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House of lords, Jan. 10.-The earl of Liverpool rose, in pursuance of notice, to move the thanks of the house to the hon. Gilbert lord Minto, governor-general of India, and the officers employed under him in the late brilliant operations in the eastern seas. His lordship observed, that a difficulty might sometimes exist in questions of this nature; on the one hand, from being highly desirous that the high honour of the thanks of parliament might not be rendered too cheap; and on the other, that important services might not be passed over without their due reward, In the present in stance, however, no doubt could exist as to the importance of the services, the wisdom and ability with which they had been planned, or the zeal and enterprise with which they had been performed. Lord Minto having acquired every information from the most competent sources, respecting the probabilities of success in Java, which he saw was destined to be the centre of the French empire in the Indian seas, made an arrangement which reflected upon him the highest credit. It was well known that considerations arising out of the season of the year, were of the greatest importance with reference to the sailing of our expedition in the Indian seas. Lord Minto, however, determined upon a new course, a new navigation for the sailing of the expedition to Java, and the result completely proved the wisdom and ability with which the whole plan had been formed. He was anxious, on this occasion, to do justice to lord Minto, because, to

his lordship must be ascribed the excellent combination of the plan which had been so successfully acted upon. Of the importance of the success achieved, there could be no doubt. The conquest of Mauritius and Bourbon rescued our commercial shipping from the heavy losses to which it had been liable, from the facilities the enemy possessed in consequence of occupying these stations, whilst in Java we had conquered the last of the enemy's possessions in the Indian seas, and the beginning of a new empire in India. He was aware that the general rule was only to thank those who had performed military or naval services; but this rule was not universal, and he could not conceive an instance more worthy of being rendered an exception to that rule, than the di stinguished wisdom and ability dis splayed by lord Minto in planning and arranging the expeditions, by which these important successes in the Indian seas had been obtained. 1t was certainly, however, far from his intention to pass over the mili tary and naval services which had immediately operated to achieve those successes. Distinguished abi, lity was never more finely displayed than by general Abercrombie at the capture of Mauritius; and the eminent services of commodore Rowley could not easily be forgotten. In Java, sir Samuel Auch. muty, who had on every occasion in which he had been employed eminently distinguished himself, displayed a decision and promptitude in rapidly overcoming the difficulties that presented themselves, which placed his military talents in the highest point of view; nor should the services of colonel Gil lespie be forgotten, who had emis nently displayed his zeal and skill

His lordship concluded by moving the thanks of the house to the right honourable Gilbert, lord Minto, governor-general of the British possessions in India, for the eminent wisdom and ability displayed by him in the management of the resources and troops in India, through which the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon had been captured, and a signal and brilliant success obtained in the island of Java-advantages which were to be attributed to the judicious measures adopted by lord Minto.

The motion was agreed to nem. dus, as were also the other motions proposed by the earl of Liverpool, for thanks to generals Abercrom bie and sir Samuel Auchmuty, and the officers under their command; admirals Berkeley and Stopford, and commodore Rowley, and the officers under their command; and likewise two resolutions, highly ap. proving of and acknowledging the services of the non-commissioned officers and private soldiers and the seamen and royal marines; and it was agreed that the thanks to the army should be communicated by the lord chancellor to lord Minto, to be by him communicated to the generals, and those to the navy to be communicated by the lord chancellor to the two admirals.

Similar motions were made on the same day, by the chancellor of the exchequer, in the other house, to which Mr. Sheridan made some objections. He animadverted very pointedly on the claims of lord Minto to this high honour. Why was it necessary, said he, that lord Minto should accompany the armament? He (Mr. S.) had a rooted dislike to any civil control being exercised over an army or navy. It savoured too much of

the French revolution, where a deputy from the convention always accompanied the troops, not to share the danger, but to participate in the glory. He wished to speak with respect of lord Minto (for personal respect he felt), but he could not help recollecting something of his conduct in Corsica, under sir John Moore, when the character of that universally lamented officer was risked, and his fame extinguished, by his lordship; when a man, whose very name inspired a glow of patriotism whenever it was mentioned, had nearly been proscribed in consequence of the proceedings of lord Minto. Uniting all these circumstances, he saw no reason for his presence, and no reason for the vote now proposed. The absence of the governor-general from Bengal could be no small disadvantage; and on the other hand there was nothing to counterbalance it, since no proof had been afforded to show that the object of the expedition was in the slightest degree accelerated by his lordship forming a part of it.

Mr. Yorke observed, that he had taken a far different view of the subject, and hoped to convince the house, notwithstanding the plausibility of what had been just stated, that lord Minto fully deserved the compliment proposed to be paid to him. He admitted that the talents and judgment of commodore Rowley could not be too much praised, and he was glad that under divine providence (notwithstanding the wishes of some persons to the contrary) we had innumerable examples of a similar kind; yet it was not to be supposed that this circumstance only had effected the conquest of the Mauritius. No; to the talents of lord Minto Great Bri tain was mainly indebted. Surely

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it was no small praise to the go. vernor-general to say, that he had forestalled, as it were, the wishes of his government, and the same applause might be attributed to him in the conquest of Java. Was no merit due to a man who, at the very instant instructions arrived to make preparations for an important attempt, had made all the arrangements, and the expedition was ready to sail? At least it was but justice to say, that he had done more than even the most sanguine could expect. The right hon. gentleman who spoke last had alluded to some transactions in Corsica; of what they were he (Mr. Yorke) was perfectly ignorant; but this he knew, that they had no bearing upon the present question: the true point to be considered was, whether there was any danger at all in lord Minto's leaving the seat of government? What was to prevent him? Were there commotions in Bengal ? No. Was his presence required at that particular period? No. Was his presence required at Java? Undoubtedly it was important, not only to the success of the expedition, but to the future settlement of the conquered island. Sir Samuel Auchmuty must have been comparatively ignorant of the intentions of the governor, whether it were intended merely to take military possession, or whether it should be retained as a colony to be attached to the mother country; whether military or civil magistrates should be appointed, and a vast variety of other points, for which any person but the governorgeneral was incompetent. Under these circumstances he hoped that the house would feel, that had his lordship remained in Bengal, he would have been deficient in a necessary and important part of his

duty. Much had been said on what, to his mind, was a conspicuous instance of high desert in lord Minto, viz. that he procured the expedition to sail, although admiral Drury had at first expressed his opinion to the contrary. It was true that sir S. Auchmuty was of the same sentiment; and yet that lord Minto, by explaining to those gallant officers a new course of navigation to the west of Borneo, had convinced them that the expedition could sail, and reach its destination before the setting in of the S.W. winds; for it ought to be known, that while the expedition was only in contemplation, lord Minto had employed a captain Gregg, of great experience, to try the soundings of the new course by the Caramalla, and by showing his report to admiral Drury and sir S. Auchmuty they were convinced that the project was practicable. What then became of this ground of objection against the noble lord? A passage, through which before only small vessels had proceeded, was discovered, through which 100 sail might proceed with security. Under these circumstances he trusted that the house would differ from the right honourable gentleman, and bestow the tribute of gratitude which distinguished services merited. Before he sat down, he begged to refer to what had been stated, that at one time, after the city of Batavia had been captured, the enterprise was found to be so hazardous, that lord Minto had it in contemplation to resign the attempt. On what authority such a statement was made, his majesty's ministers knew not, but certain it was that no such information had come to their knowledge. On the whole, he did not despair that even the right honourable gentleman

over the way would be convinced by what he had said, and that the vote of thanks to lord Minto would be carried without a dissentient voice.

Sir Henry Montgomery objected to the vote of thanks to lord Minto, because he conceived that nobleman to have done little, if indeed be had done any thing, which could entitle him to so high an honour.

Mr. Whitbread thought the question was, not whether lord Minto had done certain services to the country, not whether he had acted with a certain degree of judgement and vigilance creditable to him and beneficial to the British possessions in India, but whether he had performed such services; whether he had displayed such judgement and vigilance as might justly entitle him to so high an honour as receiving a vote of thanks from that house. Lord Minto might have great merit; Batavia might be a possession of great value to this country; but what had been done by lord Minto that could not have been done without him? He thought it was establishing a new and unnecessary precedent, and he regretted that the measure bad been proposed, as it only tended to bring lord Minto's name and actions under a discussion from which they could not retire untouched, even though the resolution should be ultimately carried. Several other members spoke on the subject, and the motions were sarried without a division.

House of commons, January 14. -Mr. Perceval (the house having resolved into a committee to take into consideration the distillery acts) rose for the purpose of proposing a resolution, recommending the prohibition of all distillation

from grain in Great Britain, for a time to be limited. He regretted that the comparative failure of the crops for the last year had rendered it necessary to resort to the same expedient. The principles upon which the question rested, had already met with such ample discussion in that house, that he should not think it necessary to enter at all into its abstract merits. He had, however, merely to state, that as the revenue might suffer materially if the duties resulting from spirits distilled from grain were to expire as soon as the prohibition commenced, it had been thought advisable that the duties should be transferred to spirits distilled from sugar. After some further observations, expressive of the necessity for resorting to the restriction, and his regret that such a measure should be necessary, he moved a series of resolutions, the first of which was declaratory of the opinion of the committee, that a prohibition of the distillation of spirits from all kinds of grain should commence from and after the 15th of February next till the 31st of December. The other resolutions transferred the duties now in force upon spirits distilled from grain, to all spirits that may be distilled from sugar after the prohibition; imposing also an additional duty of 12s. per cent. on all European foreign spirits, and exempting Ireland from the prohibition. Bills were accordingly brought in on this subject, and, after various amendments, passed into laws.

Jan. 16.-The order of the day being read for the house resolving itself into a committee to take into consideration the speech of the lords commissioners, so far as regarded the royal household, and the abstract of the revenue and charges on the

civil list, for each year, from the year 1804 to the year 1811 inclusive; also the accounts of the expenses of the establishment of the master of horse, master of robes, and expenses at Windsor, being referred to the said committee,

Mr. Perceval rose. It would be enough for him, in what he should have to offer to the house, and in submitting to their consideration the outline of the proposition which it was now necessary for him to offer for their adoption, merely to glance at what had been done by the house in the course of the last session; but he should do so, not with the intention of renewing any of the differences of opinion which then existed among many members of that house, but merely with the view of touching on the very dif. *ferent situation in which the house stood now from what it did then, and on the very different prospect which was now presented to the house on that great and important subject the probability of the speedy or ultimate re-establishment of his majesty's health. When he considered the sanguine expectations which were entertained last year of the speedy restoration of his majesty, and turned his mind to a view of the same subject from an attentive perusal of that evidence which the report now on the table of that house presented to their consideration, he must confess that he saw a very great difference between the two situations. Then, there was a sanguine expectation that the recovery of his majesty might be speedily looked for: at present, that prospect so anxiously to be desired, must be acknowledged to be much darkened. Then there was a prospect of his majesty being enabled, at no very distant period, to resume the reins of go

vernment now, that expectation was much obscured, though not altogether hopeless. Now, therefore, the house had a different duty to perform from that which they were last year called on to discharge. They were bound to form their view of the future from the prospect which rationally presented itself to them at the period at which they were called on to act. At this period last year they were called on to provide for an emergency, which promised to be only of a short duration. Now the case was altered, and they were to provide for the due exercise of the executive authority for a period to which no definite bounds could be rationally set; but, in doing so, they were to take care not to keep out of sight that still the recovery of his majesty was not absolutely hopeless and impossible. What were the principal objects, then, which the house should now have in view?-First, to look to the means of the due exercise of the royal functions, so that the executive government may be properly carried on; and next, to consider what are the personal accommodations necessary to be secured in the mean time to his majesty. For the first of these objects the proceedings of the last year provided. The measures then adopted gave to the prince regent the full exercise of the royal prerogative, at the lapse of six weeks after the meeting of the present session of parliament; so that, by the 18th of February next, the whole executive authority would devolve on him, unless something should be done by parliament, in the mean time, to prevent it. In this way would the prince, at the lapse of that period, be in possession not only of the full and unlimited exercise of the whole

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