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Navy Army

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

Ordnance

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Joint fupply of both king

doms

800,000

35,587,000

Mr. Pitt regretted he was neceffitated £15,800,000 to lay an additional burthen on the 15,902,000 country, but confeffed the hopes he 1,938,000 entertained on the Income Tax had 757,000 failed him; he thought it would have 390,000 produced ten millions, but found it produced but fix millions; yet fuch as it was, he had not altered his ideas in its defignation as a war tax, and as a tax forming a finking fund for dif charging the national debt. This tax he did not wish to mortgage further, which led him to raife the taxes of this year within the term, leaving the Income Tax to operate a reduction in the public debt, which he had propofed fhould not be augmented beyond the amount of 1798. He then detailed the effects of his financial measures, and gave the country the profpect of dif charging the incumbrances on the Income Tax in fix years from the prefent period, at which time the tax would cease.

To which add, for the deficiency of the income tax, confolidated fund,&c.&c. to be provided by Great Britain only

6,610,000

Whole fupply for the year 42,197,000

WAYS AND MEANS,

Sugar, malt, and tobacco £. 2,750,000
Lottery

Income duty, after deduct
ing the intereft on the
loan

300,000

4,260,000

1,250,000

3,300,000

To be provided for by Ireland 4,318,000

Imports and exports

Surplus confolidated fund

Subfidy uniffued

Surplus of grants

Loan

500,000

60,000 25,500,000

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Mr. Pitt then moved the different Refolutions, which were agreed to.

THURSDAY, FEB. 19.

Mr. Bragge brought up the Report of the Committee of Supply for granting to his Majefty 1000l. per annum, as a penfion to Sir Sidney Smith.

Mr. T. Jones faid, he could not be thought to rife for the purpose of oppofing that which he conceived too fmall a reward for the fervices of the gallant Knight, for the heroic defence of Acre, which had poftponed, he must repeat it, poftponed the deftruction of the Ottoman Empire, and of our Empire in the East Indies. He was truly aftonished the reward fhould not be greater, and he was equally furprised why this penfion had been fo long delayed.

The Refolution then paffed nem. con. and a Bill was ordered to be brought in 'accordingly.

Mr. Bragge brought up the Report of the Committee of Ways and Means. 12,000 The Refolutions, were read a fecond 12,000 time, and agreed to by the House, and 12,000 Bills ordered in upon them. 150,000 340,000

} 73,000--136,000

Ditto for husbandry, 4s.

170,000

Mr. Pitt hoped, from the unfettled fituation of the Administration, that Mr. Nicholls would defer his motion on the State of the Nation, which tood for to-morrow.

Mr. Nicholls expreffed his readiness to accommodate him.

Mr. Sturt, agreeably to notice, prefaced his motion on the Ferrol Expedi£1,730,000 tion, by alluring the Houfe, he brought

it forward not from enmity to any individual, but from a fenfe of duty he owed to his country. He was not, he faid, in the habit of public fpeaking, and here he would hope for a patient hearing, through the indulgence of the Houfe. He then entered on a detailed account of the circumstances of the Expedition: he stated the force as fully efficient, the Commanders as men of high character and approved bravery, the town of Ferrol, the object of conqueft, as weak and defencelefs, and fuch as must have given way before a British force, had it been attempted. With the town, the arfenal, ftores, and Spanish marine, together with the merchantmen, would have fallen at once into our hands, but, through fome fatal miscarriage, which here attached blame fomewhere, the whole of this army was not only compelled to reembark, but even might be said to be difcomfited and difgraced. He endeavoured to maintain the practicability of this attempt, the affured fuccefs, on the opinions given by an able engineer, and of Officers of the Navy and Army high in refpectability. Thefe letters he read, which were written under a ftrong impreffion that Ferrol could be taken, had the enterprife been pushed on with the ufual fpirit and vigour of our troops, but failed from caufes which were yet to be afcertained; and among others he lamented those which excited jealoufies between the army and navy. He then moved for a Committee of Inquiry.

Sir James Pulteney, who commanded in chief at Ferrol, on that expedition, detailed the whole of that tranfaction, from the landing of our troops to their embarkation, and juftified the expediency and neceffity of the measure, from the fuperior advantages that the town poffeffed, both in respect to numbers and fortifications; a matter on which the Hon. Mover was totally mifinformed, and in which he himself was at firt deceived. He, on his part, was ready to meet every enquiry.

Mr. Jekyll faid, that the Hon. Baronet had fully cleared himself from every imputation, but that the whole blame and mifcarriage devolved on Minifters, who had fo badly planned the expedi tion,

Mr. Dundas juftified Ministers on the very grounds on which the Hon. Member (Mr. Sturt) had taken up the queftion; for his fpeech admitted, that the acquifition would be confiderable, and fuch as would amply repay what

ever risk was run, had we fucceeded in taking the town.

Mr. Tooke, in his maiden speech in Parliament, juftified Mr. Dundas as to the plan of the expedition, but said, the Hon. General's did not rest on such good grounds, as he founded his defence more on the account given in the Spanish Gazette than on its real merits. He would vote against his own interest on this night in regard to truth; and he hoped the Houfe would do him that juftice, when they appointed their Committee to enquire into his return for Old Sarum, as a priest, as if the order left an infection after it; which, if it did, he had long now performed quarantine, it being thirty years fince he belonged to it. However, attached as he was to no party but the truth alone, he would defend the Right Hon. Gentleman who spoke laft, who in his life had never defended him, or ever was likely to defend him now.

Colonel Gafcoyne voted for the inquiry, and was followed by Mr. Ellifon, who was of opinion Ministers would not shrink from an inquiry.

Mr. Pitt thought the nature of the bufinefs, confifting of military details and topics, thould be referred to military men, who were only adequate to judge of it.

Sir James Pulteney explained, when Mr. Grey arofe, and having taken a full view of the arguments, voted for an inquiry by a Committee, on which the Houfe divided :-For the inquiry, 75; against it, 149.

FRIDAY, FEB. 20.

Mr. Dundas moved for leave to bring in a Bill for putting the Officers of the Militia of England and Ireland on the fame footing, by increafing the number of Field Officers of the latter.- Leave given.

Mr. Long moved, that a fum not exceeding 4,000,000l. be granted to his Majelty, for paying of Exchequer Bills for 1800; and 250,000l. be granted to his Majefty, for the purpose of making good the deficiencies on goods exported and imported.-Agreed to.

Mr. Rofe brought up the feveral Bills for the new taxes, which were read a firft and fecond time, and ordered to be read a third time to-morrow, except the Bill for granting a Duty on Horfes employed in Agriculture, which Mr. Jolliffe wished might be read a fecond time on Monday, as he meant to object to it, which was agreed to.-Adjourned.

STATE

STATE PAPERS.

CONVENTION of the NORTHERN

POWERS.

CONVENTION for the Re-establishment of an ARMED NEUTRALITY, between his Majefty the King of SWEDEN, on the one part, and his Majesty the Emperor of all the RUSSIAS, on the other part, concluded and figned at St. Petersburgh, the 4th (16th of December), 1800, accepted and ratified by his Swedish Majesty on the zoth December, and by his Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias on the 8th (20th December) in the fame year.

IN

In the name of the Most Holy and

Undivided Trinity.

N order that the freedom of navigation, and the fecurity of the merchandize of the Neutral Powers, may be established, and the principles of the laws of nations be fully afcertained, during the continuance of the prefent maritime war, his Majelty the King of Sweden and his Majefty the Emperor of all the Ruffias, actuated by their love of justice, and by a reciprocal defire to promote whatever may be for the public advantage of their refpective States, have to that effect determined to give a new fanction to those principles of their Neutrality, which are in their nature indiffoluble, and require that it may be refpected by all the Powers interested in their prefervation. With this view their Majefties have, by their declaration of the 15th Auguft to the Northern Courts, who are equally concerned in the maintenance of thofe general regulations anciently recognized, given them to understand how fincerely it is the object of their hearts to reftore, in its full independence, the general right of all nations to convoy their thips and merchandize freely, and without being fubject to the controul of the Powers at war. His Swedish Majefty imparted his wifhes and his fentiments to his great Allies, and an happy conformity of their mutual interests has induced them to adopt the refolution of re-establishing that fyftem of an Armed Neutrality which was attended with fuch advantages during the American war, and to renew its beneficial principles in a Convention adapted to the prefent circumftances. To this end his Majetty the King of Sweden, and his Imperial Majefty of all the Rulias,

have nominated as their Plenipotentiaries, namely, his Swedish Majefty, Baron Curt von Stedingk, Ambaffador Extraordinary to his Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, Lieutenant-General, Chamberlain of the Queen Dowager, Colonel of a Regiment of Infantry, Knight, and Commander of the Order of the Sword, and Knight of the French Order Four les Merites Militaires; and his Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, Baron Count Theodore von Koftopfin,his right trufty Privy Councillor, Member of the Coun cil Principale, Minifter of the College of Foreign Affairs, Director General of the Pots of the Empire, Grand Chancellor and Grand Crofs of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerufalem, Knight of the firft Clafs of the Orders of St. Andrew, St. Alexander Nowsky, and St. Anne, Knight of the Order of St. Lazarus, de l'Annonciade, of St. Morrice and St. Lazarus, of St. Ferdinand and St. Hubert; who, after exchanging their refpective full powers, have agreed upon the following articles:

Art. I. His Majefty the King of Sweden, and his Majefty the Emperor of all the Ruffias, declare, that they will ftrictly prohibit the exportation of contraband merchandize on the part of their fubjects with every Power whatever, whether at prefent engaged in war, or which may hereafter be engaged in War.

Art. II.-In order to prevent all doubts and misunderstandings as to what fhall be confidered contraband, his Majefty the King of Sweden, and his Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, declare, that they will acknowledge the following articles as contraband, namely, cannons, mortars, fire-arms, balls, flints, flint ftones, matches, gunpowder, falt-petre, fulphur, helmets, pikes. fwords, hangers, cartridge-boxes, faddles and bridles, with the exception of fuch a quantity of the above articles as may be neceflary for the defence of the fhips and their crew; all other articles not herein enumerated fhall not be confidered as war or naval ftores, they fhall not be fubject to confifcation, but shall pafs free and without restraint. It is alfo hereby agreed, that the prefent Article fhall be without prejudice to the particular ftipulations of former

Treaties

Treaties with the Powers at War, by virtue of which the things above-mentioned are allowed or prohibited.

Art. III. And whereas it is refolved, that whatever, by virtue of the fore going Article, can be deemed contraband, shall be excluded from the commerce of Neutral Nations; in like manner his Majesty the King of Sweden, and his Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, will and determine, that all other merchandize shall be and remain free; and in order that the general principles of the laws of nature, of which the freedom of trade and navigation, as well as the rights of neutral nations, are the immediate confequence, may be placed under a competent and fure fafeguard, they have refolved no longer to delay that voluntary explanation from which they have hitherto been reftrained by motives of their feparate and temporary interests. With this view they have hereby determined,

1. That every fhip may freely navigate from one harbour to another, and on the coaft of the Belligerent Nations. 2. That the effects which belong to the fubjects of the Belligerent Powers in neutral fhips, with the exception of contraband goods, fhall be free.

3. That in order to determine what fhall be confidered as a blockaded harbour, fuch denomination fhall be admitted to apply only where the difpofition and number of the fhips of the Power by which it is invefted, fhall be fuch as to render it apparently hazardous to enter, and that every thip which fhall go into a blockaded harbour, that is evidently fo blockaded, violates the prefent Convention as much as if the Commander of the blockade had previously advised it of the ftate of the harbour, and it had nevertheless endeavoured, by force or artifice, to obtain admiffion.

4. That with regard to neutral fhips, except thofe which, for just reafons, and upon evident grounds, fhall be detained, fentence thall be pronounced without delay; the proceedings against them thall be uniform, prompt, and lawful. Over and above the indemnity to which they fhall be entitled for the damage they fhall have fuftained, complete fatisfaction thall be given for the infult committed against the flag of their Majefties.

5. That the declaration of the Officers who fhall command the fhip of

war, or ships of war, of the King or Emperor, which fhall be convoying one or more merchant ships, that the convoy has no contraband goods on board, shall be sufficient; and that no fearch of his ship, or the other ships of the convoy, fhall be permitted. And the better to infure refpect to thofe principles, and the ftipulations founded upon them, which their difinterested withes to preserve the imprescriptible rights of neutral nations have fuggested, the high contracting parties, to prove their fincerity and justice, will give the ftricteft orders to their Captains, as well of their fhips of war, as of their merchant hips, to load no part of their ships, or fecretly to have on board, any articles, which, by virtue of this prefent Convention, may be confidered as contraband; and for the more completely carrying into execution this command, they will refpectively take care to give directions to their Courts of Admiralty to publish it wherever they fhall think it neceffary, and to this end the regulation which fhall contain this prohibition, under the feveral penalties, fhall be printed at the end of the present act, that no one may plead ignorance.

Art. IV. In order to place the commerce of their fubjects upon the most legal and permanent bafis, his Majesty the King of Sweden, and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Ruffias, have deemed it expedient to equip a number of fhips of war and frigates, which shall be charged to fee that object obtained, and the fquadrons of each Power shall take thofe stations, and protect those convoys, which their commerce and their navigation may require, and which fhall be conformable to the courfe of trade of each nation.

Art. V. To provide against all inconveniencies which may proceed from any nation abufing the privilege of their flag, it is eftablished as a regulation not to be departed from, that every tranfport, be it whofe it may, belonging to the country whofe flag it bears, fhall have on board a Captain and the half of the crew compofed of the fubjects of that country, and the paffport fhall be drawn up in due and regular form. Every tranfport which fhall not observe thefe regulations, or fhall violate the command printed at the end of this prefent Convention, fhall forfeit all right to the protection of the Contracting Parties, and the Government to

which

which it may belong fhall alone be refponfible for all the lofs, damage, or inconvenience it may sustain.

Art. VI.-Should it nevertheless happen that the merchant-fhip of one of the Powers thould find itself in a fituation where the ships of war of that nation are not stationed, and where they cannot have the protection of their own convoys, in fuch cafe the Commandant of the fhip of war of the other Power, if it fhall be required, fhall duly and faithfully afford fuch affiftance as may be neceffary. The fhips of war and frigates of other nations fhall afford protection and affistance to the merchant veffels of the other, provided, in the mean time, that the veffel requiring fuch affistance fhall not have violated the principles of the neutrality, by having carried on any illicit commerce. Art. VII.-This Convention fhall have no retrospective operation, and confequently it shall have no reference to any differences that exifted previous to its conclufion. Its application shall only be to future acts of violence and aggreffion, and it fhall form the bafis of a fyftem for the protection of all the neutral nations of Europe, whofe rights may hereafter be denied or violated.

Art. VIII.-Should it, notwithstanding all the poffible care of the two Powers, and notwithstanding the obfervance of the most perfect neutrality on their fides, fo happen that the merchant ships of his Majesty the King of Sweden, or of his Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, fhould be infulted, plundered, or taken by the thips of war or privateers of one or other of the Belligerent Powers, the Minister of the injured party fhall forthwith reprefent the fame to the Government whofe fhip of war or privateer fhall have commit. ted fuch act of violence; he shall reclaim the captured veffel, demand due fatisfaction, and by no means lofe fight of the infult offered to the flag. The Ministers of the other Contracting Power fhall alfo enforce the complaint in the most energetic and determined manner poffible, and they fhall generally and uniformly act in concert together. Should their juft complaint meet with no redress, or fhould it be poftponed from time to time, then hall their Majefties have recourfe to reprifals against fuch Power as fhall have refufed to do juftice; and that they fhall endeavour, by every poffible means, to give effect to fuch reprifals.

VOL. XXXIX. MARCH 1801.

Art. IX. Should it happen that one or the other of the two Powers, or both, on account of, or from diflike to, the prefent Convention, or any circum stance connected with it, fhould be difquieted, molested, or attacked; in fuch cafe it is agreed, that the two Powers shall make it a common cause mutually to defend each other; and they shall reciprocally employ every exertion to obtain full and complete fatisfaction, as well for the infult done to their flag as for the injury sustained by their fubjects.

Art. X.-The principles and regulations ftipulated and settled by this prefent act fhall apply to every maritime war by which Europe may unhappily be difquieted. Thefe ftipulations hall alfo be confidered as perpetual, and upon all occafions fhall be appealed to by the Contracting Powers for the regulation of their commerce and navigation, and for the maintenance of the rights of neutral nations.

Art. XI.-As the object and main confideration of this Convention is to affure the general freedom of commerce and navigation, his Majefty the King of Sweden, and his Imperial Majesty of all the Ruffias, hereby agree, and bind themselves to each other, to give their confent that other neutral Powers may become parties to it, adopt its principles, conform to its obligations, and partake of its advantages.

Art. XII.-In order that the Belli gerent Powers may not have to plead ignorance of the arrangements concluded between their faid Majefties, information shall be given to fuch Belligerent Powers of the regulations they have determined upon, which are fo little of an boftile nature, that they can be detrimental to no other country whatever, but, on the contrary, are only calculated to fecure the commerce and na vigation of their respective subjects.

Art. XIII.-The prefent Convention fhall be ratified by the two Contracting Parties, and the ratification fhall be exchanged, in due and good form, within fix weeks, or fooner, if poffible, from the day of figning it.

In teltimony of the fame, we, the underfigned,furnished with full powers, have hereunto figned our names, and affixed our feals.

Given at St.Petersburgh the 4th (16th) of December 1800.

Ff

(Signed) CURT VON STEDINCK. VON KOSTOPSIN.

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