort St. Christoval, surrendered, toge- ther with General Veilande, and all the staff and the whole garrison. Ihave not got accurate reports of the strength of the garrison, or of the number of the prisoners; but General Philippon has informed me, that it consisted of five thou- sand men at the commencement of the siege, of which twelve hundred were killed or wounded -during the operations, besides those lost in the assault of the place. There were five French battalions, besides two of the regiments of Hesse D’Armstadt, and the artillery, engineers, &c.; and I understand there are four thousand prisoners. It is impossible that any expres- sions of mine can convey to your lordship the sense which [I enter- tain of the gallantry of the officers and troops upon this occasion. The list of killed and wounded will show that the general officers, the staff attached to them, the commanding, and other officers of regiments, put themselves at the head of the attacks which they severally directed, and set the ex- ample of gallantry which was so well followed by their men. The duties in the trenches were conducted successively by the Hon. Major-Gen. Colville, Major-Gen. Bowes, and Major-Gen. Kempt, under the superintendance of Lieut. General Picton. Ihave had occasion to mention all these offi- cers during the course of the ope- rations, and they all distinguished themselves, and were all wounded in the assault. I am particularly obliged to Lieut.-General Picton, for the mannerin which he arranged P the 210 the attack of the castle, and for that in which he supported the at- tack, and established his troops in that important post. Marshal Sir William Beresford assisted mein conducting the details of this siege, and I am much in- debted to him for the cordial assist- ance which I received from him, as well during its progress, as in the last operation, which brought it to a termination. Lieut.-General Leith’s arrange- ments for the false attack upon the Pardeleras, and that under Major- General Walker, were likewise most judicious; and he availed himself of the circumstances of the moment, to push forward and sup- port the attack under Major-Gen. Walker, in a manner highly cre- ditable to him. The gallantry and conduct of Major-Gen. Walker, who was also wounded, and that of the officers and troops under his command, were highly conspicu- ous. The arrangements made by Ma- jor-General Colville for the attack by the 4th division, were very judicious, and he led them to the attack in the most gallant manner. In consequence of the absence, onaccount of sickness, of Maj.-gen. Vandeleur and Colonel Beckwith, Lieut.-Col. Barnard commanded the light division in the assault, and distinguished himself not less by the manner in which he made the arrangements for that opera- tion, than by his personal gallantry in its execution. _ I have also to mention Major- General Harvey, of the Portuguese service, commanding a brigade in the 4th division, and Brigadier- Gen. Champlemond, commanding the Portuguese brigade in the 3rd ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. division, as highly distinguished. Brigadier-Gen. Harvey was wound- ed in the storm. Your lordship will see, in the list of killed and wounded, a list of the commanding officers of regi- ments. In Lieut.-Col. M*‘Leod, of the 43rd regiment, who was killed in the breach, his Majesty has sustained the loss of an officer who was an ornament to his pro- fession and was capable of render- ing the most important services to his country. I must likewise men- tion Lieut.-Colonel Gibbs of the 52nd regiment, who was wounded, and Major O’Hara of the 95th, unfortunately killed in the breach ; Lieut.-Colonel Elder of the 3rd, and Major Algeo of the Ist Caga- dores. Lieut.-Colonel Harcourt, of the 40th, likewise wounded, was highly distinguished, and Lieut.-Col. Blakeney of the royal fusileers, Knight of the 27th, Erskine of the 48th, and Captain Leaky, who commanded the 23rd regiment, Lieut.-Col. Ellis having been wounded during the previous operations of the siege. In the Sth division I must men- tion Major Hill, of the 8th Caga- dores, who directed the false attack upon the fort Pardeleras. It was impossible for any men to behave better than these did. I must like- wise mention Lieut.-Col. Brook of the 4th regiment, the Hon. Lieut.- Colonel Carlton of the 44th, and Lieut.-Colonel Grey, of the 30th, who was unfortunately killed. The 2nd battalion of the 38th, under Lieut.-Colonel Nugent, and the 15th Portuguese regiment under Colonel De Regoa, likewise per- formed their part in a very exem- plary manner. The officers and troops in be r APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 3rd_ division have distinguished themselves as usual in these opera- tions. Lieut.-General Picton has reported to me particularly the conduct of Lieut.-Col. Williams of the 60th, Lieut-.Colonel Ridge of the 5th, who was unfortunately killed in the assault of the castle ; Lieut.-Colonel Forbes of the 45th regiment, Lieut.-Col. Fitzgerald of the 60th, Lieut.-Cols. Trench and Manners of the 74th regiment, Maior Carr, of the 83rd, and the Hon. Major Pakenham, assistant- adjutant-general to the 3rd division. He has likewise particularly re- ported the good conduct of Colonel Campbell of the 94th, command- ing the Hon. Major-Gen. Colville’s brigade during his absence in com- mand of the 4th division, whose conduct I have so frequently had occasion to report to your lordship. The officers and men of the corps of engineers and artillery were equally distinguished during the operations of the siege, and in its close. Lieut.-Colonel Fletcher continued to direct the works (not- withstanding that he was wounded in the sortie made by the enemy on the 19th of March), which were carried on by Major Squire and Major Burgoyne, under his direc- tions. The former established the detachments under Major Wilson in the ravelin of St. Roque on the night of the storm; the Jatter at- tended the attack of the 3rd division on the castle. I have likewise to report the good conduct of Major Jones, Capt. Nicholas, and Capt. Williams of the royal engineers. Major Dickson conducted the details ofthe artillery service during this siege, as well as upon former occasions, under the general super- intendance of Lieut.-Col. Framing- 21k ham, who since the absence of Major-General Borthwick, has commanded the artillery with this army. I cannot. sufficiently ap- plaud the officers and soldiers of the British and Portuguese artillery during this siege, particularly Lieut.-Colonel Robe, who opened the breaching batteries. [Majors May and Holcombe, Captain Gardner and Lieut. Bouchier, of the royal artillery; Captain De Rettberg, of the King’s German artillery; and Major Tulloh, of the Portuguese. Adverting to the extent of the details of the ordnance department during this siege, to the difficulty of weather, &c. with which Major Dickson had to contend, I must mention him most particularly to your lordship. The officers of the adjutant and quarter-master-general’s _depart- ments rendered me every assistance on this occasion, as well as those of my personal staff; and I have to add, that I have received reports from the general officers command- ing divisions, of the assistance they received from the officers of those departments attached to them, the greatest number of whom and of their personal staff are wounded. In a former dispatch, I reported to your lordship the difficulties with which I had to contend, in consequence of the failure of the civil authorities of the province of Alentejo to perform their cuty, and supply the army with means of transport; these difficulties have continued to exist; but I must do General Victoria, the governor of Elvas, the justice to report, that he and the troops under his com- mand, have made every carton an 212 and have done every thing in their power to contribute to our success. Marshal Soult left Seville on the Ist instant with all the troops which he could collect in Anda- lusia; and he was in communica- tion with the troops which had re- tired from’ Estramadura, -under General Drouét, on the 3rd, and he arrived at Llerena on the 4th. I had intended to collect the army in proportion as Marshal Soult should advance; and I requested Lieutenant-General Sir . Thomas Graham to retire gradually, while Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill should do the same from Don Benito and the upper parts of the Guadiana. I do not think it certain that Marshal Soult has made any de- cided movement from Llerena since the 4th, although he has patroled forward with small detachments of cavalry, and the advanced guard of his mfantry have been at Usagre. None of the army of Portugal have moved to join him. According to the last reports which I have received to the 4th instant on the frontiers of Castile, it appears that Marshal Marmont had established a body of troops between the Agueda and the Coa, and he had reconnoitred Almeida onthe3rd._ Brigadier-Gen.Trant’s division of militia had arrived on the Coa, and Brigadier-Gen. Wilson’s division was following with the cavalry, and Lieut.-General the ‘Conde D’Amarante was on_ his march, with a part of the corps under his command, towards the Douro. I have the honour to enclose re- turns of the killed and wounded from the 31st of March, and in the assault of Badajoz, and a return of the ordnance, small arms, and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ammunition found in the place; I will send returns of provisions by the next dispatch. This dispatch will be delivered to your lordship by my aid-de- camp, Captain Canning: whom I beg leave to recommend to your protection. He has likewise the colours of the gariison, and the colours of the Hesse D’Armstadt regiment, to be laid at the feet of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. The French battalions in the garrison had no eagles. (Signed) WELLINGTON. Copy of a Dispatch frum the Earl of Wellington, dated Camp at Ba- dajoz, April 8. My Lord,—It gives me great pleasure to inform your lordship, that our numerous wounded offi- cers and soldiers are doing well. I have had great reason to be satisfied with the attention paid to them by Mr. M’Gregor, the in- spector-general of hospitals, and the medical gentlemen under his direction ; and I trust that the loss to the service, upon this occasion, will not eventually be great. I have the honour to be, &c. - ) WELLINGTON. The Earl of Liverpool, &c. Return of killed, wounded, and missing, of the army under the command of his Excellency Ge- neral Arthur Earl of Wellington, K. B. at the Siege of Badajoz. British loss from 3rd ‘to 5th April, 1812—3 rank and file killed; 1 officer, 26 rank/and file wounded. British loss from 6th’to 7th April, 1812,—51 officers, 40 ser-~ jeants, 557 rank and file killed ; 212 officers, 153 serjeants, 12 drummers, 1,945 rank. and file, wounded ; 1 serjeant, 21 rank and file.missing. Total British loss—51 officers, 40 serjeants, Ee APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 40 serjeants, 560 rank and file killed; 213 officers, 153 serjeants, 12 drummers, 1,971 rank and file wounded; 1 serjeant, 21 rank and file missing. ‘Portuguese loss from 3rd_ to 5th _ April, 1812—1 officer, 9 rank and file killed; 3 officers, 1 drummer, 12 rank and file wounded. Portuguese loss from 6th to 7th April, 1812—8 officers, 6 serjeants, 1 drummer, 140 rank and file killed: 45 officers, 32 serjeants, 2 drummers, 466 rank and. file wounded ; 30 rank and file missing. _ Total Portuguese loss—9 officers, 6 serjeants, 1 drummer, 149 rank and file killed; 48 officers, 32 ser- jeants, 3 drummers, 478 rank and file wounded; 30 rank and file missing. British loss during the siege— 60 officers, 45 serjeants, 715 rank and file wounded; 1 serjeant, 32 rank and file missing. Portuguese loss during the siege —12 officers, 6 serjeants, 2 drum- mers, 195 rank and file killed; 55 officers, 38 serjeants, 3 drummers, 684 rank and file wounded; 30 rank and file missing. Grand total from 18th March to 7th April, 1812, inclusive — 72 officers, 5i serjeants, 2 drummers 910 rank and file killed ; 308 of- ficers, 216 serjeants, 17 drummers, 3,248 rank’and file wounded ; 1 ser- jeant, 62 rank and file missing. From the London Gazette, Saturday, May 9. Admiralty-office, May. 9. [ Transmitted by Sir Edw. Pellew.] His Majesty's ship Victorious, Port St. George, Lissa, March, 3. _Sir,—On the 16th ultimo I ar- rived off the port of Venice; the 213 weather was very foggy at the time, and continued so till the 21st, which prevented me_reconnoitring the port. At half past two o'clock p- m, on that day, a brig was seen E. N. S.; at three o’clock a large ship with two more brigs and two, settees in the samedirection ; all sail was made in chase; at fouro’clock I made the Weazle’ssignal to prepare for action; at this time I was con- vinced that the ship seen was one of the enemy’s line of battle ships proceeding from Venice to the port of Pola, in Istria. The enemy were sailing in a line of battle, with the two gun-boats, and one brig a-head, the other two brigs in aline a-stern. At half-past two o'clock a. m. I perceived that one oftheenemy’sbrigs droppeda-stern, and that the line of battle ship had shortened sail to allow her to close again. I hailed the Weazle. and ordered Captain Andrew to endea- vour to pass the Victorious, and if possible, to bring the brigs a-stern of the commodore to action, in hopes of inducing him to shorten sail, which had the desired effect. At a quarter past four o'clock, his Majesty’s brig Weazle commenced the action with the two brigs. At half-past four we commencedaction at the distance of half pistol shot, with the line of battle ship, neither ships having fired a single shot until that time. At five we perceived a brig to blow up: at day-light L perceived the Weazle in chase of the brigs, the gun-boats not in sight. I recalled her as she did not appear to close with the chaco, We were at this time in seven fathoms water off the Point of Grao, and I was fearful we might want assistance from her, in case either of the ships had got on shore on 214 on the bank. Captain Andrew, on being recalled, placed his brig very judiciously on the bow of the line of battle ship, within pistol shot, and in that situation he gave her three broadsides. The enemy for nearly the last two hours had been rendered perfectly unmanageable, and had kept up a very slow fire, and that chiefly from two guaos on the quarter-deck ; her mizen mast fell over her side about a quarter before nine o’clock. At nine they hailed us, and said they had struck ; I sent on board Mr. Peake, the first lieutenant, to take possession ofher. I found the squadron we had engaged consisted of two gun- boats, the Mameluke brig of 10 guns, and Jena and Mercure of 18 guns each, with the Rivoli of 74 guns, bearing the broad pendant of Commo. Batre, the commander-in- chiefof the enemy’s forces in the Adriatic. From the length of the action, and the smoothness of the water, the loss of menand the da- mages on both sides, I am sorry to say, have been very great indeed, neither ship having been above half musket shot from eachother during the whole of the action, which only ceased at intervals, when the ships were hid from each other by the fog and smoke, and were not even able to see the flashes of each other’s guns. I feel great satisfaction in saying that the conduct of Commo. Barre, during the whole of the action, convinced me J had to deal with a most gallant and brave man, and, in manceuvring his ship, a most ex- perienced and skilful officer. He did not surrender his ship till nearly two hours aftershe wasrendered un- manageable, and had 400 killed or wounded ; his captain and most ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of his officers either killed or wounded. By the returns you will perceive, sir, that our loss, too, has been very severe. I have to regret, as well as the service, the loss of two very fine young men, Lieutenants Thomas H. Griffiths and Robert S. Ashbridge, of the royal marines, who were mortally wounded early in the action, with many other brave and good men, both seamen and marines. The conduct of the officers has been throughout highly meritorious both during the action, and also in se- curing the masts‘ of the ship, in the very bad weather we met before we gained the port of Lissa. Having received acontusion from a splinter early in the action, for some days afterwards I have been deprived nearly of my eye-sight; all which time the exertions by Mr. Peake, my senior lieutenant, prevented my inability from being of any de- triment to his Majesty’s service. The Rivoli, in crossing the Gulph of Fiume, lost her fore and main- masts; but by the exertions of Lieutenants Whyte and Coffin, who had charge of her, she was brought safe into the port of Lissa under jury-masts. I feel particu- larly indebted to Captain Andrew, of the Weazle, for his exertions during the action, and also for the assistance he gave to the Rivoli afterwards. Ihave sent enclosed a copy of his letter, reporting to me his conduct, and that of his officers and crew during the night of the action. He particularly mentions his senior lieutenant, whom he strongly recommends to the notice of the commander-in-chief. The numbers of wounded, and the se- verity of the. wounds, have caused Mr. Baird, the surgeon, and Mr. ©’ Meara, rz APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. O‘Meara, the only assistant on board, very great fatigue. The conduct of Mr. W. H. Gibbons and Mr. John J. Keeling, master’s mates deserves notice. The con- duct of Captain Stevens, of the royal marines, I cannot avoid men- tioning, and that of Mr. Crawford the master was perfectly to my satisfaction. During the whole of this severe action nota single explo- sion took place en board, or a man hurt, either through carelessness or accident; both the officers and men, for their steady and cool conduct, deserve every credit. I have sent herewith the returns, as far as I have been able to procure, of the killed and wounded on board the Rivoli. I landed a great number of the wounded prisoners in Istria, having sent a flag of truce to the town of Pirang, to request the commandant of that port would send off boats to receive them, which accordingly he did. I have sent the remainder of them from this port by a schooner to Spalatro, in Dalmatia. When we commenced the action, the Victo- rious had only 506 persons actually on board, 60 of which were in the sick list, but most of the sick were able to assist in the action. The Rivoli had on board 863 persons at the commencement of tle action. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) Joun Taxzor. Captain of the Victorious, and senior officer of the upper part of the Adriatic. To Charles Rowley, esq. Captain of the Eagle, and senior officer in the Adriatic. His Majesty's sloop Weazle, Feb. 22, Cape Salvore, S. E. by E. distant 12 or 14 miles. 215 Sir,—In pursuance of your di- rections this morning at half-past two, ordering me a-head and to bring the enemy’s brigs to action, I have the honour to inform you, that at a quarter past four a. m. I came up with two French brigs, one within half pistol-shot, which we immediately engaged, and after an action of 40 minutes, she blew up without doing us any damage. I am sorry we saved only three men from her, and those much bruised and wounded. She proves to have been the French brig Le Mercure, of 18 24-pounders carro- nades, commanded by a Lieute- nant de Vaisseau. During the greater part of this time the other brig engaged us on our bow, but seeing the fate of her companion, and from the darkness of the morn- ing, and our rigging being much cut, she made her escape. At day-light we observed this brig and another, the first about three miles a-head. At six o’clock made all sail in chase: answered the signal of recall; bore up. At eight o'clock came across the Rivoli’s bows, within musket shot, and gave her a broadside, wore, and tacked as necessary to continue raking her; at nine she fired a gun to leeward, when we ceased firing. The whole of the afore-mentioned service, Iam extremely happy to say, was performed without the loss of aman on my part, from the steady, determined, and cool, be- haviour of every officer and man on board; and I most earnestly request you will be pleased to re- commend to the commander-in- chief, Mr. George Elliot, my first lieutenant, and every other officer and man on board his Majesty's sloop, 216 sloop, which I have the honour to command. I have the honour tobe, &c. (Signed) Joun ANDREW, Commander. Te John Talbot, esq. Captain of his Majesty’s ship Victorious. Admiralty-Ofice, May 30. [Transmitted by Lord Keith. ] Northumberland, off the Penmarks, Wind S. Si W. light breeze, and Jjine weather, May 24. Sir,—I have the honour to in- form you, the object of the orders Ireceived from you on the 12th instant, to proceed off L’Orient for the purpose of intercepting two French frigates and a brig lately seen at sea, has been accomplished, by their total destruction, at the entrance of that port, by his Ma~ jesty’s ship under my command, (the Growler gun-brig being in company ) under the circumstances I beg leave to relate to you. On Friday the 22nd instant, ata quarter after ten a. m. the N. W. point of _the Isle Groa bearing from the Northumberland north by compass, ten miles distant, and the wind very light from W. by W. they were dis- covered ‘in the N. W. crowding all sail before it for L’Orient. My first wish was to endeavour to cut them off to windward of the island, and a signal was made to the Growler (seven miles off in the 8. W.) to chase; but finding I could not effect it, the Northum- berland was pushed by every ex- ertion round the 8, E. end of Groa, and, by hauling to the wind as close as I could to leeward of it, I had the satisfaction of fetching ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. to windward of the harbour’s mouth, before the enemy’s ships reached it. Their commander see- ing himself thus cut off, made a signal to his consorts, and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack to windward of Point Taleet, and they appeared to speak each other. 1 continued beating to windward between Groa and the continent to close with them, exposed to the batteries on both sides when I stood within their reach, which was un- avoidable. The wind had by this time freshened considerably, and was about W. N. W.: at forty- nine minutes after two p. m. the enemy (in force asabovedescribed ) bore up in close line a-head; and under every sail that could be set, favoured by the fresh wind, made a bold and determined attempt to run between me and the shore, under cover of the numerous batteries with which it is lined in that part. I placed the Northumberland to meet them as close as I could to the Point de Pierre Laye, with her head to the shore, and the main- topsail shivering, and made dis- positions for laying one of them along-side; but they hauled so very close round the point, follow- ing the direction of the coast to the eastward of it, that, in my igno- rance of the depth Sf water so near the shore, I did. not think it practicable consistent with the safety of his Majesty’s ship (draw~ ing near 25 feet water ), toprosecute that plan, I therefore bore up, and steered parallel to them at the dist- ance of about two cables’ length, and opened a broadside on them, which was returned by a very ani- mated and well-directed fire of round, grape, and other descrip- tions APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. tions of shot, supported by three batteries, for the space of twenty- one minutes, and was very de- structive to our sails and rigging. My object during that time was, to prevent their hauling outside the dry dock named Le Graul; but in steering sufficiently close to it to leave them no room to pass be- tween me and it, and at the same time to avoid running on it myself, the utmost. difficulty and anxiety was produced by the cloud of smoke, which drifted a-head of the ship and totally obscured it. However, by the care and attention of Mr. Hugh Stewart, the master, the - ship was carried within the dis- tance of her own length on the south west side, in quarter-less se- ven fathoms, and the enemy were in consequence obliged, as their only alternative, to attempt passing within it, where there was not wa- ter enough, and they all ground- ed, under every sail, on the rocks between it and the shore. The _ sails and rigging of the Northum- berland were so much damaged, that I was obliged -to leave the enemy to the effects of the falling tide, it being only one quarter ebb, while I repaired the rigging, and shifted the foretop-sail, which was rendered entirely useless; working to windward during that time under what sail I could set, to prevent falling to leeward; in which interval, at five o’clock, the Growler joined, and fired on the enemy occasionally. At twenty- eight minutes after five, I anchored the Northumberland in six and a half fathoms water, Point de Pierre Laye bearing N. W. half N., the citadel of Port Louis E. three quarters E., and the rock named 217 Le Grand N. half E. two cables length distant, with her broadside bearing on the enemy’s two frigates and a brig, at point-blank range, all of them having fallen over on their sides next the shore as the tide left them, and exposed _ their copper to us, and the main-masts of one frigate and the brig were gone ; and from 34 minutes after five till 49 minutes past six (which was near the time of low water), a deliberate and careful fire was kept up on them, at which time, be- lieving I had fully effected the object of my endeavours, the crews having quitted their vessels, all their bettoms being pierced by very many of our shot, so low down as to ensure their filling on the rising tide, and the leading frigate being completely in flames, communi- cated to the hull from a fire which broke out in her foretop, I got under sail. Three batteries fired at the ship during the whole time she was at anchor, end although the position was so far well chosen that she was out of the range of two of them, the other (to which the enemy’s vessels were nearest) reached her, and didas much ex- ecution in the hull as all the fire she had been exposed to before. I directed the commander of the Growler to stand in and fire, to pre- vent the enemy from returning to their vessels after had ceased. At 5 minutes before eight, the frigate on fire blew up with an awful ex- plosion, leaving no remains of her visible. At the close of day I an- chored for the night, out of reach . of the batteries on both sides, Point Taleet bearing N. N. W. half W.; S. E. point of Groa S. S. W. half W, the enemy’s vessels N. by E. At ten 218 ten, the other frigate appeared to be on fire also (some smoke having been seen on board her from the time the firing ceased), and at half past 11, the flames burst forth from her ports and every part with unextinguishable fury, which un- looked-for event leavingmenothing more to attempt in the morning, the brig being quite on her beam ends, and very much damaged by our shot in every part of her bot- tom, even very near her keel, I weighed anchor at midnight, with a very light air from the northward, with the Growler in company, profiting by the brightness of the moon to get to sea; but it was so near calm, that I made very little progress, and therefore saw the frigate burning from head to’ stern all night, and explode at thirty-five minutes after two in the morning of yesterday, leaving a portion of her afterpart still burning till it was entirely consumed; and in the course of the day I had the satis- faction to see, from off the N. W. point of Groa, a third fire and ex- plosion in the same spot, which could have been no other than the brig. During the time of firing on the enemy’s vessels, aseaman, who states himself to be a native of Portugal, captured in the ship Harmony, of Lisbon, by the fri- gates, on the 22d of February, swam from one of them to the Northumberland, by whom I am informed their names were |’ Ari- anne and Andromache, of 44 guns and 450 men each, and the Mameluke brig, of 18 guns, and 150 men; that they sailed from the Loire in the month of January, had been cruizingin various parts of the Atlantic, and had destroyed 36 vessels of different nations ANNUAL REGISTER, I8i2. (Americans, Spaniards, Portu- guese, and English), taking the most valuable parts of their cargoes on board the trigates (and they ap- peared very deep for ships so long at sea), and one vessel they sent as a cartel to England, with about 200 prisoners. I am happy to have now the gratifying duty to discharge of bearing testimony to the creditable conduct of every officer and man I had the honour to command on the occasion above related, whose zealous exertions in supporting the honour of his Ma- jesty’s naval power, and in hum- bling that of the enemy, were con- spicuously displayed, without re- gard to the peculiar intricacy of the situation, or the risks and difficulties which appeared to interpose ; and I hope the circumstances of his station may permit me to make particular report of the services of the senior lieutenant, John Banks, without prejudice to, or neglect of the other meritorious and deserving officers, who were all equally in- spired with intrepidity, and pos- sessed with confidence and cool- ness, which rendered that qualifi- cation the more valuable. But as the safety of his Majesty’s ship, and the success of the operations which resulted in a navigation so narrow and difficult, with almost every description of danger to avoid, is attributable, next to Pro- vidence, to the ability with which she was steered and conducted under the direction of Mr. Stewart (the master), and the pilot, I should be wanting in my duty if I were to omit to represent to you, that nothing could exceed the firm- ness, good judgment, and skill of those officers whose experience on the coast was extremely beneficial to APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. to the service, and Mr. Stewart’s counsels were of the greatest assistance to me. Lieutenant J. Weeks, commanding the Growler gun brig, made every effort that vessel was capable of to render me service, and showed a perfect rea- diness to execute the few directions I had occasion to give him. The captain then reports the in- jury sustained by his ship, which was that of being damaged a little in the hull, but more in the masts, yards, and rigging ; and concludes, —A line of battle ship, with sails bent, and top gallant yards, across, lay in the harbour of I’Orient, spec- tator of the operations of the day, at the entrance of it; but the wind did not serve till night for her coming to the support of her friends ; every assistance, however, Was afforded them of boats, men, &c. from the port, directed, as I apprehend, by the Admiral in per- son. I have the honour to be &c. (Signed) H. Horna, Capt. Rear- Admiral Sir Harry Neale, Bart. &c. A list of killed and woundedon board his Majesty’s ship, Northumber- land, on the 22d day of May. Killed—1 seaman and 1 private Marine. Wounded—1 officer, 3 petty officers, 19 seamen, and 5 private marines ; of whom 4 are dangerous- ly, 10 severely, and 14 slightly. London Gazette Lxtraordinary, Thursday, June 18, 1812. Downing-street, June 17. Major Currie, Aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, arrived this evening at Lord 219 Bathurst’s office with a dispatch, of which the following is an ex- tract, addressed to the Earl of Liverpool by General the Earl of Wellington, dated Fuente Guinal- do, May 28, 1812 :— When I found that the enemy had retired from this frontier, on the 24th of April, I directed Lieu- tenant-General Sir Rowland Hill to carry into execution the opera- tions against the enemy’s posts and establishments at the passage of the Tagus at Almaraz. Owing to the necessary prepara- tions for this expedition, Lieut.- General Sir Rowland Hill could not begin his march, with part of the 2d division of infantry, till the 12th inst. and he attained the ob- jects of his expedition on the 19th, by taking by storm Forts Napoleon and Ragusa, and the tétes-du-pont, and other works, by which the enemy’s bridge was guarded, by destroying those forts and works, and the enemy’s bridge and estab- lishments, and by taking their ma- gazines, and 259 prisoners, and 18 pieces of cannon. I have the honour to inclose Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill’s report of this brilliant exploit ; and I beg to draw your lordship’s at- tention to the difficulties with which he had to contend, as well from the nature of the country, as from the works which tue enemy had constructed, and to the ability and the characteristic qualities dis- played by Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill in persevering in the line, and confining himself to the objects, chalked out by his instruc- tions, notwithstanding the various obstacles opposed to his progress. I have nothing to add to Lieut.- General Sir Rowland Hill’s ye syd 0 220 of the conduct of the officers and troops under his command, except- ing to express my concurrence in all he says in their praise. Too much cannot be said of the brave officers and troops who tock by storm, without the assistance of cannon, such works as the enemy’s forts on both banks of the Tagus, fully garrisoned, in good order, and defended by 18 pieces of ar- tillery. Your lordship is aware, that the road of Almaraz affords the only, good military communicationacross the Tagus, and from the Tagus to the Guadiana, below Toledo. All the permanent bridges below’ the bridge of Arzobispo, have been destroyed during the war, by one or other of the belligerents, and the enemy have found it impossible to repair them. Their bridge, which Lieut.-Gen. Sir Rowland Hill has destroyed, was one of boats, and I doubt. their having the means of replacing it. The communications from the bridges of Arzobispo and Talavera to the Guadiana, are very difficult, and cannot be deemed military communications for a large army. The result, then, of Lieut.- Gen. Hill’s. expedition, has been to cut off the shortest and best communication between the armies of the South and of Portugal. Nearly about the time that the enemy's troops, reported in my last dispatch to have moved into the Condado de Niebla, marched from Seville, it is reported that another considerable detachment under Marshal Soult went towards the blockade of Cadiz, and it was expected that another attack was to be made upon Tariffa. It appears, however, that the enemy received early intelligence ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of Sir Rowland Hill’s march. The troops under the command of Gen- eral Drouet made a movement to their left, and arrived upon the Guadiana.at. Medellin on the 7th instant; and on the 18th a de- tachment of the cavalry under the command of the same General, drove in, as far as Ribera, the picquets of Lieutenant-General Sir William Erskine’s division of ca- valry, which had remained in lower Estremadura, with a part of the 2d division of infantry, and Lieutenant-General Hamilton’s di- vision of infantry. Marshal Soult ~ likewise moved from the blockade of Cadiz towards Cordova; and the troops which had marchedg from Seville into the Condado d Niebla, returned to Seville. nearly about the same time; but Liecut.- General Sir Rowland Hill had at- tained his object on the 19th, and had returned to Truxillo, and was beyond all risk of being attacked by a superior force on the 21st. The enemy’s troops have retired into Cordova. Since the accounts have been received of Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill’s expedition, the enemy’s troops have likewise been put in motion in Old and New Castile; the first division, under General Foy, and a division of the army of the center under Gen, D’ Armagnac, crossed the Tagus, by the Bridge of Arzobispo, on the 2ist, and have moved by the road of Deleytosa, to relieve or with- draw the post which still remained in the tower of Mirabete. The whole of the army of Por- tugal thave likewise made a move- ment to their left; the 2d division being on the Tagus, and Marshal Marmont’s head quarters have been APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. been removed from Salamanca to Fontieros. By a letter from Sir Howard Douglas, of the 24th instant, IL learn, that the troops under Gene- ral Bonnet, after having made two plundering excursions towards the frontiers of Gallicia, had again en- tered the Asturias, and were on the 17th in possession of Oviedo, Gijon, and Grado. In the mean time the troops under General Mendizabel, are in possession of the town of Burgos, the enemy still keeping the castle; and in all parts of the country the boldness and activity of the chiefs of Guerillas are increasing; and their operations against the enemy are becoming daily more impor- . tant. I forward this dispatch by Ma- jor Currie, Aide-de-Camp to Lieu- tenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, whom I beg leave to recommend to your Lordship’s notice and pro- tection. Truaillo, May 21, 1812. My Lord ;—I have the satisfac- tion to acquaint your Lordship, that your instructions relative to the capture and destruction of the enemy’s works at Almaraz have been most fully carried into effect by a detachment of troops under my orders, which marched from AJmandralejo on the 12th instant. The bridge was, as your Lord- ship knows, protected by strong works thrown up by the French on both sides of the river, and further covered on the southern side by the castle and redoubts of Mirabete about a league off, commanding the pass of that name, through which runs the road to Madrid, being the only one passable for 221 carriages of any description by which the bridge can be ap- proached. The works on the left bank of the river were a téte-du-pont, built of masonry, and strongly entrench- ed; and on the high ground above it, a large and well-constructed fort, called Napoleon, with an in- terior entrenchment, and loop- holed tower in its center: this fort contained nine pieces of cannon, with a garrison of between four and five hundred men. | There being also on the opposite side of the river, on a height immediately above the bridge, a very complete fort recently constructed, which flanked and added much. to its defence. On the morning of the 16th, the troops reached Jareicejo, and the same evening marched in three columns; the left column, com- manded by Lieut.-Gen. Chowne (28th and 34th regiments under Col. Wilson, and the 6th Portu- guese Cacadores), towards the cas- tle of Mirabete; the right column, under Maj.-Gen. Howard (50th, 71st, and 92nd regiments), which I accompanied myself to a pass in the mountains, through which a most difficult and circuitous foot- path leads by the village of Ro- mangordo to the bridge; the cen- ter column, under Major-General Long (6th and 18th Portuguese infantry, under Colonel Ashworth, and 13th Light Dragoons, with the artillery ), advanced upon the high road to the pass of Mirabete. The two flank columns were provided with ladders, and it was intended that either of them should proceed to escalade the forts against which they were directed, had cir- cumstances proved favourable ; the difficulties, 222 difficulties however, which each had to encounter on its march were such, that it was impossible for them to reach their respective points before day-break ; I judged it best, therefore, as there was no longer a possibility of surprise, to defer the attack until we should be better acquainted with the na- ture and position of the works ; and the troops bivouacked on the Leina. I determined on endeavouring to penetrate to the bridge by the mountain path leading through the village of Romangordo, although, by that means, 1 should be de- prived of the use of my artillery. On the evening of the 18th, I moved with Major-General How- ard’s brigade, and the 6th Portu- guese regiment, for the operation provided with scaling ladders, &c. Although the distance marched did not exceed five or six miles, the difficulties of the road were such, that with the united exertions of officers and men, the column could not be formed for the attack before daylight. Confiding, however, in the valour of the troops, I ordered the immediate assault of Fort Na- poleon. My confidence was fully justified by the event. The Ist battalion of the 50th, and one wing of the 7l1st regi- ment, regardless of the enemy’s ar- tillery and musketry, escaladed the work in three places, nearly at the same time. The enemy seemed at first determined, and his fire was destructive; but the ardour of our troops was irresistible, and the garrison was driven at the point of the bayonet, through the several entrenchments of the téte-du-pont, across the bridge, which having been cut by those on the opposite ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. side of the river, many leaped into the river, and thus perished. The impression made upon the enemy’s troops was such, that the panic soon communicated itself to those on the right bank of the river, and Fort Ragusa was in- stantly abandoned, the garrison flying in the greatest confusion to- wards Naval Moral. I cannot sufficiently praise the conduct of the S0thand 71st regi- ments, to whom the assault fell, The cool and steady manner in which they formed and advanced, and the intrepidity with which they mounted the ladders, and carried the place, was worthy. of those distinguished corps, and the officers who led them. Could theattack have been made before day, the 92nd regiment, un- der Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron, and the remainder of the 71st regiment, under the Hon. Lieut.- Col. Cadogan, were to have esca- laded the téte-du-pont, and effect- ed the destruction of the bridge, at the same time that the attack was made on Fort Napoleon. The impossibility of advancing deprived them of this opportunity of dis- tinguishing themselves; but the share which they had in the opera- tion, and the zeal which they dis- played, entitles them to my warm- est commendation; and I cannot avoid to mention the steadiness and good discipline of the 6th Portuguese’infantry, and two com- panies of the 60th regiment, under Colonel Ashworth, which formed the reserve to this attack, Our operations in this quarter were much favoured by a diversion made by Lieut.-General Chowne, with the troops under his orders, against the castle of Mirabete, which APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. which succeeded in inducing the enemy to believe that we should not attack the forts near the bridge, until we had formed the pass, and thus have made way for our artillery. The Lieutenant- General conducted this operation, as well as his former advance, entirely to my satisfaction. I re- gret much that the peculiar situa- tion of Mirabete should have pre- vented my allowing the gallant corps under his orders to follow up an operation which they had com- menced with much spirit, and were so anxious to complete. I cannot too strongly express how much I am satisfied with the conduct of Major-General Howard through the whole of this opera- tion, the most arduous part of which has fallen to his share; and particularly of the manner in which he led his brigade to the assault. He was ably assisted by his staff, Brigade Major Wemyss, of the 50th, and Lieutenant Battersby, of the 23rd Light Dragoons. To Major-General Long I am also indebted for his assistance, although his column was not im- mediately engaged. Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart and Major Harrison, of the 50th, and Major Cother, of the 71st, com- manded the three attacks, and led them in a most gallant and spirited manner. I have received the greatest as- sistance from Lieut.-Col. Dickson, of the Royal Artillery, whom, with a brigade of 24-pounders, a company of British and one of Portugueseartillery, your Lordship was pleased to put under my or- ders. Circumstances did not per- mit his guns being brought into play; but his exertions and those of his officers and men, during 223 the attack and destruction of the place, were unwearied. In the latter service, Lieut. Thiele, of the Royal German artillery, was blown up; and we have to regret in him a most gallant officer: he had particularly distinguished him- self in the assault. Lieut. Wright, of the Royal Engineers, has also rendered me very essential service ; he is a most intelligent, gallant, and meritorious officer; and I must not omit also to mention Lieut. Hillier,“of the 29th regi- ment, whose knowledge of this part of the country proved of great assistance. Your Lordship will observe, from the return of ordnance and stores which I have the honour to inclose, that Almaraz had been considered by the enemy in the light of a most important station ; and I am happy to state, that its destruction has been most com- plete. The towers of masonry which were in Forts Napoleon and Ragusa have been entirely levelled ; the ramparts of both in great mea~ sure destroyed, and the whole ap- paratus of the bridge, together with the work-shops, magazines, and every piece of timber which could be found, entirely destroyed. A colour belonging to the 4th battalion of the Corps Etranger was taken by the 71st regiment, and I shall have the honour of for- warding it to your Lordship. Our loss has not been severe, considering the circumstances un- der which the attack was made. I inclose a list of the killed and wounded. Captain Chandler, of the 50th regiment (the only offi- cer killed in the assault) has, I am sorry to say, left a large family to deplore his loss) He was one of the first to mount the ladder, wth e 224 fell upon the parapet, after giving a distinguished example to his men. I have had frequent occasions to mention to your Lordship, in terms of the highest praise, the conduct of Lieut.-Colonel Rooke, assistant Adjutant-General. Dur- ing the whole period I have had a separate command in this country, that officer has been with me, and rendered most essential service to my corps; on the present expedi- tion he has eminently distinguished himself, and I beg leave particu- larly to notice his conduct. Your Lordship is also aware of the merits of Lieutenant-Colonel Offeney, my assistant Quarter-Master-Gen. of whose valuable aid I have been deprived during the latter part of this expedition. Though labour- ing under severe illness, he accom- panied me, to the serious detriment of his health, and until it was totally impracticabie for him to proceed. Captain Thorn, deputy assistant Quarter-Master-General, succeeded to his duties ; and I am indebted to him for his assistance, and also to Major Hill, and my per- sonal staff. The Marquis de Almeida, mem- ber of the junta of Estremadura, has done me the honour to accom- pany me, since I have been in the province: I have received from him, as well as from the people, the most ready and effectual as- sistance which it was in their power to bestow. Major Currie,my Aide-de-camp, will deliver to your Lordship this dispatch, and the colour taken from the enemy, and will be able to give you any further particu- lars. 1 beg to recommend him to your Lordship. © I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) R. Hrxx, Lieut.-Gen. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. T inclose a return of prisoners, in number 259, including the Go- vernor, one ‘Licutenant-Colonel, and 15 officers. I also transmit a return of provisions in the Forts near the bridge, taken from one signed by the Chief of the French Commissariat en the 18th of May. Return of killed and wounded of the army under the command of his Excellency General the Earl of Wellington, K. B. under the im- mediate orders of Lieutenant-Ge- neral Sir Rowland Hill, K.B. at thestormand captureof Fort Napo- leon, and the enemy’s other works, in the neighbourhood of Almaraz, on the morning of the 19th of May, 1812. Total British loss—1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 serjeant, 30 rank and file, killed; 2 Captains, 6 Lieutenants, 4 Ensigns, 10 ser- jeants, 1 drummer, 117 rank and file, wounded. Total Portuguese loss—1 En- sign, 3 rank and file, wounded. General Total—1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 serjeant, 30 rank and file, killed; 2 Captains, 6 Lieu- tenants, 5 Ensigns, 10 serjeants, 1 drummer, 120 rank and file, wounded. From the London Gazette, Saturday, July 18. Admiralty Office, July 18. [Transmitted by Vice-Admiral Saumarez. ] His Majesty's ship, Dictator, in the Sleeve, July7. _ Sir,—I have the honour to in- form you, that yesterday evening, being off Mardoe with the brigs named a APPENDIX TO named in the margin,* the mast- heads of the enemy’s squadron were seen over the rocks; and Captain Robilliard, of the Podar- gus, in the most handsome man- ner volunteered to lead the squa- dron in to attack them, he having a man on board acquainted with the place ; andas neither the mas- ters nor the pilots of either of the ships conceived themselves equal to the charge, I did not hesitate to accept his kind offer, well-know- ing that the British flag would meet with nothing but honour in such hands. In the entrance of the pas- sage the Podargus unfortunate- ly took the ground ; by which cir- cumstance I was deprived of the valuable and gallant services of her commander during the remainder of the day, and was, inconsequence, obliged to leave the Flamer to her assistance ; but in Captain Weir, of the Calypso, I found every thing that could be wished for, which, in a great measure, made up for the loss which I had sustained in the Podargus and Flamer. By this time, half-past seven p. m. we had arrived within one mile of the enemy, who were running inside the rocks under a press of sail; the Calypso, which had also grounded for a short,time, was now leading us through the passage, and both she and ourselves engaged with the squadron and numerous gun-boats. However, at half-past nine, I had the satisfaction, after sailing 12 miles through a passage in some places scarcely wide pit to admit of our studding sail booms being out, of running the Dictator’s bow upon the land with her broadside towards the * Podargus, Calypso, Flamer gun-brig. ou LIV ee te CHRONICLE. 225 enemy (within hail) as per mar- gin, + who were anchored with springs on their cables, close toge- ther, and supported by gun-boats, in the small creek of Lyngoe, the Calypso most nobly following us up. In half an hour the frigate was literally battered to atoms, and the flames bursting forth from her hatchways; the brigs had also struck ; and most of the gun-boats were completely beaten, and some sunk. The action had scarcely ceased, and the ship afloat, than we found ourselves again attacked by the gun-boats which had retreat- ed on seeing the fate of their squa- dron, and were again collecting from all quarters; but Captain Weir, of the Calypso, having taken a most advantageous position, en- gaged them with the greatest gallantry and effect ; indeed, I am at aloss how to express my appro- bation of the prompt exertion of this gallant and meritorious officer. The Podargus and Flamer in the mean time were warmly engaged with numerous batteries and gun- boats, both brigs being aground ; but by the uncommon exertion and extreme gallantry of Captain Robilliard, and the officers and crews of the brigs, they at last got afloat very much cut up: on this occasion, Lieutemant Eng- land particularly distinguished him- self. At three a. m. having got the Dictator, Calypso, and prize brigs in the fair way, we attempted to get out through the passages, when we were assailed by a division of gun-boats from behind the rocks, so situated that not a gun could be brought to bear on them from either vessel ; + sen Laaland, Samsoe, Kiel, 226 vessel; in this situation both prize brigs grounded, and not- withstanding every exertion on the part of Lieutenant James Wilkie, of this ship, in the Laaland, who had extinguished a fire on board her which was burning with great fury, and Lieutenant Hooper, of the Calypso, in the Kiel, we had to abandon them complete wrecks, humanity forbidding our setting them on fire, owing to the number of wounded men they had on board. Icannot conclude this letter with- out mentioning in terms of praise, Mr. William Buchanan, the first Lieutenant of this ship, a most gallant and excellent officer. From the nature of the attack, I have been obliged tolengthen my report, probably more than the service performed justifies ; but in that case, I trust you will only attribute it to my anxiety to endeavour to do justice to a set of officers and men who, I am sure, have done their duty to admiration. The conduct of every individual on board his Majesty’s ship I have the honour to command has _ been highly meritorious, and I cannot omit to add the names of Lieuten- ants Duell, Dutton, and Edwards, Captain Triscott, Lieutenant James Baker, and Lieutenant F. Macna- mara, of the the royal marines, Mr. R. West, the master, and Mr. John Luckamlee, the purser. The skil- ful attention of Mr. Hay, the sur- geon, to our own men as well as our enemies, has been beyond all praise ; and he speaks in the high- est terms of Mr. Saunderson, his assistant. Captains Robilliard and Weir, mention the conduct of all their officers and men to have been such as characterise Britons on ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. such occasions, and I am sure I can with great justice add my tribute of applause. Inclosed I have the ho- pour to transmit a list of the kill- ed, &c.; although I cannot help deploring the loss of so many brave men, it is much less than could be reasonably expected. The Danes acknowledge to have lost about three hundred killed and wound- ed; I rather suspect five. Our ships have suffered {extremely in their hulls, masts, and rigging. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) J. P. Srewart, Captain. To Sir Jas. Saumarez, Bart. K.B. . Vice- Admiral and Commander in Chief, &c. Statement of the Enemy's Force. Nayaden, of 38 guns, mounting 50 long 24-pounders on the main deck, and 300 men. Laaland, of 20 guns, long 18- pounders, and 125 men. Samsoe, of 18 guns, long 18- pounders, and 125 men. Kiel, of 18 guns, pounders, and 125 men. 25 gun-boats, carrying each 2 long 18 or 24-pounders, and from 50 to 60 men. long 18- Return of Killed, Wounded, and Missing on board his Majesty’s ships Dictator, Podargus, Ca- lypso, and Flamer. Dictator—5 killed; 16 severely, 8 slightly, wounded. Podargus—4 severely, 5 slight- ly, wounded. Calypso—3 killed ; 1 severely wounded ; 2 missing, Flamer—1 killed; 1 severely wounded. Total APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. Total—9 killed ; 26 severely, 13 slightly wounded ; 2 missing. J. P. Stewart, Capt. London Gazette Extraordinary, Sunday, August 16th. WAR DEPARTMENT. Downing-street, Aug. 16th. Lord Clinton, aide-de-camp to the Earl of Wellington, arrived this morning at the War Depart- ment, with dispatches, addressed by his lordship to Earl Bathurst, dated the 21st, 24th, and 28th ult. of which the following are ex- tracts :— Cabrerizos, near Salamanca, July 2\st, 1812. In the course of the 15th and 16th the enemy moved all their troops to the right of their posi- tion on the Douro, and their army was concentrated between Toro and San Roman. A considerable body passed the Douro at Toro, on the evening of the 16th ; and I moved the allied army to theirlefton that night, with an intention to concentrate on the Guarena. It was totally out of my power to toh the enemy from passing the ouro at any point at which he might think it expedient, as he had in his possession all thebridges over that river, and many of the fords ; but he recrossed that river at Toro, in the night of the 16th, moved his whole army to Tordesillas, where he again crossed the Douro on the morningjof the 17th, and assembled his army on that day at La Nava del Rey,having marched not less than ten leagues in the course of the{i 7th. 227 The 4th and light divisions ofin- fantry, and Major-General Anson’s brigades of cavalry, had marched to Castrejon on the night of the 16th, with a view to, the assembly of the army on the Guarena, and were at Castrejon under the orders of Lieutenant-General Sir Staple- ton Cotton, onthe 17th, not having been ordered to proceed further, in consequence of my knowledge that the enemy had not passed the Dou- ro at Toro ; and there was not time te call them in between the hour at which I received the intelligence of the whole of the enemy’s army be- ing at La Nava, and daylight of the morning of the 18th. I there« fore took measures to provide for their retreat and junction, by mov- ing the 5th division to Tordesillas de la Orden, and Major-General Le Marchant’s, Major-General Al- ten’s, and Major-General Bock’s brigades of cavalry to Alaejos. The enemy attacked the troops at Castrejon, at the dawn of day of the 18th, and Sir Stapleton Cotton maintained the post, with- out suffering any loss, till the cavalry had jeined him. Near- ly about the same time the ene- my turned by Alaejos the left flank of our position at Castrejon. The troops retired in admira- ble order to Tordesillas de la Or~ den, having the enemy’s whole army on their flank or in their rear ; and thence to the Guarena, which river they passed under the same circumstances, and ef- fected their junction with the army. ” The Guarena, which runs into the Douro, is formed by four streams, which unite about a league below Canizal, and the ene- my took a strong position on tlie heights on the right of that river, Q 2 and 228 ‘end I placed the 5th, 4th, and light divisions, on the opposite heights, and had directed the re- mainder of the army to cross the Upper Guarena at Vallesa, in con- sequence of the appearance of the enemy’s intention to turn our right. toes Shortly afterhis arrival, however, the enemy crossed the Guarena at Garteillo, below the junction of the streams, and manifested an inten- tion to press upon our left, and to enter the valley of Canizal. Ma- jor-General Alten’s brigade of cavalry, supported by the. third dragoons, were already engaged with the enemy’s cavalry, and had taken, among other prisoners, the French General Carrier; and I desired the honourable Lieutenant« General Cole to attack, with Ma- jor-General William Anson’s and Brigadier-General Harvey’s bri- gades of infantry (the latter under the command of Colonel Stubbs), the enemy’s infantry which were supporting their cavalry. He im- mediately attacked and defeated them with the 27th and 40th regi- ments, which advanced to the charge with bayonets, Colonel Stubbs’s Portuguese brigade sup- porting, and the enemy gave way ; many were killed and wound- ed; and Major-General Alten’s brigade of cavalry having pursued the fugitives, 240 prisoners were taken. In these affairs Lieutenant-Ge- neral the honourable G. L. Cole, Major-General V. Alten, Major- General William Anson, Lieuten- ant-Colonel Arentschildt of the Ist hussars, and Hervey of the 14th light dragoons, Lieutenant-Colonel ‘Maclean of the 27th, and Major Archdall of the 40th, Lieutenant- Colonel Anderson, commanding ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the 11th, and Major de Azeredo, commanding the 23rd Portuguese Regiment, distinguished them- selves. The enemy did not make any further attempt on our left; but having reinforced their troops on that side, and withdrawn those which had moved to their left, I brought back our’s from Vallesa. On the 19th in the afternoon the enemy withdrew all the troops from their right, and marched to — their left by Tarragona, appar- ently with an intention of turn- ing our right. I crossed the Up- per Guarena at Vallesa and El Olmo with the whole of the allied army in the course of that evening and night ; and every preparation was made for the action, which was expected.on the plain of Vallesa on the morning of the 20th. , But shortly after daylight the enemy made another movement in several columns to his left along the heights of the Gua- rena, which river he crossed be- low Canta la Piedra, and en- camped last night at Babilafuente and Villamala ; and the allied army made a correspondent movement to its right by Cantalpino, and en- camped last night at Cabesa Vello- sa, the 6th division, and Major-Ge- neral Alten’s brigade of cavalry; being upon the Tormes at Aldea Lengua. During these movements there have been occasional cannonades, but without loss on our side. I have this morning moved the left of the army to the Tormes, where the whole are now concen- trated ; and I observe that the enemy have also moved towards the same river, near Huerta. The enemy’s object hitherto has been,, APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 229 been, tocut off my communication with Salamanca and Ciudad Ro- drigo. The Enemy abandoned and de- stroyed the fort of Mirabete, on the Tagus, on the 11th instant ; and the garrison marched to Ma- drid, to form part of the army of the center. They were reduced to five days provision. I inclose a return of the killed and wounded on the 18th inst. Flores de Avila, July 24. My aid-de-camp, Captain Lord Clinton, will present to your lord- ship this account of a victory which the allied troops under my - command gained in a general action fought near Salamanca on the even- ing of the 22nd inst., which I have been under thenecessity of delaying to send till now, having been engag- ed ever since the action in the pur- suit of the enemy’s flying troops. In my letter of the 21st I in- formed your lordship, that both ar- mies were near the Tormes; and the enemy crossed that river with the greatest part of his troops in the afternoon by the fords between Alba de Tormes and Huerta, and moved by their left towards the roads leading to Ciudad Rodrigo. The allied army, with the ex- ception of the third division, and General D’Urban’s cavalry, like- wise crossed the Tormes in the evening by the bridge of Sala- manca, and the fords in the neigh- bourhood; and I placed the troops in a position of which the right was upon one of the two heights called Des Arapiles, and the left on the Tormes below the ford of Santa Martha, The third division and Brigadier- General D’Urban’s cavalry were left at Cabrerizes, on the right of the Tormes, as the enemy had still a large corps on the heights above Babilafuente, on the same sidé of the river; and 1 considered it not improbable, that finding our army prepared for them in the morning, on the left of the Tormes, they would alter their plan and ma- neeuvre by the other bank. In the course of the night of the 21st, I received intelligence, of the truth of which I could not doubt, that General Chauvel had arrived at Pollos on the 20th, with the cavalry and horse artillery of the army of the north, to join Mar- shal Marmont; and I was quite certain that these troops would join him on the 22nd or 23rd at the latest. During the night of the 2Ist, the enemy had taken possession of the village of Calvarasa de Ariba and of the height near it, called Nuestra Senora de la Pena, our ca- valry being in possession of Calva- rassa de Abaxo; and shortly after daylight detachments from both armies attempted to obtain pos- session of the more distant from our right of the two hills called Dos Arapiles. The enemy, however, succeed- ed ; their detachment being the strongest, and having been con- cealed in the woods nearer the hill than we were, by which success they strengthened materially their own position, and had in their power increased means of annoy- ing our’s. In the morning, the light troops of the 7th division, and the 4th Cacadores belonging to General Pack’s brigade, were engaged with the enemy on the height called Nuestra Senora de la Pena; on which 230 which height they maintained themselves with the enemy throughout the day. The posses- sion by the enemy, however, of the more distant of the Arapiles, rendered it necessary for me to ex- tend the right of the army in po- tence to the heights behind the village of Arapiles, and to occupy that village with light infantry ; "and here I placed the 4th division under the ccmmand of the ho- nourable Lieut.-General Cole; and although, from the variety of the enemy’s movements, it was diffi- cult to form a satisfactory judg- ment of his intentions, I consider- ed that, upon the whole, his objects were upon the left of the Tormes, I therefore ordered the honourable Major-General Pakenham, who commanded the 3rd division in the absence of Lieutenant-General Pic- ton, on account of ill health, to move across the Tormes with the troops under his command, includ- ing Brigadier General D’Urban’s cavalry, and to place himself be- hind Aldea Tejada. Brigadier-Ge- neral Bradford’s brigade of Portu- guese infantry, and Don Carlos D’Espana’s infantry, having been moved up likewise to the neigh- bourhood of Las Torres, between the 3rd and 4th division. After a variety of evolutions and movements, the enemy appears to have determined upon his plan about two in the afternoon; and under cover of a very heavy can- nonade, which, however, did us but very little damage, he extend- ed his left, and moved forward his troops, apparently with an inten- tion to embrace, ~by the position of his troops, and by his fire, our post on that of the two Arapiles which we possessed, and from thence to ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. attack and break our line; or, at all events, to render difficult any movement of our’s to our right. The extension of his line to his left, however, and its advance upon our right, notwithstanding that his troops still occupied very strong - ground, and his position was well de- fended by cannon, gave me an op- portunity of attacking him, for which I had long been anxious. I rein- forced our right with the 5th divi- sion under Lieut.-Gen. Leith, which I placed behind the village of Ara- piles, on the right of the 4th di- vision ; and with the 6th and 7th di- visions in reserve; and as soon as these troops had taken their sta- tions, lordered the honourable Ma- jor-General Pakenham to move for- ward with the 3rd division, and General D’Urban’s cavalry,'andtwo squadrons of the 14th light dra- goons under Lieutenant-Colonel Heryey, in four columns, to turn the enemy’s left on the heights ; while Brigadier-General Bradford’s brigade, the 5th division, under Lieutenant-General Leith, the 4th division, under the honourable Lieutenant-General Cole, and the cavalry, under Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton, should at- tack them in front, supported in re- serve by the 6th division, under Ma- jor-Gen. Clinton, the 7th division, under Major-Gen. Hope, and Don Carlos D’Espana’s Spanish division, and Brigadier-General Pack, should support the left of the 4th division, by attackingthat oftheDosArapiles, which the enemy held. The Ist and light divisions occupied the ground on the left, and were in reserve. The attack upon the enemy’s left was made in the manner above de- scribed, and completely succeeded. Major-General the honourable woes war APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE ward Pakenham formed the 3rd di- vision across the enemy’s flank, and overthrew every thing opposed to him. These troops were sup- ported in the most gallant style by the Portuguese cavalry under Bri- gadier-General D’Urban, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Hervey’s squadrons of the 14th, who successfully de- feated every attempt made by the enemy on the flank of the third division. Brigadier-Gen. Bradford’s bri- gade, the 5th and 4th divisions, and the cavalry under Lieutenant- General Sir Stapleton Cotton, at- tacked the enemy in front, and drove his troops before them, from one height to another, bringing forward their right, so as to ac- quire strength upon the enemy’s flank, in proportion to the advance. Brigadier-General Pack made a very gallant attack upon the Ara- piles, in which, however, he did not succeed, excepting in diverting the attention of the enemy’s corps placed upon it, from the troops under the command of Lieutenant- General Cole, in his advance. The cavalry under Lieutenant- General Sir Stapleton Cotton made a most gallant and_ successful charge against a body of the ene- my’s infantry, which they over- threw and cut to pieces. In this charge Major-General Le Mar- chant was killed at the head of his brigade; and I have to regret the loss of a most noble officer. After the crest of the height was carried, onedivision of the enemy’s infantry made a stand against the 4th division, which, after a severe contest, was obliged to give way, in consequence of the enemy hav- ing thrown some troops on the left of the 4th division, after the failure 231 of Brigadier-General Pack’s attack upon the Arapiles, and the honour- able Lieutenant-General Cole hav- ing béen wounded. Marshal Sir William Beresford? who happened to be on the spot? directed Brigadier-General Spry’s brigade of the 5th division, which was in the second line, to change its front, and to bring its fire on the flank of the enemy’s division ; and, I am sorry to add, that while en- gaged in this service, he received a wound, which I am apprehen- sive will deprive me of the benefit of his counsel and assistance for some time. Nearly about the same time, Lieutenant-General Leith re- ceived a wound, which unfortun- ately obliged him to quit the field. I ordered up the 6th division un- der Major-General Clinton, to re- lieve the 4th, and the battle was soon restored to its former success. The enemy’s right, however, re- inforced by the troops which had fled from his left, and by those which had now retired from the Arapiles, still continued to resist ; and I ordered the Ist and light di- visions, and Colonel Stubbs’s Portu- guese brigade of the 4th division, which was re-formed, and Major- General William Anson’s brigade, likewise of the 4th division, to turn the right, while the 6th divi- sion, supported by the 3rd and 5th, attacked the front. It was dark before this point was“ carried. by the 6th division, and the ene- my fled through the woods to- wards the Tormes. I pursued them with the Ist and_ light divisions, and Major-General Wil- liam Anson's brigade of the 4th division, and some squadrons of ca- valry under Lieutenent-General Sir Stapleton Cotton, as long as we could 232 could find any of them together, directing our march upon Huerta and the fords of the Tormes, by which the enemy had passed on their advance; but the darkness of the night was highly advantageous to the enemy, many of whom escaped under its cover, who must otherwise have been in our hands. Tam sorry to report, that owing to this same cause, Lieutenant-Ge- neral Sir Stapleton Cotton was un- fortunately wounded by one of our own centries, after he had halted. We renewed the pursuit at break of day in the morning, with the same troops, and Major-Gen. Bock’s and Major-General Anson's brigades of cavalry, which joined during the night; and having crossed the Tormes, we came up with the enemy’s rear-guard of ca- valry and infantry, near La Serna ; they were immediately attack- ed by the two brigades of dra- goons, and the cavalry fled, leaving ‘the infantry to their fate. I have never witnessed a more gallant charge than was made on the ene- my’s infantry by the heavy brigade of the King’s German Legion, under Major-General Bock, which was completely successful, and the whole body of infantry, consisting of three battalions of the enemy’s first division, were made prisoners. The pursuit was afterwards con- tinued as far as Penaranda last night ; and our troops are still fol- lowing the flying enemy. Their head-quarters were in this town, not less than ten leagues from the field of battle, for a few hours last night; and they are now con- siderably advanced on the road towards Valladolid by Arevalo. ‘They werejoined yesterday on their retreat by the cavalry and artillery ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of the army of the North, which have arrived at too late a period, itis to be hoped, to be of much use to them It isimpossible to form a con- jecture of the amount of the enemy’s loss in this action; but from all reports it is very consider- able. We have taken from them eleven pieces of cannon, several ammunition waggons, two eagles, and six colours; and one general, three colonels, three lieutenant- colonels, 130 officers of inferior rank, and between six and seven thousand soldiers are prisoners; and our detachments are sending in more every moment. The number of dead on the -field is very large. I am informed that Marshal Marmont is badly wounded, and has lost one of his arms; and that four general officers have been killed, and several wounded. Such an advantage could not have been acquired without mate- rial loss on our side ; but it certain- ly has not been of a magnitude to distress the army or to cripple its operations. I have great pleasure in report- ing to your lordship, that, through- out this trying day, of which I have related the events, I had every reason to be satisfied with the con- duct of the general officers and troops. The relation which I have writ- ten of its events will give a general idea of the share which each in- dividual had in them; and I cannot say too much in praise of the con- duct of every individual in his station. I am much indebted to Marshal | Sir Wm. Beresford for his friendly counsel and assistance, both pre- vious APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. vious to and during the action; to Lieutenant-Generals Sir Stapleton Cotton, Leith, and Cole, and Major-Generals Clinton, and thie Hon. Edward Pakenham, for the manner in which they led the di- visions of cavalry and infantry under their command respectively ; to Major-Gen. Hulse, command- ing a brigade in the sixth division; Major-General G. Anson, com- manding a brigade of cavalry; Col. Hinde; Colonel the Hon. Wm. Ponsonby, commanding Major- General Le Marchant’s. brigade, after the fall of that officer; to Major-Gen. William Anson, com- manding a brigade in the 4th divi- sion; Major-Gen. Pringle, com- manding a brigade in the fifth di- vision, and the division after Lieut.- General Leith was wounded; Bri- gadier-Gen. Bradford, Brigadier- General Spry, Colonel Stubbs, and’ Brigadier-General Power of the Portuguese service; likewise to Lieut.-Colonel Campbell of the 94th, commanding a brigade in the 3rd division; Lieut.-Col. Williams, of the 60th foot; Lieut-Colonel Wallace, of the 88th, commanding abrigadein the 3rd division; Lieut.- Colonel Ellis, of the 22rd, com- manding General the Hon. Edw. Pakenham’s brigade in the 4th di- vision, during his absence in the command of the 3rd division; the ‘Hon. Lieut.-Colonel Greville, of the 38th regiment, commanding Major-General Hay’s brigade in the 5th division during his absence on leave ; Brigadier-General Pack; Brigadier-General the Conde de Rezendi, of the Portuguese service ; Colonel Douglas, of the 8th Portu- guese regiments; Lieut.-Colonel the Conde de Ficalho of the same regiment ; and Lieutenant-Colonel 233 Bingham, of the 53rd regiment; likewise to Brigadier-Gen.d’ Urban, and Lieut.-Colonel Hervey, of the 14th light dragoons; Colonel Lord Edward Somerset, commanding the 4th dragoons; and Lieut.-Col, the Hon. Frederick Ponsonby, com- manding the 12th light dragoons. I must also mention Lieut.-Col. Woodford, commanding the light battalion of the brigade of guards, who, supported by two companies of the fusileers, under the com- mand of Captain Crowder, main- tained the village of Arapiles against all the efforts of the enemy, previous to the attack upon their position by our troops. In a case in which the conduct of all has been conspicuously good, I regret that the necessary limits of a dispatch prevent me from draw- ing your lordship’s notice to the conduct of a larger number of in- dividuals; but I can assure your lordship, that there was no officer of corps engaged in this action, who did not perform his duty by his sovereign and his country. The royal and German artillery, under Lieut.-Colonel Framingham, distinguished themselves by the accuracy of their fire wherever it was possible to use them ; and they advanced to the attack of the enemy’s position with the same gal- lantry as the other troops. I am particularly indebted to Lieut.-Colonel De Lancy, the deputy quarter-master-general, the head of the department present in the absence of the quarter-master- general, and to the officers of that department, and of the staff corps, for the assistance I received from them, particularly the Hon. Lieut.- Colonel Dundas, and Lieut.-Col. Sturgeon of the latter, and Major Scovell 234 Scovell of the former; and to Lieut.-Colonel Waters, at present at the head of the adjutant-ge- neral’s department, and to the offi- cers of that department, as well at head-quarters as with the several divisions of the army ; and Lieut.- Colonel lord Fitzroy Somerset, and the officers of my personal staff. Among the latter I particu- larly request your lordship to draw the attention of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent to his Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Orange, whose conduct in the field, as well as upon every other occasion, entitles him to my highest commendation, and has acquired for him the respect and regard of the whole army. I have had every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the Mariscal del Campo Don Carlos d’Espagna, and of Brigadier Don . Julian Sanchez, and with that of the troops under their command respectively ; and with that of the Mariscal del Campo Don Miguel Alava, and of Brigadier Don Joseph O’Lawler, employed with this army by the Spanish govern- ment, from whom, and from the Spanish authorities, and people in general, I received every assistance I could expect. It is but justice likewise to draw your lordship’s attention, upon this occasion, to the merits of the offi- cers of the civil departments of the army. Notwithstanding the in- creased distance of our operations from our magazines, and that the country is completely exhausted, we have hitherto wanted nothing, owing to the diligence and atten- tion of commissary-general, Mr. Bisset, and the officers of the de- partment under his direction. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. I have likewise to mention that by the attention and ability of Doctor Mac Gregor, and of the officers of the department under his charge, our wounded as well as those of the enemy left in our hands have been well taken care of; and I hope that many of these valuable . men will be saved to the service. Captain Lord Clinton will have the honour of laying at the feet of his Royal Highness the Prince Re- gent, the Eagles and colours taken from the enemy in this action. I inclose a return of the killed and wounded, Abstract of Killed, Wounded, and Missing of the Allied Army, un- der the command of General the Earl of Wellington, in the Battle fought near Salamanca, on the 22d day of July, 1812. Killed. Wounded. Missing. 2714 74 British - 388 Portuguese 304 1552 182 Spanish 2 4 Total 694: 4270 256 London Gazette Extraordinary, Friday, Sept. 4. Downing-street, Sept. 4. Major Burgh, aid-de-camp to the Marquis of Wellington, has this day arrived at Lord Bathurst’s office with dispatches addressed to his lordship by Lord Wellington, dated Madrid, the 13th and 15th ultimo, of which the following are extracts :-— Madrid, August 13. Having found that the army under Marshal Marmont conti- nued their retreat from Burgos, in a state not likely to take the field again for some time, I determined to APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. to bring Joseph Buonaparté to a general action, or force him to quit Madrid. Accordingly I moved from Cuellar on the 6th instant. We arrived at Segovia on the 7th, and at St. Ildefonso on the 8th, where I halted one day, to allow the right of the army more time to come up. No opposition was made to the passage of the troops through the mountains: and Brig.-Gen. D’Ur- ban, with the Portuguese cavalry, and Ist light battalion of the King’s German, and Captain M‘Donald’s troop of horse artillery, had been through the Guadarama pass since the 9th. He moved forward on the morning of the 11th from the neighbourhood of Galapagas, and supported by the heavy cavalry of the King’s German Legion from Torrelodones, he drove in the French cavalry, about two thou- sand in number, and placed him- self at Majalahonda, with the Portuguese cavalry and Captain M‘Donald’s troop, and the cavalry and light infantry of the King’s German Legion at Las Royas, about three quarters of a mile distant. The enemy’s cavalry, which had been driven off in the morning, and had moved towards Naval Carnero, returned about five in the afternoon; and Brigadier-Gen. D’Urban having formed the Por- tuguese cavalry in front of Maja- lahonda, supported by the horse artillery, ordered the cavalry to charge the enemy’s leading squa- drons, which appeared too far ad- vanced to be supported by their main body. The Portuguese ca- valry advanced to the attack, but unfortunately turned about before 235 they reached the enemy; and they fled through the village of Maja- lahonda, and back upon the Ger- man dragoons leaving behind them, unprotected and unsupported, those guns of Captain M‘Donald’s troop, which had been moved forward to co-operate with the cavalry. By the activity of the officers and soldiers of Captain M*Donald’s troop, the guns were, however, moved off; but owing to the un- favourable nature of the ground over which they were moved, the carriage of one was broken, and two others were overturned; and these three guns fell into the ene- my’s lands. The Portuguese dragoons having fled through Majalahonda, were rallied and reformed upon the heavy dragoons of the King’s Ger- man Legion, which were formed between that villageand Las Royas. The German cavalry charged the enemy, although under many dis- advantages, and stopped their further progress ; but I am sorry to say, that they suffered considerable loss, and that Colonel Jonqueires, who commanded the brigade, was taken prisoner. The left of the army was about two miles and an half distant, at the Puente de Ra- tamar, on the Guadarama river ; and Colonel Ponsonby’s brigade of cavalry, and a brigade of infantry of the 7th division, having moved forward to the support of the troops in advance, the enemy retired upon Majalahonda as soon as they ob- served these troops; and night having come on, they retired upon Alcorcon, leaving our guns at Ma- jalahonda. I am happy to report that the officers of the Portuguese cavalry behaved remarkably well, and showed 236 showed a good example to their men, particularly the Visconde de Barbacena, who was taken pri- soner. The conduct of the brave German cavalry was, I understand, excellent, as was that of Captain M‘Donald’s troop of horse artillery. The light infantry battalion was not engaged. The army moved forward yes- terday morning, and its left took possession of the city of Madrid, Joseph Buonaparté having retired with the army of the center by the roads of Toledo and Aranjuez, leaving a garrison in the Retiro. It is impossible to describe the joy manifested by the inhabitants of Madrid upon our arrival; and I hope that the prevalence of the same sentiments of detestation of the French yoke, and of a strong desire to secure the independence of their country, which firstinduced them to set the example of resist- ance to the usurper, will induce them to make exertions in the cause of their country, which will be more efficacious than those for- merly made. I havenot yet heard that Astorga has fallen; but the garrison which the enemy Icft in Tordesillas, about two hundred and sixty in number, surrendered to General Santocildes on the 5th instant. I have received no further re- ports of the situation of General Ballasteros since the 21st of July. I have letters from General Joseph O'Donnell and General Roche, of the 26th July; and the army of Murcia, under the command of the former, was defeated by General D’Harispe on the 21st of July. It appears that the Spanish troops moved forward to attack General D’Harispe’s posts at Castalla and at ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Ybi; those which attacked the former were repulsed with the loss of two thousand men and two pieces of cannon; those which attacked the latter, under the command of General Roche, conducted them- selves remarkably well, and cover- ed the retreat of the troops mer General O’ Donnell, and afterwards effected their own retreat in good order, to Alicante. Madrid, August 15. I have the pleasure to inform your lordship, that the garrison of the Retiro surrendered by capitu- lation yesterday ; and I have now the honour to inclose a translation of the capitulation. Weinvested the place completely on the evening of the 13th; and in the night, detachments of the 7th division of infantry under the com- mand of Major-General Hope, and of the Srd division of infantry, under the command of Major- General the Hon. E. Pakenham drove in the enemy’s posts from the Prado and the Botanical Gar- den, and the works which they had constructed outside of the park-wall; and having broken through the wall in different places, they were established in the palace of the Retiro, and close to the exterior of the enemy’s works, in- closing the building called La China. The troops were preparing in the morning to attack those works, preparatory to the arrangements to be adopted for the attack of the interior line and building, when the governor sent out an officer to desire to capitulate, and I granted him the honours of war, the bag- gage of the officers and soldiers of the garrison, &c. as specified in the inclosed agreement. I inclose APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. I inclose a return of the strength of the garrison, which marched out yesterday, at four o'clock, on their road to Ciudad Rodrigo. We have found in the place one hun- dred and eighty-nine pieces of brass ordnance, in excellent condition ; nine hundred barrels of powder ; twenty thousand stand of arms ; and considerable magazines of clothing, provisions, and ammu- nition. We have likewise found the eagles of the 13th and 51st regiments, which I forward to England, to be presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, by my aid-de- camp, Major Burgh. Isee, bya letter from General Ballasteros to Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill of the 29th of July, that he had been in Malaga on the 14th of that month, after an en- gagement with General Laval, near Coin. General Ballasteros was at Grazelena on the 29th. I have a letter from Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill of the Sth inst. ; and although General Drouet had been in movement for three days, it does not appear that his move- ments are of any importance. I inclose returns of the killed, wounded, and missing, in the affair at Majalahonda, on the 11th instant, and of the loss in the attack of the works of the Retiro. This dispatch will be delivered by my aid-de-camp Major Burgh, who will be able to explain any further circumstances relating to our situation ; and I beg leave to recommend him to your lordship’s protection. P. S. Since writing this dispatch, I have received a letter of the 10th instant, from General Maitland, from Alicante, in which that officer 237 informs me that he had on that day landed at that place. TRANSLATION. Capitulation proposed by General the Earl of Wellington, Commander- in-Chief of the Allied Army, and accepted by Colonel La Fond, Commandant of the Fort of La China, 14th August, 1812. Article ].—The garrison shall march out of the fort with the honours of war, and shall lay down their arms on the glacis. Art. 2.—The garrison, and per- sons of every description in the fort, shall be prisoners of war. Art. 3.—The officers shall be al- lowed to retain their swords, their baggage, and their horses, accord- ing to the number allowed them by the regulations of the French army; and the soldiers shall keep their knapsacks. Art. 4.—The magazines of the fort of every description, shall be delivered to the officers of the re- spective departments, and the French commandants of artillery and of engineers shall furnish lists of the contents of each depot. The plans of the fort shall also be deli- vered to the commanding officer of the British engineers. Art. 5.—This capitulation shall take place at four o'clock in the afternoon, and the gates of thefort shall be occupied by the troops of the allied army as soon as this ca- pitulation is ratified. Signed on the part of General the Earl of Wellington. Firzroy SoMERSET, Lieut. Col. and Mil. Sec. Ratified. WrLLINGTON. Signed on the part of Colonel La Fond, R. De ra Brune. This 238 This capitulation is ratified by the Colonel commanding the Fort of La China. (Signed) La Fonp. Return of Prisoners of War, taken at the Fort de la China, in the Retiro, andin the General Hos- pital la Atocha, on the 14th of August, 1812. Staff—1 colonel, 2 captains, 2 subalterns, 7 staff, 3 civil officers, 16 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file. Artillery—1 lieutenant-colonel, 8 captains, 10 subalterns, 355 ser- jeants, drummers, and rank and file, 46 horses and mules. Engineers—] lieutenant-colonel, 2 captains, 1 subaltern, 70 ser- jeants, drummers, and rankand file. Detachments of several regi- ments of infantry; forming the garrison—] colonel, 2 lieutenant- colonels, 9 captains, 19 subalterns, 1,450 serjeants, drummers, andrank and file. Independent garrison company —1 captain, 3 subalterns, 91 ser- jeants, drummers, and rank and file. - Total taken at the fort--2 colo- nels, 4 lieutenant-colonels, 22 cap- tains, 35 subalterns, 7 staff, 3 civil officers, 1,982 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file, 46 horses and mules. Staff—12 civil officers, 1 rank and file. Sick and convalescents---1 cape tain, 5 subalterns, 4 civil officers, 428 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file. Total taken at the general hos- pital---1 captain, 5 subalterns, 16 civil officers, 429 serjeants, drum- mers, and rank and file. General total taken 2,506. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. N. B. Besides the above num- ber, 6 rank and file British, and 6 officers, and 144 rank and file, Spaniards, were retaken in the fort of La China. Joun WATERS. Lieut.-Col. and A. A. G. Supplement tothe London Gazette, of Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1812. [Published on Wednesday, Sep- tember 23. ] WAR DEPARTMENT. Downing-street, Sept. 23. A dispatch of which the follow- ing is a copy, has been this day re- ceived at Earl Bathurst’s office, ad- dressed to his lordship by Major- General Cooke, dated Cadiz, Aug. 30, 1812:— Cadiz, Aug. 30. My Lord,—Since my letter of yesterday's date, reporting the entry into Seville of the allied corps under General La Cruz and Colonel Skerrett, I have received a dispatch from the latter, of which I trans- mit a copy herewith, and a return of the killed and wounded of the British detachment. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) Geo. Cook, Major-General. Earl Bathurst, &c. &c. Seville, Aug. 23. Sir,—I have the honour to re- port the movements of the detach- ment under my orders since the date of my last; the result of which,—the capture of the city of Seville by assault, defended by eight French battalions, and two regiments of dragoons, entrench- ed,—will, I trust, be considered as honourable to the allied arms and serviceable to the cause of Spain. On APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. On the 24th instant, General Cruz Morgeon, commanding the Spanish troops, and myself, judged it advisable to make a forward movement on Seville; for this pur- pose it was advisable to force the enemy’s corps of observation, of 350 cavalry, and 200 infantry, at St. Lucar La Mayor. I marched from Manzanilla with 800 troops, composed of the Ist regiment of guards, the 87th, and the Portu- guese regiment, Brigadier-General Downe, accompanied with 600 Spanish troops. The Spanish co- lumn attacked on the right, and the British and Portuguese on the left. The French were driven through the streets with precipita- tion, leaving some killed, wound- ed, and prisoners. We took post at San Lucar without the loss of a man. On~the 26th instant, General Cruz and myself having judged that it would be attended with the most beneficial effects, both on the public opinion, and in saving the city from being plundered, if the French could be precipitated in their retreat from Seville, the allied troops, in consequence, marched for this purpose, and arrived at the heights of Castillejos de la Cuesta, _ immediately above Seville, on the morning of the 27th, at six o’clock. The Spanish troops formed our advance. The French advance was driven in; the cavalry retired, leav- ing the infantry in the plain, which last were charged by the Spanish cavalry, who made many prisoners. The Spanish troops attacked a redoubt on our left, and lost a good many men. The columns advanced into the plain, by which move- ment this redoubt was turned, and 239 its communication cut off; the Spanish troops under Gen. Cruz took the right, and made a detour to arrive and attack on that flank of Triana (the suburbs of Seville). I ordered the redoubt to be masked by a detachment of the 20th Por- tuguese regiment, and advanced, a field piece with some troops, to keep in check the enemy’s fire at one of the gates of the city, oppo- site to us; and after giving suffi- cient time for the Spanish column to arrive, the British and Portu- guese troops advanced to the attack in front: the cavalry and artillery advanced at a gallop, supported by the grenadiers of the guards, and the infantry following. The enemy abandoned the gate: we entered the suburbs, and ad- vanced near to the bridge of Se- ville with as much rapidity as pos- sible, in hopes of preventing its destruction, which would have rendered it extremely difficult for us to succeed. We were checked by fire of grape-shot and musketry at the turning of the street. The grenadiers of the guards advanced to our support, and drove every thing before them. At this mo- ment part of the Spanish column arrived; we advanced to the bridge under a heavy fire; Captain Cadoux of the 95th, with great judgment made a flank movement on our left; Captain Roberts, of the artillery, brought up with ra- pidity two guns ; a heavy fire of cannon and musketry was soon brought to bear on the enemy, who were driven from their position on the other side of the river, and from the bridge, which they had only in part destroyed. The gre- nadiers of the guards, and some Spanish troops, led the on a 240 that crossed the bridge. A general rout ensued, and the enemy were driven through the streets, which were strewed with their dead, and pursued at all points, leaving be- hind them valuable captures of horses, baggage, and money. At is difficult for me to express the joy of the people of Seville. The inhabitants, under the fire of the French, brought planks to lay across the bridge ; and their accla- mations and vociferous marks of joy, added to the immense crowd, rendered it extremely difficult for the officers to advance through the streets with their columns. The vast extent of this city, the exhausted state of the troops who had advanced in double quick time for three miles, and the want of cavalry, rendered it impossible to continue the pursuit beyond the town. Such was the rapidity of our attack, that this victory over a French division, and the passage of a bridge which the enemy had materially destroyed, with his in- fantry and artillery, formed on the banks of the river, was achieved with a loss that appears almost in- credible. I have only to regret the loss of 1 officer, Lieut. Brett, royal artillery, who was killed, gallantly fighting his gun, at the bridge. The intre- pidity of this valuable officer was observed by the whole detachment. The loss of the enemy must have been very great. We have taken several officers, and, I believe, near two hundred prisoners. The conduct of every officer and soldier has been above praise ; where all have behaved well, it is difficult to distingush; I must, however, mention the detachment of the King’s German Legion, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. commanded by Cornet Wieboldt ; the artillery, by Captain Roberts; a detachment of the 95th, by Captain Cadoux ; and the grena- diers of the 1st regiment of guards, by Captain Thomas. To Colonel Maitland, 1st regiment of guards (second in command), I am much indebted from the commencement of this service; and in the attack of Seville, his military talents, in- trepidity, and zeal, were particu- larly conspicuous. Iam also much indebted to Lieut.-Col. Colquitt, commanding a detachment of the Ist regiment of guards; to Lieut.- Colonel Prior, commanding a de- tachment 20th Portuguese regi- ment; and to Major Maclain, com- manding a detachment 87th regi- ment. The exertions of Captain Wyn- yard (Coldstream guards), assis- tant-adjutant-general, and Lieut. Reid, royal staff corps, staff officers attached to the detachment, have been indefatigable, Capt. Bunbury, 20th Portuguese regiment, brigade- major, and Lieutenant Smith, royal engineers, were at this time de- tached on other service. During the whole of this attack, our allies, the Spaniards, have ri- valled the conduct of the British — and Portuguese troops; and Gen. Cruz Mourgeon, by his military talents and bravery, has principally contributed to the successful result of the day. Inclosed is a return of the killed and wounded. During last night a division of 7 or 8,000 French troops passed by. Our attack has saved the city from the devastations and contributions with which it was threatened. Captain Wynyard is the bearer of this dispatch, who will inform you APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. you of any further particulars you may require. I have the honour, &c. (Signed) J. B.SKERRETT. To Major-Gen. Cooke, &c. P.S. Total of ordnance taken—33. Fexix Troucuron, Lt.Com- Royal Artillery. bas a N B. No 248 N. B. No time to take an in- ventory of ordnance stores, &c. and no return could be procured from the American officer. Proclamation by Isaac Brock, Esq. Major-Gencral commanding his Majesty’s forces in the province of Upper Canada, &c. Whereas the territory of Michi- gan was this day, by capitulation, ceded to the arms of his Britannic Majesty, without any other con- dition than the protection of pri- vate property; and wishing to give an early proof of the mode- ration and justice of his majesty’s government, I do hereby announce to all the inhabitants of the said territory, that the laws heretofore in existence shall continue in force until his Majesty’s pleasure be known, or so long as the peace and safety of the said territory will admit thereof; and I do hereby also declare, and make knewn to the said inhabitants, that they shall be protected in the full exercise and enjoyment of their religion, of which all persons, both civil and military, will take notice, and govern themselves ac- cordingly All persons having in their pos- session, or having any knowledge of any public property, shall forthwith deliver in the same, or give notice thereof to the officer commanding, or Lieutenant-Col. Nicholl, who are duly authorized to receive and give proper receipts for the same. Officers of militia will be held responsible that all arms in possession of militia men be im- mediately delivered up, and all individuals whatever who have in their possession arms of any ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. kind will deliver them up without delay. : Given under my hand, at De- troit, this 16th Day of August, 1812, and in the 52nd year of his Majesty’s reign. (Signed ) Isaac Brock, Major-General. From the London Gazette, Saturday Oct. 10. Admiralty-office, Oct. 10. Copy of a letter from Vice- Admiral Sawyer to John Wilson Croker, Esq. dated on board his Majesty’s ship Africa, at Halifax, Sept. 15, 1812. Sir,—It is with extreme con- cern I have to request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admi- ralty the inclosed copy of a letter from Captain Dacres, of \his Ma- jesty's late ship Guerriere, giving an account of his having sustained a close action of near two hours on the 19th ult. with the American frigate, Constitution, of very supe- rior force, both in guns and men (of the latter almost double), when the Guerriere being totally dis- masted, she rolled so deep as to render al] further efforts at the guns unavailing, and it became a duty to spare the lives of the re- maining part of her valuable crew, by hauling down her colours. The masts fell over the side from which she was about to be en- gaged, in avery favourable position for raking by the enemy. A few hours after she was in possession of the enemy, it was found impos- sible to keep her above water ; she was therefore set fire to, and abandoned, which I hope will sa- tisfy APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. tisfy their Lordships she was de- fended to the last. Captain Dacres has fully detailed the particulars of the action, as well as the very gallant; conduct of, and the sup- port he received from, the whole of his officers and ship’s company, and I am happy to hear he is, with the rest of the wounded, doing well ; they have been treated with the greatest humanity and kindness, and an exchange having been agreed on, I am in daily expectation of their ‘arrival here. A list of the killed and. wounded is herewith sent, which I regret to say, is very large. [ have the honour to be, &c. (Signed ) H. Sawyer, Vice-Admiral. Boston, Sept. 7th, 1812. Sir ;—I am sorry to inform you of the capture of his Majesty's late ship Guerriere by the American frigate Constitution, after a severe action on the 19th of August, in lat. 40 deg. 20 min. N. and long. 55 deg. W. At two p. m. being by the wind on the starboard tack, we saw a sail on our weather beam, bear- ing down onus. At three made her out to be a man of war, beat to quarters, and prepared for action. At four, she closing fast, wore to prevent her raking us. At ten minutes past four, hoisted our colours and fired several shot at her. Attwenty minutes past four, she hoisted her colours, and re- turned our fire, wore several times to avoid being raked, exchanging broadsides. » At five, she closed on our starboard beam, both keeping up a heavy fire, and steering free, his intention being evidently to cross our bow. At twenty mi- nutes past five our mizen mast went ever the starboard quarter, ana 249 brought the ship up in the wind ; the enemy then placed himself on our larboard bow, raking us, a few only of our bow guns bearing, and his grape and riflemen sweeping our deck. At forty minutes past, the ship not answering helm, he at- tempted to lay us on board ; at this time Mr. Grant, who com- manded the forecastle, was carried below, badly wounded. I immediate- ly ordered the marines and boarders from the main deck ; the master was at this time shot through the knee, and I received a severe wound in the back. Lieutenant Kent was leading on the boarders, when the ship coming to, we brought some of our bow guns to bear on her, and had got clear of our opponent, when at twenty minutes past six, our fore and main-masts went over the side, leaving the ship a perfect unma- nageable . wreck. The _ frigate shooting a-head, I was in hopes to clear the wreck and get the ship under command to renew the ac- tion ; but just as we had cleared the wreck, our spritsail yard went, and the enemy having rove new braces, &c. wore round within pis- tol shot, to rake us, the ship laying in the trough of the sea, and roll- ing, her main-deck guns under wa- ter, and all attempts to get her before the wind being fruitless ; when calling my few remaining officers together, they were all of opinion that any further resistance would only be a needless waste of lives, I ordered, tho’ reluctantly, the colours to be struck.' The loss of the ship is to be ascrib- ed to the early fall of the mizen- mast, which enabled our oppo- nent to choose his position. 1 am sorry to say we suffered severely in 250 in killed and wounded, and mostly whilst she lay on our beam, from her grape and musketry, in all 15 killed and 63 wounded, many of them severely ; none of the wounded officers quitted the deck till the firing ceased. The fri- gate proved to be the United States ship Constitution, of thirty twenty-four pounders on her main- deck, and twenty-four thirty-two pounders and two eighteen pound- ers on her upper deck, and 476 men ; her loss, in comparison with our’s, is trifling, about 20, the first Lieutenant of marines and eight killed, and first Lieu- tenant and master of the ship, and 11 men wounded, her low masts badly wounded, and stern much shattered, and very much cut up about the rigging. The Guerriere was so cut up that all attempts to get her in would have been useless. As soon as the wounded were got out of her, they set her on fire; and 1 feel it my duty to state, that the .conduct of Captain Hull and his officers to our men has been that of a brave enemy, the greatest care being taken to prevent our men losing the smallest trifle, and the greatest attention being paid to the wounded, who, through the at- tention and skill of Mr. Irvine, surgeon, I hope will do well. 1 hope, though suecess has not crowned our efforts, you will not think it presumptuous in me to say, the greatest credit is due to the officers and ship’s company for their exertions, particularly when exposed to the heavy raking fire of the enemy ; I feel particularly ob- liged for the exertions of Lieuten- ant Kent, who, thoughwounded ear- ly by a splinter, continued to as- sist me ; in the second Licutenant ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812 the service has suffered a severe loss; Mr. Scott, the master, tho’ wounded, was particularly atten- tive, and used every exertion in clearing the wreck, as did the war- rant officers. Lieutenant Nicholl, of the royal marines, and his party, supported the honourable charac- ter of their corps, and they suffer- ed severely. I must recommend Mr. Snow, master’s mate, who commanded the foremost main- deck guns, in the absence of Lieu- tenant Pullman, and the whole af- ter the fall of Lieutenant Ready, to your protection, he having re- ceived a severe contusion from a splinter. I must point out Mr. Garby, acting purser, to your no- tice, who volunteered his services on deck, and commanded the after quarter-deck guns, and was parti- cularly active, as well as Mr. Ban- nister, midshipman. I hope, in considering the circumstances, you will think the ship intrusted to my charge was properly defended ; the unfortunate loss of our masts, the absence of the third Lieuten- ant, second Lieutenant of marines, three midshipmen, and 24 men, considerably weakened our crew, and we only mustered at quarters 244 men and 19 boys, on coming into action; the enemy had such an advantage from his marines and riflemen, when close, and his su- perior sailing enabled him to choose his distance. I inclose herewith a list of killed and wounded on board the Guerriere, and have the honour to be, &c James R, Dacres. 15 killed, 63 wounded.—Total (Signed). JAMES R. Dacres. Joun Irvine, Surgeon. Admiralty 78 APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. Admiralty-Office, Dec. 26th. Copy of a letter from Admiral the Right Honourable Sir John Bor- Jase Warren, Bart. K. B. Comman- der-in-Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels on the North American station, to John Wilson Croker, Esq. dated at Halifax, Nov. 18th, 1812. Sir ;—I beg leave to transmit co- pies of letters from Captain Whin- yates and Captain Sir John Beres- ford ; the former giving an account of the capture of his Majesty’s brig Frolic, by the American sloop of war Wasp, after a hard contested action ; and the latter acquainting me with the recapture of the Frolic, and of his having at the same time * taken the Wasp, both of which were conducted to Bermuda by the Poictiers ; from whence I shall send further particulars for their lordships’ information the moment I can learn them. I have the ho- nour to be, &c. (Signed( J.B. WaRREN. His Majesty's ship Poictiers, at sea, Oct. 23rd. Sir ;—It is with the most bitter sorrow and distress I have to re- port to your excellency the capture of his Majesty’s brig Frolic, by the ship Wasp, belonging to the Unit- ed States of America, on the 18th inst. Having under convoy the homeward-bound trade from the Bay of Honduras, and being in la- titude 36 deg. N. and 64 deg. W. on the night of the 17th, we were overtaken by a most violent gale of wind, in which the Frolic car- ried away her main-yard, lost her topsails, and sprung the main top- mast. On the morning of the 251 18th, as we were repairing the da- mages sustained in the storm, and re-assembling the scattered ships, a suspicious ship came in sight, and gave chase to the convoy. Themer- chant ships continued their voyage before the wind under all sail ; the Frolic dropped astern, and hoisted Spanish colours, in order to decoy the stranger under her guns, and to give time for the convoy to es- cape. About ten o'clock, both vessels being within hail, we hauled to the wind, and the battle began. The superior fire of our guns gave every reason to expect its speedy termination in our favour, but the gaff head-braces being shot away, and there being no sail on the main-mast, the brig be- came unmanageable, and the ene- my succeeded in taking a position to rake her, while she was unable to bring a gun tobear. After lay- ing some time exposed to a most destructive fire, she fell with the bowsprit betwixt the enemy’s main and mizen rigging, still unable to return his fire. At length the ene- my boarded, and made himself mas- ter of the brig, every individual officer being wounded, and the greater part of the men either kill- ed or wounded, there not being 20 personsremaining unhurt. Although I shall ever deplore the unhappy issue of this contest, it would be great injustice to the merits of the officers and crew if I failed to re- port that their bravery and coolness are deserving of every praise ; and I am convinced, if the Frolic had not been crippled in the gale, I should have to make a very differ- ent report to your excellency. The Wasp was taken, and the Frolic re-captured the same afternoon, by his Majesty’s ship the Poictierse Being 252 Being separated from them, I can- not transmit at present alist of killed and wounded. Mr. Charles M‘Kay, the first lieutenant, and Mr. Stephens, the master, have died of their wounds. I have the honour to be, &c. T. WHINYATES. To the Right Hon. Sir J. B. Warren, Bart. &c. His Majesty’s ship Poictiers, at sea, Oct. 18th. Sir ;—I have the honour to ac- quaint you, that his Majesty’s ship under my command has this day captured the American sloop of war Wasp, of twenty guns, Captain Jacob Jones, and retaken his Ma- jesty’s brig Frolic, Captain Whin- yates, which she had captured, af- ter an action of fifty minutes. have thought it my duty to collect the Frolic’s convoy, and to see them in safety to Bermuda. The conduct of Captain Whinyates, who, I regret to say, is wounded, and of his crew, appears to have been so decidedly gallant, that I have been induced to continue him in command of the Frolic, until your pleasure is known. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed). J. P. BERESFORD. Admiral Sir J. B Warren, Bart. K.B. Commander-in-Chief, &c. London Gazette Extraordinary, Friday, November 27th. COLONIAL DEPARTMENT. Downing-Street, Nov. 27th. “ Captain Fulton, aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-General Sir G. Pre- vost, arrived late last night, with a dispatch from that officer, address- ed to Earl Bathurst, one of his ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. me Majesty’s principal Secretaries of State, of which the following is a copy :— Head-quarters, Montreal, Oct. 21st. 1812. My Lord ;—I have the satisfac- tion of reporting to your lordship, that his Majesty's forces, aided by the militia and Indians stationed on the Niagara frontier, have com- pletely repelled a second attempt of the enemy to invade Upper Ca- nada, and that a victory has been gained which has left in our pos- session nine hundred of the Ame- rican army, and their commander, Brigadier-General Wadsworth, who surrendered himself on the field of battle to Major-General Sheaffe. His Majesty and the country have to deplore the loss of an able and most gallant officer in Major-Ge~ neral Brock, who fell early in the battle, at the head of the flank companies of the 49th regiment, while nobly encouraging them to sustain their position, in opposition to an infinitely superior force, until the reinforcements he had ordered to their support should arrive. For further particulars of this splendid affair, I beg leave to refer your lordship to Major-General Sheaffe’s report, herewith transmitted. I also transmit a general order I nave just issued to the forces in the British American provinces on the occasion of this important success, as it contains a statement of the services rendered by all who had the good fortune to maintain on that day the fame of his Majes- ty’s arms, and to convince our deluded neighbours, that their su- periority of numbers cannot inti- midate his Majesty’s army, nor shake the fidelity of his Canadian subjects. Not APPENDIX TO Not having received the return of the killed and wounded on the 13th, nor that of the ordnance and stores captured from the enemy, I am under the necessity of deter- _ ring sending them to your lordship until the next opportunity, when I also expect to forward the colours taken from the Americans, to be laid at the feet of his Royal High- ness the Prince Regent. Capt. Fulton, my aide-de-camp, will have the honour of delivering this dispatch to your lordship. He is very capable of affording such information as your lordship may require respecting the state of his Majesty’s Canadian provinces. Eight companies of the Glengary levy are in motion to reinforce Up- per Canada. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) Grorce Prevost. Commander of the Forces. , Fort George, Oct. 13, Sir,—I have the honour of in- forming your excellency, that the enemy made an attack with a con- siderable force this morning before daylight, on the position of Queens- town. On receiving intelligence of it, Major-General Brock imme- diately proceeded to that post, and I am excessively grieved in having to add, that he fell whilst gallantly cheering his troops to an exertion for maintaining it. With him the position was lost; but the enemy was not allowed to retain it long. Reinforcements having been sent up from this post, composed of regular troops, militia, and In- dians, a movement was made to turn his left, while some artillery, under the able direction of Captain Holcroft, supported by a body of infantry, engaged his attention in CHRONICLE. front. This operation was aided, too, by the judicious position which Norton, and the Indians with him, had taken on the woody brow of the high ground above Queens- town. A communication being thus opened with Chipawa, a junc- tion was formed with succours that had been ordered from that post. The enemy was then attacked, and after a short but spirited conflict, was completely defeated. I had the satisfaction of receiving the sword of their commander, Briga- dier-General Wadsworth, on the field of battle ; and many officers, with upwards of nine hundred men, were made prisoners, and more may yet be expected. A stand of colours and one six-pounder were also taken. The action did not terminate till nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, and their loss in killed and wounded must have been considerable. Our’s I believe to have been comparatively small in numbers ; no officer was killed besides Major-General Brock, one of the most gallant aad zealous of- ficers in his Majesty’s service, whose loss cannot be too much de- plored, and Lieutenant-Colonel M*Donnell, provincial aide-de- camp, whose gallantry and merit rendered him worthy of his chief. Captains Dennis and Williams, commanding the flank companies of the 49th regiment, which were stationed at Queenstown, were wounded, bravely contending at the head of their men, against su- perior numbers ; but Iam glad to have it in my power to add, that Captain Dennis fortunately was able to keep the field, though with pain and difficulty; and Captain Williams’s wound is not likely to deprive me long of his oats am 253 254 I am particularly indebted to Captain Holcroft, of the royal ar- tillery, for his judicious and skilful co-operation with the guns and howitzers under his immediate su- perintendance, the well-cirected fire from which contributed ma- terially to the fortunate result of the day. Capt. Derenzy, of the 41st regi- ment, brought up the reinforcement of that corps from Fort George; and Captain Bullock led that of the same regiment from Chipawa ; and under their command those de- tachments acquitted themselves in such a manner as to sustain the re- putation which the 41st regiment had already acquired in the vici- nity of Detroit. Major-General Brock, soon after his arrival at Queenstown, had sent down orders for battering the Ame- rican Fort Niagara; Brigade Major Evans, who was left in charge of Fort George, directed the opera- tions against it with so much ef- fect as to silence its fire, and to force the troops to abandon it ; and by his prudent precautions he pre- vented mischief cf a most serious nature, which otherwise might have been effected, the enemy having used heated shot in firing at Fort George. In these services he was most effectually aided by Colonel Clause (who remained in the fort at my desire), and by Captain Vigoreaux, of the royal engineers. Brigade-Major Evans also mentions the conduct of Cap- tains Powell and Cameron, of the militia artillery, in terms of com- mendation. Lieutenant Crowther, of the 4Ist. regiment, had charge of two three- pounders that had accompanied the movement of our little corps, and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. they were employed with very good effect. Captain Glegg, of the 49th regi- ment, aide-de-camp to ourlamented friend and general, afforded me most essential assistance; and I found the services of Lieutenant Fowler, of the 41st regiment, as- sistant deputy quarter-master-ge- neral, very useful. I derived much aid, too, from the activity and in- telligence of Lieutenant Kerr, of the Glengary fencibles, whom I employed in communications with the Indians, and other flanking parties. I was unfortunately deprived of the aid of the experience and abi- lity of Lieutenant-Colonel Myers, deputy quarter - master - general, who had been sent up to Fort Erie, a few days before, on duty which detained him there. Lieutenant-Colonels Butler and Clerk, of the militia, and Captains Hatt, Durand, Rowe, Applegarth, James Crooks, Cooper, Robert Ha- milton, M‘Ewen and Duncan Ca- meron, and Lieutenants Richard- son and Thomas Butler, command- ing flank companies of the Lincoln and York militia, led their men into action with great spirit. Ma- jor Merritt, commanding the Nia- gara dragoons, accompanied me, and gave me much assistance with part of his corps. Captain A. Ha- milton, belonging to it, was dis- abled from riding, and attached himself to the guns under Captain Holcroft, who speaks highly of his activity and usefulness. I beg leave to add, that Volunteers Shaw, Thompson, and Jarvis, attached to the flank companies of the 49th re- giment, conducted themselves with great spirit; the first was wounded and the last taken prisoner: 1 beg leave APPENDIX TO leave to recommend these young men to your excellency's notice. Norton is wounded, but not badly : heand the Indians particularly dis- tinguished themselves; and I have very great satisfaction in assuring your excellency, that the spirit and good conduct ofhis Majesty’s troops, ofthe militia, and of the other pro- vincial corps, were eminently con- spicuous on this occasion. Ihave not been able to ascer- tain yet the number of our troops, or of those of the enemy engaged: our’s, Lbelieve, did not exceed the number of the prisoners we have taken ; and their advance, which ef- fected a landing, probably amount- ed to thirteen or fourteen hundred: I shall do myself the honour of transmitting to your excellency further details when I shall have received the several reports of the occurrences which did not pass un- der my own observation, with the return of the casualties, and those of the killed and wounded, and of the ordnance taken. I have the honour tobe, &c. (Signed) R, H. Suearre, Major-General. To his excellency Sir George Prevost, Bart. &c. Admiralty-office, Dec. 29. Copy of a letter from Captain John Surman Carden, late com- mander of his Majesty’s ship the Macedonian, to John Wilson Cro- ker, esq. dated on board the Ame- rican ship United States, at sea, the 28th Oct. 1812. Sir,—It is with the deepest re- gret [ have to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Com- missioners of the Admiralty that CHRONICLE. 255 his majesty’s late ship Macedonian was captured on the 25th instant by the United States ship United States, Commodore Decatur com- mander: the detail is as follows :— A short time after daylight, steering N. W. by W. with the wind from the southward, in lat. 29 deg. N. and long. 29 deg. 30 min. W. inthe execution of their lord- ships orders, a sail was seen on the lee beam, which I immediately stood for, and made her out tobea large frigate under American co- lours: atnine o'clock I closed with her, and she commenced the ac- tion, which we returned; but from the enemy keeping two points off the wind, I was not enabled to get as close to her as I could have wish- ed. After an hour’s action, the enemy backed and came to the wind, and I was then enabled to bring her to close battle; in this situation I soon found the enemy’s force too superior to expect suc- cess, unless some very fortunate chance occurred in our favour; and with this hope I continued the bat- tle to two hours and ten minutes, when, having the mizen-mast shot away by the board, topmasts shot away by the caps, main-yard shot in pieces, lower masts badly wound- ed, lower rigging all cut to pieces, a small proportion only of the fore- sail left to the fore-yard, all the guns on the quarter-deck and fore- castle disabled but two, and filled with wreck, two also on the main- deck disabled, and several shot be- tween wind and water, avery great proportion of the crew killed and wounded, and the enemy compara- tively in good order, who had now shot a-head, and was about to place himself in a raking position, without our being enabled to re- turn 256 turn the fire, being a perfect wreck and unmanageable log; I deemed it prudent, though a painful extre- | mity, to surrender his Majesty’s ship; nor was this dreadful alter- native resorted to till every hope of success was removed even beyond the reach of chance, nor till, I trust, their lordships will be aware every effort had been made against the enemy by myself, my brave officers and men; nor should she have been surrendered whilst a man lived on board, had she been manageable. Iam sorry to say, our loss is very severe: I find by this day’s muster, thirty-six killed, three of whom lingered a short time after the battle ; thirty-six se- verely wounded, many of whom cannot recover; and_ thirty-two slightly wounded, who may all do well :—total, one hundred and four. The truly noble and animating conduct of my officers and the steady bravery of my crew, to the last moment of the battle, must ever render them dear to their country. My first lieutenant, David Hope, was severely wounded in the head towards the close of the battle, and taken below; but was soon again on deck, displaying that greatness of mind and exertion, which, though it may be equalled, can ne- ver be excelled ; the third lieute- nant, John Bulford, was also ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. wounded, but not obliged to quit his quarters: second lieutenant, Samuel Mottley, and he, deserve my highest acknowledgments. The cool and steady conduct of Mr. Walker, the master, was very great during the battle, as also that of Lieutenants Wilson and Magill, of the marines. On being taken on board the enemy’s ship, I ceased to wonder at the result of the battle. The United States is built with the scantling of a seventy-four gun ship, mounting thirty long twenty- four pounders (English ship guns) on hermain-deck, and twenty-two forty-two pounders carronades, with two long twenty-four pound- ers on her quarter-deck and fore- castle, howitzer guns on her tops, and a travelling}carronade on her upper deck, with a complement of four hundred and 'seventy-eight picked men. The enemy has suffered much in her masts, rigging and hull above and below water: her loss in killed and wounded, I am not aware of, but I know a lieutenant and six men have been thrown overboard. Inclosed you will be pleased to reccive the names of the killed and wounded on board the Macedo- nian; and havethehonourto be, &c. Joun S. CARDEN. To J. W. Croker, Esq. Admiralty. PUBLIC . APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 257 PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, Passed in the Sixth Session of the Fourth Parliament of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 52nd George III.—A. D. 1812. An act for continuing to his Majesty certain duties on malt, sugar, tobacco, and snuff, in Great Britain; and on pensions, offices, and personal estates in England; for the service of the year 1812. An act to permit sugar, the produce of Martinique and other conquered islands in the West Indies, to be taken out of ware- houses on the payment of the like rate of duty for waste as British plantation sugar. An act to revive and continue until the 31st day of December, 1812, so much of an Act made in the 49th year of his present Majesty, to prohibit the distillation of spirits from corn or grain, in the united kingdom, as relates to Great Britain; and to revive and continue another act made in the 49th year aforesaid, to suspend the importation of British or Irish- made spirits into Great Britain or Ireland respectively; and for granting certain duties on worts or wash made from sugar during the prohibition of distillation from corn or grain in Great Britain. An act for raising the sum of 10,500,000/. by exchequer bills, for the service of Great Britain for the . year 1812. An act for raising the sum of 1,500,000/. by exchequer bills, for the service of Great Britain for the year 1812. Vou. LIV. An Act for making provision for the better support of his Ma- jesty’s household, during the con- tinuance of his Majesty’s indispo- sition. An act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum for defray- ing the expenses incident to the assumption of the personal exer- cise of the royal authority by his royal highness the Prince Regent in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty. An act for the regulation of his Majesty’s household, and ena- bling her Majesty the Queen to meet the increased expense to which her Majesty may be ex- posed during his Majesty’s indis- position: and for the care of his Majesty’s real and personal pro- perty ; and to amend an act of the last session of parliament, to pro- vide for the administration of the royal authority during his Majes- ty’s illness. An act to repeai an act of the 25th year of his present Majesty, for better securing the duties oa coals, culm, and cinders; and making other provisions in lieu thereof; and for requiring ships in the coal trade to be measured. An act to amend an act of the 50th year of his present Majesty, for granting a sum of money to be raised by exchequer bills, to be advanced and applied in the man- ner and upon the terms therein s mentioned 258 mentioned for the relief of the united company of merchants of England trading to the East Indies. An act to repeal an act passed in the 39th and 40th year of his present Majesty, for establishing certain regulations in the offices of the House of Commons,-and to establish other and further regula- tions in the said offices. An act for extending the laws for preventing the embezzlement of his Majesty’s naval ordnance and victualling stores in Ireland. An act to alter and amend an act, passed in the 51st year of the reign of his present Majesty, for the relief of certain insolvent debtors in England. An act for granting annuities to discharge certain exchequer bills. An act for further continuing, until the 25th day of March 1813, certain bounties and drawbacks on the exportation of sugar from Great Britain ; and for suspending the countervailing duties and boun- ties on sugar, when the duties imposed by an act of the 49th year of his present Majesty shall be suspended ; and for continuing so much of an act of the 47th year of his present Majesty, as allows a bounty on raw sugar exported until the 25th day of March, 1813. An act for the more exem- plary punishment of persons de- stroying or injuring any stocking or lace frames, or other machines or engines used in the frame-work knitting manufactory, or any arti- cles or goods in such frames or machines: to continue in force until the first day of March, 1814. ~ ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. An act for the more effectual preservation of the peace, by en- forcing the duties of watching and warding, until the Ist day of March, 1814, in places where disturbances prevail or are appre hended. An act for making perpetual an act made in the 12th year of his present Majesty, for encouraging the manufacture of leather, by lowering the duty payable upon the importation of oak bark, when the price of such bark shall exceed a certain rate. An act to amend an act of the last session of parliament, for granting to his Majesty a sum of money to be raised by lotteries. An act to continue several laws relating to permitting the importa~ tion of tobacco into Great Britain from any place whatever, and to permitting goods and commodities to be imported into and exported from Nova Scotia and New Bruns- wick, in any ship or vessel until the 25th day of March, 1815; and to the amending an act for con- solidating and extending the several laws in force for allowing the im- portation of certain goods and merchandize into and from cer- tain ports in the West Indies, until the 25th day ,of March, 1814. ’ An act to render valid and ef- fectual certain oaths administered to and taken by certain members of the House of Commons before deputies of the late Lord Steward of his Majesty’s household, during . the vacancy of the said office. An act for punishing mutiny and desertion; and for the better payment of the army and their quarters. An act for the regulating 0 is APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. his Majesty’s royal marine forces while on shore. An act for raising the sum of 6,789,625l. by way of annuities. An act to continue, until the 25th day of March, 1813, an act for regulating the drawbacks and bounties on the exportation of su- gar from Ireland. An act to indemnify such per- sons in the united kingdom as have omitted to qualify themselves for offices and employments, and for extending the times limited for those purposes respectively, until the 25th day of March, 1813; and to permit such persons in Great Britain as have omitted to make and file affidavits of the execu- tion of indentures of clerks to attornies and solicitors, to make and file the same on or before the ist day of Hilary term, 1813. An act for enabling the wives and families of soldiers embarked in Ireland for foreign service to re- turn to their homes. An act to amend an act of the last session of parliament, making provision for the families of militia men in Ireland. An act to amend the laws relat- ing to the militia of Ireland. An act to provide for regulating the warehousing of spirits distilled from corn in Ireland, for exporta- tion, without payment of the duty of excise chargeable thereon ; and to transfer the custody of spirits so warehoused, from the commis- sioners of customs and port duties in Ireland and their officers, to the commissioners of inland excise and taxes in Ireland, and their officers. Anacttorepealan act madeinthe 39th year of Queen Elizabeth, intituled an act against lewd and 259 wandering personspretending them- selves to be soldiers or mariners. An act for the relief of infant suitors in courts of equity, entitled to stock or annuities in any of the public or other funds transferable at the bank of England. An act to continue until the expiration of six months after the conclusion ef the present war, an act made in the 46th year of his present Majesty, for permitting the importation of masts, yards, bowsprits, and timber for naval purposes, from the British colonies in North America, duty free. An act for altering and amend- ing an act made in the 32nd year of the reign of his late Majesty king George the second, for the relief of debtors, with respect to the imprisonment of their persons; and of an act made in the 39th year of his present Majesty, for making perpetual an act made in the 33rd year of his present Ma- jesty for the further relief of debtors; and for other purposes in the said act expressed. An act to prohibit all intercourse between the island of Jamaica and certain parts of the island of Saint Domingo. An act for granting additional duties on mahogany not imported from the Bay of Honduras, and-for reducing the duties on certain spe- cies of wood imported from the said bay. An act for settling and securing a certain annuity on Earl Welling- ton and the two next persons to whom the title of Earl Wellington shall descend, in consideration of his eminent services. An act for amending the laws relating to the local militia in England. $2 An 260 An act for the more effectual regulation of pilots, and of the pilotage of ships and vessels on tie coast of England. An act to make provision for a limited time respecting certain grants of offices. An act to amend and continue until the 25th day of March, 1813, an act of the 45th year of his pre- sent Majesty for appointing com- missioners to inquire into the pub- lic expenditure, and the conduct of the public business in the mili- tary departments therein mentioned; and another act, of the 51st year of his present Majesty, for continu- ing and extending the same to public works executed by the office of works and others. An act for amending the laws relating to the allowance of the bounties on pilchards exported until the 24th day of June, 1819. An act for increasing the rates of subsistence to be paid to inn- keepers and others on quartering soldiers. An act for the erection of a penitentiary house for the confine- ment of offenders convicted within the city of London and the county of Middlesex; and for making compensation to Jeremy Bentham, esquire, for the non-performance of. an agreement between the said Jeremy Bentham and the lords commissioners of his Majesty’s treasury, respecting the custedy and maintenance of convicts. An act to suspend the exporta- tion from Ireland to parts beyond the seas of spirits made or dis- tilled in Ireland from corn or grain until the 31st day of December, 1812. An act to grant to his Majesty duties upon spirits made or dis- ~ ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. tilled in Ireland, and to allow cer- tain drawbacks on the exportation thereof; and to repeal certain bounties given to persons licensed to sell spirituous liquors, wine, beer, and ale, by retail, in Ire- land. An act to revive and continue until the 3lst day of December, 1812, so much of an act made in the 49th year of his present Majes~ ty to prohibit the distillation of spirits from corn or grain in the united kingdom as relates to Ire- land. An act to provide for the regu- lating and securing the collection of the duties on spirits distilled in Ireland from corn, malted or un- malted, in stills of and under 100 gallons content. An act to continue the period for purchasing the legal quays in the port of London, and to enable the lords of the treasury to pur- chase buildings in Thames-street, for the purpose of erecting a new custom-house. An act to continue until three months after the commencement of the next session of parlia- ment, and amend an act of the last session of parliament, for making more effectual provision for preventing the current gold coin of the realm from being paid or accepted for a greater value than the current value of such coin; for preventing any note or bill of the governor and company of the bank of England from being received for any smaller sum than the sum therein specified ; and for staying proceedings upon any dis~ tress by tender of such notes; and to extend the same to Ire- land. An act to provide for the more speedy APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. speedy examination, controlling, and finally auditing the military accounts of Ireland. An act to provide for the speedy and regular examination and audit of the public accounts of Ireland: and to repeal certain former acts relating thereto. An act for extending the time in which coffee of the British plantations may be sold by auction without payment of the duty on auctions; and for making an al- lowance of such duty jon coffee sold for which the said duty has not been paid. An act for continuing until the Ist day of August, 1813, several laws relating to the duties on glass made in Great Britain. An act to prevent foreign goods ofcertain descriptionsbeing brought from the United States of America into Canada; and to allow a greater quantity of worsted yarn to be exported trom Great Britain to Canada. An act to explain and amend an act passed in the 50th year of his present Majesty, for ex- plaining and amending an act for continuing and making perpetual several duties of 1s. 6d. in the pound on offices and employments of profit, and onanauities, pensions, and stipends. An act to enable his Majesty to settle on their royal highnesses the Princesses Augusta Sophia, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sophia, an annuity of 36,000/. instead of the annuity settled on them by an act passed in the 18th year of his pre- sent Majesty. An act to grant to his Majesty certain duties of excise on tobacco to be manufactured in Ireland ; and to allow certain drawbacks 261 in respect thereof, in lieu of former duties of excise and drawbacks : and to provide for the regulating and securing the collection of the said duties. An act for allowing on the ex- portation of manufactured plate for the, private use of persons re- siding or going to reside abroad, the same drawback as is now al- lowed on the exportation of such plate by way of merchandize. An act for altering the mode of payment of the superannuation allowances in the department of the ‘ customs in Scotland. An act to grant an excise duty on spirits made or distilled from sugar in Ireland, during the pro- hibition of distillation from corn or grain there, in lieu of the excise duty now chargeable thereon, and to allow a drawback on the ex- port thereof. An act to enable coadjutors to archbishops and bishops in Ireland to execute the powers of arch- bishops and bishops respectively. An act for more effectually pre- venting the embezzlement of secu- rities for money and other effects, left or deposited for safe custody, or other special purpose, in the hands of bankers, merchants, bre- kers, attornies, or other agents. An act for extending the pro- visions of an act of the 30th year of king George the second, against persons obtaining money by false pretences, to persons so obtaining bonds and other securities. An act to allow the use of sugar in brewing beer in Great Britain. An act to explain and amend an act of the 50th year of his present Majesty, to regulate the taking of securities in all offices in respect 262 of which security ought to be given, and for avoiding the grant of all such offices in the event of such security not being given within a time to be limited after the grant of such offices. An act for settling and securing certain annuities, on the widow and eldest son of the late right honourable Spencer Perceval, and for granting a sum of money for the use of his other children. An act for amending the laws relating to the local militia in Scotland, An act to continue until the 5th day of July, 1803, several Acts for granting certain rates and du- ties, and for allowing certain drawbacks and bounties on goods, wares, and merchandize, imported into and exported from Ireland. An act for raising the sum of 1,500,000/. by way of annuities, and treasury bills for the service of Ireland. An act for the better cultiva- tion of navy timber in the forest of Woolmer, in the county of Southampton. An act for the better cultivation of navy ticaber in the forest of Atice Holt, in the county of South- ampton. An act for repealing so much of an act of the 36th year of his present Majesty, for the better relief of the poor within England; and enlarging the powers of the guardians of the poor, as limits the annual amount of the assess- ments. An act to continue until the Ist day of January, 1814, an act for appointing commissioners to in: quire and examine into the nature and extent of the several bogs in Kreland, and the practicability of ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. draining and cultivating them, and the best means of effecting the same. An act to provide for the more complete and effectual liquidation of a debt due to his Majesty from the late Abraham Goldsmid, mer- chant, and his surviving partners; and to confirm and establish cer- tain agreements entered into for that and other purposes relating thereto. An act to amend several acts re- lating to the revenue of customs and port duties in Ireland. An act for granting an additional drawback .on flint, phial, and crown glass; for charging an ad- ditional countervailing duty on flint and crown glass imported from Ireland ; and for the better prevention of frauds in the exporta- tion of glass on drawback. An act to make better pro- vision for the commissioners of appeal in revenue causes in Ire land, An act to allow British planta- tion sugar and coffee, imported into Bermuda in British ships to be exported to the territories of the United States of America in foreign ships or vessels; and to permit articles, the production of the said United States, to be imported into the said island in foreign ships or vessels, An act for extending the period in which deeds were directed to be enrolled-by an act of the 50th year of his present Majesty, for amending several acts for the redemption and sale of the land tax. An act to amend an act made in the 49th year of his present Majesty, for providing a durable allowance of superannuation to the officers APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. ° officers of excise, under certain restrictions. An act for transferring the Scotch excise charity and superan- nuation funds to the consolidated fund, and paying all future allow- ances from the latter fund, and for making provision for certain super- annuated officers of excise in Eng- land and Scotland. An act to revive and continue, until the 25th day of March, 1813, and amend so much of an act, made in the 39th and 40th year of his present Majesty, as grants certain allowances to adjutants, and serjeant-majors of the militia of England, disembodied under an act of the same session of par- liament. An act for making allowances in certain cases to subaltern officers of the militia in Great Britain, while disembodied. An act for raising the sum of 22,500,000/. by way of annuities. An act for raising the sum of 5,000,000/. by exchequer bills, for the service of Great Britain, for the year 1812. . An act to repeal the several du- ties under the care of the commis- sioners for managing the stamp duties in Ireland, and to grant new duties in lieu thereof; and for transferring the management of the duties on playing cards and dice from the commissioners of in- land excise to the commissioners of stamp duties. An act for granting to his Ma- jesty certain additional rates of postage in Great Britain. An act for charging an ad- ditional duty on copper imported into Great Britain, until the expi- ration of six calendar months after 263 the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace. An act for raising the sum of 500,000/. by treasury bills for the service of Ireland, for the year 1812. An act to continue until the 25th day of March, 1814, an act made in the parliament of Ireland, in the 27th year of his present Majesty, for the better execution of the law and preservation of the peace within counties at large. An act to continue, until the Ist day of August, 1813, certain acts for appointing cémmissioners to inquire into the fees, gratuities, perquisites, and emoluments re- ceived in several public offices in Ireland; to examine into any abuses which may exist in the same, and into the mode of re- ceiving, collecting, issuing, and accounting for public money in Ireland. An act for granting to his Ma- jesty certain new and additional duties of assessed taxes; and for consolidating the same with the former duties of assessed taxes. An act for granting to his Ma- jesty additional duties of excise in Great Britain, on glass, hides, and tobacco and snuff. An act to amend and regulate the assessment and cellection of the assessed taxes, and of the rates and duties on profits arising from property, professions, trades, and offices, in that part of Great Bri- tain called Scotland. An act for applying the amount of the bounties on certain linens exported from Great Britain to- wards defraying the charge of the loan made and stock created in the present session of iar a n 264 An act to amend several acts relating to the revenue of inland excise and taxes in Ireland. An act to permit sugar, coffee, and cocoa to be exported from his Majesty’s colonies or plantations to any portin Europe to the South- ward of Cape Finisterre, and corn to be imported from any such port, and from the coast of Africa, into the said colonies and planta- tions, under licences granted by the collectors and controllers of the customs. An act for allowing certain arti- cles to be ifmported into the Baha- ma islands, and exported therefrom in foreign vessels ; and for enccu- raging the exportation of salt from the said islands. An act to permit the exportation of wares, goods, and merchandize, from any of his Majesty’s islands in the West Indies to any other of the said islands, and to and from any of the British colonies on the continent of America, and the said islands and colonies, An act to provide a summary remedy in cases of abuses of trusts created for charitable pur- poses. An act for the registering and securing of charitable donations. An act for the more easy man- ning of vessels employed in the southern whale fishery. An act to render more effectual an act, passed in the 37th year of his present Majesty, for preventing the administering or taking un- lawful oaths. An act to continue, amend, and extend the provisions of an act, passed in the 48th year of his pre- sent Majesty, for enabling the se- eretary at war to enforce returns ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. from clerks of subdivisions and others, in relation: to fines, boun= ties, ‘and sums due under any acts relating to the defence of the realm or militia, for the purpose of directing the distribution and secur- ing the due application thereof. An act for increasing the duty on rum and other spirits imported into Newfoundland from the Bri- tish colonies and plantations on the continent of America, and charging a duty on spirits imported into Newfoundland from his Majesty’s colonies in the West Indies. An act for extending the allow- ance of the duty on salt used in making oxigenated muriatic acid for bleaching linen, to salt used in making such acid for bleaching thread and cotton twist. An act to amend an act passed in the 50th year of his present Majesty, for placing the duties of hawkers and pedlers under the management of the commissioners of hackney coaches. An act to empower the com- missioners of Chelsea hospital to commute pensions for a sum of money in certain cases. An act for amending an act passed in the 12th year of his late Majesty King George the 2nd, intituled ‘ An act for the more ‘ easy assessing, collecting, and le- ‘ vying of county rates; ’ and for the remedying certain defects in the laws relating to the repairing of county bridges and other works maintained at the expense of the inhabitants of counties in England. ; An act for defraying the charge of the pay and clothing of the mi- litia and local militia in Great Bri- tain for the year 18] 2. An APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. An act for defraying, until the 25th day of March, 1813, the charge of the pay and clothing - of the militia of Ireland; and for making allowances in certain cases to subaltern officers of the said mi- - litia during peace. An act for raising the sum of 1,216,666/. 13s. 4d. Irish currency by treasury bills for the service of Ireland for the year 1812. An act to enable the com- missioners of his Majesty’s treasury to issue exchequer bills, on the credit of such aids or supplies as have been or shall be granted by parliament for the service of Great - Britain for the year 1812. Anact to make more effectual provision for enabling the corpora- _ tion for preserving and improving the port of Dublin, to erect, re- pair, and maintain light houses and lights round the coasts of Ire- land, and to raise a fund for defray- ing the charge thereof. An act to amend an act of this session of parliament for amending the laws relating to the local mili- tia of England. An act for imposing additional duties of customs on certain species of wood, and on pot and pearl ashes imported into Great Britain. An act to amend an act made in the present session of parliament, ‘intituled « An act to revive and continue until the 31st day of De- cember, 1812, so much of an act made ia the 49th year of his pre- sent Majesty, to prohibit the distil- lation of spirits from corn or grain, in the united kingdom, as relates to Great Britain; and to revive and continue another act made in the 49th year aforesaid, to sus- pend the importation of British _ or Irish made spirits into Great Britain or Ireland, respectively ; 265 and for granting certain duties on worts or wash made from sugar during the prohibition of distilla- tion from corn or grain in Great Britain.’ An act to repeal so much of an act of the 43rd year of his present Majesty, as permits the importa- tion of goods and commodities from Turkey, Egypt, or the Le- vant seas, in foreign ships. An act to explain, amend, and extend the provisions of an act, passed in the last session of par- liament, for enabling the wives and families of soldiers to return to their homes, to the widows, wives, and families of soldiers dying or em- ployed on foreign service. An act to authorize the transfer to the East Indies, of debts origin- ally contracted there, on the part of the East India company, paya- ble in England. An act to remove doubts as to an act passed in the 50th year of the reign of his present Majesty, relating to raising men for the service of the East India com- pany. An act for amending and en- larging the powers of an act passed in the 50th year of his present Majesty, to enable his royal high- ness the Prince of Wales to grant leases of certain lands and pre- mises called Prince’s Meadows, in the parish of Lambeth, in the county of Surrey, parcel of his said royal highness’s duchy of Cornwall, for the purpose of build- ing thereon. An act for vesting in his Majes- ty, his heirs, and successors, cer- tain lands or grounds, formerly part of the wastes of the manor of Sandhurst, in the county of Berks, freed and «discharged of common- able and other rights. An 266 An act for granting to his Ma- jesty a sum of money to be raised by lotteries. An act to repeal the several acts for the collection and manage- ment of the stamp duties in Ire- land, andto make more effectual regulations for collecting and ma- naging the said duties. An act to prohibit, until the Ist day of November, 1812, the making of starch, hair powder and blue, from wheat and othé articles of food; and for suspend- ing part of the duties now payable on the importation into Great Bri- tain of starch. An act for better securing the duties on malt. An act for amending two acts passed in the 48th and 49th years of his present Majesty, for ena- bling the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt to grant life annuities. An act for the more effectual punishment of persons destroying the properties of his Majesty’s sub- jects ; and enabling the owners of such properties to recover damages for the injury sustained. An act to exempt from the du- ties of 1s, and of 6d. in the pound, certain augmentations made to the stipends of parishes in Scot- land. _ An act for explaining, amend- ing, and extending the several laws relative to the payment of forfeited and unclaimed shares of army prize money, to the royal hospital at Chelsea; and for. directing the mode of making up the accounts of pensions paid to the widows of officers of the army. An act for taking an account of the population of Ireland, and of the increase or diminution thereof. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. An act for the better regulation of the butter trade in Ireland. An act for advancing 2,500,000/. to the East India Company, to enable them to discharge part of the Indian debt. An act to enable the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to regulate the price of coals to be bought for the benefit of the poor of the city of Dublin. An act for extending the time for the payment of certain sums of money, advanced by way of Joan under an act, passed in the last session of parliament, for enabling his Majesty to direct the issue of exchequer bills, to a limited amount, for the purposes and in the manner therein mentioned. An act for the further preven- tion of the counterfeiting of silver tokens issued by the governor and company of the bank of England, called dollars, and of silver pieces issued and circulated by the said governor and company, called to- kens; and for the further preven- tion of frauds practised by the imi- tation of the notes or bills of the said governor and company. An act for granting to his Ma- jesty certain duties on stone bottles made in or imported into Great Britain. An act to permit the exportation of certain articles to the Isle of Man from Great Britain. An act to regulate the manner of licensing boats by the commission- ers of the customs, and the deliver- ing up of licences in cases of loss or capture of vessels licensed ; and for enabling the commissioners of the customs to purchase certain boats at a valuation. An act to permit the removal of goods from one bonding ware- house APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. house to another, in the same port. An act for amending and re- ducing into one act, the provi- sions contained in any laws now in force imposing the penalty of death for any act done in breach of or in resistance to any part of the laws for collecting his Majes- ty’s revenue in Great Britain. An act to suspend and finally vacate the seats of members of the _ House of Commons, who shall be- come bankrupts, and who shall not pay their debts in full within a limited time. An act to explain the exemption from toll in several acts of parlia- ment, for carriages employed in husbandry ; and for regulating the tolls to be paid on other carriages, and on horses, in certain other cases therein specified. An act for the better regulating and preserving parish and other registers of births, baptisms, mar- riages, and burials in England. An act for regulating the allow- ances granted out of the duties of assessed taxes, to persons in respect of the number of their children, by an act passed in the 46th year of his present .Majesty ; and for extending the limitation mentioned in the said act in proportion to the increase of the said duties. An act to enable the keeper of his Majesty’s privy purse for the time being, to dispose of and trans- fer all such public stocks or funds, as now do or shall hereafter stand in his name, in the books of the governor and company of the bank of England, in trust for his Ma- jesty. ; An act to regulate the separation _ of damaged from sound coffee, and to permit dealers to send out any quantity of coffee not exceeding 267 eight pounds weight without per- mit, until the end of two years from the passing of this act. An act to amend an act passed in the 44th year of his Majesty’s reign for granting stamp duties in Great Britain, so far as regards the duties granted on medicines and on licences for vending the same. An act to extend the provisions of an act of the last session of par- liament, relating to the half pay and allowance of officers retiring from service ; and to authorize the allowing to foreign officers wound- ed the like pensions and allowances as are given to British officers un- der the like circumstances. An act to repeal an act, passed in the 49th year of his present Majesty, intituled ‘ An act for better regulating the office of agent general for volunteers and local militia,’ and for the more ef- fectually regulating the said office. An act to rectify a mistake and to carry into more effectual execu- tion the purposes of an act made in the last session of parliament, relating to the British white her- ring fishery. An act for granting to his Ma- jesty certain sums of money out of the consolidated fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain monies therein mentioned, for the service of the year 1812, and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parlia- ment. An act to repeal certain acts, and amend other acts relating to religious worship and assemblies, and persons teaching or preaching therein. An act for the more effectual punishment of persons aiding pri- soners of war to escape from his Majesty's dominions. An 268 - An act to prevent the issuing and circulating of pieces of gold and silver, or other metal, usually called tokens, except such as are issued by the banks of England and Ireland respectively. An act to extend the provisions of an act passed in the 36th year of the reign of his present Majes- ty, for the relief of persons equita- bly entitled to stocks and annuities transferable at the bank of Eng- land, and of an act passed in this present session for the relief of in- fant suitors entitled to the like stocks and annuities, to all other transferable stocks and funds. An act for charging foreign li- quors and tobacco derelict, jetsam, flotsam, lagan, or wreck, brought or coming into Great Britain, with the duties payable on importation of such liquors and tobacco. An act to enable justices of the peace to order parochial relief to prisoners confined under mesne process for debt in such gaols as are not county gaols. An act for enabling his Majesty to grant leases under certain cir- cumstances, and for the better car= rying into effect the provisions of an act passed in the 39th and 40th ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. year of the reign of his present Majesty, touching the formation of amap of the New Forest in the county of Southampton, and con= tinuing and extending other pro- visions of the said act; for further appropriating the monies arisen or to arise from the sale of certain crown lands under the authority of divers acts of parliament ; for an- nexing certain lands within the forest of Rockingham to his Ma- jesty’s manor of King’s Cliffe ; and for enabling the commissioners of the treasury to appropriate small portions of land for ecclesiastical purposes. An act for the preservation of the public peace in certain disturbed counties in England ; and to give, until the 25th day of March, 1813, additional powers to justices for that purpose, An act for the relief of certain insolvent debtors in Ireland. An act for enabling his Majesty to raise the sum of three millions for the service of Great Brituin, and for applying the sum of 200,000/. British curreney for the service of Ireland. An act for the relief of certain insolvent debtors in, England. or REMARKABLE TRIALS AND LAW CASES. TRIALS FOR LIBEL AND STATE CRIMES. Trial of Mr. Kirwan, one of the Catholic Delegates, at Dublin— The Court of King’s Bench having commenced their sittings for this term on Thursday, the 23rd _ of January, proceeded on Monday the 27th, to the trial of Mr. Thomas Kirwan, one of the Roman Ca- tholic delegates for the parish of St. Mary’s, in Dublin. After the panel for the jury had been called over, one of the counsel for the traversers rose, and challenged = a APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. challenged the array, onan allega- tion that the panel had been re- turned at the suggestion of the prosecutors. The counsel for the Crown joined issue on the chal- lenge, observing, that such a pro- ceeding was only calculated to encourage that hostile indisposition to the laws which was spreading fast through this country. After a reply from the counsel on the other side, triers were ap- pointed to decide upon the chal- lenge. » The Crown. solicitor, after an examination of unusual length, proved, that his application to the sheriff for a copy of the panel, to which he conceived himself entit- led as of right, was resisted ; but he admitted that he had obtained a copy from the under-secretary of state. This being produced, was found to contain private marks made by the Crown solicitor, and was numbered with figures, in some instances corresponding with, and in others differing from the order of the panel returned .into court. On this circumstance the traverser’s counsel appeared principally to rely in support of the challenge, and at length closed his evidence, insinu- ating that the difference had been caused by the interference of go- vernment. Mr. James, one of the sheriffs, was then called on by the Crown, and examined ; he contradicted the insinuation, and explained the few changes which had been made in the panel. The traverser’s coun- sel, Mr. Burrows, then spoke to evidence, and was replied to by the Attorney-General ; when the chief justice addressed the triers, who retired for a few moments, and 269 brought in a verdict against the challenge. On Tuesday the Court proceeded with the trial, when an affidavit on behalf of Mr. Kirwan was brought forward, the object of which was to postpone the trial, that the tra- verser might have the same advan- tage of time for inquiry, which the Crown had had with respect to the persons on the panel. The affi- davit contained also an allegation, that he believed many of the panel were Orangemen, and enemies to Catholics; and he named Mr. Blackwood, the first on the panel, as one. Mr. Blackwood publicly and solemnly denied the fact. The solicitor for the traverser being then called on by the Court to deny his possession of the panel on behalf of the traverser, at as early a time as the Crown had become possessed of it, refused to be sworn, screen- ing himself under his character of attorney in the cause. The jury were then sworn, and the trial proceeded, The, Attorney-General opened the case at great length. He stated the charges to be, that on the 9th of July last, an assembly, calling itself an Aggregate Meeting of Roman-Catholics, did assemble in Dublin ; Lord Fingal presided in the chair; and that assembly did, of itself, order county elections to be held in the several counties of Ireland, for the purpose of electing or returning ten delegates for each county. These resolutions were published, and Lord Fingal’s name to them, as chairman. The indict- ment then stated the assembling so proposed to be convened, as an unlawful assembly, and pregnant with danger; it was enough to state 270 state it as an unlawful assembly. The next count was, that on the 30th July last, an assembly of the parishioners of the parish of St. Mary was held. At that assembly they proceeded to an election of delegates. Those delegates vere to be the delegates for that parish, ac- cording to the mandates of the meeting of the 9th of July ; at that assembly the traverser was present, and did act in the election of the delegates. He recited the second section of the Convention Act, and then proceeded —‘ I have now stated the charges in the indict- ment ; and they divide themselves into a question of law, and a question of fact. Of law, if the assembly so ordered to be convened is an unlawful assembly. It will save time to inform you, that question was agitated fully upon the trial of Dr. Sheridan; and af- ter a full and most able defence, the court was of opinion, that it was an unlawful assembly, without any doubt ; and to that opinion I bow, and that point is now settled, unless my learned friends mean to persuade you that you are the judges of the law, whereas the Constitution have only made you judges of the fact.’? He then pro- ceeded to comment upon the evi- dence produced on the former trial, and to show its sufficiency for conviction. He contended, that, notwithstanding the verdict of the former jury, the facts were as clear as the sun. Huddleston and Sheppard (the peace-officer), who had been pro- duced as witnesses for the Crown on the former trial, wereexamined, when the latter produced his notes, the loss of which seemed to have been so dwelt upon ong Sheridan’s ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. trial. The Court adjourned at six o’clock, till Wednesday, when it proceeded upon the trial, and J. M‘Donagh (also a witness on be- half of the Crown on the former trial) was produced, and upon his examination and cross-examination having closed, it appeared by his testimony, as well as Sheppard’s, that one of the persons assembled in Liffey-street, on the 31st of July, warned the meeting of the proclamation issued on that day. This was considered as laying a foundation for giving in evidence the proclamation, to show that it warned all persons from holding any election, pursuant to the re-= solutions of the Aggregate Meet- ing of the 9th of July, from which and the warning, it would appear that this was a meeting of that nature. The Gazette, be- ing offered as evidence of the proclamation, was admitted by the defendant’s counsel, and its contents read ; here the evidence for the Crown closed. ‘The pro- clamation furnished an additional link to connect the two meet- ings. Counsel for the traverser then contended, that there was a vari- ance between the indictment and the evidence,—that the charge was “«« The having elected five represen- tatives for a district in the city of Dublin, called St. Mary’s parish, ” and used as a parish by the Roman Catholics ; that the evidence was, that the Catholic parish of St Mary, for which they conceived the election to be held, comprised three Protestant parishes, one of which, St. George’s parish, by an old act of parliament then pro- duced, appeared to be altogether in the county, and not at all in the city. APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. - city. To this, two answers were given; the first, that supposing that to be so, there was no material variance ; the second, that taking the whole evidence ,together, it appeared that this meeting was in compliance with Lord Fingal’s re- solutions of July 9th, by which counties were to elect ten each, and the parishes in Dublin (as con- tra-distinguished from the coun- ty), were to elect five each ; that therefore the jury had_ strong evidence to show that the elec- tion in Liffey-street was held only for so much as was in Dublin city ; and that the allegation of the indictment, “a district in the city of Dublin, called the parish of St. Mary,” was sustained. The Courtdetermined on leaving it to the jury, whether the election really was so or not ; and accord- ing to their answer, afterwards to decide on the law. . Counsel then, in a speech of three hours, stated the case of the traverser, and went fully into all the political doctrines connected with the case. This occupied the Wednesday. The proceedings of Thursday opened with a speech from the Solicitor-General, in which he dis- played his usual command of wit, eloquence, and argument. He par- ticularly animadverted on the tra- verser’s counsel assuming the high tone of an advocate of the people and of a public cause; and yet condescending to question notori- ous facts, and to insist on every petty cavil that would be used in the defence of a thief. He also animadverted strongly, but in re- spectful terms, on Lord Fingal, who was roe for sitting by, two several times, while a witness 271 wastortured and branded for swear- ing to resolutions which had for months appeared in the public prints with the sanction of his lordship’s name, and without con- tradiction. At half-past one he concluded, and the chief justice proceeded to charge the jury, ex- plaining to them the provisions of the Convention Actat some length. The jury then retired, and after being out fifteen minutes, returned with a verdict of guilty. On February 6th, Mr. Kirwan was brought up for judgment, when, after a speech from the Court explaining the crime, and the pur- pose of government in prosecut- ing, he was fined one mark and discharged. The Attorney-General entered ‘a noli prosequi upon the other de- pending causes on the samecharge. Court of King’s Bench, Dublin, February 2\st—This day the long pending causes of the Police Magistrates of the city of Dublin versus Mr. John Magee, proprietor ef the Dublin Evening Post, came on to be tried. Mr. Burrowes con- ducted the prosecution, on a crimi- nal information for a libel in the before-named newspaper, intituled “ Inefficiency. of the Police.” The libel stated a number of outrages to have been committed in Dublin, through the want of proper atten- tion on the part of the Police,— that the magistrates received sa- laries of near 10,000/. a-year of the public money, to which might be added, the sum of 40,000/. ac- cruing from fines,—and that the watchmen would do their duty effectually, if the magistrates bet- tered their condition, and attend- ed to their own business. It likewise 272 likewise styled them thecorregidors of Dublin, who loved money as much as the watchman in his rags, and were unwilling to give a fair price for honesty. Mr. Magee had been remonstrated with on the effects of this statement. He ac- ‘-knowledged he was the editor, but denied any specific knowledge of the contents of the article. He said he knew the author, but would not give him up. He further stated, that’ his ears had been stunned with complaints against the Police. The learned counsel contended for the maxim, * gui _facit per alium Jfacit per se ;”? and asserted that such publications did great mischief to the liberty of the press. Mr. Goold spoke for the defendant, and was replied toby Mr. Burton. The chief justice summed up at consi- derable length ; when the jury re- tixed, and after an hour and a half consultation, brought in a verdict—Guilty of publishing, but without a malicious intention. They were informed by the Court that such a verdict could not -be received ; when they retired a second time, and after remaining out ten minutes, returned with a verdict of—Guilty. Trial for Blasphemy.— Court of King’ s- Bench, March 6.— The King v. Daniel Isaac Eaton.—This was an information filed against the de- fendant for the publication of a blasphemous and profane libel on the Holy Scriptures, the work of Thomas Paine. After the plead- ings had been opened by Mr. Abbott, the Attorney-General mentioned the motives which had induced him to file the information, and characterised the publication in question in terms of the greatest ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. abhorrence. The libel, he said, asserted that the Holy Scriptures were, from beginning to end, a fable and an imposture ; that the Apos- tles were liars and deceivers ; the author denied the miracles, the resurrection, the ascension of Jesus Christ, nay his very existence as the son .of God; and’ even as aman on earth; he asserts his whole history to be nearly fabu- lous, and» places it on a level with the legends of the Heathen mythology, concluding with taking upon himself to describe infidelity in these words: “* He that believes in the story of Christ, is an infidel to God.” The Attorney-General then enlarged on the mischiefs | that must result from disseminat- ing such doctrines, which struck at the foundation of all that was sacred in Christian societies, and all the sanctions of legal proceed- ings. He showed that blasphemy had always been considered by the law of the land as one of the high- est of misdemeanors, and adduced various cases of decisions to this purpose. plea which might be brought for the defendant, ‘that he was only the publisher of the libel ; and said that whoever was the author, it would be proved that the defen- dant was well acquainted with its contents, and had been at the pains of importing it from America, and had assured the purchasers that they might rely upon its being the genuine publication of Thomas Paine. After he had concluded his speech, the passages were read which were charged in the informa- tion. - The defendant then began to read his defence, which contained a history of his life and opinions, ; ana He then noticed the | APPENDIX TO and also digressed to such free strictures on the books of Scrip- ture and their authors, that he was several times interrupted by Lord Ellenborough. At length his lord- ship said, that upon mature deli- beration he thought the public would be better served by letting him read every line he had written. When the defendant had finished his paper, he personally addressed the jury, stating that the work had been six or seven years in circula- tion in. America without being prosecuted, and mentioning the hardships he himself had un- dergone from six former prosecu- tions. Lord Ellenborough made a short address to the jury, in which he said that the defence from the beginning to the end had been a tissue of opprobrious reviling of the books of the Old and New Testa- ment. He confirmed the law laid down by the Attorney-General, and said that though it was competent for America or any other inde- cc state, to administer their laws as they pleased, yet in this er set the Christian religion was strongly fenced about by the laws of the land. He should leave it to the jury, as Christian men sworn upon the Gospel of Christ, to say whether the present was not an atrocious libel on the Christian religion. The jury immediately found the defendant guilty ; and on the mo- tion of the Attorney-General, he was committed. On April 30th the Attorney- General prayed the judgment of the court against Daniel Isaac Eaton, who was brought up in custody. The defendant put in the Vor. LIV. CHRONICLE. affidavits of five respectable persons, stating that they had been acquaint- ed with him several years, during which he had conducted himself as a peaceable moral man, who never in conversation attempted to en- force his own particular opinions either in politics or religion. He also put in an affidavit by himself, stating that he published the libel without any evil intention, or de- sign to disturb the peace, or affect the dishonour of God, as charged ; and mentioning that the pamphlet in question contained many pas- sages in which the perfections of the Deity were deduced, and praise was given to the morality of the Gospel—together with other alle- gations tending to excite the mercy of the court. Mr. Prince Smith thenaddressed the court at considerable length in mitigation of punishment. He said he did not deny the existence or propriety of the law upon which the information was filed, but all human laws were founded upon circumstances, and changed with the lapse of time, and the charac- ter and manners ofa people. He then proceeded to show how the rigour of ancient intolerance had been gradually softened, and that in the last century great latitude had been allowed to the discussion of religious doctrines. He con- tended for the right of this free discussion, and adverted to the ad- vantage which had accrued to the Christian religion by the attacks upon it, as having given rise to so many excellent defences. He said it would have been better to have answered the pamphlet in question, than to have prosecuted it, since the latter proceeding might be T thought 273 274. thought to imply a necessity for using the strong arm of the law in its refutation. He acknowledged that if he was addressing their lordships merely as lawyers, these arguments would be only as chaff thrown before the wind; but he appealed to their feelings as men and as philosophers acquainted with the human mind, and with the influence of religion. He un- derstood that the Attorney-General had claimed some merit for lenity in not prosecuting the defendant upon the statute of William III. If he had done so, their lordships would have had no discretion in apportioning the punishment; but on the common-law prosecution, they were open to every argument ofhumanity and philosophy. The information charged, that this libel was published against the King’s crown and dignity; but that in- fidelity did not militate against these was proved by the many millions in the East who were not Christians, and yet were such ma- terial additions to the crown and dignity of the King of England. If deists were tolerated and formed into a sect, would any injury ensue to those morals of which the court was guardian? Many who had written with as much audacity, but more artifice, had gone un- punished—this he instanced in Hume, Gibbon, &c. He also ad- verted to a new translation of Lu- cretius advertised with the name of the Attorney-General as a sub- scriber. The Attorney-General made a brief reply, in which he observed that there was nothing in the pam- phlet which was not drawn from the very dregs of infidelity, and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. which had not been answered again and again; and that where one person might be injured by the literary works alluded to, five hundred would be by one of this kind. It rested with the court to determine the defendant’s crime and punishment as the libel re- garded the peace of the country ; and if there were no authorities on the subject, reason and_ principle must decide that this was an offence against that peace which it had a direct tendency to disturb. The defendant was then ordered to be remanded to custody, and to be brought up for judgment on that day se’nnight. On May 8th his sentence was pronounced by Mr. Justice Grose, which was, imprisonment in New- gate for eighteen calendar months, and to stand in the pillory during © the first of those months. Court of King’s-Bench, Thursday, Nov. 19.—The King v. Daniel Lovell.— The Solicitor-General prayed the judgment of the Court uponthe proprietor of the Statesman, for a libel in that paper of the 19th of March, 1812, upon the com- missioners for the transport service, and for the care of sick and wound- ed seamen and prisoners of war. To the information ex-officio, filed by the Attorney-General for this libel, the defendant had suffered judgment by default, and was now brought up, under custody, from Newgate, to receive the judgment of the Court. The libel was read by the clerk of the Crown-office, and related to the conduct of the Transport Board, in regard to fo- reign prisoners of war confined in | England. The libel was contained in APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. in a letter to the editor, signed « Honestus,” and set out with saying, “that it had discovered the hardships which English pri- soners in France were suffering, to originate in a principle of retalia- tion for the miseries which French prisoners in England endured ; for whose maintenance, it is stated, that three millions were annually allowed by government ; but that a large part of this sum was misapplied to the benefit of the commissioners ; that they detained remittances which were sent from the native countries of the prison- ers for five or six months, and em- ployed the money in stock-jobbing during that time; that government allowed each prisoner a suit of clothes once in eighteen months, which the prisoners never receiv- ed; that the provisions with which they were supplied were of a bad quality, and that they were often causelessly punished with only half portions, and sometimes the whole prison was put upon half portions, by which the commissioners gained from 250/. to 300/. per day in each depét, besides the large sums for expenses never incurred ; that the government were likewise interest- ed in the appointment of these commissioners, if they did not ac- tually participate in their pecula- tions; and that the negociation for an exchange of prisoners being in- trusted to such hands, it was no wonder that exchange never took place ; that by the capitulations of Cape Francois and Morlaix, it was agreed that some old and infirm prisoners should be returned to France immediately, which had never been done; and that it was thus that our enemies were pro- voked to act by us in the same manner, and that we saw many of 275 our country-men in despair, sub- mitting to serve on board the ene- my’s ships; and that, unless the constitution were regenerated, we were on the verge of slavery,” &c. The affidavit of the defendant was then read, in which he stated :— ‘* That he had been a state pri- soner in his Majesty’s gaol of New- gate since the 16th of November, 1810: and that in the month of May, 1811, he engaged George Houston as editor of his paper, but that he was obliged to discharge him, for abuse of confidence in July, 1812; that the libel was printed entirely without the de- fendant’s knowledge, and that he was even ignorant that it had been so printed, till the 14th of April following, when a refutation of it, under the signature of ‘* A Friend to Truth,” was shewn to the de- fendant by Mr. Houston; that the defendant expressed his indigna- tien at the insertion of the former letter, and the omission of the lat- ter, and caused that defect to be remedied on the 15th, by the inser- tion of the answer to the libel, which was immediately inclosed in a letter to the commissioners. The answer stated, that the pri- soners’ remittances were not sent to the commissioners; that they could not derive any benefit from the property of such prisoners as ran away or died, because the pri- soners generally sold it to their comrades before-hand, or it was expended in burying them; that it was not true that their allowance of clothes was keptback, as might be seen by their garb, or if they were in rags and nakedness, that that was to be attributed te their propensity towards gambling; that the government allowance of bread TZ was 276 was certainly not sufficient for men of good appetites, and that their meat was often bad, but this af- forded no source of profit to the Transport Board,” &c. &c. The affidavit further stated, “that the defendant had several times inserted an advertisement in his paper offering a reward of 501. forthediscovery of theauthor of the letter in question, which he cha- racterized as false and scandalous, and announced the exhibition of its hand-writing at the office of his paper; that on the 29th of May, he inserted a regular apology to the honourable the commissioners, and offered to make any other sub- mission which they might require ; and that he inclosed them extracts from former numbers of his paper, written during the negociation for exchange of prisoners, highly ap- proving the conduct of the board, and directly opposing the opinions of the libel.” The affidavit set out all these extracts and concluded with ex- pressing the sorrow he had always felt at the publication of the libel which must have been written by some secret enemy to ruin him, and his invariable convictions that the charges against the honourable the commissioners were ground- less; that his long imprisonment hitherto had caused great confu- sion in his affairs, and had mate- rially injured his health. There were also affidavits of Mr. Houston, and James Swan, jun. the printer of the statesman, con- firming the defendant's affidavit : the latter stated, that the defend- ant had frequently requested him, for God's sake, not to insert any libellous matter in the paper; but Mr. Swan threw the blame of the present libel on the editor, the ANNUAL REGISTER, 18i2. printer seldom or never reading the articles. There was further, the affidavit of Mr. Anderson, apo-. thecary, of Fleet-street, stating, that the defendant had since his present imprisonment, been afflict- ed with a spitting of blood, and that his general health would, doubtless become much impaired, should he be further deprived of air and exercise. Mr. Brougham addressed the court in mitigation of punishment. He dwelt upon the extreme folly of the libel, which rendered the charge in it utterly incredible ; upon the contrary opinions main- tained in the same paper; upon the defendant’s statement of igno- rance of the publication, and his willingness to do away all the im- pression it might have made ; and upon the indulgence due te the si- tuation in which he stood as being a prisoner at the time. The Solicitor-General, in reply, adverted to the mischievous ten- dency and criminal nature of the libel, and upon the improbability that the defendant should not have known of its insertion from the 19th of March to the 14th of April following; and said, that the sim- ple state of the case was, whether a person intrusting his publication to agents, was or was not respon~ sible for all the extent of a libel which had probably been the cause of much mischief. Mr. Justice Le Blane (in the absence of Mr. Justice Grose) pro- nounced the judgment of the Court. He stated the publication simply as a libel, without any epithets, leaving it open to any person who had heard it read to apply to it el- ther the epithets, false, scandalous, and malicious, or foolish, nonsen- sical, and ridiculous ( romproends e a. APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. ed likewise in the charges of wick- edness and malice). A greater or heavier charge against a public board could not well be imagined ; yet the libel did not rest there, but represented those who appointed the commissioners, as not only conniving at the conduct of the board, but pursuing a policy with respect to their country, the only motive of which was their private interest. The obvious purport of the libel, was not only to render the French prisoners bere discontent- ed, but to hold out to the French the justice of retaliation ; thus pro- ducing misery to our own impri- soned countrymen abroad, discon- tent among the French prisoners here, and disaffection in the minds of all his Majesty’s subjects. The defendant’s situation ought to have made him acquainted with the danger of intrusting his newspaper to other conduct than his own; and he ought to have been the more watchful in proportion as he was imprisoned for a former of- fence so near to the place of pub- lication. The learned judge then commented upon the inconsistency his affidavits in mitigation, and attributed his neglect to his not wishing to see the libel in question. Why did he say to his printer, «“ For God’s sake take care not to publish any thing libellous,’’ and yet take no heed against it him- self? It was not now to be contro- vertedthat he who derivedthe pro- fit from a publication was answer- able for its mischief. The Court sentenced the defendant to pay a fine to the King, of 500/. and to be imprisoned in his Majesty’s gaol of Newgate for the space of one year -and a half, to be computed from ‘the expiration of his present term 277 of imprisonment; and at the end of the further term to find security for his good behaviour, for three years, himself in 1,000/. and two sureties in 500/. each, and to be fur- ther imprisoned till that fine be paid, and that security given. The King v. John and Leigh Hunt.— Court of King’s-Bench, Dec. 9.—This was a trial by spe- cial jury, upon information, of the proprietors of the Examiner for a libel on the Prince Regent. In opening the pleadings, the libel, which appeared on the 22nd March, was read, as follows oe «« What person, unacquainted with the true state of _the case, would imagine, in reading these astounding eulogies, that this Glory of the People was the subject of millions of shrugs and reproaches ! That this Protector of the Arts had named a wretched foreigner his historical painter, in disparage- ment or in ignorance of the merits of his own countrymen! That this Mecenas of the Age patronized not a single deserving writer! That this Breather of Eloquencecould not say a few decent, extempore words —if we are to judge, at least, from what he said to his regiment on its embarkation for Portugal! That this Conqueror of Hearts was the disappointer of hopes! That this Exciter of Desire (bravo Messieurs of the Post! )—this Adonis in Love- liness, was a corpulent gentleman of fifty! In short, that this de- lightful, blissful, wises pleasur- able, honourable, wirtuous, true, and immortal Prince, was a violator of his word, a libertine over head and ears in debt and disgrace, & despiser of domestic ties, the com- panion of gamblers and demureps, a man who has just closed half a eentury 278 century without one single claim on the gratitude of his country, or the respect of posterity !’” The Solicitor-General, having asked Mr. Brougham, counsel for the defendants, whether he wished to have any other part of the arti- cle read than the mere libel, he re- plied that he should be content with reading them himself; but Lord Ellenborough said, that if any other parts of the paper were to be observed upon, the court should know the subject of obser- vation. Some other passages were therefore read, which were intro- ductory to that charged as the libel, and related to the disapprobation with which the Prince Regent’s health was received at the dinner of the Irish Society in London, and to the adulatory language of the Morning Post, in speaking of his Royal Highness. It was chiefly upon this last topic that Mr. Brougham founded his exculpa- tion of the defendants; and he re- presented, that at the time when the expectations of those who had indulged a hope of the most bene- ficial political changes as _conses quent upon the Regent’s coming to power, were frustrated, the appearance of such panegyric as that paper had bestowed upon him was a kind of provocation which could not be resisted; andihat the offensive article was rather to be considered as a commentary upon this unworthy adulation, than as written with a malicious or libel- lous design. Mr. Brougham then went through some of the particu- lars ofthe article charged, and whilst he was apparently endeavouring to palliate or do away their obvious meaning, it was evident that his purpose was to show that they were ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. founded in fact. He concluded with strongly urging upon the jury the danger to morals of rendering it criminal to animadvert from the press upon the vices of a prince or his courtiers, which are above re- proof and control from other quar- ters. The Solicitor-General, in reply, disclaimed all title to discuss the measures of the Prince Regent, and it was not for him to presume to defend them. He, however, took a general view of the charges contained in the prosecuted article, and endeavoured to show their ex aggerated and libellous nature. Lord Ellenborough began his charge to the jury by a severe cen- sure of the defendants’ counsel, who, he said, had imbibed the spi- rit of his client, and seemed to have inoculated himself with all the poison and mischief which this li- bel was calculated to effect. He then told the jury, that they had to decide to-day, whether we were in future to live under the dominion of libel, or the control and govern- ment of the law; for against all the law and its provisions had this libeller set his front of defiance, and had contended, that every person holding superior rank and situa- tion is amenable to this sort of at- tack, and that when the ancestors of a man accepted of rank, they renounced for themselves and their posterity all protection of the law. After dwelling for some time upon this idea, his lordship proceeded to the excuse made for this libel, that it was a comment upon a per- sonal eulogy which had given dis- gust to the writer; and observed, that adulation might have been re- probated without making the cha- racter of its. subject a topic of defa- matior APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 279 mation and calumny. He then took notice of some of the particu- lars of the attack upon the Prince; and with respect to the charge in the libel of his being a violator of his word, he said he was sorry for the indiscretion of the defendants’ advocate, who confirmed it by say- ing, that he told untruths as a prince, as if that mended the mat- ter. Invested as he was almost with the regal character of his fa- ther, could any thing be more ca- Jumnious or disgraceful towards him? He then alludedtothe charge of his being “ a libertine,” and the “‘ companion of gamblers and de- mireps;” respecting which, Mr. Brougham had dwelt at some length on the conviction of a no- bleman about the Prince’s person, of adultery in its most heinous form. The following words, if accurately reported, will scarcely be read without surprise and re- gret, as pronounced from the bench of the Lord Chief Justice of Eng- land. <‘ The libeller was not de- fended by saying that the Prince had taken into his councils some penn who had, at a remote time, een guilty of adultery. There were venial circumstances con- nected with that offence ; and was his Royal Highness the only per- son who had done the like? Let us look back upon his Majesty’s reign, distinguished as it had been for his private morality, and see if no person was ever intrusted by him with counsel who had incur- red a similar misfortune. Hechose to call it by that name ; for there were circumstances which rendered the crime of adultery either enor- mous or venial.” His lordship concluded a charge much more forcible against the defendants than the speech of the Solicitor-general, by apostrophising the jury, that ‘if there was one man of the twelve, who, pledging only the veracity of a gentleman, could say this was not a libel, he must remind that man of the more sacred sanction of an oath, which bound him to admi- nister justice according to that law by which he pronounced this a -foul,atrocious, and malignant libel.” The jury being called upon for their verdict, the foreman said, they were allagreed but one. Af- ter retiring for about a quarter of an hour, that one not having main- tained his dissent, they returned with a verdict of guilty against both the defendants. At the next term they were brought up for judgment, when they put in an affidavit, stating that they had been actuated by no personal malice or love of slander, in what they had done, and were conscious of none but honourable metives. They also gave some statement of their pecuniary cir- cumstances, in mitigation of any intended fine. Mr. Justice Le Blanc then addressed the defendants, and after some observations on their af- fidavit, pronounced the sentence of the court, which was, that each of the defendants should be impri- soned for two years, one in Cold- bath-fields, and the other in the Surrey county gaol in the Borough; and at the end of their imprison- ment should each pay a fine of 500/. and find security for their be- haviour for five years more. Trial of the Marguis of Sligo. ae tami hf Bailey, Dec. 16, 1812.—At ten o'clock Sir W. Scott entered the court, accom- panied 280 panied by Lord Ellenborough, Mr. Baron Thompson, and several doc- tors of law. The jury were then sworn to try the Marquis of Sligo, who appeared in court, and sat by his counsel, Messrs. Dauncey, Dampier, and Scarlett. Before the trial began, Mr. Dauncey stated, that his lordship wished to plead guilty as to part, and not guilty as to the rest; and wished, therefore, only one part now to be entered into. Dr. Robinson, on the other side, was not unwilling to accede to this arrangement; but Lord Ellenbo- rough said that the indictment must not be garbled. He must plead guilty to the whole, or not guilty to the whole. After some conversation be- tween the counsel, the trial pro- ceeded: the indictment was read, charging the marquis with unlaw- fully receiving on board his ship, William Elden, a seaman in the King’s service, and detaining, con- cealing, and secreting him. The second count charged him with enticing and persuading to desert the said seaman. The third count, with receiving the said Elden, knowing him to have deserted. There were other counts with respect to other seamen, and a count for an assault and false im- prisonment. Dr. Robinson, who opened the case for the prosecution, stated, that this was an offence of the greatest magnitude, and had been attended in this instance with cir- cumstances of aggravation, both in the mode of enticing the men, and afterwards in the aban- donment of them in such a man- ner that they might all have been, as some were, entirely lost to his ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Majesty’s service. The defendant was a young nobleman, who was on his travels in the year 1810, and had touched at Malta, where he had been introduced to Captain Sprainger; he wished to have a vessel of his own, and had hired a vessel called the Pylades. He had received assistance from Captain Sprainger, in the outfit of his ves- sel, and had been in the habit of being carried backwards and for- wards in the Captain’s boat by four picked men: before the vessel of Captain Sprainger left that station, two of these men were missing,— men of tried fidelity, and long standing, and to whom long arrears of wages were due, and who, it was to be supposed, would not have deserted on a slight occasion; these men had attracted the notice and admiration of the defendant, and from a suspicion that they were in his service, Captain Sprainger paidhima visit. Thede- fendant expressed himself hurt at the suspicions of Captain Sprain- ger, who, from his acquaint- ance with the Marquis, contented himself with cautioning him on the subject, and representing to him the state of the service, which was then very low. He then left the defendant, and sent to him a description of the persons of his men whe were missing, desiring the marquis to send them to Malta, if they should come to him. Six witnesses, who would be brought before the jury, would prove these facts: it would appear that they had been accosted by the defend- ant’s servants at Malta, and by them made drunk, and in that state had been conveyed aboard his ves- sel. When they became sensible, they were introduced to his lord- ship, who treated their wish to go back APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. back to their ships with levity. On the 13th of May the vessel sailed to Palermo, and from thence to Messina : here constraint was exer- cised towards them: Italian senti- nels, armed, were placed over them to prevent their getting on shore. At Messina his lordship obtained a protection for them for six months, inserting false names in the list, and pledging, as he told his crew, his word and honour that there were no men-of-war’s men on board. The vessel then proceeded on its course, and the 30th of May was boarded by a boat from his Majesty’s ship the Active. The officer of that ship had heard rumours of deserters being on board the Pylades, and sent a lieutenant and a Midshipman to search the defendant’s vessel. They were introduced to the de- fendant, and told their business: he denied that he had any such men on board, and during the search went through the ship with them with a lighted candle. They asked if they had seen all the crew? The marquis, on his word, assured them that they had, though the seamen whom he had enticed were concealed in a place under the defendant’s cabin. This part of the evidence was the less liable to objection, as the defendant had himself acknowledged it in a letter. The defendant then went by Milo, to Patmos, where ten of the crew were allowed to go on shore for two or three days, and it was told them that the vessel would not sail for thirteen days: the same even- ing, however, it sailed without them, leaving them in the greatest distress. They went to Scio, to the British consul, who took them in a boat to the vessel of the Marquis ; 281 but he would take only four of them, and left the rest in a most inhuman manner to find their way back to England as they could. Some of them had surren- dered themselves to king’s ships, and had been tried by courts-mar- tial; but the two most material wit- nesses, Lee and Lloyd, of the War- rior, could not be producedincourt, as Leehad died at Athens,and Lloyd had not yet returned tothiscountry. Other persons might have been made defendants in this indict- ment, but his lordship was selected as being the principal, and in order that the rest might bear evidence in the history of the transactions. Captain Sprainger, of the War- rior, was then called upon, who stated, that in April, 1810, the marquis was introduced to him by letter from Admiral Martin. He then gave a detail of all the cir- cumstances mentioned by Dr. Ro- binson relative to the services ren- dered by him to Lord Sligo, and the disappearance of two men of his crew, together with his lord- ship’s assurance on his word of ho- nour that he had them not, and would not entertain them should they offer themselves. The cap- tain produced a letter which he had afterwards received from Lord Sligo, stating, ‘* that in the course of his voyage he found he had on board some men-of-war’s men, and that he was determined tosend them onshore the first opportunity; what- ever expenses he might incur on their account, he should put down to the score of humanity, and glory in it; that he thought this explana- tion necessary to Captain Sprain- ger, who had treated him like a gentleman; but the other captain who complained, he should not notice: 282 notice : if the business was brought into court he should do his best to defend himself; and if he did not succeed, he had an ample furtune, and could pay the fines.” This let- ter was dated from Constantinople. On cross-examination the captain said that it was usual for men on foreign stations to offer themselves for other service; and that he be- lieved Lord Sligo had offered per- mission to search his ship. William Elden, next examined, deposed, that he had been gun- ner’s mate on board the Mon- tague, lying off Malta, in May, 1810. He was on shore with leave on the 13th, when being about to return to his ship, he saw at a public house two persons in livery whom he afterwards found to have been the Marquis of Sligo’s servants. He drank with them, and became so intoxicated, that he does not know how he got on board the Pylades, in the pump- well of which vessel, under weigh, he found himself when he became sober. He there saw two of his shipmates; and going upon deck, he saw several more. Lord Sligo asked him and his companion their names, which he changed for them. At Palermo he got leave to go on shore to get clothes, and received twenty dollars for wages, and then returned. At Messina he begged leave to quit the Py- lades, and offered to return the money and clothes he had receiv- ed; but his lordship would not suffer him, and foreign sentinels with arms were placed over him. Lord Sligo at Palermo told the crew that he had procured a pro- tection from Admiral Martin, hav- ing pledged his honour that he had no men-of-war’s men or ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. board. They wereafterwards chased by the Active frigate, and brought to, when a king’s boat came along- side. Lord Sligo desired him to go below, but he said, he had ra- ter stay where he was. He was however, compelled to go down into the after-hold under the ca- bin, where were the rest of the seamen of the Warrior and Mon- tague: the hatch was closed over them, and a ladder piaced at top. In about half an hour they were called up again. At Patmos he and some others had leave of ab- sence for a few days, but the next day his lordship sailed without giving them any notice, and left him and six more in great distress. _ They got in a boat to Scio, and went with the British consul to the Pylades; but Lord Sligo refused to take them in, and threatened to fire at them: he took four of them on board, the carpenter, the sur- geon, aman of the Warrior, and the sail-maker. He himself had since been tried, and sentenced to receive 200 lashes, but his punish- ment was remitted. Some other sailors gave testi- mony to a similar effect, but ad- mitted that at Patmos the signal for sailing had been hoisted, anda gun fired. One of them confessed that on Lord Sligo’s refusal to take them in, he said that it should be a sorrowful day for him. Captain Hayes, who was lieute- nant of the Active at the time of the search, said, that having told Lord Sligo that the reason of his coming on board was to search for deserters, his lordship told him there were none, and desired him to search. He inquired for the ship’s articles; Lord Sligo told him there were none, but gave him the - watch- APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. watch-list. He mustered the men by the roll, and asked his lordship if all his men were included in it ; he answered, on his word, or his honour (he did not recollect which), that they were. He had alist of the deserters from the Warrior and Montague, but saw, from the appearance of the men on deck, that they were not those he was looking for. Mr. Dauncey, for the defendant said, that he did not stand forward to defend the whole conduct of his noble client, who, though prepared to prove that he had not seduced these men from the king’s service, was ready to acknowledge that they had remained with him, and that he had not given them up when he had reason to suppose they were deserters. He then commented upon the evidence at great length, endeavouring to make it appear that the men had volun- tarily entered on board the Py- lades, and that Lord Sligo did not know them to be deserters. He particularly dwelt upon the ex- pression jof one of the witnesses, when refused to be taken again into the Pylades, “ that it should prove an unfortunate day to his lordship,” inferring from it a de termination to be revenged by blackening the marquis’s cha- racter. One charge attempted to be insinuated by the witnesses, he said, he must rebut with in- dignation, which was, that at the isle of Patmos his client left these men on shore, deserted, with- out money or clothes, that their testimony might not ata future time given against him. The fact was, that only five or six men were left at Patmos, while the rest of the deserters came away in the 283 Pylades, whose testimony would have been quite sufficient. Every signal of departure was given to these men: the flag was hoisted, two or three guns were fired, and the vessels made tacks off and on during the greatest part of the night, to give them an opportunity of coming on board if they chose. When Lord Sligo refused some of them admission afterwards at Scio, their clothes were handed to them, and they received their wages, though they were entitled to none, having broken contract. Mr. Dauncey concluded his speech by admitting, on the part of his client, that he had offended against the letter of the law, and was only anxious to be freed from the charge of deliberate seduction. Witnessess were then called for the defendant, who were chiefly Lord Sligo’s own servants. One of them deposed, that he was di- rected to procure as many English or American seamen as possible, but not to take any king’s men, or sailors from the ships of war: and the tenor of their evidence went to prove that his lordship did not know that they were men of that description. John Lewellyn, acting com- mander of the Pylades, said, that the men had sufficient opportuni- ties at Palermo or Messina to leave the ship, if they thought proper ; and that, though he himself al- ways supposed them to be men-of- war’s men, he did not know that the marquis believed it before their suiling. But upon the evidence being read to this witness which he formerly gave at the court mar- tial, he acknowledged that it had been settled between the mar- quis and the men, the first day they 284 they were at sea, what names they should assume, and that his lord- ship sent them below for the pur- pose of concealment when the Ac- tive’s boat came in sight. After Dr. Robinson had replied on the part of the prosecution, Lord Ellenborough recapitulated the evidence, and commented on the pledge of his honour, which his lordship had given to Admiral Martin, that there were no men- of-war’s men on board, when, on the faith of that pledge, a protec- tion was granted him for forty men. He also observed upon the particular description the captain of the Warrior had given him of the two men who had deserted from his ship, who could not but have been known to the defendant, as being part of a boat’s crew whom he had often used, and whose appearance he had highly praised. After a variety of re- marks his lordship left it to the jury to determine on the probabi- lity of the evidence on both sides. The jury after a short consulta- tion, found the marquis gudty on all the counts in the indictment, expect that for false imprisonment. On the following day, Lord Sligo appeared in court to receive sentence. An affidavit was put in, exculpating him from part of the charge, and expressing his contri- tion for the offence. Sir William Scott then in an impressive speech pronounced the sentence of the court, which was, that his lordship should pay to the king a fine of 5,000/. and be imprisoned four months in Newgate. Benjafield v. Weeble.—Court of King’s-Bench, Dec. 22.—Special Jury.—This was an action against ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the printer and publisher of the County Chronicle and Weekly Ad= vertiser, for a libel in that paper of the 3rd of March, 1812; to which the defendant pleaded not guilty, and a justification that the charges contained in the said libel were specifically true. Mr. Solicitor-General stated the plaintiff's case, who, he said, was now a magistrate for the county of Suffolk, residing at Bury St. Ed- munds. He had been originally an officer of the King’s yeomen of the guard, and subsequently ob- tained a commission in the Kent militia through the late Duke of Dorset. In the year 1788 he was editor of the Morning Post, which he conducted at the time of the then prospective regency, on ac- count of that illness from: which his Majesty happily recovered. He soon parted with his share in the newspaper, however, to Mr. Tat- tersall, and retired into the county of Suffolk, of which he had been many years a magistrate. In a controversy respecting the com- mitteeship of a lunatic, into which it was not necessary for the solici- tor-general to enter, circumstances occurred which gave rise to the following libel, for which the de- fendant was responsible, as he had not given up its author; but of which the Solicitor-general did not suppose him to be the author: he only wished he could discover that author. ‘We understand that Captain Benjafield, who was formerly editor ofthe Morning Post, hasbeen charg- ed by his brother magistrates for the county of Suffolk, with obtaining, during that editorship, an annuity from the Prince of Wales, for the suppressing of articles sent to that paper, APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. aper, reflecting upon his Royal Hichness: This Mr. Benjafield positively denied for a time, but upon investigation, and upon the production of two explanatory let- ters from Earl Moira and Captain Coxhead, the fact was completely established. It is true that the annuity did not appear in the Prince’s household accounts; but it was granted through Mr. Weljie to Mr. Tattersall, the other proprietor of the Morning Post; and from Mr. Tattersall, and subsequently to his death, from his executors, Mr. Benjafield has continued to receive the annuity for more than twenty years,” The publication of the libel, and the defendant’s responsibility were first proved in the usual manner. Mr. Wayman, clerk to the ma- gistrates of the hundreds of Fingo and Thedwastry, in Suffolk,wasthen called upon; and Mr. Holt, leading counsel for the defendant, being permitted by the court to ask him whether he had ever heard the charge made against the plaintiff before it was brought by the de- fendant? he said that it was the subject of pretty general conversa- tion previously to January, 1812. After some technical objections had been disposed of, Mr. Holt addressed the jury in behalf of the defendant. He desired them to consider the present action as jus- tified by a plea which he should presently prove, and that the ques- tion for their determination was, how much of rightful character the plaintiff had lost by this publica- tion, and what was the value of that character? The defendant belonged to the same trade which the plaintiff had once exercised, and if he chose to hold up those 285 derelictions from principle by which the plaintiff had disgraced that trade to the warning and example of others, although he might have been called upon to answer cri- minally for such a libel, yet when civilly sued for damages, he had a right to set up this justification of truth. The learned counsel then proceeded to give a character of the piaintiff as he had been editor of the Morning Post, in which ca- pacity he was in the habit of shoot- ing at exalted persons under the shelter of innuendo; andhe was pro- ceeding to read paragraphs from that paper, when he was inter- rupted by the Solicitor-general, and was warned by Lord Ellenbo- rough not tu travel out of the re~ cord for the purpose of calumny. He then proceeded to observe upon the notoriety of the charge against the plaintiff, and its frequent dis- cussion at Bury by the magistrates assembled there, by whom he was desired to purge himself of it. He alluded to the testimony of Lord Moira, shortly to be given, and con- cluded with considering the ques- tions of malice, and of damage, arising out of the libel. Lord Moira deposed, that in No- vember, 1811, the plaintiff wrote to him to request a meeting, and at that interview mentioned the calumny which had been reported among his brother magistrates, re- specting his having extorted from the Prince of Wales a sum of mo- ney, and grant of an annuity, as a consideration, for suppressing cer- tain articles which he had threaten- ed to publish in his newspaper re- lating to the Prince and Mrs. Fitz- herbert. He stated to his lordship, that there was no foundation whatever for this calumny, whick a 286 had greatly injured him! and in order to rebut it, he entreated his lordship to furnish him with a tes- timonial that there was no founda- tion for the report. The plaintiff did not inform his lordship of any payments of annuity; on the con- trary, it was the impression on his mind, that in the conversation he asserted that he had not received any such annuity; and this was stated by his lordship in the letter which he wrote on the occasion. Lord Moira had afterwards found reason to alter his opinion, and to write to the plaintiff, requesting the return of the letter which he had before written to him; and also to write to the chairman of the quarter sessions explaining the error into which he had been be- trayed. He found that an annuity had been paid to the plaintiff, but there were circumstances which led him to think it possible that the plaintiff had not accurately ascertained the point of the an- nuity’s coming directly from the Prince of Wales. Mr. John Beardmore, executor to the late Mr. Richard Tattersall, said, that he paid an annuity to the plaintiff through the present Mr. Tattersall. The plaintiff drew upon Mr. Tattersall, and the wit- ness reimbursed him. The wit- ness was reimbursed from the duchy of Cornwall office by Mr. Gray. The plaintiff complained of the deduction of the property tax, by a letter to the witness, which was proved and read. After men- tioning, that the annuity had been granted free of all taxes and deductions, and that if these had not been made, the amount would have been 400/. instead of 350/. it asserted, that if the deduction was ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, persisted in, he * should have no other mode than to complain to that personage on whose account the annuity was originally granted, and who had fully indemnified Mr. Tattersall.” Mr. Richard Tattersall confirm- ed what was said by the last wit- ness respecting his payment of the annuity and reimbursement. It was admitted by the plaintiff that the payment was made out of the Prince’s privy purse. The Solicitor-general, in reply, observed, that it was notorious that the Morning Post, at the time of the plaintiffs secession, changed its politics to the anti-ministerial, and he attributed the annuity to the officious zeal of some of his Royal Highness’s household in desiring- Mr. Tattersall to make a bargain with the plaintiff, and get rid of him as editor. The question was, whether the annuity was granted for the suppression of paragraphs, of which no proof has been pro- duced. The Prince might have considered himself as under an obligation to reimburse those who had foolishly been over zealous in his service. Lord Ellenborough, in charging the jury, pointed out several ma- terial defects in the defendant's plea of justification; whence the question was reduced to one of damages merely, and it was for them to take into consideration the circumstances which should regu- late those damages. It was clear that the publication was a libel, since it accused the plaintiff of the abominable crime of suppressing calumnious paragraphs for lucre. If such an imputation had been made upon a person of pure and entire fame, it would have de- tracted APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. tracted from that purity and inte- grity. The jury, however, after a short consultation, found a verdict for the defendant. MATRIMONIAL CAUSES. Consistory Court, Doctors’ Com- mons. — Pouget against Tomkins, January 31.—This was a proceed- ing at the instance of Dr. Joseph Pouget, of Blandford-street, St. Mary-le-bone, in the character of guardian to his son, William Peter Pouget, a minor, to annul a mar- riage between him and Lucretia Tomkins a servant in the family. The grounds upon which the validity of the marriage was dis- puted were, the undue publication of the banns, and the minority of the youth, who was under 16 years of age at the time, the servant being upwards of 25. Evidence was brought to prove that the bap- tismal names of the minor were William Peter, but that from birth he had been called Peter only. With a view, however, to cone cealment, the name of William had been revived, and used singly for the publication of the banns, which, after an ineffectual attempt at Highgate, had been effected through the contrivance of the wife’s brother-in-law at St. An- drew’s Holborn, where the mar- riage was in consequence cele- brated. The plaintiffs counsel contend- ed that the evidence afforded suffi- cient proof of fraud and clandes- tinity to render the marriage void under the statute 26 Geo. II. which laid it down, that the publication of banns should be in the true > 287 christian and surnames of the par- ties, obviously meaning the names by which they were generally known. In the present case, in- deed, the christian name used was the true one, but not the whole truth; and the omission coupled with the publication in a distant parish was manifest proof of a fraudulent intention. The defendant’s counsel admit- ted that the marriage act required the true names, but not all the names, and did not say that if any were omitted the marriage should be void, but merely that the mi- nister should not be obliged to publish the banns. In this case the minister had published them, and had subsequently solemnised the marriage, after asking such qnestions as he thought proper. The act, therefore, could not now be called in question, though there was an irregularity in it. Sir William Scott, after recapi- tulating the evidence, observed that it was a case of fraud, in which the wife and her brother-in- law were the principal agents. The minor himself, it appeared, gave the instructions for the banns, but that was not material, since the fraud was not upon him, but upon the natural rights possessed by every parent. The statute was in- tended to prevent clandestine and fraudulent marriages, and for that purpose required the true names of the parties. It does not, indeed, define what true names are, be- cause that is comprehended in the proclamation of banns itself, which implies a public notification of an act about to take place, in order that, if an impediment should exist, the circumstance may be ascertained. A publication, there- fore, 288 fore, in any other than the names by which the parties are known, has been justly considered as a fraud. In the present case, the question was, whether the omission was sufficient to nullify the publi- cation? The court does not wish to go the length of saying, that where no fraud is intended, and all parties are consenting, the acci- dental omission of a name would render the marriage void, or that when one of the parties purposely concealed a name with a fraudulent intent on the other, such person could afterwards claim a remedy for his own bad act; but in a case where the suppression or assump- tion of a name is employed in con- junction with other acts for the express purpose of violating the civil rights of any individual, the court would feel itself called upon to enforce the letter of the law in support of its spirit. He then showed that the present case was evidently of that kind, being a combination to defeat the rights of ‘a third person, the minor’s father : and in consequence he pronounced the marriage void. Consistory Court, Doctors’ Com- mons, May.— Walker against Long- staff, falsely called Walker.—This was a proceeding originally brought by Mr. John Walker, senior, as guardian of his son Mr. John Walker, junior, a minor, and after- wards continued by the young gen- tleman himself on coming of age, for the purpose of annulling a mar- riage that had taken place by licence between him and Hannah Longstaff (who resided in the family in the capacity of lady’s maid), on two grounds: Ist, The minority of the husband, and non- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. consent of his father; and, 2ndly, the fraudulent procurement of the licence by some other person in the husband’s name. It appeared in evidence, that Mr. Walker was born on the Ist of August, 1788, and baptised on the 31st of October following ; that the marriage took place in April, 1808, unknown to his fa- ther, and was communicated to him by an anonymous letter, some time in the course of the following autumn; that the father then ex- pressed his surprise and displeasure at the event; anda few months afterwards brought the present suit. It was likewise proved by Mr. Walker junior’s uncle and brother, that the signature to the affidavit was not of his hand-writing, and consequently that somebody must have personated him for the purpose of obtaining the licence. To repel this latter charge, the wife produced several of his letters, the signatures to which were com- pared with that to the affidavit by the inspector of handwriting to Powers of Attorney, &c. at the bank of England, ‘who gave in evidence his opinion, that there was a sufficient resemblance to induce a belief that they were written by the same person. It was contended on the part of Mr. Walker, that the minority was fully proved ; and as the father knew nothing of the marriage, he could not give the necessary antecedent consent,what- ever might have been his opinion of the prudence of the act afterwards; that it was not necessary to prove his actual dissent, and if it was, even that might be collected from a plea of the wife’s, which had been rejected by the court, in which she expressly states, ae the APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. the father had often charged her with having seduced his son into the marriage in question; that her defence, founded on comparison of handwriting, was too fallacious to repel the positive oath of two persons well acquainted with Mr. Walker’s handwriting; that the signature to the affidavit was not his; and therefore, as the two grounds upon which the suit rested were both fully established, its object of obtaining a nullity of the marriage must necessarily be suc- cessful. On the part of the wife the pro- ceeding was designated as a base attack upon her character in the question as to the forgery, arising solely from a conviction of the in- sufficiency of the evidence on tnat of the minority and non-consent. This insufficiency, it was contend- ed, was apparent from the father’s _ not having been produced as a wit- ness, as his evidence would have placed the matter beyond a doubt: the law, indeed, required it; and the only inference to be drawn from a non-compliance with such a requisition, was, that the matter would not bear sifting to the bot- tom. Inthe absence of proof of non-consent which might have been produced, consent must be pre- sumed, and the suit accordingly be dismissed. Sir W. Scott over-ruled the doc- trine that any proof of dissent was actually necessary ; it was enough to show, on the part of the person holding the legal right of consent, an ignorance of the actual cele- bration of the marriage, as from that the presumption of his non- acquiescence in that species of antecedent consent required by the statute, must necessarily result. Vor. LIV. 289 “As this was the state of the present case, the other question as to the forgery, was not perhaps so mate- rial, though likewise sufficiently proved, and equally a ground of nullity. The objection founded upon the non-examination of the father was sufficiently answered by the fact of his being originally a party in the cause, and therefore not a competent witness to facts, upon which he was to obtain a remedy for a violation of his parental rights. Under these circumstances, there- fore, the proof was complete, and the marriage must be accordingly pronounced null and void. Court of Peculiars, Doctors’ Commons, June 2.— Westfield false- ly called Mould against Mould.— This was a proceeding at the in- stance of Miss Mary Faussett West- field, of Barham in Kent, against Mr. Joseph Mould, for the nullity of a marriage that had taken place between them on the grounds of minority, and a want of legal consent. It appeared that the parties first became acquainted whilstthe young lady was on a visit to her sister at Dover; a correspondence ensued between them, on her return home, which led to a proposal of matri- mony: this was discovered by her mother (who was married again, and with whom the young lady resided) ; but as the respectability of Mr. Mould’s situation in life (he being in the army) precluded any objection to the match, it was finally resolved on, and the parties accordingly came to ‘town, and were married at the parish church of St. Martin in the Fields, by virtue of a licence obtained for the purpose by Mr. Mould. U In 290 In support of the suit, the mo- ther of the minor, and several other witnesses, were examined, to prove the birth of the minor, on the 20th of July 1789; and her mar- riage, on the 9th of July, 1808, at which time she was not quite 19 years of age; the death of her father intestate; the re-marriage of her mother; and the non-ap- pointment of any guardian by the Court of Chancery: and Sir John Nicholl observed, that these cir- cumstances were so fully proved, and were so conclusive in them- selves, that it would be quite use- less to trouble counsel for any argument upon them. It clearly appeared, that this was a marriage contracted by the parties, under such circumstances, as must, in the present state of the law, render it void; and, however unwilling the court might feel, upon consi- derations of equity, to dissolve a contract of so important a nature, and which seemed to have been entered into with the concurrent consent of every one who might naturally be expected to have the right of consenting; yet as that was nota consent recognized by law, the court had no other alter- native: there was nothing in the case from which the court’ could judge of the motives that dictated the present application to it, or whether there were any children to beinjured by its decree. The suit was broughtby the wife against the husband ; and if he should sus- tain any injury from the result, he must attribute it to his own con- duct, in asserting her majority upon oath, to obtain the licence for the marriage. The court pro- nounced, therefore, for the nullity of the marriage, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Court of Chancery, July 21.— Priestley v. Hughes.-- Avery impor- tant question on the construction of the marriage act has come before the Chancellor, by an appeal from the Rolls. Mr. Hughes, father of the defendant, married a Miss Ro- berts an_ illegitimate child, by licence, with the consent of the mother, the father being dead ; and the defendant, a young lady about eighteen years of age, is the only issue of the marriage. The ques- tion is, whether the consent of the father or mother of an illegitimate minor, is sufficient to legalize 2 marriage of the minor under the marriage act.- If the question is decided in the affirmative, the de- fendant will be entitled, by descent, to a fortune of 100,000/.; if in the negative, she will have nothing. The case was sent by the Master of the Rolls to tue King’s Bench, Three of the judges, Ellenborough, Le Blanc, and Bailey, certified that the marriage was not valid: Mr. Justice Grese, that it was valid; the case of illegitimate minors being casus omissus in that part of the act that relates to marriage by licence. The Master of the Rolls con- curred in opinion with the majority of the judges of the Court of King’s Bench, and decided against the validity of the marriage. From this decision there is an appeal to the Chancellor, who promised soon to give his opinion ; but expressed his hope that the subject would be carried to the House of Lords, asa question of this importance could not be too carefully examined. The matter rests here at present; but it was generally understood that there would be an appeal to the Lords. : : Consistortal Ise of Man. APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. Consistorial Commissary Court, Edinburgh, August.— Hillary v. Hillary.—This case was an action of divorce according to the laws of Scotland, the marriage having been contracted in England. The pursuer (plaintiff) was Dame Frances Elizabeth Hillary, and the defender, Sir William Hillary, of Danbury-place, Essex. The par- ties had been married in London, and lived several years together, during which time they had a son and two daughters. The husband at length, having got into debt, left England about four years since, and took up his residence in the From thence he came to Scotland, and in March, 1811, was discovered residing at a hotel in Edinburgh, under the name of Hastings, in company with a young woman who was called Mrs. Hastings; and after living in different places as husband and wife, they fixed their abode within the sanctuary of Holyrood- house, where he resumed his pro- per name of Sir William Hillary, and his companionbore that of Mrs. Wilson. On these facts the pur- suer brought her action of divorce, The defender being personally cited gave in a defence, both denying the libels, and objecting to the jurisdiction of the court. The cause being brought to a hearing, the defender endeavoured to show that the parties were not amenable in the Scots court of justice on ac- count of a marriage contract in England. The commissaries, there- upon, 6th September, 1818, pro- nounced aninterlocutor in the fol- lowing terms: “ That in respect the pursuer and defender are Eng- lish, were married in England, and never lived together in Scotland as 291 husband and wife, and that it does not appear that the defender has taken up a fixed and permanent residence in this country; on the contrary, he himself describes his residence here as of a temporary nature, occasioned by the embar- rassed state of his affairs, and meant to be continued only until that embarrassment was removed ; find that this court isnot competent to entertain the present action; therefore dismiss the same, and decern.” In this determination Mr. Com- missary Ferguson differed from his brethren; and the judgment hav- ing been carried overto the supreme court by bill of advocation, which came before Lord Meadowbank, his lordship pronounced an interlo- cutor, remitting to the commis- saries to alter their interlocutor, and sustain their jurisdiction. The case, accordingly, went back to the commissaries, and the acts of adultery being clearly esta- blished, the defender was found guilty of the same, and the divorce was declared. Court of King’s Bench, Nov. 12. — Doe, on the ae of Beavan ». Crew—Mr. Serjeant Lens moved for a rule to show cause why the verdict for the defendant, in this ejectment case, should not be set aside, and a new trial granted. The action was tried before Mr. Baron Graham, at the last assizes for Salisbury; and the question was, whether the defendant was the legitimate son of John and Mary Crew? It appeared by the evidence of Ann Thompson, who was the daughter of the school- mistress at Devizes, from whose school Mrs. Crew went to be mar- U2 ried 292 ried, that she was in the 20th year of her age when she went away with Mr. Crew, who taught music at that school. Mrs. Crew gave cut that she was going to Scotland to be married. She was absent with Mr. Crew about a fortnight, and they came back as man and wife, and lived together as such thenceforward, without any sus- picion that they were not married ; but Mrs. Crew declared herself that they had not been to Scotland. During this cohabitation as man and wife, the son was born, whose legitimacy was the question. Mr. and Mrs. Crew afterwards sepa- rated, upon the infidelity of the Jatter ; and the former then allowed her an annuity, by way of sepa- rate maintenance for herself and children, appointing a person to pay it, and requiring her always personally to receive it. Mr. Ser- geant Lens submitted, that as Mrs. Crew was at the time of her sup- posed marriage under age, and in- capable of contracting matrimony without consent of parents, there should have been some evidence of the publications of banns, or some attempt to show an actual marriage, in point of law. Lord Ellenborough said, that as this was a doubtful case, and if it should again go to a jury no new evidence was proposed, the court could not say the jury had decided wrongly. The husband recognised the wife 30 years, and paid her an annuity when she had left him asan adultress, thus treating her still as his wife, when a man would be glad to repudiate such a con- nection, if it could be denied. This gave great countenance to the de~ fendant’s case ; and if a little scope were given to the fortnight when ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the parties were absent, it might be made to include three sundays, upon which banns might have been published, and they might have been married according to the laws of England. In the absence of © positive evidence, it was open to the jury to decide as they had de- cided; and if the lessee of the plaintiff were dissatisfied with the verdict, he might bring a fresh ejectment. Mr. Justice Bayley. —The weight of evidence was against you.— Rule refused. Arches’? Court, Doctors’ Commons, December 12.—Cookev. Browning, JSalsely calle¢Cooke.—This was a proceeding at the instance of Mr. James Stamp Sutton Cooke, ofthe parish of St. Sepulchre, London, for a sentence of the court, decla= ratory of the invalidity of his mar- riage with a Miss Jane Browning, of Hastingly in Kent, on the ground of his minority at the time, and a want of legal consent. It appeared that Mr. Cooke was born in the month of April, 1'780, and that the marriage took place by licence, in the month of Sep- tember, 1799, when he was little more than 19 years of age; that his father (who was then living) was utterly ignorant of it, till after it had taken place, and then expressed his displeasure in the strongest terms, consoling himself at the same time with the reflec- tion, that the absence of his cons sent rendered the marriage a mere nullity, and that he continued in these sentiments, and the commu- nication of them to his friends, to the time of his death. These cireumstances were de- tailed in the evidence of several * relatives APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. rélatives and acquaintances of the parties, Supported by the produc- tion of an entry of the minor’s birth, made at the time, in a fa- mily Bible, the certificates of his baptism and marriage, and the original documents, authorising the grant of the licence, in which he was described as being above the age of twenty-one. It was likewise stated, that he is now a prisoner upon a charge of bigamy, founded upon the fact of his having contracted a second marriage, sub- sequent to the one in question; and that he was more particularly de- sirous of obtaining the sentence of the court, as it would avail him so materially in his defence. ~ The defendant?s counsel admit- ted the sufficiency of the evidence adduced to prove the facts of mi- nority, marriage, and non-consent; but relied upon it likewise to sus- tain his objection, that there was a failure of proof as to the plaintiff’s identity. Sir John Nicholl observed, that the peculiar situation of the plain- tiff, though perhaps not so distinct- ly apparent from the evidence, as to come within the judicial cogni- zance of the court, was neverthe- less sufficient to induce it to regard the present proceeding with a very jealous eye. If collusion was to be suspected in any case, it was surely in one like this; the common dic- tates of humanity were, in all pro- bability, sufficient to induce the lady against whom the present proceeding was directed, to lend herself towards facilitating its suc- cess, great and painful as the sacri- fice might be to herself. The court must, therefore, come to the consideration of the circumstances of the case, impressed with the 293 necessity of @ rigid scrutiny, and regard the proceeding as being principally of an ex parte nature. He then recapitulated the facts de- tailed in evidence, and was of opinion that the proof was un- usually strong in support of them, and that there was no foundation for the objection to the proof of identity: he therefore signed the sentence declaratory of the invali- dity of the marriage. MISCELLANEOUS CAUSES. Court of King’s Bench, Tuesday, January 14,—Special Jury.—Le- singham »v. Fraser, and others.— This was an action for money had and received brought by the mas- ter of Sir John Cass’s school at Aldgate, against his bankers, Mess. the late Hon. Simon Fraser, Sir John Perring, Bart. and Co. to re- cover a sum of 82/. 10s. alleged to have been paid them on his ac- count, by the plaintiff, and the appearance of which, as a credit to the plaintiff’s account in the bankers’ books, was attributed by them to a mistake. On the part of the plaintiff was adduced the evidence of two boys, of the ages of 15 and 13, who in the year 1810, the time at which the sum in question was alleged to have been paid, were the plaintiff’s scholars. Their names were Payne and Linde; and Lord Ellenbo- rough observed, that the manner in which they gave their evidence was so unembarrassed and straight forward, as of itself to lead to no suspicion that their story was not true. They were perfect as to their recollection of the 24th of March, having been the day on which 294 which they twice went to the bankers to pay money for their master. The first time, they paid in 37l.the payment of which was allowed by the defendants. The second time, they counted over the sum of 82/. 10s. in the presence of Mr. Peacock, a baker, in Bishops- gate-street, who had called to pay their master money. It was Linde’s first time of being in a banker’s shop, and he took notice of the quantity of dollars which one of the clerks was counting ; and observed to his companion, that the two which composed the 10s. they had to pay in would make two more. They took with them their master’s _pass-book ; and the clerk, whom Payne after- wards singled out from the rest to be a gentleman of the name of Kent, wrote in it, and returned it to the boys. Mr. Peacock was present when the Jads returned, and asked the plaintiff how he could trust them to pay so much money. The plaintiff replied, that he was in the habit of doing so, and showed Peacock the entry in the pass-book, to convince him that he had not unworthily re- posed his confidence in them. Mr. Peacock confirmed the testimony of the boys, and added, that he paid 76/. to the plaintiff on the 24th, the day in question; but it did not appear whether any of this money formed a part of the 82/. On the contrary, some notes in- dorsed ‘ Peacock,” in his brother’s hand-writing, were produced by the defendants, as forming part of a subsequent payment of 28/. 1s. made by the plaintiff to them on the 26th following. Strong in favour of an actual payment to the defendants by the plaintiff as was ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. this evidence, yet Lord Ellenbo- rough observed, that if from docu- ments in the defendants’ business it could be proved to be impossible to be true, the jury would be com- pelled to disregard it, and to find their verdict for the defendants. On their part were called Mr. Kent, and all the clerks implicated, who swore they never received the sum in question from the boys, although the fact of their paying the first sum of 37/. was recollected and admitted ; and it appeared by the pass-book which Mr. Peacock swore to have seen on. the 24th, that the entry was not made till the 26th, on which day it was dated; and the defendants’ clerks swore that the plaintiff's name had been given to them by their principals, as having overdrawn his account, and was written down by them to be kept in mind. Being thus impressed upon their memory when a cheque for 82/. 10s. was on the 26th paid into the account of another customer (Mr. Shen- stone), they by mistake attributed it to the plaintiff, and thus it found its way from their waste book into the plaintiff’s pass-book, and their ledger. It was proved how Mr. Shenstone had re- ceived and paid the cheque just mentioned ; and the error was not rectified till he found that it had been omitted in his account. The same sum could not have been also paid by the plaintiff, and purloined by any of the bankers’ clerks, except he had made three different thefts: one of the large notes from one drawer, another of the small notes from one partition of another drawer, and a third of the cash from the other partition: and it was proved, that there was no error in —— APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. in the defendants’ balance on that day. Mr. Topping, for the plain- tiff, rested his case upon the al- ternative, that if it were not true, the plaintiff had suborned three persons to perjure them- selves, two of them ingenuous and well-educated boys; and at- tributed the defendants’ denial of it to a mistake, of which they were not conscious, in the hurry of bu- siness upon a Saturday, as the 24th was; and that, the Satur- day before they moved their bank- ing business to another shop on the Monday following. The At- torney-General and Mr. Garrow, were for the defendants. The jury, after retiring for some time, found their verdict for the defendants. Court of King’s Bench, Friday, Feb. 7.—The King, v. the Atdhs bishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London.—This was arule nist for a mandamus, calling upon the defendants, or one of them, to hear, examine, and determine, in order to license the Rev. R. Po- vah, LL. D. to preach the Friday morning lecture, at the parish church of St. Bartholomew, Ex- change, London. The lectureship was endowed in 1625, with 25/. # year out of lands, and the choice of the lecturer was given by the founder to the inhabitants of the parish. Upon the last va- cancy, Mr. Shepherd, the rector of the parish, Dr. Povah, and another person, were candidates, and the Doctor was chosen by a majority of the parishioners. Upon tendering himself to the Bishop to be licensed, it was objected to him that he had preached against the doctrine of infant baptism; a charge which the 295 Doctor denied, and the author of which he requested to know. This information was refused, and Dr. Povah attended the Bishop with the notes of the sermon, which had been thus misrepre- sented; and the Bishop appeared satisfied on that head; but ob- jected to him that he was only in deacon’s orders, and had in that capacity outstretched his authority in reading the absolution. ‘This practice Doctor Povah justified, by the directions of the rubrick ; and as to the competency of his orders to warrant the licence in question, Dr. Povah got himself forthwith ordained a priest in full orders, although, as the Bishop alleged, and the applicant denied, this was done in an irregular way. This, and much more, appeared by many affidavits on both sides: the Doctor had produced to the bishop three different sets of testimonials, his lordship having objeeted to the testimony of some, and persuaded the withdrawment of others: fi- nally, Dr. Povah attended his lord- ship with his perfect testimonials, and his certificate of priest’s or- ders, and offered to read and sub- scribe the thirty-nine articles, as required by the act of uniformity, 13 and 14 Car. Il. c. 4. sec. 19, when the Bishop’s objections were at last resolved into this; that he did not approve of Dr. Povah as a fit person. The doctor there- upon, called upon his lordship to specify the reasons of that objec- tion, and had tendered himself to submit to any examination which the Bishop thought proper to in- stitute, but his lordship had not thought proper to institute such examination, or to specify the rea-~ sons of his refusal to license the applicant, - + 296 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. applicant, otherwise than by a ge- neral declaration of his unfitness : and had refused to convene his ac- cusers before his lordship, so that the applicant might have an oppor- tunity of meeting them. A letter was recited, dated the 9th April, 1810, from the Bishop to the church-warden, stating, that Dr, Povah was only in deacon’s orders, and that it was customary to elect the rector (Mr. Shepherd) if there should be no valid objection against him; and also a letter from his lordship, dated the 21st of the same month, and addressed to Dr. Povah, telling him that it was in a sermon preached a month before that which he had justified, that the doctrines against infant bap- tism were imputed to him. It also appeared, that Dr. Povah had written a letter to the Bishop of Sodor and Man, in which he accused the Bishop of London of refusing his licence, only because his relation, by marriage, Mr. Shepherd, was not elected. This Dr. Povah now attributed to com- mon report, and could not tell from whom he had heard it. In Easter term, 1811, the court refused a mandamus to the Bishop alone, unless it could be shewn that the like application had also been made to the Archbishop, and rejected by him; the act of uni- formity enacting, that no person should be allowed to preach as a lecturer in any church, &c. “ un- less he be first approved, and there- unto licensed by the Archbishop of the province, or the Bishop of the Diocese.” (13 East. 419.) Mr. Attorney-General, Mr. Dampier, and Mr. Abbott, now shewed cause against the rule zisz, which had, after much delibera- tion, been granted against both the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London. The man- damus would command them to do what they had already done; for the Bishop stated in an answer to the rule, that the applicant had been repeatedly admitted before him, with a view to being licensed ; that his lordship had made diligent inquiry into the applicant’s con- duct, and being in bis conscience convinced that he was an impro- per person to be so licensed to the lectureship for which he applied, had thought it right to. reject him, And the Attorney-General submitted that the Bishop had a right to abide by his own judg- ment, formed as it was upom fair and solid grounds. The Arch- bishop (for the present rule was addressed both to one andthe other), stated his respect for every rule of this court, and his anxiety to perform what the law required of him; but his Grace held it his duty to refer the court to the act of uniformity, and to what had been the invariable practice under it, and to lay before the court his impression of the line which he ought to pursue, leaving it to their wisdom to direct him. The re- pertories and muniments at Lam- beth palace had been searched, and there was no instance in which a licence had been applied for to the Archbishop under the circumstances of the present case ; and the Attorney-General sub- mitted (and his Grace submitted through him), that it never could have been the intention of the legislature to grant an appeal from ‘the judgment of an Archbishop to that of a Bishop; as would be the consequence of the air ° APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. of that. construction for which the applicant, contended. The act represented the licence as ne- cessary from either the Archbishop or the Bishop; and there was nothing to prevent an applicant, if he had made an application to the Archbishop in the first instance, from appealing to the Bishop in the second, provided this doctrine of appeal were to be allowed, which would be an anomaly in law. The Attorney-General con- tended, that an applicant had only an election, whether to apply to the Archbishop or to the Bishop, and having made that election in favour of the Bishop, he could not = to the Archbishop; just as if he had elected the Archbishop, he most certainly could not appeal to the Bishop. The applicant produced thé affi- davits of twenty-seven persons, who pretended to swear to the words of a sermon preached by Dr. Po- vah more than two years ago; and one of these persons made oath that such was the effect of the ser- mon upon him, that he imme- diately had a child baptized, in whose case that ceremony had been delayed; but this person waited till another child was born, before he had this done; and be- fore that event, too, a rule had been obtained from this court, be- tween the proceedings upon which he had interpolated the baptism of this child. Besides the affidavit of Dr. Hall, who took down a note of this sermon by Dr. Povah at the time, the Attorney-Gene- ‘ral had now the affidavit of the Rev. W. M:Gregor, who expressly swore that it was not the doc- trines of others against infant bap- tism which Dr. Povah had stated 297 with disapprobation, but that those doctrines came from him- self; and that he not only denied the importance of infant baptism, but of any baptism at all, and that net in the church, in which the applicant's witnesses had heard him, but in another. His denial of these doctrines reminded the Attorney-General of a story of a nurse, who, in cutting some bread and butter for a child, happened to let the bread fall, and exclaimed in a pet, “rot the loaf,’ the child reported the exclamation to her mother; when the nurse not only denied that she had used those words, but declared herself to have said, ‘ bless the bread.” The Attorney-General and Mr. Dampier then proceeded to quote and comment upon the decisions of Lord Chief Justice Holt; in 12 Modern, 433, of Powell, J. 2 Lord Raymond, 1205 ;,and to cite the cases in 3. Salkeld, 87, 4. Bur- row 2045, &c. and argued that the matter was of ecclesiastical juris- diction, and that it could not be taken thence, and sent to a jury under a mandamus from this court. The licence expressed ap- probation, which was an act of the mind, and how could the Court of King’s Bench command the licen- ser to express a full confidence in the morals, learning, doctrine, and diligence of a man, which he did not possess ? Mr, Garrow, Mr. C. Warren, Mr. Comyn, and Mr. Brougham, contra, contended that the manda- mus only required the Bishop to hear, and that the applicant had not yet been heard in any sense of the word hearing, which came within the justice of a British court. They quoted a variety of cases, 298 cases, and relied mainly on a deci- sion of Lord Mansfield, in the King v. Blower, 2 Bur. 1043. Mr. Brougham’s argument was suc- cinct and masterly; he took a distinction between the rights of holy orders, and of enjoying the profits attached to them; and ar- gued, that as a patron had the remedy of quare impedit against the Bishop who refused to induct his clerk, it could never be the in- tention of the legislature to leave a lecturer alone at the mercy of the Bishop,—that the burthen of showing Dr. Povah’s unfitness lay with those who denied it; and that the applicant came before the court with every claim to their fa- vour, both in point of character {which he rejoiced in this oppor- tunity of setting right with the public) and in point of the justice he claimed. The court deferred its judgment on account of the lateness of the hour (5 o’clock). On the following day, Lord Ellenborough delivered the judg- ment of the court. He had looked minutely through the affidavits on both sides, and since it would be convenient that the decision of so important a case should not be delayed, he should proceed to give the result of the opinion upon this case of all the judges of the court. By the act of uniformity, 13 and 14 Ch. II. c.4. sect. 19, it was enacted, that no person should be allowed to preach as a lecturer, in any church, &c. unless he be first approved, and thereunto licensed by the Archbishop of the province, or Bishop of the dio- cese, or (in case the see be void) by the guardian of spiritualities, &c.; and the question was, what ANNUAL REGISTER,. 1812. approval the bishop (to whom in this instance Dr. Povah’s applica- tion was made and refused) should bestow, and on what grounds he should be required to license the applicant. It was a condition precedent to the grant- ing of the licence, that the Bishop should first approve. It had been endeavoured in argument to liken this office of lecturer to a benefice, into which the clerk was instituted by the Bishop, and to the cases of perpetual curates and schoolmas- ters, in respect of whom the pro- visions in the acts of parliament widely differed from those in this act of uniformity. Certain dicta of judges had also been quoted by the learned counsel for the present applicant, with not one of which the court were now prepared to diffef. It was the duty of the court to see that others exercised their duty, as far as the means of the court would allow; and if the Bishop of London had not considered the case of the present applicant, there might have been some grounds for granting the mandamus. Itappeared fromsome of the affidavits before the court, that the Bishop of London had first stated the ground of his re- fusing Dr. Povah’s license to be, that he was only in deacon’s or- ders; and it was said, that the applicant had removed that objec- tion by the ordination to priest’s orders, of the Bishop of Sodor and Man (how obtained his lordship — would not inquire) ; and that then the objection was first stated to him that he had preached against certain doctrines of the church of England. ground of objection of which Dr. Povah was not before apprised; for But this was no new - APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. for it appeared by the defend- ant’s affidavits, that the objection had been very early made to him; and the rule to show cause had produced the following answer from the Bishop. By his first affidavit, he stated that his sole reason for refusing the licence was a conscientious opinion and con- viction arising from every circum- stance of the case, and from the most diligent inquiry into the ap- plicant’s conduct as a clergyman, that he could not, consistently with the duties of his office, ap- prove of him; and that he had thus acted, solely from a consci- entious discharge of the duties of his office, which required him to approve of none whom he did not conscientiously believe to be a fit person to discharge the duties of the office oflecturer. His second affidavit, in return to the rule 7st, which required him to show cause against a mandamus, to hear and determine, with a view to licence, stated, that he had re- peatedly admitted the applicant before him, and had made the most diligent inquiry into his claims, and that the result of that inquiry was a conviction that the applicant was not a fit person to discharge the duties of a lecturer ; and that, from a conscientious dis- charge of the duties of his office, and from no other motive or rea- son whatsoever, he could not ap- prove or license him as such lec- turer; and that he had formed and adhered to this determination, upon a full consideration of the case, according to the best of his judgment, and could not in his conscience believe that the appli- cant was a fit person to discharge the duties of the office of lecturer. 299 If the court had granted a manda- mus to the Bishop in the first in- stance, surely this would have been a conclusive return to it, un- less the court were prepared to say that the function of approval was vested in them, and not in the Bishop ; and that, notwithstanding his conviction, he should be com- pelled to license; that he should approve, though he did not ap- prove; that he should adopt the reasoning of the court, and the conscience of the court, in despite of his own head and his own heart. The court could not trans- fer to themselves a power which was for wise purposes granted to another, and a mandamus to such an effect had never yet been moved for. All the cases cited yester- day, and on former occasions, were cases where there arose some ob- jection, on the score of the rector or vicar to the use of the pulpit; the objections came from another quarter, and not from the Bishop per se. The mandamuses were granted to the Bishop to license, proforma, in order to get at the right of the party. The court had never acted upon the conscience of the Bishop, and compelled him to license when his refusal was conscientious; but it was said to be the business and duty of the Bishop to inquire into the appli- cant’s case in a sort of judicial mode, as the courts of law would, by the adduction of evidence, and by a public hearing. What power had the Bishops to compel such evidence? How could they ad- minister an oath? How could they do more than express the ap- robation of their conscience duly informed on the subject? The utmost the court could do whee e 300 be to give them an admonition, and a solenin call to inform their conscience on the subject. A lec- tureship-was not like a temporal inheritance, in which the patron of a living had a right to the induction of his clerk, unless the Bishop should return a decided cause of unfitness. The statute Articuli Cleri gave the examination to an ecclesiastical judge ; and, in the case of presentation to a bene- fice, the Bishop must certainly state the cause of his refusal; but there was nothing which directed this in the act of uniformity. The office of lecturer was only en- grafted on a foundation, whereby the spiritual wants of the parish were already in part supplied ; and it became the wisdom (cer- tainly it did the jealousy) of the legislature after the then recent contentions in the church, to in- vest the licensing of lecturers in the Bishops. The analogy, there- fore, did not hold between them and the cases arising from the Institution of regular beneficed clergymen, His lordship then proceeded to consider some of the cases which had been quoted, and to show their diversity from the present. He then said, the fact was, that the Bishop of London had very early objected to Dr. Povah, on the score of his doctrines; but as he discovered he was only in deacon’s orders, he very naturally wished to object to license him upon the least obnoxious ground, and to perform his duty in the least harsh and objectionable form. The letter respecting the heterodox sermon was written from James Hall, of Walthamstow, to Dr. Hall, as early as the 24th of November, 1809; and this could ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. not have been meant to apply to impede Dr Povah’s licence ‘to the lectureship, which did not become vacant till March, 1810. When the Bishop became ac- quainted with this letter did not exactly appear; but it was sent by Dr. Hall to the Bishop’s secre tary, aad was most likely commu- nicated to the Bishop before Dr. Povah’s first application, although it appeared that upon that first application the Bishop did not im- mediately recollect the circum- stance; but when he was re- minded of it by his secretary, was it not imperative upon him to re- sist the application? The Bishop exercised a very proper discretion in refusing at the time to disclose to Dr. Povah the name of his accuser, but it was now before the court, Dr. Hall’s affidavit being confirmed by that of another per- son, the Rev. Mr. Macgregor. If, therefore, the court were trying the fact of Dr. Povah’s fitness (which Lord Ellenborough dis- claimed their right to do), the question would be, whether the affidavits of these gentlemen were to be believed, who did hear the doctrines imputed, or those of the greater number who swore they did not. Besides was not so strong as positive, there must be many things which ~ passed in a sermon that the majo- — rity of an audience overlooked: — and the deponents on the part of the applicant were persons who, from their class and condition in life, could not be supposed to be such accurate observers, or to have such a knowledge of the applica- tion of a sermon to the doctrines of the church, as the two reverend gentlemen who came forward * the the maxim, | that in all cases negative evidence — a ee APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. the defendant's affidavits. At any rate, with such evidence before him, might not the Bishop be in reasonable suspense? It had been said, that he had renounced the ground of objection, on the score of the applicant’s doctrines, and was perfectly satisfied with a sight of his MS. short-hand notes of a sermon, in which no such doctrine appeared. But it would be recollected, that he afterwards wrote to the applicant, informing him that it was to a sermon _preached a month before that, that his information alluded. The applicant’s case had been attempt- ed to be confirmed by the dis- closure of very important matter: it was said, that not only had he not preached against infant bap- tism, but that his sermon in en- forcement of the necessity of that sacrament, had had the effect of electrifying the consciences of four of his auditors, who all imme- diately set about to rectify their remissness in this particular, and to get their children baptized up- on theinstant. This case was very unfortunately proved; for although the sermon was preached in Oc- tober, 1809, there was no regis- try of the baptism of a child of Hardy, the first witness through- out the years 1808, 9, 10, and 11; and the witness Pollard la by till the 3lst of March, 1811, and then had two children baptized, together, the first being two years and ten days old. ‘The witness Thomas Hart had also two chil- dren baptised on the 5th of May, 1811, the first of whom was born on the Ist of August, 1809, and the second on the 30th of March, 1811. Supposing, there- fore, this court were sitting at 301 nist prius, how would such evi- dence be received? And could the court dictate the manner of its acting on the Bishop’s con- science? If so much of the evi- dence on the part of the applicant was at least improbable, did it not show that the Bishop might with more safety repose on the truth of his other information ? Sc much might be said, if the court were trying the fitness of the applicant, instead of the Bishop approving it: but the Bishop had returned the applicant to the court, by his affidavit, as generally unfit; and unless they should think them- selves warranted in assuming a power which the legislature had exclusively placed in the breast of another, in saying, that the Bishop had not inquired, had not ex- amined, and in calling for evi- dence, and placing themselves in the Bishop’s place, guoad the ap- proval, they could not overturn his refusal. They were required to repeal an act of parliament, and violate a Bishop’s conscience. Their refusal to grant the man- damus- contravened no decision, and ran counter to the dictum of any one judge who ever sat on the bench. The rule divided itself into two parts; the latter respect- ing the Archbishop of Canter- bury, who had, no doubt, a func- tion to exercise in such a case, and to whom it was doubtless com- petent to apply, but not znverso ordine. Taking into their consi- deration the returns of both the defendants to the rule, in which the Archbishop’s name was only introduced in a late stage of the business, as the question was new, and not upon the court’s perfect satisfaction that his Grace’s name ought 302 ought to have been included, the court as to both defendants, dis- charged the rule, The Attorney-General asked for costs to the Bishop, since the first rule as to him was dis- charged; and it was very hard that he should bear all the subse- quent expense, in a case in which the court had decided with him at first. Lord Ellenborough said, that as this was the first case in which this very question had come be- fore the court, howsoever proper it might otherwise be, he was not inclined to give costs. Not so, if the question came again before the court. Case on a Bet.—Gilbert v. Sykes. —At the York assizes in March a trial came on in which the Rev. B. Gilbert was plaintiff, and Sir Mark M. Sykes, Bart. defendant. It appeared that the Baronet, at his own table in a dinner party, during a conversation respecting the hazard to which the life of Buonaparté was exposed had of- fered, upon the receipt of 100 guineas, to pay a guinea a day as long as he should remain alive. Mr. Gilbert suddenly took up the offer; but finding that the sense of the company was against making a serious matter ofa bet, proposed at a moment of conviviality, he said, ‘If you will submit, Sir Mark, to ask it as a favour, you may be off.” This the baronet refused to do; the 100 guineas were sent by Mr. G. of which Sir M. acknowledged the receipt, and he had continued paying the guinea a day for nearly three years. * At length he declined further pay- ment, and this action was for ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. recovery of the sum still due upon the contract. Mr. Topping, for the defend- ant, contended first, that there was no serious intention of betting on the part of Sir M. Sykes, but that he was surprised by the hasty ac- ceptance of the offer by the cler- gymen. He then, on the supposi- tion that it was regarded as a real bet, advanced an argument, that Mr. Gilbert having thus a be- neficial interest in the life of Buo- naparté, might be induced, in case of his invading this island, to use means for protecting from personal danger an inveterate enemy of his country. ; The judge, after stating the evi- dence to the jury, with his obser- vations, left them to decide the fact, whether there was an inten- tion of betting on the part of Sir M. Sykes, and reserving the point oflaw. The jury returned a ver- dict for the defendant. On April 16th the case was brought before the King’s Bench, where Mr. Park moved for a rule to show cause why the verdict for the defendant should not be set aside, and a new trial granted, the verdict having been found against all the evidence produced. He recapitulated the circumstances of the transaction, and said that Baron Thompson, in his charge to the jury, had treated the contract rather as for an annuity than a wager; and however hastily it had been adopted by the plaintiff, put it to them whether it had not been persisted in by the defendant. It was no wager that Buonaparté would come to his end by violent means. Lord Ellenborough, in granting the rule, said, that he was very sorry APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. sorry this question should come to be argued in a court of law; but unless there was in the nature of the bet, any thing of an immoral or impolitic tendency, it was a legal contract, and must besupported. He would not declare what relief might be obtained elsewhere under all the circumstances; butasthe defendant went on paying for three years, the fact of the contract seemed to be clearly established, and the jury had certainly gone beyond their pro- vince in finding for the defendant. The case was again brought un- der consideration before the Court of King’s Bench on June 11 and 12. After the counsel had held their arguments respecting the na- ture of the contract, and the inte- rest of the parties in the event which was its subject, Lord Ellen- borough said, that although the court might differ as to the grounds of their opinion, they all concurred that no new trial ought to be granted in this case. ‘The objec- tion to this wager wasits tendency to produce public mischief. At a time when the enemy’s threats of invasion were annual, and depre- cated weekly in every church, could it be said that intheevent of Buona- parté’s landing, the interest of 365 guineas per ann. to preserve his life was too remote? Besides, one great object of the nation ought to be to obviate the suspicion of at- ‘tempting the assassination of Buo- naparté, with which it had (he hoped unjustly ) been charged; and to prevent a war of assassination, with which any attempt of that kind would not fail to be revenged. He could not say that the verdict for the defendant was proper on the ground that the bet was not deliberately entered into ; but look- 303 ing into all the circumstances of the conversation upon which this contract was founded, and the con- tract itself, he thought the rule for a new trial ought to be discharged. The other three judges deliver- ed a similar opinion, and the rule was accordingly discharged. Literary Property.—In the Court of Session at Edinburgh, on the 2nd of March, a cause was tried of considerable importance to literary property, in the case, Cadell and Davies v. Robertson. Mr. Creech bought the copy- right of Burns’s Poems, which were first published in 1786; and as Burns died in 1796, the copyright expired, of course, infourteen years from the date of their first publica- tion. In 1793, a new edition of Burns’s Poems was published, with some additional poems which had never beforeappeared. These last, however, were not entered in Sta- tioners’ Hall. In the year 1800, another edition of Burns’s works was published by Mr. Creech of Edinburgh, and Messrs. Cadell and Davies, London, with a life of the author prefixed, by Dr. Currie. This edition included the additional poems, first published in 1793, but was not entered in Stationers? Hall. In 1802, when the exclusive privilege had expired, Mr. J. Ro- bertson, bookseller, Edinburgh, published a small edition of the Poems of Burns, in which he in- cluded some of those new poems by theauthor, in 1793; upon which Messrs. Cadell and Davies, and Mr. Creech, applied by bill of sus- pension, for an interdict, and at the same time raised an action against Mr. Robertson, concluding not 304 not for penalties, but for damages, on account of the infringement on their property, by publishing these additional poems, the copyright of which had not yet become free. The bill of suspension and inter- dict was passed, and conjoined ~ with the action of damages. This action the Court of Ses- sion decided (16th May, 1804) by recalling the interdicts, sustain- ing the defences against the action of damages, and assoilzieing the defender; to which interlocutor, on its being again brought under their consideration, they adhered. The pursuers complained against these judgments to the House of Lords, when it was decided (16th July, 1811), that ** Although no person trenching onliterary property isliableto any of the penalties or forfeitures thereby enacted, unless the titles to the copies of such books shall, before publication, be entered in the re- gister book of the company of Stationers, as by the said act is di- rected; yet, that the persons to whom the sole liberty of printing books is thereby given for the term or terms therein mentioned, have, by the said statute, a right vested in them, entitling them to main- tain a suit for damages in case of a violation of such right, and: also entitling them to maintain a suit in order to prevent the violation thereof, by interdict for the term or terms for which the statute hath given them such sole liberties, al- though there shall not have been such entry made before publica- tion, as aforesaid: and it is hereby ordered, that with this declaration the said cause be remitted back to the Court of Session in Scotland, to review the interlocutors complain- ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. ed of, and further to do therein what may be meet.” In virtue of the declaration and remit contained in the judgment of the House of Lords above re- cited, the pursuers presented a pe tition to the Court of Session, pray- ing their Lordships to review the before-recited interlocutors, and to do in the cause as to their lord- ships shouldseem meet, The court, in appplying the principles laid down in the judgment of the House of Lords (Jan. 24, 1812), altered their former interlocutors, found damages due, and remitted the case to the Lord Ordinary, to ascertain the quantum. It may now, therefore, he held, as law in Scotland, as it has long been in England, that authors or theirassigneeshavea statutory right to their literary property for four- teen or twenty-eight years, as the case may be, which entitles them to prosecute for damages at com- mon law, all who may violate that right, though their works may not have been entered in Stationers’ Hall; such entries being only ne- cessary to entitle them to recover the statutory penalties. Trial of John Bellingham for the murder of the Rt. Honourable Spen-= cer Perceval.—Old Bailey, May 15. —Before the prisoner was called upon to plead, his counsel, Mr. Alley, rose to make application for the postponement of the trial, founded upon statements which went to show that he could be proved insane, if sufficient time were allowed for witnesses to ap- pear. It was ruled, however, that this was not the time for such ap- plication, and that the prisoner must first plead to the os ep is APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. This was then read, containing three counts, and charging him in the usual form with the murder, The prisoner listened with great attention, and when the question, guilty or not guilty, was put to him, he spoke shortly, complaining of the hurrying on of his trial, and that the documents on which alone he could rest his defence had been taken from him, and were in the possession of the crown. The court, however, in- sisted upon his pleading, which he did, <<‘ not guilty :” the Attorney- general then said, that copies of the papers had been offered to the prisoner, and that he had been told they themselves should be given him at his trial. Mr. Alley then rose, and after adverting to the disagreeable duty he had to perform, frum which, however, he would not shrink, he contended that the jury ought not to be sworn in this case, if he could produce affidavits to prove that the prisoner was not competent to ra- tional actions, or ina state 10 meet this charge sui juris. He then al- luded to the affidavits to be offer- ed, and hoped time might be granted that it might be seen whe- ther the facts mentioned in them could be substantiated by evidence or not. Mr. Garrow denied that even this was the proper stage of the trial for the counsel’s speech in de- fence, and this opinion being con- firmed by the Recorder, the first affidavit was read alone. _ The Attorney-general then ar- gued against the application. He treated the affidavits with severity, as a flimsy contrivance to defeat the ends of immediate justice, He desired, the court to recollect the manner in which the prisoner had Vou. LIV, 305 just addressed them, and also the studious anxiety which his coun- sel had betrayed to prevent him from addressing their lordships; and asked why medical men, emi- nent for their knowledge on the subject’ of insanity, had not been called upon; and why others had not been applied to who had been acquainted with the prisoner dur- ing his last four months residence in London ? Mr. Alley gave the shortness of the preparatory time as a reason for those omissions. He had re- ceived his instructions only the evening before. The court refusing the applica- tion, the jury was called to be sworn; but the counsel for the crown challenging the first person named, Mr. Alley contended that the crown had no right to chal- lenge, without stating cause or no cause. This opinion was strongly controverted, and the court having estublished the right of general challenge without stating cause, seven persons named were peremp- torily challenged, after which a jury of twelve was sworn, After Mr. Abbot had opened the pleadings, the Attorney-General addressed the court and jury. He said he should not enter into the life of the prisoner further than concerned the act for which he was arraigned, He was by pro- fession a merchant, and wus consi- dered as of such perfect understand- ing, as not only to transact his own affairs, but to be intrusted with those of others, Three or four years ago he went to Russia for a house in the north, charged witha commission of importance. He had not been long there before he preferred a complaint of the Rus- X sian 506 sian government to Lord Leveson Gower, by whom it was neglected. He returned to England, where he followed his mercantile pursuits, and found persons ready to avail themselves of his ability and expe- rience. It, however, entered into his head that this government was bound to take cognizance of his case, and remunerate him for his losses in Russia; he therefore ap- plied to the ministers, who, after examination, finding that his claims had no foundation in justice, paid no further attention to them. He then drew up a petition to parlia- ment, and applied to Mr. Perceval in order to obtain his countenance to it. This Mr. Perceval refused, and from that moment the desire of revenge seems to have got posses- sion of his heart. The Attorney- general then gave a brief account of the circumstances of the mur- der, which, he said, they would have in detail from the witnesses ; and the fact being out of doubt, he proceeded to consider the question of insanity. Here, said he, is a man who has always had the ma- nagement of his own concerns, of which vo attempt has: been made from any. part of his family to de- prive him. He has passed through life without the least’ blemish on his understanding; with what co- Jour therefore can it be now pre- tended that he is not an account- able being? They who make the affidavits are unable to deny that he conducted his own affairs, and those of others. If it could be proved that he laboured under an absence of mind at the time he committed the act, nothing could hie against him ; but it was a new argument, that the extraordinary . wickedness of the act should be \ ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the very reason why the perpetra~ tor should not be answerable for it. He then put the supposition, that just at the time the prisoner was about to inflict the fatal blow, some providential interposition should have prevented its effect, and that on the same morning he should have made his will, and that its validity had afterwards been disputed in a court of justice on the ground of insanity: would any court allow the legality of such a plea? would not the general ha- bit of his mind and rationality of his actions outweigh any consider- ation of insanity attached to this single act? The question is sim- ply this—whether a person like the prisoner at the bar be at the time of the commission of his act capa- ble of distinguishing between right and wrong? If he be capable, the law renders him criminally respon- sible for it. Even where the law has taken from a man the admi- nistration of his affairs, he may still have the power of judging be- tween’ right and wrong in criminal cases, and therefore be responsible for criminal acts. The learned gentleman, to prove this point, went into a detail of the cases of A?nold condemned for the murder — of Lord Onslow, and Lord Ferrers for that of his steward ; and applied them to the present, as affording a plea of defence which did not exist in this case ; wherefore, if the jury thought with him, they must find a verdict of guilty. The witnesses were then called ; but as the circumstances of the fact have been related in our Chronicle, and were undisputed, we shall not here repeat them. The evidence for the crown be- ing closed, the prisoner was ¢alled upon APPENDIX TO: CHRONICLE. - upon for his defence. He pro- posed to leave it to his counsel, but was informed that they were not allowed to address the court in his defence.| He then addressed the jury ina speech of an hour’s con- tinuance, interspersed with the reading of the documents which were restored to him in the court, and commenting upon them. He thanked the, Attorney-general for his resistance to the plea of insanity set up by. his counsel; because; if it had succeeded, it would not have inswered. the purpose of justifica+ tion. He was obliged to bis coun- sel for their intentions, but said that he had never incurred. the charge of itsanity, with the excep- tion of a single instance in Russia, when the pressure of his sufferings had exposed him to that imputa- tion, .As to the lamentable catas+ trophe for which he was brought on his trial, no one could feel deep: er sorrow. for it. than he.did; and he solemnly disclaimed any per- sonal or premeditated malice to- wards Mr, Perceval, on whom the unfortunate lot had fallen, only as a leading member of an adminis- tration which had refused him re- dress for bis unparalleled wrongs. He then, entered into a detail of the injuries he had experienced, which it.is not necessary here to relate, as having nothing to do with the crime he had perpetrated, further than to shew the deep im- pression it had made on his mind; _and hé concluded with, expressing his confidence that, it. was impossi- ble by the laws of his country to convict him of the crime. of wilful rourder, unless it.could be proved _ that he had malice prepense against the unfortunate gentleman, | which he utterly denied, - \ (Three witnesses were then called, 307 the first and principal of whom,Mrs. Phillips, said, that she had known him from his childhood ; that his father died insane, and that he hiniself had all his. life been in a state of deranyement, particularly since he came from Russia, and whenever he talked on this sub- ject for the last three yeats, The second stated her opinion of his in- sanity for the last two years. The maid of the house where he lodged, in Millman-street, deposed that she thought his manner confused and deranged for some time past, but admitted that’ he» had always hbéen respected in the hovse asa regular and orderly person. Sir James Mansfield charged the jury nearly to the same effect as the Attorney - general’s speech, They retired for a short time; and then returned with a verdict of guilty. The judge then passed sen- tence of death on the criminal, to be ‘executed on the Monday fol- lowing. Prerogative Court, Doctors’- Commons, June 3.—Garnham v. Clarke and King.—This was a pro- ceeding relative to the validity of the will of Benjamin Garnham, 4 man of rather singular chatacter, who, by selling gingerbread about ‘the streets, had contrived to amass con+ siderable property. Two testamen- tury papers, each of them asserted to bethe will of the deceased, form- ed the subject in question ; the one dated the 6th of October; 1810, principally in favour of his ‘wife ; and the otlier,, dated the 16th of October following, principally in favour of, Messrs. Charles Lewan Clarke, and Thomas King, two of his acquaintances. a In support of the first will, evi- dence was adduced to prove the X 2 testator’s 308 testator’s regard for his wife, and his testamentary intention towards her ; that Mr. Clarke having, by in- cessant importunity, persuaded him to make a will, on the Ist. of Oct. 1810, produced to him one ready prepared for the purpose; which, on his representation alone, that it was conformable to his intentions in favour of his wife, he regularly executed, but afterwards suspect- ing he had been imposed upon, he sent for a professional man to read it over, and explain it to him ; when his suspicions being confirmed, he immediately cancelled it, and exe- cuted the one, dated the 6th Oc- tober, in favour of his wife; that on the 13th of October following, he, in a fit of insanity, cut his throat, and mangled himself in other parts of his body, and was taken to St. Bartholomew’s Hospi- tal, whither he was followed by the importunity of Mr. Clarke; who, on the 16th, about three hours before his death, when in great agony, and ina state of utter incapacity, procured his signature to another will, almost wholly in favour of himself and King, the validity of which was now disputed on that ground. A coroner’s in- quest afterwards sat upon the body, and a verdict of lunacy was return- ed ; and it was contended, that the evidence fully proved these facts ; that the case of the adverse parties was one originating in fraud, and carried on by importunity; and that their witnesses, in their eager- ness to speak up to its exigencies, had gone too far, and completely overturned it; that the second will must therefore be pronounced against, and the first declared valid, with eosts. In support of the latter will, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, Messrs. Clarke and King’s evidence had for its object to shew, that the ' testator disliked its wife, and lived unhappily with her, and that he had a great regard for Clarke and King ; that though he was a lunatic when he cut his throat, he had lucid intervals afterwards, and that it was in one of them that he made the latter will, which was conformable to his expressions of dislike for his wife, and regard for Clarke and King; and it was con- tended, that the evidence of the medical gentlemen of the hospital, as to insanity, was founded on too slight an observation of the deceas- ed, to shake the positive testimony that supported these facts, which were sufficient to establish the latter will. Sir John Nicholl recapitulated the evidence, and observed that the deceased appeared to have a regard for all the parties ; but to be a person of such a fickle, irritable disposition, as to render a depend- ence on that regard very precarious. He was of opinion that the evi- dence of the medical gentlemen was not such as to convince the court of the testator’s utter inca- pacity, from the time of his laying violent hands upon himself to his death; and the other evidence proved such expressions of his, as demonstrated that he enjoyed lucid intervals, He then commented upon the evidence of the patients in the hospital, as to the execution of the latter will, for which pur- pose the deceased was raised up in his bed ; and thought it fully suffi- cient ; and that it was not affected by the exceptions taken toit. He, therefore, pronounced for the vali- dity of the latter will, but without costs. Old APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. Old Bailey, July 3.—Trial of Thomas Bowler onthe capital charge of firing a blunderbuss at William Burrowes on the 30th May last, at Alperton, in the parish of Harrow. —The first witness was William Burrowes, a farmer at Alperton, and a hay-salesman in St. James’s market. He stated that travelling on the day above-mentioned, about seven in the morning, towards London, ina chaise cart, as he pas- sed over the canal bridge near his house, he observed near the road side, under the shade of a tree, the legs and thighs of a man, whom he took to be the prisoner; and when he came within 15 yards of him, the prisoner raised a blunder- buss and took deliberateaim athim : the witness immediately stooped down in his cart, and requested he would not fire: the prisoner ex- claimed, “‘ D—n your eyes, take that,”? and fired. The witness found himself wounded in his head, neck, and back. He fell forward across the shafts, and his horse ran away with him. He had no previous quarrel with the prisoner, . There had been some trifling dispute between them in March last about lopping trees, but nothing had passed personally on the subject. He had conversed. with him on the preceding Wed- nesday, and observed nothing to give reason for thinking that he was not in his right mind. Henry Jones, blacksmith, who lives near the spot, said, that on the morning stated, he met the prisoner on the bank of the canal, on foot, with a blunderbuss, ac- companied by a boy, his grandson, on horseback. The prisoner said his blunderbuss would not hold the priming, and wished him to go 309 to the forge and put it in order. While this was doing, he said he meant to shoot a dog with it. He walked about the road till near seven, and then took his blunder- buss, and posted himself under the tree, as stated by the former wit- ness. Jones then described the act of shooting Burrowes exactly as he had done; and added, ‘that after the transaction, the boy dis- mounted, and Bowler mounted, and galloped over the bridge, bid- ding his grandson follow him. Two other eye-witnesses of this atrocity confirmed the evidence of the preceding witness, and one of them produced two leaden bullets found on the spot, and the per- forated hat of Burrowes. William Sheppard, a stable- keeper in London, who knew both parties, deposed to some threatening expressions of Bowler’s with respect to Burrowes, particu- larly his swearing that he would be the death of Burrowes before the middle of June, if he were to be hanged the next morning. Wit- ness reported these words to Bur- rowes, who replied, ‘* I don’t fear him; he is too fond of his own life to take away mine.” The brother-in-law of Burrowes, who, on June 6th, apprehended Bowler, who had absconded, de- posed that the prisoner entreated him not to take him away from his family, and offered him a large sum to suffer him to remain con- fined with his daughters and grand- children, Mr. Withers, attorney, and son- in-law of the prisoner, proved that his dispute with Burrowes about lopping trees was terminated with- out a law-suit. He said that the prisoner in last July was seized with a fit 310 a fit in his hay-field, and fell from his horse, from which period he appeared much) deranged in his memory, understanding, temper; and deportment ; and the witnesses gave several instances of his singu- lar conduct with respect to ‘his mode of life, and his wrong notions about his affairs. Among ‘these was a fancy that.Burrowes was in a conspiracy with some of his neighbours against him.. Heads mitted, however, on a cross-exa- mination, that the. witness was allowed to manage his own affairs, and that notwithstanding » his threats, and the apprehensiuns of his friends that he would destroy his own life, no steps were taken to put him under control as a de- ranged person. Mr. Winkley, a Be oditiiden of Harrow, deposed to having waited on him on the Wednesday preced- ing the Saturday on which: the crime was committed, to take in- structions for altering his will, in presence of two of his: neighbours ; ; and that he brought the new will on Friday afternoon, when the prisoner executed it in their pre- sence, and that of two other wit- nesses; and.all these persons de- posed that hevappeared 10 them perfectly collected and capable of business pays this whole trans- action. Here the sudan blosetl on the part of the crown. ~The prisoner said nothing in his own defence,’ hut a number: of witnesses were brought to prove his insanity, from the time of! his fit and fallin July, 1811. “Mr. Hyatt, an apothecary of Ealing, who ‘attended him, de- posed to that effect, but admitted that he had not ‘alnised |} nis friends ANNUAL REGISTER;. ‘1812, to proceed to a statute of lunaey, though he attended ‘a consultation on that subject ‘afew days before the unfortunate event, and fully intended ‘to recommend: such a proceeding. He had always’ re- garded the prisoner as a-violent:and passionate inan, but never so much as since the fitin July. 2) Dr. Ainslie had-visited him seve- val times in prison during the last June, and was convinced his de- rangement must have been‘of long standing, and that it was of the character ofthe een anne from epilepsy. © » Mr. Warburton: nesdrtetd it) to be characteristic of insanity proceeding from ‘epilepsy for the ‘patient:to take antipathies, withstrong desires of yengeance, against mdividuals, often their desnest, friends, and not to be reasoned out of them, though rational on every other subject. He was fully convinced of the da os weal insanity. Mrs Hayden, | the. Ipmssciell 8 bier for twenty years, confirmed the testimony ‘of Mr. Withers concerning ‘his irregulari~ ties of conduct, and threats of de+ stroying himself. In'some parts of her evidence, ‘however, she grossly contradicted “hen ae and also the other witnesses. ‘The clerk of the Petty-bag office in the Court of Chancery’produced the statute of lunacy) obtained against the prisoner on June 1%, 1812, with the decision of) the jury that he was deranged simce the 30th’ of March last. ‘Sir Simon: le /Blane,: afin sum-+ ming wp’ the evidence with great perspiouity, stated to the. Jurys fiat the fact: bemg proved beyond all’ doubt; it was for them: to con- sider whether; at the time of its commission, i : tra 4 ale entry is APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. commission, the prisoner was in a state of mind to distinguish right from wrong, or under the influence of any illusion towards the parti- cular object which rendered him for the moment insensible to the nature of the act he was about to commit; for if he was so influ- enced, he could not be deemed re- sponsible to the law; otherwise, it would be their duty to find him guilty. The jury, after deliberating some time, returned a verdict of guilty. The unhappy man was after- wards executed for his crime, hav- ing to the last buoyed himself up with the hope of a pardon. Case of Assault,—Mr. John Maberly and W. Dean, the former a respectable attorney, and the latter'a constable, were indicted for assaulting Elizabeth Tadell, on the 16th of May last.—Mr. Alley, in opening the case, bore testimony to the general character of Mr. M. until the commission of the offence with which he now stood charged, which he could not help pronounc- ing to be of a most aggravated de- scription. The counsel then pro- ceeded to state, that the prosecu- trix (who was a young and inter- esting looking woman), was, on the day stated in the indictment, servant to Mrs. Conyer, who lived at No. 4, Park-lane. About four o'clock, during the absence of her mistress, who had just gone out to take an airing in her carriage, the two defendants, in company with four other men, came to the house, and Mr. M. demanded that certain pictures, which were in the room, should be deliveredinto his posses- sion, for Mr. Conyer, the husband of the lady in whose house the 311 plaintiff lived. Mr. Alley here stated, that a separation had taken place between Mr. and Mrs, Con- yer, and that they kept separate establishments; but Mr. Conyer having some fancy for the pictures alluded to, had sent his attorney to demand them in the manner he had mentioned, The prosecutrix, having no knowledge of the de- fendants, or of Mr. Conyer,. said she did not feel herself authorised ‘to deliver any property under her care to any person, until the return of her mistress, whom she expect- ed every moment; and to expedite whose arrival, she sent another servant girl, who was in the house. Mr. M. however, insisted upon taking the pictures, and was pro- ceeding to enter the room in which they were, when the prosecutrix shut the door, locked it, and kept the key in her hand. Mr. M. then sent for a carpenter, to force the door; but his patience being exhausted before his arrival, he said it would be easier and better to take the key from the woman, and immediately Dean seized her by the wrist,’ and Mr. M.wrenched the key from her hand, in doing which he severely injured her fingers, which bled profusely ; her arm and side were also much bruiss ed. The pictures were then carried off, and the prosecutrix was left to make the best of her tale to her mistress, [ These facts were proved by the evidence of the prosecutrix herself, and of Eleanor Tunstan, who wit- nessed the transaction. Mr. Rey- nolds, for the defendant, contend- ed, that no assault bad been com- mitted ; that Mr. M. was acting under the authority of Mr. Conyer, legally given; and that the prose- cutrix, 312 cutrix, in refusing to give up the property, was acting in an unjusti- fiable manner, inasmuch as all the property in the house was, in fact, the property of Mr. Conyer. Mr. Alley argued the contrary ; and the court holding a similar opinion, the defendants were found guilty. Mr. Justice Mainwaring sentenced them to pay the moderate fine of 3s. 4d. each, The court were not desirous of passing a very heavy judgment upon the defendants, but simply of marking their sense of the impro- priety of Mr. M.’s conduct, who seemed to have acted under a mis- take of the law, rather than from any intention to act improperly. Admiralty Court, July 30.— Judgment in the case of the ship Snipe.—Sir William Scott began his speech by observing the great importance of a decision in this case, the principle of which involv- ed several other cases of capture under the orders in council before May 20th, 1812. He stated that the captors contended, that the ship was liable to condemnation under the orders in council, she having been taken on the 28th of March last, entering the river of Bour- deaux ; whilst, on the other hand, the claimants contended, that those orders had ceased to operate before the capture, on account of a French decree, bearing date April 28th, 1811, having repealed the Berlin and Milan decrees, to which those orders had only been retalia- tory measures, which the British overnment was pledged to annul Fa the date of the repeal of the French decrees. After a short. account. of the origin and progress of the decrees and orders in question, Sir William ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. stated, that on the 2Ist of April, in the present year, the Bntish government published a declara- tion, offering to annul the orders in council from the day that the French government, should by a subsequent decree repeal the Berlin and Milan decrees ; and on the 20th of May a paper was received from the American minister, pur porting to be a copy of a’ French decree of that import, bearing date April 28th, 1811. The British government, not recognizing. the authenticity of this document, but wishing to conciliate America; issued on the 23d of June last, a declaration repealing the orders of council from the 20th of May. As to captures prior to that time, this declaration was silent, leaving them to the effect of the prior de- claration of April, which rested on the principle of retaliation. It lay, therefore, with the claimants to prove that the Berlin and Milan decrees were actually repealed by the French decree of 1811, and also that they were so repealed as’ to oblige other nations to take notice of such repeal. The decrees in question had been promulgated in the most authentic andipublic man-= ner, and their revocation ought to be made equally public, at least to all whom it might concern ; for it was the rule, decretum non obligat, sed promulgatio. The Duke of Cadore, in his letter dated August 5, 1810, began by stating that *‘* he was authorised to declare the Berlin and Milan decrees at an end ;’? but afterwards came the condition, ‘it being understood that Great Britain will repeal her orders in council, and her new principles of block- ade, or that neutral nations will cause their flag to be respected.” A letter ‘APPENDIX TO. CHRONICLE. A letter merely promising the repeal: of those decrees under certain’ qualifications and con- ditions, could never be considered as an actual revocation. No evi- dence had been given of any prac- tice which could induce a belief that the decrees, even with respect to America, had been revoked at the time mentioned in the Duke of Cadore’s letter. On the con- trary, Mr. Russel, the American minister at Paris, in a letter dated in May, 1811, stated, “ that no ship brought into the ports of France since November Ist, 1810, had either been released, or brought to trial.” If the Orleans packet had afterwards been released, still he would ask how it was possible that that vessel should have been seized at Bordeaux some months after the decrees were said to berevoked, and detained for such a considera- ble time, if the revocation had been made public? In March 1812, the Duke of Bassano, ina public paper, asserted that ‘ the Berlin and Milan decrees were in full force, and that they were fun- damental laws of the empire.” The alleged decree of repeal was stamped with all the characters of fallacy and fraud. It bore date in April 1811, and had never been produced till May 1812. No such document was known by the Ame- fican ministers in the disputes with this country on the subject, nor to the tribunals or prize courts of France. It was hardly to be doubt- ed that it owed its ‘existence to the declaration of the 21st of April last ; and to claim now under such a document, was to require that it should have operation long before it existed. The court would not now admit further proof of its 313. having been in existence, ‘for it could only be sought in the officina fraudis whence the fabrication first issued.) H ; The learned judge then proceed- ed to consider certain cases which were said to prove that those de- erees were in fact repealed with respect to America; and he showed that not one of them had any authority ; since acts merely of the grace and pleasure of the ruler of France could never be cited as the law of that country, or the rules which guided their tribunals. He would not allow that even the non- execution of the decrees could be properly considered as a repeal of them. The cessation in the exer- cise might arise from some motive of temporary policy ; but the cases which would be’real authority in favour of the repeal must be the liberation of vessels by the judg- ment of the proper tribunals, and not by special favour. It might be said by some, that neutrals had no right to prescribe the mode of restitution, provided it was in fact made. He, on the contrary, asserted that they had a right to expect that in France, as in every civilized country, there should be regular tribunals where they might claim redress ex debito justicia, and not as matter of court favour, caprice, or state-policy. On the whole, it appeared to him, that there was no evidence that any legal revocation of these decrees had taken place ; and that the in- strument relied on by the claimants had no marks of authenticity, but was evidently fabricated for a par- ticular purpose. He should there- fore determine on the case before him, and on all those that depend- ed upon the same principle, i the 314 the instrument purporting to. be a French decree, dated in April. 1811, did not take those: cases out of the general operation of) the law .as:-described in the: orders. of ANNUAL REGISTER, 11819. council; and that, consequently, those vessels captured under them before the 20th of May: last could not be discharged from their ope~ ration. id A (ee eR PATENTS aw 1st John Plasket and Samuel Brown, for a method of making or manu- facturing of casks and other ves- sels by improved machinery, , .. Mr. Edmund Griffith , (Bristol) for an improvenient in the ‘manu- facture of soap, for the purpose of washing. with. sea-water, hard- water, and other water. sta oly Mr. James Cuparn (Leicester) for preventing chimneys from smoking. Mr, Thomas Willes Cooper (Old- street) for an apparatus to be fixed at the naves of wheels and beds of axletrees of carriages, so.as to pre- vent accidents from the axletrees breaking, &c, Mr. Peter Joseph Brown (Hen- rietta-street) for an improved con- struction of buoys for ships or ves- sels, and for mooring chains. Mr. Joseph Bagnal (Walsal) for a method of making bridle-bits, snafiles, &c. of iron, steel, or other metal. Sir Howard Douglas. (High Wycomb) for an improved reflect- ing circle or semi-circle, Mr. Joseph Bastone (Bridge- water) for improvements applicable to bedsteads and various other things. . Sad Mr, Thomas William Sturgeon (Howland - street) for improved castors. |. Sir. Samuel Bentham (Hamp- stead) for aninvention for a secure and economical mode of laying foundations applicable to the pro- jections of wharfs and piers into deep water. / Mr. William Good (London) for an improvement in valyes for ya- rious purposes. | Mr. Ralph Sutton (Birmingham) for an improved self-acting curtain or window-blind rack. Mr. John Craigie (Craven-street) for improvements on carriages, by which friction may be saved, la- bour facilitated, and safety ob+ tained. Sb obty Mr. Joseph Baker (Cuckfield, Sussex) for kneading dough by means of machinery. Mr. Thomas Pearsall (Wills- bridge, Gloucester) for a method of constructing iron-work for cer- tain parts of buildings. , Mr, William Fothergill (Green- field, Flintshire) for a method of making copper rollers for printing, Mr. John Miers (Strand, Lon- don) for a method of accelerating evaporation, of destroying | the noxious effluvia from spent lees, and of generating an, increased de~ gree of heat, without additional uel, eT Mr. John Hudson (Cheapside, London) : : | | | * APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE.’ London) for a composition for printing or. paimting on paper, linen, stuccoed walls, boards, &c. _ Mr. Jacob Zink, (Mile-end) for a method of manufacturing ver- digris. dey wadto’ tae Mr. Richard Withy, (Kingston- upon-Hull) for improvements. in his invention for the construction of steam~enginess 0 1 Mr. George Dodd (Vauxhall- place) for machinery and the appli- cation of steam to communicate heat and motion to wines, porter, &ec. in cellars, storehouses, and other places. . Mr. Henry James and John Jones (Birmingham) for an improve- ment in the manufacture of barrels of all descriptions of fire-arms.. Mrs. Sarah Guppy (Bristol) for tea and coffee urns, &c. Mr. Thomas Marsh (King-street, Clerkenwell) for improvements in the construction of watches. Mr. Robert Giles (London) for the invention of a cap or cowl to be placed on the top of chimneys. Mr. Michael Logan (Paradise- street, Rotherhithe) for an instru- ment for the generation of fire, and various purposes in chemical and experimental operations. Mr. Andrew Patten (Manches- ter) for a discovery and improve- ments in the tanning of leather, by the use of pyroligneous or wood- acid. Mr. William Strachan (Chester) for a method of preparing the ore of cobalt for trade, manufacture, and painting, Mr. Jeremiah Steel (Liverpool) _ for a new apparatus, and for dis- _ tilling and rectifying spirits. William Everhard Baron Von outs 315 Doornik (Wells-street) for an’ im- provement in the manufacture of soap’ to wash with sea-water, with hard-water, and with soft-water. | Mr. James Adams’ '(Pitkellony; in the county of Perth) for a method ef drying malt) and all ‘kinds of grains and seeds?) ~ to m9 Mr. George Smart »(Westmin- ster) for an improved method of preparing timber so as to prevent its shrinking. Mr. Blenkensop (Middleton, Yorkshire) for mechanical means by which the conveyance of coals, minerals, and other articles is faci- litated, and the expense attending the same is rendered less than heretofore. Messrs. Peter Moore and Co. (London) for a vertical bond in buildings, &c. Mr. Lawrence Drake (Cloak- lane, London) for a method of pre- paring the various sorts of isinglass from river and marine fish. Sir Saml. Bentham (Hampstead) for a new mode of excluding water of the sea, of rivers, or of lakes, during the execution of under water works of masonry, or for the security of foundations, appli- cable to the construction of sea- walls, wharfs, piers, &c. Mr. William Hardcastle (Abing- don) for improved cranes, to pre- vent accidents from the goods attached to the pulley overpower- ing the person at the winch, or in the walking wheel. Mr. George Dolland (London) for an improved method of light- ing the binnacle compass, used for steering ships at sea. Mr. Benjamin Milne (Bridling- ton) for an improved double bell and gun alarm. Mr. 316 Mr.. Frederic Albert Winsor (Shooter’s Hill) for a method of employing raw or refined sugars in the composition of certain ar- ticles of great demand. Mr. John Justice (Dundee) for an improvement in the construc- tion of stove-grates, calculated to prevent the smoking of chimnies, or to effect their cure. Mr. John Simpson (Birming- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ham) for improvements in the construction of lamps. Mr. Robert Bill (Rathbone- place) for an apparatus to facilitate the operation of washing clothes, and other processes necessary in family and other establishments, Mr. Richard Waters(Fore-street, Lambeth) for a new method of manufacturing pottery-ware. LONDON APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 817° LONDON BILL OF MORTALITY. __A general bill of all the Chrsitenings and Burials from December 10, 1811, to December 15, 1812 :— Christened in the 97 parishes within the walls, 1020—Buried, 1167. Christened in the 17 parishes without the walls, 4284—Buried, 3837. Christened in the 23 out-parishes in Middlesex and Surrey, 11284— Buried, 9416. Christened in the 10 parishes in the city and liberties of Westmin- ster, 5816—Buried, 3875. Christened. Buried. Males ... 10,583 Males.....9,396 Females.. 10,016 In all..20,404 | Females..8,899 Inall,.18,295 Whereof have died, Under two years of age......5636 | Fifty and sixty...+.s+ee. 1543 Between two and five........1907 Sixty and seventy........ 1425 Five and ten......0++++++ 655 | Seventy andeighty....... 1193 Ten and twenty.....-++.-. 620 Eighty and ninety......... 492 Twenty and thirty.....+-. 1226 | Ninety andahundred.... 71 Thirty and forty..... -e-.. 1685 | A hundred and two...... 1 Forty and fifty............ 1841 . Decreased in the Burials this year 1282. There have been executed in the city of London and county of Surrey, 20; of which number six only have been reported to be buried within the bills of mortality. PRICE 1812. ANNUAL) REGISTER, 318° *BIOAOT, |39.°d g]30 dg} | ArayoT | *duiy | ysiir “qoySuE] pun ysamoT—-ZI8I NI HLNOW HOVE UOA SNOOLS AO AOUa | r69 129 ny tunyuuIG Man ‘aay }y9015 PIO_|¥95 "S “dB. “SED Fel ELL [ESS [P19 |¥805 Usa avd © | stp oF | hI 268 [261 |F89 |tLg | 916 udig: f Mad pe.| =| Foy #16 |FPL |769 |789 at + AON ‘IPG | ‘SIPS |FE9I) THI 268 | 6L |¥89 |rl¢ | SIZ dy: {| “SpE | 99% 91) 206 |EsL [Fes jeus eet 90 | ‘SIPb: | 7810 BI_| 691) 27 218 |83L |FLG {299 |Fa1S “ade [> |: ‘Sip 6: | SLT ST91 36 |$9L |F09 |FO9 nad pe | 3g: | oxt 491 Es | 92 Poo [reo | 966 ¢ "09S ad'T: | “sips | GOUEtSI £06 [Fo | 69 |f6g ace ¢ aia 1p-9. |: ‘sip or frog’ at! 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[tee [tes |Fezz ‘ad TTesiyad Lest} S81 91|, 86 |F6L |7¢9 /F69 [Ezz gag ‘id gv@ jd ope r1|r8Li} F9T/E001/taG | 8z |F19 |Fz9 ezaS_ ud ge § jd Ste LT/go81) F91/f00T|296 [r6L [269 |¥69 [F221 |----uy ‘ad pe @ dgtestitist) F91/t0o1/2s6 |$8z |¢e9 l4z9 |$6az% £ “SIE / ‘spuog *ypojg | suuy | *L6LT |*Aaeyy | -suoo | -saoo | spar | -y9035 “3181 Jouboyoxy PIpUy vipuy-| “Buoy | 39 "d ¢l90 “d c}yo-d p]-30 d ¢}-y0 de] yovg > 319 APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. ' “peg dead ysvj ayzwo.y paseaiv0q, “OT9L" *so1jdnusjuig 1PHOL ‘ysnsny | ‘ scending notice from his Royal: Highness, STATE PAPERS. Highness, is added so high a testi- mony of the confidence and esteem of all the respectable persons com- posing his present administration. With all humility towards the exalted authority from which this proposition proceeds, and with the most sincere regard for those through whom it is conveyed, I must, however, declare, that I should have declined it at the first instant of its approach, if motives of deference and submissive attach- ment had not imposed upon me the obligation of receiving it with re- spectful consideration. _ The proposition necessarily rests upon a supposition, that I enter- tain no such difference of public sentiment with the present admi- | nistration, as should preclude me from acting with them, under an arrangement compatible with our mutual and respective honour and duty. _ But it appears from Lord Liver- pool’s candid and explicit state- ment, that, upon the important | question, which regards the laws affecting the Roman Catholics, | Lord Liverpool’s opinions remain unchanged ; nor is he aware, that the sentiments of his colleagues, on | that subject, have undergone any change. _ I must therefore conclude, that the policy which has been pursued apepechns the Roman Catholics, uring the present session of par- liament, is to be continued without abatement ; the general constituent arts of the present cabinet are to remain unchanged; the highest and most etlicient offices in the state therefore, are to be filled by persons who still conceive them- selves to be bound by duty, honour, . 351 and conscience, not only to resist any mitigation of the present con- dition of the Roman Catholics, but even to prevent the consideration of the laws which affect that large portion of the population of the empire. I cannot concur in the principle on which the present administration has conducted thisim portant branch of public affairs; on this point, I have recently expressed the strong- est difference of opinion with the present administration. The declaration of Lord Liver- pool precludes the hope of any such change in the policy of the present administration towards the Roman Catholics as could satisfy my judg- ment. This difference is of the utmost importance: without any other obstacle, therefore, this alone compels me to decline the propo= sition which Lord Liverpool has conveyed to me. I entertain a confident expecta- tion, that when the Prince Regent shall have considered the nature of this difficulty, he will extend his indulgence to my humble represev- tation, and will relieve me from the pressure of commands, which I could not obey without sacrificing a public principle of the highest obligation, These observations comprise a sufficient reply to the communica tion received through Lord Liver+ pool. ButI deem it to be a duty towards the Prince Regent to de- clare, that the considerations: which induced me, on the, 19th. of February, to resign the station which | had the honour to hold in his Royal Highness’s service, have acquired additional force since that time, and would constitute an in- superable 352 superable obstacle to my acceptance of any station in the present admi- nistration. I originally expressed my desire to withdraw from Mr. Perceval’s administration, because my gene- ral opinions, fora long time past, on variousimportant questions, had not sufficient weight in that cabi- net, to justify me towards the pub- lic, or towards my own character, in continuing in office. My objections to remaining in that cabinet arose, in a great de- gree, from the imperfect scale on which the efforts in the Peninsula were conducted. It was always stated to me, that it was imprac- ticable to enlarge that system. I thought that it was perfectly prac- ticable to extend the plan in the Peninsula, and that it was neither safe nor honest towards this coun- try or the allies to continue the present inadequate scheme. From Lord Liverpool’s state- ment upon this point, it is evident, that since my resignation, it has been found practicable to make some extension of the system in the Peninsula; but it is still inti- mated, that my views are more ex- tensive than the resources of the country can enable the government to reduce to practice. 1, however, still entertain the same views and opinions, without diminution or alteration; and I am convinced, that a considerable extension of the scaleof our operations in the Penin- sula, and also an effectual correc- tion of many branches of our sys- tem in that quarter, are objects of indispensable necessity, and of easy attainment. With such a decided difference of opinion in relation to the con- duct and management of the war, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. my return into a cabinet'composed — as the present is, would offer to me no better prospect than the re- _ newal of discussions which have — hitherto proved unavailing. I learn from Lord Liverpool, that he has received no authority, um in forming the intended adminis- — tration, to make any proposal to any of those persons now designat- ed by the name of ** The Oppo-— sition ”’ My inquiry on this point origi-— sincere conviction, — nated in a (founded upon an ‘attentive obser- = cece On vation of the general state of public — opinion, and of the condition of | the empire), that noadministration, which shall not comprise some of those persons, can prove advan- tageous to the Prince Regent, con- ciliatory towards Ireland, and equal to the conduct of the war ona scale of sufficient extent. It has been stated erroneously, that the first act of the Prince Re- gent upon his approach to unre- stricted authority was, to establish Mr. Perceval’s administration : but the fact is, that his Royal High- | ness’s first act at that crisis was, to dissolve Mr. Perceval's adminis- tration ; and to endeavour to form acabinet upon a more extended and liberal basis. eo This endeavour | was frustrated at that moment ; and — the formation of such a cabinet was represented to his Royal “Highness to be impracticable, ever, since appeared evident to me, from the discussions and declara- tions which I have witnessed in parliament, that his Royal High- ness’s benevolent intentions on that subject’ are now perfectly practi- cable; and that their accomplish- ment would tend to promote inter- nal peace and tranquillity, and to invigorate It has; how-— STATE PAPERS. invigorate the whole system of our external operations. - Impressed with this sentiment, I should be untrue to his Royal _ Highness’s interests and honour, as _ well as to the prosperity of the empire, if I concurred in any arrangement of an administration which did not include a fair and full consideration of this most im- portant point. After such a dispassionate con- sideration, my opinion is, that a | cabinet might be formed, on an | intermediary principle respecting the Roman Catholic claims, equally _-exemptfrom the dangers of instant, | unqualified concession, and from those of inconsiderate, peremptory exclusion: the entire resources of the empire might be applied to the great objects of the war with ge- neral consent, upon a full under- | standing of the real exigency of | the present crisis ; and concord and union at home might secure ulti- mateand permanent successabroad. (Signed) WELLESLEY. y Gloucester Lodge, May 18, 1812. _ My dear Liverpool,—I have com- | municated to such of my friends as I had an immediate opportunity of consulting, the minute, taken in your presence, of the proposition which you conveyed to me yester- day. _ In a casein which I felt that my decision either way might be liable tomisapprehension, I was desirous rather to collect the opivions of | persons whose judgment I esteem, than to act on the impulse of my own first feelings. The result of their opinions is, that, by entering into the adminis- tration upon the terms proposed to me, I should incur such a loss of jp oVow. LIV. 853 personal and public character as would disappoint the object which his Royal Highness the Prince Re~ gent has at heart ; and must render my accession to his government a new source of weakness, rather than an addition of strength. To become a part of your admi- nistration with the previous know- ledge of your unaltered opinions as to the policy of resisting all consi- deration of the state of the laws affecting his Majesty’s Roman Ca- tholic subjects, would, it is felt, be, to lend myself to the defeating of my own declared opinions on that most important question : opinions which are as far as those of any man from being favourable to pre- cipitate and unqualified concession; but which rest on the conviction that it is the duty of the advisers of the crown, with a view to the peace, tranquillity, and strength of the empire, to take that whole question into their early and serious consideration ; and earnestly to en- deavour to bring it to a final and satisfactory settlement. With this result of the opinions of those whom I have consulted, my ownentirely concurs; and such being the ground of my decision, it is wholly unnecessary to advert to any topics of inferior importance. After the expressions, however, with which you were charged on the part of all your colleagues, I should not be warranted in omitting to declare, that no objection of a personal sort should have prevented me from uniting with any, or all of them, in the public service, if I could have done so with honour ; and if, in my judgment, a cabinet, so constituted in all its parts, could have afforded to the country, under its present great and various diffi- culties, 354 culties, an adequately efficient ad- ministration. [cannot deny my- self the satisfaction of adding, that the manner of your communica- tion with me has entirely corres- ponded with the habits and senti- ments of a friendship of so many years ; a friendship which our ge- neral concurrence on many great political principles has strengthen- ed, and which our occasional dif- ferences have in no degree im- paired, On the public grounds which I have stated, I must entreat you to lay at the feet of the Prince Regent, together with the warmest expres- sions of my dutiful attachment to his Royal Highness, and of my acknowledgment for the favour- able opinion which his Royal High- ness has been graciously pleased to entertain of me, my humble but earnest prayer to be excused from accepting office on terms which, by a sacrifice of public character, must render me inefficient for the service of his Royal Highness’s government, I presume, at the same time, humbly to solicit an audience of the Prince Regent, for the purpose of explaining in person to his Royal Highness the grounds of my conduct, on an occasion on which I should be grieved to think, that his Royal Highness could, for a moment, consider me as wanting either in duty to his Royal High- ness, or in zeal for the public ser- vice, and assuring his Royal High- ness that my inability to assist in forwarding his Highness’s purpose of procuring strength to his admi- nistration, on the plan which has been suggested by his Royal High- ness’s confidential servants, does not arise from any disposition, on ANNUAL REGISTER, 181. my part, to shrink from the en- — counter of those difficulties which press, at this time, upon the coun- try and upon the crown. Lam, &c. (Signed) No. 5. Explanatory Letter from Lord Li- verpool to the Marquis Wel- lesley. ’ Fife-house, May 19, 1812. — “ui 4 Gro. CANNING. d My dear Lord,—After the re-— ceipt of the paper which you sent to me in the afternoon of yester- day, I should certainly have felt it to be unnecessary and fruitless to — trouble you with any further cor- respondence, if I were not desirous — to correct the misapprehension into — which you appear to have fallen re- specting my opinions, and those of my colleagues, upon the Roman © Catholic question. In the communication which passed between us on Sunday, as wellas that which I previously had with Mr. Canning, I certainly stated my opinions upon the Roman Ca- tholie question to remain un- changed, and that I was not aware © that those of my colleagues had undergone any change, With respect to myself indivi- dually, | must protest against its being inferred from any declara- tion of mine, that itis, or ever has been my opinion, that under no circumstances it would be possible to make any alteration in the laws: respecting the Roman Catholics. — Upon the last occasion on which the subject was discussed in Par= liament, I expressly stated, that | circumstances might arise, in which, in my judgment, some al- teration’ in those laws would be advisable : | STATE PAPE RS. advisable. I have always been de- sirous of hearing the specific pro- position which should explain, dis- tinctly, what part of the existing securities it was intended to repeal —what part it was intended to preserve—and what were the new securities which it has been so often declared mustbe substituted in the place of some of those which are at present in force. I have never heard any satisfac- tory explanation on this point. I will fairly own, that in the present state of the opinions and feelings of the Roman Catholics, I do not believe such a project to be practicable, consistently with the attainment of the avowed objects of _ really satisfying the Roman Catho- lies, and of affording an adequate security to the established church and constitution. Entertaining this opinion, I have _ felt it to be my duty to continue to resist parliamentary inquiry on that subject, which, in my judgment, could be productive of no other ef- fect than that of alarming the Pro- testants on the one hand, and de- luding and deceiving the Roman Catholics on the other. ' With respect to the opinions of my colleagues, there are some who entirely agree with mein the view which I have taken of this ques- fan but I am sure it must be known to you from discussions at which you have been present, that there are others who have always entertained and avowed different ions from those professed by me, upon some parts of this sub- jecti ~ You must recollect that’ consi- erations of a very high import- ance, but which might be only temporary in their nature, induced 355 us all, up to a very late period, to be decidedly of opinion that it was not proper, that under such cir- cumstances the measure should be entertained. You may be of opinion that since the month of February last these considerations have ceased to be in force; but they are still re- garded by others as not having lost their weight. Besides the con- sideration to which I have referred, the conduct and temper which the Roman Catholics have been iu- duced to manifest,—the principle upon which the question has been brought forward,—the circam- stances of Europe at this time, give rise to objections which are felt in a greater or less degree by different persons. I have thought this explanation due to my colleagues and to my- self.. In one point we are all agreed, that this is not the moment at which the question ought to be én- tertained witha view to any imme- diate practical consequence. Lam aware, that in this sense of our duty, our opinions may be at va- riance with your’s ; but it is mate- rial that these opinions should not be misunderstood, or subject to the interpretation to which my silence might render them liable, if I had not returned some answer to that part of your paper. mit 0 Upon the subject of the manner in which the war in the Peninsula has been managed, I forbear en- tering into any particulars at pre~ sent; but I think it material to ob- serve, with respect to my declara- tion, that since your resignation it had been found practicab!eto make some exténsion of the military ef- forts in the Peninsula, that this 2A2 has 356 has not arisen from any means which were in existence at the time when you werein office, aud which there had been then any in- disposition or objection to direct to that object, but it has grown out of events which have subsequently occurred, and which may place at ‘the disposal of government means which were at that time unavoid- ably applied to another service. As this letter is merely explana- tory, I will not give you the trouble of returning any answer to it; but I am sure you will see the justice and propriety of considering it asa part of the correspondence which has passed between us cn the sub- ject to which it relates. lam, &c. (Signed) LIVERPOOL. Marquis Wellesley, K. G. No. 6. Copy of Lord Wellesley’s Reply to Lord Liverpool’s Explanatory Letter of the 19th May, 1812. Apsley-house, May 21,1812. My dear Lord,—Although you have had the goodness to dispense with my returning any answer to your letter of the 19th inst. some further observations on my part may, perhaps, contribute to pro- mote the professed object of that letter, by explaining and correct- ing whatever may appear doubtful or erroneous in the course of our recent correspondence. When you informed me, that your opinion upon the claims of the Roman Catholics remained un- changed, and that you were not aware of any change in the opinion of your colleagues on that subject, I certainly concluded, that the po- licy which has been pursued during ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the present session of parliament, would be continued by the new cabinet. Subsequent reflection sa- tisfies me, that such a conclusion was just and reasonable; nor can I admit, that I have fallen into any misapprehension of that system of policy, when I have described it as consisting, not only in the de- nial of any present relief to the Roman Catholics, but even a pe- remptory refusal to consider the state of the law which affects their civil condition. Whatever may be the different character or complexion of the opinions of the several members of the present cabinet, the practi- cal result has been to pursue the course which I have described, during the present session of par- liament ; and your explanation on this point closes with an admission that you are all agreed to continue the same policy in the present mo- ment, No suggestion is made of the time or circumstances, in which any alteration of this system of po- licy can be expected; no prospect is afforded of any conciliatory pro- ceeding, which might tend to open the way to an amicable settlement ; and, while a desire of hearing spe- cific propositions of security is pro- fessed, the very consideration of the question is denied to parlia- ment, and is not pursued by any other authority. ; This statement is no misappre- hension of the tenor of your ex- planatory letter; and in such a state of the practical consequences of the united councils of the pre- sent cabinet, it may be deemed superfluous to analyze individual sentiments. ‘ This task (however useless with regard STATE PAPERS. regard to present practice) is re- quired from me, by the strong protest which you have made against any inference to be drawn from any declaration of your’s “* that it is, or ever has been your opinion,that underno circumstances it would be possible to make any alteration in the laws respecting the Roman Catholics.” To this protest, you have added an assur- ance, ‘* That upon the last occa- sion, on which the subject was dis- cussed in parliament, you expressly stated that circumstances might arise in which, in your judgment, some alteration in those laws would be advisable.” ~ I confess freely to you, that I had always understood your recorded opinion on this subject in a very different sense: 1 had supposed, that you considered the disabilities imposed by statute upon the Roman Catholics, not as temporary and oc- casional securities, against a tempo- rary and occasional danger,butasan integral and permanent part of the constitution in church and state, established at the revolution, In this opinion, I had always un- derstood, that several of the prin- cipal members of the present cabi- net concurred with you ; and that you felt, in common, an apprehen- sion, that the removal of any im- portant part of this system of re- straint would endanger the founda- tions of the establishment of our laws, liberties, and religion. Viewing in this light your sen- timents, and those of the respecta- ble persons to whom I refer, I am persuaded that I shall not be sus- pected of intending to cast any re- flection upon the honour or ho- nesty of those principles, or of the persons who maintain them. $57 I have ever considered those principles to be pure and honest in the minds in which I supposed them to reside; and, while I gave full credit to their sincerity, I la- mented their erroneous foundation and dangerous tendency. I must further declare, that from some accident, I did not hear the statement in parliament to which you refer, as having been made by you, on the last occasion in the House of Lords. I now, however, understand your opinion to be, that cércumstances may arise, in which, in your judg- ment, some alteration would be ad- visable in the laws affecting the Roman Catholics. I should be desirous of urging the same inquiry respecting cir- cumstances, which you have made respecting securities ; and 1 should be anxious to hear the specific statement of all, or any of those circumstances, under which you would advise any alteration in the laws respecting the Roman Ca- tholics. The explanation which you re- quire respecting securities, is at- tainable only by a full consideration and discussion of the whole sub- ject ; and I therefore view the de- clared intention of resisting the first step towards such a discussion, as an effectual barrier against that explanation, which you consider to be the necessary preliminary to any alteration of the existing sta- tutes, The details of your reasoning on this part of the question render the prospect of any settlement utterly hopeless. You require a change in the state of the opinions, feel- ings, conduct, and temper of the Roman Catholics, as a preliminary even 358 even to the consideration of the causes of their complaints. But is it possible to expect effectual change in the temper of the Ro- man Catholic body, while you re- fuse even to inquire into the na- ture of their grievances? The repeated rejection of their claim, without any other delibera- tion than that which has arisen on the mere question, of taking the petition into consideration, is not a course of proceeding calculated to mitigate the severity. of disappoint- ment. Reason and moderation must ap- pear in our consideration of their prayer, if we hope to infuse those qualities into their proceedings. You require, also, a change in the circumstances of Europe.—Ig- norant of the eveuts which may have furnished any hope of such a change, since I had the honour of a share in his. Royal, Highness’s councils, I must consider the de- termination to, delay. this interest- ing question, until Europe, shall have assumed a new aspect, as a virtual negative upon the substance of the claim; and I feel this point with a greater degree of pain, be- cause I am convinced, that the continuance of Ireland in her pre- sent condition, must protract, if not perpetuate, the present unhap- py condition of Europe. But, until these preliminaries shall haye been established, you declare, that it will be your duty to resist parliamentary inquiry, which, in your judgment, could be productive of no other effect, than *< to alarm the Protestants, and to delude the Roman Catholics.” At the same time, you offer no hope, that the means of relief will be opened by any other authority. ANNUAL REGIS TER, - 1812. I cannot understand through what channel of reason, or passion, the Protestants should be alarmed, or the Catholics deluded, by a full and fair consideration of the state of the laws affecting the latter body. Indeed, I cannot conceive any proceeding so likely to remove alarm, and prevent delusion, as that which appears to you likely to create both, Gn the other hand, I apprehend much more danger, both of alarm and of delusion, from any system of measures to be founded on the ge- neral and indistinct terms, 10 which you state, that ‘* circumstances may arise, in which some altera- tion in the laws would be advis- able.”’ You refer to considerations of a ‘very high importance,’ which, until a very late peniod of time, have precluded the executive go- vernment and parliament from en- tertaining this,measure; and you suggest, that in the opinion of some persons, these considerations have not lost their weight, . I presume, that you refer to the sentiments of the most exalted and venerable authority in these realms, on the claims of his Majesty’s Ro- man Catholic subjects. As your letter seems: to bear some reference to the course of my conduct in parliament, and in his Majesty’s councils on this subject, [ ayail myself of this opportunity to explain the motives, both of my former silence, and of the recent declaration of my sentiments. At the remote period of the year 1797, upon the eve of my depar- ture for India, I stated to the late Mr. Pitt my solicitude, that he should direct his attention to the settlement of Ireland; and I ex- pressed STATE PAPERS. pressed to him my conviction, that Ireland could neither be happily settled, nor firmly united to Great Britain, without a concurrent set- tlement of the claims of his Ma- jesty’s Roman Catholic subjects. The opinions which J declared to Mr. Pitt, at that time, respecting the substance of these claims, were peectiy similar to those which I ave stated in the House of Lords during the present session of par- liament. It is not necessary to enter upon any review of the transactions which passed during my absence in India, with relation to [reland, or to the claims of the Roman Ca- tholics. arrived from India in the month of January, 1806; and after one short interview with Mr. Pitt, I assisted in performing the last sad office of following his remains to the grave. ; You are aware, that long before that period of time, the “high considerations’’ to which you refer, had been fixed in full force; that no attempt to change those senti- ments could have been made with any prospect of success; and that the result, even of a successful pro- ceeding in parliament, would have tended only to produce the most dreadful extremity of confusion. - You must remember, that I have always lamented (as serious na- tional calamities, menacing the constitution of the monarchy) the reference, which has necessarily been made to the existence of those personal sentiments, and the causes which have occasioned that neces- sity. With the warmest sentiments of personal veneration, attachment, and gratitude, my opinion has al- 359 ways been, that the duty of loy- alty and affection towards a British sovereign does not consist in sub- missive obedience, even to the ho- nest prejudices or errors of the royal mind, but rather im respect- ful endeavours to remove those prejudices aud errors, by free ad- vice in council, and by temperate remonstrance in Parliament. But the time for such endea- vours had passed ; and I submitted reluctantly, not to my sense of the genuine duty of a faithful coun- sellor towards his sovereign, but to the painful, and, by me, irreversible necessity of the case, This is a subject of the utmost, of the most perilous delicacy :-— your letter has opened it :—I will pursue it no further than to assure you, that when, on the 31st of January, I declared in the House of Lords, my sentiments respecting the Roman Catholic claims; the necessity which had occasioned my silence appeared to me to have en- tirely ceased. The second poimt of your expla- natory letter refers to the manage- ment of the war in the Peninsula. Your suggestions are necessarily indistinct, with regard to the addi- tional means (which have occurred since my resignation), of extending our military efforts in that quarter : I think I can collect even from your hints, that although those means are extraneous, the proba- bility of their existence might have been foreseen, as the natural re- sult of instructions which were in progress of execution previously to my resignation. But my objection to the system pursued in the Peninsula, at the time of my resignation, was ap-~ plied to the whole frame aad fabric of $60 of our permanent arrangements both in Portugal and Spain, which, in my judgment, must be correct- ed and extended, not only with a view to the advantageous use of such means as we now possess in the Peninsula, but even of such adventitious and extraneous means as events in other quarters may place at our disposal. Believe me, my dear Lord, always your’s most sincerely, (Signed) WELLESLEY. The Earl of Liverpool, &c. Papers relative to the Negociations of the Marquis Wellesley and the Earl of Moira, for forming a New Administration. No. 1. Minute of Mr. Canning’s Commu- nication to the Earl of Liverpool, May 23d. Fife House, May 23rd, 1812. The Prince Regent having laid his commands on Lord Wellesley to form a plan of an administra- tion, to be submitted for his Royal Highness’s approbation, Mr. Can- ning was requested by Lord Wel- lesley } (as the channel of commu- nication thought likely to be most agreeable to Lord Liverpool), to inquire of Lord Liverpool, whether there would be a disposition on the part of Lord Liverpool, and of his colleagues, or of any of them, to entertain any proposal which should be made to them for forming part of such an adminis- tration. The principles upon which the administration was intended to be formed, were stated to be, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Ist. The taking into the early and serious consideration of the executive government the state of the laws affecting the Roman Ca- tholics, with a sincere and ear- ‘nest desire to bring that important question to a final and satisfactory settlement. 2dly. The prosecution of the war in the Peninsula, with the best means of the country. It was stated that there would be the strongest wish to compre- hend in the arrangement, without any individual or party exelusion whatever, as many as possible of such persons as might be able to agree in giving their public service to the country on these two prin- ciples. With respect to the distribution of offices,it was stated, that nothing of any sort was decided, or sti- pulated ; but that every thing would be open to be arranged to the honour and satisfaction of all parties. No. 2. ' Lord Liverpool’s Letter to Mr. Canning, May 23rd. Fife House, May 23rd, 1812. My dear Canning,—I have com= municated to my colleagues the memorandum which | received from you this afternoon. They do not think it necessary to enter into any discussion of the principles stated in that me- morandum, because they all feel themselves bound, particularly af- ter what has recently passed, to decline the proposal of becoming members of an administration to be formed by Lord Wellesley. Believe me, &c. &c. LIVERPOOL. No, 3. pete 2 ae Sp FEET STATE PAPERS. No. 3. Lord Melville’s Letter to Mr. Canning, May 23rd. * Park Lane, May 23rd, 1812. Dear Canning, —You will pro- bably have received to-night from Lord Liverpool, the answer to the proposal which you left with him and communicated to me this af- ternoon. Having stated to you my strong repugnance, or rather my decided objection, under pre- sent circumstances, to join an ad- ministration of which Lord Wel- lesley was to be the head, it might be sufficient for me to refer to Lord Liverpool’s reply, more espe- _ cially as | do not wish to enter into any detailed reasoning on a ques- tion relating to a matter of per- sonal feeling. I think it due, how- ever, to you, as well as to myself, _ to state distinctly, that I have no objection to act with an adminis- tration formed on the two princi- ples mentioned in your memoran- dum ; though I think it improbable _ that any consideration, which the government can give to the sub- ject of the restrictions on the Roman Catholics, will enable it to propose such a system as will wholly satisfy their claims, and at the same time afford that degree of security to the Protestant esta- blishment, which is generally felt to be necessary,—1 remain, &c. MELVILLE. No. 4. Minute of a Communication made by Lord Wellesley to Lords Grey and Grenville, at Lord Grey’s house, May 23rd. Lord Wellesley stated, that he had received the commands of his 361 royal highness the Prince Regent, to lay before his Royal Highness the plan of such an administra- tion as he (Lord Wellesley) might deem adapted to the present crisis of affairs. That he had apprised his Royal Highness of the necessity of ascer- taining the views and dispositions of all parties with regard to cer- tain general principles previously to the formation of any such plan, That he considered himself merely as the instrument of exe- cuting his Royal Highness’s com- mands on this occasion, and that he neither claimed nor desired for himself any station in the admi- nistration which it was in his Royal Highness’s contemplation to form. Under these circumstances, he requested to know whether any obstacle existed to the concurrence of Lords Grey and Grenville, or their friends, in the following ge- neral principles, as the basis upon which an administration might be formed. First, That the state of the laws affecting the Roman Catholics, aud the claims of that body of his Majesty’s subjects, should be taken into immediate consideration, with a view to aconciliatory adjustment of those claims. Secondly, That the war in the Peninsula should be prose- cuted on a scale of adequate vigour. Lord Wellesley stated, that, as Mr. Canning and he agreed in these principles, he had requested Mr. Canning to communicate them to Lord Liverpool. Lord Wellesley has reduced the substance of this communication ; to 362 to writing, and now submits it to Lord Grey and Lord Grenville. WELLESLEY. No. 5. Lord Moira’s Letter to Lord Wel- lesley, dated May 23rd, relative to No. 4. St. James’s Place, May 23rd, 1812, My lord,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the minutes of the conversation which your lordship held with Lords Grey and Grenville; and I feel much indebted for the com- munication accompanying them. he proposed consideration of the Catholic claims, and the adop- tion of a system of support to the Spaniards, suchas may be really capable of producing a decisive result, are the two points of po- licy which I have long thought, the most urgent for the benefit of the country, ‘The question rela- tive to the Orders in Council may be deemed as in effect settled by the evidence adduced before the two Houses: and the active cor- rection of internal abuses must be confidently assumed as the object of such a ministry as is likely to be formed through your instru- mentality... A plan of govern- ment, therefore, on the basis pro- posed by your lordship, would have. my most, cordial wishes. Allow me to say, that this is not to convey any implication of engagement to accept office. This is not mentioned from the re- motest regard. to the possible dis- tribution of situations; nor does it involye objections to any indivi- dual, as there is nothing I should so much deprecate in the present ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. state of public affairs, as a spirit of exclusion... Indeed, the candour - and delicacy manifested by your lordship in these communications, area perfect pledge that the details of arrangements could not but be entirely satisfactory. I have the honour, my _ lord, to be with high esteem, your lord- ship’s very obedient and humble servant, Morra. No. 6. » Lord Lansdowne’s Letter to Lord Wellesley, dated May 28rd, re- lative to No, 4. Berkeley-square, Saturday night, May 23rd. My lord.—I am _ exceedingly sorry not to have been at home when your lordship did me the honour of calling at my house this morning, and am much obliged by the trouble you have taken in sending for my, consideration, a copy of the minute of the commu- nication made by your lordship to Lord Grey and Lord Grenville. As Lord. Grey and Lord Gren- ville thought proper to acquaint me confidentially with that com- — munication, as. well as the mi- nute of the answer they proposed to return to it; and as I generally concur in the sentiments they have there stated, I shall take the liberty of referrmg your lord- ship to that paper, and shall only add there is no part of it in which I more cordially coincide with them, than in, the expression of the gratification they have derived from your powerful exertions in support of the claims of the Roman catholics, and from the manner in which that subject is adverted toin your minute, Ihave 7 STATE PAPERS, I have the honour to remain with great respect, your lordship’s very faithful, and most obedient servant, LANSDOWNE. No. 7. ‘Lord Holland’s Letter to Lord Wellesley, dated May 23rd, re- lative to No, 4, My Lord,—I had the honour of receiving your noteand inclosure, and beg leaye to return my sincere thanks for your attention in send- ing me so interesting and so early a communication. Lord Grenville and Lord Grey haye been so good as to talk the matter over with me confidentially, and I have the satisfaction of finding that I concur generally in their views of the subject, and in- deed, know no. better way of expressing my opinion, than by referring you to a memorandum which, 1 believe, it is their inten- tion to deliver to you to-morrow morning. Iam, my lord, your obliged and obedient humble servant, . VassaL HOLLAND. Camelford House, May 23rd. No. 8, Memorandum from Lords Grey and Grenville, May 24th, in reply to Lord Wellesley’s Mi- nute, No, 4. May 2Ath; 1812. In such a moment as the pre- sent, we feel it to be the duty of all public men, both by frank and conciliatory explanations of principle, and by the total aban- donment of every personal object, to facilitate, as far as may lie in 365 their power, the means of giving effect to the late vote of the House of Commons, and of averting the imminent and unparalleled dan- ers of the country. Lord Wellesley has selected two among the many important sub- jects which must engage the at- tention of any men, who could, in such circumstances, be called upon to consider of the acceptance of stations in public trust. On those two points, our explanation shall be as distinct as it is In our power to make it. On the first, indeed, our opi- nion is too well known, and has been too recently expressed, to need repetition. We have derived a_ very high gratification from Lord Welilesley’s powerful exertions in support of the claims of the Roman Catholics, as well as from the manner in which that subject 1s adverted to in his minute, and we do not hesi- tate to assure him, that we will warmly support any proposal made by any ministers for the immediate consideration of those claims, with a view to their con- ciliatory adjustment; a measure without which, we have already declared that we can entertain no hope, in any. case, of rendering our own services, useful, As to the second point, no person feels more strongly than we do, the advantages which would result from a successful termination of the present contest in Spain. But we are of opinion that the di- rection of military operations in au extensive war, and the more or less vigorous prosecution of those operations, are questions, not of principle, but of policy: to be regulated by circumstances, in their nature 364 nature temporary and fluctuating, and in many cases known only to Persons in official stations, by the engagements of the country, the prospect of ultimate success, the extent of the exertions necessary for its attainment, and the means of supporting those efforts with- out too great a pressure on the finances and internal prosperity of the country. On such questions, therefore, no public men, either in or out of office, can undertake for more than a deliberate and dispassionate consideration, according to the circumstances of the case as it may appear, and to such means of information as may then be within their reach. But we cannot in sincerity con- ceal from Lord Wellesley, that in the present state of the finances we entertain the strongest doubts of the practicability of an increase in any branch of the public ex- penditure. No. 9. i Lord Wellesley to Lord Grey, dated May 27th, communicating the termination of Lord Welles- ley’s Commission. Apsley House, May 27th, 1812, lo’Clock, p.m. My lord,—I take the earliest opportunity of communicating the inclosed papers to your lordship. The paper inclosed (No. 11.) has not reached me until within this hour. It appeared to me to be important, that the intelligence which it contains should be con- veyed to your lordship, to Lord Grenville, and to your respec- tive friends, so soon as may be practicable, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, I ‘shall be happy to have an — opportunity of stating to your lordship, and to Lord Grenville, at any time that you may appoint, — the whole course of my conduct, | since I had the honour of seeing — you. I have the honour to be, with great respect, my lord, your lord- — ship’s most obedient and faithful — servant, WELLESLEY. I shall remain at home for some time, and shall be happy to see your lordship and Lord Grenville, — if it should be convenient. No. 10. Mr, Canning’s Statement to Lord © Melville, inclosed in No. 9. Park Lane, May 26th, 1812. — Lord Melville having stated to — Mr. Canning that the ministers, — his colleagues, were considering, under the special command of his — royal highness the Prince Regent, — how far they could advance to meet the first of the two proposi- tions laid down as the basis of the — administration, proposed to be formed by Lord Wellesley ; Mr. — Canning feels it necessary before — he offers any observation on that — statement, to inquire in what situ- — ation Lord Melville’s colleagues — consider themselves as standing — at the present moment. 4 Ist. Do they consider Lord — Wellesley’s commission at an end, _ and the former administration as re-established ? 2d. Are the discussions, which — are now going on among them, _ directed to the ascertaining the possibility of the individual mem- bers of that administration, or any of them, acceding to an adminis- tration to be formed by Lord Wellesley STATE PAPERS. Wellesley; or to some proposal to be made by them as a govern- ment to Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning ? If Lord Wellesley’s commission is considered as at an end, itis essential to Lord Wellesley’s ho- nour that the fact should be pub- licly known. He has entered upon communications which he could not terminate at the point to which they were brought, without dis- tinctly stating his commission to be at an end, If what is now in contemplation is some new proposal to be made to Lord Wellesley and Mr. Can- ning, from the former administra- tion revived, then the revival of that administration ought to be made matter of notoriety ; and the proposal itself must be distinctly stated, before Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning can form any judg- ment upon it. No. 1]. Lord Melville’s Communication to _ Mr. Canning, inclosed in No. 9. Glocester Lodge, May 27, 1812. ; 10 a. m. Lord Melville called upon Mr. Canning, and informed him, in answer to the questions which Mr. Canning put to Lord Melville yesterday. _ Ast. That Lord Wellesley’s com- mission is considered by the Prince Regent as at an end. _ 2d. That the persons now hold- ing offices, hold them only until their successors shall be appointed. Lord Melville had understood Mr. Canning yesterday to say, that Lord Wellesley was of opinion that his commission was at an 365 end; but that he (Mr. Canning) doubted it. This was a mistake. What Mr. Canning stated was, that Lord Wellesley was in doubt as to the Prince Regent’s intention; and that he (Mr. Canning) had no means of forming any opinion upon it. No. 12. Letter of Lord Grey to Lord Wel- lesley. Portman Square, May 27, 1812. _ My Lord,—I have the honour of returning the papers which your Lordship was so good as to put into my hands this morning. I observe a material difference between the terms in which the two principles, proposed as the basis of a new administration, are stated in Mr. Canning’s minute, and in that sent to Lord Grenville and me by your lordship. I think it necessary to call your lordship’s attention to this circumstance, be- cause if these discussions should proceed further, it may become of the utmost importance. Iam, with the highest regard, my lord, your lordship’s very faithful and humble servant (Signed) Grey. The Marquis Wellesley. : No. 13. Letter of Lord Wellesley to Lord Grey. — Apsley House, May 28, 1812. My Lord,—I should have re- turned an earlier acknowledgment of the honour of your lordship’s letter 366 letter of yesterday, had I not thought it necessary to see Mr. Canning, before I troubled your lordship with any answer to your observations on our respective mi- nutes. Having carefully examined those papers, and compared them with our view of the points to which they refer, we have drawn the in- closed paper for your lordship’s information, and have authenti- cated it by our respective signa- tures. I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, my lord, your lordship’s faithful humble servant, (Signed) WELLESLEY. The Ear! Grey. No. 14. Paper signed by Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning. The variance in point'of phrase in the two propositions as stated by Lord Wellesley and Mr. Can- ning in their minutes of confer- ence arises from this circumstance, that Lord Wellesley and Mr. Can- ning went to their respective con- ferences without having thought it necessary previously to reduce into a written form the communi- cations which they were to make, being in full possession of each other’s sentiments upon the sub- ject of them. The two minutes were written by them as containing the sub- stance of their respective commu- nications; that of Mr. Canning in Lord Liverpool’s presence; that of Lord Wellesley immediately after his return from Lord Grey. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. There does not appear to Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning to be any substantial variance in the first proposition. . The word “early” in Mr. Can-~ ning’s minute might be exchanged for the word “immediate,” used by Lord Wellesley, without in any degree altering the sense: as, with a motion actually pending in the House of Commons, which (but for the events that have re- cently taken place) would have come on this very day, the object of which was, to compel the exe- cutive government to take the subject of the Catholic question into consideration, it cannot be ne- cessary to say that Mr. Canning has no wish to defer that conside- ration. On the other hand, consi- deration by the executive govern- ment is the object which it is Lord Wellesley’s. intention to recom- mend: nor does he conceive any further parliamentary proceeding to be. necessary or practicable this session than such as might be suf- ficient to insure, either by com- pulsion upon a hostile administra- tion, or by pledge from a friendly one, the consideration of the ques- tion during the recess with a view to its beg brought before parlia- ment, by the recommendation’ of the crown, early in the ensuing session. Te ar A committee to inquire into the state of the laws’ has been alteady negatived in both houses: this’ ses= sion. ny pagaile: A “conciliatory adjustment’? of the claims of the Irish Catholics is the object which Lord Welles- ley and Mr. Canning have equally at heart: and’ it enters equally into both their views, that to be ** conciliatory”” + a STATE PAPERS. conciliatory” that adjustment must be so framed as to embrace the interests and opinions of the English Catholics,—also to obtain _ the enlightened and deliberate con- sent of the Protestants of both countries. They would think any adjustment very imperfect which, instead of extinguishing discon- tent, only transferred it from the Catholic to the Protestant. But they concur in entertaining a confident belief, that the great purpose of securing the peace of the empire may be answered, not by giving a triumph to any one party, but by reconciling all. In the substance of the second proposition, there is no variance as to any practical and prospective purpose, though undoubtedly there is, and it is natural there should be, some as to the past, arising from the difference of Mr. Can- ning’s and Lord Wellesley’s re- spective situations. When Mr. Canning says, that the Peninsular war is to be carried on ‘* with the best means of the country,’’ he intends the greatest scale of exertion which the means of the country may be found cap- able of sustaining. If Lord Wellesley’s expression, *‘a scale of adequate vigour,” may be construed to imply the proposition, that the late exertions of this country have not been pro- portioned to the great object of the war, or have not been duly distributed or apportioned; this proposition Mr. Canning certainly does not intend either to affirm, or to deny; simply because, not having been in the government during the last two years, he has not sufficient information to be 367 able to pronounce an opinion, whether the exertions of those two years have or have not been below the proper scale, or have been well or ill administered ; nor how far they may now admit of being ex- tended or more judiciously ap- plied. He concurs, however, entirely with Lord Wellesley, in wishing to extend them to the utmost power of the country; and to ap- ply them in the manner best cal- culated to answer their end, (Signed) WELLESLEY. GrEorRGE CANNING. No. 15. Letter from Lord Grey to Lord Wellesley. Portman Square, May 29, 1812. My Lord,—I had last night the honour of receiving your lordship’s letter, inclosing a paper explana- tory of the difference which I had remarked between your lordship’s minute and Mr. Canning’s, toge- ther with a copy of the latter. - beg your lordship to be assured that in the observation to which I had thought it necessary to call your lordship’s attention, I could have no object but that of pre- venting the possibility of any fu- ture misunderstanding. We had not entered into any explanation, which, under the circumstances of the moment, would perhaps have been premature, of the details of conduct necessary to give effect to the first of the propositions, offered by your lordship as the basis of a new administration. From the dif- ference of the terms used by Mr. Canning in stating that proposition, I was 368 I was apprehensive that it might be his opinion, in concurrence with your lordship’s, that no parliamen- tary proceeding with reference to the claims of the Catholics, should take place during the present ses- sion. To such an opinion I could not have assented; and I felt it to be due both to your lordship and Mr. Canning, immediately to draw your attention toa point, on which it was so desirable that there should be a clear understanding between us. I hope it is unnecessary for me to state, that I can look at the si- tuations of the Catholics (both Irish and English) with no other view than that of the public inte- rest; and that nothing can be fur- ther from my disposition, or my intention; in a matter of such pre- eminent importance, than to give to any one party a triumph at the expense of another. But I do not conceive, that the repeal of the disabilities of which the Catholics complain, can give any just cause for discontent to their Protestant fellow-subjects ; and 1 am strong- ly of opinion, that the efficacy of that measure must ina great de- gree depend on its being carried into effect with the least possible delay, and with the clearest demon- strations of a conciliatory and con- fiding spirit. Under this impres- sion I should very reluctantly abandon the hope of passing a bill for such repeal, even during the present session ; but if this cannot be done, I hold it to be indispensa- ble, that the most distinct and au- thentic pledge should be given of the intention, both of the execu- tive government and of parlia- ment, to take this matter up as one of the first measures of the next. Toa proceeding of this na- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. ture, from the paper signed by your lordship and Mr. Canning, I am led to hope, that you would not be adverse, As to the second proposition, the difference which I had obsery- ed was much less important. It is impossible to reduce a question of this nature to any fixed principle. Whatever we can say with our present means of information, must necessarily be general and inconclusive, the whole subject be- ing left open to future conside- ration and decision. I can have no hesitation in subscribing to the proposition, that, if it shall be found expedient to continue the exertions we are now making in the Peninsula, they should be con- ducted in the manner best caleu- lated to answer their end. I have, I fear, troubled your lordship much more than is neces- sary under the circumstances of our present situation; and will ouly add, that if we should be called upon to pursue these consi- derations in their practical details, it will be my most anxious wish, that no difference of opinion may be found to exist between us, re- specting the conduct to be adopted by a government equally solicitous for the internal peace and harmony of the empire, and for the prose- cution of military operations in such a mode as may appear most conducive to our ultimate security. Lord Grenville, to whom I have communicated your lordship’s let- ter, and its inclosures, desires me to express his cordial concurrence in,this wish. I have the honour to be, with the highest regard, my lord, your lordship’s very faithful humble ser- vant, (Signed) Grey. No. STATE: PAPERS. , No. 16. Lord Wellesley’s Reply to, Lord Grey, May 29th, 1812. Apsley House, ae May 29, 1812. My Lord,—I request your lord- ship to accept my siucere thanks for your letter of this day’s date. In the actual state of affairs, it might be deemed. premature to enter into any more particular dis- cussions, than those already sub- mitted to your lordship on the points to which you have adverted with so much perspicuity, ability, and candour. But I cannot omit this opportu- nity of assuring your lordship, that I have derived from the senti- ments, so justly expressed in your letter, a firm expectation, that if the advice, which I have humbly offered tothe Prince Regent, should be ultimately approved, a happy prospect will open to the country of recovering internal peace, and of prosecuting the war with suc- cess, under an administration worthy of the confidence of the Prince, and of the people, and equal to the arduous charge of public affairs, amidst all the diffi- culties and dangers of the present crisis. _ I have the honour to be, with the highest respect,.my lord, your lordship’s most faithful and obedi- ent servant, — WELLESLEY, Wiove No. 17. Minute of a Communication made by Lord Wellesley to Lord Grey, at Lord Grey’s House, June Ist, 1812. ' Lord Wellesley stated, that he had, on that morning, received full Vou. LIV. 369 authority from the Prince Regent to form an administration under his Royal Highness’s commands ; and that he was specially autho- vised to communicate with Lords Grey and Grenville on the subject. That his Royal Highness enter- tained no wish to exclude from the proposed administration, any person, or description of persous, who could unite in the principles on which the adininistration was to be founded. That the two propositions stated in Lord Wellesley’s minute of May 23rd, and subsequently explained in the letters which had passed between Lord Wellesley and, Lord Grey, of the dates of the 27sh, 28th, and 29th of May, 1812, were intended by his Royal Highness to constitute the foundation of his administration. That his Royal Highness had signified his pleasure, that Lord Wellesley should conduct the for- mation of the administration in all its branches, and should he first commissioner of the treasury; and that Lord Moira, Lord Erskine, and Mr. Canning, should be mem- bers of the cabinet. That it was probable, that a cabinet formed on an enlarged basis, must be extended to the number of twelve or thirteen members: that the Prince Regent wished Lords Grey and Grenville, on the part of their friends, to re- commend for his Royal Highness’s approbation the names .of four persons (if the cabinet, should consist of twelve), aud of five per- sons (if the cabinet should consist of thirteen), to be appointed by his Royal Highness to fill such stations in his councils as might hereafter be arranged. 2B That 370 That his Royal Highness left the selection of the names to Lords Grey and Grenville without any exception or personal exclusion. That in completing the new ar- rangement, the Prince Regent has ‘grauted to Lord Wellesley entire liberty to propose for his Royal Highness’s approbation, the names of any persons now occupying stations in his Royal Highness’s councils, or of any other persons. That if the proposition made to Lords Grey and Grenville, should be accepted as the outline of an arrangement, all other matters would be discussed with the most anxious solicitude to promote har- mony and general accommodation, WELLESLEY. No. 18. Lord Grey to Lord Wellesley, dated 2nd June, on the subject of No. 17. Camelford House, June 2nd, 1812. My Lord,—I lost no time in sending for Lord Grenville, and have communicated to him, since his arrival, the proposal made to me yesterday by your lordship. We have felt the necessity of a further communication with our friends, and this, I fear, will make it impossible for us to send our final answer to the minute which I had the honour of receiving from your lordship yesterday evening, tilla late hour to-night, or early to-morrow morning. To obviate, however, as far as I can, any inconvenience which might arise from this delay, I think it right to state to your lord- ship, that the feeling which I yesterday expressed to you, as to the nature of the proposal which ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. you were authorised by the Prince Regent to make to Lord Grenville and me, has been confirmed by subsequent reflection, as well as by the opinion of Lord Grenville, and, indeed, of every person with whom I have hitherto had an op- portunity of consulting. I have the honour to be, with the highest regard, my lord, your lordship’s very faithful, humble servant, Grey. No. 19. Letters from Lords Grey and Gren- ville to Lord Wellesley. Camelford House, June 3, 1812. My Lord,—We have considered with the most serious attention the minute which we have had the honour to receive from your lord- ship; and we have communicated it to such of our friends as we have had the opportunity of consulting. On the occasion of a proposal made to us under the authority of his royal highness the Prince Re- gent, we wish to renew, in the most solemn manner, the declaration of our unfeigned desire to have fa- cilitated, as far as was in our power, the means of giving effect to the late vote of the House of Commons, and of averting the im- minent and unparalleled dangers of the country. No sense. of the public distress and difficulty—no personal feelings of whatever de- scription, would have prevented us under such circumstances, from accepting, with dutiful submission, any situations in which we could have hoped to serve his royal highness usefully aud honourably: but it appears to us, on the most dispassionate reflection, that the proposal STATE PAPERS. proposal stated by your lordsbip cannot justify any such expecta- tion. We are invited, not to discuss with your lordship, or with any other public men, according to the usual practice in such cases, the various and important considera- tions, both of measures and of ar- rangements, which belong to the formation of a new government, in all its branches; but to recom- mend to his Royal Highnessa num- ber limited by previous stipulation, of persons willing to be included in a cabinet, of which the outlines are already definitely arranged. To this proposal we could not accede without the sacrifice of the very object which the House of Commons has recommended—the _ formation of a strong and efficient adininistration. We enter not into the examina- tion of the relative proportions, or of the particular arrangements, which it has been judged neces- sary thus previously to establish. It is to the principle of disunion and jealousy that we object—to the supposed balance of contending interests, in a cabinet so measured out by preliminary stipulation. The times imperiously require an administration united in principle, andstrongin mutual reliance: pos- sessing also the confidence of the crown, and assured of its support im those healing measures which the public safety requires; and which are necessary to secure to the government, the opinion and affections of the people. No such hope is presented to us by this project, which appears to us equally wew in practice, and objectionable in principle. It tends, as we think, to establish, within 371 the cabinet itself, a system of coun- teraction inconsistent with the pro- secution of any uniform and benee ficial course of policy. We must, therefore, request permission to decline all participa- tion in a government constituted. upon such principles: satisfied, as we are, that the certain loss of character which must arise from it to ourselves, could be productive only of disunion and weakness in the administration of the public interests. We have the honour to be, with great respect, &c. (Signed) (Signed) Grey. GRENVILLE. No. 20. Explanatory Letter from Lord Moira to Lord Grey, June 3rd, on the subject of Lord Welles- ley’s Minute, No. 17. June 3, 1812. My dear Lord,— The answer which you and Lord Greuyille have returned to the proposal made by Lord Wellesley seems to throw an oblique imputation upon me; therefore I entreat your re- consideration of your statement as far as it may convey that impeach- ment of a procedure in which I was involved. You represent the proposition for an arrangement submitted to you as one calculated. to found a cabinet upona principle of counteraction. When the most material of the public objects which were to be the immediate ground of that cabinet’s exertion had been previously understood between the parties, Lown it is difficult for me to comprehend what principle of counteraction could be intro- duced. If there be any ambiguity 2B2 whic 372 which does not strike me, in Lord Wellesley’s last paper, surely the construction ought to be sought in the antecedent communication ; and I think the basis on which that communication had announced the intended cabinet to stand was per- fectly clear. With regard to the indication of certain individuals, 1 can assert that if was a measure adopted through the highest spirit of fairness to you and your friends. Mr. Canning’s name was men- tioned, because Lord Wellesley would have declined office without him; and it was a frankness to apprize you of it: and Lord Er- skine’s and mine were stated with a view of showing, that Lord Wellesley, so far from having any jealousy to maintain a preponde- rance in the cabinet, actually left amajority to those who had been accustomed to concur upon most public questions ; and he specified Lord Erskine and myself, that you might see the number submitted for your exclusive nomination was not narrowed by the necessity of advertence to us. The choice of an additional member of the ca- binet left to you must prove how undistinguishable we consider our interests and your’s, when this was referred to your consideration as a mere matter of .convenience, the embarrassment of a numerous cabinet being well known. The reference to members of the late cabinet, or other persons, was always to be coupled with the established point, that they were such as could concur in the prin- ciples laid down as the foundation for the projected ministry : and the statement was principally dictated by the wish to show, that no system of exclusion could interfere ii < ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, with the arrangements which they public service might demand. On the selection of those persons, I aver the opinions of you, Lord Grenville, and the others whom you might bring forward as mem- bers of the cabinet, were to operate as fully as our own, and this was to be the case also with regard to subordinate offices. The expression that this was left to be proposed by Lord Wellesley, was intended to prove, that his Royal Highness did not, even in the most indirect manner, suggest any one of those individuals. It is really impossible that the spirit of fairness can have been carried further than has been the intention in this negociation. I therefore lament most deeply that an arrangement so important for the interests of the country;should gooff upon points which I cannot but think wide of the substance of the case. (Signed) Morra. No. 21. Lord Wellesley to Lord Moira, approving Lerd Moira’s Letter, (No. 20.) to Lord Grey, of the ord of June. Apsley House,’ June 3rd, 1812. My dear Lord,—I return the copy of your lordship’s letter to Lord Grey. This communication to Lord Grey is most useful, and the substance of it is admirably judi- cious, clear, and correct. My declaration, this day, in the House of Lords, was indispensably necessary to my public and private honour; both, of which would have been involved, if I had not, in fall parliament, announced, that I had STATE) PAPERS. F had resigned the commission, with which his royal highness had charged me. Believe me, &c. WELLESLEY. 29 0. 22 Lord Grey’s Reply to Lord Moira’s Letter (No. 20) of the 3rd of June. Portman-square, * Ath June, 1812, My dear Lord, —Being obliged to go immediately from the house of Jords to a dinner party, and after- wards to a meeting at Lord Gren- ville’s which occupied me till a late hour, it was not in my power to answer your letter last might. You must be too well aware of my personal feelings towards you, of my esteem for your character, and of my confidence in your ho- hour, to entertain any opinion re- specting your conduct inconsistent with those sentiments. Nothing, therefore, could be more remote from my intention—and I am de- sired by Lord Grenville, to whom I[ have shewn your letter, to give you thesame assurance on his part—than to cast any imputation whatever on you, as to the part you have borne in the proceedings which have lately taken place for the formation ofa new administration. We know with how sincere an anxiety for the honour of the prince, and for the public interest, you have la- boured to effect that object. _ Whatsoever objections we may feel, therefore, to the proposal which has been made to us, we beg they may be understood as having no reference whatever to any part of your conduct. That proposal was made to us ina forinal and authorised communi- cation from Lord Wellesley, both 373 personally to me, and afterwards in a written minute. It appeared tous to be founded on a principle to which we could not assent, con- sistently with our honour, and with a due sense of public duty, The grounds of this opinion haye been distinctly stated in our joint letter to Lord Wellesley : nor can they be altered by a private ex- planation : which, though it might lessen some obvious objections to a part of the detail, stilt leaves the general character of the proceed- ing unchanged. Nothing could be more painful to me than to enter into any thing like a controversial discussion with you; in whieh 1 could only repeat more at large the same feelings and opinions which, in concurrence with Lord Grenville, I have already expressed in our formal answer. [ beg only to assure you, before I conclude, that I have felt very sensibly, and shall always have a pleasure in acknowledging, your personal kind- ness to me in the course of this transaction. I am, with every sentiment of true respect and at- tention, my dear lord, your’s most faithfully, Grey. No. 23. Lord Wellesley’s Reply to the Letter (No. 19.) from Lords Grey and Grenville, of the 3rd of June. Apsley-house, June 3rd, 1812. My Lords,—I received the let- ter, by which I was honoured from your lordships this morning, with the most sincere regret ; and I have discharged the painful duty of submitting it to his royal high- ness the Prince Regent. It would have afforded me some consolation, if S74 if the continuance of the authority confided to me by his royal high- ness had enabled me, under his royal highuess’s commands, to offer to your lordships a full and candid explanation of those points in my minute of the Ist of June, which your lordships appear to me to have entirely misapprehended. But as his royal highness has been pleased to intimate to me his pleasure, that the formation of a new administration should be im- trusted to other hands, I have re- quested permission to decline all further concern-in this transaction, I remain, however, extremely anxious to submit to your lord- shipssomeexplanatory observations respecting the communications which I have had the honour to make to you; and I trust that your lordships will indulge me with that advantage, although I can no longer address you under the sanction of the Prince Regent’s authority, I have the honour to be, with great respect, my lords, your most faithful, and obedient servant, (Signed) WELLESLEY. No, 24. Lord Wellesley to Lord Grey on the same Subject, dated 4th June. Apsley-house, June Ath, 1812. My Lord,—When I applied yes- terday to your lordship and Lord Grenville, for permissiou to submit to you some explanatory observa- tions respecting the communica- tions which I have had the honour to make to you by the authority of the Prince Regent, I was not aware that Lord Moira had ad- dressed a letter to your lordship of ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the same nature as that which I was desirous of conveying to you. The form of such a letter, either from Lord Moira or me, must have been private, as neither of us possessed any authority from the Prince Regent, to open any further communication with your lordship, or with Lord Grenville; a cireum- stance which I deeply lament, under a sanguine hope, that addi- tional explanations, sanctioned by authority, might have removed the existing obstacles to an amicable arrangement, Lord Moira has sent me a copy of his letter (No. 20.) to your lordship of yesterday’s date ; and as it contains an accurate, clear, and candid statement of the real objects of the proposal which I conveyed to you, it appears tome to have furnished you with as full an explanation as can be given in an unauthorised paper. Under these circumstances, it might be deemed superfluous troubleto your lordship and to Lord Grenville, to solicit your attention to a private letter from me ; although I should be most happy if any opportunity were afforded, of renewing a con- ciliatory intercourse, under the commands of the Prince Regent, with a view to attain the object of our recent communications.—I have the honour to be, with great respect, my lord, your lordship’s most faithful and humble servant, WELLESLEY. No, 25, Lord Grey’s Reply to Lord Wel- lesley’s Letter, No. 24. Portman-Square, June Ath, 1812. My Lord,—I have had the ho- nour- eA Saka STATE PAPERS. nour of receiving your lordship’s letter of this day’s date. As Lord Moira has communi- cated to your lordship the copy of his letter to me, 1 take it for granted that you have in the same manner been put in possession of my. answer, which contains all that I can say with respect to the explanation of the proposal made by your lordship to Lord Grenville and myself. I was perfectly aware, that Lord Moira’s letter could in no degree be considered as an authorised communication, but that it was simply a private explanation offered for the purpose of removing the objections which had been stated by Lord Grenville and me to the proposal contained in the written minute transmitted to us by your lordship, under the authority of the Prince Regent. But though it could not vary the effect of that minute in my opinion, I was happy to receive it as an expression of personal regard, and of that desire which we readily acknowledge both in your lordship and Lord ira, and which is reciprocal on the part of Lord Grenville and myself, that no difference.of opi- nion on the matter in question should produce on either side any personal impression, which might obstruct the renewal of a con- ciliatory intercourse, whenever a more favourable opportunity shall be afforded for it. I have the honour to be, with the highest regard, my lord, your lordship’s very faithful humble servant, (Signed) No. 26. Lord Moira to Lords Grey and GREY, 375 Grenville proposing an inter- view with them, 5th June. Lord Moira presents his best compliments to Earl Grey and Lord Grenville. Since Lord Wel- lesley has declared his commission from the Prince Regent to be at an end, Lord Moira (as being honour- ed with his Royal Highness’s confi- dence) ventures to indulge the anxiety he feels, that an arrange- ment of the utmost importance for the interests of the country should not go off on any misunderstand- ing. Hie therefore entreats Lord Grey and Lord Grenville to advert to the explanatory letter [No. 20.] of the 3rd June, written by him to the former ; and if the dispositions therein expressed shall appear to them likely to lead, upon confer- ence, to any advantageous result towards co-operation in the Prince’s service, he will be happy to have an interview with them. Should the issue of that conver- sation prove such as he would hope, his object would be to solicit the Prince Regent’s permission to ad- dress them formally. He adopts this mode, to preclude all difficul- ties in the outset. Let him be per- mitted to remark, that the very urgent pressure of public affairs renders the most speedy determin- ation infinitely desirable. N. B. This was written in the presence of the Duke of Bedford, in consequence of conversation with his Grace ; and was by him carried to Lord Grey. No. 27. Note from Lords Grey and Gren- ville, declining unauthorized dis- | cussions, 5th June. House 376 -» House of Lords, June 5, 1812. We cannot but feel highly gra- tified by the kindness of the motive on which Lord Moira acts. Per- soual communication with him will always be’ acceptable and honour- able tous: but we hope he will be sensible that no advantage is likely to result from pursuing this subject by unauthorised discussions, and in a course different from the usual practice. Motives of obvious | delicacy must prevent our taking any step towards, determining the Prince Regent to authorise Lord Moira to address us personally. We shall always receive with dutiful submis- sion, hs Royal: Highness’s com- mands, in whatever. manner, and throngh whatever channel, he may be pleased to signify them, and we trust we shall never be found want- ing in zeal for his Royal High- ness’s service, and for the public interest: but we.cannot venture to suggest to his Royal Highness, through any other person, our opi- nions on points in which his Royal Highness is not pleased to require our advice. (Signed) Grey. yi GRENVILLE. No. 28. Lord Moira to Lords. Grey and Grenville, informing them, that he has the Prince Regent’s au- thority to address them, and re- questing, to know when and | where he can see them. ; Lord Moira presents’ ‘his \best compliments to Lord Grey and Lord Grenville, Discouraged, as he unavoidably must be, he yet cannot reconcile it to himself to leave any effort un- ANNUAL‘ REGISTER, 1819. tried: and he adopts. their primet- ple for an. interview, though ‘he doubts if the desired conclusion. 1s likely to be so well advanced by it, as would have been the casein the mode suggested by him. - He bas now the Prince Regent’s instructions to take steps towards the formation of a ministry ;) and is wuthorised specially to address him-= self to Lords Grey and Grenville, It is, therefore, his request to know, when and where he’ can wait upon them. He would: wish to bring Lord Erskine with him, June 6, 1812. Eleven forenoon. No. 29. Minute of a conversation between Lord Moira and Lords Grey and Grenville, at which Lord Erskine was present, St. James’s Place, June 6, 1812. Lord Moira stated to Lord Grey and, Lord Grenville, that he was authorised by the Prince Regent, to consult with them on the forma- tion of a new government. And satisfactory explanations having taken place between them, respect- ing such measures as appeared to be of the greatest urgency at the present moment, more: especially with reference to the situation of his Majesty’s Roman Catholic sub- jects, and the differences now un- happily subsisting with America ; and that Lord Moira had received this: commission without any re- striction or limitation whatever. be- ing:laid by the! Prince, on their considering any points which they judged useful for his service; they expressed their satisfaction with the fairness of this proposal, and their readiness to enter into such discus- sions STATE) PAPERS. sions as must precede the details of any new arravgement. © As a pre- liminary question, which appeared to them of great importance, they thought it necessary immediately to bring forward to prevent the inconvenience and embarrassment of the further delay which might be. preduced, if this negociation should break off in a more advanced state, they asked, ‘¢ Whether this full liberty extended to the con- sideration of new appoiitments to those great offices of the household, which have been usually included in, the political arrangements made on a change of administration; in- timating their opinion, that it would be necessary to act on the same principle on the present oc- casion.”’ Lord Moira answered; ‘That the Prince had laid no restriction upon him in that respect, and had never pointed, in the most distant mauoner, at the protection of those officers from removal; that it would be impossible for him (Lord Moira), however, to concur in making the exercise of this power positive and indispensable, in the formation of the administration, because he should deem it on public grounds peculiarly objec- tionable.” To this Lord Grey and Lord Grenville replied, they also acted on public grounds alone, and with no other feeling whatever than that which arose from the necessity of giving toa new government that character of efficiency and stability, and those marks of the constitu- tional support of the crown, which were required to enable it to act usefully for the public service ; and that on these grounds it ap- peared to them indispensable, that 377 the connection of the great offices of the court, with the political administration, should be clearly established in its first arrange- ments. A decided difference of opinion as to this point having been thus expressed ‘on both sides, the con- versation ended here, with mutual declarations of regret. Nothing was said on the’ subject of official arrangements, nor any persons proposed on either side to fill any particular situations. B. and C. Two Letters (which passed between Lords Moira, and Grey) subjoined for the purpose of throwing light on the ground of part of .these Transactions. (Copy) B. May 31st, 1812. My dear Lord,—A just anxiety not to leave any thing subject to mis- understanding, must excuse me if Iam troublesome to you. Since I quitted you, the necessity of being precise in terms has occurred to me: and, although £ think I can- not have mistaken you, I wish to know if I am accurate in what’ I apprehend you to have said. I understood the position, stated by you as having been what you ad- vanced in the house of lords, to be this, ‘* That pledges had been given to the Catholics, a departure from which rendered their. present disappointment more galling; and that you said this iu the! hearing of persons who could contradict you if you were inaccurate.’’ Just say whether I have: taken your ex- pression correctly or not. Believe me, &e, &c, Moira. Holland 378 C. Holland House, May 31st, 1812. My dear Lord,—I cannot suffi- ciently thank you for your kind anxiety to procure an accurate statement of the words spoken by me in the House of Lords. It is difficult to remember precise ex- pressions so long after they were spoken; but I am sure | cannot be far wrong in stating the sub- stance of what I said, as follows: I was speaking on the subject of the Irish Catholics, and particularly on the charge of intemperate con- duct which had been made against them. I stated, that great allow- ances were to be made for this, considering their repeated disap- pointments; and I cited, as in- stances of these, the recal of Lord Fitzwilliam, and the Union. [ then said, that the most distinct and authentic pledges had been given to them, of the Prince’s wish to telieve them from the disabilities of which they complained ; that I spoke in the hearing of persons who would contradict me if what I said was unfounded, and who would, I was sure, support its truth if questioned; that now, when the fultilment of these pledges was confidently expected, to see an administration continued in power, which stood on the express princi- ple of resisting their claims, was, perhaps, the bitterest disappoint- tent they had yet experienced; and that it was not surprising, if, wnder such circumstances, they felt, and acted, in a way that all well wishers to the peace of the empire must regret. This I give as the substance, and ANNUAL REGISTER, ' by no means as a correct repetition 1812. of the particular expressions used by me; and this statement I can neither retract, nor endeavour to explain away. If, in consequence © of it, the Prince feels a strong personal objection te me, I can only repeat what I have already said to you, that I am perfectly ready to stand out of the way; that my friends shall have my full concurrence and approbation in taking office without me, and my most cordial support in the govern- ment of the country, if their mea- sures are directed, as ] am sure they must always be, by the prin- ciples on which we have acted together. 1 write this from Lord Holland’s in a great hurry, and in the middle of dinner; but I was unwilling to defer, even for a minute, to an- swer an inquiry, which I feel to be prompted by so friendly a soli- citude for me. I have not the means of taking a copy of ‘this letter. I shall therefore be ob-_ liged to you to let me have one; and I am sure, if, upon recol- lection, I shall think it necessary to add any thing to what I have now said, you will allow me an opportunity of doing so. J am, with the sincerest regard, my dear lord, your’s very faithfully, Grey. Address to the Prince Regent, of the Religious Society of Friends with his Royal Highness’s Answer. » To George Augustus, Prince Re- gent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. : ' May it please the Prince. Seeing that in consequence of the a e 3 STATE PAPERS. ed affliction of our beloved Sove- reign thy father, thou art called to the high office of administering the "regal government of this country, we, his dutiful subjects, the re- ligious Society of Friends, are desirous of representing to thee a subject in which we believe the welfare of our country is deeply concerned, _ It is now many years since war has been spreading its desolation over great part of. the civilized world; and as we believe it to be an evil, from which the spirit of the Gospel of Christ would wholly de- liver the nations of the earth, we humbly petition thee to use the Royal Prerogative, now placed in thy hands, to take such early mea- sures for the putting a period to this dreadful state of devastation, as we trust the wisdom of thy councils, as they seek for Divine direction, will be enabled to disco- ver. Impressed with a grateful sense of the religious privileges we en- joy under the present Government, we submit this highly important cause of suffering humanity, which is peculiarly near to our hearts, to thy most serious consideration ; that thus thou may’st become an honoured instrument in the hand _ of the Almighty, in promoting his acious designs respecting the in- bitants of the earth, _ Signed in, by order, and on be- _half of the yearly Meeting of _ the said People, held in Lon- , don, this 29th day of the fifth _ month, 1812, by : . Joun WILKINSON. Clerk to the Meeting this year, To which Address his Royal Highness was pleased to return a 379 the following most gracious an- swer: I am deeply sensible of the cala- mities which necessarily attend a state of war. It would, therefore, be most grateful to my feelings, to observe such a change in the views and conduct of the enemy as would ad- mit of a cessation of hostilities, con- sistently with a just regard to the important interests which have been committed to my charge, and which it is my indispensable duty to majntain, [ reflect with great satisfaction on the religious privileges secured to you by the wisdom and benevo- lence of the laws, and you may rest assured of my constant pro- tection. [Presented by William Allen, London; Morris Birkbeck, Guild- ford; Joseph Smith, London; GeorgeStacey, Tottenham; Edward Jonson, Tottenham ; Rich. Philips, London; Anthony Horne, Clap- ham-Common; Joseph Foster, Bromley; Luke Howard, Plais- tow; John Wilkiuson, High Wy- comb.] Revocation of the Orders in Council. At the Court at Carlton-House, the 23rd of June, 1812; present his Royal Highness the Prince Regent in Council. Whereas his Royal Highness the Prince Regent was pleased to de- clare,» in the name, and on the be- half of his, Majesty, on the 2lst day of April, 1812, «That if at any time hereafter, the Berlin and Milan Decrees shall, by some au- thentic act of the French Govern- ment, publicly promulgated, be absolutely 380 absolutely and ‘unconditionally re- pealed, then and from thenceforth the Order in Council of the 7th of January, 1807, and the Order in Council of the 26th of April, 1809, shall, ‘without any further order be, andthesame are hereby declared from thenceforth to be, wholly and absolutely revoked.” And whereas the Chargé des Af- faires of the United States of Ameri- ca,resident at this Court, did, on the 20th day of May last, transmit to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, one of his Majesty’s principal Secretaries of State, a copy of a certain in- strument, then for tHe first time communicated to this Court, pur- porting to be a Decree passed by the Government of France, on the 28th day of April, 1811, by which the Decrees of Berlin and Milan are declared to be definitively no Jonger in force, in regard to Ame- rican vessels. And whereas his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, although ‘he cannot consider the tenor of the said instrument as satisfying the conditions set forth in the said Or- der of the 21st of April last, upon which the said Orders were to cease and determine; is neverthe- less disposed’ on his’ part to take such measures as may tend to re- establish the intercourse between Neutral ‘and Belligerent Nations, upon’ its accustomed principles; his Royal Highness the Prince Re- gent, in the name and on the be- half of his Majesty, is therefore pleased, by and with the advice of his Majesty’s Privy Council, to or- der and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that the Or- der in Council bearing date the 7th day of January, 1807, and the Order in Council bearing date the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 26th day of April, 1809, be’ re- ‘voked, so far'as may regard Ame- rican ' vessels,’ and their’ cargoes, being American property, from the Ist day of ‘August next. ott But whereas by certain Acts of the Government of the United States of America, all British arm- éd vessels are excluded from the harbours and waters of the’ said United’ States, ‘the armed ves- sels of France being permitted to enter therein; and the commer- cial ‘intercourse between Great Britain and the said United States — is interdicted, the commercial in- tercourse between France and the said United States having been restored; his Royal Highness the Prince Regent is pleased hereby further to declare, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, that if the Government of the said United Sates shall not, as soon as may be, after this Order shall have been duly notified by his Majesty’s Minister m America to the said Government, revoke, or cause to be revoked, the said Acts, this pre- — sent Order shall in that case, after due notice signified by his Majes- ty’s Minister in America to the said Government, be thenceforth aull and of no effect. é Itis further ordered and declared, that all American vessels, and their cargoes, being American property, tee mes <<" that shall have been captured subs — sequently to the 20th day of May last, for a breach of the aforesaid — Orders in Council ‘alone, and which shall not have been actually con- demned before the date of this Or- der; and that all ships and cargoes as aforesaid, that shall henceforth be captured under the said Orders, prior to the Ist day of August next, shall not be proceeded against to condemnation — STATE PAPERS. eondemnation till further orders, but shall, in the event of this order not becoming null and of no effect, in the case aforesaid, be forthwith liberated and restored, subject to such reasonable expenses on the part of the captors, as shall have been justly incurred. Provided, that nothing in this Order contained, respecting the Revocation of the Orders herein- mentioned, shall be taken to revive wholly or in part the Orders in Council of the 11th of November, 1807, or any other Order not here- in mentioned, or to deprive par- ties of any legal remedy to which they may be entitled under the Order in Council of the 2lst of April, 1812. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent is hereby pleased further to declare, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, that nothing in this present Order contained, shall be understood to preclude his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, if circumstances shall so require, from restoring, after reasonable notice, the orders of the 7th of January, 1807, and 26th of Apmil, 1809, or any part thereof, to their full effect, or from taking such other measures of _ retaliation inst the enemy, as may appear to his Royal Highness to be just and necessary. _ And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Ma- ty’s Treasury, his Majesty’s rincipal Secretaries of State, the Lords Commissioners of the Admi- ralty, and the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, andthe Judges of the Courts of Vice-Admiralty, are to take the necessary measures herein, as to them may respectively appertain. I JAMES BULLER. 381 Treaty of Peace between Great Britain and Russia. In the name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity ! His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, and his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being equally animated with the desire of re-establishing the ancient rela- tions of amity and good under- standing between the two King-: doms respectively, have nominated to this effect, as their Ministers Plenipotentiary ; ramely, his Ma- jesty the Emperor of. all the Rus- sias, the Sieur Peter Suchtelen, Chief of the Department of En- gineers, General and member of the Council of State, &c. and the Sieur Paul Baron de Nicolay, Gen- tleman of the Bedchamber, &e. and his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name of his Ma- jesty, King of the United King- dom of England and Ireland, the Sieur Edward Thornton, Esq. Ple- nipotentiary from his Britannic Majesty to the King of Sweden. The said Plenipotentiaries after exchanging their respective full powers, in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles : ' I. There shall be between his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, and his Majesty the King of the United Kidgdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, their heirs and successors, and between their king- doms and subjects respectively, a firm, true, and inviolable peace, and a sincere and perfect union and amity; so that, from this moment, all subjects of disagreement that may have subsisted between them shall cease. Il. The 382 II. The relations of amity and commerce between the two coun- tries shall be re-established on each side, on the footing of the most favoured nations. III. If, in resentment of the pre- sent re-establishment of peace and good understanding between the two countries, any power whatso- ever shall make war upon his Im- perial Majesty or his Britannic Majesty, the two contracting So- vereigns agree to act in support of each other for the maintenance and security of their respective kingdoms. IV. The two high contracting parties reserve to themselves to es- tablish a proper understanding and adjustment, as soon as possible, with respect to all matters which may concern their eventual inte- rests, political as well as commer- cial. V. The present treaty shall be ratified by the two contracting par- ties, and the ratification shall be exchanged in six weeks, or sooner, if possible : And for the due performance of the same, we sign in virtue of our full powers, and have signed the present treaty of peace, and have thereto affixed our seals. Done at QOrebro, the 6th (18) July, 1812. SucuTe en (1. 8.) Pavut Baron be Nicoxay, Epwarp THornTon (L. S.) After sufficiently examining the ' articles of the present treaty of peace, we have approved of the same, which we now confirm, and by these presents most solemnly ratify, in all its tenor; promising on our Imperial part, for us and for our successors, to observe and ex- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ecute, inviolably, every thing that hes been mentioned and repeated in the said treaty of peace. In witness whereof we have signed with our hand this Imperial ratifi- cation, and have thereto affixed the seal of our empire, Done at Kamenroi Ostrow, the Ist of August, 1812, and the twelfth year of our reign. (Signed) ALEXANDER. (Countersigned) Count Romanzow. Treaty of Peace between his Ma- jesty the King of Sweden, and his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Bri- tuin and Ireland. In the name of the most Holy and Indivisible Trinity ! His Majesty the King of Swe- den, and his Majesty the Kiny of the United Kingdom of Great Bri- tain and Ireland, bemg equally animated with the desire of re- establishing the ancient relations of friendship and good imtercourse between the two Crowns, and their respective States, have appointed to that effect, namely, his Majesty the King of Sweden, the Sieur Laurent, Baron D’Engerstrom, &e. and the Sieur Gustavus, Buron de’ Wetterstedt, &c. and the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty the King of — the United Kingdom of Great Bri- tai and Ireland, Edward Thorn~ ton, Esq. which Plenipotentiaries, after exchanging their full powers, drawn up in full and due form, have agreed upon the following ar- ticles ; | | | : : | STATE PAPERS. Art. I. There shall be between their Majesties the King of Swe- den, and the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire- land, their heirs and successors, and between their subjects, king- doms, and states respectively, a firm, true, and inviolable Peace, and a sincere and perfect union and friendship; so that from this moment, every subject of misun- derstanding that may have sub- sisted between them shall be re- garded as entirely ceased and de- stroyed. Il. The relations of friendship and commerce between the two countries shall be re-established on the footing whereon they stood on _ the first day of January, 1791 ; and all treaties and conventions sub- sisting between the two States at that epoch shall be regarded as re- newed and confirmed, and are, ac- cordingly, by the present treaty, renewed and confirmed. If. If, in resentment of the present pacification, and the re- establishment of the good inter- course between the two countries, any power whatsoever make war upon Sweden, his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland engages to take ineasures, in concert with his Majesty the King of Sweden, for the security and independence of his states. IV. The present treaty shall be ratified by the two contracting par- ties, and the ratifications exchanged within six weeks, or sooner, if ible. j In faith whereof, we, the under- signed, in virtue of our full powers, have signed the present treaty, and thereto affixed our seals. 383 Done at Orebro, on the 18th of July, 1812. (Signed) Baron D’ ENGERSTROM. Baron DE WETTERSTEDT, Epwarp THORNTON. [Here follow the ratifications, signed by the Prince Regent on the 4th of August, and by his Swedish Majesty on the 17th of August.] Prince Regent’s Speech on Pro- roguing Parliament, delivered by Commission. ‘© My Lords and Gentlemen.—In terminatiny the present session of parliament, his Royal Highness the Prince Regent has commanded us to express to you the deep concern and sorrow which he feels at the continuance of his Majesty’s la- mented indisposition. “* His Royal Highness regrets the interruptions which have occurred in the progress of public business, during this long and laborious ses- sion, in consequence of an event which his Royal Highness must ever deplore. The zeal and un- wearied assiduity with which you have persevered in the discharge of thearduous dutiesim posed upon you by the situation of the coun+ try, and the state of public affairs, demands his Royal Highness’s warmest acknowledgments, ** The assistance which you have enabled his Royal Highness to con- tinue to the brave and loyal nations of the Peninsula is calculated to produce the most beneficial effects. * His Royal Highness most warmly participates in those senti- ments 384 ments of approbation, which you have bestowed on the consummate skill and intrepidity displayed in the operations which led to the capture of the important fortresses of Cindad Rodrigo and Badajoz, during the present campaign; and his. Royal Highness confidently trusts, that the tried valour of the allied forces,under thedistinguished command .of General the Earl of Wellington, combined with the unabated spirit and steady perse- verance of the Spanish and Portu- guese nations, will finally bring the contest in that quarter to an issue, by which the independence of the Peninsula will be effectually secured. ‘‘ The renewal of the war in the north of Europe furnishes an additional proof of the little secu- rity which can be derived from any submission to the usurpations and tyranny of the French. government. His Royal Highness is persuaded, that you will be sensible of the great importance of the struggle in which the Emperor of Russia has been compelled to engage, and that you will approve of his Royal High- ness affording to those powers who may be united in thiscontest, every degree of co-operation and assist- ance, consistent with his other en- gagements, and with the interests of his Majesty’s, dominions. ‘* His Royal Highness has com- manded us to assure you, that he views with most sincere regret, the hostile. measures, which have been recently adopted by the govern- ment of the United States of Ame- rica towards this country. His Royal Highness isnevertheless will- ing to hope, that the accustomed relations of peace and amity be- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. tween the two countries may: (yet be restored : but if his expectations in this respectshould bedisappoint- ed, by the conduct of the govern- ment of the United States, or by their perseverance in any unwar~ rantable pretensions, he will. most fully rely on the support.of every class of his Majesty’s subjects, ina contest in which the honour of his Majesty’s crown, and the best in~ terests of his dominions, must be involved, het «Gentlemen of the House of Commons,—We have it in com- mand from his Royal Highness, to thank you for the liberal provision which you have made for the ser- vices of the present year. His Royal Highness deeply regrets the barthens which you have found it necessary to impose upon his Ma- jesty’s people ; but he applauds the wisdom which has induced you so largely to provide for the exigencies of the public service, as affording the best prospect of bringing the contest in which the country is en- gaged to a successful and honour- able conclusion. ** My Lords and Gentlemen,— His Royal Highness has observed, with the utmost concern, the spirit of insubordination and; outrage which has appeared in. some parts | of the country, and which has been, manifested by acts, not only de- structive of the property and per- sonal safety of many of his Ma-~ jesty’s loyal subjects in those dis~ tricts, but disgraceful to the Bri-. tish character., His Royal High- ness feels it incumbent upon him- to acknowledge your diligence in the investigation of thecauses which have STATE -PAPERS. have led to these outrages ; and he has commanded us to thank you for the wise and salutary measures which you have adopted on this occasion. [t will be a principal object of his Royal Highness’s attention, to make an effectual and prudent use of the powers vested in him for the protection of his Majesty’s people, and he confident- ly trusts, that on your return into your respective counties, he may rely on your exertions for the pre- servation of the public peace, and for bringing the disturbers of it to justice. His Royal Highness most earnestly recommends to you, the importance of inculcating, by every Means in your power, a spirit of obedience to those laws, and of attachment to that Constitution, which provide equally for the hap- piness and welfare of all classes of his Majesty’s subjects, and on which have hitherto depended the glory and prosperity of this kingdom.”’ Then a commission for prorogu- ing the parliament was read. After which, the Lord Chancellor said, ** My Lords and Gentlemen,— By virtue of the commission under the great seal, to us and other lords directed, and now read, we do, in obedience to the commands of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, prorogue this parliament to Friday the 2nd day of October next, to be then here holden; and this parliament is ac- cordingly prorogued to Friday, the 2nd day of October next.” Report of the Secret Committee of the House of Lords on the Dis- turbed State of certain Counties. Vou. LIV. 385 Your committee, in pursuing the inquiry referred to their considera- tion, have endeavoured to ascer- tain the origin of the disturbances which have arisen in the different parts of the country, with respect to which they have obtained infor- mation, the manuer in which those disturbances have been carried on, the objects to which they have been apparently directed, the means used to suppress them, the effects of those means, and the state of those parts of the country within which the disturbances have pre- vailed. The disposition to combined and disciplined riotand disturbance, which has attracted the attention of parliament, and excited appre- hension of the most dangerous consequences, seems to have been first manifested in the neighbour- hood of the town of Nottingham, in November last, by the destruc- tion of a great number of newly invented stocking-frames, by small parties of men, principally stock- ing weavers, who assembled in various places round Nottingham. * By degrees the rioters became more numerous and more formid- able, many were armed and divid- ed into different parties, disturbed the whole country between Not- tingham and Mansfield, destroying frames almost without resistance. This spirit of discontent (amongst other causes to which it has been attributed) was supposed to have been excited or called into action by the use of a new machine, which enabled the manufacturers to employ women, in work in which men had been before em- ployed, and by the refusal of the manufacturers to pay the wages at the rate which the weavers de- 2C manded 386 manded ; and their discontent was probably heightened by the in- creased price of provisions, par- ticularly of corn. The men en- gaged in these disturbances were at first principally those thrown out of employ by the use of the new machinery, or by their refusal to work at the rates offered by the manufacturers, and they particu- larly sought the destruction of frames owned or worked by those who were willing to work at the lower rates. In consequence of the resistance opposed to the outrages of the rioters, in the course of which one of them was killed, they became still more exasperated and more violent, till the magis- trates thought it necessary to re- quire the assistance of a consider- able armed force, which was promptly assembled, consisting at first principally of local militia and volunteer yeomanry, to whom were added above400special constables ; the rioters were then dispersed, and it was hoped that the disturb- ances had been by these means suppressed. Before the end of the month of November, however, the outrages were renewed, they became more serious, were more systematically conducted; and at length the rioters began in several villages, where they destroyed the frames, to levy, at the same time, contri- butions for their subsistence, which rapidly increased their numbers, and early in Decemberthe outrages were in some degree extended into Derbyshire and Leicestershire, where many frames were broken. In the mean time, a considerable force both of infantry and cavalry had been sent to Nottingham, and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the commanding officer of the dis- trict was ordered to repair thither ; and in January, two of the most experienced police magistrates were dispatched to Nottingham, for the purpose of assisting the local au- thorities in their endeavours to re- store tranquillity in the disturbed districts. The systematic combination, however, with which the outrages were conducted, the terror which they inspired, and the disposition of many of the lower orders to favour rather than oppose them, made it very difficult to discover the offenders, to apprehend them, if discovered, or to obtain evidence to convict those who were appre- hended, of the crimes with which they were charged. Some, how- ever, were afterwards proceeded against at the spring assizes at Nottingham, and seven persons were convicted of different offen- ces, and sentenced to transpor- tation. In the mean time acts were passed for establishing a police in the disturbed districts, upon the ancient system of watch and ward, and for applying to the destruction of stocking frames the punishment before applied by law to the de- struction of other machinery. The discontent which had thus first appeared about Nottingham, and hadin some degree extended into Derbyshire and Leicestershire, had before this period been com- municated to other parts of the— country. Subscriptions for the persons taken into custody in Not- tinghamshire were solicited in the month of February at Stockport, in Cheshire, where anonymous letters were at the same time cir- culated, STATE PAPERS. 387 enlated, threateving to destroy the machinery used inthe manufactures of that place, and in that and the following months attempts were made to set on fire two different manufactories. The spirit of dis- order then rapidly spread through the neighbourhood, inflammatory placards, inviting the people toa general rising, were dispersed, illegal oaths were administered, riots were produced in various places, houses were plundered by persons in disguise, and a report was industriously circulated, that a general rising would take place on the Ist of May, or early in that “month. y The spirit of riot and disturbance was extended tomany other places, and particularly to Ashton-under- Line, Eccles, and Middleton; at the latter place the manufactory of Mr. Burton was attacked on the 20th of April, and although the rioters were then repulsed, and five of their number were killed by the military force assembled to protect the works, a second attack was made on the 22nd of April, and Mr. Burton’s dwelling house was burnt before military assistance could be brought to his support; when troops arrived to protect the works, they were fired upon by the rioters, and hefore the rioters could be dispersed, several of them were killed and wounded ; accord- ing to the accounts received, at Jeast three were killed, and about twenty wounded. On the 14th of April riots again prevailed at Stockport; the house ef Mr. Goodwin was set on fire, and his steam-looms were destroy- ed. In the following night a meeting of rioters, on a heath : about two miles from the town, for the purpose, as supposed, of being trained for military exercise, was surprised and dispersed ; con- tributions were also levied in the neighbourhood, at the houses of gentlemen and farmers. About the same time riots also took place at Manchester, and in the neighbourhood; of which the géneral pretence was the high price of provisions, On the 26th and 27th of April the people of Man- chester were alarmed by the appear- ance of some thousands of strangers in their town, the greater part of whom however disappeared on the 28th; part of the local militia had been then called out, and a large military force had arrived, which, it was supposed, had over-awed those who were disposed to dis- turbance. An apprehension, how- ever, prevailed, of a more general rising in May, and in the neigh- bourhood of the town many houses were plundered. Nocturnal meet- ings for the purpose of military ex- ercise were frequent; arms were seized in various places by the dis- affected ; the house of a farmer near Manchester was plundered, and a labourer coming to his-assist- ance was shot. The manner in which the dis- affected have carried on their pro- ceedings, is represented as demon- strating an extraordinary degree of concert, secrecy, and orgavization. Their signals were well cuntrived and well established, and any at- tempt to detect and lay hold of the offenders was generally defeated. The same spirit of riot and dis- turbance appeared at Bolton-in-the- Moors. So early as the 6th of April, intelligence was given, that 2C2 at 388 at a meeting of delegates from several places it had been resolved, that the manufactory at West Houghton, in that neighbourhood, should be destroyed, but that at a subsequent meeting it had been determined, that the destruction of this manufactory should be post- poned. On the 24th of April, however, the destruction of this manufactory was accomplished. Intelligence having been obtained of the intended attack, a military force was sent for its protection, and the assailants dispersed before the arrival of the military, who then returned to their quarters ; the rioters taking advantage of their absence, assailed and forced the manufactory, set it on fire, and again dispersed before the military could be brought again to the spot. Symptoms of the same spirit appeared at Newcastle-under-Lyne, Wigan, Warrington, and other towns; and the contagion in the mean time had _ spread to Carlisle and into Yorkshire. In Huddersfield, in the. west riding of Yorkshire, and in the neighbourhood, the destruction of dressing and shearing machines and shears began early in February ; fire arms were seized during the course of March, and a constable was shot atin his own house. In March a great number of machines belonging to Mr. Vicarman were destroyed ; and in A prilthedestruc- tion of Bradley mills, near Hud- dersfield, was threatened, and afterwards attempted, but the mills were protected by a guard, which defeated the attempt. About the same time the machinery of Mr. Rhodes’s mill at Tentwistle, near to Stockport, was utterly destroyed, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. and Mr. Horsfall, a respectable merchant and défi -irniere in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield; was shet about six o’clock in the afternoon, in broad day-light, on the 28th of April, returning from market, and died on the 30th of the same month. A reward of 2,000/. was offer- ed for the discovery of the mur- derers, but no discovery has yet been made, though it appears that he was shot by four persons, each of whom lodged a ball in his body ; that when he fell, the populace sur- rounded and reviled him, instead of offering assistance, and no at- tempt was made to secure the assas- sins, who were seen to retire to an adjoining wood. Some time after a young woman was attacked in the streets of Leeds, and nearly murdered, her skull being fractur- ed; and the supposed reason for this violence was an apprehension that she had been near the spot when Mr. Horsfall was murdered3. and might therefore be able to give evidence which might lead to the detection of the murderers: The town of Leeds had for some time before been much alarmed by information that attacks were in- tended to be made on places in the town and its neighbourhood, which induced the magistr ates to desire a strong military force, and to ap- point a great number of respectable inhabitants of the town ‘special constables, by which means the peace of the town was in a b iae degree preserved. gs Early, however, in the morning of the 24th of March, ths mills of Messrs. Thompsons, at Rawdon,'a large village about eight miles from Leeds, was attacked by a large body of armed men, who couse e STATE PAPERS. ed with great regularity and caution, first seizing the watchman at. the mill, and placing guards at every _ neighbouring cottage, threatening death to any whoshould attempt to give alarm, and then forcibly en- tering the mill, they completely destroyed the machinery. In the following night, notwithstanding the precautions adopted, the build- ings belonging to Messrs. Dickin- sons, in Leeds, were forcibly en- tered, and the whole of the goods there, consisting principally of cloths, were cut to pieces. Many other persons in Leeds were threat- ened with similar treatment, and the proceedings at this place are represented to have had for their object the destruction of all de- scriptions of goods prepared other- wise than by manual labour. _ At. Leversedge, near Hock- _ mondwicke, which is in the neigh- bourhvod of the Moors dividing Lancashire and Yorkshire, an at- tack was made early in the morn- ing of the 12th of April by a body of armed men, represented to have been between two and three hun- dred in number, on a valuable mill _ belonging to Mr, Cartwright. The mill was defended with great cou- rage by Mr. Cartwright, the pro- prietor, with the assistance of three of his men and five soldiers, and the assailants were at length com- pelled to retire, being unable to force an entrance into the mill, and their ammunition probably failing. ‘Two of the assailants were left on the spot desperately wounded, and were secured, but died of their wounds. Many others are suppos- ed to have been also wounded, and information was afterwards obtained of the death of one of them. When the assailants retired, they declared 389 a determination to take Mr, Cart- wright’s life by any means. One of the wounded men who was left on the spot was only nineteen years of age, and son of a man ina re- spectable situation in the neigh- bourhood ; but neither this man nor the other prisoner would make any confession respecting their con- federates in this outrage. The neighbouring inhabitants, who as- sembled about the mill, after the rioters had retired, only expressed their regret that the attempt had failed. A vast concourse of people attended the funeral of the young man before described, who died of his wounds ; and there was found written on walls in many places, ‘Vengeance for the blood of the innocent.” The threats against Mr. Cart- wright’s life were attempted to be put into execution on the 18th of April, when he was twice shot at in the road from Huddersfield te Rawfold. About the same time a shot was fired ata special constable on duty at Leeds, and a ball was fired at night into the house of Mr. Armitage, a magistrate in the neighbourhood, and lodged in the ceiling of his bed-room, Colonel Campbell also, who commanded the troops at Leeds, was shot at in the night of May 8, upon returning to his own house, by two men, who discharged their pieces at him within the distance of twenty yards, and immediately after, a third shot was fired, directed towards the room usually occupied by Colonel Campbell and his family. At Horbury, near Wakefield, valuable mills were attacked on. the 9th of April by an armed body, supposed to consist of 300 men. The machinery and considerable property 390 property were destroyed. The men who committed the outrage were seen on the road between Wakefield and Horbury, marching in regular sections, preceded by a mounted party with drawn swords, and followed by the same number of mounted men as a rear guard. They were supposed to have assem- bled from Huddersfield, Duesbury, Hickmondwicke, Guildersome, Morley, Wakefield, aud other places. In many parts of this district of country the well-disposed were so much under the influence of terror, that the magistrates were unable to give protection by putting the watch and ward act in execution, and the lower orders are represented as generally either abettors of, or participators in, the outrages com- mitted, or so intimidated, that they dared not to interfere, At Sheffield the storehouse of arms of the local militia was sur- prised in the month of May, a large proportion of the arms were broken by the mob, and many tuken away. This disturbance, nowever, seems to have been fol- lowed by no further consequences, and the remainder of the arms were secured. But during the months of May and June depredations of different kinds,and particularly theseizureof arms, continued to benightly com- mitted in other parts of Yorkshire ; and it is represented, that im the neighbourhood of Huddersfield and Birstall the arms of all the peace- able inhabitants had been swept away by bands of armed robbers. In consequence of these outrages the vice-lieutenant of the West Riding, the deputy-lieutenant, and magistrates, assembled at Wake- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. field on the 17th of June, and came to a resolution, ‘* That the most alarming consequences were to be apprehended from the nightly depredations which were committed by bodies of armed men.” ‘At the same time this remarkable circum-= stance was stated, that amongst one hundred depositions taken by the magistrates of the facts of robbe- ries committed, there was only one us to the perpetrator of the crime. During the latter part of this period, it is represented that nightly robberies of arms, lead, and ammunition, were prevalent in the districts bounded by the rivers Air and Calder, and that the patroles which went along both banks of the Calder, found the people m the ill-affected villages up at mid- night, and heard the firing of small arms at short distances from them, through the whole night, to a very great extent, which they imagined proceeded from parties at drill. In the corner of Cheshire, touching upon Yorkshire and Lancashire, in the neighbourhood and to the east- ward of Ashton, Stockport, and Moultram, nocturnal meetings were more frequent than ever, and the seizure of arms carried on with great perseverance. Peculiar diffi- culties are stated to exist in this quarter from the want of magis- trates. Your commitee have not thought it necessary to detail, or even to state, all the outrages which have been committed in different parts of the country, but have selected from — the great mass of materials before them, such facts only as appeared to them sufficient to mark the ex- tent and nature of these dis-_ turbances. The causes alleged for these de- structive foes Sc STATE PAPERS. structive proceedings have been generally the want of employment for the working manufacturers, a want, however, which has been the least felt in some of the places where the disorders have been most prevalent; the application of ma- chinery to supply the place of labour; and the high price of pro- visions; but it is the opinion of persons, both in civil and military stations, well acquainted with the state of the country, an opinion grounded upon various informa- tion from different quarters now before your committee, but which, for obvious reasons, they do not think proper to detail, that the views of some of the persons en- gaged in these proceedings have extended to revolutionary mea- sures of the most dangerous de- scription. Their proceedings manifest a de- gree of caution and organization which appears to flow from the direction of some persons under whose influence they act; but it is the opinion of a person, whose situation gives him great opportu- nities of information, that their leaders, although they may possess considerable influenee, are still of the lowest orders ; men of desperate fortunes, who have taken advan- tage of the pressure of the moment, to work upon the inferior class, through the medium of the asso- ciations in the manufacturing parts of the country. _ The general persuasion of the persons engaged in those transac- tions appears, however, to be, that all the societies in the country are directed in their motions by a Se- cret Committee, and that this Se- cret Committee is therefore the great mover of the whole machine; 391 and it is established by the various information to which the com- mittee has before alluded, that so- cieties are formed in different parts of the country; that these socie- ties are governed by their respec+ tive secret committees; that dele- gates are continually dispatched from one place to another, for the purpose of concerting their plans; and that secret signs are arranged, by which the persons engaged in these conspiracies are known to each other. The form of the oath or engagement administered to those who are enlisted in these so- cieties, also refers expressly to the existence of such secret commit~ tees. The object of this oath is to pre vent discovery, by deterring through the fear of assassination those who take it from impeaching others, and by binding them to assassinate those by whom any of the persons engaged may be impeached. These oaths appear to have been admi- nistered to a considerable extent; copies of them have been obtained from various quarters, and though slightly differing in terms, they are so nearly the same, us to prove the systematic natute of the con- cert by which they are adminis- tered, The oath itself is of so atrocious a nature, that your committee have thought it right to insert the form, as it appears in one of those co- pies :— “I. A, B. of my own voluntary will, do declare, and solemnly swear, that I never will reveal to any person or persons under the canopy of heaven, the names of the persous who compose this Se- cret Committee, their proceedings, meeting, places of abode, dress, features, < 392 features, connections, or any thing else that might lead to a discovery of the same, either by word or deed, or sign, under the penalty of being sent out of the world by the first brother who shall meet ime, and my name and character blot- ted out of existence, and never to be remembered but with contempt and abhorrence; and I further now do swear, that I will use my best endeavours to punish by death any traitor or traitors, should any rise up amongst us, wherever I can find himor them, and though he should fly to the verge of na- ture, I will pursue him with in- creasing vengeance. So help me God, and bless me to keep this my oath inviolable.”” The military organization car- ried on by persons engaged in these societies, has also proceeded to.an alarming length; they as- semble in large numbers, in gene- ral by night, upou heaths or com- mons, which are numerous and extensive in some of the districts where ihe disturbances have been most serious; so assembled, they take the usual military precautions of paroles and countersigns; then muster rolls ‘are called over by numbers, not by names; they are directed by leaders sometimes in disguise; they place sentries to give alarm at the approach of any persons whom they may suspect of meaning to interrupt or give infor- mation of their proceedings; and they disperse instantly at the firing of a gun, or other signal agreed upon, and so disperse as to avoid detection. They have in some in- stances used signals by rockets or blue lights, by which they com- municate intelligence to their par- ties. ; ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. They have procured a consider= ble quantity of arms, by the depre- dations which are daily and nightly continued; they have plundered many places of lead for the purpose of making musket balls, and have made some seizures of gunpow- der. Their progress in discipline ap- pears from the representation be- fore given of the two attacks upon the mills of Rawdon and Hen- bury; and the money, which’has been in many instances obtained by contribution or plunder, an- swers the purpose of support, and may serve as an inducement to many persons to engage in these disturbances. The system of intimidation, pro- duced not only by the oaths and engagements before mentioned, or by threats of violence, but by the attack and destruction of houses aud factories, by actual assassina- tions in some instances, and at- tempts at assassination in others, under circumstances which have hitherto generally baffled all endea- vours to discover and bring to jus- tice the offenders, all tend to ren= der these proceedings greatly alarm- ing to the country. In many parts the quiet inhabitantsconsiderthem- selves as enjoying protection only as far as the military force can ex- tend its exertions, and look upon the rest of the country, where the disturbances took place, as at the mercy of the rioters. The legal proceedings at Not- tingham checked the disposition to disturbance in that quarter, but this effect did not extend to other parts of the country ; and though the proceedings under the special commissions since issued, and the conyictions and executions at Lan- caster STATE PAPERS. 393 caster and Chester, appear to make a considerable impression, they have been far from restoring peace and security to the disturbed dis- tricts. A great military force has been assembled; the local militia has been in many places called out, and has done good service; the yeomanry corps have been active and highly useful. Many of the magistrates have zealously exerted their powers, some of them at great personal hazard. In many places great numbers of special constables have been appointed from amongst the more respectable inhabitants, and the Watch and Ward Act has been in some places put in force, though attempted without effect in others, or abandoned from circum- stances already stated. All these efforts have proved insufficient ef- fectually to put down the spirit of disturbance: and it is therefore the decided opinion of your commit- tee, that some further measures should be immediately adopted by parliament for affording more ef- fectual protection to the lives and properties of his Majesty’s subjects, and for suppressing a system of turbulence and disorder which has already proved destructive of the tranquillity, and highly injurious to the property and welfare of some of the most populous and important districts of the country, and which, unless effectually check- ed, may lead to consequences still more extensive and dangerous. Embargo and Detention of Ame- rican Ships.— From the London Gazette, Saturday, August 1. _ At the court at Carlton House, the 3lst of July, 1812: present, his royal highness the Prince Re- gent in Council :— It is this day ordered, by his royal highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, and by and with the advice of his Majesty’s privy council, that no ships or vessels belonging to any of his Majesty’s subjects be permitted to enter and clear out for any of the ports within the territories of the United States of America, until further order ;. and his Royal Highness is further pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, and by and with the advice aforesaid, to order, that a general embargo or stop be made of all ships and vessels whatsoever, belonging to the citizens of the United States of America, now within, or which shall hereafter come into any of the ports, harbours, or roads, within any part of his Majesty’s dominions, together with all per- sons and effects on board all such ships and vessels; and that the commanders of his Majesty’s ships of war and privateers, do detain and bring into port all ships and vessels belonging to the citizens of the United States of America, or bearing the flag of the said United States, except such as may be furnished with British licences, which vessels are allowed to pro= ceed according to the tenor of the said licences; but that the utmost care be taken for the preserva- tion of all and every part of the cargoes on board any of the said ships or vessels, so that no damage or embezzlement whatever be sustained ; and the commanders of his Majesty’s ships of war and privateers are hereby instructed ' to 394 to detain and bring into port every such ship and vessel accordingly, except such as are above excepted : and the right hon. the lords commis- sioners of his Majesty’s treasury, the lords commisioners of the Admiral- ty, and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, are to give the necessary directions herein as to them may respectively appertain. CHETWYND. Prince Regent's Speech on opening Parliament, Nov. 30th. This day the business of the Session commenced with the usual formalities. Soon after two o’clock, his royal highness the Prince Regent arrived at the House, attended by the great officers of state, &c. when, the members of the House of Com- mons being called in, his Royal Highness was pleased to deliver the following speech from the throne :— My Lords and Gentlemen, It is with the deepest concern that I am obliged to announce to you, at the opening of this parlia- ment, the continuance of his Ma- jesty’s lamented indisposition, and the diminution of the hopes, which I have most anxiously entertained, of his recovery. The situation of public affairs has induced me to take the earliest opportunity of meeting you after the late elections. I am persuaded you will cordially participate in the satisfaction which I derive from the improvement of our pros pects during the course of the pre- sent year. The valour and intrepidity dis- played by his Majesty’s forces, and ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. those of his allies in the Peninsula, on so many occasions during this campaign, and the consummate skill and judgment with which the operations have been conducted by General the Marquis of Welling- ton, have led to consequences of the utmost importance to the common Cause. By transferring the war into the interior of Spain, and by the glori- ous and ever memorable victory obtained at Salamanca, he has compelled the enemy to raise the siege of Cadiz; and the southern provinces of that kingdom have been delivered from the power and arms of France. Although I cannot but regret that the efforts of the enemy, com- bined with a view to one great operation, have rendered it neces- sary to withdraw from the siege of Burgos, and to evacuate Madrid, for the purpose of concentrating the main body of the allied forces ; these efforts of the enemy have, nevertheless, been attended with important sacrifices on their part, which must materially contribute to extend the resources, and facili-+ tate the exertions, of the Spanish Nation. I am confident I may rely on your determination to contmue to afford every aid in support of a contest, which has first given to the continent of Europe the exam- ple of persevering and successful re- sistance to the power of France, and on which not only the inde- pendence of the nations of the Peninsula, but the best interests of his Majesty’s dominions essentially depend. T have great pleasure in Commu- nicating to you, that the relations of peace and friendship have been restored STATE PAPERS. restored between his Majesty and the courts of St. Petersburgh and Stockholm. I have directed copies of the treaties to be laid before you. In a contest for his own s0- vereign rights, and for the inde- pendence of his dominions, the Emperor of Russia has had to op- pose a large proportion of the military power of the French go- vernment, assisted by its allies, and by the tributary states de- pendent upon it. The resistance which he has op- posed to so formidable a combina- tion, cannot fail to excite senti- ments of lasting admiration. By his own magnanimity and perseverance ; by the zeal and dis- interestedness of all ranks of his subjects; and by the gallantry, firmness, aud intrepidity of his forces, the presumptuous expecta~ tions of the enemy have been sig- nally disappointed, The enthusiasm of the Russian nation has increased with the diffi- culties of the contest, and with the dangers with which they were surrounded. They have submitted to sacrifices of which there are few examples in the history of the world ; and I indulge the con- fident hope, that the determined perseverance of his Imperial Ma- jesty will be crowned with ulti- mate success; and that this cons test, in its result, will have the effect of establishing, upon a foundation never to be shaken, the security aud independence of the Russian empire. The proof of confidence which I have received from his Imperial Majesty, in the meusure which he has adopted of sending his fleets to the ports of this coun- try, isin the highest degree grati- 395 fying to me: and his Insperial Majesty may most fully rely on my fixed determination to afford him the most cordial support in the great contest in which he is engaged. I have the satisfaction further to acquaint you, that J have con~ cluded a treaty with his Sicilian Majesty, supplementary to the treaties of 1808 and 1809. As soon as the ratifications shall have been exchanged, I will direct a copy of this treaty to be laid be- fore you. My object has been to provide for the more extensive application of the military force of the Sicilian government tofoffensive operations ; a measure which, combined with the liberal and enlightened prin- ciples which happily prevail in the councils of his Sicilian Majesty, is calculated, I trust, to augment his power and resources, and, at the same time, to render them essentially serviceable to the com- mon cause. The Declaration of War by the government of the United States of America was made under cir- cumstances, which might have af- forded a reasonable expectation, that the amicable relations between the two nations would vot be long interrupted. It is with sincere regret that I am obliged to ac- quaint you, that the conduct and pretensions of that government have hitherto prevented the con- clusion of any pacific arrangement. Their measures of hostility have been principally directed against the adjoining British provinces, and every effort has been made to se- duce the inhabitants of them from their allegiance to his Majesty. The proofs, however, which I have received of loyalty and at- tachment 396 tachment from his Majesty’s sub- jects in North America are highly satisfactory. The attempts of the enemy to invade Upper Canada have not only proved abortive, but by the judi- cious arrangements of the gover- nor-general, and by the skill and decision with which the military operations have been conducted, the forces of the enemy assembled for that purpose in one quarter have been compelled to capitulate, and in another have been com- pletely defeated. My best efforts are not wanting for the restoration of the relations of peace and amity between the two countries; but until this ob- ject can be attained without sacri- ficing the maritime rights of Great Bnitain, I shall rely upon your cor- dial support ina vigorous prosecu- tion of the war. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have directed the estimates for the services of the ensuing year to be laid before you, and I enter- tain no doubt of your readiness to furnish such supplies as may ena- ble me to provide for the great interests committed to my charge, and afford the best prospect of bringing the contest in which his Majesty is engaged toa successful termination, My Lords and Gentlemen, The approaching expiration of the charter of the East-India Com- pany renders it necessary that [ should call your early attention to the propriety of providing effectu- ally for the future government of the provinces of India. In considering the variety of in- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. terests' which are connected with this important subject, I rely on your wisdom for making such an arrangement as may best promote the prosperity of the British pos- sessions in that quarter, and at the same time secure the greatest ad- vantages to the commerce and re- venue of his Majesty’s dominions. 1 have derived great satisfaction from the success of the measures which have been adopted for sup- pressing the spirit of outrage and iusubordination which had appear- ed in some parts of the country ; and from the disposition which has been manifested to take advantage of the indemnity held out to the deluded, by the wisdom and bene- volence of parliament. I trust 1 shall never have occa- sion to lament the recurrence of atrocities so repugnant to the Bri- tish character ; and that all his Ma- jesty’s subjects will be impressed with the conviction, that the hap- piness of individuals, and the wel- fare of the state, equally depend upon a strict obedience to the laws, and an attachment to our excel- lent constitution, In the loyalty of his Majesty’s people, and in the wisdom of par- lament, I have reason to place the fullest confidence. The same firmness and perseverance which have been manifested on so many and such trying occasions, will not, Iam persuaded, be wanting at a time when the eyes of all Europe, and of the world, are fixed upon you. -Ican assure you, thatin the exercise of the great trust reposed in me, 1 have no sentiment so near my heart as the desire to pro- mote, by every means in my power, the real prosperity and lasting hap- piness of his Majesty’s subjects. Message STATE PAPERS. Message from the Prince Regent to both Houses of Parliament, Dec. 17, ona Grant to Russia. 6. PR: “« The Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, having taken into his se- rious consideration the accounts which he has received of the severe distresses to which the inhabitants of a part of the empire of Russia have been exposed in their per- sons and property, in consequence of the unprovoked and atrocious invasion of that country by the Ruler of France, and the exem- plary and extraordinary magnani- mity and fortitude with which they 397 have submitted to the greatest pri- vations and sufferings in the de- fence of their country, and the ar- dent loyalty and unconquerable spirit they have displayed in its cause, whereby results have been produced of the utmost import- ance to the interests of this king- dom, and to the general cause of Europe, recommends to the House of Commons, to enable his Royal Highness, in aid of the con- tributions which have been com- menced within the Russian empire for this purpose, to afford to the suffering subjects of his Majesty’s good and great ally, the Emperor of Russia, such speedy and effectual relief as may be suitable to this most interesting occasion.” PUBLIC 1812. 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LIV. mq ee ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 402 ¥L 4 Ose'onstl [Fe 9 Loc‘tes‘r |***'**** OLST VAX aN Jo aoratag |] : et foy popuny ‘sitq senbeqoxg, TOL el SLo‘LeL east eeseteseeseeeeoe SOXUl, passass 2000‘ ELE's Jo 39adsad ut pasinour qaq : uo. sand payeprjosuog jo snjding & b g00.eze'T} 2 & g00%eze'r |°******* GOST 0X Om Jo adIAIAg "S08 ouuy ord saizag: ayy Joy popuny ‘stg sonbaqoxa 2001'SE6'Z Jo J9adsex UL pasinouLzqeq|| 9 EL FLS°ZsF'T i See eeeeeeesermor fh & seo'ses [FR % sc0‘ses [°° "*****S8O8T 1v0X a4) Jo aoIAI0g 9 Sb PLS a fret purpaay jo ayy Joy popuny ‘siptq aanboqoxg POAIIG 94} 1OJ ULOT uo ‘9x4 YsataqUy 2000°000'F Jo 320dsaz ul pasunourzqaqg)| @ oO ooOdfoO%T |****c "cot tt *uvoy Jo adivyg 9yx Aed 0} saxey, avy wor yydnoig G vr ors'ser's |G FL GISPEML [ooo teeters cost eax : 2} Toy pasivr *727900S00S FL Jo Med 2000‘000°6 30 9adsex uy porsnoutyqoq|}-— G 6 £9e°L8HT “LOST ouuy oid saling pie /S\aseie'siaie ela emery. 0 0 ssz‘eee'L 0 0 8se‘eee'T Cee ere era e reese eee eererees 908L 1VIX IY} JO BdIALIG JY} 10J¥ pasiet { § Gos‘eeL '2000‘000%0% Jo 9adsoa ut pasinom 4qaq tte eeeeereeeeseeeeeseepupraay Jo DOLAIAG BY} 10} UBO'TT UO “92 YsarazUT ’ T L169 ns cece ceeeescccors rere + sso bP 0 SOGOLUT | % 0. GEGOEL EOS "Tso tees et eet ee eheee* cogs dug _payeprjosuog, wosy yy Sno1g IVIX IY} JO BDIAIIG IY} 1OJ¥ pastes 0 0 G668'tPG ['"*'** ttt ttt Saxey, passassy uo 1000°006'%s Jo }9adsax ut pasmnouljqagq Saud peepl[osuoy jo yuo padadsasayy . 0 0 ooL'zoe |''"**** Og CUNY ‘sds YsHug O SL SOLFZI'L | 0 €L SOLbALE | *o'Test ett GoRt fo oO ere [ttt tan pur ‘FoRgL ‘gost ouny aury ~ ABIX IY} JO IDALIG 34} 10} pasiv« “28 "FF Yea! } “F ‘2000‘00¢‘F140390dsa4 ut pasinouljqag ‘m °s Bs = “9081 CuUW old saILag “21st ‘ure ws “SIst “uve yg uo poojys yt sv ‘puny | papua sea x aq} ut : ; payeprjosuog eq} uodn}‘pun,y payeptposuog ay) G9uUvVHO GAOONI adivqgg jenuuy o1nj0q}jo yno yueurkeg TenuUy ‘SUXVL LNANVNUAd GNV GNOA GILVAITOSNOD 403 ; STATE PAPERS. £z 91 868 FIS'LZE 56 sl e66'LOS‘og| settle: S181 ‘Aimnuve ba 8I ces‘'L1 6°0r a i ZISI ‘kie (Wg papuo iva X 94} Ul GNog aaLva -ITOSNOQ ay} Uodu aOUvHD IVLOs ft & z96Ker'! [Fb Of HEL'gIG |rtrr ttt? TIgtss coma: comaql £ pr 6cP'8Le FL £ oss‘ors't [Ee 9 Locttest [ttersts*** orgies one’ -onall o 0 4¢0‘0% 0 0 Siszrr 4 4 goo'sze’t | 4 £ goo'sse’t | tess" Gost ss tomas song)! 1 #1 680°9TZ fe & sco‘szs |fp & scofees [ttt tt''* gogtcct coma: * ong S FL 6Is‘rerl | S FL GIStPER! | t*7tT88* LoBET**coNg***-omall 6 ZT sre'ece’L b 0 sev‘eee'! | 0 0 see‘egetE [ttt 88"? QOBL oI? somal g 1 col ‘elr L 91 es9‘9rG 00 B66‘9I LI rO Z66'91 251 scewtr cee, GORI" ** tog? ** og 0 81 solpat't | O 81 SOTbAr‘E [°° 88 ** HORI? OIG’ “OIG t9 OL Oc1'Z18 Eg OL OSL'LIS ee + Petes 5 oS e0st \L 81 LEP'6Le'L UL palinoul 3qa(T 10f 90.1vYO 18}0,5,||——-———— IL SL L96‘L2i “0 1 coofere’s |f6 11 eorserT |-*******soSsvyD peyuaprouy yo puoy|l_o ¢ OAl‘zg £0 S06 LSI FELL O1 LEISTHL BS) Tt ttt tee po gs oF 0 0 .000°0F0‘T 4orsd patmour 3qaq 40j aSsey9 [ejoy, 0 0 o00‘sot ‘NOILVINLIdVOAUN — tL ¢ gLe‘oer a ed 6 IL o02‘srt 0 0 000‘0ST __— SO -_——_———— fl & soa'rer't 2% 91 FPL‘sI6 "ee eee eens TIST Waxy ayy jo aora “49s a4) doy popuny ‘sqirg danbayoxay 20008 10°2 5° 190dsaa ut passnour yqaq “auve YG papua avek ayy ut anag TaLYGIIOSNO JO AWOONT ‘IVLOZ test receesees oT “ee *soup ‘spuidg usioi0e7 Ttereereeeeess TIeT Ssundg ysnug ULOT UO ‘ax “ysoa0}0F “LIST ouuy oad sarzog Bivins odie nsttare aia [ei0y, ** puBlaty 10; uBvT Uo ‘org “saraz0y rte teeseseeeeeseeevosees sonngy dug payepiyosuog wmoy WSnoge a “OIS| Ouuy ord saizag a ee ee [eo ** puvjory toy uvoyT uo ow Ssaroy ceteteeseesseccee temuog Jo luaday vourrg ayy 103 uv0'T jo satiny “teeeee* GOST Jo uLOT jo adueyg ayy Aud 0) ‘saxey, seq, woay ong **SwlOISND payeplfosuog wosy WY SNoIg “608 Ouuy oid sarzag ee ene OE “***pupjary Joy uvoy uo “929 4saraqny anng durejyg payepyosuog jo snyding 404 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. An Account of the Nett Produce of all the PERMANENT TAXES of Great Britain; taken for Two Years, ending respectively 5tk January, 1811, and 5th January, 1812. In the Year ended | In the Year ended Sth Jan. 1811, 5th Jan, 18)2. Beet Bervea; —ds CONSOLIDATED CUSTOMS ........| 4,869,366 5 53| 3,974,732 1 103 .+» Ditto........EXCISE ..,.......|15,867,564 15 0 (15,768,167 12 4 Sates MIICEO sictele:c's,,0/c SA UA ESS ae Stersie © oa 5,332,509 0 10 | 5,086,782 11 2 INCIDENTS. Houses and Windows ........1766.... 2 - 300 0 O Horses for Riding ............1785... 312 0 0 200 0 0 Male SOCVANES , « cinnncs,wnies.e.0 iaimine.ase as = - 300 0 0 CTER FS ore 5 oer wieder jatiche elu nile sapere wie asta 6 0 0 - - Hackney Coaches & Chairs 1711 and 1784 25,458 0 0 23,877 0 0 6d. per lib. on Pensions ..1721........ 18,3'8 2 O2 Bs * )s ..ditto on Salaries ....1758........ 4,367. 7 32 “ ~ 4-whecled Carriages......1785........ 206 18 0 50 0 0 a b SUMMA UEDEss o's nie 'o' ppelele ols /ais'pinicie = = 150 0 O Waomonss <6 sons demas ca cine cleaie oe 49 0 - = SAUD pexWentey ese nee AV Olcls. cowie 2 93 - - Better MGneih Pot 0c o86 uaSWncd «cd 1,256,000 0 0 | 1,275,000 0 0 Hawkers and Pedlers ..........00-++- 14,353 13 4% 20,251 3 5 Séizures....c...ceescesgeseocerseeee| 14,773° 7 ‘31 96,044 6 103 Proffers S.. £4.54 -05% 4 Sy SB Eas 618. 6 11 593 1 7 Compositions..... SCs qe Yo Gpcaeeec 110 0 23 4 Finesand Forfeitures ........ aia oi ea 303 9 0 873 10 0 Rent of a Light House........ eer ee 613 4 613 4 Ditto. . .cAluin Mines 52... te 20 20 ne 864 0 0 864 0 0 Alienation Ditty... occ c ssc cs wes ves 4,443 18 8 4,040 2 0 Hotteny Tncences. 5:41. duisieistersis's'e-cie. be 3,946 8 6 3,696 O° 1 Quarantine Duty ...... we ddee St. .-.| (26,068 2 Gy] @ 13,6780 0-0 Canal and Dock Duty .............04- 44,142 ll 5 32,907 10 5$ Hair Powder Certificates ..1795........ . - 902 2 0 Horse Dealers Licences ..1796........ - 5 200 0 0 £20 per Cent........ cena ltOt & cee Sac 562 13 2 300 0 0 THONSES) |s sicheisieies «nse acl l VI Bewrcncee = - 200 0 0 OIKEN Tsocanos cer es cei Oe ee ce ees = - 200° 0 0 RD Ma's bei cleie we ew == of onteiners » ae Be - - 100 0°0 Additional Assessed Taxes :.1798...... 6,157 19 03 121,10 04 Houses and Windows ......... le ararayarnie 106 0 0 1,299 6 0 Inhabited Houses ..........-.-2-0-85 - - < 220 9 4 Horses for Riding ...............----- - - 741 2 0 Ditto....Hushandry? .. 0.0... eveee cee 7 - 1,235 14 0 Male Servants .......... sginibio antares - eS 2011 0 4-Wheel Carriages .....0.seeeeceeees - - 34.16 0 eat ato» oS DDIEED ao oie n'a v's alsin s aivinese ss - - 1,027 12 0 PRAM 01s 2.0 sewn eicisls Ae ee Daisey ae ease = - 1,012 6 0 Armorial Bearings ..........--ceeee- = - 501 11 6 Horses for Husbundry....1801 ..-..... = - 23 16 0° PR atiaiai EAU SD ~Jotsia1s «pie teldlwvoum chester - - 17 10 0 Houses and Windows..1802 .......... 203 18 10 2,628 2 5 Inhabited Houses ..........cecees cece 200 0 0 1,300 0 0 Horses for Riding... .......0-. <6 bane oe 87 0 0 576 8 4 STATE PAPERS. 40 Ditto, Ditto, 5th Jan. 1811. Sth Jan. 1812. £. s. d, Zz. Bo. ees Horses for Husbandry ........0eeeee0: - - 420 5 6 Male Servants ..,..cceccsseceecceres - - 21 6 1 4-Wheeled Carriages. .......+------- 228 1 1 92 16 0 Qicceeee-DiftO .cccccmenceccsescseos 27 0 0 500 0 0 Dogs ....... sleisie aiuinis elnie oieiainslatnia.sic n= - = 503 6 O Houses and Windows... 1804.......+-- 36,592 11 1 10,361 15 6 Inhabited Houses .............+-2+---- 31,386 8 7} 4,930 19 3 Horses for Riding..........----- ioe 41,510 5 7 4,803 14 9 Ditto and Mules.......-...» sinrwine'cinia es 44,035 2 5} 6,421 9 6} Male Servants..... AA? seo acess ce 24,878 16 82 2,009 10 7 SRArrI O86. oe son's 24 ciple ges 2 acisne 34,454 7 43 4,111 16 103 MEAS alsic's = pais len = = hap eee 24,636 2 5} 4,739 17 8 Hair Powder Certificates .........+-+4- 15,051 10 53 3,131 11 4 Horse Dealers Licences.......--- biesisiete 4,443 11 113 734 7 «0 Armorial Bearings .........----- eee 10,847 4 11 1,875 1 5 British Spirits. ........ 1806,....+--.-| 195,400 0 0} 505,015 0 0 Foreign Spirits.......esceeqseeeeeces 4 = 20,055 0 0 2b WO per Cent. FS. .... aces Sitar 49,186 19 23 8,870 0 5: Consolidated Assessed Taxes . 1808... 5,614,200 17 6 | 5,667,881 13 1¢ Land Taxes ....-.---...----1809.....| 1,091,917 9 13] 999,782 1 53 6d. per lib. on Pensions. ......--..+0++ 16,660 0 0 3,650 0 O 1s. ditto on Salaries ........ We vccccecs 16,720 0 O 6,550 0 0 6d. ditto on Pensions....1810...... eee 200 0 0 9,200 0 0 1s. ditto on Salaries. ......--+---.-- shis'° 2,400 0 0 12,800 0 0 6d. ditto on Pensions.......1811...... “ 4 1,100 0 0 1s. ditto on Salaries .....-6.eeeceeesee. - - 1,700 uv O Customs, Isle of Man ..........00---- = = 8,335 4 9F (ee and Malt ...-| 580,313 13 103] 230,927 11 0 Surplus Duties ' Additional Malts....| 737,703 15 9 834,072 0 0 annually grant- | Annual Malts...---| 494,129 0 0 553,923 0 0 ed, afterdischarg- } Tobacco ........--] 133,881 5 23] 119,878 0 0 ing three millions } Land Tax on Offices, Exchequer Bills KC..-seeeeee----| 148,111 13 13] 129,497 9 7} chargedthereon . #2: per £.on Pensions 5,330 0 0 1,422 1 9 is. ditto .... Salaries 6,890 0 0 1,285 6 8 36,852,453 8 113|35,404,781 19 6 Duties annual- ; ; (Sugar and Malt ....| 9,942,914 7 03] 2,134,981 18 1 ly granted to dis- ness 3 charge three mil- Additional Malts. eee "259, "477 4 3° 282,528 0 0 ; Moms 2Eixdidaier are Malts...... E: a. 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I can appeal to your own heart; to judge of the delightful emotion mine experiences in replacing in the hands of your Majesty an au- thority, the prolonged exercise of which has. constantly kept before me the danger which threatened your days. Notwithstanding the daily re- ports which I have submitted to your Majesty, both respecting the exterior and interior situation of the state, I, nevertheless, consider it my duty to profit by the pre- sent occasion, so important for me, upon all accounts, to present your Majesty with a rapid sketch of them. When your Majesty. decided upon embracing the continental policy, and declaring war against Great Britain, Sweden. had got clear of an unfortunate contest; . her wounds were still bleeding ; it was necessary for her to make new sderifices, at a moment even when she lost one of the principal branches of her-public revenues ; the whole: of that produced® by the customs being nearly: anvihi- lated. In defiance of the insulated situ- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ation of Sweden, she has perform- ed, for the interest of the common cause, all that could be expected from a people faithful to their en- gagements ; more than 2,000,000 of rix-dollars have been expended in recruiting the army, and plac- ing in astate of defence the coasts of our islands, our fortresses, and our fleets. I will not conceal from your Majesty, that our commerce has been reduced to a simple coasting trade from port to port, and has greatly suffered from this state of war. Privateers, under friendly flags, against which it would have been injurions to have adopted measures of safety and precaution; have taken advantage of ourcenfi- dence in treaties, to capture, one after auother, nearly fifty of our merchantmen; but at lasts. Sire, your flotilla reeeived orders to pro- tect the Swedish flag, and the just commerce of your subjects, against piracies which could neither be authorised nor avowed by any go- vernment. The Danish cruizers have given much cause for complaint on our part ; but the evil decreases daily, and every thing leads us to think the lawful commerce of Sweden will not be any longer disturbed by them, and that the relations of _good neighbourhood will be more and more strengthened. | The -cruizers under the French flag have given an unlimited ex- tension to. their letters of marque ; the injuries which they have done us have been the object of our complaints. The justice and loy- alty of his- Majesty the Emperor of the. French have guaranteed their redress. The protections given by =e y \ STATE PAPERS. ly governments have been respect- ed; and such of their ships as have touched upon our coasts, have been at liberty to continue their voyage, whatever might be their destination. About 50 American ships driven upon our coasts by successive tem- pests, have deen released. This act of justice, founded upon the rights of nations, has been appre- ciated by the United States: and appearances promise us, that bet- ter understood relations with their government will facilitate the ex- portation of the numerous piles of iron with which our public places are now filled, Political considerations join with the family connection which unites your Majesty, and the King of Prussia, to consolidate the relations of friendship that subsist between the two powers. _ The peace with Russia will not be troubled ;, the treaties by which it is cemented are executed on both sides with frankness and good faith. Our relations with the Austrian empire are upon a most amicable footing; the remembrance of glo- ry brings the two nations nearer to each other; and your Majesty will, neglect. nothing which can contribute to maintain the reci- procity of confidence and esteem it causes. » ; dave If Spain and Portugal should assume a tranquil posture, these countries will offer to Swedish commerce, advantages which would guarantee the perfection of the plans she has commenced for im- proving her iron mines. . Our intereourse with Southern America has entirely ceased ; civil war ravages these fine and unfor- 411 tunate countries. When they have-a regular administration, the produce of the kingdom will find an advantageous vent there. The maritime war has interrupt- ed our commercial relations with Turkey ; but nothing which inte- rests that ancient friend of Sweden can be indifferent to your Majesty. Such, Sire! are the exterior re-. lations of Sweden ;—justice and loyalty towards all nations have been the political guides of your Majesty. The army and the finances,— those two principal guarantees of a state,—have, above all, been the objects of my constant solicitude. A wise economy. has governed’ the expenditure of the funds des- tined for the armaments. which the state: of war rendered necessary. This. war. having great influence upon the exportation of Swedish productions, upon the general pro- ceedings of, trade, and the imagi- nations of merchants, had caused the. course of, exchange to rise to an, exorbitant height. . I particu- larly directed my attention to stop this scourge of states; which hav- ing once broken: its dykes, no bounds.can be placed: to its: ravages ;. hy repressing on the one side, stock jobbing; by carrying into: execution: the ancient laws against: the unlawful exportation of gold and silver; by imposing a duty of transit upon the convey ance of ingots from foreign coun- tries, passing through Sweden; by endeavouring: to. bring back the nation ' to the principlesiof econo- my whieh distmguished their an~ cestors. - On the other side, I have endeavoured to give activity to the interior industry and lawful com- merce of Sweden. I have 412 I have had the satisfaction of seeing my efforts crowned with success; and that the course of exchange upon Hamburgh, which in March last was at 136sk. on the 3d of the present January, was only 84 sk. I have taken measures to render more general the manufacture of linen, and the culture of hemp; to proceed actively in the discovery of new sources for obtaininy salt ; to continue the clearing of the ground in Delecarlia; to esta- blish a new communication with, and new markets in, Vermeland ; to form a company destined to carry on the herring-fishery in the open sea; to augment our commercial relations with Fin- land; to carry into execution the financial resolutions of the States of the kingdom; to give to the direction of magazines, to those of the customs, and to the island of St. Bartholomew, a fresh or- ganization. The harvest not having proved a good one, I have adopted means to prevent ascarcity, by causing corn to be imported from foreign countries ; but in order to prevent such importation influencing the exchange, salt must be exported for grain so received. This ex- change will be effected with so much the more faeility, as there yet exists a sufficient provision of salt in the country for two years’ consumption. I have with grief observed, that the immoderate use and manufac- ture of brandy, by which the ge- neral interests are sacrificed to in- dividual ones, corrupt the nation, and will sooner or later inevitably cause a scarcity. J have only em- ployed exhortations on this subject, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, which I have collected from the paternal sentiments of your Majes- ty; and I leave it to other times, and to the judgment of the States, to put an end to an evil which, every body acknowledges, conti- nues increasing. I have paid partucular attention to the State and organization of the hospitals, to the religious establish- ments, and to the means of pre- venting, or at least of relieving, the condition of mendicity. « The interior police and agricul- ture have not been lost sight of ; and a central Academy of agricul- ture will shortly be established, for the purpose of giving an im- pulse and an encouragement to the public economy, and to scientific knowledge, which will contribute to insure the prosperity of the State. The works of the canal of Goth- land, that grand monument of your Majesty’s reign, have been carried on with great activity, Those of the canal of Sodertelje, stopped by obstacles which the zealous efforts of the directors have not been able to surmount, have again recommenced with more rapid strides. I have carried into execution the solemn resolution of the states of the kingdom, sanctioned by your Majesty, regarding the na- tional armament; but, careful not to deprive agriculture of any more arms than are indispensably neces- sary for the defence of our coun- try, I have merely ordered a levy of 15,000 men, exclusive of the 90,000 which the States had placed at your Majesty’s disposal. The most direful errors were car- ried even into Schonen, where vio- lence and a public rebellion threat- ened STATE PAPERS. ened fora moment to oppose the execution of the measures ordained. Already did our enemies, or such as are envious of our repose, begin to rejoice at our intestine dissentions ; but these were soon suppressed by the united force of the army and the laws ; and were succeeded by the return of national sentiment and obedience to their duty. The vacancies in the new enrolment, and in the national armament, are almost entirely filled up; and every measure has been taken to render them useful in this em- ploy. The regular army has been recruited, as is also the whole of the reserve new clothed, and sup- plied with well conditioned arms, of which sufficient quantities are found in the magazines; and the founderies for arms have obtained a renewed activity, the making of gunpowder and saltpetre has been extended and improved, and the artillery put into a respectable condition, _ The pensions granted _ to officers and soldiers wounded during the war have been either confirmed or augmented. The accounts of the expenses of the late war have been accelerated ; and such measures as have been successively adopted, had no other object in view than to render the troops serviceable, and to supply them with the necessa- ries requisite. _ Your Majesty will deign to per- ceive by this statement that not- , withstanding all that the detractors of Sweden have insinuated on this head, as that it would take sixty years to organize an army of 60,000 men; yet the effect- ing of this will be apparent in the month of April next, both 413 to the friends and enemies of your Majesty. The intent of this augmentation of our military force is merely defensive. With- out any other ambition than that of preserving her liberty and laws, Sweden will have the means of de- fending herself, and she can do it. Bounded by the sea on one side, and on the other by inaccessible mountains, it is not solely on the courage of her inhabitants, nor in the remembrance of her former glory, that she has to seek for the security of her independence ; it is rather to be found in her local situation, in her mountains, her forests, in her lakes, and in her frosts. Let her therefore profit by these united advantages; and let her inhabitants be thoroughly per- suaded of this truth, that if iron, the produce of their mountains, cultivates their farms, by plough- ing up their fields, that it is likewise iron alone, and the firm determination of making use of it, that can defend them. I have been seconded in my ef- forts by the good spirit prevalent in the army, and by the zeal and abilities of the public function- aries. The Magistracy has maintained its ancient reputation ; it has pain- ful duties to fulfil, but this has procured it a fresh claim to the general esteem. The different departments of the Chancery of State have rivalled each other in giving the quickest dispatch, compatible with the for- malities required by our laws and customs, to all business which has come under their cognizance. The Secretary of State’s depart- ment for Church affairs, has, pa the 414 the 17th of March, expedited nearly 600 causes ; that of the in- terior 952; that of finance and ‘commerce 1653; and the war- department 2535; The causes in which final decision has not yet been given, and whieh are con- fined to a very moderate number in each department in comparison to the extent coming under their several denominations, are either of such nature as to require your Majesty’s decision, or to be again brought forward for final deter- mination. Should your Majesty deign to recognize in the sketch which I have laid before you, the desire which has actuated me to deserve the high confidence you have shown towards me, this would prove, next to the joy I feel on your Majesty’s re-establishment, the most pleasing recomperce for all my pains. May Heaven, in accordance with my prayers, lengthen your Majesty’s days ; and that Sweden, protected by your virtues, Sire, may find an impe- rishable guarantee for her future destiny, in the absolute devotion which my heart has vowed to your Majesty; in the respectful attachment of my son; in the sanctity of the laws of the state; in the uprightness of the public functionaries; and in the union, the courage, and the patriotism of all Swedes ! With the most sincere senti- ments of attachment, and with the most profound respect, I am, Sire, your majesty’s most humble and faithful subject, and good son, C. Joun. Palace at Stockholm, Jan. 7, 1812. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Appointment of the Hereditary Prince of Sicily to the Govern- ment as Vicar-general. The King our Lord, by a reso~ lution, dated this day, signed by his majesty and sealed with the | \ royal seal, has constituted his royal | highness Don Francis, hereditary Prince of the Two Sicilies, his most dear son, his Vicar-general in this kingdom of Sicily ; trans- ferring to him, with the most am- ple title of Alter Ego, the exercise of all rights, prerogatives, pre- eminencies, and powers, in the same manner as they could be ex- ercised by his Majesty in person. In the name of the king I com- municate to your excellency this sovereign determination; trans- mitting to you also a copy of the same, that you may forthwith communicate it to all the depart- ments depending on the office of Secretary of State, the Royal Household, the Treasury, and Commerce, which are committed to the charge of your Excellency. (Signed) Margulis De CiRcELLO. To the Marquis Tomasi. Palermo, Jan. 16, 1812. ROYAL LETTER. Ferdinand, by the grace of God, King of the Two Siciliés, Jeru- salem, &c. Infante of Spain, Duke of Parma, Placencia, Cas- tro, &c. Grand Hereditary Prince of Tuscany, &c, My most esteemed Son Francis, Hereditary Prince of the Two Sicilies :— Being obliged through bodily indis- STATE PAPERS. indisposition, and from the advice of the Physicians, to breathe the air of the country, and to withdraw myself from all serious application, I should esteem myself culpable before God, if I did not make such provision for the govern- ment of the kingdom, in these most difficult times, that affairs of the greatest importance should be promptly dispatched, and the public weal suffer no detriment through my infirmities. Wishing, therefore, to disburthen myself of the weight of government, as long as it shall not please God to restore me to a state of health suitable for conducting it, I can- not more properly intrust it to any other than to you, my beloved son, as well because you are my legitimate successor, as on ac- count of the experience which I have had of your high rectitude and capacity; and by these pre- sents, with my free will and con- sent, I constitute and appoint you my Vicar-general in this my kingdom of Sicily, in the same way as you have been already twice Vicar-geueral in my other kingdom of Naples; and I yield and transfer to you with the ample title of Alter Ego, the exercise of all the rights, prerogatives, pre- eminencies, and powers, which could be exercised by myself: and that this my determination may be known to all, and obeyed by all, I order that this my letter, signed by myself, and sealed with my royal geal, be preserved in the archives of the kingdom, and that you direct a copy of it to be sent to all Councillors and Secre- taries of State for their mforma- tions, and that they may com- 415 municate the same to all persons interested. —Given in Palermo, this 16th day of Jan. 1812, FERDINAND, THOMAS DE SOMMA.’ Address of the New Spanish Regency to the Nation. ‘* Spaniards,—The Regency, in taking upon themselves the go- vernment of the Spanish Mo- narchy intrusted to them by the Cortes in their decree of the 22nd instant, could do no less than fix their whole attention on the cri- tical circumstances in which the nation is placed, and on the im- mensity of their obligations, They do not however entertain for a single moment the horrible idea that the ferocious enemy who be- sets us will ultimately accomplish the subjugation of the heroic Spa- nish people who are now in the 5th year of their glorious resist- ance. You raised the cry of in- dependence and of vengeance even when deprived of your Princes,— . when your laws and institutions were trampled under foot,—when destitute of resources, and without either armies, generals, or a cen- tral and respectable government. Even then, you conquered: you have continued the contest, and you have gone on_ progressively ameliorating your institutions so as to assemble the Cortes, to establish a government on the most legiti- mate basis, and through the me- dium of your representatives, to form a constitution, which is to raise you to the prosperity and grandeur of which you are worthy, True it is, that the sacred fire of patriotism 416 patriotism burns throughout the whole extent of the Peninsula.— that the war becomes every day more obstinate,—your hatred to a foreign domination more inex- tinguishable,—the desire of ven- geauce stronger,—your love of liberty and of our legitimate king, Ferdinand the Seventh, more in- flamed: but it is also true, that now is the time to render such great sacrifices more useful, to ex- terminate with decision the abuses which are devouring us as the in- evitable consequences of our an- cient disorder, which could not be repaired amidst so many agitations, It is now time to apply with effect the great resources which we pos- sess to the desired object which occupies our minds. Such are the duties of your new govern- ment: it acknowledges them pub- licly, and it promises their fulfil- ment. O Spaniards! fulfil your duties with the greatest constancy, and the most indefatigable energy. There have reached the govern- ment, the cries of the armies which defend us, depicting their painful privations ; the groans of the in- habitants of districts ready to fall under the yoke of the barbarous invaders ; the complaints. of the provinces already occupied, always loyal, though oppressed and. laid waste. Behold the situation of your new government ; hear the demands which are made upon its attention, at the very moment of its commencing its painful func- tions; behold the extent of its wants! Te answer your own wishes and those of your repre- sentatives, it is necessary to over- come all the obstacles which have enfeebled the arrangements of au- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812.. thority, and to support the dignity of the government with a Ma- jesty corresponding to that of the people by whom it has been form~ — ed. The very nature of this war, in which the sacred interests of religion, of the nation, and of the king are defended, imperiously re- quire it. The impetuous and per- severing character of the enemy requires it also. The strength of our alliances must be founded on this; and the safety of the coun- try depends entirely and exclusive- ly on the strictest union between all, and on the strength of your government. The Regency, deeply persuaded of this incontrovertible truth, will act with firmness in the perform- ance of their delicate trust: they will watch, with the greatest ac- tivity, over the fate of the brave defenders of the country. They will give a fixed system to all the branches of the public administra- tion under their control—will re- ward those who deserve well of the country, will apply all their exer- tions to the expulsion of the enemy from our soil, and to maintain the empire of justice. But they will, at the same time, be inexorable towards those who are wanting in the performance of their duties, or who do not yield: obedience to their resolves. Authority: is null, if it be not respected. | Anarchy then diffuses its deadly poison, social order is subverted, and the State advances to the most fnght- ful dissolution. Cease, now and henceforward, all personal preten- sions; the ill understood feelings of interest dictated by provincial spirit; exemptions unjustly de- manded at this period of desolation: writings ' STATE PAPERS. writings which, while they ought to create the most ardent patri- otism, to-unite and enlighten the nation, appeared inspired by the enemy for the purpose of dividing it! Cease, and let the nation ap- pear with all the power which it possesses, and whichit has display- ed vigorously at different periods of its grand insurrection! The dan- ger is great; the government nei- ther wishes, nor ought to conceal it: let the sacrifices also be great. The Regeucy will spare no exer- tions to fulfil its duties: and even though it should see itself on the brink of a precipice, it will there exercise its last act of vigour in burying itself under the ruins of the country; thus corresponding to the resolutions which you all! have formed, and to the confidence re- posed in it by the National Con- gress. But, that fatal moment, Spaniards! shall not arrive. We have all sworn to be free. To at- tain that object, let us devote the remains of our ancient opulence, exhaust our resources, and prodi- gally shed our blood. Of what im- portance are all those, when we wish to maintain the glory of our contest, our precious liberty, and the respect due to the Spanish name? Who withan avaricioushand would conceal those barren trea- sures which the country demands, and which the enemy contem- plates with a greedy and rapacious eye? Who would utter the voice of dismay for the purpose of com- ‘ing to terms with the tyrant? Who will oppose himself to the legiti- mate authority) which has ema- nated from the Cortes, and dare to disobey it, in the hope of an impu- nity created by the discredit of Government, and a want of con- Vot. LIV. 417 fidence on the part of the People ? Omissions and want of obedience can no longer be overlooked. The Spaniards desire that the Go- vernment should be consolidated ; and that order should be establish- ed; which can alone be the fruit of a constitutional system, dictated by the representatives of the na- tion: they wish that there should be au equality of sacrifices among those who enjoy the rights of citi- zens: they wish that the Govern- ment, impressed with a sense of its unbounded obligations, shall employ all its zeal in annihilating the enemy’s legions, and in con- firming the constitution of the Movarchy. As long as the Re- gency exercises the authority en- trusted to it, it will constantly en- deavour to satisfy this anxious de- sire of the public mind, founded upon principles of equity and jus- tice, Spaniards! Our danger is im- minent. Our fate must either be that of the most ignominious sla- very, or the possession of glory and independence. The Govern- ment has been formed to ad- vance the latter, and to open to you the path of greatness. Respect it; confide in your representatives and in it: all of them act towards the same object ; all co-operate to attain the ultimate triumph which Providence has destined for us. You, on your part, will go on pro- secuting, eternal war against the tyrant; you will die sooner than submit to wear the chains.of servi- tude; you will effectually oppose those domestic enemies who en- deavour ‘to, produce disunion, or destroy; the generous institutions which you have decreed. Thus, doubtless, will you act, and you Z2E shall 418 shall be free: your Government assures you of it. You shall be free! (Signed) Joaquin Mosquera y¥ Figueroa, President. Cadiz, Jan. 23, 1812. Treaty of Alliance concluded the 24th February, between his Ma- jesty the King of Prussia and his Majesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, &c. and ratified at Berlin the Sth of March, 1812. His Majesty the King of Prus- sia, and his Majesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Pro- tector of the Confederation of the Rhine, Mediator of the Swiss Con- federation, &c. wishing to bind more closely the ties which unite them, have named for their pleni- potentiaries, namely, his Majesty the King of Prussia, M. Frederick William Louis Baron de Kruse- mark, Major-Gen. his Envoy Extra- ordinary and Minister Plenipoten- tiary to his Majesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Chevalier of the Great Order of the Eagle and that of Merit; his Majesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, &c. M. Hugues Bernard Count Maret, the Duke of Bassano, Grand Eagle of Legion of Honour, Commander of the Order of the Iron Crown, Grand Cross of the Order of St. Etienne, of Hungary, St. Hubert of Bavaria, and of the Crown of Saxony, Chevalier of the Order of the Persian Sun of the 1st Order, Grand Cross of the Order of Fi- delity of Baden, one of the Forty of the 2d Class of the Imperial ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. French Institute, his Minister for Foreign affairs, who, after 26 Pn communicated their respective ful powers, agreed upon the following articles : Art. 1. There shall be a defen- sive alliance between his Majesty the King of Prussia, and his Ma- jesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, their heirs and suc- cessors, against all the powers of Europe, with which either of the contracting parties has or shall en- ter into war. Art. 2. The two high contract- ing powers reciprocally guarantee to each other the integrity of their present territory. Art. 3. In case of the present alliance being brought to effect, and every time when such case shall happen, the contracting pow- ers will fix upon the measures needful to be taken, by a purticu- lar convention, ; Art. 4, Every time that Eng- land shall make any attempts upon the rights of commerce, either by declaring ina state of blockade the coasts of one or other of the con- tracting parties, or any other dispo- sition contrary tothemaritime rights consecrated by thetreaty of Utrecht, - all the ports and coasts of the said powers shall be equally interdicted to the ships of neutral nations, who suffer the independence of their flag to be violated. Art. 5. The present treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications exchanged at Berlin, within the space of ten days, or sooner if — possible. y tim Done and signed at Paris, the 24th of February, 1812. (Signed) The Duke of Bassano. The Baron KRUSEMARK. Treaty STATE PAPERS: Treaty of Alliance of the t4th of March, between their Majesties the Emperor and King, and the Emperor of Austria. His Majesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, &e. &e. and his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, &c. having at heart the perpetuating the amity and good intelligence which exist between them, and to concur by the friend- ship and force of their union in maintaining the peace of the Con- tinent, and the re-establishment of internal peace : Considering that nothing would be more calculated to produce those happy results than the con- clusion of a treaty of alliance, which should have for its object the security of their estates and ‘possessions, and the guarantee of the principal interests of their re- spective policies, have. named for their Plenipotentiaries,— His Majesty the Emperor of the French, &c. M. Hugues Bernard, Count Maret, Duke de Bassano, &e. And his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, &c. the Prince Charles of Schwartzenberg, Duke de Kru- seman, &c. who, after having ex- changed their respective full pow- ers, have agreed upon the follow- ing articles :-— _ Art. 1. There shall be perpetual amity, and sincere Union and Alli- ance, between his Majesty the Em- peror of the French, &c. and his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, &e. Inconsequence the high con- tracting parties will take the great- est care to maintain the good in- telligence so happily established between them, their respective 419 states and subjects, to avoid all that could injure it, and to further on every occasion their mutual utility, honour and advantage. Art. 2. The two high contract- ing parties reciprocally guarantee the integrity of their present ter- ritories, Art. 3. As the result of this re- ciprocal guarantee, the two high contracting parties will always la- bour to concert upon the mea- sures that shall appear the most proper for the maintenance of peace; and in case the states of one or other shall be threatened with invasion, they will employ their most efficacious offices to prevent it. But as these good offices may not have the desired effect, they oblige themselves to mutual assist- ance in case of one or other shall be attacked or menaced. Art. 4. The succour stipulated by the preceding article shall be composed of 30,000 men (24,000 infantry, and 6,000 cavalry), con- stantly kept up to the war estab- lishment, and of a park of 60 pieces of cannon. Art. 5, This succour shall be furnished at the first requisition of the party attacked or menaced. It shall march in the shortest de- lay, and at the latest before the end of two months after the de- mand shall have been made, Art. 6. The two high contract- ing parties guarantee the integrity of the territory of the Ottoman Porte in Europe. Art. 7. They equally recognise and guarantee the principles of the Navigation of Neutrals, such as they have been recognised and consecrated by the Treaty of Utrecht. 2E2 His 420 His Majesty the Emperor of Austria renews, as far as is need- ful, the engagement to adhere to the prohibitive system against England, during the present mari- time war. Art. 8, The present Treaty of Alliance shall not be rendered pub- lic, nor communicated to any Ca- binet, but in concert between the two High Parties. _ It shall be ratified, and the rati- fications exchanged at Vienna in a fortnight, or sooner if possible. (Signed) H. B. Duke of Bassano. Prince Cuas. of Schwartzenburg. Done and Signed at Paris, March 14, 1812, Correspondence between the French and English Ministers on a Pro- posal for Peace. Copy of a Letter addressed by the French Minister of Foreign Af- fairs, to Lord Castlereagh, Se- cretary of State for Foreign Af- fairs to his Britannic Majesty. ** Paris, April 17, 1812. « Sir,—His Majesty, constant- ly actuated by sentiments friendly to moderation and peace, is pleased again to make a solemn and sin- cere attempt to put an end to the miseries of war. ‘*The awful circumstances in which the world is at present placed, have induced a resolution in the breast of his Majesty, the result of which has been, to au- thorise me to explain to you, Sir, his views and intentions. ‘Many changes have taken place in Europe for the last ten ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. years, which have been the neces-~ sary consequence of the war be- tween France and England, and many more changes will be ef- fected by the same cause. The particular character which the war has assumed, may add to the ex- tent and duration of these results. Exelusive and arbitrary principles cannot be combated but by an op- position without measure or end ; and the system of preservation and resistance should have the same character of universality, perse- verance, and vigour. “The Peace of Amiens, if it had been observed, would have prevented much confusion. ‘IT heartily wish that the expe- rience of the past may not be lost for the future. ‘*His Majesty has often stop- ped when the most certain tri- umphs lay before him, and turned round to invoke peace. ‘*In 1805, secure as he was by the advantage of his situation, and in spite of the confidence which he might reasonably feel in antici- pations which fortune was about to realize, he made proposals to his Britannic Majesty, which were rejected, on the ground that Russia should be consulted. In 1808, new proposals were made, in con- cert with Russia. England alleg- ed the necessity of an intervention, which could be no more than the result of the negociation itself. In 1810, his Majesty, Loi: clearly discerned that the British Orders in Council of 1807, rendered the conduct of the war incompatible with the independence of Holland, caused indirect overtures to be made towards procuring the return of peace. They were fruitless; and the consequence was, that new provinces STATE PAPERS. provinces were united to the Em- pire. ‘In the present time are to be found united all the circumstances of the various periods at which his Majesty manifested the pacific sen- timents which he now orders me again to declare that he is actuated Ve - © The calamities under which Spain, and the vast regions of Spanish America suffer, should naturally excite the interest of all nations, and inspire them with an equal anxiety for their termina- tion. _ * Twill expres myself, Sir, in a manner which your Excellency will find conformable to the sin- cerity of the step which I am au- thorised to take ; and nothing will better evince the sincerity and sublimity of it than the precise terms of the language which I have been directed to use. What views and motives should induce me to envelope myself in formali- ties suitable to weakness, which alone can find its interest in de- ceit ? The affairs of the Peninsula, and the Two Sicilies, are the points of difference which appear Jeast to admit of being adjusted. I am authorised to propose to you an arrangement of them, on the fol- lowing basis :— “The integrity of Spain shall be guaranteed. France shall re- nounce all idea of extending her dominions beyond the Pyrennees. The present dynasty shall be de- clared independent, and Spain shall be governed by a National Consti- tution of her Cortes. “‘ The independence and inte- grity of Portugal shall be also guaranteed, and the House of 421 Braganza shall have the Sovereign authority. “The kingdom of Naples shall remain in possession of the present monarch, and the kingdom of Si- cily shall be guaranteed to the present family of Sicily. «* As aconsequence of these sti- pulations, Spain, Portugal, and Sicily, shall be evacuated by the French and English land and naval forces. «¢ With respect to the other ob- jects of discussion, they may be negociated upon this basis, that each power shall retain that of which the other could not deprive it by war. «© Such are, Sir, the grounds of conciliation offered by his Majesty to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. «« His Majesty the Emperor and King, in taking this step, does not look either to the advantages or losses which the Empire may derive from thé war, if it should be prolonged; he is influenced simply by the considerations of the interests of humanity, and the peace of his people; and if this fourth attempt should not be at- tended with success, like those which have preceded it, France will at least have the consolation of thinking, that whatever blood may yet flow, will be justly im- putable to England alone. «‘[ have the honour, &c. (Signed) «« The Duke of Bassano.” ————$——_——qeum._ No. IX. Copy of the Answer of Lord Castle- reagh, Secretary of State for Fo- reign Affairs of His Britannic Majesty, 422 Majesty, to the Letter of the Minister for Foreign Relations, of the \7th of April, 1812. London, Office for Foreign Affairs, April 23, 1812. “‘Sir,—Your Excellency’s let- ter of the 17th of this month has been received, and laid before the Prince Regent. «‘His Royal Highness felt that he owed it to his honour, before he should authorize me to enter into any explanation upon the overture which your Excellency has transmitted, to ascertain the precise meaning attached by the Government of France to. the fol- lowing, passage of your Excellen- cy’s letter; ‘the actual Dynasty shall be declared independent, and Spain governed by the national Constitution of the Cortes.’ « Tf, as his Royal Highness fears, the meaning of this propo- sition is, that the Royal authority of Spain, and the government es- tablished by the Cortes, shall be recognised as residing in the bro- ther of the head of the French go- vernment, and the Cortes formed under his authority, and not in the legitimate sovereign, Ferdi- nand the Seventh, and his heirs, and the Extraordinary Assembly of the Cortes, now invested with the power of the government. in that kingdom, m his name, and by his authority ; 1 am commanded frankly and explicitly to declare to your Excellency, that the obliga- tions of good faith do not permit his Royal Highness to receive a proposition for peace founded on such a basis. ' «* But if the expressions cited above apply to the actual govern- ment of Spain, which exercises ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the Sovereign authority in the name of Ferdinand the VIlIth, upon an assurance of your Excel- lency to that effect, the Prince Regent will feel himself disposed to enter into a full explanation upon the basis which has been transmitted, in order to be taken into consideration by his Royal Highness ; it being his most ear- nest wish to contribute, in concert with his allies, to the repose of Europe; and to bring about a peace, which may be at once ho- uourable, not only for Great Bri- tain and France, but also for those States which are in relations of amity with each of these Powers. : « Having made known without reserve the sentiments of the Prince Regent, with respect to a'point on which it is necessary’ to have a full understanding, previous to any ulterior discussion, I shall adhere to the instructions of his» Royal Highness, by avoiding all super- fluous comment and recrimination on the accessary objects of your letter. I might advantageously, for the justification of the conduct observed by Great Britain at the different periods alluded to by your Excellency, refer to the corres- pondence which then took place, and to the judgment which the world has long since formed of it. «: As to the particular character the war has unhappily assumed, and the arbitrary principles which your Excellency conceives to have markedits progress, denying, ‘asl do, that these evils are attributa- ble to the British government, I at the same time can assure your Ex- cellency, that jt sincerely deplores their existence, as uselessly ag~- gravating the calamities of war: and that its most anxious desire, whether STATE PAPERS. whether at peace or at war with France, is, to have the relations of the two countries restored to the liberal principles usually acted upon in former times. «I take this opportunity of as- suring your Excellency of my respect. Signed) ‘* CasTLEREAGH.”’ DBD FRENCH DECREE. “* Palace of St. Cloud, April 28, 1810. ** Napoleon, Emperor of the | French, King of Italy, Protec- tor of the Confederation of the Rhine, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation. *- On the report of our minister for foreign affairs, <¢ In consequence of the act of the 2nd of March 1811, by which the Congress of the United States haye enacted exemptions from the provisions of the Non-Intercourse Act, which prohibit the entrance into the American ports to the ships and goods of Great Britain, or its colonies and dependencies ; “* Considering that the said law isan act of resistance to the arbi- trary pretensions consecrated by the British orders in council, and a formal refusal to adhere to a system derogatory to the inde- pendence of neutral powers, and of their flag, | *€ We have decreed, and decree as follows :— » “ The decrees of Berlin and Milan are definitively, and from the date of the lst of November last, considered as never having taken place (non avenues ) with re- gard to American vessels. (Signed) ‘“ NAPOLEON. 425 «* By order of the Emperor, the minister and secretary for foreign affairs. (Signed) ‘* The Count Darv, “‘ The minister for foreign affairs. (True Copy). (Signed) The Duke De Bassano.” Spain.—The Regency of the King- dom have caused to be published the following Decree :— ‘Don Ferdinand VII. by the grace of God, and the Constitu- tion of the Spanish monarchy, King of the Spains, and in his ab- sence and captivity, the Regency of the kingdom, appointed by the general and extraordinary Cortes, to all to whom these presents come make known, that the Cortes have decreed as follows :— «« The general and extraordinary Cortes, adverting to its being pro- vided in the Constitution of the monarchy that the ordinary Cortes shall be assembled every year ; and considering that the public good, which dictated this constitutional regulation, never more strongly recommended its observance than new, when the pressing affairs of the state, and the necessity of put- ting in motion the said Constitu- tion so imperiously require it, have resolved to decree, and do decree: 1. That the ordinary Cortes be convoked for the ensuing year, 1813. . 2. That it being absolutely im- possible, considering the shortness of the time, and the distance of places, for the ordinary Cortes to meet at the precise time pointed - out 4.24 out in the Constitution, it not being possible that the deputies from the more distant parts of the kingdom can be assembled by the Ist of March, of the said year, the first ordinary Cortes will therefore open their session on the Ist of October, 1813. And for this pur- pose shall be held electoral assem- blies of parishes, districts, and pro- vinces, in conformity to the in- structions for the ,Peninsula: and ultra marine possessions. which ac- company this decree. 3. That with a view of facili- tating the ‘elections at a period when the extraordinary circum- stances in which the whole king- dom is placed, oppose obstacles of so many kinds to the necessary verification of the elections, and to the first assembling of the ordi- nary Cortes which is to result from them : the regulations contained in the instructions for each of the two hemispheres, which accompany this decree, shall. be observed and followed in the provinces of the Peninsula and adjacent isles, and in those beyond the sea, respec- tively. 4. That all the ultra marine deputies repair to this city of Cadiz, where the place in which they are to open their sittings shall be com- municated to them by the perma- nent deputation of the Cortes; for this purpose they ought to be assembled in this city at the com- mencement of the month of Sep- tember, 1813. 5. The deputies to the present general and extraordinary Cortes cannot be re-elected for the ensuing ordinary Cortes. '» The Regency shall take the pro- per measures for executing this ANNUAL’ REGISTER, 1819. decree, causing it to be printed, published, and circulated. Jose. Marta GuTIERREZ DE TeRAN, President. JosE DE ZORRAQUIN, Joaquin Diaz CanerJa, Secretaries. Given at Cadiz the 23rd of May, 1812, a To the Regency of the kingdom. We therefore order all tribunals, justices, chiefs, governors, and other \ authorities, civil, mnlita- ry, and ecclesiastical, to observe, and cause to be observed, fulfil and execute the present decree in all its parts ; and that the same be printed, published, and made known in order to.its fulfilment. JOAQUIN DE Mosqueray Figueroa, President. JUAN, VILLAVICENCIO, Ia@nacto RopriguEs DE Rivas, The Conde pEL ABIZBAL. Cadiz, May 24, 1812. America.— Message fromthe Pre- sident of the United States to the Senate und House of Represen- tutives of the United States. I communicate to Congress cer- tain documents, being.a continua~- tion of those heretofore laid before them, on the subject of our affairs with Great Britain, Without going beyond the re- newal, in: 1803,, of the. war in which Great Britain -is engaged, and omitting unrepaired wrongs of inferior magnitude, the conduct of her government presents a series of acts hostile to the United States as an independent and neutral nation. British STATE PAPERS. ' British cruizers have been in the continued practice of violating the American flag on the great high- way of nations, and of seizing and carrying off persons sailing under it, not:in the exercise of a belli- gerent right, founded on the law of nations against an enemy, but of a iunicipal prerogative over British subjects. British) jurisdiction is thus extended to neutral vessels in a situation where no. laws. can operate but the law of natious and the laws of the country to which the vessels belong; and a self- redress. is assumed, which, if British subjects were wrongfully detained and alone concerned, is that substitution of force for a resort to the responsible sovereign, which falls within the definition of war. Could the seizure of British subjects, in such cases, be regarded as within the exercise of a bellige- rent right, the acknowledged laws of war, which forbid an article of ' captured property to be adjudged without a regular investigation be- fore a competent tribunal, would imperiously demand the fairest trial, where the sacred rights of persons were at issue. In place of such trial, these rights are sub- jected to the will of every petty commander. _ The practice, hence, is so far from affecting British subjects alone, that under the pretext of searching for these, thousands of American citi- zens, under the safe-guard of pub- lic laws, and of their national flag, have been torn from their country, and from every thing dear to them, —have been dragged on board _ ships of war of a foreign nation, and exposed, under the severities of their discipline, to be exiled to the most distant and deadly 4.25 climes, to risk their lives in the battles of their oppressors, and to be the melancholy instruments of taking away those of their own brethren. Against this crying enormity, which Great Britain would be so prompt to avenge if committed against herself, the United States have in vain exhausted remon- strances and expostulations: and that no proof might be wanting of their conciliatory dispositions, and no pretext left for continuance of the practice, the British govern- ment was formally assured of the readiness of the United States to enter into arrangements, such as could not be rejected, if the reco- very of the British subjects were the real and sole object. The communication passed without effect. British cruisers have been in the practice also of violating the rights and peace of our coasts. They hover over and harass our entering and departing commerce. To the most. insulting pretensions they have added lawless. proceedings im our very harbours, and have wantonly, spilt American . blood within the sanctuary, of our terri- torial jurisdiction. The principles and rules enforced by that. nation, when a. neutral nation, against armed vessels of belligerents ho- vering near her coasts, and dis- turbing her commerce, are well known. When called on, never- theless, by the United States, to punish the greater offences com- mitted by her own. vessels, her government has bestowed on their commanders additional marks of honour and confidence. Under. pretended blockades, without the presenceof anadequate force, 426 force, and sometimes without the practicability of applying one, our commerce has been plundered in every sea; the great staples of our country have been cut off from their legitimate markets; and a destructive blow aimed at our agricultural and maritime interests, In aggravation to these predatory measures, they have been consi- dered as in force from the dates of their notification; a retrospective effect being thus added, as has been done in other important cases, to the unlawfulness of the course pursued : and to render the out- rage more signal, these mock blockades have been reiterated and enforced in the face of official communications from the British government, declaring, as the true definition of a legal blockade, ‘‘that particular ports must be actually invested, and previous warning given to vessels bound to them not to enter.”’ Not content with these occa= sional expedients for laying waste our neutral trade, ‘the cabinet of Great Britain resorted, at length, to the sweeping system of block- ades, under the names of orders in council, which has been mould- ed and managed as might best suit its political views, its commercial jealousies, or the avidity of British cruisers. To our remonstrances against the complicated and transcendant in- justice of this innovation, the first reply was, that the orders were re- luctantly adopted by Great Britain as a necessary retaliation on de- crees of her enemy proclaiming a general blockade of the British isles, at a-time when the naval force of the enemy dared not to issue from his own ports. She ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. was reminded without effect, that her own prior blockades, unsup= ported by an adequate naval force actually applied and continued, were a bar to this plea; that exe- cuted edicts against millions of our property could not be retalia- tion on edicts confessedly impossi- ble to be executed ; that retaliation, to be just, should fall on the party setting the guilty example, not on an innocent party, which was not even chargeable with an acquies- cence in it, & When deprived of this flimsy veil for a prohibition of our trade with great Britain, her cabinet, instead of a corresponding repeal, or a practical discontinuance of its orders, formally avowed a deter+-— mination to persist in them against the United States, until the mar- kets of her enemy should be laid open to British products; thus asserting an obligation on a neutral power to require one belligerent to encourage, by its internal regu- lations, the trade of another belli- gerent ; contradicting her own practice towards all nations in peace as well as in war; and be- traying the insincerity of those professions which inculeated a be- lief, that, having resorted to her orders with reget, she .was anxious to find an occasion for putting an endtothem. | fiitis Abandoning still more all respect for the neutral rights of the United States, and for its own consistency, the British government uow de- mands as pre-requisites to a repeal of its orders, as they relate to the United States, that a formality should be observed in the repeal of the French decrees nowise neces- sary to their termination, nor ex- emplified by British usage; ar that a ei | “a1 a eneet STATE that the French repeal, besides including that portion of the de- crees which operates within a ter- ritorial jurisdiction, as well as that which operates on the high seas against the commerce of the United States, should not be a single spe- cial repeal in relation to the United States, but should be extended to whatever other neutral nations un- connected with them may be af- fected by those decrees, And asan additional insult, they are called on for a formal disavowal of conditions and pretensions ad- vanced by the French government, for which the United States are so far from having been themselves responsible, that, in official expla- nations which have been published to the world, and in ‘a correspond= ence of the American minister at London with the British minister for foreign affairs, such a respon- sibility was explicitly and empha- tically disclaimed. It has become, indeed, suffi- ciently certain that the commerce of the United States is to be sacri- ficed, not as interfering with the belligerent rights of Great Britain —not as supplying the wants of their enemies, which she herself supplies—but as interfering with the monopoly which she covets for her own commerce and navigation. She catries on a war against the lawful commerce of a friend, that she may the better carry on a commerce with an enemy,—a commerce polluted by the forgeries and perjuries which are for the most part the only passports by which it can succeed. ‘Anxious to make every experi- ment short of the last resort of in- jured nations, the United States oe withheld from Great Britain, PAPERS. under successive modifications, the benefits of a free intercourse with their market, the loss of which could not but outweigh the profits accruing from her restrictions of our commerce with other nations, And to entitle those experiments to the more favourable considera- tion, they were so framed as to enable her to place her adversary under the exclusive operation of them. To these appeals her go- vernment has been equally inflexi~ ble, as if willing to make sacrifices of every sort, rather than yield to the claims of justice, or renounce the errors of a false pride. Nay, so far were the attempts carried to overcome the attachment of the British cabmet to its unjust edicts, that it received every encourage- ment, within the competency of the executive branch of our go- vernment, to expect that a repeal of them would be followed by a war between the United States and France, unless the French edicts should also be repealed. Even this communication, although silencing for ever the plea of a disposition in the United States to acquiesce in those edicts, originally the sole plea for them, received no atten- tion. If no other proof existed of a predetermination of the British segetement against a repeal of its orders, it might be found in the correspondence of » the minister plenipotentiary of the United States at London, and the Britishsecretary for foreign affairs in'1810, on the question whether the blockade of May, 1806, was considered in force or as not in force. It had been ascertained that the French go- vernment, which urged this block- ade as the ground of its decree, was 427 428 was willing, in the event of its re- moval, to repeal that decree; which being followed by alternate repeals of the other offensive edicts, might abolish the whole system on both sides. This inviting oppor- tunity for accomplishing an object so important to the United States, and. professed so often to be the desire of both the belligerents, was made known to the British go- vernment. As that government admits that an actual application of an adequate force is necessary to the existence of a legal hlockade, and it was notorious that if such a force had ever been applied, its long discontinuance had annulled the blockade in question, there could be no sufficient objection on the part of Great Britain to a formal revocation of it; and no imaginable objection to a declaration of the fact that the blockade did not exist. ‘Lbe declaration would have been consistent with her avowed prin- ciples of blockade, and would have enabled the United States to de- mand from France the pledged repeal of her decrees; either with success—in which case the way would, have been opened for a general repeal of the belligerent edicts,—or without success, in which case the United States would have been justified in turning their measures exclusively against France. The British government would, . however, neither rescind the blockade, nor declare its non- existence, nor permit its non-ex- istence to be inferred and affirmed by the American plenipotentiary. On the contrary, by representing the blockade to be comprehended in the orders in council, the United States were compelled so to regard it in their subsequent proceedings. ANNUAL REGISTER, There was a period, when ‘ia 1812. favourable change in the policy of the British cabinet was justly con- sidered as established. The mi- nister plenipotentiary of his Bri- tannic Majesty here, proposed an adjustment of the differences more immediately endangering the har- mony of the two countries. The proposition was accepted with a promptitude and cordiality, corres- ponding with the imvariable pro- fessions of this government. | A foundation appeared to be laid for a sincere and lasting reconciliation. The prospect, however, quickly vanished. The whole proceeding was disavowed by the. British go- vernment, without any explana- tion which could at that time re- press the belief, that the disavowal proceeded from a spirit of hostility to the commercial rights and pros- perity of the United States; and it has since come into proof, that, at the very moment when the pub- lic minister was holding the lan- guage of friendship, and inspired contidence in the sincerity of the negociation with which — he |‘ was charged, a secret agent of his go- vernment was employed in in- trigues, having for their object a subversion of our government, and a dismemberment of our happy union, | pit In reviewing the conduct: of Great Britain towards the United States, our attention is necessarily drawn to the warfare just renewed by the savages on one of our ex- tensive frontiers; a warfare which is known to spare neither age nor sex, and to be distinguished by features particularly shocking to humanity. It is difficult to account for the activity and combinations which have for some time been developing toe ee ee eee eee STATE PAPERS. developing themselves among the tribes in constant intercourse with British traders and garrisons, with- out connecting their hostility with that influence ; and without recol- lecting the authenticated examples of such interpositions heretofore furnished by the officers and agents of that government. Such is the spectacle of injuries and indignities which have been heaped on our country; and such the crisis which its unexampled forbearance and conciliatory efforts have not been able to avert. It might at least have been expected, that an enlightened nation, if less urged by moral obligations, or in- vited by friendly dispositions on the part of the United States, would have found in its true in- terests alone a sufficient motive to respect their rights and their tran- quillity on the high seas: that an enlarged policy would have favour- ed the free and general circulation of commerce, in which the British nation is at all times interested, and which in time of war is the best alleviation of its calamities to her- self, as well as the other bellige- rents; and more especially that the British cabinet would not, for the sake of a precarious and sur- reptitious intercourse with hostile markets, have persevered in a course of measures which necessa- rily put at hazard the invaluable market of a great and growing country, disposed to cultivate the mutual advantages of an active commerce. Other councils have prevailed. Our moderation and conciliation have had no other effect than to encourage perseverance, and to enlarge pretensions, We behold our seafaring citizens still the daily 429 victims of lawless violence com- mitted on the great and common highway of nations, even within the sight of the country which owes them protection. We be- hold our vessels freighted with the products of our soil and industry, or returning with the honest pro- ceeds of them, wrested from their lawful destinations, confiscated by prize courts, no longer the organs of public law, but the instruments of arbitrary edicts, and their un- fortunate crews dispersed or lost, or forced or inveigled in British ports into British fleets; whilst arguments are employed in support of these aggressions, which have no foundation but in a principle equally supporting aclaim to regu- late our external commerce in all cases whatsoever. We behold, in fine, on the side of Great Britain, a state of war against the United States; and, on the side of the United States, a state of peace towards Great Britain. Whether the United States shall continue passive under these pro- gressive usurpations, and these accumulating wrongs, or, oppos- ing force to force in defence of their natural rights, shall commit a just cause into the hands of the Al- mighty Disposer of events, avoid- ing all connections which might entangle it in the contests or views of other powers, and preserving a constant readiness to concur in an honourable re-establishment — of peace and friendship, is a solemn question, which the constitution wisely confides to the legislative department of the government. In recommending it to their early deliberations, I aim happy in the assurance, that the decision will be 430 be worthy the enlightened and patriotic councils of a virtuous, a free and a powerful nation. Having presented this view of the relations of the United States with Great Britain, and of the solemn alternative growing out of them, I proceed to remark, that the communications last made to Congress on the subject of our re- lations with France, will have shewn, that since the revocation of her decrees, as they violated the neutral rights of the United States, her government. has authorised illegal captures by its privateers and public ships; and that other outrages have been practised on our vessels and our citizens. It will have been seen, also, that no indemnity had been provided, or satisfactorily pledged, for the ex- tensive spoliations committed un- der the violent and retrospective order of the French government against the property of our citizens seized within the jurisdiction of France. I abstain at this time from re- commending to the consideration of Congress definitive measures wiih respect to that nation, in the expectation, that the result of the inclosed discussions between our minister plenipotentiary at. Paris, and the French government, will speedily enable Congress to decide with greater advantage, on the course due to the rights, the in- terests, the honour of our country. James MApIson. Washington, Juue 1, 1812. An Act, declaring War between the United Kingdom of Great Bri- tain and Ireland, and the Depen- dencies thereof, and the United ANNUAL REGISTER, States of America, and their — 1812. Territories. ‘* Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of — the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that war be, and the same is hereby declared to exist between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and — the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their — territories ; and that the President of the United States be, and is hereby authorised, to use the whole land and naval forces of the United States, to carry the same into — effect ; and to issue to privatearmed vessels of the United States, com- missions or letters of marque and ~ general reprisal, m such form as — he shall think proper, and under the seal of the United States, against the vessels, goods, and — effects of the government of the said United Kingdom of | Great Britain and Ireland, and the sub- jects thereof. s¢ James Mapison.’’ «* June 18, 1812.—Approved.” Treaty of Friendship and Alliance | between Spain and Russia. His Catholic Majesty Don Fer- : dinand VII. King of Spain andthe Indies, and his Imperial Majesty | the Emperor of all: the Russias, equally animated with the desire — of establishing and strengthening — the ancient relations of friendship which have existed between their Monarchies, have nominated: for 4 that purpose, to wit, on the part’ of his Catholic Majesty, and ‘in his name and authority the Regency of Spain, residing in Cadiz, Don Fran- cisco STATE PAPERS. cisco de Zea Bermudez, and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, Count Nicholas de Ro- manzoff; who having exchanged their full powers, ascertained to be in good and due form, have agreed as follows : . Art. 1. There shall be between his Majesty the King of Spain and the Indies, and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, their heirs and successors, and between their Monarchies, not only friend- ship, but also sincere union and alliance. _ Art. 2. The two high contract- ing parties, in consequence of this Resolution, will come to an under- standing without delay on the sti- pulations of this alliance, and agree on every thing which may have connection with their respective interests, and with the firm inten- tion to prosecute a vigorous war against the Emperor of the French, their common enemy ; and engage, from this time, to concur sincerely in every thing which may be ad- vantageous to the one or the other party. Art. 3. His Majesty the Empe- ror of all the Russias acknowledges for legitimate the General and Ex- traordinary Cortes assembled in Cadiz, as also the Constitution which they have decreed and sanc- tioned. , , Art. 4. Thecommercial relations shall be re-established from this time, and reciprocally favoured. The two high contracting parties will provide the means of giving them still greater extension. Art. 5. The present treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications ex- changed within three months, rec- koning from the day of their signa- ture, or sooner if possible : in faith 431 of which, we, the undersigned, have signed the present treaty, and have affixed to it the seals of our arms. Done at Weliki Louky, July 8, (20) 1812. - FRANCISCO DE ZEA BERMUDEZz. The Count N. DE RomMANzorFF. Proclamation of the Emperor Alexander. [Published in General Orders, by the Commander-in-chief, Gene- ral Bennigsen. ] Russians!—The enemy has quitted the Dwina, and has pro- claimed his intention of | offering battle. He accuses you of timidity, because he mistakes, or affects to mistake, the policy of yoursystem. Can he, then, have forgotten the chastisement which your valour inflicted at Dunaberg and Mihr ; wherever, in short, it has been deemed proper to oppose him ? Desperate counsels are alone com- patible with the enterprise he has undertaken and the dangers of his situation ; but shall we, therefore, be imprudent, and forego the ad- vantages of our own? He would march to Moscow,—let him. But can he, by the temporary possession of that city, conquer the empire of Russia, and subjugate a population of thirty millions? Distant from his resources near 800 miles, he would, ‘even if victorious, not escape the fate of the warrior Charles XII. When, pressed on every side by hostile armies, with a peasantry sworn to his destruction, rendered furious by his excesses, and irre- concileable by difference of religion, of customs, of language, how would he retreat ? Russians ! 432 Russians !—Rely on your em- peror and the commanders whom he has appointed. He knows the ardent and indignant valour which burns in the bosoms of his soldiers at the boasts of the enemy. He knows that they are eager for bat- tle; that they grieve at its being deferred, and at the thought of re- tiring. This cruel necessity will not exist long. Even now the period of its duration lessens. Already are our allies preparing to menace the rear of the invader: while he, inveigled too far to retreat with impunity, shall soon have to combat with the seasons, with famine, and with innumerable armies of Russians. Soldiers, when the period for offering battle ar- vives, your emperor will give the signal, will be an eye-witness of your exploits, and reward your valour. (Signed) ALEXANDER. Proclamation of the Emperor Alexander on the Russian Army breaking up from Drissa. Beloved subjects !—In pursuance of the policy advised by our mi- litary council, the armies will, for the present, quit their positions, and retire further into the interior, in order the more readily to unite. The enemy may possibly avail him- self of this opportunity to advance ; he has announced this intention. Doubtless, in spite of his boast, he begins to feel all the difficulties of his menaced attempt to subjugate us, and is anxious therefore to en- gage; he is desperate, and would therefore put every thing upon the issue of a battle. The honour of our crown, the interests of our ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. subjects, prescribe, however, # different policy : it isnecessary that he should be made sensible of the madness of his attempt. If, urged by the desire of obtaining provisions and forage, or goaded by an in- satiable cupidity for plunder, he should be blind to the danger of further committing himself at such an immense distance from his ter= ritories, it would become the duty of every loyal. Russian—every true friend to his country,—to © co- operate cheerfully with us in im- — peding equally his progress or his — retreat, by destroying his supplies, his means of conveyance ; in short, every thing which can be service- able tohim. We, therefore, order that such of our subjects in the provinces of Vitepsk and Pskoy, as may have articles of subsistence, either for man or beast, beyond their immeditate want, to deliver them to officers authorised to receive them, and for which they shall be paid the full value out of the Imperial treasury, The owners of growing crops within the distance of the line of the enemy’s march, are commanded to destroy them, and they shall be reimbursed. their loss. The proprietors of maga- zines, either of provisions or cloth- ing, are required to deliver them to the commissaries for the ‘use of thearmy, and they will be liberally remunerated. In general, the spi- rit of this order is to be) carried into execution in regard: to: all articles, whether of subsistence, of clothing, or of conveyance, which may be considered useful to the invaders ; and the magistrates are made responsible for the due ful- filment of these our commands, » , ALEXANDER, i : J STATE Sictty.—Articles established in Parliament, and presented to the Sovereign for his Royal Sanction. Art. 1, The religion shall be the Catholic, Apostolical, Roman, alone, to the entire exclusion of every other; the King shall pro- fess the same, and whenever he shall profess any other, he shall be ipso facto deposed from the throne. Placet Regis Majestati. Art.2. The Legislative power shall reside exclusively in the Par- lhament. The laws to be in force afier being sanctioned by his Ma- jesty. All taxes, &c. imposed, of whatever nature, to be fixed by the Parliament alone ; and also to be sanctioned by his Majesty. The form to be veto or placet, the King having it in his power to admit or reject them without qualification. Placet Regis Mujestati. Art.3. The Executive Power shall reside in the person of the King.—Placet Regis Majesiati. Art. 4. The Judiciary Power shall be distinct, and indepen- dent of the Executive and legis- lative Powers, and to be admi- nistered by a body of Judges and_ Magistrates. These to be trie, punished, and deprived of their situations, by sentence of the House of Peers, after having gone through the House of Commons, as set forth by the Constitution of Great Britain, and which shall be ex- ai at length in the article of | agistracy.—Placet Regis Majes- tati. Art. 5. The person of the King shall be always sacred and invio- lable.-—Placet Regis Majestati. Art. 6. The King’s Ministers, nd other persons in the employ of “Govenment, shall be subject to Voi, LIV. Pee E RS: the examination and control of the Parliament ; and to be by the same accused, tried, and con- demned, should they be found to have offended against the Consti- tution, and the observance of the laws, or to be guilty of any other high crimes, in the exercise of their functions. —Placet Regis Ma- jestati. Art. 7. The Parliament shall be composed of two Houses, the one to be called the Commons, or Re- presentative of the People, as well freeholders as vassals, on the con- ditions and forms to be hereafter established by Parliament, in its subsequent acts upon this article ; the other to be called the Peers ; the same to be composed of all those ecclesiastics and their suc- cessors, and of all those barons and their successors, and the present, possessors of estates, who now have the right to sit and vote in the ecclesiastical and military branches, as well as of others who -may be _ hereafter elected by his Majesty, agreeably to the conditions and limitations to be fixed by Parliament in the article of detail upon this point. Placet Regis Majestati. Art. 8. The Barons shall have, as Peers, individually one vote only, relinquishing the multiplicity of votes relative to the number of their population. The Chancellor of the kingdom to present an ac- count of the actual Barons and Ecclesiastics, to be inserted in the Acts of Parliament.—Placet Regis Majestati. Art. 9, The King shal! enjoy the prerogative of convoking, pro- roguing, or dissolving the Parlia- ment, agreeably to the forms and institutions which may be here- 2F alter 433 434 after established. His Majesty, how- ever, to be bound to convoke it eve- ry year.—Placet Regis Majestati. Art. 10. The nation, having to fix the subsidies necessary to the State, will consider it as a positive duty to fix, for the Civil List, such sums as are necessary to the splen- dor, independence, and mainte- nance of its august Sovereign and Royal Family, to the most gene- rous extent that the actual state of the finances of the kingdom will permit—in consequence of which arrangement, the nation shall take upon itself the manage- ment and administration of the national funds, including all those which have hitherto been con- sidered as fiscal duties, and land revenues, which shall be paid over to the Minister of Finances, for the purposes established by Par- liament. As to the persons, sys- tem, and means, by which such funds are to be collected and dis- posed of, they remain to be fixed in the detail of this article.—Vetat Regia Majestas. Art. 11. No Sicilian subject shall be arrested, banished, or other- wise punished or disturbed in the enjoyment of his rights or property, unless in conformity to the new Code of Laws, to be hereafter es- tablished by this Parliament. The Peers to enjoy the same judicial forms which they enjoy in Eng- land, as will be subsequently de- tailed. —Placet Regis Majestati. Art. 12, With that disinterested- ness which the military branch has always shewn, it has voted and concluded, and the Parliament has established, that the Feudal Sys- tem shall be abolished, and all the lands shall be possessed in Sicily, as allodial or free estates ; pre- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. serving, however, the order of suc’ cession in the respective families, which is actually enjoyed. The jurisdiction of the Barons shall likewise cease, and therefore the Barons shall be exempted from all the burdens to which they have hitherto been subjected by such feudal rights. There shall also be abolished, the Investitures, Reliefs (rilevi) Fines to the Crown (devo- luzioni al Fisco), and every other burden whatever inherent in the feudal system ; every family, how- . ever, preserving its titles and ho- nours.—Placet Regis Majestati. Art. 13. It likewise agrees to establish that the rights called Angarici (being privileges and ex- emptions from assessment), shall be abolished as soon as the com- munity in general, or the indivi- dual, subject to them, shall indem- nify the actual proprietors ; calcu- lating the capital either at twenty years purchase of the produce of the tax existing at the period of liquidation ; or in default of that estimating the same by the books of the respective Segrezia ; it being understood, however, that the pos- sessors of lands of whatever nature, shall retain the same power and the same rights as before, so far as regards the exacting of debts or . rents, and this in the same man- ner and form as they have hitherto | enjoyed them,—(His Majesty re- serves to himself to give his Royal sanction to the above article, when he shall have received the neces- sary information respecting it.) Art. 14. The Military Branch — agrees, also, to the suggestion of the Commons, that every proposal relative to subsidies shall proeeed exclusively from, and be concluded in the House of Commons, and — from STATE PAPERS. from thence pass to that of the Peers, where it shall only be either assented to or rejected without the least alteration. It is further de- termined that all proposals respect- ing articles of legislation, or any other subject whatsoever, may be moved in either House indifferent- ly, leaving to the other the power of rejection.—Placet Regis Majes- tati. Art. 15. As to the other princi- ples and arrangements of the afore- said British Constitution, the Par- lament will hereafter declare those that are to be admitted, those to be rejected, and those to be modified, according’ to the dif- ference of the circumstances of the two nations. It therefore declares, that it will willingly receive any projects which its members may make for the convenient applica- tion of the British constitution to the kingdom of Sicily, in order to select what may be judged most suitable to the glory of his Ma- jesty, and to the happiness of the Sicilian people. (His Majesty, whenever such articles shall be presented, will determine on those which may merit his Royal sanction.) Treaty between Rvussta~ and Turkey.—The following are the principal of the Sixteen Ar- ticles of the Treaty of Peace, concluded between Russia and » the Sublime Porte. Art. 1. There shall be peace and friendship between the two powers, and both the contracting parties shall use every effort to avoid every thing that may occasion hostilities between their subjects. Art, 2. Full and perfect amnesty 435 shall be granted to the subjects of both parties who have taken part in the operations of the war against the interest of their mutual sove= reigns. Art. 3. All former treaties shall remain in force, with the excep- tion of such articles which, by this present treaty, have undergone some alteration. Art. 4. According to the first article of the preliminaries, it is agreed that the river Pruth, from its entrance into Moldavia until its junction with the Danube, and the left bank of the Danube from such junction to the mouth of the Kili, and from thence to the sea, shall form the boundaries of the two empires; the mouth of the said river being for the common use of both. The small islands which, previous to the war, were unin- habited, lying near to the left bank of the Danube, shall remain uninhabited ; nor shall any forti- fications be erected on the said islands. On the other hand, the Ottoman Porte relinquishes to Russia all provinces, fortresses, towns, &c. lying on the left bank of the Pruth, and the mid-channel of the said river shall be the boundary between the two empires. The merchant vessels of both nations may navigate the whole course of the Danube; but the Russian ships of war must come no further than the entrance of the Pruth. Art. 5. His Imperial Russian Majesty, on the other hand, re- stores tothe Ottoman Porte the territory of Moldavia, on the right bank of the Pruth, as likewise the Greater and Lesser Wallachia. The inhabitants of these provinces shall be freed from all contribu- 2F2 tions 456 tions for the space of two years, and those shall be fixed according to the present largeness of Mol- davia. Art. 6. The boundaries on the side of Asia shall be fixed exactly as they were before the war broke out. Art. 7. The Mahometan inha- bitants in the provinces ceded to Russia, as likewise the natives of other parts, who, in consequence of the war, are now in Russia, may return with their property out of Russia, within the space of eighteen months, to Turkey. In like man- ner, the Christians belonging to the countries now ceded to Russia, and who are at present in Turkey, may, without any molestation, re- turn to Russia. Art. 8. The Ottoman Porte grants a pardon and general am- nesty to the Servians, who shall in no wise or means be molested for their last actions, The fortresses lately erected in their country shall bedemolished as being unnecessary, and the Sublime Porte will put garrisons into the ancient fortified places. But that such garrisons shall not infringe any of the rights belonging to the Servian people, the Sublime Porte will for such purpose adopt, in concert with the Servian nation, such measures as may be necessary for their security. The Porte grants to the Servian nation the same advantages as are enjoyed by her subjects of the islands in the Archipelago, and of the other districts; and causes it to partake of the effects of her magnanimity, by permitting it to have the sole management of its internal concerns, by fixing the mass of contributions which it will receive from itsown hands; and, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. finally, will regulate all these mat= ters conjointly and in concurrence — with the Servian nation. Art. 9. All prisoners of war, whether of the male or female sex, shall be sides without reserve. Art. 10. All affairsand demands — of the subjects of both parties, which have been pnt off on ac- count of the war, shall not be thrown up; but, on the contrary shall, after conclusion of the peace, be again examined and decided — according to law. Art. 11. and towns restored, within three months from the day of the rati- ; fication of the treaty; and, until the expiration of that term, shall, as hitherto, be supplied with every — thing necessary. Art. 12. Both the high con-— tending powers promise to keep the commercial treaties in force. Art. 13. The Ottoman Porte promises her mediation with the Persian power for restoration of peace with Russia. Art.14. Any acts of hostility which may have happened, after exchanging the ratification, shall be considered as not having taken place. New York Convention. At a Convention of Delegates from the several counties of the State of New York, hereinafter designated, held at the cap¥ol in the city of Albany, on the 17th and 18th days of September, 1812. [Here follow the names of Dele- gates from 34 cities and counties. } Resolved, That the eae of , ate liberated on both — The Russian troops — shall quit the provinces, fortresses, — a STATE PAPERS. late so frequently and violently in- culcated, that when war is once declared, all inquiry ito its justice and expediency ought to cease, and all opposition to the men in power immediately to be abandoned, is essentially hostile to the vital prin- ciples of our republican institu- tions ; and if adopted, would change our present government into one of the worst species of tyranny which the ingenuity of the foes of freedom has yet contrived,—a government republican in its forms, in spirit and practice arbitrary and despotic, —that it must be obvious to the most ordinary capacity, that were such a doctrine to prevail, an ad- ministration which by its corrup- tion or imbecility had justly for- feited the confidence of the people would be tempted to plunge the nation into an unjust or unneces- sary war, for the sole purpose of perpetuating their power, and thus building their own greatness on the ruins of their country. Resolved, That without insisting on the injustice of the present war, taking solely into consideration the time and circumstances of its de- claration, the condition of the country, and state of the public mind, we are constrained to con- sider, and feel it our duty to pro- nounce it a most rash, unwise, and inexpedient measure; the adoption of which ought for ever to deprive its authors of the esteem and confidence of an enlightened people—because, as the injuries we have received from France, are at least equal in amount to those we have sustained from Eng- land, and have been attended with circumstances ofstill greater insult and aggravation—if war were ne- cessary to vindicate the honour of 437 the country, consistency and im- partiality required that both nations should have been included in the declaration. Because if it were deemed expedient to exercise our right of selecting our adversary, prudence and common sense dic- tated the choice of an enemy, from whose hostility we had nothing to dread. A war with France would equally have satisfied our insulted honour, and at the same time, instead of annihilating, would have revived aud extended our com- merce—and even the evils of such a contest would have been miti- gated by the sublime consolation, that by our efforts we were con- tributing to arrest the progress of despotism in Europe, and essen- tially serving the great interests of freedom and humanity throughout the world. Because a republican government, depending solely for its support on the wishes and affections of the people, ought never to declare a war, into which the great body of the nation are not prepared to enter with zeal and alacrity ; as where the justice and necessity of the measure are not so apparent as to unite all parties in its support, its inevitable tendency is, to augment the dis- sentions that have before existed, and by exasperating party violence to its utmost height, prepare the way for civil war. Because, bes fore a war was declared, it was perfectly well ascertained, that a vast majority of the people in the middle and northern states, by whom the burthen and expenses of the contest must be borne almost exclusively, were strongly opposed to the measure. Because we see no rational prospect of at- taining, by force of arms, the ob- jects 438 jects for which our rulers say we are contending—and because the evils and distresses which the war must of necessity occasion, far overbalance any advantages we can expect to derive from it. Be- cause the great power of England on the ocean, and the amazing resources she derives from com- merce and navigation, render it evident, that we cannot compel her to respect our rights and satisfy our demands, otherwise than by a successful maritime warfare; the means of conducting which we not only do not possess, but our rulers have obstinately refused to provide. Because the exhausted state of ihe treasury, occasioned by the de- struction of the revenue derived from commerce, should the war continue, will render necessary a resort to loans and taxes to a vast amount—measures by which the people will be greatly burthened, and oppressed, and the influence and patronage of the executive alarmingly increased. And, finally, because of a war begun with such means as our rulers had prepared, and conducted in the mode they seem resolved to pursue, we see no grounds to hope the honourable and successful termination. Resolved, That while we con- demn the war, in the most distinct and unqualified terms, we are deeply sensible of the new duties and obligations which the change of our national relations has im- posed upon us, and are fully de- termined in our several capacities of magistrates,soldiers, and citizens, to obey with promptnessandalacrity all constitutional requisitions of the proper authorities ; seeking no other redress for the evils of which we complain, than that which we con- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. fidently trust will be obtained from a change of sentiment in the peo= ple, leading to a change of men and measures, Resolved, That we view the creation of new states. out of ter- ritories not within the ancient limits of the United States as in- consistent with the spirit of the federal compact, and calculated to destroy the weight, which the old, great, and populous states ought to have in the union, and utterly to disappoint and frustrate the great purpose for which they entered into the confederacy. Resolved, That we consider the employment of the militia, for the purpose of offensive war, asa pal- pable violation of the constitution, as extremely offensive to the peo- ple, as the most expensive and the least efficient mode of conducting the war; and as a serious and alarming encroachment on_ the rights of the several states, which it behoves the true friends of our excellent institutions, by all lawful means, firmly to resist. Whereas the late revocation of the British Orders in Council, has removed the great and ostensible cause of the present war, and pre- pared the way for an immediate accommodation of all existing dif- ferences, inasmuch as, by the con- fession of the present secretary of state, satisfactory and honourable arrangements might easily be made, by which the abuses re- sulting from the impressment of our seamen, might, in future, be effectually prevented—Therefore, Resolved, That we shall be con- strained to consider the determina- tion on the part of our rulers to continue the present war, after official notice of the revocation og the ater cet SE a eS SPOT STATE PAPERS. the British Orders in Council, as affording conclusive evidence, that the war has been undertaken from motives entirely distinct from those which have been hitherto avowed, and for the promotion of objects wholly unconnected with the in- terest and honour of the American nation. Resolved, That we contemplate with abhorrence, even the possi- bility of an alliance with the pre- sent Emperor of France, every action of whose life has demon- strated, that the attainment, by any means, of universal empire, and the consequent extinction of every vestige of freedom, are the sole objects of his incessant, un- bounded, and remorseless ambition. His arms, with the spirit of free- men, we might openly and fear- lessly encounter; but, of his secret arts, his corrupting influence, we entertain a dread we can neither conquer nor conceal, It is there- fore with the utmost distrust and alarm, that we regard his late pro- fessions of attachment and love to the American people, fully recol- lecting, that his invariable course has been, by perfidious offers of protection, by deceitful professions of friendship, to lull his intended victims into the fatal sleep of con- fidence and security, during which, the chains of despotism are silently wound round and rivetted on them. Resolved, That we are firmly attached to the union of the States, most conscientiously believing, that on its preservation,the future peace, security, and independence, as well as power and grandeur of the American nation, must mainly depend; and we are therefore strengthened in our reprobation of the measures of our present rulers, 439 from a consideration of their evi- dent tendency to produce a dis- solution of that union which we so warmly cherish. Whereas in the opinion of this convention the dangers which seem to threaten the existence of the union have chiefly arisen from the prevalence of a course of policy, by which the interests of the com- mercial state, have been wantonly sacrificed to local prejudices and state jealousies: and whereas our minds are irresistibly impressed with the conviction that a change of system is now demanded by the imperious law of self preservation : therefore resolved, that to effect a purpose so desirable, but so neces- sary, as a change of our present rulers, the barriers of party, which separate men, differing, not in principle, butin the name merely, ought to be thrown down, and every obstacle removed which can prevent and impede the full and cordial co-operation of those who are actuated by the same feelings, and entertain the same sentiments. Resolved, That it berecommend- ed to the friends of peace, liberty, and commerce, who are opposed to the present war, without distinction of parties, to assemble in their re- spective counties, wherein such meetings have not been already held, and appoint committees of correspondence and _ conference, who, if deemed necessary here- after, may meet in a convention, for the purpose of explaining and comparing their sentiments, and concerting a common plan of opera- tion, having for its object the re- storation of peace to our degraded and afflicted country, Jacos Morris, President, WitiiAm Henperson. Sec. Corre- 440 Correspondence between Sir J. B. Warren, und the Secretary of State, Mr. Monroe. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sept. 30. Siz,—The departure of Mr. Fos- ter from America has devolved upon me the charge of making known to you, for the information of the government of the United States, the sentiments entertained by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, upon the existing rela- tions of the two countries. You will observe from the en- closed Copy of an order in Coun- cil, bearing date the 23d of June, 1812, that the Orders in Council of the 7th of Jan. 1807, and the 26th of April, 1809, ceased to ex- ist nearly at the same time that the government of the United States declared war against his Majesty. Immediately on the receipt of this declaration in London, the Order in Council, of which a copy is herewith enclosed to you, was issued, on the 31st day of July, for the embargo and detention of all American ships. Under these circumstances, I am commanded to propose to your government the immediate cessa- tion of hostilities between the two countries; and IJ shall be most happy to be the instrument of bringing about a reconciliation, so interesting and beneficial to Ame- rica and Great Britain, I therefore propose to you, that the government of the United States of America shall instantly recal their letters of marque and reprisal against British ships, to- gether with all orders and instruc- tions for any acts of hostility what- ever against the territory of his ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Majesty, or the persons or pro- perty of his subjects: with the understanding, that immediately on my receiving from you an offi- cial assurance to that effect, I shall instrnet all the officers under my command to desist from corre- sponding measures of war against the ships and property of the United States, and that I shall transmit, without delay, corre- sponding intelligence to the several parts of the world where hostili- ties may have commenced ;_ the British Commanders in which will be required to discontinue hostili- ties, from the receipt of such no- tice. Should the American govern- ment accede to the above proposal for terminating hostilities, 1 am authorised to arrange with you as to the revocation of the laws which interdict the commerce and ships of war of Great Britain from the harbours and waters of the United States; in default of which revocation within such reasonable period as may be agreed upon, you will observe, by the Order of the 23d of June, the Orders in Coun- cil of January, 1807, and April, 1809, are to be revived. The officer who conveys this letter to the American coast has received my orders to put to sea immediately upon the delivering of this dispatch to the competent authority ; and earnestly recom- mend, that no time may be lost in communicating to me the decision of your government, persuaded as I feel, that it cannot but be of a nature to lead to a speedy termi- nation of the present differences, . The flag of truce which you may charge with your reply, will find one of my cruisers at Sandy Hook re a i i a STATE PAPERS. Hook, ten days after the landing of this dispatch, which I have di- rected to call there with a flag of truce for that purpose. I have the honour to be, with the highest consideration, Joun BorLAsE WARREN, Admiral of the Blue, and Commander in Chief, &c. Mr. Monroe to Sir J. B. Warren. Department of State, Oct. 27, 1812. Sir,—I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 30th ult. and to submit it to the consi- deration of the President. It appears that you are autho- rised to propose a cessation of hos- tilities between the United States and Great Britain, on the ground of the repeal of the Orders in Couacil ; and, in case the propo- sition is acceded to, to take mea- sures, in concert with this govern- ment, to carry it into complete effect on both sides. You state, also, that you have it in charge, in the event, to enter into an arrangement with the go- vernment of the United States for the repeal of the laws which in- terdict the ships of war and the commerce of Great Britain from the harbours and waters of the United. States: and you intimate, that if the proposition is not ac- ceded to, the Orders in Council (repealed conditionally by that of the 23d of June last) will be re- vived against the commerce of the United States. lam instructed to inform you, that it will be very satisfactory to the President to meet the British government in such arrangements as may terminate, without delay, 441 the hostilities which now exist between the United States and Great Britain, on conditions ‘ho- nourable to both nations. Atthe moment of the declara- tion of war, the President gave a signal proof of the attachment of the United States to peace. In- structions were given, at an early period, to the late Chargé d’Af- faires of the United States at Lon- don, to propose to the British go- vernment an armistice, on condi- tions which, it was presumed, would have been satisfactory, It has been seen with regret, that the proposition made by Mr. Mon- roe, particularly in regard to the important interest of impressment, was rejected, and that none was offered through that channel, as a basis on which hostilities might cease. As your government has autho- rised you to propose a Cessation of hostilities, and is, doubtless, aware of the important and salutary ef- fect which a satisfactory adjust- ment of this difference cannot fail to have on the future relations be- tween the two countries, I indulge the hope that it has, ere this, given you full powers for the pur- pose. Experience has sufficiently evinced that no peace can be dura- ble, unless this object is provided for: it is presumed, therefore, that it is equally the interest of both countries to adjust it at this time. Without further discussing ques- tions of right, the President is de- sirous to provide a remedy for the evils complained of on both sides. The claim of the British govern- ment is, totake from the merchant vessels of other countries British subjects, In the practice, the Com- manders of British ships of war often 4.42 often take from the merchant ves- sels of the United States American citizens. If the United States pro- hibit the employment of British subjects in their service, and en- force the prohibition by suitable regulations and penalties, the mo- tive for the practice is taken away. It isin this mode that the Presi- dent is willing to accommodate this important controversy with the British government, and it cannot be conceived on what ground the arrangement can be refused. A suspension of the practice of impressment, pending the armis- tice, seems to be a necessary con- sequence. It cannot be presumed, while the parties are engaged in a negociation to adjust amicably this important difference, that the United States would admit the right, or acquiesce in the practice of the opposite party; or that Great Britain would be unwilling to restrain her cruizers from a practice which would have the strongest tendency to defeat the negociation, It is presumable that both parties would enter into a ne- gociation with a sincere desire+to give it effect, For this purpose, it is necessary that a clear and dis- tinct understanding be first ob- tained between them, of the ac- commodation which each is pre- pared tomake. If the British go- vernment is willing to suspend the practice of impressment from A- merican vessels, on consideration that the United States will exclude British seamen from their service, the regulation by which this com- promise should be carried into ef- fect would be solely the object of this negociation. The armistice would be of short duration, If the parties agree, peace would be the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. result. If the negoeiation failed, each would be restored to its former state, and to all its pretensions, by recurring to war. Lord Castlereagh, in his note to Mr. Russel, seems to have sup- posed, that, had the British govern- ment accepted the propositions made to it, Great Britain would have suspended immediately the exercise of a right on the mere assurance of this government, that a law would be afterwards passed to prohibit the employment of British seamen in the service of the United States, and that Great: Bri- tain would have no agency in the regulation to give effect to that proposition. Such an idea was not in the contemplation of this go~ vernment, nor is it to be reason- ably inferred from Mr. Russel’s note: lest, however, by possibi- lity such an inference might be drawn from the instructions to Mr. Russel, and anxious that there should be no misunderstanding in the case, subsequent instructions were given to Mr, Russel, with a view to obviate every objection of the kind alluded to. As they’ bear date on the 27th of July, and were forwarded by the British packet Alphea, it is more than probable that they may have been | received and acted on. I am happy to explain to you thus fully the views of my govern- ment on this important. subject. The President desires that the war which exists between our coun- tries should be terminated on such conditions as may secure a solid and durable peace, To accomplish this great object, it is necessary that the interest of impressment be satisfactorily arranged. He is willing that Great Britain should be SS se ee ee ee eS as eS _ STATE PAPERS. be secured against the evils of which. she complains. He seeks, ou the other hand, that the citi- zens of the United States should be protected against a practice, which, while it ” degrades the na- tion, Sele wanses them of their right as freemen, takes them by force from their families and their coun- try, into a foreign service, to fight the battles ofa foreign power, per- haps against their own kindred and country. 1 abstain from entering, in this communication, into other grounds of difference. The Orders in Council having been repealed (with a reservation not impairing a cor- responding right on the part of the United States), and no illegal blockades revived or instituted in their stead, and an understanding being obtained on the subject of impressment, in the mode herein proposed, the President is willing to agree to a cessation of hostili- ties, with a view to arrange, by treaty, in a more distinct and am- ple manner, and to thé satisfaction of both parties, every other sub- ject of controversy. I will only add, thatif there be no objection to an accommodation of the difference relating to im- pressment, in the mode proposed, other than the suspension of the Bni- tish claims to impressment during the armistice, there can be none to proceeding, without the armistice, to an immediate discussion aud arrangement of an article on that subject. This great question be- ing satisfactorily adjusted, the way will be open either for an armis- tice or any other course jleading most conveniently and expediti- ously to a general pacification. I have the honour to be, &c, James MonRvOE. 445 - American President's Message. Washington City, Nov. 4. The President of the United States this day communicated to Mr. Coles, his, private Secretary, the following Message to Con- gress ;— Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives, On our present meeting, it is my first duty to invite your at- tention to the provideutial favours which our country has experienced in the unusual degree of health dispensed to its inhabitants, and in the rich abundance with which the earth has rewarded the labours bestowed on it. In the successful cultivation of other branches of industry, and in the progress of general improvement favourable to the national prosperity, there is just occasion also for our mutual congratulations and thankfulness. With these blessings are natu- rally mingled the pressures and vicissitudes incidental to the state of war into which the United States have been forced by the perseverance of a foreign power in its system of injustice and aggres- sion, Previous to its declaration, it was deemed proper, as a mea- sure of precaution and _ forecast, that a considerable force should be placed in the Michigan terri- tory, with a general view to its security ; and, in the event of war, to such operations in the up- permost Canada, as would inter- cept the hostile influence of Great Britain over the savages; obtain the command of the lake on which that part of Canada borders ; and maintain co-operating relations with such forces as might be mest conveniently 444 conveniently employed other parts. Brigadier - General Hull was charged with this provisional ser- vice, having under his command a body of troops, composed of re- gulars and of volunteers from the state of Ohio : having reached his destination, after his knowledge of the war, and possessing discretion- ary authority to act offensively, he passed into the neighbouring territory of the enemy with a prospect of an easy and victorious progress. The expedition, never- theless, terminated unfortunately, not only in a retreat to the town and fort of Detroit, but in the surrender of both, and of the gal- Jant corps commanded by that of- ficer. The causes of this painful reverse will be investigated by a military tribunal. A distinguish- ing feature in the operations which preceded and followed this adverse event, is the use made by the ene- my of the merciless savages under their influence. Whilst the bene- volent policy of the United States invariably recommended peace, and promoted civilization amongst that wretched portion of the human race, and was making exertions to dissuade them from taking either side in the war, the enemy has not scrupled to call to his aid their ruthless ferocity, armed with the horrors of those instruments of carnage and torture which are known to spare neither age nor sex. In this outrage against the laws of honourable war, and a- gainst the feelings sacred to hu- manity, the British commanders cannot resort to a plan of retalia- tion; for it is committed in the face of our example. They can- not mitigate it by calling it u self- against ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. defence against men in arms, for it embraces the most shocking butcheries of defenceless families : nor can it be pretended that they are not answerable for the atroci- ties perpetrated, since the savages are employed with the knowledge, and even with menaces, that their fury could not be controlled. Such is the spectacle which the deputed authorities of a nation boasting its religion and morality, have not been restrained from presenting to an enlightened age. The misfortune of Detroit was not, ‘however, without a consoling effect. It was followed by signal proofs, that the national spirit rises according to the pressure on it, The loss of an important post, and of the brave men surrendered with it, inspired every where new ar- dour and determination. In the state and districts least remote, it was no sooner known, than every citizen was eager to fly with his arms at once to protect his bre- thren against the blood-thirsty sa- vages let loose by the enemy on an extensive frontier; and to con- vert a partial calamity into a source of invigorated efforts. This patri- otic zeal, which it was necessary rather to limit than excite, has embodied an ample force from the states of Kentucky and Ohio, and from parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia. It is placed with the ad- dition of a few regulars under the command of Brigadier-Gen. Har- rison, who possesses the entire con- fidence of his fellow-soldiers; | among whom are citizens,—some of them volunteers in the ranks,— not less distinguished by their po- litical stations, than by their per- sonal merits. The greater portion of this force is STATE PAPERS. is proceeding on its destination to- wards the Michigan territory, hav- ing succeeded in relieving an im- portant frontier post, and in several incidental operations against hos- tile tribes of savages, rendered in- dispensable by the subserviency in- to which they had been seduced by the enemy; a seduction the more cruel, as it could not fail to impose a necessity of precautionary severi- ties against those who yielded to it. At a recent rate, an attack was made on a post of the enemy near Niagara, by a detachment of the regular and other forces, under the command of Major General Van Rensselaer, of the militia of the State of New York. The attack, it appears, was ordered in compli- ance with the ardour of the troops, who executed it with distinguish- ed gallantry, and were for a time victorious: but not receiving the expected support, they were com- pelled to yield to reinforcements of British regulars and savages. Our loss has been considerable, and is deeply to be lamented. That of the enemy, less ascertained, will be the more felt, as it includes among the killed, the command- ing general, who was also governor of the province ; and was sustained by veteran troops, from inexperi- enced soldiers, who must daily - improve the duties of the field. Our expectation of gaining the command of the Lakes by the in- vasion of Canada from Detroit, having been disappointed, mea- sures were instantly taken to pro- vide on them a naval force superior to that of the enemy. From the talents and activity of the officer charged with this object, every thing that can be done may be ex- pected. Should the present season not admit of complete success, the 445 progress made will ensure for the next a naval ascendancy where it is essential to a permanent peace with, and control over, the savages, Among theincidents to the mea- sures of the war, I am constrained to advert to the refusal of the go- vernors of Massachusetts and Con- necticut to furnish the required de- tachments of militia towards the defence of the maritime frontier. The refusal was founded on a no- vel and unfortunate exposition of the provision of the constitution relating to the militia. The corre- spondence which will be before you, contains the requisite infor- mation on the subject. It is ob- vious, that if the authority of the United States to call into service and command the militia for the public defence, can be thus frus~ trated, even in a state.of declared war, and of course under appre- hensions of invasion preceding war, they are not one nation for the purpose most of all requiring it, and that the public safety may have no other resource than those large and permanent military establishments which are forbid- den by the principles of our free government, and against the ne- cessity of which the militia were meant to bea constitutional bul- wark, On the coasts and on the ocean, the war has been as successful as circumstances from its early stages could promise. Our public ships and private cruizers, by their acti- vity, and where there was occa- sion, by their intrepidity, have made the enemy sensible of the difference between a reciprocity of captures, and the long confinement of them to their side. Our trade, with little exception, has safely reached our ports, having been much 446 much favoured in it by the course pursued by asquadron of our fri- gates under the command of Com- modore Rodgers; and in the in- stance in which skill and bravery were more particularly tried with those of the enemy, the American flag had an auspicious triumph. The frigate Constitution, com- manded by Captain Hull, after a close and short engagement, com- pletely disabled and captured a Bri- tish frigate ; gaining for that offi- cer, and all on board, a praise which cannot be too liberally be- stowed,—not merely for the vic- tory actually achieved, but for that prompt and cool exertion of com- manding talents, which, giving to courage its highest character, and to the force applied its full effect, proved that more could have been done in a contest requiring more. Anxious to abridge theevils from which a state of war cannot be ex- empt, I lost no time after it was declared, in conveying to the Bri- tish government the terms on which its progress might be arrested, with- out waiting the delays of a formal and final pacification: and our Chargé de’ Affaires at London was at the same time authorised to agree to an armistice founded upon them. These terms required, that the Orders in Council should be repealed, as they affected the United States, without a revival of the blockades violating acknow- ledged rules ; that there should be an immediate discharge of Ameri- can seamen from British ships, and a stop to impressments from Ame- rican ships, with an understanding that an exclusion of the seamen of each nation from the ships of the other should be stipulated, and that the armistice should be improved into a definitive and comprehen- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. sive adjustment of depending con= troversies. Although a repeal of the orders, susceptible oflexplanations meeting the views of this government, had taken place before this pacific ad= vance was communicated to that of Great Britain, the advance was declined from an avowed repug- nance to a suspension of the prac- tice of impressment during the ar- mistice, and without any intima- tion that the arrangement proposed with respect to seamen would be accepted. Whether the subsequent communications from this govern- ment, affording an occasion for re- considering the subject on the part of Great Britain, will be viewed in a more favourable light, or received in a more accommodating spirit, remains to be known. It would be unwise to relax our measures, in any respect, on a presumption of such a result. The documents from the de- partment of state, which relate to this subject, will give a view also of the propositions for an armis- tice, which have been received here,—one of them, from the au- thorities at Halifax and in Canada, the other from the British. govern- ment itself, through admiral War- ren} and of the grounds upon which neither of them could be accepted. Our affairs with France retain the.posture which they held at my last communication to you. Notwithstanding the authorised expectation of an early as well as fayourable issue of the discussions. on foot, these have been procras-. tinated to the latest date. The only intervening occurrence merit- ing attention, is the promulgation of a French decree, purporting to be a definitive repeal of the wee an STATE PAPERS. and Milan Decrees. This proceed- ing, although made the ground of ’ the repeal of the British Orders in Council, is rendered, by the time and manner of it, liable to many objections. The final communications from our special minister to Denmark, afford further proofs of the good effects of his mission, and of the amicable disposition of the Da- nish government. From Russia we have the satisfaction to re- ceive assurances of continued friendship, and that it will not be affected by the rupture between the United States and Great Bri- tain. Sweden also professes sen- timents favourable to existing har- mony. With the Barbary powers, ex- cepting that of Algiers, our affairs remain on the ordinary footing. The consul-general residing with that regency, has suddenly, and without cause, been banished, to- gether with ali the American citi- zens found there. Whether this was the transitory effect of capri- cious despotism, or the first act of predetermined hostility, is not as- certained. Precautions were taken by the consul on the latter suppo- sition. The Indian tribes, not under fo- reign instigations, remain at peace, and receive the civilising attentions which have proved so beneficial to them. With a view to that vigorous prosecution of the war to which our national faculties are adequate, the attention of Congress will be particularly drawn to the insufhi- ciency of the existing provisions for filling up the military esta- blishment. Such is the happy con- dition of our country, arising from the facility of subsistence, and the 447 high wages for every species of oc= cupation, that, notwithstanding the augmented inducements provided at the last session, a partial success only has attended the recruiting service. The deficiency has been necessarily supplied during the campaign by other than regular troops, with all the inconveniencies and expenses incident to them. The remedy lies in establishing more favourably for the private soldier, the proportion between his recompence and the term of his: enlistment: and it is a subject which cannot too soon or too se= riously be taken into consideration. The same insufficiency has been experienced in the provisions for volunteers made by an act of the last session. The recompence for the service required in this case, is still less attractive than in the other: and although patriotism alone has sent into the field some valuable corps of that description, those alone who can afford the sa- crifice, can reasonably be expected to yield to the impulse. It will merit consideration also, whether, as auxiliary to the security of our frontier, corps may not be adyan- tageously organized, with a re- striction of their services to parti- cular districts convenient to them ; and whether the local or occa- sional services of marines or others in the sea-port towns, under a si- milar organization, would not be a + proper addition to the means o ff their defence. 1 recommend a pro vision for an increase of the gen¢ ral officers of the army, the def ciency of which has been illu trated by the number and distan SetTTs of separate commands, which t he cause of the war, and the adv: mM- tage of the service, have requir 2d: and I cannot press too strongly on the 448 the earliest attention of the legisla- ture, the importance of the re-or- ganization of the staff establish- ment, with a view to render more distinct and definite the relations and responsibilities of its several departments: that there is room for improvements which will ma- terially promote both economy and success, in what appertains to the army and the war, is equally in- culcated by the examples of other countries, and by the experience of our own. A revision of the militia laws, for the purpose of rendering them more systematic, and better adapt- ing them to emergencies of the war, is at this time particularly de- sirable. Of the additional ships authorised to be fitted for service, two will be shortly ready to sail; a third is under repair, and delay will be avoided in the repair of the residue. Of the appropriations for the purchase of materials for ship- building, the greater part has been applied to that object, and the pur- chases will be continued with the balance. The enterprising spirit which has characterized our naval force, and its success both in re- straining insults and depredations on our coasts, and in reprisals on the enemy, will not fail to recom- mend an enlargement upon it. There being reason to believe, that the act prohibiting the accept- ance of British licences is not a sufficient guard against the use of them, for purposes favourable to the interests and views of the ene- my; further provisions on that subject are higly important. Nor is it less so, that penal enactments should be provided for cases of corrupt and perfidious intercourse with the enemy, not amounting to treason, nor yet embraced by any statutory provisions. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ' A considerable number of Ames rican vessels, which in England, when the revocation of the Orders in Council took place, were laden with British manufactures, under an erroneous impression that the Non-Importation Act would im- mediately cease to operate, have arrived in the United States. It did not appear proper to exercise’ on unforeseen cases of such magni- tude, the ordinary powers vested in the treasury department to miti- gate forfeitures without previously affording Congress an opportunity of making on the subject such pro- visions as they may think proper. In their decision, they will, doubt- less, equally consult what is due to equitable considerations, and to the public interest. Thereceiptsinto the treasury dur- ing the year ending on the 30th of September last, have exceeded six- teen millions and a half of dollars ; which have been sufficient to de- fray all the demands on the trea- sury to that day, including a ne- cessary reimbursement of near three millions of the principal of the public debt. In these re- ceipts are included a sum of near 8,850,000 received on’ account of the loans authorised by the acts of last session. The whole sum actu- ally obtained on loan amounts to eleven millions of dollars, the resi- due of which being receivable sub- sequent to the 30th, of September, will, together with the current re- venue, enable us to defray all the expences of this year. The duties on the late unexpect- ed importations of British manu- factures will render the revenue of: the ensuing year more productive than could have been anticipated. The situation of our country, fel- low-citizens, is not without its dif- ficulties, though it abounds in ani- mating STATE PAPERS. mating considerations, of which the view here presented of our pe- cuniary resources is. an example. With more than one nation we have serious and unsettled contro- versies ; and with one powerful in the means and habits of war, we ‘are at war. The spirit and strength of this nation are nevertheless equal to the support of all its rights, and to carry it through all its trials. They can be met in that confi- dence. Above all, we have the inestimable consolation of know- ing that the war in which we are actually engaged, is a war neither of ambition nor vain glory ; that it is waged, not in violation of the rights of others, but in the main- tenance of our own; that it was preceded by a patience without ex- ample, under wrongs accumulating without end ; and that it was fi- nally not declared until every hope of averting it was extinguished by the British sceptre falling into new hands, clinging to former councils, and until declarations were reiter- ated in the last hour through the British envoy here, that the hostile edicts against our commercial rights and our maritime independ- ence could not be revoked, with- out violating the obligations of Great Britain to other powers as well as to her own interests. To hhave shrunk, under such circum- stances, from manly resistance, would have been a degradation blasting our best and proudest hopes, It would have struck us from the high rank where the vir- tuous struggles of our fathers had placed us, and would have betrayed the magnificent legacy which we hold in trust for future generations. At would have acknowledged, that _, Vox. LIV. 449 on the element. which forms threes fourths of the globe we inhabit, and where all independent nations have equal and common rights, the American, people were not an independent people, but colonists and vassals. It was at this moment, and with such an alternative, that war was chosen. The nation felt the ne- cessity of it, and called for it. The appeal was accordingly made in a just cause, to the just and powerful Being, who holds in his hands the chain of events and the destiny of nations. It remains only, that, faithful to ourselves, en- tangled with no connections with the views of other powers, and ever ready to accept peace from the hand of justice, we prosecute that war with united council, and with the ample faculties of the nation, until peace be so obtained, and as the only means under the divine blessing of speedily obtaining it. James MaApDIson. Nov. 4, 1812. Proclamation of the Emperor Alexander, dated St. Peters- burgh, November 15. We, Alexander the First, by the Grace of God, Emperor. and Autocrat ofall the, Russias, &c. It is well known to the whole world in what manner the enemy has entered the boundaries of our empire. No step or means that have so frequently been resorted to by the punctual fulfilment of the peaceable stipulations, , nor , our steady endeavours by all, possible means to avert the effects of a 2G bloody 450 bloody and destructive war, have been able to check his obstinate design, in which he has shown himself entirely immoveable. With peaceful promises on his tongue, he never’ ceased to think on war. At length having collected a large army, and strengthened it with Austrian, Prussian, Bavarian, Wur- temburg, Westphalian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish regiments, who were constrained through disgrace and fear, he put himself in motion with this im- mense force, supplied with vast quantities of artillery, and pene- trated’ into the interior of our country. Murder, fire, and de- struction, were his attendants on the march, The plundered pro- perty, the towns and villages set on fire, the smoking ruins of Mos- cow, the Kremlin blown up into the air, the temples and altars of the Lord destroyed ; in one word, all kinds of cruelty and barbarity, hitherto unheard of, at length prove by his own actions, that they have long been lying con- cealed in the depth of his mind. The mighty and shappy Russian empire, which possesses every thing in abundance, awakened in the heart of the enemy envy and dread. The possession of the whole'world could not satisfy him, so long as the fertile fields of Rus- sia still were happy. Full of this envy and internal hatred, he re- volved, turned, ‘and ‘arranged in his mind, all manner of evil means by which he might give a dreadful blow to her power, a total confu- sion to her riches, and bring gene- ral destruction on her prosperity. He likewise thought by cunning and flattery, ‘to shake the fidelity ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. of our subjects ; by the defilement of the sanctuaries and God’s tem- ples, to make religion unsteady, and to strike the national sight with follies and extravagances. On these hopes he built his destructive plans, and with them he “forced himself, likea pestilential and mur- derous tempest, into the heart of Russia. The whole world has fixed its attention on our suffering country, and inwardly moved, thought they saw in the reflection of the flames of Moscow the last day of the ex- istence of our freedom and inde- pendence. But great and mighty is the God of Justice! The tri- umph of the enemy was of short duration ; pressed on all sides by our valiant armies and ‘levies, he soon discovered that by his temerity, he had ventured too far, and that he could not, either by his vaunted ar- my, his seducements, or his cruel- ties, inspire fear into the loyal and valiant Russians, nor save’ himself from destruction. After many fruit- less endeavours, and now that he sees his numerous troops every where beaten and destroyed, he, with the small remains of ‘them, seeks his personal safety in the rapi- dity of his flight ; he flies from Mos- cow with as much fear and de- pression as he advanced against it with pride and insolence ; he flies, leaving his cannon’ behind him, throwing away his baggage, and sacrificing every thing that — can retard the swiftness of his — flight. Thousands of the fugitives — daily fall to the earth and expire. In such manner does the just ven- geance of God punish those who insult his temples. Whilst we, with paternal tenderness and joyful . heart, PS ee a eat tte ct aan a mh enn —r — = ——— ae ee ory SSTATE) PA PRERS. “ / heart, observe the great and praise- worthy actions of our faithful sub- jects, we, carry ourmost warm and ively ‘gratitude, to, the. first cause of all good,--the Almighty God ; and in the next, place| we +haye to express qur thanks in the name of our common country, to all our loyal subjects, as the true sons of Russia. By their general energy and zeal, the force of the enemy is brought down to the lowest degree of decline, for the greater part has either been annihilated or made prisoners. All have unanimously joined in the work. Our valiant armies have every where defeated theenemy. The higher nobility have spared nothing by which it could contribute to the increase of the strength of the state. The merchants have disting uished them- selves by sacrifices of all kinds. The loyal people, burghers, and peasantry, have given such proofs of fidelity and love for their coun- try, as can only be expected of the Russian nation. They have zea- lously and voluntarily entered into the hastily raised levies, and have shown a courage and resolution equal to veteran warriors. They have with the same force and in- trepidity penetrated the enemy’s regiments, with the same imple- ments with which they ouly a few weeks before turned up their fields. In this manner the troops of levies sent from St. Petersburgh and Novogorod, for the strength- ening of the forces under Count Wittgenstein, have behaved them- selves, especially at Polotzk, and other places. We have besides, and with heart-felt satisfaction, per- ceived by the reports of the com- mander in chief of the armies, and Bw 2 AAT A'S from! other; generals, that in several governments, | and’ particularly jin those’ of Moscow and Kalouga,’ the ‘country people! have armed: theni- sélwes,:|cchosefx their own leaders, -and not -only resisted, all attempts at seducing | them; but: also’ sus- tained all the calamities that have befallen them with the perse- verance of martyrs. Often have they united themselves with our detachments, and assisted them in making their enterprizes and attacks against the enemy. Many villages have secreted their fami- lies and tender infants in the woods; and the inhabitants, with armed hand and inconceivable cou- rage, under engagements on the Holy Gospel not to leave each other in danger, defended them- selves, and whenever the enemy showed himself, have fallen upon him, so that many thousands of them have been cut to pieces, and dispersed by the peasants, and even by their women, and numbers taken prisoners, who were indebt- ed for their lives to the humanity of those very people whom they came to plunder and destroy. So high a purpose, and such invincible perseverance in the whole nation, does it immortal ho- nour, worthy of being preserved in the minds of posterity, With the courage of such a nation, we entertain the most well-founded hopes. Whilst we, jointly with the true church, and the holy sy- nod and clergy, supplicate God’s assistance, that if our inveterate enemy, and the mocker of God’s temple and holiness, should not be entirely and totally destroyed in Russia,” yet that his deep wounds, and the blood it has cost 2G2 him 452 him will bring him to acknow- ledge her might and strength. Meanwhile we hold it to be our bounden duty, by this general _ publication before the whole world, . to express our gratitude to the va- -liant, loyal, and religious Rus- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. : sian nation, and thereby render it due justice. ; Given at St. Petersburgh, the 15th day of November, in the year — 1812 after the birth of Christ, and in the 12th year of our reign. (Signed) ALEXANDER. CHARACTERS. | [ 453 J CHARACTERS... CHARACTER OF JoHN Knox. From M‘Crie’s Life of Knox. tgp he possessed strong na- tural talents is unquestiona- ble. Inquisitive, ardent, acute; vi- gorous and bold in his concep- tions; he entered into all the sub- tleties of the scholastic science then in vogue, yet, disgusted with its barren results, sought out a new course of study, which gra- dually led to a complete revolution in his sentiments. In his early years he had not access to that finished education which many of his contemporaries obtained in fo- reign universities, and he was af- terwards prevented, by his unset- tled and active mode of life, from prosecuting his studies with lei- sure; but his abilities and appli- cation enabled him in a great mea- sure to surmount these disadvan- tages, and he remained a stranger to none of the branches of learn- ing cultivated in that age by per- sons of his profession. He united in a high degree the love of study with a disposition to active em- ployment. The truths which he discovered he felt an irresistible im- pulse to impart to others, for which he was qualified by a bold, fervid, and impetuous eloquence, singu- larly adapted to arrest the atten- tion, and govern the minds of a fierce and unpolished people. From the time that he em- braced the reformed doetrines, the desire of propagating them, and of delivering his countrymen from the delusions and corruptions of popery, became his ruling passion, to which he was always ready to sacrifiee his ease, his interest, his reputation and his life. An ar- dent attachment to civil liberty held the next place in his breast to love of the reformed religion. That the zeal with which he la- boured to advance these was of the must disinterested kind, no candid person who has paid atten- tion to his life can doubt for a moment, whatever opinion he may entertain of some of the means which he employed for that pur- pose. ‘In fact, he thought only of advancing the glory of God, and promoting the welfare of his country.” Intrepidity, indepen- dence and elevation of mind, in- defatigable activity, and constancy which no disappointments could shake, eminently qualified him for the hazardous and difficult post which he occupied. His integri- ty was above the suspicion of cor- ruption ; 454 ruption ; his firmness proof equally against the solicitations of friends, and the threats of enemies. Though his impetuosity and courage led him ‘frequently to expose himself to danger, we. never find him neglecting to take prudent precau- tions for his safety. The confi- dence reposed in him by his coun- trymen shews the high opinion which they entertained of his sa- gacity as well as of his honesty, The measures taken for advancing the reformation were either adopt- éd at his’ sug gestidiy, ‘or submitted to his advice} and we must pro- nounce them to havé béen a8 wise- ly planned,” as they. were’ boldly exectited. ‘The midst: ihieintistesterD of the hobility, who wéte enibarked with him if the’same Causé; sacrificed on some occasions the publie'¢ good to their private ‘interests, and dig appointed the hopes which he had formed of them. The ‘most up- right of his associates in the minis- try relaxed theit exertiotis; or suf- fered themselves at’ times’ to be dtawi into’ measures that were un- stiitable ‘to their station, and hurt- ful to the reformed religion. 'Good- man, ‘after bemg adupted by the chiitch of Séotland,' and rafiked a- mong her reformers, yielded so far to the love of his native'country as ta ‘desert a people who were warm Attached to him;' and return to he bosém: of a léss pure ‘church which received him with coldness and distrust. Willock, after ac- quitting himself HoAoUTably from the commencement of the interest- ing conflict, withdrew before the victory was completely secured, and, wearied out with the succes- give troubles in which his country Was bt sought a retreat for ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. himself in England. Craig, being left without the assistance of his colleague, and placed between two conflicting parties, betrayed his ears by having recourse to tempo-= rizing measures. Douglas, in his old age, became the dupe of per- sons whose rapacity had impove- rished the protestant church, And each of the superintendents was, at one time or another, complained of for neglect or for partiality, in the discharge of his functions. But from the time that the standard of truth was first raised by Knox in his native country, till it dropped from his hands at death, he never shrunk from danger, ' eae con- sulted his own ease or advantage, nevér entered into any compromise with the enemy, never was bribed or frightened into cowardly silence; but ‘keeping his eye singly and steadily fixed on the’ advancement of religion and of liberty,—sup- ported throughout the character of the Reformer of Scotland, ; His ‘thinisterial functions were discharged with the greatest assi- duity, fidelity, and fervor: No avocation or infirmity prévented him from appéaring in the pulpit. Preaching was dn “erniployment 1 in which-he’ “delighted, and for which he was qualified, by an extensive — acquaintance with the scriptures, and by the happy art of applying them, in the most striking manner, to the existing circumstances of the church and of his hearers. His powers of alarming the conscience, and arousing the passions; have been frequently mentioned; but he ‘also excelled in unfolding the consolations of the gospel, and in calming the breasts of thosé who were €éither agitated by a sérise of guilt, or suffering under the ordi- nary CHARACTERS. ! nary afflictions of life. When he discoursed of the griefs and joys, the conflicts and triumphs of ge- nuine Christians, he declared what he himself had known and expe- rienced,. The letters which he wrote to his familiar acquaintances breathe the most ardent piety. The religious meditations in which he spent his last sickness were not confiued to that period of his life; they had been his habitual employ- ment from the time that he was brought to the knowledge of the truth, and his solace amidst all the hardships and perils through which he had. passed, . With his brethren in the minis- try he lived in the utmost cordia- lity. We never read of the slight- est variance between him and any of his colleagues. While he was dreaded and hated by the licentious and profane, whose vices he never spared, the religious and sober part of his countrymen felt a vene- ration for him, which was founded on his unblemished reputation, as well as his popular talents as a preacher. In private life, he was both, beloved and revered by his friends and domestics, He was subject to the occasional illapses of melancholy and depression of spi- rits, arising partly from natural constitution, and partly from the maladies which had long preyed upon his health; which made him (to use his own expression) churl- ish, and less capable of pleasing and gratifying his friends than he was otherwise disposed to be. This he confessed, and requested them to excuse: but his friendship was sincere, affectionate, and steady. When free from this morose affec- tion, he relished. the pleasures of 455 society, and, among his acquaint- ances, was accustomed to unbend his mind, by indulging in inno- cent recreation, and in the sallies of wit and humour, to which he had a strong propensity, notwith- standing the graveness of his gene- ral deportment. Although in the course of his public life, the se- verer virtues of his character were more frequently called into actions yet have we met with repeated in- stances of his acute sensibility ; and the unaffected tenderness which occasionally breaks forth in. his private letters shews that he was not a stranger to ‘¢ all the chari- ties’ of human life, and that he could * rejoice with them that re- joiced, and weep with them that wept.” Most of his faults maybe traced to his natural temperament, and to the character of the age, and coun- try in which he lived. . His pas, sions were strong ; he felt with the utmost keenness on every subject which interested him; and as he felt he expressed himself, without disguise and without affectation. The warmth of his zeal was apt to betray him into intemperate lan- guage; his inflexible adherence to his opinions inclined to obstinacy ; and his independence of mind oc- casionally assumed the appearance of haughtiness and disdain. In one solitary instance, the anxiety which he felt for the preservation of the great cause in which he was so deeply interested, betrayed him in- to an advice which was not more inconsistent with the laws of strict morality, than it was contrary to the stern uprightness, and undis- guised sincerity, which characte- rized the restof his conduct, A stranger 456 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. stranger to complimentary or smooth language, little concerned abont the manner in which his reproofs were received, provided they were merited, too much im- pressed with the evil of the offence to think of the rank or character of the offender, he often * uttered his admonitions with an acrimony and vehemence more apt to irritate than to reclaim.” But he pro- tested, at a time when persons are least in danger of deception, and in a manner which should banish every suspicion of the purity of his motives, that, in his sharpest rebukes, he was influenced by ha- tred of vice, not of the vicious, that his great aim was to reclaim the guilty, and that, in using those means which were necessary for this end, he frequently did violence to his own feelings. Those who have charged him with insensibility and inhumanity, have fallen into a mistake very common with superficial thinkers, who, in judging of the characters of persons who lived in a state of society very different from their own, have pronounced upon their moral qualities from the mere aspect of their exterior man- ners. He was austere, not un- feeling; stern, not savage; vehe- ment, not vindictive. There is not an instance of his employing his influence to revenge any per- sonal injury which he had re- ceived. Rigid as his maxims as to the execution of justice were, there are numerous instances on record of his interceding for the ,pardon of criminals; and, unless when crimes were atrocious, or when the welfare of the state was in the most imminent danger, he never exhorted the executive go- vernment to the exercise of seve- rity. The boldness and ardour of his mind, called forth by the pe- culiar circumstances of the times, led him to push his sentiments on some subjects to an extreme, and no consideration could in- duce him to retract an opimion of which he continued to be per- suaded; but his behaviour after his publication against female go- vernment proves, that he was not disposed to improve them to the disturbance of the public peace. His conduct at Frank- fort evinced his moderation in religious differences among bre- thren of the same faith, and his disposition to make all reasonable allowances for those who could not go the same length with him in reformation, provided they ab- stained from imposing upon the consciences of others. The liber- ties which he took im censuring from the pulpit the actions of in- dividuals of the highest rank and station, appear the more strange and intolerable to us, when con- trasted with the silence of modern times; but we should recollect that they were then common, and that they were not without their utility, in an age when the li- centiousness and oppression of the great and powerful often set at defiance the ordinary restraints of law. St. VINCENT DE PAUL. From Mr. Butler’s Life of Bossuet. The annals of the world scarcely furnish an instance of such a bene- « factor CHARACTERS. factor to humanity as St. Vincent. He was the son of a day-labourer in Gascony. When about thirty years of age, he was taken pri- soner at sea, and carried to Tunis, where he continued two years a slave. Having escaped into France, he entered into holy orders, and devoted himself to the service of the unhappy persons condemned to the gallies. The reform, which he worked among them, the de- cent and resigned demeanor which he produced in them, and the alle- viations of their. suffering, which his charitable exertions in their fa- vour obtained for them, were sur- prising. On one occasion, a poor young man, having, for a single act of smuggling, been condemned to the gallies for three years, com- plained to him in such moving terms of his misfortunes, and of the distress to which it would reduce his wife and infant child- ren, that St. Vincent substituted himself in his place, and worked in the gallies, during eight months, chained by the leg, to the oar. The fact was then discovered, and he was ransomed. This circum- stance was juridically proved, on his canonization, and he always retained, in one of his legs, a soreness from the chain which he had worn. He established the Foundling Hospital at Paris; and raised, by a single speech, which he made for it, in a moment of its distress, an instant subscription of 40,000 French livres. In the war of the Fronde, several thou- sand German soldiers, who had been seduced, by great promises, into the army of the Fronde, were a in Paris and its neighbour- ood; and the war proving unsuc- cessful to those who had engaged 457 them, were abandoned by them, and left to perish. St. Viticent stirred up such a general spirit of charity in their behalf, as enabled him to provide for the immediate subsistence of them all, and to send them back, clothed and fed, to their own country. The cala- mities of the same war were terri- ble in Champagne, Picardy, Lor- raine, and Artois; and a year of great scarcity coming on, famine and pestilence ensued; numbers perished for hunger, and their bo- dies lay unburied. Information of this scene of woe being carried to St. Vincent, he raised a subscrip- tion of twelve millions of French money, and applied it for the re- lief of the wretched objects. These, and a multitude of other acts of beneficence, were juridically prov- ed, on his canonization, and Bos- suet, in his letter of solicitation, dwells ou them with great elo- quence. St. Vincent was canon- ised by Pope Clement XII. and his feast fixed for the 19th of July. Doctor LEYDEN. This singular and singularly learned man, died at Java, to which island he had accompanied his patron, Lord Minto, at the time of its conquest. The following tribute to his memory comes from the pen of General Malcolm, so much distinguished by his em- bassy to Persia, by the several treaties which he has negociated with the Indian Sovereigns, and by his late masterly sketch of the po- litical history of India. To 458 To the Editor of the Bombay Courier. Sir,—I inclose some lines which have no value but what they de- rive from the subject: they are an unworthy, but sincere, tribute to one whom I have long regarded with sentiments of esteem and affection, and whose loss I regret with the most unfeigned sorrow. It will remain with those who are better qualified than I am to do justice to the memory of Doc- tor Leyden; I only know that he rose by the power of native genius from the humblest origin to a very distinguished rank in the literary world. His studies included al- most every branch of human sci- ence, and he was alike ardent in the pursuit of all. The greatest power of his mind was, perhaps, shewn in his acquisition of modern and ancient languages. He ex- hibited an unexampled facility not merely in acquiring them, but in tracing their affinity. and connection with each other; and from that talent, combined with his taste and general knowledge, we had a right to expect, from what he did in a very few years, that he would, if he had lived, have thrown the greatest light upon the more abstruse parts of the history of the East. In this curious, but intricate and rugged path, we cannot hope to see his equal. Doctor Leyden had from his earliest years cultivated the Muse with a success which will make many regret that Poetry did not occupy a larger portion of his time. * The first of bis Essays which appeared in a separate form ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. was ‘*The Scenes of Infancy ;’’ a descriptive poem, in which he © sung, in no unpleasing strains, the charms of his native mountains and streams in Tiviot-dale. He contributed several small pieces to that collection of poems called the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, which he published with his cele- brated friend Walter Scott. Among these the Mermaid is certainly the most beautiful. In it he has shown all the creative fancy of a real genius. His Ode on the Death of Nelson is undoubtedly the best of | those poetical effusions that he has published since he came to India. The following apostrophe to the blood of that hero has a sublimity of thought and happiness of ex- pression which never could have been attained but by a true poet: “ Blood of the brave, thou art not lost Amid the waste of waters blue; The tide that rolls to Albion’s coast Shall proudly boast its sanguine hue ; And thou shalt be the vernal dew To foster valour’s daring seed ; The generous plant shall still its stoek renew, And hosts of heroes rise when one shall bleed.” It is pleasing to find him on whom nature has bestowed emi- nent genius, possessed of those more essential and intrinsic quali- ties which give the truest excel- lence to the human character. The manners of Doctor Leyden were uncourtly, more perhaps from his detestation of the vices too gene- rally attendant on refinement, and a wish (indulged to excess from his youth) to keep at a marked dis- tance from them, than from any ignorance of the rules of good breeding. He was fond of talking, his voice was loud, and had little or CHARACTERS. orno modulation, and he spoke in the provincial dialect of his native country ; it canuot be surprising, therefore, that even his informa- tion and: knowledge; when so con- veyed, should be felt bya number of his hearers as unpleasant, if not oppressive. But with all these dis- advantages (and they were great) the admiration and esteem in which he was always held by those who could appreciate his qualities, be- came general wherever he was long known ; they even who could not understand the value of his know- ledge loved his virtues, Though he was distinguished by his love of liberty, and almost haughty inde- pendence, his ardent feelings, and proud genius, never led him into any licentious or extravagant spe- culation on political subjects.. He never solicited favour; but he was raised by the liberal discernment of his noble friend and patron, Lord Minto, to a situation that af- forded him an opportunity of shew- ing, that he was as scrupulous and as inflexibly virtuous in the dis- charge of his public duties, as he was attentive in private life to the duties of morality and religion. _ Itis not easy to convey an. idea of the znethod which Doctor Ley- den used in his studies, or to de- scribe the unconquerable ardour with which these were pursued, During his early residence in India, 1 had a particular opportunity of observing both. When he read a lesson in Persian, a person near him whom he had taught, wrote down each word on along slip of paper, which was afterwards divided into as many pieces as there were words, and pasted in alphabetical order, under different iesils of verbs, nouns, &c. into a blank book, that 459 formed a vocabulary of each day’s lesson. All this he had in a few hours instructed a very ignorant na- tive to do; and this man he used in his broad accent to call ** one of his mechanical aids.’ He was so ill at Mysore, soon after his arrival from England, that Mr. Anderson, the surgeon; whe attended him, despaired of his life; but though all his friends endeavoured at this period to prevail upon him to relax in his application to study, it was in vain. He used, when unable to sit upright, prop himself up with pillows; and continue his transla- tions. One day that 1 was sitting by his. bed-side the surgeon came in: ‘* fam glad you are here,” said Mr. Anderson, addressing him- self to me, ** you will be able to persuade Leyden to attend to my advice.’ [ have told him befvre, and I now repeat, that he will die, if he does not leave off his studies and remain quiet.’ ‘* Very well, Doctor,” exclaimed Leyden, ‘* you have done your duty, but you must now hear me: I cannot be idle ; and whether I die or live the wheel must go round to the last :”’ and he actually ‘continued; under the depression of a fever, and a liver complaint, to study more than ten hours each day. nenteuedl The temper of Doctor Leyden was mild and generous, and he could bear with perfect good hu- mour, raillery on his foibles. When he arrived at Calcutta in 1805, I was most solicitous regarding his reception in the society of the In- dian capital. ** IT entreat you, my dear friend,” I said to him the day he landed, ‘to be careful of the impression you make on your en- tering this community ; for God’s sake learn a little English, = be silent 460 silent upon literary subjects, except among literary men.” ‘ Learn English,” he exclaimed, * no, never ; it was trying to learn that language that spoilt my Scotch ; and as to being silent, I will pro- mise to hold my tongue, if you will make fools hold theirs." His memory was most tenacious, and he sometimes loaded it with lumber. When he was at Mysore, an argument occurred upon a point of English history: it was agreed to refer it to Leyden, and, to the astonishment of all parties, he re- peated verbatim the whole of -an Act of parliament in the reign of James I. relative to Ireland, which decided the point in dispute. On being asked how he came to charge his memory with such extraordina- ry matter, he said that several years before, when he was writing on the changes that had taken place in the English language, this Act was one of the documents to which he had referred as a specimen of the style of that age, and that he had retained every word in his memory. His love of the place of his na- tivity was a passion in which he had always a pride, and which in India he cherished with the fondest enthusiasm. I once went to see him when he was very ill, and had been confined to his bed for many days; there were several gentlemen in the room; he inquired if I had any news; I told him I had a let- ter from Eskdale ; and what are. they about in the borders ? he ask- ed. A curious circumstance, I re- plied, is stated in my letter; andI read him a passage which described the conduct of our volunteers on a fire being kindled by mistake at ‘one of the beacons. This letter ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. mentioned that the moment the blaze, which was the signal of m~ vasion, was seen, [the Mountaineers hastened to their rendezvous, and those of Leddesdale swam the Ewes river to reach it. They were assembled (though several of their houses were at a distance of six and seven miles) in two hours ; and at break of day the party marched into the town of Hawick (a dis- tance of twenty miles from the place of assembly) to the border tune of ‘‘ Wha dare meddle wi’ me?’’? Leyden’s countenance be- came animated as I proceeded with this detail; and at its close he sprung from his sick bed, and with strange melody and still stranger gesticulations, sung aloud, ** Wha dare meddle wi’? me? wha dare meddle wi’ me?’’ Several of those who witnessed this scene looked at him as one that was raving in the delirium of a fever. These anecdotes will display more fully than any description [ can give, the lesser shades of the character of this extraordinary man. Am external manner cer- tainly not agreeable, and a disposi tion to egotism, were his only de- fects. How trivial do these appear, at a moment when we are lament- ing the loss of such a rare com- bination of virtues, learning, and genius, aS were concentrated in the late Doctor Leyden ! I am, Sir, your obedient servant, JoHn Matcoum. Where sleep the brave on Java’s strand, Thy ardent spirit, Leyden! fled. And fame with cypress shades the land, Where genius fell, and valour bled. When triumph’s tale is westward borne, On border hills no joy shall gleam : And thy lov’d Tiviot long shall mourn The youthful Poet of her stream. : Near Neor Jura’s rocks the mermaid’s strain Thy dirge is sung from Scotia’s skies, Shall change from sweet, to solemn lay; | Her mountain Sons their loss bewail. For he is gone, the stranger swain, Who sung the Maid of Colonsay. The Minstrel of thy native North . Pours all his soul into the song; The hardy Tar, Britannia’s pride, It bursts from near the winding Forth, Shall hang his manly head in woe: And Highland rocks ‘the notes prolong. The Bard who told how Nelson died, With harp unstrung, in earth lies low. Yes, he who struck a matchless lyre, O’er Flodden’s field, and Katrine’s wave ; I see a weeping band arise, With trembling hand now leads the choi» I hear sad music on the gale ; That mourn his Leyden’s éarly grave. CHARACTERS. 461 : MANNERS . oh paedly | MANNERS, CUSTOMS, &c. piiceise ie te it i ? t ,wh te epi OF NATIONS anp CLASSES or PEOPLE. THe ARAB PiRATES. (From Morier’s Travelsin Persia. ) Wes Arabs in every age, have been alike distinguished for a spirit of commerce and of plun- der: and were early and great navigators, both as merchants and as pirates. In the time of Ma- homed there existed a predatory tribe, whose chief is described in the Koran, according to Ebn Haukal, as “the King, who for- cibly seized every sound ship.” This empire is said to have been founded prior to the time of Moses ; and if the continuance of the same occupations on the spot be a proof of the identity of the people, it may be traced to the Arabs of the present day. The Portuguese power was often violated by these pirates: and in the same age the English interests in the East were so much endan- gered by them, that oné of the agents in Persia (who had all in- deed successively made represen- tations on the necessity of sending an armed force to destroy them) declared, that ‘« they were likely to becomeas great plagues in India, x as the Algerines were in Europe.” Some of these ships had from 30 to 50 guns: and one of their fleets, consisting of five ships, carried between them one thousand five hundred men. Within the last few years, their attacks have been almost indiscriminate; nor had they learnt to respect even English colours, as the instance in the text, and the subsequent capture of the Minerva, Capt. Hopgood, proved too well. The British go- vernment, however, knowing the intimate connection of these pirates on the coast with the Wahahee, proceeded in the suppression of the evil with cautious judgment; and when, by the extension of these outrages to themselves, they were driven to vindicate the honour of their flag, and to extirpate their enemies, they regarded all the ports, which had not actually in- cluded the British within their de- predations, as still neutral; and endeavoured to confine their war- fare to reprisals, for specific acts of violence, rather than to commit themselves generally against the Wahabee, by extending the at- tack to those of that alliance who, amid all their piracies, had yet not violated the commerce of England. We MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. We might indeed thus separate the Joassmee tribe from the Wahabee, for we had already, in a formal treaty, recognized them as'an independent power; though perhaps for all other purposes, they might be considered as identified. The strength, however, of the Joassmees alone was very consider- able. The ports in their possession contained, according to a well- authenticated calculation, in the middle of the year 1809, 63 large vessels, and 810 of smaller sizes ; together manned by near 19,000 men. This force was increasing 5 the pirates, ina fleet of 55 ships, of various sizes, containing alto- gether 5,000 men, had, after a fight of two days, taken the Mi- nerva, and murdered almost all the crew: in the next month a fleet of 70 sail of vessels (navi- gated severally by numbers rising from 80 to 150 and 200 men) were cruizing about the Gulph and threatening Bushire: and the chief of Ras al Khyma, whose harbour was almost the exclusive resort of the larger vessels, had dared to demand a tribute from the British government, that their ships might navigate the Persian Gulph in safety. Our forbearance was now exhausted, and an expedition was sent from Bombay, under Captain Wainwright, and Lieut.-Colonel Smith, of his Majesty’s sea and land forces, to attack the pirates in their ports. The first object was Ras al Khyma. The arma- ment, after a shortsiege, carried the place by storm, destroyed all the naval equipments, and sparing the smaller vessels, burnt the 50 darge ships which the harbour con- tained, They proceeded to the ‘ports of the Arab pirates on the 463 Persian coast, and completed the destruction of all their means of annoyance. They then attacked Shinass, one of their harbours on the Indian ocean. The defence of this place was most heroical ; and was conducted indeed for the Joassmees, as was subsequently Jearnt, by a favourite and confi- dential general of Saood Ibn Abdool Uzzeer, the chief of the Wahabee. When on the third day of the siege, the few survivors were called upon to surrender, they replied, that they preferred death to submission ; and when thetowers were falling round them, they re- turned upon their assailants the hand-grenades and fire-balls before they could burst. .Twice Lieut.- Colonel Smith ceased firing, to endeavour to spare the unavailing effusion of their blood; till vat length, when they were assured of being protected from ‘the fury of the troops of our ally the Imaun of Muscat, which had co-operated with us, they surrendered to the English. The expedition then scoured all the coast a second time, to destroy any fragments of that pirate power, against which it was directed; and extirpated in every quarter-all the means of annoyance which the Joassmees possessed. There was indeed another force of another tribe, which might eventually grow up into a formidable enemy 5 but this was distinctly under the protection of the Wahabee, who had invested its chief with the title of Sheik al Behr, or** Lord of the'Sea;’’ and till it «marked ‘its hostility ‘to us by joining in the attacks upon our commerce, it was judged expedient not to confound it in one mdiscriminate sien ut 464 but rather to open a communica- tion with this particular chief, and through him to the Wahabee him- self, advising the one to prohibit the piracies of his dependants, and requiring the other to respect the flag of England. In answer the Wahabee observed, “ The cause -of the hostilities carrying on be- tween me and the members of the faith, is, their having turned away from the Book of the Creator, and refused to submit to their own prophet Mahomed. It is_ not, therefore, those of another sect, against whom I wage war, nor do I interfere in their hostile opera- tions, nor assist them against any one; whilst under the power of the Almighty, I have risen superior to all my enemies.” * * * ‘¢ Under these circumstances, I have deemed it necessary to advise you that I shall not approach your shores, and have interdicted the followers of the Mahomedan faith and their vessels, from offermg any molestation to your vessels: any of your merchants, therefore, who may appear in, or wish to come to my ports, will be in secu- rity; and any person on my _ part who may repair to you, ought in like manner to be in safety.” * * * «¢ Be not, therefore, elated with the conflagration of a few vessels, for they are of no estimation in my opinion, in that of their owners, or of their coun- try. In truth then war is bitter; and a fool only engages init, asa poet has said.” The want of timber has always been felt so much by the people of the two Gulphs, and of the western coast of the Indian ocean, that a check on their supplies from the ‘Malabar coast, which Brigadier- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. General Malcolm very seasonably suggested, will probably keep down the future growth of the pirate power. The fleet of the soldan of Egypt, which, was destined to re- lieve Diu, was formed of Dalmatian timber, transported overland to the arsenals of Suez; and even some of the heuses at Siraff, on the gulph of Persia, were formed of European wood. In the seventeenth century, the Arabs of Muscat, who subsequently formed connections on the Malabar coast to procure timber, obtained permission from the king of Pegu to build ships in the ports of his country. If there- fore the importation of foreign wood were cut off, the Arabscould hardly, without extreme difficulty, maintain a naval force. | (From Semple’s Present State of the CaARAcas.) The general manners and cus- toms of the province are those of Spain, by no means improv- ed by crossing the Atlantic, or by the mixture of Indian and Negro blood with that of the first con- querors. It may be laid down, as an axiom, that wherever there is slavery, there is corruption of man- ners. There is a reaction of evil from the oppressed to. the .oppres- sor, from the slave to his master. Here it has been weakened, by the general mildness observed towards domestic slaves; but it has not been destroyed, and, even should slavery be finally abolished, — its influence over private life will long be . felt. After great debates, the importation of slaves has been for- bidden by the new legislature; although many still remain of opi-~ nion, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. - nion, that they are necessary to the prosperity of the country. During my stay at La Guayra, a vessel arrived from the coast of Africa, with negroes: but as she had sailed previously to the passing of the prohibitory law, they were allowed to be landed, and were sold immediately, at more than three hundred dollars each, upon an average. In general, the owners of slaves are little anxious how they are sup- ported, provided they perform the usual offices, and make their ap- pearance on certain occasions of ceremony. This is a great source of dishonesty. Whenever a slave can by any means make up the sum of three hundred dollars to his owner, he is free. He is not even obliged to yive this sum at once, but may pay it in single dollars, or half dollars, until the amount be complete. A slave has also the liberty of seeking a new master, and may go about to sell himself. These, and other regula- tions, tend, in some measure, to alleviate the evils of slavery, and still more to evince, by their bene- ficial effects, how much preferable would be its complete abolition. Almost the whole commerce of the cvuntry is carried on by Eu- ropean Spaniards, and by Islenos, or Islanders, from the Canaries. They buy and sell, are the mer- chants and the shopkeepers, in all the towns. A spirit of union, and frequently an impenetrable pro- vincial dialect, binds them together, and gives them great advantages in all their transactions. The Eu- ropean, who expects to see a number of purchasers in competi- tion, is frequently surprised to find only one or two, until the bargain Vou. LIV. 465 being completed, the whole who were:interested in it, appear. The natives of the country, so far from considering this transaction of their affairs by strangers as a reproach to their indolence, turn it into a source of national pride. ‘The Americans,’”’ say they, ‘* have no need to go to Europe; but it plainly appears, that Europeans have need of us. We are not, like them, obliged to hawk our commodities over half the globe. Our rich and abundant products draw them hither, and convert them into our servants.’”’ In this manner reason the Chinese, vain of their supposed superiority over all mankind. And in this manner might argue the savages of the South Seas, who behold Europeans visiting them, but who never visit Europe. The manners of the towns, and in the interior, differ greatly, or rather they belong to different pe- riods in the progress of society. After passing the great chain of mountains which borders all this coast, from the gulph of Venezuela to that of Paria we come to im- mense plains, devoid of trees, known by the general name of Las Llanos, or the Plains. Beyond them are other ridges of high mountains, which the traveller be- holds rising gradually above the horizon, like land when first dis- covered at sea. These plains afford pasturage to innumerable cattle, the proprietors of which reside in the great towns, leaving them to the care of slaves, or peo- ple of colour. Hence a population is rapidly forming of a character wholly different from that of the immediate descendants of Euro- peans, or the natives of the coast. 2H A bold 466 A bold and lawless race, accustomed to be always on horseback and living nearly in a state of nature, wanders over these plains. Among them are many professed robbers, who render travelling dangerous, and are already beginning to form into small bands, They live almost entirely on the flesh of cattle, without regarding to whom they belong; killing an animal at every meal, and after satisfying their hunger, leaving the remainder of the carcase to the birds of prey and the wild animals of the desert. These men are well known, and frequently pointed out in the villages, but the inefficacy of the laws leaves them at liberty, until some act of uncommon atrocity excites the attention of the ma- gistrates. Even after being seized, they frequently make their escape, either through the carelessness of their keepers, or the delays of justice; and return with increased avidity to their former mode of life. In the villages and small towns thinly scattered over these plains, great dissoluteness of morals prevails, The mixture of races is a source of endless corruption, to whichare joined a climate inducing indolence and voluptuousness, and the total absence of all refined methods of passing time away. The highest delight both to wo- men and men is, to swing about in their hammocks, and smoke gigars. Gambling to excess, and tormenting of bulls, are their principal amusements. Religion has no beneficial effect upon their morals; if they commit sins, they confess them and are forgiven. To all this is joined an apathy which is astonishing. Liveliness forms no part of their character; ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. on the contrary, they generally speak in a mild and drawling tone, which gives the highest idea of indifference, and almost of a dis- inclination to the trouble of open- ing their mouths. When a little animated, however, this softness in the voice of the women, it must be confessed, is not unpleasing, until its monotony becomes tire- some to the ear of an European. I have not entered into a detail of the various races which people this country, as they are composed of the same materials which exist in all the Spanish colonies of South America ; and have been frequently and accurately described. Over all, as is well known, until very lately, the European was considered as pre-eminent, frequently without any just cause. Next in rank were the Creoles, or descendants of Eu- ropean parents, and then a long succession of the various shades of mixture with Indian or African blood. The late revolutions in this country have abolished some of these distinctions, and seem likely in time to destroy still more; the probable consequencesof which are worthy of serious attention. THE Sicinian CHARACTER. From Galt’s Voyages and Travels. Our knowledge of the charac- ters of nations is derived from his- tory ; but there are moral features among every people which history never describes. In estimating the character of the Sicilians, ‘this consideration ought to be particu- larly borne in mind. The island has been so long connected with Naples, that the two countries, in opinion, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. opinion, have become almost inse- parably blended ; and much of that bloody colouring, which darkens the complexion of their general na- tional character, may, properly, be- long only to the Neapolitan. Still, however, the circumstances of the Sicilian government, from an early wera, serve to show, that the politi- cal attachments of the people have never been lasting, nor have they, in any epoch of their story, evinced that they possessed that resolute courage which has often enabled small communities to acquire im- mortal renown, in their opposition to superior powers, ‘ The Sicilians are rather a sly than a cunning race; perhaps no nation in Europe possesses so much naweté. Loquacious and ingeni- ous, they make more use of per- suasion in their dealings than any other people. It is not enough that a Sicilian objects the high price of what he desires to pur- chase; he expatiates on the infe- riority of the quality ; recalls to re- collection how long he has been a customer; enumerates, one by one, counting them on his fingers, the circumstance of unlucky bargains that he has had; flatteringly cou- trasts the opulence of the Euglish with the poverty of the Sicilians; animadyerts on the politics of the government; magnifies the value of his ready-money ; insinuates that he may change his merchant ; aud often retires, and returns several times, before he offers his ultima- tum. Nor in selling does he prac- tise less address. There is not a single point of his wares that does not possess something extraordin- ary, or beautiful: no other shop in the town has any thing like them ; so cheap, or so excellent. If the 407 price be high, What will you give? and it is seldom that a Sie cilian refuses, the offer of an Eng- lishman, The inhabitants of this island are, in the proper sense of the term, highly superstitious, but the dicta of ignorance are so interwo- ven with the creeds of popery, that many notions of vulgar supersti- tion ave regarded as essentials of religion. The only exception is a belief in the effects of the influ- ence of evil eyes; and even over this, the priesthood have acquired jurisdiction. For they persuade the people to buy bits of blessed rags and paper, which, when worn suspended round the neck, have the effect, as they pretend, of neu- tralizing the malignancy. The in- fluence of an evil look is instan- taneous ; and the person who hap- pens to glance it, may be uncon- scious of what he does: it smites the subject with sudden malady, or impresses his mind with lugubrious images, and unfits him for the pro- secution of premeditated intentions. It is useless to speculate on the fantasies of the human mind ; but, in this case, the constant flicker- ing of electricity in this climate, and the occasional breathing of pestiferous exhalations, from the vegetable corruption in the bottoms of the valleys, afford a plausible reason for the sudden distempers and dejections which are ascribed to the aspect of ungracious eyes. The same superstition is well known in Scotland ; but it is more generally prevalent among the Si- cilians than the Scotch, Whether it is, among us, an imported or in- digenous belief, cannot now be as- certained, Over all the ancient extent of the papal empire, there 2H2 is 468 is a great similarity in the’ topics of vulgar credulity. The Sicilians have, certainly, a very keen relish of humour; and, now and then, one may perceive in them a strong trait of peculiar- ity, not individual but national, which, notwithstanding their an- cient proficiency, is an assurance to think that they may yet attain some literary superiority which shall be regarded as original. A description of manners and cus- toms, by a genuine Sicilian, other- wise properly qualified, would equally surprise and delight. Sricrz1an Nosiwiry. From the same. Of the character and condition of the Sicilian nobles I have uni- formly received but one opinion. The time of by far the greater num- ber is spentin the pursuit of amuse- ment, and of any other object than the public good. The most of them are in debt, and the incomes of but few are adequate to their wants: many are ina state of abso- lute beggary. | One evening, as I happened to be returning home, I fell in with a procession of monks and soldiers bearing an image of St. Francis; and, not having seen any thing of the kind before, i went with the crowd into achurch towards which the procession was moving. While reckoning the number of the friars as they entered, and having reached a hundred and seventy, all excel- lent subjects for soldiers, a weil- dressed gentleman came up to me, and, bowing, pointed to some of the ornaments as objects worthy of a stranger’s curiosity; but, per- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ceiving me shy of entering into conversation with him, and the procession entering the church at the same time, he walked, or was forced by the current of the crowd, away. The idol being placed near the high altar, the crowd began to chant a hymn. As they all fell on their knees, and my tight preju- dices and small clothes would not permit me to do the same, I turned into one of the side chapels, and, leaning against the railing of the altar, began to speculate on the spectacle before me, when the strangeragain accostedme. Some- what disconcerted by the inter- ruption, and by the forwardness © ‘of the man, I abruptly quitted my place. But, before 1 had moved two steps, he approached, and, bowing, said, 1 am the Baron M——, and my palace is just op- posite. At this instant the wor- shippers rose, and the procession turning to go out at one of the side doors near where we were stand- ing, before I could retreat, I found myself involved in the crowd, and obliged to go with the stream. When I reached the street, I found the stranger again at my side. This is very extraordinary, thought 1; and, without seeming to notice him, walked away. He followed ; and when we had got out of the nucleus of the throng, he seized me firmly by the arm, and drew me aside. Enraged and alarmed at this mysterious treatment, I shook him fiercely from me. For about the time that one might count twenty, he seemed to hesitate; and then, suddenly coming back, repeated, in Italian, with consider- able energy, “I, I am the Baron This is my palace; but I have nothing to eat !”’ I looked ‘os the MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. the building, near the gate of which we were then standing : it was old and ruinous: there was no lamp in the court-yard, and only a faint light glimmering in one of the windows. Mistaking my silence and asto- nishment, he pulled out his watch, and, placing it in my hand, en- treated me to give him some mo- ney. As I had no disposition to become a pawnbroker, I returned it with some expressicns of sur- prise, and took out my purse with the intention of giving it to him, for it only contained two or three small pieces. But here all the so- lemnity of the adventure termin- ated. He snatched it out of my hand, and, emptying the contents into his own, returned it; and wishing me a good night, ran into the gateway. THE IpRIOTS. From the same. Idra, as far as my recollection serves, was not of any consequence in the brilliant periods of Grecian history. The present city origin- ated in a small colony of boatmen belonging to the Morea, who took refuge here from the tyranny of the Turks. About forty years ago they had multiplied to a considerable number ; their little village began to assume the appearance of a town, and they had vessels that went as far as Constantinople. In their mercantile transactions, the Idriots acquired the reputation of greater integrity than the other Greeks, as well as of being the most intrepid navigators in the Archipelago; and they were, of course, regularly preferred, Their 469 honesty and industry obtained its reward. When the French revo- lution broke out, they had seve- ral large ships, which they loaded. with grain, and sent to France, during the scarcity which prevailed at the beginning of the late war. The profit arising from these voy- ages enabled them to increase the number of their shipping; and they now possess eighty ships, of more than two hundred and fifty tons, besides several hundreds of smaller vessels and wherries. They have two or three ships, not infe- rior in strength and size to fri- gates. At Malta and Messina, | was told that the number of the Idriot shipping was much greater ; but this was a mistake, arising from considering vessels belonging to the islands of Specia, Paros, My- coni, and Ipsera, as Idriots. These islands resemble Idra in their insti- tutions; and the inhabitants pos- sess the same character for com- mercial activity. In paying their sailors, Idra and its sister islands have a peculiar custom. The whole amount of the freight is considered as a com- mon stock from which the charges of victualling the ship are deducted. The remainder is then divided into two equal parts ; one is allotted to the crew, and equally shared among them, without reference to age or rank. The other part is appropri- ated to the ship and the captain. ' The capital of the cargo is a trust given to the captain and the crew on certain fixed conditions, For all voyages to the Levant, a profit of twenty per cent on their respec- tive shares, is allowed to the con- tributors of the capital, and the same in voyages which do not ex- tend to the westward beyond Malta and Sicily; but im voyages to France 470 France and Spain, within the Straits, thirty per cent is given. All the profits, after paying all the capitalists, is divided on the same principle, and by the same rule, as a freight earned by charter. Losses by accidents of navigation are sus- tained by the capitalists ; but those arising from bad sales, fall on the captain and the crew, who are obliged to make good the defi- ciency. The first time that I vi- sited this island, there was a vessel in the port, which, by an unsuc- cessful voyage, had incurred a loss of no less than four thousand pounds sterling ; and this sum the crew and captain were then mak- ing good to the capitalists. The Idriots never insure their ships or cargoes. The vessels ge- “nerally belong to a great number of persons, and some of the capi- talists have only five or ten pounds sterling embarked in one bottom. The value of their several shares is not of sufficient importance to in- duce the owners to think of insur- ing them. In the early period of their history, to purchase a cargo of grain, for it is chiefly by their tradein that article that the Idriots have acquired their wealth, was in some sort a public undertaking. The whole community was con- ‘cerned in it. The character and manners of the common Idriot sailors, from the moral effect of these customs, is much superior, in regularity, to the ideas that we are apt to enter- tain of sailors. They are sedate, well dressed, well’ bred, shrewd, informed, and speculative. They seem to form a class in the orders of mankind, which has no exist- ence among us. By their voyages, they acquire a liberality of notion, dred pounds sterling. ANNUAL REGISTER, 13819. which we expect only among gen- tlemen ; while, in their domestic circumstances, their conduct is suitable to their condition. The Greeks are all traditionary histo- rians, and possess much of that kind of knowledge to which the term ‘+ learning”’ is usually applied. This, mingled with the other in- formation of the Idriots, gives them that adyantageous character of mind, which, | think, they pos- sess. The town is certainly a very ex- traordinary place. The houses rise from the border of the port, which is in the form of a horse-shoe, in successive tiers, to a great height, and many of them appear on the pinnacles of cliffs which would make a Bath or an Edinburgh gar- reteer giddy to look from. The buildings are all brightly white- washed ; anda number of wind- mills being, almost constantly, in motion on the heights, the effect of the scene, with the addition of the bustle on the wharfs below, is, at once, surprising, and uncom- monly cheerful. There are upwards of forty pa- rochial churches in the town ; and two of them are adorned with handsome steeples. Idra forms part of the diocese of Egina and Paros, one of the richest bishopries of Greece. The nett income is estimated at upwards of six hun- The epis- copal ‘residence is in Egina, but the bishop visits Idra every year. The population of the town is said to exceed twenty thousand souls; and 1 think it is not-exag- gerated. There were, when I was there, no public schools but those of the parochial priests. Eight of 'the principal MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. principal inhabitants had procured an Italian master for their chil- dren, to whom they paid about seventy-five pounds sterling per annum. Though the poor are numerous, there is no public provision for them; but the charity of indivi- duals is liberal ; and many allot the profits of a share of their vessels, and even sometimes more, to be regularly distributed among the needy. All goods, I may say every thing that is necessary for the subsist- ence of man, as the island produces nothing, pay here a duty of two anda half per cent. This serves as a fund for public uses; and for any extraordinary demands, which the exigencies of the sultan may require. In addition to this, every man capable of bearing arms pays about three shillings sterling per annum of tribute. The Porte is contented with this moderate tax, in consequence of the Idriots fur- nishing a number of sailors for the Turkish navy, They furnished two hundred and fifty sailors last year, whom they paid at the rate of about fifty shillings per man monthly, On some occasions, a subscription las been raised, to help the insufficiency of the ordins ary revenue, It can hardly be said that this little state, for such it deserves to be considered, as it is governed by rulers of its own choosing, and is rather under the protection of the sultan than subject to his imme- diate authority, has any laws ; but it has many usages, which have all the force of laws. Litigated ques- tions are decided by the magis- trates collectively, whose awards are recorded in the chancery of the 471 city, and become precedents. Or- dinary delinquents are punished by the magistrates ; but greater cri- minals, after conviction, are sent to Constantinople, with the au- thenticated evidence of their of- fences. Property in houses is ex- changed by documents, of which copies are lodged in the chancery ; thus giving clearness and stability to the mghts of proprietors, like that which is afforded by the in- stitution of the Register Office in Scotland. For the security of the rights of property in vessels, a book is kept by one of the owners, and in it all that relates to the ship is recorded. CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE OF THE IstE oF Man. From an Account of that Islund by G. Woods. The Manksare reckoned to be na- turally ofanindolentand credulous, often of a superstitious and gloomy disposition. I do not know of any one that has rendered himself eminent by a great proficiency, or useful discovery in the arts or sci- ences, by fire of genius or pro- fundity of learning, Characters endowed with piety, benevolence, and other virtues, in general, I trust, less remarkable, have not been rare. I would particularise several, were I not afraid of omit- ting others of perhaps equal merit. Some of the women of the higher classes are well informed and ac- complished : most of the lower classes, civil and industrious. To these may be applied the characte which one of the authors of King’s Cheshire gives to the women of that country: they are usually, Sil) S 472 says he, very prolific after mar- riage, and sometimes before. An honest and industrious servant- girl is not ruined by becoming a mother, though for the sake of de- cency her place is lost. To this laxity of morals is attributed the absence, even in Douglas, of those women which so frequently swarm in towns. I was informed that their trade had been tried, but found not to answer. The ser- vapts of Man are more dirty and untidy than the English, but less so than the Scotch or Irish. The people are attached to their native vales and mountains, to their ancient customs, and their laws. They considered themselves independent of the English nation, and were greatly affected by the sale of the island, which they thought would blend the coun- tries.. Though few the enjoyments of the lower orders, their cares are also few. Over a jug of ale their troubles are frequently forgotten ; and, when again remembered, are expected to terminate with the next fishing season. The cheap- ness of law encourages strife : ma- ny a quarrel, which, in England, would be amicably adjusted, is here brought into court, Rancour, when long indulged, it is not easy to eradicate. Insanity among the natives is reckoned rather common: it is usually of a melancholy, not of a violent description. Persons af- flicted with this calamity, if not kept at home by their friends, are permitted to roam at large. The middle and higher. ranks mix too much with the English to retain any peculiar character- istic of their native country. The chief trade and much of the farm- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1!s19. ing business is carried on by stran- gers. Civilization is little, if at all, behind the remoter parts of England. An anonymous writer of the last century says, that knives and forks were scarcely known here; that when a person gave a dinner, the appendage was a few butchers knives for carvers ; that their thumbs and fingers and their teeth were the only imple- ments allotted to the guests. He was either misinformed himself, or attempted to mislead his read- ers. The people are hospitably and charitably disposed. One of their proverbs is, ‘© When one poor man relieves another God himself laughs for joy.” Poor-rates and most other parochial rates are things unknown; and there is not in the whole island either hospital, work- house, or house of correction. A collection is made after the morn- ing service of every Sunday for the relief of such poor of the parish as are thought deserving of charity. The donation is optional ; but it is usual for every one to give some- thing. Beggars are little encou- raged and rarely met with. ‘The want of poor-rates and work- houses is by some thought a dis- advantage ; while others, judging by their effect in England, and reasoning upon general principles, imagine that, while they are a tax upon the higher and middle classes, they are rather detrimental than beneficial to the industrious poor, and consequently prejudicial to a nation. In every parish is at least one charity school, and often a small library. These were founded by Bishops Barrow and Wilson, are supported by voluntary contribu- tions, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. tions, and many of them have funds arising from legacies and donations. Account oF Ragusa. From Essays Geographical, Commer- cial and Political. Ragusaisasmall but independent state, which forms a part of Dal- matia in European Turkey: it is bounded by the Gulf of Venice on the west; by Venctian Dalmatia on the north and north west; by Turkish Dalmatia on the north east and east; and by Albania on the south and south east. Its length from north to south in a direct line is about 100 miles, and its breadth from east to west 18 or 20. It is surrounded on the land-side by a ridge of mountains, which separate it from the adja- cent country, over which are seve- ral passages of easy access to men and horses; the interior of the country is also very mountain- ous, and the surface of the moun- tains barren and unproductive ; but the valleys produce corn and various kinds of delicious fruit, as apples, pears, plums, grapes, figs, pomegranates, &c. though no oranges, It should seem, however, that the country is not remarkably fer- tile, or the inhabitants but little skilled in agriculture, since, not- withstanding the thinness of its population, they are frequently un- der the necessity of importing corn from Turkey. It has most of the fowls com- mon in England, and all our qua- _ drupeds, as horses, oxen, sheep, goats, hogs, &c. plenty of hares 473 aud rabbits, and a few foxes. Bees too are kept in a domes- ticated state amongst them, as with us. The Raguseans have but one harvest and vintage in the year ; the former commences about the 20th of June, and the latter the 10th of September, and the wines which they make are cheap and plentiful, and the common drink of the inhabitants.—Yet notwith- standing the temperature of the climate, the mountains are fre- quently covered with snow in winter, though ice is very rarely seell. The country is frequently visit- ed by earthquakes: about 140 years ago half the town of Ragusa was destroyed by one, and a year seldom passes without some symp- toms of them. Many villages are scattered up and down the country, containing from 3 to 500 inhabitants each; but it has no considerable town except Ragusa, the capital, which is 13 miles in circumference, and contains about 9,000 inhabitants, or, with the suburbs, 12,000: the houses are built of a very fine stone, and remarkably strong, to resist the effect of earthquakes. The coast is all along full of harbours fit for large fleets, with very secure anchorage, and the sea well stored with fish, About twelve small islands are scattered along it, which form a part of the Ragusean territory : the principal of them are Augusta and Meleda. Augusta is about 25 miles in cir- cumference, containing 200 inha- bitants, and has a fishery estab- lished on it for anchovies and sardines, which are exported to Venice, 474 Venice, Trieste, and Ancona; it produces corn and wine for the supply of its inhabitants, Meleda is 50 miles in circum- ference, but has only about 2,000 inhabitants, who live in a_ few small villages, and have no consi- derable town in the island: it has three good harbours, and produces corn sufficient for the support of its own inhabitants, but nothing of any value to the state except firewood. It has been much disputed in the Italian schools, whether this island be not the same which is called Melita in the New Testa- ment, on which St. Paul and his companions were shipwrecked ; and many have been inclined to give it the preference to Malta in that respect; not only from the coincidence of its name (which in Latin is Melita), but from the great difficulty, if not impossibility, of reconciling the account there given of the wind, &c. with the situation of Malta,—It abounds with destructive serpents, by which both the inhabitants and the cattle frequently suffer ; the bite of some of them is so deadly, as to occasion instant death without remedy ; but others less noxious cause a tumour, which by degrees spreads over the whole frame, and produces the death of the patient in two or three days, unless they take the precaution of immediately cutting out the part affected, when no further inconvenience ensues. These serpents are also found in Ragusa, but they are neither so noxious nor so numerous as on this island. This remarkable state has not only preserved its independence in ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. the midst of a powerful empire, against the arms of which it pos- sesses no means of defence, but has enjoyed the most profound tranquillity for the space of 1,000 years with only one small inter- ruption, which happened about 22 years ago, when the Russians, be- ing at war with the Turks, began to commit depredations on the Ragusean shipping, but the affair was very soon made up. Having no internal commotions nor external wars of their own, nor any concern in those of their neighbours, the state maintains neither army, nor navy, nor any thing which has the appearance of hostile force, except about fifty soldiers, who attend the doge on special occasions, merely for the purpose of ponip and parade. Although the coutinuance of this happy state of peace and tranquillity (so different from the condition of all the more polished nations of Europe) must no doubt be attributed in a great measure to the poverty and infertility of their country, which affords little to gratify the avarice or ambition of an invader, yet it appears to have been partly occasioned by the fol- lowing circumstance: Wheu the Turks had overrun Greece and conquered the provinces of Bosnia, Servia, &c. the Raguseans sent de- puties to congratulate the Sultan on his success, and to solicit his protection: as they were the first and only people who had compli- mented him in this manner, he received them graciously, and en- tered into a treaty to allow them their independence, which has been kept inviolable to the present day ; and once every three years two d . MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. two senators are still deputed from Ragusa to Constantinople to re- new the friendship. In the above-mentioned treaty it was stipulated, that the Raguse- ans should pay the Grand Seignior an annual tribute ; in consideration of which, they have the exclusive privilege of selling saltin the Turk- ish dominions. Ragusa produces very little in it- self for the purpose of trade, ex- cept a small quantity of ol; the salt which they sell to the Turks is partly found in the peninsula of Stagn (part of their territory), but principally imported from Sicily and Sardinia; wool, wax, iron, hides, leather, &c. are brought by land carriage from Turkey, and exported from Ragusa to Venice, Ancona, Apulia, Trieste, &c.: they import linen and _ woollen cloth from Trieste and Leghorn, timber for ship-building from Al- bania, masts from Istria, hemp and flax from Ancona, pitch and tar from Venetian Dalmatia, &c. ; their country produces _fir-timber, but very little fit for ship-building, and no iron, flax, or hemp.—Their principal wealth and support ari- ses from their shipping, which is not only sufficient for all the pur- poses of their own trade; but also enables them to act as general car- riers for other nations almost all over the Mediterranean, and some- times they are freighted beyond the straits of Gibraltar to Portugal, England, &c. The whole state contains about 260 merchantmen of 100 to 600 tons each, besides several smaller vessels which are employed in the cousting trade of the Adriatic, and they have in all about 5,000 sea- men, The ships carry guns for 475 their own defence, and have the Grand Seignior’s firman to protect them from the Barbarian cruizers. It is a law in this country that no ship shall be absent from home more than 3} years at one time, for which purpose passports are granted by the goverument for that period; and when a ship re- turns from such a campaign (as it is called) if she is not freighted back to some part of the Adriatic, she is obliged to bring a cargo of salt home to Ragusa: when a captain outstays his time, or fails in any of these particulars, he is, on his return home, tried by the overseers of navigation, and, if found guilty of any criminal neg- ligence, is punished. by a fine or 1m prisonment, - They have no political connex- ion with the Venetians; neither pay them tribute, nor receive pro- tection from them, nor have they done it in the captain’s memory, or at any former period, to his know- ledge, being two rival powers in maritime affairs, whose interests are too discordant to admit of much friendship, and occasion some de-~ gree of jealousy; but when the generalissimo of the Venetian gal- leys enters the port of Ragusa (through contrary winds, &c.) the senate render him some degree of homage as master of the Adriatic. The whole country of Ragusa and all its dependencies do not con- tain more thaa 60,000 inhabitants : its civil government is aristocra- tical; both legislative and execu- tive power being vested in the senate, which consists of about 50 families of nobles, who are for- bidden to intermarry with the commonalty, These senators choose from among 476 among themselves every month a president, who is called a Doge, the same as at Venice, and appoint one of their number (who has the appellation of Count) to travel occasionally through the country and administer justice in their tribunals. The universal harmony and good understanding which prevail among the natives, render civil courts of justice almost unneces- sary, as most disputes and private grievances are settled by arbitra- tion, but the senate form a high court of judicature, to whom an appeal is final in all cases. Felonious crimes are scarcely known amongst them; though about two years ago a Venetian, who came to settle in Ragusa, committed a murder, for which he was hanged the same afternoon ; but as they have no public execu- tioner in the whole country, he was taken-to a Turkish market in the neighbourhood, and a gratuity of about five guineas was given to a Turk to perform the execution. The only revenue of the govern- ment arises from custom-house duties on shipping and merchan- dize, out of which they pay the clergy the greatest part of their salaries, maintain free-schools all over the nation, and provide phy- sicians to attend the sick and ad- minister medicines without any charge to their patients. The established religion is the Roman Catholic, and the church is governed by an archbishop, who is chosen by the nobles and con- firmed by the Pope. Divine service is read in Latin in all the churches, and the people are allowed the free use of the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Bible, the inquisition being altoge~ ther unheard of. The people pay but a very small contribution to the clergy, they being (as before observed) prin- cipally maintained by government. Their schools are all free and maintained at the expense of the state; in them are taught reading, writing, mathematics, &c. with the Latin and Italian languages ; but the language spoken all over the country isSclavonian (or what the captain calls Hilderic.) The government select some of the most promising youths from among the commonalty, and send them to the Universities of Sienna, Naples, Florence,’ Bologna, &c. to study physic, after which tney are employed at the sole expense of the nation, to attend the sick and administer medicines all over their dominions, The Raguseans appear to be ex- emplary in their moral deport- ment, as well as remarkable for peace and friendship: drunken- ness isaccounted scandalous among them, and not often seen ; prosti- tutes are much discountenanced, and games of hazard are forbidden by the government, though they allow the people in some instances to play for trifles. They have notwithstanding se- veral prisons in which delinquents are occasionally confined, and some who have notoriously offend- ed (especially with the tongue in cursing, swearing, and abusive language) are exposed in the pub- lic streets in a contrivance some- thing like the pillory. There is an hospital for the sick, which was used formerly as a poor- house in the town of Ragusa, but about MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. about 15 years ago the latter was burnt down, and has not since been rebuilt: the country in general affords few examples of distress, and the people are ready to relieve each other. In Ragusa there is also a theatre, four churches, and some smaller chapels, among which is a Jewish synagogue, and about 200 Jews reside in the city. The first printing-office was established among them only about 15 years ago, at which books are printed in the Italian and Hilderic (or Sclavonian) languages, but no newspapers are circulated in the country. There is an office for marine in- surances in Ragusa, but their ships are frequently insured in Venice, Leghorn, Constantinople, &c. The French, Neapolitans, Rus- sians, Germans, and Spaniards, have each aconsul settled here; though as the trade of the country is inconsiderable, and their own vessels much more than sufficient to supply it, they are seldom or never visited by ships from other nations (except such as put into their ports in distress, windbound, &c.) but a few small ones from the popish territories, Naples, and Venetian Dalmatia. The Raguseans have notaries who make and record transfers of property, of which the parties take copies for their own satisfac- tion. They have no gold coins, though some Venetian zequins are circulated among them. Their silver coins are ducats, in value about three shillings sterling, with the figure of a woman on one side, and the word ‘ libertas’ on the other ; crown = 4a ducat, and pearpera = 3 of a crown, 477 They have a copper coin, called in Italian soldi, and in French sous, and some denarii, each containing six sous—twelve of these denarii are equal to one pearpera. Turkish coins form the principal part of their currency; and they have also some Spanish dollars, which are sold for about 14 ducats and 10 denarii each, sometimes a trifle more or less. They make use of tobacco, which they procure from the Turks, and smoke in wooden pipes of considerable length, to which they often affix tops of amber very costly. Wood is their only firing. The mountainous nature of the coantry excludes the use of all wheel-carriages, but they have sedan chairs carried by men, It is not unworthy of remark that even into this tranquil spot (which seems to enjoy all the hap- piness that any civil government is capable of affording) the emissaries of the French republic have en- deavoured to introduce their fayou- rite doctrines of liberty and equa- lity, and have excited some com- motions in different parts of the country among a few discontented individuals of the lowest and most profligate classes; but the bulk of the people are too well satisfied with their condition to be inclined at present to “‘meddle with them that are given to change.” ANECDOTES RESPECTING NEGRO SLAVERY. From Travels in North America by Robert Sutcliffe. 1 was waked early by the cries of a poor Negro, who was under- going 478 going a severe correction, previous-~ ly to his going to work. On taking a walk on the banks of the Rappa- hannock, the river on which this town (Fredericksburg) is seated, I stepped intoone of the large tobacco warehouses which are built here, for the reception and inspection of that plant, before it is permitted to be exported, On entering into con- versation with an inspector, as he was employed in looking over a parcel of tobacco, he lamented the licentiousness which he remarked so generally prevailed in this town. He said, that in his remembrance, the principal part of the inhabi- tauts were emigrants from Scot- land, and that it was considered so reproachful to the white inha- bitants, if they were found to have an illicit connection with their female slaves, thattheir neighbours - would shun the company of such, as of persons with whom it wasa reproach to be acquainted. The case was now so much altered, that he believed there were but few slave-holders in the place who were free from guilt in this respect ; and that it was now thought but little of. Such was the brutality and hardness of heart which this evil produced, that many amongst them paid no more regard to selling their own children, by their female slaves, or even their brothers and sisters, in the same line, than they would do to the disposal of a cow or a horse, or any other property in the brute creation. To so low a degree of degradation does the system of negro slavery sink the white inhabitants, who are un- happily engaged in it. Near Bladensburg we passed a Carolina slave merchant, with a company of slaves, men, women, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. and children; who all stopped at the door of the inn where we dined. Some of them appeared much dejected ; and, on my ques- tioning them, they told me they were taken from their relatives and friends by force, One of the females being known to a black man in the stage, he asked her how she came there, knowing her to be a free black. She replied, that some time since, her husband had been taken from her, and carried into the Carolinas; and. that she had determined to follow him in his bondage. This appear- ed to be a remarkable proof of conjugal affection, and showed a. high degree of sensbility; but, in thus following her husband, there is great reason to fear, from the general conduct of these slave merchants, that she herself would be sold asa slave by this man; who, under pretence of taking her to her husband, would probably betray her. The number of black slaves kept in and near Alexandria is very great. On market days many come out of the country with fruit, vegetables, &c. and some, even girls of 10 and 12 years of age, are seen walking the streets with baskets on their heads, without any clothing. Some, both men and women, are nearly with- out clothing; and what. little is allowed to many of them is allin rags, Their common full dress is a coarse sacking or linsey woolsey shirt and trowsers for the men ; and, for the women, a long gar- ment or a petticoat, and a short waistcoat of the same materials; both sexes go without shoes or stockings, and mostly without hats. I understood froma pani able MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. able person, that further to the south he bas seen, at the houses of what are called gentlemen, the young blacks waiting at table, quite naked; without discovering any appearance of shame either in master or slave. There is a very striking contrast between the appearance of the horses or teams in Pennsylvania, and those in the Southern States where slayes are kept. In Penn- sylvania we meet great numbers of waggons, drawn by four or more fine fat horses; the carriages firm and well made, and covered with stout, good lineu, bleached almost white; and it is not uncommon to see 10 or 15 together, travelling cheerfully along the road, the driver riding on one of the horses. Many of these come more than 300 miles to Philadelphia, from the Ohio, Pittsburgh, and other places; and I have been told by a respectable friend, «a native of Philadelphia, that more than 1,900 covered carriages frequently come to Philadelphia market. Indeed the appearance of them on market- days, in Market-street, which is two miles in length, and about 40 yards in width, is such as no stranger can have a just conception of; to say nothing of the adjoining streets, which are crowded with farmers’ carts and waggons from every quarter. _ The appearance of things in the Slave States is quite the reverse of this. We sometimes meet a ragged black boy or girl, driving a team consisting of a lean cow and a mule; sometimes a lean bull or an ox, and a mule; and I have seen a mule, a bull, and a cow, each miserable in its appearance, composing one team, with a half- 479 naked black slave or two, riding or driving, as occasion suited. ‘he carriage or waggon, if it may be called such, appeared in as wretch- ed a condition as the team and its driver. Sometimes a couple of horses, mules, or cows, &c. would be dragging a hogshead of tobacco, with a pivot or axle driven into each end of the hogshead, and something like a shaft attached, by which it was drawn or rolled along the road. I have seen two oxen and two slaves pretty fully em- ployed in getting along a single: hogshead ; and some of these come from a great distance inland, In conversation with H. B. he related to me an affecting narrative of a black boy, who came under the observation of his brother J. R. and resided near his dwelling at. Lewis-Town, in Delaware State. It happened that the master of this poor lad had missed a piece of leather, and he charged the boy, who was his slave, with stealing it, The boy denied the charge. However, as the master was un- able to discover what was become of the leather, and looked upon the denial of the charge as a thing of conrse, he was very much irritated that he was unable to bring. any proof against the lad. In order to extort confession, the master tied him up by the hands,: a considerable height from — the ground, and fixed a heavy piece of wood (a fence rail) to his feet. In this situation he beat the poor boy in so unmerciful a manner, that he died under the torture thus cruelly inflicted by his brutal master, Scurcely had the poor little innocent breathed his last, under these torments, before the master’s son, smitten with remorse on 450 on being the occasion of such dreadful cruelties, confessed that it was himself who had stolen the leather, for which the poor little slave had just paid the forfeit of his life. However void of the feelings of humanity, it may well be supposed that this hard-hearted master was nota little mortified at having wantonly put to death a valuable slave; but such was the protection which that State afford- ed these oppressed fellow-creatures, that the master escaped punish- ment, as is commonly the case on occasions of murder committed by the whites on their black slaves. E. W. gave me an affecting account of a black slave, residing near his house, who is a pattern of integrity and industry. Such is the confidence reposed in him by his master, that for many years past it has been his practice to send this slave to Baltimore, with his waggon laden with various kinds of produce, the sale of which he intrusts to this black man ; also the care of receiving and bringing home the money; by which means it frequently happens that large sums of money pass through his hands. This service he has per- formed so much to the satisfaction of his master, that he scarcely ever ventures to employ any other per- son for these purposes. This faithful slave has a wife and a large family of children, who reside in a hut close by his master’s house. He is allowed a small por- tion of time weekly to do some- thing for himself and family ; and being frequently employed by the neighbours to do little errands for them in Baltimore, he has, during many years of care, and frequently by hard labour when others were ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. at rest, scraped together about 2007. He lately made an offer of all this to his master for the free- dom of his family ; but the master absolutely refused to give him his liberty on any condition, alleging that he could not meet with ano- ther in whom he could so confide. The poor man had greatly flat- tered himself with hopes, that considering his time of life, being now about 50 years old, a much smaller sum would have procured his liberty ; and it would indeed have purchased that of almost any other slave in the neighbourhood. On finding his master inexorable, his disappointment and distress were extreme, and, in the anguish of his heart, he determined to leave his wife and children, and take the first opportunity of quit- ting the country for ever. How- ever he concluded first to call on E. W. who had always been his friend and adviser, to inform him of his resolution. E. W. sympathized with him in his affliction, but did not let that suffice; for he went immediately to the master, and used every endeavour to pre- vail upon him to accept the money offered, and to grant the man and his family their freedom, In order to induce the master’s compliance, E. W. represented to him the ex- ceedingly ungenerous return he was making to the poor man for his fidelity and industry ; as the only plea urged by this unfeeling master, for his cruel conduct, was the uprightness and integrity of the slave! But, alas! avarice is deaf to all arguments except those of self-interest; it was therefore in yain that E. W. thus pleaded the cause of suffering virtue; for the hardened task-master was in- exorable ——_ ee MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. exorable to all his reasonings ; and the poor black man and his family remain in bondage, living wit- nesses to what a pitch of obduracy, avarice, and self-interest can harden the heart of man. - I supped and spent the evening at R. B.’s, at Merion, and observed in his yard a negro of an interest- ing couutenance. On inquiring who he was, H. B. informed me, that a few days ago the poor man came up from Delaware State, and, at the recommendation of his brother, H. B. had taken him into his family for protection. At the same time he related to me the following narrative :—Some time since the master of this black slave died, leaving behind him a widow, and one son, a profligate young man. As the master lay on his death-hed, he called this faithful slave to him, and taking him by the hand, told him that he felt his end was fast approaching, and that his mistress would have little to depend upon for her sup- port, except what she might be able to make of his labour ; and therefore he begged that he would continue to be faithful to her, after the master should be laid in the silent grave. Ina very short time the master died, and the slave continued his services to his mistress, and much to her satis- faction ; enabling her, for several years, to live comfortably, and also to administer to the wants of her profligate son; so that, under “a grateful sense of his worth, she determined to make this black man free, and also his family, con- sisting of a wife and three children. A writing was accordingly drawn up, and duly executed, whereby they were all liberated; and the Vou. LIV. 48 f happiness of this family, under these circumstances, may be more easily conceived than described. Their iadustry and _ sobriety, manifested whilst 1a bondage, now had its full effect ; and all went on happily aud comfortably, until the profligate son, before mentioned, who had by idleness and drunken- ness reduced himself to extreme necessity, conceived the cruel plan of invalidating the indenture which his mother had executed, to give this worthy negro family their liberty; and aetually sold the father, mother, and the three children, to a company of Georgia slave dealers, who were then in the neighbourhood. They being conscious that the young man had no right thus to sell the family, had determined to take them away tr the dead of the night, to preclude the possibility of applying to any magistrate for protection. How- ever, the negro had got some inti- mation of what was going forward, and, in consequence, kept loaded fire arms in his house, being de- termined to shoot any person who should attempt to break into his habitation. These precautions be- ing known to the slave dealers, they, for some time, did not ven- ture to molest him; but he and his wife being soon wearied with living in this state of anxious suspense, consulted a fellow negro, in whom they placed confidence, as to their best method of proceeding; and it was concluded that the whole family should leave that part of the country, and settle in Pennsy!- vania, as soon as posstble, where they would be out of the reach of the slave dealers. No sooner was this determina- tion come to, than their perfidious friend, 489 ANNUAL RE friend, for the sake of a trifling feward, went to the Georgia slave traders, to betray the whole fa- mily into their hands; and, in the middle of the night, they were seized, bound, and forcibly taken from their comfortable habitation, in order to be put on board a small sloop which lay in the rivers; near at hand. On coming near the river, the poor black man, who had been placed on horseback, behind one of these Georgia men, suddenly broke loose, and leaping from the horse, plunged headlong into the river, which he quickly swam across, and, getting into the woods, escaped from his inhuman pursuers. On this occasion, the agitation of the poor wife and children was beyond expression ; and to silence the shrieks and eries ef this miserable family, these unprincipled men beat them un- mercifully; and the last which the poor negro man saw of this scene, as he fled into the woods was, their beating his wife upon the head, in the most brutal manner, To a person who has not been an eye- witness to such scenes, it may ap- pear incredible that transactions of so atrocious x nature, could occur under a form of government like that of the United States; but the slavery of the negroes having long since been introduced, the evil consequences resulting from it have not yet been rooted out of the Sonthern States; where a warm climate seems to have enervated beth the bedies and the minds of the white inhabitants. It is, how- ever, to the credit of the people of Pennsylvania, and the States to the eastward and northward of them, that almost every thing in their power has been done, to induce GISTER, their Southern neighbours to tes linquish the infamous and debas- ing system of personal slavery ; and there can be scarcely a doubt, if they persevere in their honour- able endeavours, that they will, in the end, be crowned with success. 1812. Settlers on the Banks of the Ohio JSrom the same. This afternoon, at B. J.’s, one of our company was a young woman who was there ona visit. Her usual residence was in one of the new settlements, on the banks of the Ohio, about 500 miles from Philadelphia. She informed us that many families on the banks of this great river, are supplied with shop goods from vessels which vavigate it, and are fitted up with counters, shelves, and drawers, in the same manner as are shops on land, and well stored. with all kinds of goods. As they sail along the river, on coming near a_ plane tation, they blow a horn er conch shell, to give notice of their arrival; when the planters, with their wives and daughters, repair to these floating shops, and select such things as they are in want of; and make payment in the produce of their plantations; such as grain, flour, cotton, tobacco, dried vent- son, the skins of wild animals, &e. &c. The shopkeeper having disposed of his goods in this ways returns home with the produce he has collected; and again renews his stock, and proceeds on another voyage. The young woman re- marked, that four or five of these floating shops would pass by her father’s house, in the course of a day. She likewise informed us, such was the primitive simplicity in which MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. which they lived, that it was a very unusual thing to have locks to their doors} and that when more strangers called upon them, than they had beds to accommodate them with, it was customary for the family to spread temporary beds upon the floor, on which they passed the night, leaving their own to the strangers, An Indian Village, from the same. - In the evening I came to an Indian village, called Brothertown, Here [ was comfortably accommo- dated at the house of an Indian, whose name was Obadiah Scipio. His wife Elizabeth is the daughter of an dndian chief of the name of Fowler. She was a personable woman, and of an expressive coun- tenance, and was very industrious, Her dairy produced excellent cheese and butter, notwithstanding a great part of her time was employed in - spinning for the family apparel, which was very «decent. It was mostly prepared for the weaver by her own household; and, whilst 1 was in the house, a female weaver of the village brought in a piece of cloth made from yarn spun in this family, which was such as would have done credit to any female in England. This re- putable Indian couple had four fine healthy children, who sat by the fire; and, though of a copper colour, their countenances were far from unpleasing. Their names were Denis, Calvin, Cinthia, and Celinda. The schoolmaster of this Indian village, who is paid by friends, in- troduced me to a chief of the name of Hendricks, with whom I had some conversation; and we sat 485 about an hour by the fire-side of a pretty large family of Indians, where it was pleasant to see the spinning-wheel go briskly round. There were 16 or 18 Indians round the fire; the older part of the family sat on a bench in front, and the little Indians on the ground on each side. The* fire was made at the end of the building, and the smoke found its way through the roof, without the aid of a chimney, The walls and roof were hung with ears of Indian corn, and other winter provisions. It is dif- ficult to describe my feelings, on sitting down with an Indian family in this way. I spent the remainder of this evening by Scipio's fire-side, and was accommodated with a good bed at night, on which I slept comfortably. Both the sides and ceiling of that part of the building in which I lodged, were covered with ears of Indian corn in the husk ; which, to me, had a novel, but not an unpleasant appearance. From the Indian village of Brothertown, I came to another settlement of theirs, called the Orchard. Many of their habita- tions are formed principally of the hark of trees, attached to posts, which are fixed in the ground; the roofs being also of bark; but as it is taken off the trees in broad pieces, they contrive to make a pretty warm dwelling. A few chiefs, and others, have good houses of wood, well furnished; and some of the Indians, being very good workmen, and having? complete sets of tools, I have seen houses of their building superior to many in England. As the whole of this day’s jour- ney lay amongst the Indians, 212 whose 434 whose habitations are pretty nu- merous in this quarter, I had a fair opportunity of forming some judgment of the progress they ave made in the useful arts of civilized life: and I confess it is my opinion, that many in these villages are further advanced in this respect, and enjoy more of the comforts of life, than many of the inhabitants of the remote parts of Great Britain and Ireland. In passing by one of their habi- tations, I noticed the Indian man- ner of preparing dear skins for use. After taking off the hair, they sew up the skim like a bag; and one end being suspended by a support, the lower end is brought close over a vessel, containing 2 small fire, of green wood, at the bot- tom. The pyroligneus acid ascend- ing with the smoke, so impregnates the skin, that it becomes a durable and elastic leather ; very suitable for their shoes, or moccasons, and other useful purposes. This ope- ration was going forward wnder the piazza of a very good frame- house ; and, from the appearance ef the inhabitants, I suppose the master was a chief of the first erder. Upon his head he hada very grotesque kind of cap, much ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. resembling a lofty antique helmet? His daughter, who appeared to be a girl about 13 years old, had a very pleasing Indian countenance } and her arms were ornamented with silver bracelets of consider- able breadth, both above and below the elbow. Though her dress was entirely in the Indian fashion, with moccasons, leggins, blanket, &ciy yet being neat, clean, and of finer materials than usual, she had not an inelegant appearance. These people understood a littte English ; but, at several of their habitations, where I called in the course of the day, they either could not or would not understand what I said. Some of the younger boys and girls laughed immoderately, on my in~ quiring ‘of them the read, but without being able, seemingly, to give me any other answer. AsI went along, [ met with two clever- looking Indian young men, car~ penters, having their tools with them. And under the piazza of a commodious Indian dwelling, I saw, hung up in neat order, the harness and yokes ef horses and oxen. There was also a good farm- yard, surrounded with barns and stables, the whole havmg every appearance of good management... NATURAL | - | . { . { : ; —— ee ee NATURAL HISTORY. NATURAL 455 HISTORY. A NARRATIVE OF THE ERvuPTION OF A VOLCANO IN THE SEA OFF yHE Istanp oF St. MICHAEL. By S. Tillurd, Esq. Captain in the Royal Navy, Philos. Trans. Weg ge lh the island of St. Michael’s, on Sunday the 32th of June, 1811, in his majesty’s sloop Sabrina, under my command, we occasionally observed, rising in the horizon, two or three columns of smoke, such as would have been ‘occasioned by an action between two ships, to which cause we universally attributed its origin, This opinion was, however, in a very short time changed, from the smoke increasing and ascending in much larger bodies than could possibly have been produced by such an event; and haying heard an account prior to our sailing from Lisbon, that in the preceding January or February a volcano had burst out within the sea near St. Michael’s, we immediately con- cluded, that the smoke we saw proceeded from this cause, and on our auchoring the next morning in the road of Ponta del Gada, we found this conjecture correct as to ‘the cause, but not to the time; the eruption of January having totally subsided, and the present one having only burst forth two days prior to our approach, and about three miles distant from the one before alluded to. Desirous of examining as mie nutely as possible a contention so extraordinary between two such powerful elements, 1 set off from the city of Ponta del Gada on the morving of the 14th, in company with Mr. Read, the consul general of the Azores, and two other gen- tlemen. After riding about twenty miles across the N. W. end of the island of St. Michael’s, we came to the edge of a cliff, whence the volcano burst suddenly upon our yiew in the most terrific and awful grandeur, It was only a short mile from the base of the cliff, which was nearly perpendicular, and formed the margin of the sea; this cliff being as nearly as 1 could judge from three to four hundred feet high. To give you an ade- quate idea of the scene by descrip- tion is far beyond my powers; but for your satisfaction I shall at- tein pt it. 3 Imagine an immense body of smoke rising from the sea, the surface of which was marked by the silvery ripling of the waves, oceasioned by the light and steady breezes incidental to those climates in 486 insummer. In a quiescent state, it had the appearence of a circular cloud revolving on the water like a horizontal wheel, in various and’ irregular involutions, expanding itself vradually on the lee side; when suddenly a column of the blackest cinders, ashes, and stones would shoot up in form of a spire at an angle of from ten to twenty degrees from a perpendicular line, the angle of inclination being uni- versully to windward: this was rapidly succeeded by a_ second, third, and fourth, each acquiring greater velocity, and overtopping the other till they had attained an altitude as much above the level of our eye, as the sea was below it. As the impetus with which the columns were severally propelled diminished, and their ascending motion had nearly ceased, they broke into various branches resem- bling a group of pines, these again forming themselves into festoons of white feathery smoke in the most fanciful manner ima- ginable, intermixed with the finest particles of falling ashes; which at one time assumed the appearance of innumerable plumes of black and white ostrich feathers sur- mounting each other; at another, that of the light wavy branches of a weeping willow, During these bursts, the most vivid flashes of lightning conti- nually issued from the densest part of the volcano; and the cloud of sinoke now ascending to an altitude much above the highest point to which the ashes were projected, rolled off in large masres of fleecy clouds, gradually expanding them- selves before the wind ina direction nearly horizontal, and drawing up to them a quantity of water-spouts, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, which formed a most beautiful and striking addition to the general appearauce of the scene. That part of the sea, where the volcano was situate, was upwards of thirty fathoms deep, and at the time of our viewing it, the volcano was only four days old. Soon after our arrival on the cliff, a peasant observed he could discern a peak above the water: we looked, but could not see it; however, in less than haif an hour it was plainly visible, and before we quitted the place, which was about three hours from the time of our arrival, a complete crater was formed above the water, not less than twenty feet high on the side where the greatest quantity of ashes fell; the diameter of the crater beimg ap- parently about four or five hundred feet. The great eruptions were gene-~ rally attended with a noise like the continued firing of cannon and musquetry intermixed, asalso with slight shocks of earthquakes, seve- ral of which having been felt by my companions, but none by my- self, I had become half sceptical, aud thought their opinion arose merely from the force of imugina- tion; but while we were sitting within five or six yards of the edge of the cliff, partaking of a slight repast which had been brought with us, and were all busily en- gaged, one of the most magnificent bursts took place which we had yet witnessed, accompanied by a very severe shock of an earthquake, The instantaneous and involuntary movement of each was to spring upon his feet, and J said « this admits of no doubt.” ‘The words had scarce passed my lips, before we observed a large portion of the ; face NATURAL face of the cliff, about fifty yards en our left, falling, which it did with a violent crash. So soon as our first consternation had a little subsided, we removed about ten or a dozen yards farther from the edge of the cliff, and finished our dinuer. On the succeeding day, June 15th, having the consul and some other friends on board, I weighed, and proceeded with the ship towards the volcano, with the intention of witnessing a night view; but in this expectation we were greatly disappointed, from the wind fresh- euing and the weather becoming thick and hazy, and also from the volcano itself being clearly more uiescent than it was the preceding ay. Itseldom emitted any light- ning, but occasionally as much flame as may be seen to issue from the top of a glass-house, or foundery chimney. On passing directly under the great cloud of smoke, about three or four miles distant frem the vol- cano, the decks of the ship were covered with fine black ashes, which fell intermixed with small rain. We returned the next morning, and late on the evening ofthe same day, I took my leave of St. Michael’s to complete my cruize. On opening the volcano clear of the N.W. part of the island, after dark on the 16th, we witnessed one or two eruptions that, had the ship been near enough, would have been awfully grand. It appeared one continued blaze of lightning ; but the distance which it was at from the ship, upwards of twenty miles, prevented our seeing it with effect. Returning again towards St, Mi- HISTORY. chael’s on the 4th of July, I was obliged, by the state of the wind, to pass with the ship very close to the island, which was now com- pletely formed by the volcano, being nearly the height of Matlock High Tor, about eighty yards above the sea, At this time it was per- fectly tranquil, which circumstance determined me to land, and explore it more narrowly. I left the ship in one of the boats, accompanied by some of the officers. As we approached, we perceived it was still smoking in many parts, and upon our reaching the island found the surf on the -heach very high. Rowing round to the lee side, with some little difficulty, by the aid of an oar, asa pole, I jumped on shore, and was followed by the other officeys, We found a narrow beach of black ashes, from which the side of the island rose in general too steep to admit of our ascending ; and where we could have clambered up, the mass of matter was much too hot to allow our preceeding more than a few yards in the ascent. The declivity below the surface of the sea was equally steep, having seven fathoms water, scarce the boat’s length from the shore, and at the distance of twenty or thirty yards we sounded twenty-five fathoms, , From walking round it, in about twelve minutes, I should judge that it was something less than a mile in circumference; but the most extraordinary part was the crater, the mouth of which, on the side facing St Michael’s, was nearly level. with the sea. It was filled with water, at that time boiling, and was emptying itself into the sea, by a sinall stream about six yards 457 458 yards over, and by which I should suppose it was continually filled again at high water. This stream, close to the edge of the sea, was so hot, as only to admit the finger to be dipped suddenly in, and taken out again immediately, It appeared evident, by the formation of this part of the island, that the sea had, during the erup- tions, broke into the crater in two places, as the east side of the small stream was bounded by a precipice, a cliff between twenty and thirty feet high forming a peninsula of about the same dimensions in width, and from fifty to sixty feet long, connected with the other part of the island by a narrow ridge of cinders and Java, as an isthmus of from forty to fifty feet in length, from which the crater rose in the form of an amphitheatre, This cliff, at two or three miles distance from the island, had the appearance of a work of art re- sembling a small fort or block house. The top of this we were determined, if possible, to attain ; but the difficulty we had to en- counter In doing so was consider- able; the only way to attempt it was up the side of the isthmus, which was so steep, that the only inode by which we could effect it, was by fixing the end of an oar at the base, with the assistance of which we forced ourselves up in nearly a hackward direction. Having reached the summit of the isthmus, we found another difficulty, for it was impossible to walk upon it, as the descent on the other side was immediate, and as steep as the one we had ase cended ; but by throwing our legs across it, as would be done on the ridge of a house, and moving oure ANNUAL REGISTER, selves forward by our hands, we at length reached that part of it where it gradually widened itself, and formed the summit of the cliff, which we found to have a perfectly flat surface, of the dimensions bee fore stated, Judging this to be the most con- spicuous situation, we here planted the union, and left a bottle sealed up contaming a small account of the origin of the island, and of our having landed upon it, and naming it SabrinaIsland. —~ Within the crater I found the complete skeleton of a guard-fish, the bones of which, being per- fectly burnt, fell to pieces upon attempting to take them up ; and by the account of the inhabitants on the coast of St. Michael’s great numbers of fish had been destroyed during the early part of the erupe tion, as large quantities, probably suffocated or poisoned, were occa- sionally found drifted into the small inlets or bays. The island, like other volcanie productions, is composed princi- pally of porous substances, and ge- nerally burnt to complete cinders, with occasional masses of a stone, which 1 should suppose to be a mixture of ironandlime-stone; but have sent you specimens to enable you to form a_ better judgment than you possibly can by any description of mine, y ON soME ExoTics WHICH ENDURE THE OPEN AIR IN Devonsuire, In a Letter to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K.B. §c. By A. Hawkins, Esq. Sir; Though I have no knowledge of eS see el ee ee e—eeeeeeeeeeeerle eee eee, NATURAL of the Horticultural Society, but through the medium of extracts in the Jast Monthly Review (which informed me of its existence), yet, struck with your “ Hints respecting the proper Mode of inuring tender Plants to our Climate,” and re- siding in the very warmest part of England (the South Hams of De- vonshire, of which 1 am a native), within view of an inlet of the sea, I am led to state to you some facts, that perhaps may not be wholly unworthy of notice. In October, 1795, a camellia japonica was planted here among other shrubs in the open ground ; it has stood every winter since, without the smallest shelter, thrives well, and has never had a branch or leaf injured by the weather ; it is now about four feet high, the size of a gooseberry bush, but has not flowered. Two plants of the fuchsia coccinea ‘were planted about four years ago under a brick wall facing the south, At first the branches suffered by the frost, but they put forth new shoots in the spring, with much strength, and have flowered well every summer. During the last two years I was absent, but | understand, that only the extre- mities of the branches were in- jured, and they have always flower- ed in great perfection. . Some plants of solanum pseudo- capsicum, or amomum Plinii, are also under a brick wal] (but not nailed against it), which have stood many years, and only a small part of the very extremities of their branches has been injured by frost. Myrtles of every kind (even the ‘double blossomed and orange) do -exceedingly well in the open ground, though the silver, from HISTORY. 489 the richness of the soil, soon bee comes plain. The buddlea globosa likewise stands the climate; and some of the plants are ten feet high, spread wide, and make a handsome ap- pearance. One of them is placed In a situation open to the north- east winds, where the sun cannot shine during the short days, yet it has stood there since 1794, and never had more than the extremi- ties of the branches hurt. Abouttwomiles from my houseis the small seaport town of Salcombe, just between those two well known peints, the Prawl and Bolt-head, the latter of which is in the parish whence this letter is written, a place that the sea washes on three sides. Perhaps of all spots in the British isles, Salcombe is the ve first for climate and shelter. The celebrated Doctor Huxham used to call it the Montpellier of England. In 1774, a large American aloe, only twenty-eight years old, and which had always stood in the open ground, without covering, flowered there; it grew to the height of twenty-eight feet, the leaves were six inches thick and nine feet in length, and the flowers, on forty-two branches, innumer- able. Several plants of the verbena triphylla are growing at Salcombe in the open ground, and are now six feet high, I have not tried any of them myseif; but as I expect to be more at home in future, than for some years past, I shall not fail to add this plant to those tender shrubs already grow- ing around me. Oranges and lemons, trained as peach trees against walls, and sheltered only with mats of straw during 499 during the winter, have been seen in a few gardens of the south of Devonshire for these hundred years. The fruit is as large and fine as any from Purtugal; some lemons from a garden near this place were, about thirty-five or forty years ago, presented to the king by the late Earl Poulett, from his sister, Lady Bridget Bastard, of Gerston ; and there are trees still in the neighbourhood, the planting of which, I believe, is beyond me- mory. The late Mr. Pollexfen Bastard (uncle of the M. P. for Devon), who had the greatest number of oranges and lemons of any one in this country, remarked abuve thirty years since (what tends to confirm your experi- ments), that he found trees raised from seed, and inoculated in his own garden, bore the cold better than oranges and lemons imported. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your very obedient Servant, A. HawkINs. Alston, near Kingsbridge, Devon, Dec. 11, 1809. Account oF THE VicuNa. By Mr. Larrey, Physician in Chief of the Imperial Guard, one of the Inspectors General of Military Hospitals, §c. From Nicholson's Philosophical Magazine. A merchant of Cadiz, a lover of natural history, brought from Peru two young vicunas, a male and female. He first landed them at Cadiz at the beginning of the year 1808 ; and toward the end of April in the same year conveyed them to Madrid. They did not appear to be inconvenienced by the change of climate, or difference of food, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812, till the weather began to get very hot. They were very badly lodged in a small, dark room, not well ventilated. In this hole 1 had an opportunity of seeing them, ex- amining their figure and gait, and studying their manners and ha- bits. The female, which was larger and older than the male, being a~ bout three feet high, died soon af- ter, during a short tour I made in the neighbourhood of Madrid to inspect the hospitals. 1 could not learn the cause of her death ; but, as the body quickly putrefied, it was thrown into the fields. On my return I hastened to vi- sit the two strangers, but found only the male, sad, dejected, and uttering plaintive cries at the slight- est touch. He ate but little, and remained constantly squatted on his four legs; but he appeared better and more lively in the cool of the evening and morning, which he seemed to seek ; while in the heat of the day he was overcome, and breathed with difficulty. Thus me- lancholy and unwell he passed the first week of June; and about the 15th symptoms of inflammation appeared, a few days after which he died. Foreseeing this event, I had ob- tained permission of the owner to dissect the animal after his death, and dispose of his skin. My first care was to remove this with due caution, that | might be able to preserve the natural shape of the animal in stuffing it: after which I proceeded to examine the visce- ra, the articulations, and the gene- ral disposition of the muscles. Ou opening the abdomen I found the linea alba, or aponeurosis unit~ ing the large muscles, was ex- tremely strong, and much me than ans © a, NATURAL than is usually observed in other quadrupeds. The viscera of the abdomen ex- hibited marks of the inflammation I have mentioned. The stomachs were distended with gas, and the mucous membrane inflamed. The epidermis of the ruminating sto- mach had already peeled off, and the intestines were nearly in the same state. There was no urine in the bladder. The epiploons exhibited nothing but very thin membranous skins destitute of fat. The distribution and figure of the stomachs were the same as in thecamel. The second was full of vesicles, from which a serous or aqueous fluid issued abundant- ly. The paunch and the other two stomachs did not differ in the in- terior form of their cavities from those of the camel. The cellular stomach was remarkable for the internal arrangement of the cells; they having apertures of communi- cation furnished with membranous valves, which no doubt may still be discovered in the dried sto- mach of the animal. The last stomach is united to a portion of intestine, which may be considered as the duodenum. This was con- tinued iv another intestine of equal bulk, which, after forming an arch in the circumference of the abdomen, terminated in the left lumbar region in a_ cul-de-sac ; whence issued another intestinal tube, very slender and smooth, and forming ten or twelve coticen- tric circles in the space made by the former. The circumvolutions were attached to a common me- sentery. This slender intestine af- terward made a thousand circum- volutions in the abdomen, termi- nating at length in another cecum HISTORY. 491 without an appendage like the former; whence issued a portion of intestine of considerable bulk, which, after forming two or three eutves in the manner of a colon, terminated im the rectum. Thus it appewrs, that the vicuna has three sets of intestines, the first and third large, and the middle slender. 1 met with no worms in the in- testines, the infinite windings and intersections of which would ap- pear favourable to their formation. The liver, which I did not at first perceive, was found deeply concealed behind the stomach, and attached by very close membranous ligaments to the crura of the dia- phragm, and to the corresponding dorsal vertebrae. It was of very small bulk, of an oval figure, flat- tened transversely, and exhibiting two lobules at its anterior edge. It was destitute of a gall bladder ; and the bile was taken directly from the liver by a duct, that con veyed it into a portion of the duo- denum. This duct and the vena porte crossed each other. The spleen, which was likewise very small, and ofa rounded form, was situate in the left lumbar res gion, contiguous to the kidney of the same side. These two organs were inclosed in one common du- plicature of the peritoneum. The lungs exhibited nothing re+ markable. They partook of the general inflammation, and the bronchiz were filled with a frothy sanguineous fluid. The trachea and Jaryox had the same figure and or ganization as those of the camel. The heart, which was of a size proportional to the animal, formed almost a perfect cone; only its point, which was very acute, ae 492 ed upwards and to the left, and the cavity of the ventricle on that side reached to the point. I did not see the brain, as I wished to preserve the skull en- tire. After having examined the vis- cera of the animal, I proceeded with the dissection, The cartila- ginous state of the extremities of the bones did not allow me to make an artificial skeleton of them. Among the bony parts of the thorax the sternum merits some attention. It is in a_ horizontal plane, like that of the camel thick, rounded on its outward surface, and covered in the natural state with a fatty substance of a close texture. The integuments on this part are much thicker than else- where. This bone was intended to serve as a point of support for the animal when lying down ; and the almost constant use he made of it during his illness had pressed the extremities of the sternocostal car- tilages inwards. The middle, spi- nal apophyses of the vertebree formed a gibbosity, which, if it had been covered externally by a little fat, would have resembled the bunch of the camel. The re- mainder of the vertebral column inclined imperceptibly towards the pelvis, which was of itself inclined and of small capacity. The edges of the haunch bones were cartila~ ginous. The sacrum was lengthen- ed by a series of caudal vertebra, so as to form a tail in every respect similar to that of the camel. The scapulze, very thin and with- out clavicles, were connected with the trunk only by means of sca- pular muscles, as in the camel. The cervical vertebre formeda verylong . column, curving from below up- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ward, s0 as to give the neck the same figure and length in propor tion to the size of the animal as those of the camel. As in the late ter, these vertebree had no spinal apophyses; but a very strong cer~ vical ligament, extending fom the occiput to the spine of the first dorsal vertebre,supplied their place for the attachment of the mus+ cles, and kept the head and verte- bre in their proper position, The interior face of these vertebre had a longitudinal hollow, adapted for the reception of the — and cesophagus, The head of the vicuna has the same Shape and external characters as that of the camel. The jaws have the same number of grinding teeth. The lower has only four cutting teeth, the middlemost of which are the most promineut. The upper has none, as in other rumi- nating animals, The fore and hind limbs in every respect resemble those of the ca- mel. The joints of the limbs form a perfect ginglymus, admitting a di- rect and complete flexure of one part against the next, so that this animal, like the camel, bends all his four legs underneath his breast when he lies down; and _ this dou- ble flexure is the effect of the na- tural structure of the limbs, as in the camel, which I had an oppor- tunity of studying in Egypt, and of examining from its birth to its adult age, It is not therefore the result of training. The feet of the vicuna are termi- nated by two, long, narrow, soft soles: and have much resemblance to the feet of young camels. The outward figure of the head — resembles that of a young camel, NATURAL éamel, except in the ears, which ‘are erect and smooth like those of a kanguroo. The neck, body, and limbs are similarly disposed ; and the body, like it, is covered with a fawn-coloured, silky wool, but of extreme fineness. From it may be made stuffs as soft and fine as the shawls of Casimire. This tufted fleece keeps the animal so warm, that it seeks and prefers for its habitation the summits of moun- tains covered with snow. If the ears of this animal were uniformly cut, it would exactly resemble a camel two or three months old. The vicuna has the same cries as the camel, the same gait, and nearly the same disposition. It is extremely shy and timid. It utters plaintive cries at the least unplea- sant sensations; and when too much alarmed, its eyes are filled with tears. The very active move- ment of its tail and ears indicate its different sensations. It is very gentle and caressing when tamed. The resemblance the vicuna bears to the camel in its external figure, internal structure, and qua- lities, would lead me to call it camelus parvus auribus rectis, the little camel with erect ears. The owner of the animal gave ‘me the following account of the Peruvian modeof hunting it : The vicunas commonly inhabit the frozen summits of the high mountains of the Cordilleras. Se- veral of the inhabitants assemble together to hunt them. They first surround the mountain where they are most numerous; and by means of mournful cries, or the discordant sound of large wind instruments, as hunting horns, they terrify the animals, who take flight to the HISTORY. 493 summit of the mountain, where no doubt .they suppose themselves inaceessible. Here the hunters form a line of circumvallation with stakes, on which are small red flags. These stakes are connected with each other by cords placed pretty close. Two or three hunters then attack the herd, which dis- perses. Frequently some of the vi- cunas are surprised, and the rest. rush down the mountain; but as soon as they reach the fence, in- stead of leaping over it, which they might easily do, terrified at the colour of the flags, they crouch down in the snow, or in_ holes, where hunters posted for the pur- pose easily take them. After ty- ing their legs, they carry them to a convenient place, to sheer their fleeces. If the animals be old, they let them loose: if young, they take them to their huts, keep them, and train them to carry burdens, loading them in the same manner as camels. They cannot live in the burning plains of America, and accordingly the inhabitants of the mountains alone can keep them. This no doubt is the reason why the animal has been hitherto so little known. When the animal is young, its flesh is good eating ; but the wool is justly in high estimation. The merchant assured me, that it was seldom sent to Europe pure, being almost always mixed with other wool of less value. I think with him, that it might be naturalized and breed in the Pyrennees, on the summit of which the snow scarcely ever thaws; particularly as the pasture there is excellent. On 494, On tHE CorAL FISHERY IN THE SiciL1aN SEas. By Alfio Ferrara, M. D. (From the same.) Having for a long time em- ployed myself in the study of the various natural productions, with which the sea that bathes the Sici- lian shores abounds, the coral was the first object to attract my no- tice. This beautiful and elegant ornament of the sea could not fail of deserving first to come under my examination. I have been fre- quently present at the fishing of it, near the coast of Sicily: 1 have contemplated it in the very bottom of the sea, on its native spot: I have gathered it from stones, and shells,.and other marine substances, recently taken out of the sea; I have had it worked.in my presence : I have analysed the several varie- ties of it: in fine, I have extend- ed my researches to whatever would give me the least insight into the nature of this substance, comparing the results of my own observations with every thing the ancients and moderns haye written on the subject, and consulting in every point the treasures of uatu- ral history, with which the present day has been so abundantly en- riched by the accurate experiments and luminous theories of the many great men of the last century. I have endeavoured in the pre- sent memoir to establish a clear and precise notion of the origin, increase, and nature of coral. This work has been the more pleasing to me, as I flatter myself I have been able not only to cunfirm, by my own observations, what has been already written on the subject by former Philosophers and Na- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. turalists, but to add some new facts, that may tend to elucidate the history of this marine produc- tion, which has at all times as much occupied the researches of naturalists, as it has engaged the admiration of the fair sex, with whom the beauty of its colour, and brilliancy of its texture, have rendered it a favourite ornament of dress. The ancients, attending only to its external form, conceived coral to bea plant; to which from its ramifications it bears some resem- blance, and named it lithodendron, or stony plant, on account of its hardness. It was so called by Di- oscorides and Pliny. These authors and their contemporaries did not attempt to contradict by the most trifling examination, what the poet Ovid (his head full of transforma- tions) had asserted: that under the water it was a soft plant, but, immediately on being taken from the sea, became hard. This opi- nion prevailed for a long time, aud was encouraged in later times by many great naturalists, Of this number was the celebrated Cesal- pino, Our Baccone, who took,.much pains to investigate the nature of coral, could not divest himself of this idea; but, gifted as he was with great sagacity and penetra- tion, not being convinced, either from his own observations or those of others, that coral was a mere plant, and _ still less that it was a stone, he imagined, that the milky juice, which drops from the pores of fresh coral, was.its seed which, being dispersed in the sea, is precipitated and wradually aceu- mulated in a regular form in the capsules nature provides for a e us See eee NATURAL _ This opinion, tending to alienate naturalists from the belief of the vegetable nature of coral, was en- tirely removed by the publication of the valuable and erudite work of the celebrated conte Marsigli, en- titled Storia de Mare; who, led away by his imagination, or rather deriving little aid from the state of natural philosophy at that time, suggested the idea, that the move-~ able substances at the extremity of the branches were the octope- talous flowers of the coral, and thus revived the old opinion. Tournefort, who, in the pursuit of his favourite study of botany, had remarked the vegetation of stones in the grotto of Antipa- tos, eagerly adopted this idea; and was followed by Ray, Boerhaave, Klein, and many others of that time. No sooner had naturalists begun again to take up the observations of Baccone, than they discovered in the hard substance of coral a sort of earthy concretion; but this not being sufficient to induce them to expunge it from the list of ve- getable substances, they considered it as a marine plant encrusted with calcareous earth deposited by the sea. Lehman was of this opinion, to which the mineralogist Beaumer was also much inclined. _ Our Ferrante Imperato, in his work on natural history (which, many other works of the an- ‘cients, has been almost buried in oblivion, though well deserving our attention from its containing the principles ofmany importanttruths, which have since been brought to light), had already supposed, that some of the species of coral were merely the habitation of marine worms. This opinion had so much HISTORY. of probability, that it has always been entertained by naturalists since; and the discovery of the polypi assists to explain on solid principles the true nature and ori- gin of coral: and on this account the works of Peyssounel, Jussieu, Guetard, Trembley, Reaumur, Do- nati, Ellis, Pallas, Cavolini, Spal- lanzani, and many others, on coral, became so interesting. Coral is found round nearly all the Medi- terranean islands. Pliny and Dios- corides speak much in praise of that found in the Sicilian seas in their time. It is fished for at pre- sent on every part of the shores of Sicily. The Messineze collect a great quantity in those straits, even as far as Melazzo; but the Trapanese, who are chiefly employed in work- ing the coral, not only fish it in the neighbouring seas about the Eolian and other islands, but ex- tend their search to all the south- ern shores as far as Cape Passaru, and beyond Syracuse, and even to the coast of Barbary. They are obliged to occupy so large an ex- tent of sea, as they cannot fish again on the same spot for several years, the re-production of coral requiring a great length of time, even nearly eight years. I have myself collected it on the shores of Catania, and thence as far as Taormina. The instrument with which the coral is detached from the bottom of the sea has been known a long time. Itis composed of a large wooden cross, having fastened to each of its four extremities nets sufficiently capacious to inclose the coral, which is broken from its root by a large stone hanging from the center of the cross, The in- strument 495 4.96 strument is let down by two ropes from the boats employed in this fishery into the sea, and after re- maining a sufficient time it is drawn up by a windlass. The Trapanese claim the invention of this machine. From my own observations, and from the most accurate informa- tion I have been able to obtain from the people employed in this fishery, | am persuaded, that the coral grows indiscriminately on all hard substances, as rocks, shells, &c.—I have seen it attached to an earthen vessel, which had at some time fallen into the sea, and was taken out in my presence. The usual appearance of coral is that of a tree without leaves. It never grows to a greater height than twelve inches, and is seldom an inch thick. The direction of its ‘branches extends always forwards from the spot to which the root is attached ; therefore when it grows on the top of a cavern they spread downwards ; if from a horizontal surface upwards: most commonly however the branches extend down- wards, which enables the.nets to inclose it with greater facility whea detached by the stone. It has been constantly remarked, that the broken branches of coral attach themselves to some hard substances where they continue their growth. It is very common to find many branches of coral when taken out of the sea, per- forated in several parts. There cau be no doubt, that this is the work of the lithophagi; worms which attack even the hardest substances, for it is well known that they pierce and destroy the hardest carbonate of lime. The eoral {isis nobilis Linnz?) which is ANNUAL REGISTER, , berries remarked by Pliny, which 1819. most eagerly sought after, is o fa fine red colour. Artists and ladies give it the preference. It improves the charms of a beautiful face. Naturalists describeall the varieties ; g two original colours in coral may be established, white and red, as the two extremes, the gradations of shade from the one to the other producing infinite varieties, among which five principal may be dis- tinguished. Ist. The deep red coral resem-= bling in colour minium. This is considered as the most perfect sort ; in fact, it is the largest and most ee ee dense, and receives the highest — polish. It is commonly called the — male coral. « 2d. Redcoral. Thisis more or | less clear, but always less brilliant than the first variety. “ @ 3d. Flesh coloured coral, = j ancients call it light red. 4 4th. Dull white coral ; by some — it is called fawn coloured from its — resemblance to the colour of the — fawn, y 5th. Clear white coral. all . these varieties are found in the i seas round the island, sometimes — on the same spot. The first and second are not so abundant of common as the others. The extremities of coral, bohenk extracted from the sea, are swelled © and rounded, resembling juniper berries, Probably these were the he considered as the fruit of the coral; although in his work he asserts that they are white and soft under water, and become hard and red out of it. | am inclined © to believe, either, that he wrote — from the report of others, or that — he has mistaken for them the red — globules formed by the. artist. These NATURAL These extremities, when pressed, give out a white unctuous fluid. resembling milk, which has a sour taste. It was formely thought to be the seed and-nutritious juice of the coral plant. The substance of coral is hard as well in the sea, as when out.. The red kind is red from the first, and it isa singular circumstance, that the ancients should have en- tertained these two erroneous opi- nions, which the most simple exa- mination would have falsified.— The central part or axis of the coral is hard, of'a firm solid texture, even, and lamellated ; and hence capable of taking the tinest polish. This is inclosed by a paler coloured bark of a granulated texture, inter- spersed with holes in the form of stars with eight rays. In the coral of the largest size sometimes is found a kind of joint or union between the different pieces of which it is composed, these having the appearance of tubes of some length, lying one above the other. In the analysis of coral we obtain a small quantity of gelatinous animal matter, a large proportion of car- bonate of lime, and a little iron. The different colours of this beau- tiful marine ,production seem to depend on the different degrees of oxidation of the iron, and various proportions of it in union with the animal matter. The discovery of polypi gave the clearest idea of the origin and growth of coral. These animals, the last in the scale of animated nature, form for them- selves small nests sufficiently solid to shelter and protect them. These soft and delicate animals, surround- ed by an element in a constant state of agitation, and exposed to the attacks of their numerous ene- » Vor. LIV. HISTORY. 497 mies, were instructed by nature to form for themselves a covering capable of resisting the percussion of the sea, and affording them a retreat in the moment of danger. These coralligenous polypi are only a few lines in length; their bodies elongate and ramify into eight delicate threadlike branches around the mouth. These are the arms and leys of the animal, which it can extend and spread out at will to a considerable distance in search of its food. They are analogous to the horns of the snail. The curious manner of propagation of polypi, so different from that of other larger and more perfect ani- mals, is well known ; on examining minutely the gelatinous bodies of these polypi, a great namber of grains, or little buds, are discernible, covering the surface : these elongate themselves, increase in thickness, diverge and spread inall directions, and become young polypi. Searcely are these developed, before a new series of sprouts appears from thei® small bodies by the increase and growth of the small buds on their surface By this rapid succession the family is propagated in every direction, forming as it were a genealogical tree of existing gene= rations. It is well known how, from the soft nature of their bodies, these animals are enabled to unite and engraft with each other in the same manner as plants; and one branch of these animalcule so engrafted lives and regenerates another. Even one single animal may detach itself from the family tree, and establish on another spot a new family with its various branches. While large animals have bones for the support of the softer parts, and shell fish are pro- K tected 498 tected by their shells, the coralli- genous polypi make use of a cer- tain proportion of earth to incor- porate with and give firmness to their form, immediately as a polypus has fixed itself on a hard body, it begins to lay the foundation of its future generation. If yon only take some stones from the bottom of the sea round Sicily, you will find on them small branches of red coral, and round red spots, which are the first depositions of the coralligenous polypi. In the same way as the bones of the larger animals are formed by the gradual deposition of the earthy particles separated from their food by vessels adapted to this purpose, so is the covering of these polypi formed by the carbonate of hme mixing and encrustating with the gelatinous matter, wich is so abundantly secreted by their de- licate bodies, and gradually incases them except the mouth. If a branch of coral newly gathered is immersed in a_ vessel full of sea water, these animals are perceived issuing from the stellated holes, their mouths gradnally appearing first, and then their silk-like arms extend, in this manner putting on the appearance of octopetalous flowers, by which the ingenious Count Marsigli was deceived. The multiplication of polypi, of which I have treated, explains ad- mirably the arboraceous form of coral, as.also the increase of the branches detached from the trunk. Ihave before me a fine specimen of the antiphates, the black coral of the ancients, in which the ex- tremity of a branch has united with the principal trunk, and the polypi are seen bedded in it. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. From what we have seen, I think the term zoophyte inappli- cable to coral ; it is neither an aoimal plant, nora plant animal ; nor can it be called a zoolite; as it is certainly not a stony animal. It is with more propriety a polipaio ; which, on account of its form, and to distinguish it from the other analogus works of polypi, might be called polipaio dendroide. In using this nomenclature, we must be careful not to adopt the false idea, that the polipaio resembles a wasp’s nest ; the wasps may at will leave their nests, but the polipaio is a part of the animal, from which it cannot be detached. Thus the polipaio dendroide is an accumula- tion of raraified poly pi, incorporated with the solid substance, in the sanye manner as the shell of some animals and the bones of others. The above erroneous opinion can- not be entertained by any one, who observes, that in coral the gela- tinous membrane of the polypus js continued into the solid earthy part, the same as in bones. He- rissant has already pointed out this mistake. It is to be inferred from the analogy of coral with bone, that, as it does not arriye at once at a state of maturity, but by degrees, its hardness must also be pro- gressive. However probable this idea may be, it has not been con- firmed by experience. I have par- ticularly remarked the small quan- tity of iron obtained in the analysis of the red coral; 1 have always found it combined with the gela- tinous animal substance in the state of oxide. Not to extend this paper too much, I shall omit the results of various experiments I have made; but they have led me to = —- ee NATURAL HISTORY. to conclude, that the ferruginous substance is phosphate of iron, that is, the oxide of iron united with phosphoric acid, which it is well known gives the red colour te the blood of animals. The phosphate of iron therefore, which io animals has the property of giving the lively red colour to the blood, and even the vermilion hae to the skin, serves to colour the solid part of coral, and give it the brilliant sanguineous tinge. The first variety, as 1 haye re- marked, is esteemed the most per- fect ; itis moresolid than the other kinds, of a finer and more compact texture, and hence takes a higher polish, In the other kinds, an proportion as the bright colour fades, these qualities gradually de- crease, so that the white sort, which is the softest and lightest, is very unfit to be wrought, and takes but a trifling polish, The deficiency in the quantity of phos- phate of iron diminishes the.colour, and at the same time decreases the density of its texture; or perhaps the light texture by its porosity permits the water to wash aiway the colouring matter, and conse- quently that which would tend to bring it to perfect maturity. To this may be attributed the ‘peculiarities of some corals, in which the trunk is red, and the branches white; or the branches red within, and externally. white ; or the branches half white and half red, which is often seen in coralli- genous productions; but the red part always proves of firmer texture than the others. While naturalists have been em- ployed in investigating the origin of coral, and the nature of its growth, each applying it to dif- 499 ferent purposes; the fair sex, oc- cupied by the natural desire of pleasing, have been much indebted to the brilliant colour and fine lustre of this marine production. Coral formed into beads is worn.as an ornament of the neck and arms; and there is no doubt, that the lively colour of coral gives addi- tional grace to a fine face and beautifal complexion, which eau- not be obtained by the use of the precious stones, so that these can only be considered as ornaments of luxury and show. The ladies, who are always led, away by fashion, because they consider it as depending on the existing taste of the other sex, laid aside this beautiful ornawent, to load them- selyes with jewels brought from distant countries. Thus coral gave place to other ornaments, the rage of pleasing being only gratified by variety. Works of amber have latterly obtained a very high esti- mation from the softness of ats substance and its transparency. This substance, which for a time was in high repute, and which the discovery of the precious stones had almost thrown into oblivion has of Jate, by the accustomed versatility of capricious fashion, recovered its former value, and has rivalled in price even the or- naments composed of jewels. When the value of female oma- ments shall depend no longer on the price or scarcity, but on the effect they produce on the com- plexion, all will yield to the nataral beauty of coral. Most certainly Galatea, emerging from the oceun, would select from the numerous offerings of the nymphs the lucid branches of the coral to adorn her- self with, which would alone as- 2K 2 similate 500 ANNUAL REGISTER, similate with the roundness of her lips, and with the vermilion of her cheeks. « The working of coral consists in removing the outer bark, and ex- posing the interior solid and highly coloured part, which takes a fine polish. The coarse part of the bark being removed by the file, it is rubbed with tripoli powder, and lastly, with a metallic earth, which gives the polish. Some bring it to the finest polish imaginable by the use of the oxide of tin. The ancients ornamented their swords, bucklers, and helmets with coral ; this custom is still in vogue in some part of Asia, where coral is as much esteemed as in the time of Pliny. The soothsayers and priests of that age attributed many mystic properties to it ; hence they were in the habit of wearing coral, as well from religious motives, as from regard to its beauty. Para- celsus recommends it to be worn round the necks of infants, as an admirable preservative against fits, sorcery, charms, and even against poison. Many other follies of that man are still prevalent, and of great credit with the common people; and it is very usualin the inland parts of Sicily, to see children wearing amulets of coral round the neck for the above pur- pose. In the cities it is worn in the shape of a horn, as a protection against the influence of evil eyes. It was even believed, that coral would drive away devils and evil 1812. spirits; hence perhaps arose the custom of making crowns of it. Nor have the medicinal properties of coral been Jess exaggerated, as may be sufficiently seen in the writings of Pliny and Dioscorides. It certainly may be considered asan absorbent; it 1s used in dentifrice powder, in the Alkermes for in- digestion, and in the Troches of Carabe. The Trapanese appear to have been the first who worked the coral, being induced thereto by the great quantity of it found in their seas. It is asserted, that Antonio Ciminello, a Trapanese, was the first who discovered the art of engraving coral. In the time of King Alphonso the coral fishery was so assiduously, and so advantageously pursued by the Trapanese, that the ministers of that king proposed to subject the fishery to a tax. In the last century, when it was again pro- posed , instead of a tax, which pro- bably would have ruined this branch of industry, King Ferdinand insti- tuted some very useful regulations in favour of it. : Beside forming necklaces and bracelets, the Trapanese have the art of engraving it in the same manner as they do amber and shells, and most certainly many of these works display great spirit, boldness, and grace in the execu- tion, talents natural to the genius of the Sicilian nation. USEFUL [ 501 ] USEFUL PROJECTS anp IMPROVEMENTS. On THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ~Onton. By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. F.R.S. &c. en first object of the Horticul- _# tural Society being to point out improvements in theculture of those plants, which are extensively use- ful to the public, I send a few re- marks on the management of one of these, the onion; which both constitutes one of the humble lux- uries of the poor, and finds its way in various forms to the tables of the affluent and Juxurious. _ Every bulbous rooted plant, and indeed every plant which produces leaves, and lives longer than one year, generates, in one season, the sap, or ‘vegetable blood, which composes the leaves and roots of the succeeding spring ; and when the sap has accumulated during one or more seasons, it is ulti~ mately expended in the production of blossoms and seeds. This re- served sap is deposited in, and composes in a great measure, the bulb; and moreover the quantity accumulated, as well as the period required for its accumulation, varies greatly in the same species of plant, under more or less favour- able circumstances, Thus the onion in the south of Europe ac- quires a much larger size during the long and warm summers of Spain and Portugal, in a single season, than in the colder climate. of England ; but under the follow- ing mode of culture, which I have long practised, two summers in England produce nearly the effect of one in Spain or Portugal, and the onion assumes nearly the form and size of those thence imported, Seeds of the Spanish or Portugal onion are sown at the usual period in the spring, very thickly, and in poor soil; generally under the shade of a fruit tree: and in such situations the bulbs in the autumn are rarely found much to exceed the size ofa large pea. These are then taken from the ground, and preserved till the succeeding spring, when they are planted at equal dis- tances from each other, and they afford plants, which differ from those raised immediately from seed only in possessing much greater strength and vigour, owing to the quantity of previously generated sap being much greater in the bulb than in the seed. The bulbs, thus raised, often exceed tran ve 502 five inches in diameter, and being more mature, they are with more certainty preserved, in a state of perfect soundness, through the winter, than those raised from seed in a single season. The same ef- fects ure, in some measure, pro- duced:by sowing the seeds in Au- gust, as is often done; but the crops often perish during the win- ter, and the ground becomes com- pressed and soddened (to use an antiquated term) by the winter rains; and I have in consequence always found, that any given weight of this plant may be ob- tained, with less expense to the grower, by the mode of culture I recommend, than by any other which I have seen praetised. An Essay ON. THE CULTIVATION OF THE Rep Beer. By Mr. Goering, « Saxon Agriculturist, Next to the potato, the utility of which is well known, the red beet is one of the most beneficial plants, the cultivation of which is particularly to be recommended, Every one knows, that sugar has been obtained from it not inferiot fe that of India; and the manu- actnre of which would probably have been established in Germany, had not, the consumption of wood necessary for it checked its most zealous partizans ; for the resources of Germany in this respect are daily diminishing. Beside this essential point, which cannot be attained from local dif- ficulties, and which, may not exist in, many other countries, the prin- cipal properties of the beet are those of ia nourishing, emol- lient, cooling, laxative, &c. Supposing it to be cultivated ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. only for feeding stock, particularly cows, in winter and in summer, it deserves in every respect to be pre- ferred to most plants both for the root and leaf. Though the white. beet is of pretty extensive use, and much cultivated, it cannot in vo respect be compared with the red. It is neither so firm nor so sweet ; and we find, by experienee, that the milk of cows fed some time with it loses its sweetness, and becomes bitter. Besides, it can scarcely be kept through the winter, as it soon grows rotten. The red beet, on the contrary, is firm, sweet, and but in a moderate degree watery, It is at least as nutritious as the turnip cabbage, and imparts to the milk a pleasing sweetness, which continues as long as the cow is fed on it. It keeps very well through the win- ter, either in cellars or in pits, provided it be not put in wet: and is as fresh when taken out in the spring as it was when laid up, They who cultivate both sorts, therefore, should use the white in the fall, and keep the red for the spring. a The leaves of the red beet, which may be gathered in the middle of July, the time of sow- ing the white beet only, is excel- lent fodder, particularly for horned cattle and pigs. It is true, bow- ever, that the leaves cannot be thus gathered but at. the expense of the roots. It is also indisputable, that the red beet is one of the roots that succeed almost.always. It has few enemies, and a at ey crop may al+ ways be depended on, provided the ground has been well tilled and prepared, and the seed pro- perly sown, There is no season amiss for sowing USEFUL PROJECTS. sowing the red beet. I[t may be sown as eatly as you please in sprivg, or even inautumn; for the first leaves which in most other plants are very tender, are able to stand the cold winds of spring. No insect can hurt them; and while the turnip, the turnip cab- bage, the cabbage, &c. are de- stroyed by the leaflice, the red beet grows astonishingly ; and when in autumn the leaves of those plants are devoured by caterpillars, none are seen on the red beet. The only enemies it has, that I know of, are fowls; for these are so fond of its leaves, as entirely to lay waste the fields of it, to which they can have access. Their ap- petite for this plant, when they once have discovered it im a field or garden, is such, that it is almost mnpossible to keep them out. They should not be sown therefore in gardens or fields too near houses, as in this case the crop may be looked upon as lost. The following is the method I have adopted of cultivating it. I first select, if possible, a good black mould, rather rich. If it be mixed with a little sand, and pro- vided it has not too much clay, it is good for the beet, which always requires a little moisture. It may be cultivated indeed on light ground, but not with equal suc- cess. In autumn I lay on manure, in proportion of six two-horse eart loads of dung or horned cat- tle to a hundred and forty square perches. This dung, I afterwards bury at least six mehes deep with the plough: and then I give the ground another ploughing in nar- row furrows. As soon in the spring as the 503. land cau be worked, I sow the seed where the plants are to re- main; for experience has taught me, that transplanting them is injurious, They should not be sown too thick: there should be at least six inches distance between the plants ; and it is often neces- sary to pull up some in the thickest places, for three or four plants frequently spring’ from a single seed, It is usual to cover the seed by raking or harrowing; but as from their lightness they frequently he on’ the surface and rot, it is better to use the hoe, or the plough, taking care not to bury them too deep. In this way we may be cer- tain of their germinating quickly, if the soil be geod. As soon as the plants have their sixth leaf, they should be weeded, and thinned out where too close. A few weeks after they should be hoed, but so as rather to draw the earth from them than to heap it round them. When the leaves begin to bend down to the ground, the largest, at the bottom of the plant, may be gathered for the cattle: but they must not be stripped too much, as this would injure the reot. Nor should the leaves be plucked off before they separate as it were of themselves, inclining toward the ground. If weeds appear again, or the ground get hard and dry, they should be hoed a second time. Lastly, in the month of October the roots should be taken up, and laid in the places intended for keeping them, first cutting off the stall: close to the root, that they may not vegetate during the ‘wm- ter,” june Some 504 Some REMARKS ON PRUNING AND TRAINING STANDARD APPLE AND PEAR TREES. By Mr. John Maher, F.H.S.— We often see apple and pear trees, both in gardens and orchards, not only crowded too closely toge- ther, but so loaded with their own branches, that very little fruit is produced ; and that which is pro- duced is rendered greatly inferior in size and flavour to what it would be under different manage- ment. Directions for pruning these, as well as all other fruit-trees, have already been published by various experienced gardeners, nor is it my present intention to offer any in- structions on this head; but neces- sity, which has been so justly called the mother of invention, having impelled me to try a method that I have not seen practised by any other person, and which has proy- ed uncommonly successful, a short detail of it may perhaps be deemed not unworthy the attention of the Horticultural Society. When first I came to Millfield, I found a number of apple and pear trees, not only planted too closely, but left entirely to their natural manner of growing, and exceedingly shaded by a row of high trees in the hedge, which separates them from the pleasure ground, Other business to be done, of more importance, prevented me from pruning the whole immedi- ately; but a number were selected the first season, and many of their largest branches taken entirely out from. the bottom, cutting the wounds very clean. The ramatn- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. ing branches were also properly thinned, so as to leave room for the air and light to play upon the smallest branches, The following summer, the shoots pushed from those pruned trees, as might have been expected, were uncommonly vigorous, such as the French call gourmands, often from three to five feet long, or more. About the end of June, or a little sooner and later, according to the growth of the branches, L. applied oval balls of grafting clay towards their extremity, sufficient- ly heavy to incline them down- wards in a pendulous direction. The sap being thus diverted from its natural mode of ascending and descending, every bud almost be- came a blossom bud, and in seve- ral trees this disposition to pro- duce blossom buds was carried down to the very lowest spurs on the stem and thicker branches. I need not add, that this prac- tice has since been closely followed up; for many advantages, exclu- sive of a more certain crop of fruit attend it. 1st, Other small vege- tables may be successfully cultiva- ted under the light shade of trees kept so open, an object of impor- tance in the villages near London, where ground is so difficult to be got: 2dly, No expense of espalier, or of stakes, or of training and tying down the branches is_im- curred: 3dly, The crop of fruit is not only improved in size and fla- your by having so, much sun and air, but it is more easily gathered, and suffers much less from the au- tumnal winds ; for branches in this direction are more pliable, and bend more easily to the storm; and_ as a proof how much may be done by art if necessary, the branches of a Lom- USEFUL PROJECTS. a Lombardy poplar accidentally left, in my master’s orchard, after being loaded with clay balls, became as pendulous as those of the weeping willow. — I have only to add, that most of the specimens of apples and pears produced at our meeting in No- vember and December last by me, and honoured with the encomiums of some of the best judges present, grew upon trees kept low and open in this method. HERRINGS CURED IN THE DUTCH Mobe on Boarp BritisH Vés- sELS. By Francis Fortune, Esq. From Transactions of the Society of Arts. In the deep sea (which is the principal fishery for herrings) the nets are cast from the busses by sunset, and they drive by them alone expecting the shoals, the ap- proach of which is generally indi- cated by smal] quantities of fish; and theirarrival by immense flights of sea fowl. The best fishing is with the wind off shore, for, when it blows in acontrary direction, the shoals are broken and dispersed, and the fishery is seldom success- ful while it continues in that point. Immediately after the nets are hauled in (which is often perform- ed with considerable difficulty, by means of a windlass when they are full) the crew begin to gyp the fish, that is, to cut out the gill, which is followed by the float or swim, and divide the large jugular or spiral vein with a knife at the same time, endeavouring to waste as little of the blood as possible ; — at this work the men are so ex- 505 pert, that some will gyp fifty ina minute. . Immediately after they are gyp- ped, they are put into barrels, com- mencing with a layer of salt at the bottom, then a tier of fish, each side by side, back downwards, the tail of one touching the head of the other, next a layer of salt, and so alternately until the ‘barrel is filled :—they are thus left, and the blood which issues from the fish, by dissolving the salt, forms a pickle infinitely superior to any other that can be made. The her~ rings thus drained of their blood occupy less space, and the whole consequently sinks about one-third down the barrel, but this sinking is at an end in about three or four days. When these operations are being performed, the sea is often running mountains high; and it is not therefore to be supposed, that the barrels are so well coopered as not sometimes to allow the pickle to leak out; and in order to preserve the fish from being spoiled, which would otherwise happen in such cases, some of the gills and entrails are always put by in barrels with salt, in the same manner as the herrings, and yield a pickie of the same quality; with this pickle those barrels which have leaked are replenished, and the fish sus- tains no injury. Every operation is performed in the shade, into which the fish are immediately conveyed on their being hauled on board. Each day’s fishing is kept separate with the greatest care. The salt used is mixed, and of three different sorts, viz. English, St. Ubes, and Alicant, and each barrel marked with the day of the month on it on which it was filled. The 506 The advantages of gypping the herrings are, that the blood, which issues IN consequence of the ope- ration from the fish, yields a natu- ral pickle, and improves the fla- vour ; whereas, if left in the fish, it becomes coagulated at the back- bone,:and forms the first cause of decay. The mixture of blood and salt operated upon by the extreme heat of the weather during the summer fisheries produces a fer- mentation which nearly parboils the herrings, and removes the coarse and. raw flavour so often complained of. The gypping is likewise often performed on shore, observing the same precautions ; the only difference is, that they are seldom in that case of so good a colour. Gypped herrings are ne- ver of so fine a quality as when kept in their own original pickle; their value consists in their softness and flavour; it is this mode of curing herrings that used to be the pride of the Dutch, and this is the kind which supplied their home consumption, and were so much ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. esteemed by all classes of people in Holland. In order, as far as it is possible, to give a proof of the correctness of the above assertion, I shall state a fact for the information of the Society. During the last year I employed a number of Dutch fishermen, prisoners, and others, with Englishmen, in gypping and curing herrings; and at one time my agent at Yarmouth was offered Al, per barrel, for all the herrings he bad cured there, by a Dutch captain, in order to their being taken to Holland, while ungypped herrings were worth only 36s. per barrel. The herrings now under the consideration of your Society are part of the quantity for which this offer was made. Should the Society, after due consideration, think proper to ad- judge me their gold medal, it will afford me much satisfaction, and convince me, that my exertions have, in some degree, been bene- ficial to the community. MIS- [ 507 ] MISCELLANIKS. Some Particulars respecting the arithmetical Powers of Zerah Colbtirn, a Child under Eight Years of Age. ‘ London, Aug. 20, 1812. aah attention of the philoso- phical world has been lately attracted by the most singular pha- nomenon in the history of the hu- man mind that perhaps ever exist- ed. It is the case of a child, un- der eight years of age, who, with- out any previous knowledge of the common rules of arithmetic, or even of the use and power of the Arabic numerals, and without hav- ing given any particular attention to the subject, possesses (as if by intuition) the singular faculty of solving a great variety of arithmeti- cal questions by the mere opera- tion of the mind, and without the usual assistance of any visible symbol or contrivance. The name of the child is Zerah Colburn, who was born at Cabut (a town lying at the head of Onion river, in Vermont, in the United States of America), on the tst of September, 1804. About two years ago (August, 1810), al- though at that time not six years of age, he first began to show those wonderful powers of calculation which lve since so much attract ed the attention and excited the astonishment of every person who has witnessed his extraordinary abilities. The discovery was made by accident. His father, who had not given him any other instruc tion than such as was to be obtain- ed at a small school established in that unfrequented and remote part of the country, and which did not include either writing or cyphers ing), was much surprised one day to hear him repreating the products of several numbers. Struck with amazementat thecircumstance, he proposed a variety of arithmetical questions to him, all of which the child solved with remarkable fa- cility and correctness. The news of this infant prodigy soon circu- luted through the neighbourhood ; and many persons came from dis- tant parts to witness so singular a circumstance, The father, encou- raged by the unanimous opinion of all who came to see him, was in- duced to undertake, with this child, the tour of the United States. They were every where received with the most flatterin expressions; and in the severa towns which they visited, various plans were suggested to educate and bring up the child, free from all expense to his family. Yield- ing, however, to the pressing soli- citations 503 citations of his friends, and urged by the most respectable and power-_ ful recommendations, as well as by a view to his son’s more com- plete education, the father has brought the child: to this country, where they arrived on the 12th of May last: and the inhabitants of this metropulis have for these last three months had an opportunity of seeing and examining this won- derful phenomenon, and of veri- fying the reports that have been circulated respecting him. Many persons of the first emi- nence for their knowledge in ma- thematics, and well known for their philosophical inquiries, have made a point of seeing and con- versing with him; and they have all been struck with astonishment at his extraordinary powers. It is correctly true, as stated of him, that—* He will not only deter- mine, with the greatest facility and dispatch, the exact number of minutes or seconds in any given period of time; but will also solve any other question of a similar kind. He will tell the exact pro- duct arising from the multiplica- tion of any number, consisting of two, three, or four figures, by any other number consisting of the like number of figures. Or, any num- ber, consisting of six or seven places of figures, being proposed, he will determine, with equal ex- pedition and ease, all the factors of which it is composed. This singular faculty consequently ex- tends not only to the raising of powers, but also to the extraction of the square and cube roots of the number proposed ; and likewise to the means of determining whether it be a prime number (or a number incapable of division by any other ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. number); for which case there does not exist, at present, any ge- neral rule amongst mathemati- cians.” All these, and a variety of other questions connected there- with, are answered by this child with such promptness and accu- racy (and in the midst of his ju- venile pursuits) as to astonish every person who has visited him. At a meeting of his friends, which was held for the purpose of concerting the best methods of promoting the views of the father, this child undertook, and complete- ly succeeded in, raising the number 8 progressively up to the sixteenth power!!! and in naming the last result, viz. 281,474,976,710,656, he was right in every figure. He was then tried as to other num- bers, consisting of one figure ; all of which he raised (by actual mul- tiplication and not by memory) as high as the tenth power, with so much facility and dispatch that the person appointed to take down the results, was obliged to enjoin him not to be so rapid! With respect to numbers consisting of two fi- gures, he would raise some of them to the sixth, seventh, and eighth pewer ; but not always with equal facility: for the larger the pro- ducts became, the more difficult he found it to proceed. He was asked the square root of 106929, and before the number could be written down, he immediately au- swered 327. He was then re- quired to name the cube root of 268,336,125, and with equal faci- lity and promptuess he replied,645, Various other questions of a simi- lar nature, respecting the roots and powers of very high numbers, were proposed by several of the gentle- men present, to all of which he answered “prime number. MISCELLANIES. answered in a similar manner. One of the party requested him to name the factors which pro- duced the number. 247483, which he immediately did by mention- ing the two numbers 941 and 263 ; which indeed are the only two numbers that will produceit. An- other of them proposed 171395, and he named the following fac- tors as the only onesthat would pro- duce it, viz. 5-+-34279, 7+-24485, 59 x 2905, 83x 2065, 35x 4897, 295x581, and 413x415. He was then asked to give the factors of 36083 ; but he immediately re- plied that it had none; which, in fact was the case, as 36083 isa Other numbers were indiscriminately proposed to him, and he always succeeded in giving the correct factors, except in the cause of prime numbers, which he discovered almost as soon as proposed. One of the gentle- men asked him how many minutes there were in forty eight years; and before the question could be written down, he replied, 25,228,800; and instantly added, that the number of seconds in the same period was 1,513,728,000. Various questions of the like kind were put to him; and to all of them he answered with nearly equal facility and promptitude, so as to ustonish every one present, and to excite a desire that so ex- traordinary a faculty should (if possible) be rendered more exten- ‘sive and useful. It was the wish of the gentlemen present to obtain a knowledge of the method by which the child was enabled to answer, with so much facility and correctness, the ques- tions thus put to him: but to all their inquiries upon this sub- 509 ject (and he was closely examined upon this point) he was unable to give them any information. He positively declared (and every ob- servation that was nade seemed to justify the assertion) that he did not know how the answers came into his mind. In the act of mul- tiplying two numbers together, and in the raising of powers, it was evident (not only from the motion of his lips, but also from some sin= gular facts which will be hereafter mentioned), that some operation was going forward in his mind; yet that operation could not (from the readiness with which the an- swers were furnished) be at all allied to the usual mode of pro- ceeding with such subjects; and, moreover, he is entirely ignorant of the common rules of arithmetic, and cannot perform, upon paper, a simple sum in multiplication or di- vision. But in the extraction of roots, and in mentioning the fac- tors of high numbers, it does not appear that any operation can take place, since he will give the an- swer immediately, or in a very few seconds, where it would require, ac- cording to the ordinary method of solution, a very difficult and labo- rious calculation ; and moreover, the knowledge of a prime number cannot be obtained by any kuown rule, being’ It has been already observed, that it was evident, from some sin- gular facts, that the child operated by certain rules known only to himself, This discovery was made in one or two instances, when he had been closely pressed upon that point. In one case he was asked to tell the square of 4395; he at first hesitated, fearful that he should not be able to answer it correctly : 510 correctly; but when he applied himself te at, he said it was 19,316,025. On being questioned as to the cause of his hesitation, he replied that he did not like to mul- tiply four figures by four figures; but, said he, “I found out ano- ther way ; I multiplied 293 by 293, and then multiplied this product twice by the number 15, which produced the same result.’’ On another occasion, his highness the Duke of Gloucester asked him the product of 21,734 multiphed by 543; he immediately replied, 11,801,562: but, upon some re- mark bemg made on the subject, the .child said that he had, in his own mind, multiplied 65,202 by 181. Now, although, in the first instance it must be evident to every mathematician that 4395 is equal to 293 x 15, and conse- queutly that (4395)?== (293)? » (15)2; and, further, that im the second case, 543 is equal to 181 x 3, and consequently that 21734 x (181 x 3) = (21734 x 3) x 181; yet, it isnot the less remarkable, that this combination should be immediately perceived by the child, and we cannot the less ad- mire his ingenuity in thus seizing instantly the easiest method of solving the question proposed to him. It must be evident, from what has here been stated, that the sin- gular faculty which this child pos- sesses is not altogether dependant upon his memory. In the multi- plication of numbers, and in the raising of powers, he is doubtless considerably assisted by that re- markable quality of the mind: and in this respect he might be considered as bearing some resem- blance (if the difference of age ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. did pot prevent the justness of the comparison) tothe celebrated Je- | dediah Buxton, and other persons of similar note. But, in the ex- traction of the roots of numbers, and in determining their factors (if any), itis elear, to all those who have witnessed the astonishing quickness and accuracy of this child, that the memory has little or nothing to do with the process. And inthis particular point con- sists the remarkable difference be- tween the present and all former instances of an apparently similar kind. It has been recorded as an asto-~ nishing effort of memory, that the celebrated Euler (who, im the sei- euce of analysis, might vie even with Newton himself), could re- member the first six powers of every number under 100. This, probably, must be taken with some restrictions; but, if true to the fullest extent, it is not more asto- mishivg than the efforts of this child ; with this additional eircum=- stance in favour of the latter, that he is capable of verifying in a very few seconds, every figure which he may have occasion for. It has been further remarked by the bio- grapher of that eminent mathema- tician, that, ‘* he perceived, almost at a simple glance, the factors of which his formule wene:com posed; the particular system of factors be- longing to the question under con- sideration; the various lartifices by which that syste’a may be sumpli- fied and reduced ; and the relation of the several factors to the condi- tions of the hypothesis. ‘His ex- pertness in this particular proball +esulted, in a great measure, froin the ease with which he performed eaten eal ere e MISCELLANIES. He had always accustomed himself to that exercise ; and, having prac- tised it with assiduity (even before the loss of sight, which afterwards rendered it a matter of necessity), he is an instance to what an asto- -nishing degree it may he acquired, and how much it improves the in- tellectual powers. No other disci- pline is so effectual in strengthen- ing the faculty of attention: it gives a facility of apprehension, an accuracy and steadiness to the con- ceptions; and (what is a still more valuable acquisition) it habituates the mind to arrangement in its reasonings and reflections.” It is not intended to draw a comparison betweeen the humble, though astonishing, efforts of this infant prodigy and the gigantic powers of that illustrious character to whom a reference has just been made: yet we may be permitted to hope and expect that those won- derful talents, which are so con- spicuous at this early age, may, by a suitable education, be consider- ably improved and extended ; and that some new light will eventually be thrown upon those subjects, for the elucidation of which his mind appears to be peculiarly formed by nature, siuce be enters into the world with all those powers and faculties which are not even at- tainable by the most eminent at a more advanced period of life. ery mathematician must be aware of the important advantages which have sometimes been deriv- ed from the most simple and tri- fling circumstances ; the full effect of which has not always been evi- dent at first sight. ‘To mention one singular instance of this kind. The very simple improvement of expressing the powers and roots of 51] quantities by means of indices, in- troduced a new and general arith- metic of exponents; and this al- gorithm of powers led the way to the invention of logarithms, by means of which, all arithmetical computations are so much facili- tated and abridged. Perhaps this child possesses a knowledge of some more important properties connected with this subject; and although he is incapable at pre- sent of giving any satisfactory ac- count of the state of his mind, or of communicating to others the knowledge which it is so evident he does possess, yet there is every reason to believe that, when his mind is more cultivated, and his ideas more expanded, he will be able not only to divulge the mode by which he at present operates, bat also point out some new sources of information on this interesting sub- ject. The case is certainly one of great novelty and importance: and every literary character, and every friend to science, must be anxious to see the experiment fairly tried, as to the effect which a suitable education may produce on a mind constituted as his appears to be. With this view anumber of gen- tlemen have taken the child under their patronage, and have formed themselves into a committee for the purpose of superintending his education. Application has been made to a gentleman of science, well known for his mathematical abilities, who has consented ‘to take the child under his immediate tuition: the committee, therefore, propose to withdraw him, for the present, from public exhibition, im order that he may fully devote himself to his studies, But whe- ther 2 512 ther they shall be able wholly to accomplish the object they have in view, will depend upon the assist- ance which they may receive from the public. ACCOUNT OF SELDEN’S CELEBRA- TED Work, Marr CrausumM. From Dr. Aikin’s Lives of Selden and Usher. : In 1634, the Dutch had almost monopolized the northern fisheries; and discussions having been. en- tered into concerning their right of frequenting, and taking herrings on, the British shores, it was re- colleeted that Selden many years before had written a treatise to assert the English dominion of the sea. Of the composition of this work, which under the title of Mare Clausum, was first published in 1636, the history merits a de- tail. The tlustrious Grotius, as early as 1609, had published a work en- titled «* Mare Liberum,” in order to establish the right of the Dutch to navigate to the East Indies, in opposition to the exclusive claim of the Portuguese. Some years afterwards, Selden, among his va- rious studies, engaged in a refuta- tion of the principles of this per- formance; for although the ‘* Mare Clausum”’ is not avowedly an an- swer to the ‘* Mare Liberum,’’ the contrasted title evidently shews that the author had that work in view. At the time when Selden’s History of Tythes had brought him into disgrace with King James, the Admiral of England having heard of his writing on the subject of the dominion of the sea, pro- bably with the intention of do- 7 ANNUAL REGISTER, sig. * ing him service, mentioned) the circumstance to the King, who or~ dered him to prepare the work for publication, Selden obeyed, and in the summer of 1618 presented a fair copy to his Majesty, who, after perusing it, gave it to the Admiral in order to be examined by Sir Henry Marten, president of the court of admiralty. He read and approved it, and the manuscript was returned to the Admiral, who took Selden with his book to the King’s closet for the royal zmpri- matur. James was just about to sign it, when he observed, ‘1 re- collect something is said here con- cerning the northern sea, which may perhaps displease my brother of Denmark, and I would not now have him offended, because I owe him a largesum of money, and am going to borrow a greater.” It was therefore returned to the au- thor for alteration. Wheu this was effected, the work was for some time under the inspection of the Earl of Pembroke; bunt at length the King and his ministers seem to have lost all interest in it, and the papers were suffered to lie above fifteen years forgotten in Selden’s cabinet. It was hinted to him as one cause of this neglect, that some officious persons had in~ sinuated to the Admiral, that cer- tain things in the treatise appeared to restrict the jurisdiction of the Admiralty Court; and also, that the King himself fancied that the mention made in it of certain treaties with foreign powers might prove prejudicial to his views, In the subsequent reign other subjects fully occupied Selden’s attention, as wellas that of the court; and it was not till the spring of 1635 that, the King’s maritime rights being MISCE being called into question in dis- cussions with the Dutch, some men of rank about the royal person who had formerly heard of the work, persuaded his Majesty to command its publication. The manuscript was therefore corrected and revised by the author, and having been in- spected by the King and some of the council, was sent to the press in that year. The preceding account is given at large by Selden in his Vindicie Maris Clausi, by way of refutation of what he considered as a gross calumny advanced by Theodore Graswinckel, in his ** Maris Liberi Vindiciz adversus Petrum Baptis- tum Burgum, Ligustici maritimi Dominii Ascontorain. ” That writer, after quoting from Burgos the in- formation that «Selden has lately published an entire work on the Dominion of the British Sea,’’ added, * Non mirum: virorum enim ille inter seculi. nostri pri- micerios numerandus, et meliore fortuna dignus, fati sui infelicitate, carceris se non digni colonus erat. Hine ut exiret, seque libertati amigsz redonandum sperare dare- tur, animum ad scribendum ap- pulit, et Id sibi negotii credidit solum dari Domino ut placerent quas fecis- set fabulas. Neque talia agitantem successus destituit.”’ (No wonder: for that person, who may be numbered among the first characters of our age, and was worthy a better for- tune, through the rigour of his fate became the inhabitant of au unmerited prison, That he might be released from this confinement, ae hope to recover his lost liber- , he applied himself to writing, a A i tLLANIES. VASE IIS and *¢ Thought it his sole business to invent fables which might be pleasing to his master’’—nor did his efforts fail of success.) By this narrative, therefore, and that of his different imprisonments, he wakes it clear that the compo- sition of this work was anterior to his first confinement, and its pub- lication posterior to his final en- largement, with which it had ne concern. Whether or not in its revision he made additions to fa- vour the purposes of the court at that time, could only be known from a comparison of the two manuscripts. The work bears the following title: Mare Clausum, seu de Do- minio Mauris, Libri duo. Primo, Mare, e Jure Nature seu Genti- um, omnium hominum xon esse com= mune, sed dominii privati seu pro- prietatis capax, pariter ac Tellu- rem, demonstratur. Secundo, seri- nissimum Mugne Britannie regem Maris circumflui ut individue at- que perpetue@ Imperii Britannic. appendicis,dominum esse, usseritur, (The Closed Sea ; or, on the Domi- njon of the Sea, two Books. In the first, it is demonstrated that the Sea, from the Law of Nature or of Nations, is not common to all men,’ but is the subject of property equally with the land. In the se- cond, the King of Great Britain is asserted to be Lord of the circum- fluent Sea, as an inseparable and perpetual appendage of the British empire.) It is dedicated to King Charles ; and the preface is dated from the Inner Temple, Nov. 4, 1625. In the first part, Selden lays his foundation deep in disquisitions on the nature of right and dominion 5 oT and’ 514 and then ‘proceeds to give exam- ples of maritime dominion assert- ed and exercised by different na- tions in ancient and modern his- tory. In several of these, how- ever, he will probably appear to have confounded naval power with maritime dominion, especially in the instances of the Greek states which are said Saraccoxgares, which word, as he acknowledges, often means no more than to pos- sess a superiority by sea. And in point of fact, the dominion of the sea historically considered, will perhaps be found to import no more than the power alternately possessed by different states, of ruling in the portions of sea ad- jacent to their own coasts, and dictating to their neighbours such conditions of navigating them as they thought expedient. In this view, there are abundant instances of the assertion of such a domi- nion, which has been acquiesced in only so long as it was supported by a powerful navy. The second part, in which Bri- tish maritime dominion is attempt- ed to be established, begins with a quadripartite division of the British seas according to the four cardinal points ; and proceeds to show the right of sovereignty exercised in all these at different periods. A dominion over these parts of the surrounding ocean is traced from hand to hand in the Roman, Saxon, and Norman times, as accompany- ing the several changes in territo- rial power. The office and juris- diction of Admiral of England are deduced from ancient diplomas ; and arguments are brought to prove, that the admirals of the op- posite coast of France did not pre- ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. tend to the same authority in the Channel with those of England. The permission of transit and of fishery granted by the English kings at different periods to strang- ers, is adduced as a cogent proof of the British sovereignty in these seas; which is confirmed by the rules and limits assigned in them to foreigners at war with each other, but mutually in amity with England. The assumption or in- cidental mention of this maritime dominion of our kings in their charters and public records, and its recognition in our law books, -are adverted to as additional testi- monies of the existence of such a claim ; and the same is regarded as acquiesced in by foreign nations in the ancient and established cus- tom of striking sail to English ships of war in the surrounding waters. After the production of further proofs of a similar kind, the book concludes with a distinct consi- deration of the dominion of the King of Great «Britain in the Irish and Scottish seas; and the author sums up the whole in the follow- ing passage. After quoting some very apposite lines of Grotius’s complimentary address to King James on his accession to the crown of England (in which the flattery of the poet seems to have got the better of the prudence of the politician), ending with Finis hic est, qui fine caret. Que meta Britannis Littora sunt aliis; regnique accessio tanti est Quod ventis velisque patet : he adds, * And true it is, accord- ing to the mass of testimony above adduced, that the very shores and harbours MISCELLANIES. harbours of the neighbouring trns- marine princes are the southern and eastern bounds of the British maritime empire; but that in the vast and open northern and wes- _tern ocean they are to be fixed be- yond those wide-spreading seas which are occupied by England, Scotland, and Ireland.”’ Such are the general contents of a book which afforded an addi- tional proof of the learning and deep research of the author, as well as of his attachment to the honour of his country ; and was consider- -ed, on this side of the water, as fully establishing the British claim to maritime dominion. So impor- tant was it deemed in this view, that it received a public sanction from the King and council, who adopted it as a most valuable re- cord and declaration of the national rights. The following entry was made in the minutes of the privy- council, dated March 26, 1636: ‘* His Majesty this day in coun- cil taking into consideration a book lately published by John Selden, Esq. intituled Mare Clausum seu de Dominio Maris, written by the King’s command, which he hath done with great industry, learning, and judgment, and hath asserted the right of the crown of England to the dominion of the British seas; the King requires one of the said books to be kept in the council chest, another in the court of Ex- chequer, and a third in the court of Admiralty, as faithful and strong evidence to the dominion of the British seas.”’ It was not, however, to be ex- pected that arguments in support of the exclusive claims of one na- tion should be readily acquiesced in by those against whom they were 515 asserted ; and accordingly it has been held in Holland and other countries on the continent, that Selden by no means refuted the principles of the ‘* Mare Liberum,”’ and that he was fully answered by posterior writers. In such a con- troyersy, the philosopher will per- haps fiud that precedents have been made to serve instead of prin- ciples, and that acts of power have been represented as assertions of right; the jurist will be unwilling to admit into the code of national law any article that militates against the fundau:ental principle of equal- ity and reciprocity between nations; while the politician will be inclined to smile at the importance attached to argumentative justifications of claims, which can never be made good in practice but by such a pre- ponderance of force as would give them effect without any argument. It is certain, that the more able Great Britain has become to assert her maritime empire by force of arms, the less solicitous she has been to ayail herself of supposed rights derived from remote uanti- quity, which, if disputed, could not be established without compul- sory means. A passage relative to this work, derogatory to Selden’s character as a patriot, in Bishop Nicolson’s ‘* Historical Library,’? has been properly noticed and refuted by Dr. Wilkins. That writer says, ‘* ’Tis very plain that when the author penn’d this book, he was not such an inveterate enemy to the preroga- tive doctrine of ship-money as after- wards: for he professedly asserts that, in defence of their sovereignty at sea, our kings consiantly prac- tised the levying great sums on their subjects, without the concur- 2L2 rence ANNUAL ‘rence of their parliaments.” It is in the fifteenth chapter of his second book that Selden treats on this mat- ‘ter, in which headduces, asa further evidence of the dominion of the ‘sea exercised by England, the tri- butes and taxes accustomed to be levied for the custody of it from the time of the Norman conquest. ‘He begins with the Saxon tax of ‘Danegelt, which he finds to have been occasionally levied by the Norman kings; once, particularly, by William Rufus, ‘* with consent of his barons, but not by sanction ofa law.” And that this was re- garded as a grievance, appears from King Stephen’s promise, among other popular measures, entirely to abolish Danegelt. In fact, this tax was not paid later than the reign of Henry II, and parliamentary grants for the purpose of guarding the seas, after its cessation, are cited by Selden under Edward I. Richard II. and Henry VI. He goes on to say, «© Why do I quote these instances, when in the printed parliamentary records it frequently occurs, by way of preamble toa statute, ‘that the kings of England from time im- memorial have received by autho- rity of parliament great sums of money under the title of a subsidy, or a tax upon goods imported or exported, for the defence of the realm, and the keeping and safe- guard of the seas?” It is most ex- ‘traordinary that Nicolson, with this passage full in his view,- could re- present Selden as countenancing by his authority the unconstitutional imposition of ship-money without the intervention of parliament. The Mare Clausum was trausla- ted into English in 1652, at the time of the breach between the English commonwealth and_ the ‘516 REGISTER, 1812. states of Holland, by Marchmont Needham, who took the liberty of suppressing the dedication to Charles, and substituting one to the republic. He also added an Ap- pendix, containing somedocuments contributed by president Bradshaw. Another and an improved transla- tion was made after the Restora- tion by. J. H. (probably James Howel), aad published in 1663; whence may be judged how flatter- ing its doctrine was to the feelings of Englishmen. DEscRIPTION OF TEHERAN. (From Morier’s Tour in Persia.) Teheran, the present capital of Persia, is situated, as I ascertained by a meridional observation, in lat.35° 40’. Itis in circumference between four and a half and five miles, if we might judge from the length of our ride round the walls, which indeed occupied an hour and a half; but from this we must deduct something for the de- viations necessary from the inter- vention of the gardens, and the slaughter-houses. There are six gates, inlaid with coloured bricks and with figures of tigers and other beasts in rude mosaic: their en- trance is lofty and domed ; and they are certainly better than those that we had then seen in any of the fortified places of Persia. To the N. W. are separate towers. We saw two pieces of artillery, one apparently a mortar, the other a long gun. The ditch in some parts had fallen in, and was there supported by brick-work. wt The town itself is about the “e 0 ee MISCELEANIES. of Shiraz; but it has not so many pubiic edifices ; and, as it is built of bricks baked in the sun, the whole has a mud-like appearance. Of the mosques, the principal is the Mesjid Shah, a structure not yet finished. ‘There are six others, small and insignificant: and three or four medressés or colleges, There are said to be one hundred and fifty caravanserais, and one hundred and fifty hummums or baths. There are two Maidans; one in the town, the other within the ark, a square fortified palace, which contains all the establish- ments of the king, is surrounded by a wall and ditch, and is entered by two gates, The Harem is most numerous, and contains a female establish- ment as extensive as the public household. All the officers of the king’s court are there represented by females. There are women feroshes, and there is a woman ferosh bashee; women chatters, and a woman chatter bashee; there is a woman arz beggee, and a ‘woman ish agassi; in short, there isa female duplicate for every male officer; and the King’s ser- vice in the interior of the harem is carried on with the same etiquette and regularity, as the exterior economy of his state. The women of the harem, who are educated to administer to the pleasures of the king by singing and dancing, are instructed by the best masters that the country can supply. An Ar- menian at Shiraz was unfortunate- ly renowned for performing excel- lently on the kamouncha. The fame of his skill reached the king’s ears, and he was immediately ordered up to court onthe charge of being the best kamouncha player HT in his majesty’s dominions. The poor mau, who had a wife and family and commercial concerns at Shiraz, was during our stay de- tained at Teheran expressly toteach the king’s women the art of play- ing on the kamouncha. The king’s family consists of 65 sons. As they make no account of females, it is not known how many daughters he may have; although beis said to havean equal number of both sexes. It some- times happens, that many of his women are delivered on the same night, and (if we might give credit to a Persian) one of these happy coincidences occurred during our abode in the capital, when in oue night six of his women were brought to bed, four of sons and two of daughters. The Ameen- ed-Doulah had one, indeed, of the babes at his house; and a present was sent for it from Ispahan, com- posed of four mules laden with all sorts of rich clothes. The Tahkt-a-Cadjar isa pleasure house built by the present king, about two miles to the N.E. of Teheran. At a distance it presents a grand elevation, apparently of several stories; but these, on a nearer view, are the fronts of suc- cessive terraces. The entrance is through an indifferent gate, at the top of which is a summer-house, It leads into a spacious inclosure; in the middle is the principal walk. bounded on each side by some young cypress and poplar trees, and intersected at right angles in the centre by a stone channel, which conducts a stream at several intervals to small cascades. The building which stands on the first terrace is in form octagonal, crown- ed by a small flat roofed elevates Gh sis ANNUAL RE It is open by arches on all its sides, and its raised ceiliny is supported by pillars, Its interior is arranged in a variety of water-channels, and through the centre passes the prin- cipal stream, which runs through the whole building and grounds. This little pleasure-house, though built of coarse materials and but rudely furnished, is erected on an excellent nodel, and is admirably calculated for the heats of the summer. Under it are subterra- neous chambers. Proceeding fur- ther, on another terrace is a grand pleasure-house, constructed on a less perfect principle than that of the first, though still sufficiently adapted for «a summer retreat. Through this also water is intro- duced from a terrace above, Before this place is a very extensive square of water, in which, as we were told, there were fish; we saw none, but the water itself is most luxuri- ously clear and refreshing. From this we ascended up two terraces much more elevated than the first; on these there were only small reservoirs, from which the water was continually falling into the basins on the successive descents, at the height perhaps of twenty feet between each terrace. At length we entered the main bady of the building, which, like all other Persian houses, consists of a large square court lined ou all sides with rooms of various dimen- sions and uses. The choicest apartment of the whole is a small one, placed in the very summit of the building, where every species of native workmanship in painting, glazing, and Mosaic, has been col- leeted. We found here portraits of women, Europeans as well as Persians, The glass is beautifully GISTER, 1s8!a. painted, and the doors are prettily worked and inlaid with poetical quotations carved in ivory. From this there is a delightful view of the town and country. In the other rooms below, there are several pictures of the king and his fa- vourites; one of the subjects is tingular, as it represents his ma- jesty in the costume’ of a sick man, The whole of this place is of brick, except the exterior wall, which is mud, flanked however by brick turrets. It is. much in- ferior in workmanship to any of the brick buildings either of Kerim. Khan, or of the Seffis. The soil on which it is erected is indeed ill- adapted to the purpose, as it is salt; and the salt oozesout through the walls and materially under- mines their solidity. The king is building another summer residence, half a mile from the town, called the Nega- ristan. One house is finished, consisting however of only an arched room, in which are various channels for water and playing fountains. In the garden we found water-cresses, of the eata- bleness of which the Persians ap- peared totally ignorant. The climate of Teheran is vari- able, in consequence of its situa- tion at the foot of high mountains, which on the other side are backed by such a sea asthe Caspian, For the earlier part of our stay it was moderate ; till the 10th of March, the thermometer, which was sus- pended near an open window in a room unexposed to the sun, was at 51° Fahrenheit. On the 10th, throughout the whole day, there was much snow;- indeed on the following morning, when the thermometer MISCELLANIES. thermometer was at 47°, the heat of the sun produced a partial thaw, which was succeeded by a frost so sharp, that before the close of the day, an officer of the suite, who weighed fourteen stone, was able to walk and slide upon a square re- servoir before the Dewan Khoneh, even though the surface had been already broken at one corner. The fall of snow was a_ seasonable supply of moisture to the country, which had long been without any. On the new moon of March (the » 15th of the month) the rain began, and for some days continued re- gularly, clearing up about four or five hours before sunset, and ga- thering again at night, From the height of the walls which sur- rounded us, and the want of wea- thercocks or chimnies, I could collect but imperfectly the quarter of the wind ; but, as far as I could judge, it was generally from the .E. There is a wind sometimes rushing from the Albores on the N. of the bleakness of which the natives speak with dread. From the 23d March (the first quarter of the moon) we had the true ethereal mildness of spring, with light breezes from the westward in the evening. Vegetation was making rapid advances: the rose-trees in the court of our house were already. reen, and the chenars had just u to bud. The snow on the Albores was diminishing fast ; and the weather generally, which sometimes lowered and _ then brightened up, {was that of an English spring. The thermometer was about 61° to 64°, but in the middle of the day it reached 75°, and the heat in the close streets of the town was very sensible. In the first week of April the morn- 519 ings were beautiful; but about noon a hot wind set in from the S. E. which increased towards the evening. and died away at night. About the second week, the wea- ther became cooler. Every thing was in high foliage. and all our horses were at grass. The heat was then becoming great ; on the 19th the thermometer was at 82° in the shade, and at night we had thunder and lightning with a thick haze over the Albores, On the 2st the temperature, which in the interval had been at 86°, sunk to 67°. On the night of the 20th there had been a storm: and on the dawn of day we discovered that the Albores, which before had lost their snow, were again cover- ed. These transitions are common to situations like that of Teheran. The rain refreshed the air, and gave strength to the grass, which in the more immediate neighbour- hood of the town requires much moisture to enable it to pierce the hardness of the soi]. From this time the days continued cool, with rain and frequent storms ; and the evenings became almost piercing ; but the showers gave a new force to vegetation. Teheran is considered an un- wholesome situation. The town is low and built on a salt, moist soil. In the summer the heats are said to be so insufferable, that all those who are able (all perhaps ex- cept a few old women) quit the town and live in tents nearer the foot of the Albores, where it is comparatively cool. It is interesting to trace the pro- gress of acapital. At about the same distance from Rhages, (at which the present city of Teheran may be placed from the remains of 520 Rey) appears the town Tahora, in the Theodosian tables: a sufficient presumption that Teheran itself had an original and independent existeuce, and did» not rise only from the ruins ofj the greater me- tropolis. Its continuance as a contemporary city cannot now be traced distinctly ; it may indeed have borne a different name in Eastern geography, as it is the Teheran or Cherijar of ‘Tavernier, It re-appears however under its present name in the journey of the Castilian embassadors to Timur, at a period when the greatness of Rey was still very considerable. At the end of two centuries, Pietro deila Valle re-visited it. He calls it the city of planes; tom. ii. 390 : the soil is probably particu- larly adapted to the tree; for Oli- vier mentions one in the neigh- bourhood that measured round an excrescence at the root, seventy feet; tom. v. p. 102, About the same time with Della Valle, Her- bert described it fully. It is the Tyroan of his travels. Tavernier notices it more perhaps from the materials of others than from his own observations, tom. i. 313: and Chardin speaks of it only as ‘6 petite ville.” Tom. ii. p. 120. Its name occurs with scarcely a line of comment, in a route given by Hanway, vol. 1.; and though it was a place of some interest in the reign of Nadir, its actual state cannot be collected with any cer- tainty ull the accession of ihe present dynasty. It had long in- deed been thecapital ofa province ; and-its name had been frequently connected with objects of im- portance in the history of the last two centuries; yetit owes its more ‘immediate pre-eminence ‘to the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. events of the lust few years. I€ had been so much destroyed by the Affghans, (when after the bat- tle of Salmanabad they invested it, in the hopeof seizing Shah Thamas, who had retired thither) that Aga Mahomed, the late king, may be considered as almost its secoud founder, Its nearness to its own tribe and province ; the facilities of raising instantaneously from the wandering tribes around it a large force of cavalry; and its central situation between the general re- sources of his empire and the more exposed frontiers, combined to justify his choice of Teheran as the capital of Persia. It has risen ra- pidly. In 1797 Olivier describes it as little more than two miles in circumference, and of the whole area the palace occupied more than one-fourth. Tom. v. p. 89. In 1809, it is stated to be between four and a half and five miles round the walls. The population, according to Olivier, even with all the encouragement which Aga Mahomed afforded to settlers, and including his own household of three thousand persons, amounted in 1797, to only fifteen thousand persons, Guardanne describes it, ten years afterwards, as- having more than fifty thousand inhabit- ants during the winter ; though he notices the almost total deser- tion of the city during the heats of summer. (Description of Arz-Roum, from the same.) Arz-roum is built on a rising ground: on the highest part is the castle, surrounded by a double wall of stone, which is chequered. at the top by embrazures, and strength- ened here and there by, projections in MISCELLANIES. in the fashion of bastions, with openings fit for the reception of cannon. It has four gates, which are covered with plates of iron. The whole is well built, and to me does not appear the work of Mus- sulmans, A ditch runs by it to the S. W.; near it isa tannery; and further on is a row of black- smiths’ forges, which seemed in good employ. In this direction (N. E. of the town) is the custom- house, a spacious building. The Pacha’s residence has a large gate opening into acourt-yard. The houses are in general built of stone, with rafters of wood, aud terraced. Grass grows on their tops, and sheep and calves feed there; so that when seen from an eminence, the roofs of the houses can hardly be distinguished from the plain at their foundation. I walked through most of the bazars; few are dom- ed, the rest are terraced, like the dwellings, but affording a common road for foot-passengers, who as- cend by a public flight of steps. Wherever a street intervenes, a bridge is thrown over and the line continues uninterrupted. The shops in the bazars are well stock- ed, and the place exhibits an ap- pearance of much industry. The streets are mostly paved ; but, asin Turkey, in that manner which is more calculated to break the pas- senger’s neck than to ease his feet. There are sixteen baths, and one hundred mosques; several of the latter are creditable buildings, the domes of which are covered with lead, and ornamented with gilt balls and crescents. This is the present state of Arz- roum, its remains prove that it must have been still more considerable. Every thing attests the antiquity of 521 the place ; the inhabitants indeed: date the foundation from the time of Noah, and very zealously swear, that some of their present struc- tures were contemporary with the patriarch ; with less hazard of truth or rather with much appearance of probability, they aver that others were the work of the Giaours, or Infidels. One in particular is at- tributed to the latter origin ; it con- sists of an arched gateway, curi- ously worked all in strong stone, situated N. W.in the castle, and close to a decayed minaret of an- cient structure. Yet many of the older fabrics appear, by the true Moresque arch, to be certainly of Saracenic origin ; and many of the remains of mosques resemble those buildings in Persia, with curious bricks, and lacquered tiles, which were raised in the first ages of Ma- homedanism. In all those at Arz- roum,I observed a round tower, with a very shelving roof, covered all over with bricks. There are still erect several minarets, obvi- ously works of the early Mussul- mans. Near the eastern gate of the castle are two of brick and tile, and a gate (with a Saracenic arch and a Cufic inscription) and many strong stone buildingsaround, the remains of the fine portico of a mosque. To the east of the town is an old tower of brick, the high- est building in Arz-roum, whichis used as a look-out-house, and serves as the tower of the Janiza- ries at Constantinople, or that of Galata. There is a clock at the summit, which strikes the hours with sufficient regularity. In Arz-roum there are from four to five thousand families of the Ar- menian, and about one hundred of the Greek, persuasion: the for- mer 522 mer have two churches, the latter one. There are perhaps one thou- sand Persians who live in a cara- vanserai, and manage by caravans the trade of their own country. Trebisond is the port on the Black Sea, to which the commerce of Constantinople is conveyed. The Turkish inhabitants of Arz-roum are fifty thousand families. This amount of the population I give from the authority of a well-in- formed Armenian; but as all such details in a country so ill-regulated are exceedingly suspicious, I have already taken the liberty to deduct more than one-third from the num- ber of Turkish families in the ori- ginal estimate. But the reduced statement still leaves in Arz-roum, at the rate of five persons in a fa- mily, a total of two hundred and fifty thousand persons besides Ar- menians. The climate of Arz-roum is very changeable, and must in winter be piercingly cold. It rained through- out the whole of the 19th, but the clouds dispersed on the morrow, and discovered the adjacent hills overspread with snow. The high lands which arise from the plain around, attract constant thunder- storms ; the elevation, indeed, of the whole region from the base of the sea itself is very considerable, and is sufficient to account for the cold. INHABITANTS OF BuENOoS AYRES. From Mawe’s Travels in Brazil. The population of Buenos Ayres and its immediate suburbs, exclu- sive of the country in its vicinity, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. has been ascertained to ainount to upwards of sixty thousand souls. The proportion of females to males is said to be as four to one, but if we take into consideration that many men are almost daily arriving from Europe, as well as. from the South American pro- vinces, and that under the old government neither the militia nor the marine was recruited from the mass of the population, we shall tind reason to conclude that the proportion of the sexes is not so unequal. In the interior the ex- cess of males is very great, for as the lands are granted in large tracts only, and but poorly culti- vated, there is no encouragement for the labouring classes to marry and settle upon them. The poor are compelled to remain single from the very bare resources on which they depend for subsistence, and are accustomed to consider the married states as fraught with hea- vy burthens and inevitable misfor- tunes. It is not uncommon to find estates larger than an English coun- ty with hardly more than a hun- dred labourers upon them, who subsist upon the sale of a little corn, which each is permitted to grow for himself, but only to such an extent as a single man can plough. The various races which com- pose the population are as fol- low :— 1, Legitimate Spaniards or Eu- ropeans. In Buenos Ayres there are about three thousand ; in the interior the number is very tri- fling, except in Potosi, which, being a mining country, contains many... aie 2. Creoles; legitimate descend- ants from Spaniards or Europeans. 3. Mestizos, MISCELLANIES. 3. Mestizos, the offspring of European and Indian parents. 4. Indians, almost all of whom have some mixture of Spanish blood. 5. Brown mixtures of Africans and Europeans. G. Mulattos of various degrees, All these races intermix with- ‘out restraint, so that it is difficult to define the minor gradations, or to assign limits to the ever-multi- plying varieties. Few families are entirely exempt from character- istics of Indian origin, physical as well as moral. It is well-known that in the Spanish colonies little regard is now paid to purity of - blood; the various regulations for preserving the races distinct have gradually become obsolete. This may be regarded as a momentary evil; but may it not be conducive in the long-run to the good of society, by concentrating the in- terests of the various classes, which, in remaining separate might one day endanger the stability of the government, as has been the case in the French colony of St. Do- mingo ? In describing the orders of soci- ety in Buenos Ayres, it is uecessary to premise that I mean to class them, not by degrees of birth, rank, or profession, but by the re- lative estimation in which they stand in point of property or pub- lic usefulness. According to this scale, the first which comes under consideration is the commercial class. Every i belonging to it, from the uckster at the corner of the street, to the opulent trader in his ware- house, is dignified by the appella- tion of merchant ; yet few individu- als among them can lay just claim 523 to that title, as they are wanting in that practical knowledge so essen- tial in commercial dealings. They are averse to all speculation and enterprise ; the common routine of their business is, to send orders to Spain for the articles they need, and to sell by retail at an exorbi- tant profit ; beyond this they have hardly a single idea, and it has been said that their great reason for opposing a free trade with fo- reign nations is a consciousness of their own mercantile inexperience. The more considerable houses are almost all branches of some Eu- ropean establishment; few of the Creoles have any regular trade. Those among them however who engage in it are much more liberal in their transactions than the old Spaniards, and are observed to make less rapid fortunes, for their manly and independent cha- racter makes them spurn a mi- serable economy, and disdain to assume that church-going hypo- crisy which must be practised twice or thrice a-day by those who would enrich themselves through the patronage of the opulent fami- lies. Among the inferior trades- men, those who gain most are the pulperos, the warehousemen and the shopkeepers. The pulperos retail wine, brandy, candles, sau- sages, salt, bread, spices, wood, grease, brimstone, &c. Their shops are generally lounging- places for the idle and dissipated of the community. In Buenos Ayres there are about seven hundred of them, each more or less in the in- terest of some richer individual, The warehousemen sell earthern and glass ware, drugs, various arti- cles of consumption, and some goods of home manufacture, a sale 524 sale and retail. The shopkeepers amount to nearly six hundred in number; they sell woollen cloths, silks, cotton goods of all sorts, hats, and various other articles of wear- ing apparel. Many of them make considerable fortunes, those espe- cially who trade to Lima, Peru, Chili, or Paraguay, by means of young men whom they send as agents or factors. There is another description of merchants, if such they may be called, who keep in the back-ground and enrich them- selves by monopolizing victuals, and by forestalling the grain brought to market from the in- terior, much to the injury of the agricultural interest. The second class of inhabitants consists of the proprietors of estates and houses. They are in general Creoles, for few Eu- ropeans employ their funds in building, or in the purchase of land, until they have realised a fortune to live upon, which com- monly takes place when they are far advanced in life, so that their establishments pass immediately in- to the hands of their successors. The simple landholders derive so little revenue from their posses- sions, that they are generally in debt to their tradesmen; their gains are but too commonly en- grossed by the monopolists, and having no magistrate to represent them, they find themselves desti- tute of effectual resources against wrong and extortion. So defect- ive and ill-regulated are the con- cerns of agriculture in this coun- try, that the proprietor of an estate really worth 20,000 dollars can scarcely subsist upon it. Under the class of landed pro- prietors [ may reckon the cul- ANNUAL RE GISTER, tivators, here called quinteros or chacareros, who grow wheat,. maize, and other grain. These men are so depressed and im- poverished that, notwithstand- ing the importance of their call- ing, and the public usefulness of their labours, they are ranked among the people of least conse- quence In society. The third class is composed ‘of handicraftsmen, such as masons, carpenters, tailors, and shoe-ma- kers, who, although they work hard and receive great wages, sel- dom realise property. The jour- neymen are usually people of co- lour ; the masters for the most part Genoese, and universally foreign- ers, for the Spaniards despise these trades, and cannot stoop to work along with negroes or mulattos. Many of the lower orders derive subsistence from these and other employments of a similar nature ; here are lime-burners, wood-cut- ters, tanners, curriers, &c. The free porters constitute a numerous body of men; they ply about the streets to load and unload carts, and carry burdens, but they are so idle and dissolute, that no man can depend on their services for a week together; when they have a little money, they drink and gamble, and when pennyless, they sometimes betake themselves to pilfering. These habits have long rendered them a public nuisance, but no corrective measures have hitherto been taken, nor does there appear, on the part of the higher orders, any disposition to reform them. Persons employed in public of- fices may be comprehended under the fourth class. The best situa- tions under government are arcs J fore. MISCELLANIES. by native Spaniards ; those of less emolument by Creoles; the for- mer are regarded as mere sinecures, and the persons enjoying them are considered as in no way ser- viceable to the community except by spending their large salaries within it. The fifth class is the militia or soldiery. Previous to the invasion of the English, the officers were not much noted for military sci- ence, or for that ardour which leads to the acquisition of it; their chief ambition was, to obtain com- mands in towns and villages, espe- cially those on the Portuguese frontier, where they might en- rich themselves by smuggling. The privates were ill-disciplined, badly dressed, and badly paid. The effective force which the crown of Spain maintained in these posses- sions was one regiment of the line, which was to consist of 1,200 men, but was reduced to less than half; one regiment of dragoons amount- ing to 600, two of cavalry called blandengues, 600 each, and one or two companies of artillery. With the exception of the blandengues, all the troops were originally sent from the Peninsula,’ but not having for the last twenty years been re- cruited from thence, their ranks were gradually filled by natives, By eminence they were called ve- terans, but they have been of late disbanded, and their officers have passed to the command of the new corps which were formed on the English invasion. The force of these corps may be estimated at nine thousand men. The sixth class is the clergy, in number about a thousand. The seculars are distinguished by their learning, honour, and probity, from the friars, who are in general so 525 grossly ignorant and superstitious that they render no real service to the public in any way, but ra- ther tend to disturb the minds of the honest and well-disposed. Every observation I was able to make gave me a favourable idea of the general character of the people: they are tractable, prudent. and generous; and doubtless, had they been under a milder and more beneficent government than that of the Spaniards, they might have become a model to other co- lonies; but it is lamentable toadd, that in points of morality they cannot be considered as much su- perior to the other inhabitants of America. This is attributable to the want of a proper system of education for youth, to the perni- cious example afforded by the vices of the Europeans, and, in a word, to the prevalence of an intolerant system, which, by aiming to make men what they cannot be, cause them to become what they ought not to be. The excessive rigour exercised by the ministers of wor- ship as well as by the government, for the suppression of immorality, defeats its own end; it is like the unskilful practice of a physician, which, directed solely against the external symptoms, aggravates in- stead of removing the disease. Thus, while open profligacy is discountenanced in Buenos Ayres, libertinism of a more dangerous kind is connived at, if not tolerat- ed; the peace of the most respect- able private families is liable to be destroyed by votaries of seduction, who respect neither the purity of female virtue, nor the sacred rights of matrimony. This evil pervades all classes of society, and is the source of domestic disputes, which often lead to serious consequences. DESCRIPTION 526 Description or St. PAuL's (From the same.) St. Paul’s is situated on a pleas- ing eminence of about two miles in extent, surrounded on three sides by low meadow land, and washed at the base by rivulets, which almost insulate it in rainy weather; it 1s connected with the high-land by a narrow ridge. The rivulets flow into a pretty large stream called the Tieti, which runs within a/inile of the town ina south-west direction. Over them there are seyeral bridges, some of stone and others of wood, built by the late governor. The streets of St. Paul’s, owing to its elevation (about 50 feet above the plain), and the water which almost sur- rounds it, are in general remark- ably clean; the material with which they are paved, is lamillary grit-stone, cemented by oxide of iron, and containing large pebbles of rounded quartz, approximating to the conglomerate. This pave- ment is an alluvial formation con- taining gold, many particles of which metal are found inthe chinks and hollows after heavy rains, and at suchseasons are diligently sought for by the poorer sort of people. This city was founded by the Jesuits, who were probably tempt- ed by the gold mines in the vici- nity, more than by the salubrity of its air, which however is not ex- celled by any on the whole conti- nent of South America. The me- dium of the thermometer here is between 50 and 80 degrees; in a morning I have observed it at 48, and even lower, though I was not there im the winter months. The rains are by no means heavy or of long continuance, and the thunder ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. storms are far from being violent. The cold in the evenings was fre- quently so considerable that 1 was obliged to shut my doors and win- dows, put on more clothes, and have a pan of embers in the, room, there being no chimneys, Here are several squares, and about thirteen places of religious worship, namely, two conyents, three monasteries, and eight churches, the greater part of which, as well as of the whole town, 1s built of earth. The mode of erect- ing the walls is as follows: a frame is constructed of six moveable planks placed edge-wise, opposite each other, and secured in this position by cross-pieces bolted with moveable pins. Earth is put in by small quantities, which the workmen beat with rammers and occasionally moisten with water to give it consistency. Having filled the frame or trough, they remove it and continue the same operation till the whole shell of the house is completed, taking care to leave vacancies and put in the window frames, door-frames, and beams as they proceed. The mass in course of time becomes indurated, the walls are pared perfectly smooth inside, and take any colour the owners choose to give them; they are generally enriched with very ingenious devices. This species of structure is durable; 1 have seen some houses thus built that have lasted two hundred years, and most of them have several stories. The roofs are made to project two or three feet beyond the wall, in order to throw off the rain toa distance from the base; spouts might be a moreeffectual preservative against wet, but their use is little known here. They cover their houses with : gutter- MISCELLANIES. gutter-tiles, but though thecountry affords excellent clay and plenty of wood, very few bricks are burnt. The population of this place amounts to full fifteen thousand souls : perhaps nearer twenty thou- sand; the clergy, including all ranks of religious orders, may be reckoned at five hundred. They arein general good members of society, free from that excessive bigotry and illiberality which is the reproach of the neighbour- ing colonies; and their example has so beneficial an effect on the rest of the inhabitants, that I may presume to say, uo stranger will be molested while he acts asa gentleman, and does not insult the established religion, His Excel- lency the Bishop is a most worthy prelate; and were the inferior or- ders in his diocese to follow his steps in cultivating the sciences, and diffusing useful information, they would command greater re- spect from their flocks, and by that means further the interest of the religion they profess. Priests, so ignorant, can hardly escape con- tempt. No endemial diseases at present prevail here, The small-pox for- merly, and indeed of late, made great havock among the inhabi- tants, but its progress has been checked by the introduction of vaccine inoculation. Professors ut- tended at a large hall belonging to the governor, to which the public were invited, and the operation was performed gratis. It is to be hoped that the credit of this pre- ventative will make its way among the people here, for they are not competent to enter into the merits of that controversy which injured it in Europe. 527 Here are few manufactures of any consequence; a little coarse cotton is spun by the hand, and woven into cloth, which serves for a variety of wearing apparel, sheets, &c. They make a beautiful kind of net-work for hammocks, which are fringed with lace, and form an elegant piece of furniture, being slung low, so as to answer the pur- pose of sofas. The ladies are par- ticularly fond of using them, espe- cially when the heat of the wea- ther disposes them to ease and in- dolence. The making of lace is a. general employment for females, some of whom excel in it. The shop-keepers here are a numerous class, who, as in most colonial towns, deal in almost every thing, and sometimes make great for- tunes. Here are few doctors, of medicine, but many apothecaries ; some silversmiths, whose articles are equally indifferent both in me- tal and workmanship; tailors and shoe-makers in great numbers ; and joiners, who manufacture very beautiful wood, but are not so mo- derate in their charges as the for- mer classes of tradesmen. In the out-skirts of the city live a num- ber of Creolian Indians, who make earthen-ware for culinary purposes, large water-jars, and a variety of other utensils ornamented with some taste. The greatest propor- tion of the inhabitants consists in farmers and inferior husbandmen, who cultivate small portions of land, on which they breed large stocks of pigs and poultry for sale. With these the market is generally well supplied, and in the fruit- season is also stored with pines, grapes, peaches, guavas, bananas, a few apples, and an enormous quantity of quinces. Esculent 526 Esculent plants are grown in great profusion and variety. Here is a favourite bulbous root called the Cara, which is equal to the best potato, and even more farinaceous ; it grows to about five inches in diameter, and affords excellent food either boiled or roasted. Here are fine cabbages, salad herbs, tur- nips, cauliflowers, artichokes, and potatos; the latter, though very good, are little used: the sweet potato is in greater request among the natives. Maize, beans, green peas, and every species of pulse flourish amazingly. Fowls are cheap ; we bought some at three- pence and sixpence each; ‘small pigs from one to two shillings, and flicthes of bacon, cured after the mode of the country, at about two-pence per pound. Turkies, geese, and ducksare abundant, and reasonable in price; the latter are of the Muscovy breed, enormously large, some weighing ten or four- teen pounds. Here is a singular breed of cocks ; they resemble the common English in plumage and shape, but they crow very loud, and continue their last note for a minute or two, When their voice is good, they are much esteemed, and are sent for as curiosities, from all parts of Brazil. The cattle are in general good, considering that so little attention is paid to feeding them; when their pastures are full of grass, they are tolerably fat, but when otherwise they become lean. A drove may be bought at 24s. or 30s. a head ; beef at about a penny. or three-halfpence per pound. The curriers have a singular method of blackening cow-hides and _ calf- skins: when they have prepared them for that operation, | they search for some mud-hole at the bottom of a ferruginous stratum, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. a ditch for instance ; with the mud they cover that side of the skin required to be stained; and they prefer this material to the solution of copperas, probably with reason; as the sulphate of iron formed by the decomposed pyrites acts more mildly in this state than when ap- plied in the common way. The horses are very fine, and in general docile; when well tramed they make excellent chargers. Their size is from twelve and a half to fourteen hands and a half, and they vary in price from three pounds to twelve. Mules, as we have before observed, are consi- dered more useful beasts of burden. The breed of sheep is quite unat- tended to, and mutton is rarely or never eaten. Here is a very finé and large breed of goats, whose milk is generally used for domestic purposes. The dogs are very in- different, and of no distinct race. DESCRIPTION oF Rio DEJANEIRO. (From the same.) Rio de Janeiro has been ‘so of- ten described by former travellers, that, were I to confine myself to the supply of what they have omit~- ted, or to the correction of their mis-statements, my task would be speedily performed ; but, as I have uniformly chosen to write freely from my own observations rather than follow the track of othérs, I shall trespass on the reader with a more detailed account than he might perhaps reqnire. It will, however, be recollected that the period at which I visited this ca- pital being a political era in the annals of Brazil, is sufficiently in- teresting to excuse if not to justify me in the attempt to improve upon descriptions MISCELLANIES. descriptions of -an earlier date, though at the risk of a little re- ‘petition. . The finest view of the city is from the harbour, whence its lofty eminences crowned with convents, and the hills in its environs, in- terspersed with villas and gardens, have a rich and magnificent ap- pearance. The royal palace skirts the beach, and is seen to great ad- -vantage from the principal landing- place, which is within sixty yards of its doors. This palace, though small, is the residence of the Prince Regent and the royal family: the ‘miut and the royal chapel form parts of the structure. Parallel with ‘the beach runs the main street, consisting of noble buildings, called Rua de Dereito, from which the minor streets branch off at right -angles, and are intersected by others at regular distances. Some idea of the extent of the city may be formed from the po- pulation, which, including the ne- groes (its most numerous portion), is estimated at a hundred thousand “souls: the dwellings are generally of one story only. The numerous convents and churches are well built, and rather handsome; the cathedral, now “nearly finished, is in a superior style of architecture. The streets -were formerly incommoded by latticed balcenies, which had a -very heavy appearance and ob- _ structed the circulation of the air, » but they have been taken away by order of government. The greatest nuisances now remaining are those “which arise from the custom of _ persons of all ranks on horseback -to ride on foot-paths, and from » the preposterous hanging of shop and house doors, which all open -outward into the street, to the « Vow LIV. 529 great annoyance of foot-passengers : I may also add the frequent pools of stagnant water which, from the lowness of the site, cannot without much labour be drained away, and which, through the heat of the weather, emit the most putrid exhalations. Water for the use of the city flows from the hills through aqueducts, and is distri- buted to several fountains in various public places. It is to be regretted that there are not more of these for the supply of the inhabitants, numbers of whom live a mile distant from any of them, and are obliged to employ persons con- tinually in carrying water: many of the poorer classes earn a living by selling it. The fountains in dry weather are frequently so crowded, that the carriers have to wait for hours before they can be supplied. The water is good, and, when kept in large jars, drinks cool and pleasant. The inns and public houses are almost destitute of accommodations, and so \very uncomfortable that a stranger will not reside in them if he can find a friend to take him in. House-rent in general is equally high as in London, owing, it should seem, to the dearness of building materials and the high price of masonry. Timber in particular is unaccount- ably scarce, considering the quan- tity which grows in almost every part of Brazil; even fire-wood. 1s dear. Provisions are in general plentiful, but not very choice in quality : the beef is very indifferent, and indeed bad ; the pork is better, and, if the feeding were properly attended to, might be rendered fine; mutton is almost unknown, as the natives will not eat it; the poultry of every description | are excellent, but they are very dear, 2M Pulse 530 Pulse and vegetables of all kinds are very abundant, and the fish- market is not ill supplied. Turtles are frequently caught, as well asa great variety of fish; here are abundance of very fine large prawns. The oysters and muscles, though not equal to ours, are very tolerable. Owing to its low situation, and the general filthiness of its streets, Rio de Janeiro cannot be called healthful. Improvements are now making which will in part remedy these evils; but other causes tend to increase the insalubrity of the air, and to spread contagious dis- tempers, the principal of which are the large importations of ne- groes from Africa, who commonly land in asickly state, the conse- quence of close confinement during a hot voyage. It is much to be regretted that the city was not originally built on the plan of those in the Netherlands, with canals for brigs and small vessels, which might then have been un- loaded at the doors of the ware- houses: such an improvement would have also greatly tended to the cleanliness and salubrity of the town. The police is by no means ill regulated ; and, from the attention which has been paid to it since the arrival of the court, there is every hope that it will be placed ona footing equally respectable with that of any European capital. The prisons are loathsome, and require the benevolent genius of \a Howard to reform them altogether. One great step in favour of hu- manity has been gained: the in- quisition has been abolished, and with it the spirit of persecution, so that no one can now be offended for ‘his religious tenets, unless he ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. openly insult the established re+ ligion, This city is the chief mart of Brazil, and especially of the pro- vinces of Minas Geraes, St. Paul’s, Goyazes, Cuyaba, and Corritiva, The mining districts, being most populous, require the greatest pro= portion of consumable goods, and in return send the most. valuable articles of commerce, hence in+ numerable troops of mules are continually travelling to and from those districts; their common burden is about three cwt. each, which they carry to the ‘almost incredible distance of 1,500 or 2,000 miles. Their homeward freight cousists chiefly of salt for the consumption of the cattle, and iron for the working of the mines. No colonial port in the world is so well situated for general com- merce as Rio de Janeiro. It en- joys, beyond any other, an equal convenience of intercourse with Europe, America, Africa, the East Indies, and the South Sea islands, and seems formed by nature‘as ‘a grand link to connect the trade of those great portions of the globe. Commanding also, as the ‘capital of a rich and extensive territory, resources of immense amount and value, it seemed to require ‘only the presence of an efficient) go- vernment to give it political im- portance, and this advantage it ‘has now gained by becoming the chosen residence of the ‘court of Portugal. The benefits resulting from ‘this great event had but just begun to display themselves at the period ‘to which this narrative refers, and ‘the commercial relations of ‘Rio de Janeiro, though -considerably ‘aug- mented, were still but I) their germ. I shall proceed ‘to ‘state them according to the best mn- ' formation _ —— en eEEeeeEE—eeeEEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeyEeeeEeEeEeEeEeeEeEeEeEeeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEceeEeEeE—OeEeEeeeeeeeee eee See —- MISCELLANIES. formation I was then able to pro- cure. The imports hither from the River Plate, and from Rio Grande de St. Pedro, consist in immense uantities of dried beef, tallow, ides, and grain. Those from the United States are chiefly salt pro- visions, flour, household furniture, pitch, and tar. The North Ame- ricans generally send cargoes of these articles on speculation, and, as the market for them is flactuat- ing and not to be depended on, they frequently take them to other ports. Their provisions are com- mouly sent to the Cape of Good Hope. They bring European mer- chandize, which they exchange for specie, wherewith to trade to China, and also take iu necessaries on their woyages to the South Seas. From the western coast of Africa, Rio de Janeiro imports wax, oil, sulphur, aud some woods. The negro trade has been restricted to the kingdom of Angola by a de- cree of the Prince Regent, who has declared his intention of abo- lishing it altogether as soon as pos- sible. The trade to Mozambique is trivial; but, since the capture of the Isle of France by the British has cleared that coast from French privateers, it may be expected to ancrease. It affords many valuable ‘products, such as gold- dust, ought from the interior, ivory, of aie the prince monopolizes the largest sort, ebony, and other fine woods, drugs, oil, excellent columbo-root, and an abundance of varions gums, particularly of the gummeni. The whale-fisheries on the coast have proved a source of Jiches to many speculators. de intercourse of this port with India, in common. with Mozam- 531 bique, has been much annoyed by the privateers of the Isle of France, and will, therefore, in all proba- bility, flourish equally by their suppression. A voyage thither and back is performed with great ex- pedition ; one large ship of eight hundred tous sailed, loaded « at Surat, and returned within the space of seven months. A voyage to Chinaseldom occupies a longer period. The trade thither will no doubt be revived, and it is not improbable that this port may at no great distance of tine become anentrepot for India goodsdestined _ for Europe. Rio de Janeiro is conveniently situated for supplying a yreat yva- riety of necessaries to the Cape of Good Hope and to New South Wales ; indeed, of late years, Eng- lish manufactures haye been sold here so cheap that it has been found more advantageous to ship them hence for those colonies than from home. Ships going on the South Sea whale-tishery touch here, and Jay in large stocks of spirituous liquors, wine, sugar, coffee, to- bacco, soap, and live stock. The imports from the mother- country consist chiefly in wine and oil. - From Sweden some iron is occasionally brought : itis preferred to English iron for mules’ shoes, on account of its greater ductility. The exports consist principally of cotton, sugar, rum, ship-timber, various fine cabinet woods, ,hides, tallow, indigo, and coarse cuttan cloths, in immense quantities, for clothing the Peons iu the provinces of the River Plate. Among the more precious articles of export may be enumerated gold, dia- monds, topazes of various colours, amethysts, .tourmalines (that are frequently sold for emeralds), 2M2 chrysobery|s 532 chrysoberyls, aqua-marinas, and wrought jewelry. Vitxia Rica. (From the same.) The history of an establishment which, twenty years after its foundation, was reputed the richest place on the globe, was an object of considerable interest with me, and I made many inqairies re- specting it from some of the best informed men on the spot. It appears that’ the first discovery of this once rich mountain was effected by the enterprising spirit of the: Paulistas, who, of all the colonists in Brazil, retained the largest share of that ardent and indefatigable zeal for discovery which cha- racterized the Lusitanians of for- ‘mer days. They penetrated from ‘their capital into these regions, braving every hardship, and en- ‘countering every difficulty which asavage country, infested by still “more savage iuhabitants, opposed to them. They cut their way through impervious woods, carry- ‘ing their provisions with them, and occasionally cultivating small patches of land to afford them food to retreat to, in case of necessity, as well as to keep up a communi- cation with their city, St. Paul’s. Every inch of ground was disputed by the barbarous Indians, here called Bootocoodies, who were constantly either attacking them openly or lying in ambush, and “but too frequently succeeded in - surprising some of them, or their negroes, whom they immediately ~ sacrificed to their horrible appetite for human flesh. They believed the negroes to be the great monkeys Of the wood. The bones of the ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. unfortunate sufferers were fre- quently found exposed, shocking testimonies of the barbarity of their murderers, whom the Paulistas, roused to revenge, invariably shot, wherever they met them. These examples of vengeance answered their desired end; the Indians, terrified as well by the noise as by the fatal effect of: the firesarms, fled with precipitation, believing that the white men commanded lightning and thunder. It does not appear that in ex- ploring this territory they received any assistance whatever from the Aborigines ; they followed the ‘course of rivers, occasionally find- ing gold, ‘of which they skimmed the surface, and continued to pro- ceed until they arrived at the mountain which is our present subject. Its riches arrested their course ; they immediately erected temporary houses and began their operations. The principal men of the party that first settled here, were Antonio Dias, Bartholomew ‘Rocinho, Antonio de Ferrera (filho), “and Garcia Ruis It appears that they took the most direct way to the place, fur the roads they then opened are the same which are still used. The fame of their success soon reached the city of St. Paul's; fresh adventurers arrived in great numbers, bringing with them all the negroes they had — means to purchase. Other adven- turers went from St. Paul’s to Rio de Janeiro to procure more negroes, their own city being drained, and — thus the news of the lately dis- covered gold mountain being made known in the Brazilian capital, men of all descriptions went in crowds to this land of promise by the way of St. Paul’s, which was the only route then known. The first ‘*MISCEELANIES. first settlers might have prevented the exposure of their good fortune, had they been able to moderate their joy, and consented to act in concert; but as gold was in such great abundance, every individual appropriated a lot of ground, and thus became a capitalist. Each strove which should make the most of his treasure in the shortest time, and thus there was a con- tinual demand for more negroes, more iron, &c. and, in the general eagerness to obtain them, the secret which all were interested in keep- ing was disclosed. The Paulistas, independent in spirit, and proud of their wealth, were desirous of giving laws to the new-comers ; but the latter determining to op- pose this measure, formed them- selves into a party under the guid- ance of Manual Nunez Viana, an adventurer of some consequence, who strenuously asserted their claim to equal rights and advantages. Disputes arose on both sides, and were at length aggravated into hostilities, which proved unfavour- able to the Paulistas, the greater part of whom fled to a considerable station of their own, and there awaited reinforcemeuts. Viana and his followers, without loss of time, went in pursuit of their foes, whom they found on a plain near the site of St. Joao del Rey. The two parties met on the borders of a river, and a sanguinary battle took place, which ended in the defeat of the Paulistas, who after- wards made the best terms they could, The slain were buried on the margin of the river, which, from that circumstance, took the name of Rio das Mortes, Phe Paulistas, bent on revenge, but weakened by defeat, appealed 533 to the sovereign, King Pedro, de- nouncing Viana and his followers as rebels, who were attempting to take the district to themselves, and set upan independent government. The king’s ministers,apprized ofthestate of affairs, and learning by report the immense riches of the country, immediately sent a chief, with a competent body of troops, to take advantage of the strife between the two parties; which, in a country tenable by a few men on account of its numerous strong-holds, was a most fortunate circumstance, The name of this chief was Albu- querque; a man of enterprize and perseverance, in all respects quali- fied for the service on which he was sent. His appearance at first occasioned much confusion .and discontent among both parties; and though he was net openly op- posed, yet he was in continual alarm. The Paulistas now saw that the riches which they in con- junction with their rivals might have retained, were about to be seized by athird party which would reduce them both to subordination. Disturbances prevailed for some time, but reinforcements conti- nually arriving from government, tranquillity was at length perfectly established ; and in the year 1711 aregular town began to be formed ; a government-house, a mint, anda depét for arms were built. A code of laws was enacted for the regu- lation of the mines ; all gold dust found was ordered to be delivered to officers appointed for that pur- pose ; a fifth in weight was taken for the king, and the remamniag four parts were purified, melte into ingots at the expense of go- vernment, then assayed, marked according to their value, and deli- vered 534 vered to the owners, with a certi- ficate to render them current. For the greater convenience of trade, gold-dust was likewise permitted to circulate for small payments. Notwithstanding these strict regu- Jations, a considerable quantity of the precious metal in its original state found its way to Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and other ports, elandestinely, without paying the royal fifth, antil government, ap- prized of this illicit traffic, esta- blished registers in various parts for the examination of all passengers, and stationed soldiers to patrole the roads. By these means, gold in immense quantities was seized and confiscated; the persons on whom any was found forfeited all their property, and, uniess they had friends of great influence, were sent as Convicts to Africa for life. The greatest disgrace was attached to the name of smuggler ; and such was the rigour of the law against offenders of this descrip- tion, that every person quitting the district was obliged to take a certificate stating whither he was going, and what he carried with him. This regulation is still in force, and is rigorously observed. Villa Rica soon enjoyed a con- siderable trade with Rio de Janeiro ; the returns were negroes, iron, woollens, salt, provisions of vari- ous kinds, and wine, all which at that time bore amazingly high profits. About, the year 1713, when Dr. Bras de Silvia was appoiuted governor, the quantity of gold produced was so considerable that the royal fifth amounted to half a million sterling annually. The mountain became pierced like a~ honey-comb, as the miners worked ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. every soft part they could find, and penetrated as far as they could, conveying the cascalhao which they dug out to a convement place for washing. In rainy weather the torrents of water running down the sides of the motintain, carried away much earthy matter containing de- licate particles of gold, which settled in the ground near its base. When the waters abated, this rich: deposit gave employment to num- bers of the poorer sort of people, who took it away and washed it at their convenience, ‘aidte Antonio Dias, the person already mentioned as one of the leaders of the Paulistas, who discovered the place, having become extremely rich, built a fine church, and dying soon after, bequeathed to it con- siderable funds. It still bears his name. Five or six others were begun and soon finished, as neither wood nor stone was wanting, and the inhabitants were all ready to contribute a share of their pro- “perty, and to employ their negroes in furtherance of these pious works. A law highly creditable to the wisdom of the Portuguese govern- ment was now enacted, to pro hibit friars from entering the terri- tory of the mines; were thus saved to the state, and what a number of persons were thus continued in useful labour, who would else have become bur- thensome to the community ! The town now underwent many improvements; its streets were more regularly built, and some parts of the side of the mountain were levelled to afford more con- venient room for the construction of houses, and the laying out ‘of gardens. Reservoirs were formed, from which water was asi y What treasures* of MISCELLANIES. by means of conduits to all parts, and public fountains were erected in the most convenient and central situations. The mint and smelt- ing-houses were enlarged, and rendered more commodious for the transaction of business. About this period the inhabitants amount- ed to twelve thousand or upwards ; those who possessed mines were either the first settlers or their de- scendants, and as the best part of the district was occupied, the new adventurers who continued to arrive from time to time were obliged to enter into the service of the existing owners until they had learned their methods of working, after which they geserally went in search of fresh mines, proceed- ing along the water-courses and ravines, where they sometimes dis-_ covered new sources of wealth, Between the years 1730 and 1750 the mines were in the height of their prosperity ; the king’s fifth during some years of that period is said to have amounted to at least a million sterling annually. %. The mines which produced this immense wealth at length became gradually less abundant; and, as the precious metal disappeared, numbers of the miners retired, some to the mother-country, load- ed with riches, which tempted fresh adventurers, and many to Rio de Janeiro and other sea-ports, where they employed their large capitals in commerce. Villa Rica at the present day scarcely retains a shadow of its former splendor. Its inhabitants, with the exception of the shop- keepers, are void of employment; they totally neglect the fine coun- try around them, which, by proper cultivation, would amply compen- 535 sate for the loss of the wealth which their ancestors drew from its bosom. Their education, their habits, their hereditary prejudices, alike unfit them for active life; perpetually indulging in visionary prospects of sudden wealth, they fancy themselves exempted from that universal law of nature which ordains that man shall live by the sweat of his brow. In contemplat- ing the fortunes accumulated by their predecessors, they overlook the industry and_ perseverance which obtained them, and entirely lose sight of the change of circum- stances which renders those quali- ties now doubly necessary. - Diamonp Minx. (From the same.) The continual fatigues, and want of accommodation on the journey, had rendered me very unwell, and I was therefore desirous of resting a week at Tejuco before I pro- ceeded to the diamond mines ; but, learning that I had been expected for the last two or three days, I sent one of my soldiers up to the house of Mr. Fernando de Camara, the governor, to announce my ar- rival, and to state, that I was pre- vented by indisposition from per- sonally paying my respects to him, He immediately came with a few friends to visit me, gave me a most hearty welcome to Tejuco, and staid with me at least three hours. I delivered to him my public and private letters, passports, and other credentials, which he perused with great satisfaction, observing to the Ouvidor and his friends, that I possessed the same privileges nel they 536 they did, having permission from the court to see every place I wished, which they were directed to show me. He then told me that, in ex- pectation of my arrival, he had de- layed a journey to the greatest of the diamond works, called Mandanga, situated on the river Jigitonhonha, which employs about a thousand negroes, and on particular occa- sions double that number. He was desirous that I should see this great work with all the machinery in operation, which would be very speedily removed, the late rains having swoln the river so much as to render working more impracti- cable. He therefore kindly in- vited me to breakfast at his house on the following morning, when he would have all in readiness for a journey of about thirty miles to the place above-mentioned. At an early hour I arose; and, though so unwell as to be scarcely more than half alive, I could not resist the favourable opportunity now offered me of gratifying the curiosity which had so long occu- pied my mind, by visiting the dia- mond mines, in company with the principal officer in the administra- tion of them, who was therefore qualified to furnish me with the amplest information. A fine horse was waiting for me at the door, and [ rode up to the house of the governor, who introduced ine to his amiable lady, daughters, and family, with whom I had the ho- nour to take breakfast. Several officers of the diamond establish- ment arrived on horseback to ac- company us, their presence being required on this occasion. At nine o’clock we set out, and crossed the ravine, watered by the small rivulet of St. Francisco, which ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. separates Tejuco from the opposite mountains. The road was very rough and uneven, continually as- cending or descending mountains of considerable extent, the strata of which were grit alternating with micaceous schistus, and pre- senting an immense quantity of rude masses, composed of grit and rounded quartz, forming a loose and friable kind of pudding-stone, The country appeared almost des- titute of wood, presenting occa- sionally a few poor shrubs; there were no cattle to be seen, yet some of the tracts would certainly main- tain sheep in great numbers. Hav~ ing halted at a place about half way, we descended a very steep mountain, full a mile in the decli- vity, and entered a ravine where we crossed a very good wooden bridge over the river Jigitonhonha, which is larger than the Derwent at Derby. We rode along its mar- gin, where the land appears much richer, presenting a good vegeta- ble soil covered with underwood; and, proceeding about a league, arrived at the famed place called Mandanga. The habitations, which are about ene hundred in number, are built detached, and are gene- rally of a circular form, with very high thatched roofs, like African huts, but much larger. The walls are formed of upright stakes, in- terwoven with small branches and coated with clay inside and out. The houses of the officers are of the same materials, but of much more convenient form, and white- washed within. Near some of the houses we observed inclosures for gardens, which in some degree en- livened the prospect, and gave an air of comfort to these rude and simple dwellings, : I remained MISCELLANIES. 587 T remained here five days, dur- ‘ng which I was occupied in view- ing and examining various parts of the works, of which I- shall here attempt to give a general descrip- tion, This rich river, formed by the junctiou of a number of streams, which will be hereafter noted, is as wide as the Thames at Windsor, and in general from three to nine feet deep. The part now in work- ing is a curve or elbow, from which the current is diverted into acanal cut across the tongue of land round which it winds, the ri- ver being stopped just below the head of the canal by an embank- ment formed of several thousand bags of sand. This is a work of considerable magnitude, and re- quires the co-operation of all the negroes to complete it ; for, the ri- ver being wide and not very shal- low, and also occasionally subject to overflows, they have to make the embankment so strong as to resist the pressure of the water, admitting it to rise four or five feet. The deeper parts of the channel of the river are laid dry by means of large caissons or chain-pumps, worked by a water-wheel. The mud is then carried off, and the cascalhao is dug up and removed toa convenient place for washing. This labour was, until lately, per+ formed by the negroes, who car- ried the cascalhao in gamellas on their heads, but Mr. Camara has formed two inclined planes about one hundred yards in length, along which carts are drawn by a large water-wheel, divided into two parts, the ladles or buckets of which are so constructed, that the rotatory motion may be altered by changing the current of water from one side to the other: this wheel by means of a rope made of un- tanned hides, works two carts, one of which descends empty on one in- clined plane, while the other, load- ed with cascalhao, is drawn to the top of the other, where it falls into a cradle, empties itself, and de- scends in its turn, At a work called Canjeca, formerly of great importance, about a mile up the river on the opposite side, there are three cylindrical engines for draw- ing the cascalhao, like those used in the mining country of Derby- shire, and also rail-ways over some uneven ground. This was the first andonly machinery of consequence which I saw in the diamond dis- trict, and there appear many ob- stacles to the general introduction of it. Timber, when wanted of large size, has to be fetched a dis- tance of one hundred miles at a very heavy expense ; there are few persons competent to the construc- tion of machines, and the work- men dislike to make them, fear- ing that this is only part of a ge- neral plan for superseding manual Jabour. The stratum of cascalhao con- sists of the same materials with that in the gold district. On many parts, by the edge of the river, are large conglomerate masses of rounded pebbles cemented by ox- ide of iron, which sometimes enve- lop gold and diamonds. They cal- culate on getting as much cascal- hao in the dry season as will oc- cupy all their hands during the months which are more subject to rain. When carried from the bed of the river whence it is dug, it 538 it is laid in heaps containing ap- parently from five to fifteen tons each. ) Water is conveyed from a dis- tance, and is distributed to the va- rious parts of the works by means ef aqueducts, constructed with great ingenuity and skill. The method of washing for diamonds at this placeis as follows :—A shed ¥s erected in the form of a_paral- Jelogram, twenty-five or thirty yards long, and about fifteen wide, consisting of upright posts which support a roof thatched with long grass. Down the middle of the area of this shed a current of water is conveyed through a canal co- vered with strong planks, on which the cascalhao is laid two or three feet thick. On the other side of the area is a flooring of planks, from four to five yards long, im- bedded in clay, extending the whole length of the shed, and hay- ing a slope from the canal, of three or four inches to a yard. This flooring is divided into about twenty compartments or troughs, each about three feet wide, by means of planks placed on ‘their edge. The upper ends of all these -troughs (here called canoes) com- municate with the canal, and are so formed that water is admitted into them between two planks that are aboutan inchseparate. Through this opening the current falls about six inches into the trough, and may be directed to any part of it, or stopped at pleasure by means of a small quantity of clay. For in- stance, sometimes water is required only from onecorner of theaperture, then the remaining: part is stop- ped ; sometimes it is wanted from the center, then the extremes are ‘stopped; and sometimes only a ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. gentle rill is wanted, then the clay is. applied accordingly. Along the lower ends of the troughs a small channel is duy to carry off the -water. On the heap of cascalhao, at equal distances, are placed three high chairs for the officers or over- seers. After they are seated, the negroes enter the troughs, each provided with a rake of a peculiar form and short handle, with which he rakes into the trough about fifty or eighty pounds weight of cascal- hao. The water being then let in upon it, the cascalhao is spread abroad and continually raked up to the head of the trough, so as to be kept in constant motion. This operation is performed) for the space of a quarter of an hour; the water then begins to run clearer, having washed the earthy particles away, the gravel-lke mat- ter is raked up to the end of the trough; after the current flows away quite clear, the largest stones are thrown out, and afterwards those of inferior size, then the whole is examined with great. care for diamonds. When a. negroe finds one, he immediately stands upright and claps his hands, then extends them, hold the gem be- tween his fore-finger and thumb; an overseer receives it from him, and deposits itin a gamella or bowl, suspended from the center of the structure, half full of water. In this vessel all the diamonds found in the course of the day are placed, and at the close of work are taken out and delivered to the principal officer, who, after they have been weighed, registers. the particulars in a book kept for that purpose. , When a negro is so fortunate as to find a diamond of the want o MISCELLANIES. of an octavo (17 carats), much ceremony takes place ; he is crown- ed witha wreath of flowers, and carried in procession to the admi- nistrator, who gives bim his free- dom, by paying his owner for it. He also receives a present of new clothes, and is permitted to work on hisown account. When a stone of eight or ten carats is found, the negro receives two new shirts, a eomplete new suit, with a hat and a handsome knife. For smaller stoves of trivial amount propor- tionate premiumsare given. Dur- ing my stay at Tejaco a stone of 164 carats was found: it was pleasing to see the anxious desire manifested by the officers that it might prove heavy enough to en- title the poor negro to his freedom, and when on being delivered and weighed, it proved only a carat short of the requisite weight, all seemed to sympathize in his disap- pointment. Many precautions are taken to prevent the negroes from embez- zling diamonds. Although they work in a bent position, and con- sequently never know whether the overseers are watching them or not, yet itis easy for them to omit gathering any which they see, and to place them in a corner of the trough for the purpose of secreting them at leisure hours, to prevent which they are frequently changed while the operation is going on. A word of command being given by the overseers, they instantly move into each other’s troughs, so that no opportunity of collusion can take place. If anegro be sus- pected of having swallowed a dia- mond, he is confined in a strong room until the fact. can be ascer- tained, Formerly the punishment 539 inflicted ona negro for smuggling diamonds. was confiscation of his person to the state: but it being thought too hard for the owner to suffer for the offence of his servanty the penalty has been commuted for personal imprisonment and chas- tisement. This is a much hghter puvishment than that which their owners or any white man would suffer for a similar offence, There is no particular regulation respecting the dress of the negroes : they work in the clothes most suit- able to the nature of their employ- ment, generally in a waistcoat and a pair of drawers, and not naked, as some travellers’ have stated. Their hours of Jabour are from a little before sun-rise until sun-set, half an hour being allowed for breakfast, and two hours at noon, While washing they change their posture as oftea as they please, which is very necessary, as the work requires them to place their feet on the edges of the trough, and to stoop considerably. This posture is particularly prejudicial to young growing negroes, as it renders them in-kneed. Four or five times during the day they all rest, when snuff, of which they are very fond, is given to them. The negroes are formed into working parties, called troops, con- taining two hundred each, under the direction of an administrator and inferior officers. Each troop has a clergyman and a surgeon to attend it. With respectto the sub- sistence of the negroes, although the present governor has in some degree improved it by allowing a daily portion of fresh beef, which was not allowed by his predeces- sors, yet am sorry to observe that it is still poorand scanty ; and in other 540 other respects they are more hardly dealt with than those of any other establishment which I visited: not- withstanding this, the owners are all anxious to get their negroes into the service, doubtless from si- nister motives, of which more will be said hereafter. The officers are liberally paid, and live ina style of considerabie elegance, which a stranger would not be led to expect in so remote a place. Our tables were daily co- vered with a profusion of excellent viands, served up on fine Wedge- wood ware, and the, state of their household generally corresponded with this essential part of it, They were ever ready to assist me in my examination of the works, and freely gave meall the necessary in- formation respecting them. Having detailed the process of washing for diamonds, I proceed toa general description of the si- tuations in which they are found. The flat pieces of ground on each side the river are equally rich throughout their extent, and hence the officers are enabled to calculate the value‘of an unworked place by comparison with the amount found on working in the part adjoming. These known places are left in re- serve, and trial is made of more uncertain grounds. The following observation I often heard from the intendant: ‘*That piece of ground” (speaking of an unworked flat by the side of the river) * will yield ine ten thousand carats of dia- monds, whenever. we shall be re- quired to get them in the regular course of working, or when, on any particular occasion, an order from government arrives, demand- ing au extraordinary and immedi- ate supply.” ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. The substances accompanying: diamonds, and considered good iu- dications of them, are bright bean- like iron ore, a slaty flint-like sub- stance, approaching Lydian stone, of fine texture, black oxide of iron, in great quantities, rounded bits of blue quartz, yellow crystal, and other materials entirely different from. any thing known to be pro- duced in the adjacent mountains. Diamonds are by no means pecu- liar to the beds of rivers or deep. ravines; they have been found in cavities and water-courses on the summits of the most lofty moun- tains. I had some conversation with the officers respecting the matrix of the diamond, not a vestige of which could I trace. They in- formed me that they often found diamonds cemented in pudding- stone, accompanied with grains of gold, but that they always broke them out, as they could not enter them in the treasury, or weigh them with matter adhering to them. I obtained a mass of pud- ding-stone, apparently of very re- cent formation, cemented by ferru- ginous matter enveloping many grains of gold; and likewise a few pounds weight of the cascalhao in its unwashed state. This river, and other streams in its vicinity, have been in washing Many years, and have produced great quantitiesof diamonds, which have ever been reputed of the finest quality. They vary in size: some are so small that four or five are required to weigh one grain, con- sequently sixteen or twenty to the carat: there are seldom found more than two or three stones of from seventeen to twenty carats in the course of a year, and not once in MISCELLANTLES. ; in two years is there found through- out the whole washings a stone of thirty carats. During the five days I was here they were not very suc- cessful; the whole quantity found amounted only to forty, the largest of which was only four carats, and of a light green colour. From the great quantity of de- bris, or worked cascalhao, in every part near the river, it is reasonable to calculate that the works have been in operation above forty years ; of course there must arrive a period ‘at which they will be exhausted, but there are grounds in the neigh- bourhood, particularly in the Cerro de St. Antonio, and in the country now inhabited by the Indians, which will probably afford these ‘gems in equal abundance. Srare or SocteTY AMONG THE MIDDLING CLASSES EMPLOYED in MINING AND AGRICULTURE. (From the same.) Weare naturally led to imagine, that, in the country where mines of “gold and diamonds are found, the riches of the inhabitants must be ‘Immense, and their condition most enviable; the Portugueze them- selves, who reside in the mining ‘districts, encourage this supposi- tion; and whenever they go to Rio de Janeiro, do not fail to make “all possible show and parade. But “let us view them in the center of their wealth; and as a fair crite- “rion of the middling classes of so- “ciety, let us select a man possessing a property of fifty or sixty negroes, with datas of gold mines, and the “necessary utensils for working “them. The negroes alone are worth, 541 at the low valuation of 100 milreis each, a sum equal to 1,200/. ‘or 1,500/. sterling; the datas and utensils, though of value, need not be taken into the account. Sup- pose this man to be married, and to have a family: What is the state of their domestic concerns; their general way of life? May I be al- lowed to describe them in the lan- guage which truth dictates, without exaggeration or extenuation? Their dwelling scarcely merits the name of ahouse; it is the most wretched hovel that imagination can describe, consisting of a few apartments built up to each other without re- gularity; the walls wicker-work, filled up with mud; a hole left fora frame serves as a window, or a mi- serable’ door answers that purpose. The cracks in the mud are rarely filled up; and in very few instances only have I seen a house repaired, The floors are of clay, moist in it- self, and rendered more disagree- ble by the filth of its inhabitants, with whom the pigs not unfre- quently dispute the right of pos- session. Some ranchos, it is true, ‘are built upon piles; and under- ‘neath are the stables, &c. these are certainly a little superior to the former. They are built so from necessity, where the ground is un- even or swampy; but it may be ‘easily conceived, that the disagree- able effects produced by want: of cleanliness, must in these instances be increased by the effluvia from the animals underneath, which I have frequently found intolerable. The furniture of the house is such as might be expected from the description above given. The -beds are very coarse cotton cases, filled with dry grass, or the leaves of {Indian corn. © There are Fpl om 542 dom more than two in a house; for the servants generally sleep upon mats, or dried hides laid on the floor. The furniture consists of one or two chairs, a few stools and benches, one table, or per- haps two, a few coffee-cups and a coffee-pot of silver ; a silyer drink- ing cup, and, in some instances, a silver wash-hand bason, which, when strangers are present, is handed round with great ostenta- tion, and forms a striking contrast to the rest of the utensils, The general diet of the family consists of the same articles which have already been partieularized in treating of St, Paul’s. The only beverage is water; aud nothing ean be more frugal than the whole economy of the table. So intent is the owner in employing his slaves solely in employments.di- rectly lucrative, that the garden, oa which almost the eutine sub- sistence of the family depends, is kept in the most miserable dis- order. In the article of dress, they do not appear more extravagant thaa in that of food. The children ave generally naked; the youths go without shoes, in an old jacket, and cotton ¢rewsers; the men in an old capote.or mantle wrapped around them, and wooden, clags, except when ‘they go from home,; ‘and, .on those occasions, they jap- pearin all their splendor, forming ‘as greatia contrast to their domes- itic attire, as the gaudy butterfly does to the .chrysalis {rom which jit springs. en iT It might be expected, that -how- ever penuriousby the general con- cerns of the family were.conducted,. eat ileast: some degree of atiention ~and ,expense would be bestowed ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. on the dress of the females; for the test of civilization among all nations is the regard paid to the fair sex, on whom the happi-+ ness of domestic life depends. Yet the general poverty and meanness of their attire is such, that they re- luctantly appear before any one, — except the individuals of their own ~ family. in short, in all those depart- ments of domestic economy, which to the middle classes of other civil- ized nations are objects of ex- pense, the Brazilians exercise the most rigid parsimony. At first, I was inclined to attribute this. dis- position to the love of money, which prompted them to avoid all extra- vagance; but, on closer observa- tion, I was surprised to find that it originated in necessity. They ge- nerally run in debt for the few ar- ticles they have to purebase, and sometimes find it dificult tomain- tain their negroes. If they pur- chase a mule, it is at one or two years’ credit, and, .of course, at double its ordinary price. In such a family as that above described, the sons, as might be expected, are brought up in jdle- ness; they are merely taught. to read and write; rarely do they ,at- tend to the mining department; they leana no trade, nor are they in- -structed in any useful em ployment; fora miner, perhaps an, ensign er a lieutenant of militia, would think it a disgrace to put his.son.appyen- tice to,a,mechanic. ,syppose ithe father of this family to die.when -the\sons have just attained the age of puberty... They,are now for the first time obliged, to think of pro- widing for themselves. Educated im poverty ;and ,pride, they -haye learned to think, ,all ocqupations servile, MISCELLANIES. servile, and their own is generally so poor as to be hateful to them. If they agree, uot to divide the negroes, it generally happens that _they rua into debt, and continue in wretchedness; if they divide them, each takes his course, and adventures for himself, and in a short time, they are generally obliged to part with their slaves, and exist in indigence. Every use- ful pursuit and every comfort is neglected for the sake of seeking hidden treasures, which very rarely are found, and which when found are as rarely employed to advan- tage, but rather serve to increase the idleness of the owners. Few, very few of the numerous class of miners from which the above instance is selected are rich, few are even comfortable; how wretched then must be the state of those who possess only eight or ten negroes, or whose property does not exceed three or four hundred pounds. Thus situated in one of the finest climates in the world, with rich lands full of the finest timber, abounding in rivulets and water- falls in every direction, containing, besides precious minerals, iron ores, aud almost every other useful pro- duct, the inhabitants of Brazil, though secured from absolute want, remain in indigence. It is true, the miner procures his gold by great labour, but this need not preclude him from improving his domestic condition. Were his ho- vel converted into a house, his slaves better fed and lodged, and his family better provided for, his whole affairs would receive a new impulse, and every part of his property would become doubly pro- ductive, a 543 Original Letter from Sir J. Stuart to the Right Honourable Sir David Dundas. Messina, Nov. 25, 1810. Sir,—I feel it necessary that I should apologize for the freedom to which Iam prompted in address- ing you on the subject of a news- paper paragraph 5. ‘but ian article having appeared in the English journals which have reached this country, stating that a French of- ficer of this staff, and high in my confidence, had been discovered in dishonourable correspondence with the enemy, it becomes a duty from myself to every foreigner un- der my command, to take steps for your assurance that the asser- tion is a fabrication as groundless as it is infamous, and I am to la- ment that I have not been able to trace it beyond those anonymous sources against whose dark and dangerous attacks, neither rank, probity, nor conduct, can be se- cure. Upon the staff of this army, Sir, there are many foreign gentlemen who owe their selections only to their talents; and I have never had occasion to learn that there were any British officers here who did not entertain the most liberal senti- ments on the justice of such im- partial distributions.—If the con- duct of this army at large has any merit in the eyes of our country— that merit must be widely shared by foreigners who compose so great a proportion of its members, When I had the honour of re- cently stating further to yourself, Sir, my respectful wish, that if my own conduct under any late circumstances of duty, should ap- pear in the eye of his Majesty to deserve 544 deserve a mark of his most gra- cious approval, it might be confer- red by a step of rank to my mili- tary secretary, Major De Sade, I gave the strongest test of my own estimate of an officer, who, though not born a subject of his Majesty, is distinguished by every principle of honour that could render him worthy his royal netice —and who, having been for fourteen years a sharer with myself in every professional duty in which 1 have ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. been employed, is, of course, a participator in any degree of me- rit which his Majesty or my coun- try have been generously pleased, during that interval, to allow to my humble services. I have the honour to be, with high respect, &e. (Signed) J. Stuart, Count of Maida. To General the Right don. Sir David Dundas, K.B. Commander-in-chief- POETRY. | 545 J POETRY. FAREWELL ADDRESS, Spoken by Mrs. Stppons, on leaving the Stage 29th of June, 1812, and written by Horace Twiss, Esq. Ww? has not felt, how growing use endears The fond remembrance of our former years ? Who has not sigh’d, when doom’d to leave at last The hopes of youth, the habits of the past, The thousand ties and interests, that impart A second nature to the human heart, And, wreathing round it close, like tendrils, climb, Blooming in age, and sanctified by time ? Yes! at this moment crowd upon my mind Scenes of bright days for ever left behind, Bewildering visions of enraptured youth, When hope and fancy wore the hues of truth, And long-forgotten years, that almost seem The faded traces of a morning dream ! _ Sweet are those mournful thoughts: for they renew The pleasing sense of all I owe to you— For each inspiring smile, and soothing tear— For those full honours of my long career, That cheer’d my earliest hope, and chased my latest fear ! And though, for me, those tears shall flow no more, And the warm sunshine of your smile is 0’er,— Though the bright beams are fading fast away That shone unclouded through my stthteesdeg ; Yet grateful memory shall reflect their light O’er the dim shadows of the coming night, And lend to later life a softer tone, A moon-light tint, a lustre of her own. Judges and Friends ! to whom the tragic strain Of nature’s feeling never spoke in vain, Vor. LIV. 2N Perhaps 546 ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. Perhaps your hearts, when years have glided by, And past emotions wake a fleeting sigh, May think on her, whose lips have pour’d so long The charmed sorrows of your Shakspeare’s song ;— _On her, who, parting to return no more, Is now the mourner she but seemed before.— Herself subdued, resigns the melting spell, And breathes, with swelling heart, her long, her last farewell ! ! ADDRESS ON THE OPENING OF DRURY-LANE THEATRE. WritTEN By Lorp Byron. | one dread night our city saw, and sighed, Bowed to the dust, the Drama’s tower of pride; In one short hour beheld the blazing fane, Apollo sink, and Shakspeare cease to reign. Ye who beheld, O sight, admired and mourned, Whose radiance mock’d the ruin it adorn’d ! Through clouds of fire the massy fragments riven, Like Israel’s pillar, chace the night from heav’n, Saw the long column of revolving flames Shake its red shadow o’er the startled Thames ; While thousands throng’d around the burning dome, Shrunk back appalled, and trembled for their home ; As glared the volumed blaze, and ghastly shone The skies, with lightnings awful as their own ; Till blackening ashes and the lonely wall Usurped the Muse’s realm, and marked her fall ; Say—shall this new nor less aspiring pile. Reared, where once rose the mightiest in our isle, Know the same favour which the former knew, A shrine for Shakspeare—worthy him and you ? Yes, it shall be—the magic of that name Defies the scythe of time, the torch of flame, On the same spot still consecrates the scene, And bids the Drama be where she hath been:— | This fabric’s birth attests the potent spell; | Indulge our honest pride, and say, How well / As soars this fane to emulate the last, Oh! might we draw our omens from the past. Some POETRY. 547 Some hour propitious to our prayers, may boast Names such as hallow still the dome we lost. On Drury first your Siddons’ thrilling art O’erwhelm’d the gentlest, stormed the sternest heart; On Drury, Garrick’s latest laurels grew : Here your last tears retiring Roscius drew, Sigh’d his last thanks, and wept his last adieu. But still for living wit the wreaths may bloom That only waste their odours o’er the tomb. Such Drury claimed, and claims,—nor you refuse . One tribute to revive his slumbering muse ; With garlands deck your own Menander’s head ; Nor hoard your honours idly for the dead! Dear are the days which made our annals bright, Ere Garrick fled, or Brinsley cease to write. Heirs to their labours, like all high-born heirs, Vain of our ancestry as they of theirs; While thus Remembrance borrows Banquo’s glass, To claim the sceptred shadows as they pass, And we the mirror hold, where imaged shine Immortal names emblazoned on our line ; Pause—ere their feebler offspring you condemn, Reflect how hard the task to rival them. Friends of the Stage—to whom both Players and Plays Must sue alike for pardon, or for praise, Whose judging voice and eye alone direct The boundless power to cherish or reject, If e’er frivolity has led to fame, } And make us blush that you forbore to blame, If e’er the sinking stage could condescend To soothe the sickly taste it dare not mend, All past reproach may present scenes refute, And censure, wisely loud, be justly mute ! Oh! since your fiat stamps the Drama’s laws, Forbear to mock us with misplac’d applause: So pride shall doubly nerve the actor’s powers, And reason’s voice be echo’d back by our's! This greeting o’er,—the ancient rule obey’d, The Drama’s homage by her herald paid, Receive our welcome too—whose every tone Springs from our hearts, and fain would win your own. The curtain rises—may our stage unfold Scenes not unworthy Drury’s days of old! Britons our judges, Nature for our guide, Still may we please, long—long may you preside. 2N2 From ANNUAL REGISTER, 18192. From CHILDE HAROLD’s PILGRIMAGE. By Lorp Byron. E that has sailed upon the dark blue sea, Has view’d at times, I ween, a full fair sight ; When the fresh breeze is fair as breeze may be, The white sail set, the gallant frigate tight ; Masts, spires, and strand retiring to the right, The glorious main expanding o’er the bow, The convoy spread like wild swans in their flight, The dullest sailer wearing bravely now, So gaily curl the waves before each dashing prow. And oh, the little warlike world within! The well reev’d guns, the netted canopy, The hoarse command, the busy humming din, When, at a word, the tops are mann’d on high: Hark to the Boatswain’s call, the cheering cry! While through the seaman’s hand the tackle glides ; Or school-boy Midshipman that standing by, Strains his shrill pipe as good or ill betides, And well the docile crew that skilful urchin guides. = White is the glassy deck, without a stain, Where on the watch the staid Lieutenant walks: Look on that part which sacred doth remain For the loan chieftain, who majestic stalks, Silent and fear’d by all—not oft he talks With aught beneath him, if he would preserve That strict restraint, which broken, ever balks Conquest and Fame: but Britons rarely swerve From Law, however stern, which tends their strength to nerve. Blow! swiftly blow, thou keel-compelling gale! Till the broad sun withdraws his lessening ray ; Then must the pennant-bearer slacken sail, That lagging barks may make their lazy way. Ah, grievance sore! and listless dull delay, To waste on sluggish hulks the sweetest breeze, What leagues are lost before the dawn of day? Thus loitering pensive on the willing seas, ; The flapping sail haul’d down to halt for logs like these! The moon is up; by Heaven a lovely eve! Long streams of light o’er dancing waves expand ; Now lads on shore may sigh and. maids believe: Such be our fate when we return to land! « Meantime POETRY. | 549 Meantime some rude Arion’s restless hand Wakes the brisk harmony that sailors love ; A circle there of merry listeners stand, Or to some well-known measure featly move, Thoughtless, as if on shore they still were free to rove. Through Calpe’s straits survey the steepy shore, Europe and Afric on each other are ! Lands of the dark-ey’d Maid and dusky Moor, Alike beheld beneath pale Hecate’s blaze : How softly on the Spanish shore she plays, Disclosing rock, and slope, and forest brown, Distinct though darkening with her waning phase : But Mauritania’s giant shadows frown, From mountain cliff to coast descending sombre down. ’Tis night, when meditation bids us feel We once have lov’d, though love is at an end: The heart, lone mourner of its baffled zeal, Though friendless now will dream it had a friend. Who with the weight of years would wish to bend, When Youth itself survives young Love and Joy ? Alas! when mingling souls forget to blend, Death hath but little left him to destroy ! P Ah! happy years! once more who would not be a boy? Thus bending o’er the vessel’s laving side, To gaze on Dian’s wave-reflected sphere ; The soul forgets her schemes of Hope and Pride, And flies unconscious o’er each backward year : None are so desolate but something dear, Dearer than self, possesses or possess’d A thought, and claims the homage of a tear; A flashing pang! of which the weary breast Would still, albeit, in vain, the heavy heart divest. To sit on rocks, to muse o’er flood and fell, To slowly trace the forest’s shady scene, Where things that own not man’s dominion dwell, And mortal foot hath ne’er, or rarely been ; To climb the trackless mountian all unseen, With the wild flock that never needs a fold ; Alone o’er steeps and foaming falls to lean ; This is not solitude; ’tis but to hold Converse with Nature’s charms, and see her stores unroll’d, But midst the crowd, the hum, the shock of men, To hear, to see, to feel, and to possess, And ion ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. And roam along, the world’s tir’d denizen, With none who bless us, none whom 'we can bless; Minions of splendor shrinking from distress ! None that, with kindred consciousness endued, If we were not, would seem to smile the less Of all that flatter’d, followed, sought, and sued : This is to be alone; this, this is solitude! TO THYRZA. By the same. NE struggle more, and I am free From pangs that rend my heart in twain ; One last long sigh to love and thee, Then back to busy life again. It suits me well te mingle now With things that never pleas’d before : Though ev’ry joy is fled below, What future grief can touch me more ? Then bring me wine, the banquet bring: Man was not form’d to live alone: I'll be that light unmeaning thing That smiles with all, and weeps with none. It was not thus in days more dear, It never would have been, but thou Hast fled, and left me lonely here: Thou’rt nothing, all are nothing now.. In vain my lyre would lightly breathe ! The smile that sorrow fain would wear But mocks the woe that lurks beneath, Like roses o’er a sepulchre. Though gay companions o’er the bowl Dispel awhile the sense of ill; Though pleasure fires the madd’ning soul ; The heart—the heart is lonely still ! On many a lone and lovely night It sooth’d to gaze upon the sky ; For then I deem’d the heav’nly light Shone sweetly on thy pensive eye: And oft I thought at Cynthia’s noon, When sailing o’er the /Egean wave, *“Now Thyrza gazes on that moon—’’ Alas, it gleam’d upon her grave. per ‘ + When POETRY. 551 When stretch’d on fever’s sleepless bed, And sickness shrunk my throbbing veins, «¢ *Tis comfort still,’’ I faintly said, «¢ That Thyrza cannot know my pains:” Like freedom to the time-worn slave, A boon ’ tis idle theu to give; Relenting nature vainly gave My life, when Thyrza ceas’d to live ! My Thyrza’s pledge in better days, When love and life alike were new ! How different now thou meet’st my gaze ! How ting’d by time with sorrows hue! The heart that gave itself with thee Is silent—ah, were mine as still! Though cold as e’en the dead can be, It feels, it sickens with the chill. Thou bitter pledge! thou mournful token ! Though painful, welcome to my breast! Still, still, preserve that love unbroken, Or break the heart to which thou’rt prest ! Time tempers love, but not removes, More hallow’d when its hope is fled : Oh! what are thousand living loves To that which cannot quit the dead ? THE PATRON. From CrapBe’s TALEs. A BOROUGH-BAILIFF, who to law was train’d, A wife and sons in decent state maintain’d ; He had his way in life’s rough ocean steer’d, And many a rock and coast of danger clear’d ; He saw where others fail’d, and care had he, Others in him should not such failings see: His sons in various busy states were plac’d, And all began the sweets of gain to taste ; Save John, the younger; who, of sprightly parts, Felt not a love for money-making arts : In childhood feeble, he, for country air, Had Jong resided with a rustic pair; All round whose room were doleful ballads, songs, Of lovers’ sufferings and of ladies’ wrongs ; Of peevish ghosts who came at dark midnight, For breach of promise, guilty men to fright : Love, murriage, murder, were the themes, with these, All that on idle, ardent spirits seize ; Robbers 552 ANNUAL REGISTER, Is19. Robbers at land and pirates on the main, Enchanters foil’d, spells broken, giants slain ; Legends of love, with tales of halls and bowers, Choice of rare songs, and garlands of choice flowers, And all the hungry mind without a choice devours. From Village children kept apart by pride, With such enjoyments, and without a guide, Inspir’d by feelings all such works infus’d, John snatch’d a pen, and wrote as he perus’d ;— With the like fancy, he could make his knight Slay half an host, and put the rest to flight ; With the like knowledge, he could make him ride From isle to isle at Parthenissa’s side; _ And with a heart yet free, no busy brain Form’d wilder notions of delight and pain, The raptures smiles create, the anguish of disdain. Such were the fruits of John’s poetic toil, Weeds, but still proofs of vigour in the soil: He nothing purpos’d, but with vast delight Let Fancy loose, and wonder’d at her flight : His notions of poetic worth were high, And of his own still-hoarded poetry ;— These to his father’s house he bore with pride, A miser’s treasure, in his room to hide ; Till spurr’d by glory, to a reading friend He kindly show’d the Sonnets he had penn’d ; With erring judgment, though, with heart sincere, That friend exclaim’d, ‘ These beauties must appear.” In magazines they claim’d their share of fame, Though undistinguish’d by their Author’s name ; And with delight the young Enthusiast found The muse of Marcus with applauses crown’d, This heard the Father, and with some alarm ; ‘ The boy,’ said he, ¢ will neither trade nor farm ; He for both Law and Physic is unfit, Wit he may have, but cannot live on wit : Let him his talents then to learning give, Where verse is honour’d, and where poets live.’ John kept his terms at College unreprov’d, Took his degree, and left the life he lov’d; _ Not yet ordain’d, his leisure he employed In the light labours he so much enjoy’d ; His favourite notions and his daring views Were cherish’d still, and he ador’d the Muse. ‘* A little POETRY. 55s s« A little time, and he should burst to light, And admiration of the world excite ; And every friend, now cool and apt to blame His fond pursuit, would wonder at his fame.” When led by fancy, and from view retir’d, He call’d before him all his heart desir’d ; «© Fame shall be mine, then wealth shall I possess, And beauty next an ardent lover bless ; For me the maid shall leave her nobler state, Happy to raise and share her poet’s fate.” He saw each day his Father’s frugal board, With simple fare by cautious prudence stor’d ; Where each indulgence was foreweigh’d with care, Aud the grand maxims were to save and spare : Yet in his walks, his closet, and his bed, All frugal cares and prudent counsels fled ; And bounteous Fancy, for his glowing mind, Wrought various scenes, and all of glorious kind : Slaves of the ring and lamp! what need of you, When Fancy’s self such magic deeds can do ? Though rapt in visions of no vulgar kind, To common subjects stoop’d our Poet's mind ; And oft, when wearied with more ardent flight, He felt a spur satiric song to write: A rival burgess his bold Muse attack’d, And whipp’d severely for a well-known fact ; For while he seem’d to all demure and shy, Our Poet gaz’d at what was passing by ; And ev’n his father smil’d when playful wit, From his young bard, some haughty object hit. From ancient times, the Borough where they dwelt Had mighty contest at elections felt : Sir Godfrey Ball, ’tis true, had held in pay Electors many for the trying day ; But in such golden chains to bind them all, Requir’d too much for e’en Sir Godfrey Ball. A member died, and, to supply his place, Two heroes enter’d for th’ important race 5 Sir Godfrey’s friend and Earl Fitzdonnel’s son, Lord Frederick Damer, both prepar’d to run ; And partial numbers saw with vast delight Their good young Lord oppose the proud old Knight. Our poet’s Father, at a first request, Gave the young Lord his vote and interest ; And 554. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. And what he could our Poet, for he stung The foe by verse satiric said and sung: Lord Frederick heard of all this youthful zeal, And felt as Lords upon a canvass feel; He read the satire, and he saw the use That such cool insult, and such keen abuse, Might on the wavering minds of voting men produce : Then too his praises were in contrast seen, «¢ A Lord as noble as the Knight was mean.’’ «‘ T much rejoice,” he cried, ‘ such worth to find: To this the world must be no longer blind ; His glory will descend from sire to son, The Burns of English race, the happier Chatterton.’’— Our Poet’s mind, now hurried and elate, Alarm’d the anxious Parent for his fate ; Who saw with sorrow, should their Friend succeed, That much discretion would the Poet need. Their Friend succeeded, and repaid the zeal The Poet felt, and made opposers feel, By praise (from Lords how soothing and how sweet !) And invitation to his noble seat. The Father ponder’d, doubtful if the brain Of his proud Boy such honour could sustain ; Pleas’d with the favours offer’d to a son, But seeing dangers few so ardent shun. Thus, when they parted, to the youthful breast The Father’s fears were by his love impress’d : «¢ There will you find, my Son, the courteous ease That must subdue the soul it means to please ; That soft attention which ev’n beauty pays To wake our passions, or provoke our praise ; There all the eye beholds will give delight, Where every sense is flatter’d like the sight: This is your peril ; can you from such svene Of splendor part and feel your mind serene, And in the father’s humble state resume The frugal diet and the narrow room ??” To this the Youth with cheerful heart reply’d, Pleas’d with the trial, but as yet untry’d; And while professing patience, should he fail, He suffer’d hope o’er reason to prevail. Impatient, by the morning mail convey’d, The happy guest his promis’d visit paid ; é An POETR Y. And now arriving at the Hall, he try’d For air compos’d, serene and satisfy’d ; As he had practis’d in his room alone, And there acquir’d a free and easy tone: There he had said, ‘“* Whatever the degree A man obtains, what more than man is he ?’’ And when arriv’d,—‘* This room is but a room; Can aught we see the steady soul o’ercome ? Let me in all a manly firmness show, Upheld by talents, and their value know.” This Reason urg’d; but it surpass’d his skill To be in act as manly as in will : When he his Lordship and the Lady saw, Brave as he was, he felt oppress’d with awe ; And spite of verse, that so much praise had won, The Poet found he was the Bailiff’s son. But dinner came, and the succeeding hours Fix’d his weak nerves, and rais’d his failing powers; Prais’d and assur’d, he ventur’d once or twice On some remark, and bravely broke the ice ; So that at night, reflecting on his words, He found, in time, he might converse with Lords. Now was the Sister of his Patron seen,— A lovely creature, with majestic mien ; Who, softly smiling while she look’d so fair, Prais’d the young Poet with such friendly air ; Such winning frankness in her looks express’d, And such attention to her Brother’s guest ; That so much beauty, join’d with speech so kind, Rais’d strong emotions in the Poet’s mind; Till reason fail’d his bosom to defend, From the sweet power of this enchanting Friend.— Rash boy ! what hope thy frantic mind invades ? What love confuses, and what pride persnades ? Awake to Truth ! should’st thou deluded feed On hopes so groundless—thou art mad indeed. Whatsay’st thou, wise-one ? “ that all-powerful Love Can fortune’s strong impediments remove; —_. Nor is it strange that worth should wed to worth, The pride of Genius with the pride of Birth.’’ © While thou art dreaming thus, the Beauty spies Love in thy tremor, passion in thine eyes ; And with th’ amusement pleas’d, of conquest vain, She seeks her pleasure, careless of thy pain; 555, She 556° ANNUAL RGISTER, 1819. She gives thee praise to humble and confound, Smiles to ensnare and flatters thee to wound. Why has she said that in the lowest state, ‘ The noble mind insures a noble fate ? And why thy daring mind to glory call? That thou may’st dare and suffer, soar and fall. Beauties are tyrants, andif they can reign, They have no feeling for their subject’s pain ; Their victim’s anguish gives their charms applause, And their chief glory is the woe they cause : Something of this was felt, in spite of love, Which hope, in spite of reason, would remove. Thus liv’d our Youth, with conversation, books, And Lady Emma’s soul-subduing looks ; Lost in delight, astonished at his lot, All prudence banish’d, all advice forgot,— Hopes, fears, and every thought, were fix’d upon the spot. *Twas autumn yet, and many a day must frown On Brandon-Hall, ere went my Lord to town; Meantime the father, who had heard his boy Liv’d ina round of luxury and joy ; And justly thinking that the youth was one Who, meeting danger, was unskill’d to shun ; Knowing his temper, virtue, spirit, zeal, How prone to hope and trust, believe and feel ; These on the parent’s soul their weight impress’d, And thus he wrote the counsels of his breast. ‘John, thou’rt a genius; thou hast some pretence, I think, to wit, but hast thou sterling sense ? That which, like gold, may through the world go forth, And always pass for what ’tis truly worth ; Whereas this genius, likea bill, must take Only the value our opinions make. ‘Men fam’d for wit, of dangerous talents vain, Treat those of common parts with proud disdain ; The powers that wisdom would, improving, hide, They blaze abroad with inconsid’ rate pride ; While yet but mere probationers for fame, They seize the honour they should then disclaim: Honour so hurried to the light must fade, The lasting laurels flourish in the shade. © Genius POETRY. 557 © Genius is jealous; I have heard of some Who, if unnotic’d, grew perversely dumb; Nay, different talents would their envy raise, Poets have sicken’d at a dancer’s praise ; And one, the happiest writer of his time, Grew pale at hearing Reynolds was sublime ; That Rutland’s Duchess wore a heavenly smile.— And I, said he, neglected all the while! « A waspish tribe are these, on gilded wings, Humming their lays, and brandishing their stings ; And thus they move their friends and foes among, Prepar’d for soothing or satiric song. © Hear me, my boy, thou hast a virtuous mind— But be thy virtues of the sober kind ; Be not a Quixote, ever up in arms To give the guilty and the great alarms : If never heeded, thy attack is vain ; And if they heed thee, they’ll attack again ; Then too in striking at that heedless rate, Thou in an instant may’st decide thy fate. ‘ Leave admonition—let the Vicar give Rules how the Nobles of his flock should live ; Nor take that simple fancy to thy brain, That thou canst cure the wicked and the vain. ‘ Our Pope, they say, once entertain’d the whim, Who fear’d not God should be afraid of him ; But grant they fear’d him, was it further said, That he reform’d the hearts he made afraid ? Did Chartres mend? Ward, Waters, and a score Of flagrant felons, with his floggings sore ? Was Cibber silenc’d? No; with vigour blest, And brazen front, half earnest, half in jest, He dar’d the Bard to battle, and was seen In all his glory match’d with Pope and spleen ; Himself he stripp’d, the harder blow to hit, Then boldly match’d his ribaldry with wit ; The Poet’s conquest Truth and Time proclaim, But yet the battle hurt his peace and fame. © Strive not too much for favour, seem at ease, And rather pleas’d thyself, than bent to please : Upon thy Lord with decent care attend, But not too near; thou canst not be a friend ; And 558 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. And favourite be not, ’tis a dangerous post,— Is gain’d by labour, and by fortune lost : Talents like thine may make a man approv’d, But other talents trusted and belov’d. Look round, my Son, and thou wilt early see The kind of man thou art not form’d to be. ‘ The real favourites of the great are they, Who to their views and wants attention pay, And pay it ever; who, with all their skill, Dive to the heart, and learn the secret will ; If that be vicious, soon can they provide The favourite ill, and o’er the soul preside ; For vice is weakness, and the artful know Their power increases as the passions grow : If indolent the pupil, hard their task ; Such minds will ever for amusement ask ; And great the labour, for a man to choose Objects for one whom nothing cau amuse ; For ere those objects can the soul delight, They must to joy the soul herself excite ; Therefore it is, this patient, watchful kind With gentle friction stir the drowsy mind : Fix’d on their end, with caution they proceed, And sometimes give, and sometimes take the lead : Will now a hint convey, and then retire, And let the spark awake the lingering fire ; Or seek new joys and livelier pleasures bring, To give the jaded sense a quick’ning spring. ‘These arts, indeed, my Son must not pursue ; Nor must he quarrel with the tribe that do: It is not safe another’s crimes to know, Nor is it wise our proper worth to show:— | “¢ My Lord,” you say, ‘* engag’d me for that worth :’’— True, and preserve it ready to come forth ; If question’d, fairly answer,—and that done, Shrink back, be silent, and thy Father’s son ; For they who doubt thy talents scorn thy boast, But they who grant them will dislike thee most: Observe the prudent; they in silence sit, Display no learning, and affect no wit ; They hazard nothing, nothing they assume, But know the useful art of acting dumb. Yet to their eyes each varying look appears, And every word finds entrance at their ears. ‘Thou art Religion’s advocate—take heed, Hurt not the cause, thy pleasure ’tis to plead ; With POETRY. 559 With wine before thee, and with wits beside, Do not in strength of reas’ning powers confide ; What seems to thee convincing, certain, plain, They will deny, and dare thee to maintain ; And thus will triumph o’er thy eager youth, While thon wilt grieve for so disgracing Truth. * With pain I’ve seen these wrangling wits among, Faith’s weak defenders, passionate and young: Weak thou art not, yet not enough on guard, Where Wit and Humour keep their watch and ward: Men gay and noisy will o’erwhelm thy sense, Then loudly laugh at Truth’s and thy expense ; While the kind Ladies will do all they can To check their mirth, and cry, ‘The good young man !’ ‘ Prudence, my Boy, forbids thee to commend The cause or party of thy Noble Friend ; What are his praises worth, who must be known To take a Patron’s maxims for his own ? When ladies sing, or in thy presence play, Do not, dear John, in rapture melt away ; ’Tis not thy part ; there will be list’ners round, To cry Divine! and doat upon the sound ; Remember too, that though the poor have ears, They take not in the music of the spheres ; They must not feel the warble and the thrill, Or be dissolv'd in ecstacy at will : Beside, ’tis freedom in a youth like thee, To drop his awe, and deal in ecstacy. © In silent ease, at least in silence, dine, Nor one opinion start of food or wine : Thou know’st that all the science thou canst boast, Is of thy father’s simple boil’d and roast ; Nor always these ; he sometimes sav’d his cash, By interlinear days of frugal hash ; Wine hadst thou seldom; wilt thou be so vain As to decide on claret or champagne ? Dost thou from me derive this taste sublime, Who order port the dozen at a time ? ; When (every glass held precious in our eyes) We judg’d the value by the bottle’s size: Then never merit for thy praise assume, ian" Its worth well knows each servant in the room, ‘ Hard, Boy, thy task, to steer thy way among | That servile, supple, shrewd, insidious throng ! wr 0 560 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. Who look upon thee as of doubtful race, An interloper, one who wants a place: Freedom with these let thy free soul condemn, Nor with thy heart’s concerns associate them. © Of all be cautious—but be most afraid Of the pale charms that grace My Lady’s Maid ; Of those sweet dimples, of that fraudful eye, The frequent glance design’d for thee to spy ; The soft bewitching look, the fond bewailing sigh ; Let others frown and envy ; she the while (Insidious syren !) will demurely smile ; And for her gentle purpose, every day Inquire thy wants, and meet thee in thy way ; She has her blandishments, and, though so weak, Her person pleases, and her actions speak : At first her folly may her aim defeat ; But kindness shown, at length will kindness meet : Have some offended ? them will she disdain, And, for thy sake, contempt and pity feign ; She hates the vulgar, she admires to look On woods and groves, and dotes upon a book: Let her once see thee on her features dwell, And hear one sigh, then liberty farewell. ‘But, John! remember, we cannot maintain A poor, proud girl, extravagant and vain. ‘ Doubt much of friendship: shouldst thou find a friend Pleas’d to advise thee, anxious to commend ; Should he, the praises he has heard, report, And confidence (in thee confiding) court ; Much of neglectful Patrons should he say, And then exclaim—* How long must merit stay !”’ Then show how high thy modest hopes may stretch, And point to stations far beyond thy reach:— |. Let such designer, by thy conduct, see, (Civil and cool) he makes no dupe of thee; And he will quit thee, as a man too, wise For him to ruin first, and then despise. * Such are thy dangers :—yet, if thou canst steer Past all the perils, all the quicksands clear, Then may’st thou profit; but if storms prevail, If foes beset thee, if thy spirits fail,— No more of winds or waters be the sport, But in thy Father’s mansion find a port.’ é Our POETRY. 561 Our Poet read.—* It is in truth,” said he, Correct in part, but what is thts to me ? I love a foolish Abigail ! in base And sordid office! fear not such disgrace ; Am Iso blind?” Or thou wouldst surely see That lady’s fall, if she should stoop to thee! <¢ The cases differ.”’ * True! for what surprise Could from thy marriage with the Maid arise ? But through the island would the shame be spread, Should the fair Mistress deign with thee to wed.’ John saw not this ; and many a week had pass’d, , While the vain Beauty held her victim fast ; The Noble Friend still condescension show’d, And, as before, with praises overflow’d ; But his grave Lady took a silent view Of all that pass’d, and smiling, pitied too. Cold grew the foggy morn, the day was brief, Loose on the cherry hung the crimson leaf; The dew dwelt ever on the herb ; the woods Roar’d with strong blasts, with mighty showers the floods ; All green was vanish’d, save of pine and yew, That still display’d their melancholy hue ; Save the green holly with its berries red, And the green moss that o’er the gravel spread. To public views my Lord must soon attend ; And soon the ladies—would they leave their friend ? The time was fix’d—approach’d—was near—was come ; The trying time that fill’d his soul with gloom; Thoughtful our Poet in the morning rose, And cried, “ One hour my fortune will disclose ; Terrific hour ! from thee have I to date Life’s loftier views, or my degraded state ; For now to be what I have been before, Is so to fall, that I can rise no more.’’ The morning meal was past; and all around The mansion rang with each discordant sound ; Haste was in every foot, and every look The trav’ler’s joy for London-journey spoke : Not so our Youth ; whose feelings at the noise Of preparation, had no touch of joys; He pensive stood, and saw each carriage drawn, With lackies mounted, ready on the lawn: - Vor, LIV. 20 The 562 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. The Ladies came; and John in terror threw One painful glance, and then his eyes withdrew ; Not with such speed, but he in other eyes With anguish read,—* I pity, but despise— ‘ Unhappy boy! presumptuous scribbler !—you, * To dream such dreams—be sober, and adieu!’ Then came the Noble Friend—* And will my Lord Vouchsafe no comfort ? drop no soothing word ? Yes he must speak :”? he speaks. ‘ My good young friend, * You know my views; upon my care depend ; , © My hearty thanks to your good Father pay, ‘ And be a student.—Harry, drive away.’ Stillness reign’d all around ; of late so full The busy scene, deserted now and dull : Stern is his nature who forbears to feel Gloom o’er his spirits on such trials steal. * Most keenly felt our Poet as he went From room to room without a fix’d intent; “« And here,” he thought, ‘ I was caress’d, admir’d Were here my songs; she smil’d, and I aspir’d : ‘* The change how grievous!” As he mus’d, a dame Busy and peevish to her duties came ; Aside the tables and the chairs she drew, And sang and muttered in the Poet’s view ; © This was her fortune; here they leave the poor ; Enjoy themselves, and think of us no more; I had a promise—’ here his pride and shame Urg’d him to fly from this familiar dame ; He gave one farewell look, and by a coach Reach’d his own mansion at the night’s approach. His Father met him with an anxious air, Heard his sad tale, and check’d what seem’d despair : Hope was in him corrected, but alive ; My Lord would something for a friend contrive; His word was pledg’d: our Hero’s feverish mind Admitted this, and half his grief resign’d: But, when three months had fled, and every day Drew from the sickening hopes their strength away, The Youth became abstracted, pensive, dull ; He utter’d nothing, though his heart was full ; ee eaz’ P-O-EITIR SY. 563 Teaz’d by inquiring words, and anxious looks, And all forgetful of his Muse and books ; Awake he mourn’d, but in his sleep perceiv’d A lovely vision that his pain reliev’d :— His soul transported, hail’d the happy seat, Where once his pleasure was so pure and sweet : Where joys departed came in blissful view, Till reason wak’d, and not a joy he knew. Questions now vex’d his spirit, most from those Who are call’d friends because they are not foes; ‘John!’ they would say; he starting, turn’d around ; « John !’’ there was something shocking in the sound ; Ill brook’d he then the pert. familiar phrase, Theotaught freedom, and th’ inquiring gaze ; Much was his temper touch’d, his spleen provok’d, ¢ When ask’d how Ladies talk’d, or walk’d, or look’d ? « What said my Lord of politics ? how spent ‘ He there his time ? and was he glad he went ?” At length a letter came both cool and brief, But still it gave the burthen’d heart relief; Though not inspir’d by lofty hopes, the Youth Plac’d much reliance on Lord Frederick’s truth ; Summon’d to town, he thought the visit one Where something fair and friendly would be done ; Although he judg’d not, as before his fall, When all was love and promise at the Hall. Arriv’d in town, he early sought to know The fate such dubious friendship would bestow. At a tall building trembling he appear’d, And his low rap was indistinctly heard ; A well-known servant came—* Awhile,’ said he, * Be pleas’d to wait ; my Lord has company.’ Alone our Hero sate ; the news in hand, Which though he read, he could not understand : Cold was the day ; in days so cold as these There needs a fire, where minds and bodies freeze ; The vast and echoing room, the polish’d grate, The crimson chairs, the sideboard with its plate ; The splendid sofa, which, though made for rest, He then had thought it freedom to have press’d ; The shining tables, curiously inlaid, Were all in comfortless proud style display’d ; : And 564 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. And to the troubled feelings terror gave, That made the once-dear friend, the sick’ning slave. . ‘<’Was he forgotten ?”? Thrice upon his ear Struck the loud clock, yet no relief was near : Each rattling carriage, and each thundering stroke On the loud door, the dream of Fancy broke ; Oft as a servant chane’d the way to come, «< Brings he a message?”’ no! he pass’d the room: At length ’tis certain; ‘ Sir, you will attend * At twelve on Thursday.’ Thus the day had end. Vex’d by these tedious hours of needless pain, John left the noble mansion with disdain; For there was something in that still, cold place, That seem’d to threaten and portend disgrace. Punctual again the modest rap declar’d The Youth attended ; then was all prepar’d; For the same servant, by his Lord’s command, A paper offer’d to his trembling hand : «“©No more!’ he cried, ‘* disdains he to afford «¢ One kind expression, one consoling word ?”” With troubled spirit he began to read That ¢ In the Church my Lord could not succeed ; Who had ‘to Peers of either kind applied, * And was with dignity and grace denied ; ‘ While his own livings were by men possess’d, * Not likely in their chancels yet to rest ; ‘ And therefore, all things weigh’d, (as he, my Lord, ‘ Had done maturely, and he pledg’d his word), © Wisdom it seem’d for John to turn his view ¢ To busier scenes, and bid the Church adieu !’ Here giiev’d the Youth; he felt his father’s pride Must with his own be shock’d and mortified; — But, when he found his fuiure comforts plac’d, Where he, alas! conceiv’d himself disgrac’d— In some appointment on the London Quays, He bade farewell to honour and to ease: His spirit fell, and, from that hour assur’d How vain his dreams, he suffer’d and was cur’d. Our Poet hurried on, with wish to fly From all mankind, to be conceal’d, and die. © tit ee P-OcEIR,RAY.uU Vv 565 Alas! what hopes, what high romantic views Did that one visit to the soul infuse, Which cherish’d with such love, ’twas worse ot death to lose! Still he would strive, tho’ painful was the strife, To walk in this appointed road of life ; On these low duties, duteous he would wait, And patient bear the anguish of his fate. Thanks to the Patron, hut of coldest kind, Express’d the sadness of the Poet’s mind ; Whose heavy. hours were pass’d with busy men, In the dull practice of th’ official pen ; Who to Superiors must_in time impart (The custom this) his progress in their art : But, so had grief on his perception wrought, That all unheeded were the duties taught ; No answers gave he when his trial came, Silent: he stood, but suffering without shame ; And they observ’d that words severe or kind Made no impression on his wounded mind ; _ For all perceiv’d from whence his failure rose, Some grief whose cause he deign’d not to disclose. A soul averse from scenes and works so new, Fear ever shrinking from the vulgar crew ; Distaste for each mechanic law and rule, Thoughts of past honour and a patron cool ; A grieving parent, and a feeling mind, Timid and ardent, tender and. refin’d ; These all with mighty force the Youth assail’ d, Till his soul fainted, and his reason fail’d : When this was ; Shey and some debate arose How they who saw it should the fact disclose ; He found their purpose, and in terror fled From unseen kindness, with mistaken dread. Meantime the Parent was distress’d to find His Son no longer for a Priest design’d : But still he gain’d some comfort by the news Of John’s promotion, though with humbler views ; For he conceiv’d that in no distant time The Boy would learn to scramble and to climb: He little thought a Son, his hope and pride, His favour’d Boy, was now a home denied ; Yes! while the parent was intent to trace How men in office climb from place to place; From place to place, o’er moor, and heath, and hill Rov’d the sad Youth, with ever-changing will, Of every aid bereft, expos'd to every ill. af us 566 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. Thus ashe sate, absorb’d in all the care And all the hope that anxious fathers share, A Friend abruptly to his presence brought, With trembling hand, the subject of his thought ; Whom he ‘had found afflicted and subdued : By hunger, ‘sorrow, cold, and solitude. Silent he enter’d the forgotten room, As ghostly forms may be conceiv’d to come ; With sorrow-shrunken face and hair upright, » He look’d dismay,’ neglect, despair, affright ; But, dead to comfort, and on misery thrown, His Parent’s loss, he felt not, nor his own. The good Man, ‘struck with horror, cried aloud, And drew around him ‘an astonish’d crowd ; The sons and Servants to the Father ran, To share the feelings of the griev’d old man : ‘ Our Brother, speak !’ they all exclaim’d ; * explain ‘ Thy grief, thy suffering :}—but they ask’d in vain: The Friend told all he knew ; and all was known, Save the sad causes ‘whence the ills had grown: But, if obscure'the cause, they all agreed From rest and kindness must the'cure ‘proceed : And he was cur’d ; for quiet, love, and care, Strove with the gloom, and broke on the despair ; Yet slow their progress, and, as vapours move Dense and reluctant from the wint’ry grove; All is confusion till the morning light Gives the dim: scene obscurely to the sight ; More and yet more defin’d the trunks appear, Till the wild prospect stands distinct and clear ;— So the dark mind of our young Poet grew Clear and sedate; the dreadful mist withdrew ; And he resembled that bleak wint’ry scene, Sad, though unclouded; dismal, though serene. At times he utter’d, ** What a dream was mine ! «* And what a prospect! glorious and divine ! «‘ Oh! in that room, and on that night to see “ Those looks, that sweetness beaming all on me ; “ That syren-flattery—and to send me then «© Hope-rais’d and soften’d to those heartless men 5 *¢ That dark+brow’d stern Director pleas’d to show *« Knowledge of subjects I disdain’d to know ; *« Cold and controlling-—but ’tis gone, “tis past, “*-T had my trial, and have peace at last.” m ow BP OckE Tat Y: Now grew the Youth resign'd; he: bade adieu To all that Hope, to all that Fancy drew ; His frame was languid, and the hectic heat Flush’d on his pallid face, and countless beat The quick’ning pulse, and faint the limbs that bore The slender form that soon would breathe no more. Then hope of holy kind the soul sustain’d, And not a lingering thought of earth remain’d; Now Heaven had all, and he could smile at Love, And the wild sallies of his youth reprove; Then could he dwell upon the tempting days, The proud aspiring thought, the partial praise; - Victorious now, his worldly views were clos’d, And on the bed of death the Youth repos’d. The Father griev’d—but as the Poet’s heart Was all unfitted for his earthly part; As, he conceiv’d, some other haughty Fair Would, had he liv’d, have led him to despair; As, with this fear, the silent grave shut out All feverish hope, and all tormenting doubt ; While the strong faith the pious Youth possess’d, His hope enlivening, gave his sorrows rest ; Sooth’d by these thoughts, he felt a mournful joy For his aspiring and devoted boy. Meantime the news through various channels spread, The youth, once favour’d with such praise, was dead; ‘ Emma,’ the Lady cried, ¢ my words attend : Your syren-smiles have killed your humble friend ; The hope you rais’d can now delude no more, Nor charms, that once inspir’d, can now restore.’ Faint was the flush of anger and of shame, That o’er the cheek of conscious beauty came; ‘ You censure not,’ said she, ‘the Sun’s bright rays, When fools imprudent dare the dangerous gaze ; And should a stripling look till he were blind, You would not justly call the light unkind; But is he dead ? and am I to suppose The power of poison in such looks as those >” She spoke, and pointing to the mirror, cast A pleas’d gay glance, and court’sy’d as she pass’d. My Lord, to whom the Poet’s fate was told, Was much affected, for a man so cold; ‘ Dead!’ said his lordship, ‘run distracted, mad ! Upon my soul I’m sorry for the lad; 567 . And 568 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. And now, no doubt, th’ obliging world will say, That my harsh usage help’d him on his way : What! I suppose, I should have nurs’d his muse, And with champagne have brighten’d up his views; Then had he made me fam’d my whole lifelong, And stunn’d my ears with gratitude and song. F Still should the Father hear that I regret Our joint misfortune—Yes! I'll not forget.—’ Thus they :—The Father to his grave convey’d The son he lov’d, and his last duties paid. ‘ There lies my Boy,’ he cried, ¢ of care bereft, * And, Heav’n be prais’d, I’ve not a genius left : * No one among ye, Sons! is doom’d to live * On high-raised hopes of what the great may give; © None with exalted views and fortunes mean, ‘ To die in anguish, or to live in spleen: ‘ Your pious Brother soon escap’d the strife ‘ Of such contention, but it cost his life; * You then, my Sons, upon yourselves depend, « And in your own exertions find the friend.’ END OF VOL. LIV. T. C. 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