"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, "The whole business of this important session being at length happily concluded, it is with the most sincere satisfaction that I communicate to you, by His Majesty's express command, his warmest acknowledgments for that ardent zeal and unshaken perseverance which you have so conspicuously manifested, in maturing and completing the great measure of a Legislative Union between this kingdom and Great Britain. to be merely local, and will, I doubt not, be soon effectually terminated. 66 The pressure of scarcity on the poorer classes, much relieved by private generosity, and by the salutary provisions of the Legislature, has been long and unusually severe; but I trust that, under the favour of Providence, we may draw a pleasing prospect of future plenty, from the present appearance of the harvest. "I am persuaded that the great measure which is now accomplished, could never have been effected, but by a decided conviction on your part that it would tend to restore and preserve the tranquillity of this country, to increase its commerce and manufactures, to perpetuate its connection with Great Britain, and to augment the resources of the empire. "You will not fail to impress these sentiments on the minds of your fellow-subjects; you will encourage and improve that just confidence which they have manifested in the result of your deliberations on this arduous question; above all, you will be studious to inculcate the full conviction, that, united with the people of Great Britain into one kingdom, governed by the same Sovereign, protected by the same laws, and represented in the same Legislature, nothing will be wanting on their part but a spirit of industry and order, to insure to them the full advantages under which the people of Great Britain have enjoyed a greater degree of prosperity, security, and freedom, than has ever yet been experienced by any other nation. "The proof you have given on this occasion of your uniform attachment to the real welfare of your country, inseparably connected with the security and prosperity of the empire at large, "I cannot conclude without offering to you, not only entitle you to the full approbation of and to the nation at large, my personal congratuyour Sovereign, and the applause of your fellow-lations on the accomplishment of this great work, subjects, but must afford you the surest claim to the gratitude of posterity. "You will regret with His Majesty, the reverses which His Majesty's Allies have experienced on the Continent; but His Majesty is persuaded, that the firmness and public spirit of his subjects will enable him to persevere in that line of conduct which will best provide for the honour and the essential interests of his dominions, whose means and resources have now, by your wisdom, been more closely and immediately combined. "GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,"I am to thank you, in His Majesty's name. for the liberal supplies which you have cheerfully granted for the various and important branches of the public service in the present year. "His Majesty has also witnessed with pleasure that wise liberality which will enable him to make a just and equitable retribution to those bodies and individuals, whose privileges and interests are affected by the Union; and he has also seen, with satisfaction, that attention to the internal prosperity of this country, which has been so conspicuously testified by the encouragement you have given to the improvement and extension of its inland navigation. "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,"I have the happiness to acquaint you that the country in general has, in a great measure, returned to its former state of tranquillity. If in some districts a spirit of plunder and disaffection still exists, these disorders, I believe, will prove which has received the sanction and concurrence of our Sovereign on that auspicious day which placed his illustrious family on the throne of these realms. The empire is now, through your exertions, so completely united, and by union so strengthened, that it can bid defiance to all the efforts its enemies can make, either to weaken it by division, or to overturn it by force. Under the protection of Divine Providence, the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland will, I trust, remain in all future ages the fairest monument of His Majesty's reign, already distinguished by so many and such various blessings conferred upon every class and description of his subjects." NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. (56.) It appears by the statement of Mr. Robson in the House of Commons, that the British disposable force now at home, as extracted from the journals, consists-of Cavalry, 23,581; Guards, 11,792; 23 battalions of Foot, 19,371; Invalids, 6099; Cornish Miners, 633; Fensible Infantry, 8775; Militia, 39,404; Scotch ditto, 6026; Dutch troops at the Isle of Wight, 5000; amounting to 121,181, besides Artillery and Flying ditto, Engineers, Marines, &c., together with Volunteer Cavalry, 16,000; India House, 2000; and other Volunteers paid by his Majesty, amounting to 130,000 more, exclusive of those not paid, making in all (not including the Volunteers who do not receive pay, Artillery, Marines, &c. &c.) 269,181. (57.) THE distribution of the British Navy, 1st January, 1800, exclusive of the hired Armed Vessels, which are chiefly employed in protecting the Coasting Trade of Great Britain: Sloops. 19 26 sels; 2. The greater naval skill of the officers; and, 3. The better use of the artillery. The French vessels are acknowledged to be the best sailors. The English admit this, by using the French prizes in preference, even when they have more of their own than they can employ. England has but one author who wrote on naval tactics, and he was not a seaman; all their further knowledge on this subject is drawn from French authors. It is impossible, therefore, that the English can be better tacticians than the French officers. It may be said that their sailors are superior to those of the French navy; but on the mechanical management of a vessel the issue of an action can depend but in very few instances. It appears that the superiority of the English marine does not rest on the better condition of their vessels, or the greater skill of their officers; it must therefore consist in the different use which they make of their artillery. In order to decide this question, it must be remarked how the artillery is employed in the two marines. The French fire always at the masts and rigging; three-fourths of this space is a void, and of course three-fourths of the bullets are lost in the air. From the vague elevation which is given to the guns, the masts, though wounded in different places, are seldom brought down, but last during the action. The yards presenting themselves but obliquely, are less endangered, and the hurts received by the cordage are easily repaired. It is evident, therefore, that, by firing in this manner, the French cannot sink the vessel, dismount the guns, or kill any great number of the crew; on the contrary, the enemy's crew, finding them59 selves so little exposed to danger, display all their force and vigour, and keep up the undiminished vivacity of their fire. The English always point their guns at the hull of the vessel. It is thus that they succeed in striking between wind and 417 water, in dismounting the guns, and in killing a 715 great number of men. In the first case, a part 83 111 83 81 1,132 (58.) Ir appears, by the Adjutant-General's returns, that the number of troops in the pay of Great Britain on the 24th of December, 1800, amounted to 160,082. The Marines being in the Admiralty Department are not included; but that Corps, consisting of 23,370, increases our effective military force to 191,452, exclusive of the numerous Volunteer Corps, which do not receive pay from Government. The military establishment of Ireland, as stated by Lord Castlereagh, on the 10th of February, consists of Regulars, 45,819; Militia, 27,104; and Yeomanry, 53,557; amounting to 126,500, which makes the military establishment of the United Kingdom 317,952 men. Taking the naval establishment, exclusive of Marines, 100,000 men, our force will be found to consist of 417,952 men. of the crew must be taken from the batteries to work the pumps, than which nothing can be more fatiguing or more depressing, as when men are in danger of sinking, they are but little inclined to fight. The guns which are dismounted cannot be replaced at the time, and the carnage made among the crew, whilst it thins their number, tends also to diminish the courage and the efforts of the survivors. When the balls are aimed at the body of the vessel, those which rise a little higher strike the masts all nearly in the same place, which is precisely the way to bring them by the board. It follows, therefore, that the English employ a preferable mode in the pointing of their cannon. On the 1st of June, 1794, the English had two vessels dismasted; the French had eleven. In the battle of the Nile, the former had one, and the latter had six entirely dismasted; and it is to be remarked, that the dismasted vessels have always the greater number of killed and wounded. (59.) THE English marine having always the From the conduct of the French in action, it advantage over that of the French, it must follow appears that their only object is to disable the that the tactics of the latter are either unjust in enemy's vessel; and even in the battle of the their principle, or defective in their application. Nile, when our ships were all at anchor, this It is necessary to observe, that the superiority of habit still prevailed. But in order to show the a marine force, when in action, must depend on advantage of cutting off the men, instead of disthree things: 1. The better condition of the ves-abling the vessel, it is only necessary to read the reports of the English captains who have been taken, and which all state, that their surrender was occasioned by the loss of men. If the superiority of the English marine is not owing to the manner in which they point their artillery, from what cause then does it proceed? Why is it that their uniform success is not interrupted by any of the chances of war? The French have reduced their naval tactics to a system. The English dispense with all study on the subject, and have not even a marine school. The facility with which they triumph over their enemies has induced them to regard all theory unnecessary. It will be said, perhaps, that the English have better sailors, and in greater numbers than the French; but in an action, a certain number are appointed to work the vessel, and the remainder to serve at the guns; for the latter service, a sailor is no more fitted than any other person. The French have gunners; the English have none. Are, then, the English sailors more courageous than the French? They may be so, if courage be allowed to consist, in a great degree, of the confidence which a man has in his means of victory, and of the slightness of the danger which he has to encounter. Thus the habit of conquering makes them enter into action with a courage and an enthusiasm which men cannot be supposed to feel who are accustomed to nothing but reverses and disasters. Do the English soldiers resemble their sailors? No. The French troops are to them, what the English sailors are to those of France, and precisely for the same reason. It appears from these observations, that the superiority of the English marine consists chiefly in the manner of pointing their guns, and that the superior efforts of their officers and seamen in action is only a necessary consequence of the first position. If we were to employ against the English marine its own means of victory, it would not continue to be the principal support of a Government which forms the greatest obstacle to the triumph of the cause of Liberty.-The "Moniteur" of the 21st July. (60.) Admiralty Office, Jan. 21. Copy of a Letter from Sir Hyde Parker, Knt., Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels at Jamaica, to Evan Nepean, Esq., dated in Port Royal Harbour, the 4th of November, 1799. "SIR,I have a peculiar satisfaction in communicating to you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that His Majesty's late ship "Hermione" is again restored to his navy, by as daring and gallant an enterprize as is to be found in our naval annals, under the command of Captain Hamilton himself, with the boats of the "Surprize" only. Captain Hamilton's own letter with the reports accompanying it (copies of which are inclosed), will sufficiently explain to their Lordships the detail of this service, and the bravery with which the attack was supported, and leaves me only one observation to make on the very gallant action which adds infinite honour to Captain Hamilton as an officer for his conception of the service he was about to undertake. This was, Sir, his disposition for the attack; which was, that a number of chosen men, to the amount of fifty, with himself, should board, and the remainder in the boats to cut the cables and take the ship in tow. From this manoeuvre he had formed the idea, that while he was disputing for the possession of the ship, she was approaching the "Surprize," who was laying close into the harbour, and in case of being beat out of the "Hermione," he would have an opportunity of taking up the contest upon more favourable terms. To the steady execution of these orders was owing the success of this bold and daring undertaking, which must ever rank among the foremost of the many gallant actions executed by our navy in this war. I find the "Hermione " has had a thorough repair, and is in complete order. I have, therefore, ordered her to be surveyed and valued, and shall commission her as soon as the reports are made to me from the officers of the yard, by the name of " Retaliation." "I have the honour to be, &c., &c., "H. PARKER." 66 "Surprize," Port Royal Harbour, Jamaica, Nov. 1, 1799. SIR,-The honour of my country and the glory of the British Navy were strong inducements for me to make an attempt to cut out, by the boats of His Majesty's ship under my command, His Majesty's late ship "Hermione" from the harbour of Porto Cavallo, where there are about 200 pieces of cannon mounted on the batteries. Having well observed her situation on the 22nd and 23rd ultimo, and the evening of the 24th being favourable, I turned the hands up to acquaint the officers and ship's company of my intention to lead them to the attack; which was handsomely returned with three cheers, and that they would all follow to a man. This greatly increased my hopes, and I had little doubt of succeeding. The boats containing one hundred men, including officers, at half-past twelve on the morning of the 25th (after having beat the launch of the ship, which carried a 24-pounder and twenty men, and receiving several guns and small arms from the frigate) boarded; the foreresistance; the quarter-deck disputed the point castle was taken possession of without much took place; the main-deck held out much longer, a quarter of an hour, where a dreadful carnage and with equal slaughter: nor was it before both cables were cut, sail made on the ship, and boats a-head to tow, that the main-deck could be called ours. They last of all retreated to the 'tween decks, and continued firing till their ammunition was expended; then, and not until then, did they cry for quarter. At two o'clock the "Hermione was completely ours, being out of gun-shot from the fort, which had for some time kept up a tolerable good fire. From the Captain, Don Romond de Chalas, I am informed she was nearly ready for sea, mounting 44 guns, with a ship's company of 321 officers and sailors, 56 soldiers, and 15 artillerymen on board. Every officer and man on this expedition behaved with an uncommon degree of valour and exertion; but I consider it particularly my duty to mention the very gallant conduct, as well as the aid and assistance at a particular crisis, I received from Mr. John McMullen, surgeon and volunteer, and Mr. Maxwell, gunner, even after the latter was dangerously wounded. As the frigate was the particular object of your order of the 17th of September, I have thought proper to return into the port with her. Enclosed I transmit you a list of captures during the cruise, also two lists of killed and wounded. "I have the honour to be, &c., "E. HAMILTON." "A List of Killed and Wounded on board the Spanish frigate Hermione," late His Majesty's ship "Hermione," when captured by the boats of His Majesty's ship "Surprize," under the command of Captain Edward Hamilton, in Porto Cavallo, October 25, 1799, and general statement of the complement on board, Prisoners landed at Porto Cavallo the same day, out of which there were 97 wounded, mostly dangerous Escaped in the launch, which was rowing guard round the ship, with a 24pounder Remain prisoners on board On shore on leave, 1 lieutenant, 1 captain of troops, 4 pilots, and 1 midshipman Swam on shore from the ship Killed 228 20 7 392 E. HAMILTON." from Sir Edward Pellew, relating the desperate "I am, Sir, &c., "ST. VINCENT." Impetueux," Palais Road, “MY LORD,—I have true pleasure in stating to your Lordship the good conduct of Lieutenant Jeremiah Coghlan, to whom, for former gallant behaviour, you had given an acting commission to command the "Viper" cutter from this ship. "This gallant young man, when watching Port Louis, thought he could succeed in boarding some of the cutters or gun-vessels which have 3 | been moving about the entrance of that harbour, and for this purpose he entreated a ten-oared cutter from me, with twelve volunteers; and on 15 Tuesday night, the 29th instant, he took this 119 boat with Mr. Silas H. Paddon, midshipman, and six of his men, making with himself twenty; and, accompanied by his own boat and one from the "Amethyst," he determined upon boarding a gun-brig, mounting three long 24-pounders and four 6-pounders, full of men, moored with springs on her cables, in a naval port of difficult access, within pistol-shot of three batteries, surrounded by several armed craft, and not a mile from a 74 and two frigates bearing an admiral's flag. Undismayed by such formidable appearances, the early discovery of his approach (for they were at quarters), and the lost aid of the two other boats, boarded her on the quarter; but unhappily, in he bravely determined to attack alone, and the dark, jumping into a trawl-net, hung up to dry, he was pierced through the thigh by a pike, and several of his men hurt, and all knocked back into the boat. "A List of Killed in the boats of His Majesty's Edward Hamilton, Esq., Captain, several con- "Unchecked in ardour, they hauled the boat further a head, and again boarded, and maintained against 87 men, 16 of whom were soldiers, an obstinate conflict, killing 6 and wounding 20, among whom was every officer belonging to her. His own loss, 1 killed and 8 wounded; himself in two places, Mr. Paddon in six. I feel particularly happy in the expected safety of all the wounded. He speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Paddon, and the whole of his party, many of whom were knocked overboard, and twice beat into the boat, but returned to the charge with unabated courage. I trust I shall stand excused by your Lordship for so minute a description, produced by my admiration of that courage which, hand to hand, gave victory to a handful of brave fellows over four times their number, and of that skill which formed, conducted, and effected so daring an enterprize. "Le Cerbère,' commanded by a Lieut. de Vaisseau, and towed out under a very heavy fire, is given up as a prize by the squadron, to mark their admiration, and will not, I know, be the only reward of such bravery; they will receive that protection your Lordship so liberally accords to all the young men in the service who happily distinguish themselves under your command." "I enclose Lieut. Coghlan's letter, and have the honour to be, &c., "EDWARD PELLEW. "Earl of St. Vincent, C.B., &c." "Ilis Majesty's cutter 'Viper,' Tuesday morn, 8 o'clock. "DEAR SIR, I have succeeded in bringing out the gun-brig "Le Cerbère," of three guns (24pounders) and four 6-pounders, and eighty-seven men, commanded by a Lieut. de Vaisseau. Pray forgive me, when I say from under the batteries of Port Louis, and after a most desperate resistance being made, first by her, and afterwards by the batteries at both sides, and a fire from some small vessels which lay round her; but nothing that I could expect from a vessel lying in that inactive situation was equal to the few brave men belonging to your ship whom I so justly confided in, assisted by six men from the cutter, and Mr. Paddon, midshipman, who I am sorry to say was wounded in several places, though I hope not mortally. I am sorry to state the loss of one man belonging to the cutter, who was shot through the head; and four of your brave men with myself wounded in different parts of the body the principal one I received was with a pike, which penetrated my left thigh. Mr. Patteshall, in the cutter's small boat, assisted with two midshipmen from the "Amethyst," in one of their boats. The loss of the enemy is not yet ascertained, owing to the confusion. "I remain, &c, "J. COGHLAN. “N.B.—There are five killed and twenty-one wounded, some very badly." "A Returnof Killed and Wounded in a Ten-oared Cutter belonging to the "Impetueux," under the command of Lieut. Jeremiah Coghlan, on the 29th of July. Viper" cutter-1 seaman killed; Lieut. Jeremiah Coghlan, Mr. Silas H. Paddon (midshipman), 2 seamen, wounded, "Impetueux "-4 seamen wounded. Total-1 killed, 8 wounded." (62.) YESTERDAY forenoon (4th April), arrived at the Admiralty a foreign messenger from Leghorn, with despatches from Lord Keith, Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean. He brought the very unpleasant tidings of the loss of the "Queen Charlotte," of 110 guns, his Lordship's flag-ship, which took fire just before daybreak on the morning of the 17th March, while under an easy sail, between the island of Gorgona and Leghorn. The accident was occasioned by the fire of a match, which was kept lighted for the purpose of firing signal guns, and communicated to some hay which lay on the half-deck. The fire spread very rapidly, and bursting through the portholes and the hatchway of the ship, soon caught the shrouds; and notwithstanding every exertion, she burnt to the water's edge, and then blew up. Upwards of 700 lives are lost; as the boats of the ship could not contain one-fourth of the complement of men. Lord Keith was himself on shore at Leghorn. (63.) Loss oF THE "QUEEN CHARLOTTE."WE have the painful duty to state the loss of His Majesty's ship "Queen Charlotte," of 110 guns, Capt. Todd, which was blown up off the harbour of Leghorn, on the 17th of March, when the Commander, and, we fear, above 800 of the crew, perished by the explosion. Vice-Admiral Lord Keith, whose flag was flying on board of her was, at the time, with some of the officers, providentially on shore. Twenty commissioned and warrant officers, two servants, and one hundred and forty-two seamen were the whole of the persons who escaped destruction. The only consolation that presents itself under the pressure of so calamitous a disaster is, that it was not the effect either of treachery or wilful neglect,. as will appear by the following statement: Circumstances immediately preceding and attending the loss of His Majesty's ship "Queen Charlotte," off Leghorn, on the 17th March, 1800. Mr. John Baird, carpenter of the "Queen Charlotte," reports that about twenty minutes after six o'clock yesterday morning, as he was dressing himself, he heard throughout the ship a general cry of "Fire!" on which he immediately ran up the fore ladder to get upon the deck, and found the whole half-deck, the front bulk-head of the admiral's cabin, the main-mast's coat, and boat's covering on the booms, all in flames, which from every report and probability he apprehends was occasioned by some hay, which was lying under the half-deck, having been set on fire by a match in a tub, which was usually kept there for signal guns. The main-sail at this time was set, and almost entirely caught fire, the people not being able to come to the clue garnets, on account of the flames. He immediately went on the forecastle, and found Lieutenant Dundas and the boatswain encouraging the people to get water to extinguish the fire. He applied to Mr. Dundas, seeing no other officer on the fore part of the ship (and being unable to see any on the quarter-deck, from the flames and smoke between them), to give them assistance to drown the lower-decks and secure the hatches, to prevent the fire falling down. Lieutenant Dundas accordingly went down himself, with as many people as he could prevail upon to follow him, and the lower-decks' ports were opened, the scuppers plugged, the main and fore-hatches secured, and the cocks turned, and water drawn in at the ports, and the pumps kept going by the people who came down, as long as they could stand at them. He thinks that, by these exertions, the lower deck was kept free from fire, and the magazines preserved for a long time from danger; nor did Lieutenant Dundas or he quit this station, but remained there with all the people who could be prevailed upon to stay, till several of the middle-deck guns came through that deck. About nine o'clock, Lieutenant Dundas and he finding it impossible to remain any longer below, went out at the fore-mast lower-deck port, and got upon the forecastle, on which he apprehended there were then about one hundred and fifty of |