reading of the Scotch Small Notes Bill, which was read accordingly, and the Bill ordered to be committed on Monday.-Adjourned.

MONDAY, MAY 8.

The Addition Stamp Duty, and Attornies' Regulating Bills, were brought in and read a first time.

The Cambrick and French Lawns Bill was read a first time.

Mr. Tierney prefented feveral petitions, figned by upwards of 3000 fhipbuildres, caulkers, maft-makers,fawyers, and artificers employed on the Thames, in confequence of a Bill now depending in Parliament, whofe operation they conceive to be injurious to themfelves and families. The Bill alluded to contained a claufe "For registering Ships built in the Settlements in poffefion of the East India Company," which the Petitioners confidered as a virtual repeal of the Navigation A&t.

The petitions were brought up, read, and laid upon the Table.

Mr. Pitt moved the Order of the Day for the Houfe to refolve itfelf into a Committee, to take into confideration the Eftimates prefented to the Houfe by his Majefty's command, for enabling him to increase the pay and allowance to Seamen, &c. in conformity to an Order of Council on the 3d of May, 1797. The Houfe having refolved itself in the faid Committee,

Mr. Pitt rofe, apparently much agitated and embarraffed. He began by ftating, that when any propofition was brought forward for an increafe of the public expenditure, it might naturally be expected that he should enter upon a detailed ftatement of the caufe that led to that augmentation of pay and allowance in any of the fervices. On the prefent occafion, however, he declared, that he did not find himself at liberty to enter into a detail of the tranfactions.-Obferving how much this fubject occupied the attention of the Houfe, he felt himfelf obliged to fay, that he muft truft to their judgment in concurring to the Motion, in preference to their entering into a long difcuffion. He was, befides, unable to enter into a statement of the events that had more recently happened, and if he could, he fhould feel a reluctance in doing it; for whatever the extent of thofe embarraffments might be, they were wholly, or in a great degree, to be ascribed to misreprefentaThe utmost caution ought to be employed to avoid even the poffibility of

tions.

mifreprefentation. Nothing could, in his opinion, contribute fo effectually to filence difcontent, as the unanimous decition of Parliament. He therefore felt it his duty, on public grounds, to entreat the judgment, and, if poffible, the filent judgment of the Houfe. He then moved that the fum of 536,000!. be granted to his Majefty, to enable him to defray the increased pay and allowance to Seamen, Marines, &c. according to the diftribution in the Order of Council, founded on the Report of the Commiffioners of the Admiralty, and alfo about 21,000 l. for increased expences already incurred.

The Refolutions were read by the Chairman; and, on the question for their being read a fecond time,

Every

Mr. Fox rofe and faid he fhould cer tainly agree to the Refolutions, but he fhould betray his duty to the country were he to give a filent vote. He differed from the Right Hon. Gentleman in his notions of confidence. question relative to the public expendi ture ought to be fully difcuffed. The Minifter had alluded to misreprefenta tion of debates, but, instead of difcuf fion, a profound filence had been obferved, and a fufpicion of the fincerity of Ministers had ripened into revolt. Why, he defired to know, had they fuf. fered a whole fortnight to elapfe before any application was made for the interference of Parliament? The confe quence of this criminal conduct, which argued a degree of guilt and incapacity unparalleled in the annals of the coun. try, would attach generally upon the Houfe, were the Refolutions to pass without remonstrance.

It was the duty of the Houfe to in quire how far the Admiralty had acceded to the wishes of the Seamen, and how far the Seamen were fatisfied, and whether the remedy proposed was likely to be effectual in allaying the difcontents. The Houfe had a right to com plete information, and if their privileges were not maintained, they were giving them up to men who had proved them. felves unworthy of the confidence of the country.

Mr. Sheridan declared that the cir cumftances of the cafe were fuch as to induce him to vote without information. The Minifter had alluded to the new mutiny, and faid, "Nothing can tend more towards the restoration of harmony than an unanimous vote." He wished to know why he did not bring forward

his

TUESDAY, MAY 9.

Mr. Whitbread faid, in confequence of what happened yefterday, on a fubject which arrested the attention of every individual, he confidered it his duty to inquire of the Minifter, why he did not at an earlier period propofe the refolution which he fubmitted to the Houfe yefterday, which was unanimously adopt ed, and which, if prefented fooner, would probably have prevented the moft difaftrous confequences?

Mr. Pitt faid, no man could avoid lamenting that the earliest opportunity poffible was not taken; but the Hon. Gentleman was mifinformed, if he fuppofed that no fteps had been taken. So early as the 26th of April, the subject was referred to the Privy Council, to confider of the Memorial of the Lords of the Admiralty, relative to the Seamen's demands. The matter was after wards fubmitted to the King in Council, and, upon his approbation of it, directions were given for the eftimate to be laid before the Houfe. Every thing had been put into an official train; but more fpeed would certainly have been employed, were it poffible to forcfee the effects of procraftination. On any future occafion he expreffed his readiness to fubmit to an inveftigation of his conduct to the decision of the House. At prefent, however, he felt it his first duty to recommend that a bill, founded on the Refolutions which had already been adopted, fhould be immediately paffed, as the best mode of terminating this unfortunate business.

Mr. Fox defired to know whether fuch language as the Houfe had juft now heard was to be endured, after an VOL. XXXI. JUNE 1797.

inftance of such fatal and unfufferable neglect ? The effect of these mifchievous delays might easily have been predicted. He then took a review of the negotiation between the Delegates and the Commiffioners of the Admiralty, and the fubfequent refolutions of Go vernment to the Order of Council on the 3d inftant, on which the estimates (delayed to fo late a period as Monday laft) were founded. In the whole of this proceeding there were fuch evident marks of confcious guilt, as, he trusted, would induce the Houfe to cenfure the conduct of Adminiftration. The Minifter affected to lament the confequences that had arifen from his delay but could he ftate any individual act of his Miniftry which had not afforded to his country a fubject of lamentation ?— More lives, it was now understood, had been loft, and many high in profeffional character, for whofe fervices their country were deeply indebted, were at this moment in a fituation of the utmoft peril. Under fuch circumftances, it became the bounden duty of the House to ftamp the conduct which had produced this effect with fome mark of reprobation.

Mr. Whitbread faid, in confequence of what had fallen from Mr. Fox, he fhould proceed immediately to move a vote of cenfure. The thinness of the Houfe could be no objection, for it was certainly as full as when fums of money had been voted in the utmoft profufion.

Mr. Sheridan began an eloquent and animated fpeech, by reprobating the conduct of Minifters for delaying the confideration of the Seamen's claims, to make way for the Imperial Loan, the Princefs Royal's Portion, &c. of lefs importance to the true interefts of the country. Unless the Minifter had been completely befotted, it was impoffible for him not to have apprehended new jealoufies and difcontents from his fcandalous procrastination. The nature of the difcontents were unknown to the House; but if there were men among them who wished to facrifice the Conftitution, they were the bafeft traitors on earth, and he could not perfuade himfelf the British Sailors, who ought to be actuated by nobler fentiments, would of their own accord be found cavilling for an increafe of pay, when the dearest interefts of their country were involved. Some encroachments he was inclined to think had been made on their rights, or attempts to Iii

abridge

abridge their comforts. Whatever the confequences may be, he declared that they were wholly imputable to the miconduct of Adminiftration. He concluded by propofing a Committee to meet the other Houfe now, with a view to a joint Committee, empowered to fend for perfons, papers, and records, and like wife to be at liberty to adjourn from time to time, and from place to place.

Mr. Pitt faid, the question he wished to bring before the Houfe was of infinitely more importance than the propo fition of the Hon. Member; a propofition calculated to produce a total change in the difcipline of the Navy, and to fubvert the fundamental principles of the Conftitution; becaufe its obvious tendency was to fuperfede the functions, not only of the Executive Government, but alfo thofe of the Legislature of the country. He concluded by moving, that a meffage be fent to the Lords, defiring them to continue their fittings for 1ome time.

Mr. Sheridan till perfifted in his Motion for the appointment of a joint Com. mittee to inquire into the caufes that had produced the extraordinary infub

ordination in the fleet.

The Speaker put Mr. Pitt's Motion, and a Meffage was fent accordingly to the other House.

The Refolution of the Committee of Supply, for granting the fum of fix millions five hundred and feventy-two thoufand pounds to His Majefty, for the increafed pay and allowance of the Seamen, &c. was read, and a bill ordered in pursuance of that Refolution.

Mr. Whitbread poftponed his motion, on account of the fhortnefs of the notice. Mr. Pitt then brought up the Bill founded on the above Refolution. It contained a provifion not before mentioned, becaufe an estimate of the expence could not be made, namely, for the continuance of pay to Seamen, &c. who were wounded, until their wounds were healed. The Bill was read the first and fecond time, committed, engroffed, read a third time, paffed, and, after an adjournment of feveral hours, received the Royal Affent by Commiffion, which gives it the efficacy of Law. -Adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10.

Mr. Whitbread rofe to make his promifed Motion for acenfure on Minifters for delaying to bring the Admiralty Reports on the late Mutiny at Portfmouth before the House. He took a view of

all the tranfactions that have tranfpired on the unfortunate bufinefs, from the firft fymptoms of difcontent to the late explosion, and contended, that, according to the negotiation with the Admiralty, it was exprefsly ftipulated on the part of the Seamen, that the promise of the Lords of the Admiralty and the proclamation fhould be ratified by Parlia ment with the utmost celerity and dif patch. This was fhamefully delayed to Monday laft, and to the criminal delay were to be afcribed the late difcontents. He fhould therefore move, that "the Right Hon. William Pitt, having fo long delayed the eftimates of the Seamen's increafed pay and allowance, is guilty of a gross neglect of duty, and deferves the cenfure of this Houfe."

Mr. Pitt rofe, and proceeded to difcufs the Question as applicable to delay, and having entered upon a history of the whole tranfaction, contended that there was unquestionable evidence of the intention of Minifters to bring for. ward the bufinefs on Monday, (fooner it could not poffibly have been done), for the completion of the engagement with the Seamen. Of the fincerity of Minifters the proofs were numerous and irrefragable, and denied that any imputation of guilt or criminality attached upon them. He concluded by ftating, that whatever cenfure might be due to him, that the country would not be longer deprived of the exertions of the fleet.

Mr. Whitbread, in confequence of what had fallen from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, wifhed to amend his Motion, by leaving out "The Hon. W. Pitt, and inferting "His Majesty's Minifters."

Mr. Rofe, jun. urged the propriety of poftponing the question. The accufation of the Minifter, he contended, was the effect of party animofity, rather than a fincere with to promote the interefts of the country.

Mr. Fox went through the various ftages of the bufinefs, and concluded by obferving, that the Houfe could not give a better earneft to the public for preventing a recurrence of the error or crime, than to mark it by their cenfure.

Mr. Whitbread made a general reply, and declared his intention to perfift in

his Motion.

A divifion then took place, when there appeared for the Motion, 63; against it, 237. Adjourned.

AC.

IN

our laft (page 337), we had the fatisfaction of announcing the conclufion, as we then fuppofed, of the most difgraceful circumitance which ever befell this Nation. We now, with forrow, refume the fubject:

The conceffions of Parliament, and the moderation of Lord Howe, appeared to have fettled every thing in difpute, and order was expected to ensue. In this, however, we were difappointed: the failors at Portsmouth foon after came on fhore and committed every kind of excefs, and four of them were iecured in cuftody for a rape and robbery. Some attempts were made to refcue them, but without effect.

On May 22d, the Fleet at Sheerness began to fhew figns of ferment, and fhortly the Mutineers took poffeffion of the fhips then there.

At leven o'clock on Saturday evening, Earl Spencer, Admiral Young, Lord Arden, and Mr. Mariden, fet off from the Admiralty for Sheerness, and at twelve o'clock the fame night an Admiralty Meffenger followed, with his Majesty's Proclamation, offering his molt gracious pardon to fuch men as, having been feduced from their duty, should return to it.

In order to concentrate the fcene of their operations, and to render their plans more effectual, the mutinous feamen compelled all the hips which lay near Sheernefs to drop down to the Great Nore, among which was the St. Fiorenzo, which had been fitted up to carry the Princess of Wirtemberg to Germany. No man could leave his hip without a

kind of paffport, figned by fome of the Delegates, which was called a Liberty Ticket; and if any feaman was found without fuch an order, he was kept a clofe prifoner till he could fhew by what means he had obtained leave of abfence.

Thefe Delegates came regularly every day to Sheernels, where they held their conferences. They then paraded the treets and ramparts of the garrison with a degree of triumphant infolence, which had been extremely aggravated by the arrival of a regiment of Militia from Canterbury; against whom they held up in fcorn the bloody flag of defiance. At the head of these men marched that perfon who was confidered as Admiral of their Fleet. The Captain of the Forecaitle was the efficient, though not the nominal Commander of every fhip. It is a moft lamentable fact, that no Officer had any command or authority whatever.

On Saturday fourteen Delegates came up the river, to induce the crews of his Majefty's fhips lying in the Long Reach to drop down to the Nore. As foon as it was understood who thofe perfons were, they were fired upon from a fort below Tilbury. At Gravefend they were taken into cuftody by the loyal inhabitants of that town; but having been foon after fet at liberty, they prevailed on the feamen of the Lancaster, of 64 guns, which lay at Long Reach, to join them.

On Monday, an Admiralty Board being formed at Commillioner Hartwell's houte, the Delegates were fent for and introduced to Lords Spencer, Arden, &c. One of the feamen, called Parker *, the principal