Page images
PDF
EPUB

and attention, with all the consideration due to his talents, to his great acquirements and his eminent services. But it was impossible not to admit, that the state of his office was such, as to prevent all chance of proceeding with the arrangements necessary for the good of the service under his management. The house would perceive the truth of this remark, when he informed them, that Mr. Dalrymple's habits were such, that he seldom or never came to his office before three o'clock, and that the office of the hydrographer closed at four. A variety of unplea sant circumstances occurred, upon which Mr. Pole said, he would not dwell; several discussions took place at the board of admiralty on the subject. It was found to be impossible to proceed with the plans that had been ordered, unless Mr. Dalrymple retired from his office; and the board were extremely desirous that Mr. Dalrymple should be removed in the manner most grateful to his feelings, and upon the footing the most creditable and delicate towards him. It became, Mr. Pole said, his duty to communicate the sentiments of their lordships to Mr. Dalrymple. In the month of April an interview took place, and Mr. Dalrymple has printed an account of the conversation that passed at it; this account, Mr. Pole said, was certainly not correct, it was indeed almost impossible that it should be so, as it was certainly set' down merely from memory, and the conversation was a very long one. He believed, however, that no person who had seen Mr. Dalrymple's report of the conversation would say that his part of it at least, was not conducted in a spirit of conciliation, and with all the respect and delicacy due to a person of Mr. Dalrymple's character and high attainments. He had been instructed to tell Mr, Dalrymple, that their lordships proposed he should retire upon the largest pension they were authorized to give by his majesty's order in council. The conversation closed by Mr. Dalrymple's refusing to be superannuated; and from that period, said Mr. Pole, to the end of the month of May, many things occurred that rendered it at length absolutely necessary that Mr. Dalrymple's removal should take place. It became a question whether be should remain, and the public service, in a matter thought of the utmost importance to the safety of the king's ships in every part of the world, be absolutely impeded; or whether he should retire upon an allowance,

deemed by his majesty in council an adequate reward for long and faithful services. The board of admiralty de termined upon the latter proceeding, and he had been commanded to write to him, acquainting him with their lordships' decision. His letter of the 28th of May, Mr. Dalrymple had also printed. It would be seen, he trusted, that it was written in the same spirit of consideration for Mr. Dalrymple's feelings, which the admiralty had manifested through the whole transaction. There was one passage in the letter which required explanation: the board of admiralty had directed him to state to Mr. Dalrymple, that upon application for superannuation their lordships would order his retirement upon a pension to the full extent allowed by the king's order in council. The admiralty had given this order, because they conceived that in granting public money to any individual, they were bound to shew the public that the individual, however meritorious, was not so circumstanced as to be enabled to retire without requiring aid, which his majesty was pleased to sanction in such cases. Mr. Dalrymple, however, disdained to make the application; but the admiralty, the day after his removal, having heard that his circumstances were not affluent, but, that he objected to make to them the usual application, had directed an order to be sent to the navy board for his superannuation, which accordingly took place. Mr. Pole concluded by trusting he had satisfied the house, that through the whole of this proceeding the utmost respect, consideration, and tenderness, had been manifested to Mr. Dalrymple, and that his removal from his office had arisen from absolute necessity.

Mr. Horner repeated what he had formerly stated. He imputed no blame to the admiralty board for dismissing Mr. Dalrymple: as he had already said, he should have been better pleased, if they had pursued their indulgence to the utmost degree to which it could be carried, which, in his opinion, they might have done on account of the past and meritorious services of that very eminent and respectable man. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY, JULY 4,

The Earl of Suffolk thought himself justified, in the preBent state of the country, and this being the last day of the

[ocr errors]

session, in inquiring who was the minister of the country. In former administrations there appeared a responsible minister at the head; but at present they looked in vain for the minister of the country. Were the cabinet all ministers? He was the more particularly induced to ask this question, a great expedition being now on foot, and he trusted that the appointment to the command of that would not be like the appointment of general Whitelocke, which no one could be found to acknowledge. He hoped he should receive an answer to this question, as it was of great importance at a crisis like the present, that it should be known to whom they were to look as the responsible minister of the country. He could not BO consider a noble duke, who was ostensibly at the head of the administration.

About a quarter before four the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the Council (Earl Crmden), the Lord. Privy Seal (the Earl of Westmoreland), and Earl Graham (Duke of Montrose), took their seats as his majesty's commissioners.

Mr. Quarme, the deputy usher of the black rod, was sent to the house of commons to desire their attendance. The Speaker, and a considerable number of members, shortly afterwards came to the bar.

A commission for giving the royal assent to certain bills was read by the clerk, by virtue of which the royal assent was notified to the distillation duties bill, the Scotch judicature bill, the Scotch local milita bill, the Simonbourn rectorage bill, and an inclosure bill.

The Lord Chancellor in his majesty's name delivered the following speech.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"We have it in command from his majesty to express to you the great satisfaction which he derives from being enabled, by putting an end to the present session of parliament, to terminate the laborious attendance which the public business has required of you.

"The measure which you have adopted for the im provement of the military force of the country, promises to lay the foundation of a system of internal defence eminently useful, and peculiarly adapted to the exigences of these times.

"The sanction which you have given to those measures of defensive retaliation, to which the violent attacks of the enemy, upon the commerce and resources of this king

dom, compelled his majesty to resort, has been highly satisfactory to his majesty.

"His majesty doubts not that in the result the enemy will be convinced of the impolicy of persevering in a system which retorts upon himself, in so much greater proportion, those evils which he endeavours to inflict upon this country.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"We are commanded by his majesty to return his most hearty acknowledgments for the cheerfulness and li berality with which the necessary supplies for the current year have been provided.

"His majesty directs us to assure you, that he partici→ pates in the satisfaction with which you must have contemplated the flourishing situation of the revenue and credit of the country, notwithstanding the continued pressure of the war; and he congratulates you upon having been enabled to provide for the exigences of the public ser vice, with so small an addition to the public burthens.

"His majesty commands us to thank you for having enabled him to make good his engagements with his allies; and to express to you the particular gratification which he has derived from the manner in which you have provided for the establishment of his sister, her royal highness the duchess of Brunswick.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"His majesty has great satisfaction in informing you, that, notwithstanding the formidable confederacy united against his ally the king of Sweden, that sovereign perseveres, with unabated vigour and constancy, to maintain the honour and independance of his crown; no effort has been wanting on the part of his majesty to support him in the arduous contest in which he is engaged.

"The recent transactions in Spain and Italy have exhibited new and striking proofs of the unbounded and unprincipled ambition which actuates the common enemy of every established goverment and independant nation in the world.

"His majesty views, with the liveliest interest, the loyal and determined spirit manifested by the Spanish nation, in resisting the violence and perfidy with which their dearest rights have been assailed.

"Thus nobly struggling against the tyranny and usurpation of France, the Spanish nation can no longer be con

sidered as the enemy of Great Britain; but is recognized by his majesty as a natural friend and ally.

"We are commanded to inform you that communications have been made to his majesty from several of the provinces of Spain, soliciting the aid of his majesty. The answer of his majesty to these communications has been received in Spain, with every demonstration of those sentiments of confidence and affection which are congenial to the feelings and true interests of both nations. And his majesty commands us to assure you that he will continue to make every exertion in his power for the support of the Spanish cause; guided in the choice and in the direction of his exertions by the wishes of those in whose behalf they are employed.

"In contributing to the success of this just and glorious cause, his majesty has no other object than that of preserving unimpaired the integrity and independance of the Spanish monarchy. But he trusts that the same efforts which are directed to that great object, may, under the blessing of Divine Providence, lead in their effects, and by their example, to the restoration of the liberties and the peace of Europe."

A commission was read for proroguing the parlia

ment.

The Lord Chancellor, in his majesty's name, and by virtue of the said commission, declared the parliament to be prorogued to Saturday the 20th day of August next, to be then and there holden.

The lords commissioners withdrew from the house, and the commons retired from the bar.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Mr. Creevey moved that there be laid before the house an account of the revenue arising from customs in the Isle of Man, for the years 1805, 1806, 1807, and 1808. Ordered.

SPAIN.

Mr. Whitbread began by observing, that he had with considerable anxiety waited till the last moment before the present session terminated, in the hope that his majesty's ministers would see the propriety of adopting some mode whereby the sense of that house could be ob

« PreviousContinue »