would prevent the parties interested from attaining complete justice. No measure submitted during the whole session of parliament to the consideration of the great council of the nation, produced more elaborate and animated discussion than the plan for raising and supporting a permanent military force, and for the general reduction of the additional militia. This bill was introduced into parliament on the 5th of June, by Mr. Pitt, the chancellor of the exchequer, under the designation of the "additional force act," and aimed at the establishment of a military force, not merely to meet the present circumstances of the country, but to serve as an instrument for the intermediate improvement of the system already established, and to supply a sufficient resource to the regular force of the country, should an opportunity offer of employing our troops in foreign warfare. This measure, which embraced a great variety of details, was strenuously opposed by Mr. Windham, Mr. Fox, Mr. Addington, and others, but the bill was ultimately carried through the lower house of parliament by small ministerial majorities, there appearing on the last division of the house, for the bill two hundred and sixty-five, against it two hundred and twenty-three, leaving a majority of only forty-two members. In the upper house, the additional force bill was introduced by Earl Camden, and opposed by Earl Fitzwilliam, the Duke of Clarence, Earl Spencer, Lord Grenville, and several other peers; but the division was far more flattering to the ministers than those in the house of commons, their measure being sanctioned by one hundred and fifty-four against sixty-nine voices. This was the last question in which the strength of the contending parties was brought to issue. The remaining part of the session was employed principally on subjects of commerce and finance; and on the 20th of June, the complex and difficult subject of the corn laws was brought under discussion. It has been maintained by many respectable authorities conversant with the subject of national polity, that the whole system of the corn laws is prejudicial to the public weal, and that it is desirable that these laws should be altogether repealed, leaving the trade free, and the prices to find their own level; but in consequence of a report of the house of commons, it was deemed expedient to have recourse to new legislative regulations. From the report of this committee, it appears, that the price of corn, from 1791 to the harvest of 1803, had been irregular; but had upon an average yielded a fair price to the grower. The high prices had produced the effect of stimulating industry, and bringing into cultivation large tracts of waste land; which, combined with the two last productive seasons, had occasioned such a depreciation in the value of grain, as would, it was said, tend to the discouragement of agriculture, unless immedi ate relief were afforded by the interference of parliament. For this purpose, although. within the period of the last thirteen years, not less than thirty millions sterling had been paid to foreign countries for supplies of grain, it was proposed to have recourse to a bounty upon exportation-a measure that had not been resorted to for a period of nearly thirty years. With this view, a bill was brought into parliament. Exportation was to be admitted, when the price of wheat was at or below forty-eight shillings per quarter of eight Winchester bushels; and importation was to be allowed when the average price in the twelve maritime counties of England should exceed sixty-three shillings, but not when corn was below that price. It was held, that this bill was necessary, in order to encourage the agriculture of the country; it was also presumed that the measure would render corn permanently cheap, by combining the interest of the grower with that of the consumer. Upon the whole, it was argued, that the true way to prevent the recurrence of scarcity, was to remove the danger of such a depreciation in the value of corn, as might discourage the farmer from producing full crops. It was on the other hand contended, that the effect of the act founded on the bill now before the house, would be to fix a minimum upon the first necessary of life, and that, if the interest of the grower of corn was to be protected by a minimum, the interest of the consumer of that article should be guarded by a maximum. That as to the idea of the act making corn cheap, it was at variance with the professed object of the bill, which was to serve the grower by keeping up the prices; and that the experience of the past had shown, what the evidence of the future would confirm, that the effect of all measures of this nature was to advance the price of corn, and with that article to enhance the price of every other article of general consumption. The bill, however, notwithstanding these, and a variety of other objections, passed through the house of commons without any formidable opposition. In the house of lords, some few petitions were presented against the corn bill, which Earl Stanhope designated as a bill to starve the poor. On the second reading, both retrospectively and prospectively, is to be found in the following official return of the ave rage price of wheat per quarter, from the first *The confirmation of the truth of this remark. his lordship, in offering himself to the house, said, that the object of the bill was to encourage the growth of corn, by increasing its price-but he should beg leave to submit a few resolutions, calculated to produce the same effect, by decreasing the price of corn. He thought that as the far-pounds. This excess of expenditure, it was mers increased the price of their corn, the poor rates, the price of labour, and the price of our manufactures, would increase in the same proportion, and that neither agriculture, nor the farmer, nor the merchant, would derive any advantage from such a measure. Whereas by the adoption of his plan, everybody might be satisfied, and the country would enjoy plenty. The first resolution he should propose was, chequer, resolved itself into a committee of supply, to which several accounts relative to the augmentation of the civil list were referred. It appeared that the arrears of the civil list amounted at present to the sum of five hundred and ninety thousand stated, had arisen from a variety of expenses incurred by services which could not be foreseen in the year 1802, when the house voted the discharge of arrears then due, amounting to about two hundred and thirty thousand pounds. With respect to the future state of the civil list, it was proposed that several charges upon it should be annually discharged by parliament. These charges amounted to one hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds, and related to fluctuating expenses; many of them arose from the war, others from increased law expenses, and others from the multiplication of private bills, That public granaries should be established, to receive, in years of plenty, corn and grain grown in this country, in order to keep down the prices in years of scarcity, and effectually to secure to this nation, in all seasons, a sufficient supply, and likewise in order to provide for the far-none of which ought properly to be charged mers at all times a certain market for their corn and grain, and to diminish fluctuation in the price of the necessaries of life. "Second, That all impediments, created by any law or laws, to the free warehousing of corn or grain, ought to be removed, abolished, and repealed; and, Thirdly, That in order to encourage the growth of corn and grain in Great Britain and Ireland, and at the same time to decrease the price, for the benefit of the people at large, and for the increase of our manufactures and commerce, farmers should be for ever discharged from the payment of all direct taxes, parish and county rates, cesses, dues, and tythes, and from all parliamentary impositions whatever; save only and except those rates of the nature of a penalty, which might be raised on any hundred as such. These resolutions were supported by arguments applicable to each, and after expatiating at large on their beneficial tendency, his lordship concluded by moving, that the bill now before the house be rejected. The Duke of Montrose thought it was in the highest degree mischievous for the noble lord to state that this was a bill to starve the poor, when it was, in fact, a bill to prevent famine and scarcity. The lord chancellor, and Lords Mulgrave and Hawkesbury, condemned the resolutions moved by Lord Stanhope, and the bill passed ultimately into a law. on the civil list. In addition to the payment of the arrears, and the transfer of these accounts, a positive grant was also proposed to be given in addition to the civil list; and when the increased expenses upon private bills, and upon household necessaries, were considered, it was conceived that the annual sum of £60,000 would not be thought an extravagant augmentation. The income of the civil list was stated to be about nine hundred and twenty-one thousand pounds, and the expenditure upon it was averaged at nine hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds, leaving a deficiency of fifty-four thousand pounds; but inmake the more liberal addition of sixty stead of this exact sum, it was proposed to thousand pounds.* It is almost unnecessary to observe, that the house readily assented to the propositions of the chancellor of the exchequer, and the discharge of the arrears, and the augmentation to the civil list, were voted almost without opposition. CIVIL LIST.-Previously to the accession of his present majesty to the throne, certain specific revenues were rendered applicable to this branch of the public expenditure; but these revenues were, at the commencement of his reign, relinquished, and in lieu thereof an annual sum of On the 2d of July, the house of commons, 800,000l. granted by parliament, subject to certain upon the motion of the chancellor of the ex-month of April, 1777, the civil list revenue was annuities payable to the royal family. In the passing of the corn law in 1791, to the period of augmented to 900,000l. per annum, and the debts owing upon that branch of the revenue dischargBut it is not to be supposed that the whole of this sum is expended annually by the sovereign and his family; or that the large and frequent accumulation of debt arising upon the civil list is altogether attributable to the royal expenditure. The following statement, being the result of a re61 11812 125 5 port made by a committee of the house of com87 10 1813... 120 Omons, will remove any error of this nature, and 9 serve to give a tolerably correct view of this 3 branch of the public expenditure : the last returns. Years. 1792.... 1793. 1794. 1795. 1796 1797 1798. Price Years. 8. d. Price. Years. 8. d. 42 11 1800... 113 7 ... 77 11804 53 1 1805 50 3 1806. 67 5 1799.... VOL. L. Price. 8. d. 1808.... 79 0 1809.. 95 7 1810... 106 2 61811.... 94 6 5 79 0 1814.... 73 1807.... 73 3 1815.... 66 40 ed. The session was now drawing to a close, and just on the eve of its termination, Mr. Windham took an opportunity of asking for information from ministers, respecting the case of Captain Wright, who had been made a prisoner of war, when commanding his majesty's sloop Vincego, and had since been committed to close confinement in the Temple at Paris, for refusing to answer interrogatories put to him by the enemy after his capture; but no satisfactory answer could at this time be given to Mr. Windham's inquiries. On the 31st of July, the session closed with a speech from the throne, in which, after the usual acknowledgments to both houses of parliament, his majesty recommended to the members to carry into their respective counties the same zeal for the public interest which had guided all their proceedings: "It will," said the king, "be your particular duty to inculcate on the minds of all classes of my subjects, that the preservation of all that is most dear to them requires the continuance of their unremitting exertions for the national defence. The preparations which the enemy has been long forming, for the declared purpose of invading this kingdom, are daily augmenting, and the attempt appears to have been delayed only with a view to procuring additional means for carrying it into execution. Relying on the skill, valour, and discipline of my naval and military force, aided by the voluntary zeal and active courage of my people, I look with confidence to the issue of this great conflict, and I doubt not but it will terminate, under the blessing of Providence, not only in repelling the danger of the moment, but in establishing, in the eyes of foreign nations, the security of the country, on a basis never to be shaken. In addi tion to this first and great object, I entertain the animating hope, that the benefit to be derive! from our successful exertions will not be confined within ourselves; but that, by their example and their consequences, they may lead to the re-estab it from the precarious state to which it is reduced lishment of such a system in Europe, as may rescue and may finally raise an effectual barrier agains the unbounded schemes of aggrandizement and ambition, which threaten every independent nation that yet remains on the continent." Upon a review of the various measures brought under the consideration of parliament, it will appear that the defence of the country was an object in which all parties, however much divided in public opinion, felt and expressed the most anxious solicitude. The danger to which the country was exposed during a considerable period after the recommencement of the war, was sufficient to arouse the energy, and stimelate the vigilance of its governors; and even the spirit of party itself was made instrumental to the general safety. Upon the whole, it may be affirmed, in justice to the general conduct of parliament, that during a long period of public difficulty and alarm, they reposed a just and becoming confidence in the patriotism and spirit of the nation; and, while they differed as to the best and most efficient application of the public resources, they exhibited a firmness and resolution worthy of the representatives of a great and powerful people. CHAPTER III. Goree taken by the French-Recaptured by the English-Capture of Surinam-Shipwreck of the Apollo Frigate, and a Number of her Convoy-Alarm of Invasion-Preparations to meet it-Catamaran Project-Memorable Repulse of the French Admiral Linois by the East India Fleet, under Captain Dance-Hostilities commenced against Spain-CAMPAIGN OF THE EAST: Commencement of Hostilities Battle of Assye-Asseershur, the Key of the Deccan, surrendered to the BritishSurrender of Jagarnaut, Cuttack, Balasore, and Soorong-Storming of Ally Ghur-Progress of the Campaign-Splendid Victory of Delhi-General Lake's Interview with the Emperor Shah AulumFall of Agra-Decisive Battle of Laswaree-Concise Recapitulation of the Campaign. NOTWITHSTANDING the recent change in fly anticipated a more vigorous administrathe cabinet, from which the public naturalCHARGES of the Civil List for sixteen years prior to the 5th of January, 1802. Class. Ann, average Expense. Total for 16 Years. 1. Royal Family in all £ s. d. its branches, Sd 209,988 15 0 2. Great Officers of State, (Jdges, &c.) 33,279 10 0 4. Tradesmen's Bills £ 3,359,828 7 101 532,472 0 1 3. Foreign Ministers, 80,526 0 2 1,258,416 3 4 2,795,163 2 3 (His Majesty's) 174,697 13 11 5. Menial Servants of the Household 92,424 6 7 6. Pensions, for sup pressed Officers, 114,817 6 11 7. Salaries, paid out 1,478,789 5 8 1,837,077 10 6 of the Civil List, 76,013 18 24 1,216,222 17 0 8. Commissioners of the Treasury, 9. Occasional ments, Pay 14,455 14 7 203,964 6 0 £1,000,167 11 6 231,191 13 10 3,263,428 16 3 16,002,559 17 0 tion of affairs, the prosecution of the war was still confined principally to defensive measures, and to projects for the future annoyance of the enemy; and the honour of the only captures of importance made during the present year, must be awarded to the late ministers. The first military operation claiming the notice of history, in the year 1804, occurred in the English settlement of the island of Goree, on the coast of Africa. In the month of January, this settlement was taken by a French force, under the command of the Chevalier Mahe, and recaptured by a small expedition under the command of Captain Edward Sterling Dickson, in the month of March following. The enemy's force directed against this set tlement, consisted of four schooners, which had been fitted out at Cayenne, and which was reinforced by another schooner, pilots, and soldiers, at Senegal. The squadron altogether carried more than sixty guns, and six hundred men, of whom about two hundred and forty were landed to storm the settlement. On the 17th of January, the enemy appeared off the coast; and about three o'clock in the morning of the 18th, a smart fire commenced from the French boats, and at the same time a schooner stood in directly for the beach. A strong and well directed fire of great guns and musketry being immediately opened upon her, by the small British garrison under Colonel Frazer, aided by a portion of the inhabitants, the people on board were all either killed or driven below, and the enemy's vessel drifted on shore. In the mean time, the invaders, approaching in eight of their boats, had unfortunately effected a landing on the rocks, to the east side of the town; and, having overcome the force which was opposed to them, penetrated through the town, as far as the main guard, of which, after having been once repulsed, they gained possession. The firing continued until nearly six o'clock; when Colonel Frazer, having formed a junction with the soldiers in the north point battery, directed that the enemy should be attacked, which service was executed with great alacrity, and the post carried with considerable loss on the part of the enemy. At daybreak, the enemy appeared in so great numbers, as to leave no hope of successful resistance; and under these circumstances, Colonel Frazer, in compliance with the request of the inhabitants, sent an officer to propose terms of capitulation for the garri son.* tenant having neither returned nor made the signal agreed upon, Captain Dickson came to anchor with his convoy a little out of gun-shot, and at ten o'clock at night commenced hostilities, by cutting out a ship in the harbour, and stationing his small force in such a position as to prevent the enemy receiving any succours from Senegal. At daylight in the morning of the 9th, every preparation having been previously made to commence an attack upon the town, the captain was agreeably surprised to see the English colours hoisted over the French flag; and shortly afterwards information was conveyed to him, that the garrison had capitulated to the officer sent on shore.* For this cheaply purchased conquest, by which a number of troops, amounting to more than three hundred, were made prisoners without striking a blow, the captain was indebted to a ruse de guerre, practised by his skilful negotiator, who represented to the enemy that the force brought against them was of such magnitude as to render all resistance unavailing. In the beginning of May, the rich and important colony of Surinam surrendered to the force under the command of Majorgeneral Sir Charles Green; and although the capture was an enterprise of considerable difficulty, this valuable acquisition was fortunately made with little loss on the part of his majesty's troops. On the 25th of April, the fleet under the command of Commodore Hood, conveying the British forces, came to anchor about ten miles off the mouth of the river Surinam. Having succeeded in securing the entrance of the river, Major-general Sir Charles Green sent a summons to the governor of Surinam with proposals for the surrender of the colony. On the 28th, the governor's answer was received, conveying a refusal to capitulate. The general then determined to lose no time in making an impression on the enemy's posts; but to effect this, many obstacles were to be surIn the month of March, in the same mounted. The coast of Surinam is of year, this island was recaptured by Cap- very difficult approach, shallow and full of tain Dickson, commanding his majesty's banks; and a landing is practicable only ship the Inconstant, accompanied by the at full tide. The coast is uncleared; and Eagle store-ship, and the three sloops from the wood and the marshy nature of Hamilton, Venus, and Jenny. Having the soil, it is impossible to penetrate into arrived off the island on the 7th of March, the interior, except by the rivers and the and suspecting that the settlement might creeks. In consequence of these circumbe in the hands of the enemy, the captain stances, the points of attack were confined; despatched his first lieutenant to ascertain the fact, with orders to make an appointed signal if he found the island in possession of the English. But at sunset, the lieu On this occasion, the loss of the English amounted to only nineteen killed and wounded, while the enemy's loss exceeded seventy; and in the articles of capitulation, the interests of the inhabitants were consulted, and the honour of the garrison preserved. *Despatch from Colonel Frazer, dated Goree, Feb. 5, 1804. and the enemy, by means of their forts, ships of war, and other armed vessels, were completely masters of the navigation of the river Surinam, above Fort Amster *Captain Edward Sterling Dickson's Despatch, dated Goree, March 15th, 1804. Early in the spring, the country sustained a heavy loss in the wreck of the Apollo frigate, of thirty-eight guns, com dam. On the 29th, Lieutenant-colonel | the command of Brigadier-general MaitShipley, commander of engineers, went land, took possession of Fort New Amon shore below the enemy's batteries, to sterdam. In addition to the conquest of endeavour to procure intelligence; and on this valuable colony, more than two thouhis return he reported, that he had every sand prisoners of war fell into the hands reason to believe that there was a practi- of the English, besides two hundred and cable way through the woods, by which a eighty-two pieces of ordnance, one Batabody of men might be conducted to the vian frigate, a sloop of war, and three merrear of the forts Leyden and. Frederici. chant vessels; with a loss on the part of A detachment of about two hundred men, the victors of only twenty-eight officers and under the command of the Hon. Lieu- men, killed and wounded. The inhabitenant-colonel Cranston, was accordingly tants had opposed no resistance to the landed, between the hours of ten and eleven English in their attack upon the island, but o'clock at night, at Resolution plantation, seemed on the contrary to rejoice at an and proceeded through the woods with event which once more restored them to negro guides. A great quantity of rain the powerful protection of the British gohaving recently fallen, it was found that vernment. the path, at all times difficult, had become almost impassable; but no obstacles could damp the enterprising spirit of the seamen and soldiers who composed the detach-manded by Captain Dixon, and a large ment; and who, with persevering courage, arrived, after a laborious march of five hours, in the rear of Frederici battery. The alarm having been given, a considerable fire of grape-shot was made upon the troops before they quitted the wood, while forming for the attack. As they approached the battery, they were exposed to a brisk discharge of musketry; but their assault, which was made with fixed bayonets, was so animated and vigorous, that it completely overcame any further resistance. The enemy, finding their situation untenable, fled to Fort Leyden, but not till they had treacherously set fire to a powder magazine, by the explosion of which several of the British officers and men were severely wounded. Brigadiergeneral Hughes used no delay in moving on to the attack of Fort Leyden, overcoming every obstacle in his way; and the enemy, after some firing, called for quarter, which | was generously granted by the conquerors, although at the moment they were highly exasperated at the conduct of the Batavian troops, in blowing up the powder magazine at Fort Frederici, after it had been in possession of the English. This brilliant affair placed the assailants in possession of a country abounding with resources of every kind, and enabled them to silence the fire at Fort Amsterdam. Major-general Maitland, having conveyed his troops in a number of plantation boats, landed on the south side of the river, and came within a mile of Fort New Amsterdam, when a flag of truce was sent by the Batavian commander to the British head-quarters on the Commewye, with proposals for capitulation. Orders were in consequence issued, to suspend hostilities; and on the 5th of May, the articles of capitulation being signed, the advanced corps, under Despatches from Surinam. portion of her convoy. The Apollo had sailed from the Cove of Cork, on the 26th of March, in company with his majesty's ship Carysford, charged with the convoy of sixty-nine merchant vessels, bound for the West Indies. About half-past three o'clock in the morning of Monday the 2d of April, from some cause, never very satisfactorily explained, the Apollo, with part of her convoy, went on shore, off Cape Mondego, on the coast of Portugal. The frigate soon became a complete wreck, and the most piteous cries were heard everywhere between the decks, the men having given themselves up to inevitable death. The captain, who, with the principal part of his crew, had been driven from their hammocks by the sudden rushing in of the water, stood naked upon the deck, soothing and affording every encouragement to the men in their perilous situation. About thirty of the crew, after encountering the most imminent dangers, had the good fortune to gain the shore on planks and spars from the wreck; while others, in making similar attempts, perished, and of that number was the captain. At length, after encountering, for three days and nights, the complicated horrors of fatigue, famine, and despair, without the intermission of a single moment of repose, the survivors of the crew had the inexpressible happiness to see a boat launching through the surf to their relief, and to find themselves, by four o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, in safety on the shore of Mondego. About forty sail of merchantmen shared the fate of the Apollo, and the number of lives lost upon this melancholy occasion, exceeded five hun * Sir Charles Green and Commodore Hood's |