such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission as have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and his Majesty's said Advocate General, with the Advocate of the Admiralty, are also forthwith to prepare the draft of a commission, and present the same to his Majesty at this Board, authorising the said Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral to will and require of the High Court of Admiralty of Great Britain, and the Lieutenant and Judge of the said Court, his Surrogate or Surrogates, as also the several Cour's of Admiralty within his Majesty's dominions which shall be duly commissionated to take cognizance of, and judicially proceed upon all and all manner of captures, seizures, prizes, and reprisals of all ships and goods that are or shall be made, and to hear and determine the same, and according to the course of Admiralty, and the laws of nations, to adjudge and condemn all such ships, vessels, and goods as shall belong to the persons inhabiting the Countries styling themselves the Ligurian and Italian Republics; and that such powers and authorities be inserted in the said commission as have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and they are likewise to prepare and lay before his Majesty at this Board a draft of such instructions as may be proper to be sent to the said several Courts of Admiralty in his Majesty's foreign governments and plantations for their guidance herein; as also another draft of instructions for such ships as shall be.commissionated for the purposes afore-mentioned. From the Court at St. James's, the seventeenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and three.Portland, P.-Chatham-Castlereagh.-Hobart.Hawkesbury.-C. F. Greville, V. C.

My Lord,-The zeal, yalty, and public spirit, which continue to be manifested in every part of the kingdom, having had the effect of producing voluntary offers of service to so considerable an amount as to render it unnecessary for his Majesty to order and direct the Lieutenant, or Deputy Lieutenants of the County of to cause the persons comprised in the first, second, and third classes of persons enrolled for military service, in conformity to the provisions of the Act of the 43d Geo. III. cap. 96, or any, or either of them, to be trained and exercised in the use of arms; I am to inform your lordship, that it is his Majesty's pleasure to suspend for the present such of the provisions of the act as require the men enrolled for military service to be trained and exercised, subject, nevertheless (conformably to the 53d clause of the said act) to such conditions as to the number of effective men to be constanly existing in the Volunteer Corps of the County, and to such other rules and regulations as to exercise and muster, or inspection by general or other officers, as to his Majesty shall seem necessary.-In order, however, to enable his Majesty, if he shall judge it advisable, at a future period, to resort to the clauses respecting the training and exercise, your lordship must be aware of the absolute necessity of carrying into execution those provisions of the act which relate to the enrolment in the several districts and parishes, and to the returns which are to be made to the Secretary of

State.-1 am further to acquaint your lordship, that the inconvenience which must unavoidably arise from carrying the volunteer system to an unlimited extent, has determined his Majesty not to authorize, at present, any additional Volunteer Corps to be raised in any County where the number of effective members of these corps, including the yeomanry, shall exceed the amount of ix times the Militia, exclusive of the Supplementary quota, making in the county of men, and in providing that number, your lordship will avail yourself of your own knowledge and experience, with a view to such a selection as may be best suited to local considerations.-But in the event of the effective numbers of the corps already recommended by your lordship, having arrived at -, you will post

pone the communication of any further offers, until his Majesty shall be pleased to signify his intention to increase the volunteer force in the County under your lordship's charge.-I have the honour to be, &c. HOBART.

To His Majesty's Lieutenant of the County of

Plan of a Volunteer Naval Armament for the Protection of the Coast, transmitted to the Lords Lieutenants of the Maritime Counties by Lord Hobart. A regular establishment for the inrolment of seafaring persons under the denomination of Sea Fencibles, having been formed by the Board of Admiralty, upon the line of coast more immediately opposed to the enemy, it is thought adviseable that measures should be taken for a further extension of that system, and for rendering the services of that description of Volunteers available, as well for the naval detence of the country, as for the purpose of manning the batteries upon the coast. With this view, it is proposed, first, That it be recommended to the Lords Lieutenants of the Maritime Counties to co-operate with the Board of Admiralty in obtaining the inrolment of all sea-faring men, not applicable to the service of the navy, upon their respective coasts, under the general denomination of Sea Fencibles. Secondly, That it be recommended to the principal sea-port towns to equip, at their own expense, a certain number of armed vessels and hulks, to be stationed for the better security and protection of such ports, and to be appropriated to, and manned by Sea Fencibles, who shall take charge of them, and be exercised on board at the guns as often as may be required. Thirdly, That where the proportion of Sea Fencibles, which any place can furnish, is greater than such place can find shipping to employ; and likewise where any place is capable of providing men, but unable to procure vessels; in both these cases vesThat as colliers and coasting vessels are well adapted sels shall be turnished by government. Fourthly, to be armed as gun-boats, it be recommended to the principal merchants and owners in every port in this kingdom, to fit their vesselss of that description with slides between decks, and loop-holes in the combings of their hatchways, for close quarters; these vessels to carry two guns forward, and two aft, to fight on either side, as well as fore and aft. Fifthly, That when the vessels are reported ready, guns and ammunition shall be put on board by government, free of expense to the owners; the masters giving a receipt and voucher to return them when demanded, and to keep a regular account of the expenditure of the stores. Sixthly, That these vessels.

*The expense of such fitting has been calcu lated under 541.

largest that ever came to this country. It consists of 381 sail; of which 136 are destined for London, 74 for Hull, 20 for Newcastle, 23 for Leith, 18 for Liverpool, and 110 for different other ports.-According to a statement which has very lately been published here, the number of cargoes of the fishing vessels which entered at the Coast Office in the Custom House, London, was, in 1798, 1407; in 1799, 162; in 1800, 2167; in 1801, 2668; and in 1802, 3255; amounting, in all to 11120. According to the same statement, 2238 tons of fresh Cod, Haddock, Skaite, Thornback, &c. and 186,200 fresh Mackarel, were brought to Billingsgate market, in the season of 1802, by the different candidates for the bounties granted by the Treasury; and, in the season of 1803, 3576 tons of fresh Cod, Haddock, Skaite, Thornback, &c.; 866,995 fresh Mackarel, 4,677,500 fresh Herrings, and 10,309 bushels of fresh Sprats.

MILITARY.-Several Bodies of French troops have began their march from the interior of Italy towards the shores of the Mediterranean, The army of observation in the south of Italy, under the command of Gen. St. Cyr, is daily receiving rein forcements: it occupies, at present, that part of Naples which extends from the frontiers of the papal states to Otranto and Tarentum.

Part of the two divisions which are posted between Mantua and Verona, have received orders to pass the Adige, and take their route by Ferrara and Ancona, into Naples. Not more than 12,000 men will then remain in the environs of Mantua, and on the borders of the Austrian frontiers. Troops destined to strengthen the army in Hanover are now passing through Westphalia. The cabinet of Berlin has consented that they should traverse that part of the principality of Munster which belongs to Westphalia; and the Prussian general Blucher has had several conferences with the French general for the purpose of regulating this passage. The number of French troops in Hanover, exclusive of Osnaburgh, amount to 19,600, which are thus divided, 4480 infantry and 840 cavalry in Callenburg; 4623 infantry and 1155 cavalry in Lunebourg; 860 infantry and 260 cavalry in the Duchy of Lauenburg; 2970 infantry and 1050 cavalry in the Duchies of Bremen and Verden, and the province of Hadeln; and 880 infantry and 500 cavalry in the county of Hoya.-It is said that a French camp of 15,000 men, will be formed towards the beginning of September, about

five leagues from Brussels, on the road to Namur. The camp on Gossel-heath will be broken up. The French are withdrawing from Overyssel to the southern part of the Batavian Republic, particularly towards Zealand, Bergen-op-zoom, &c. The head quarters of the Batavian General Bruce will be removed to Ter Goes, where a camp will be formed. Gen. Dessolles, with his division, from the territory of Osnaburg, will occupy Overyssel, and Gen. Cassagnes will remove from Dwentar to Gourda, which as well as the other towns in that department will receive strong garrisons; the army will be formed nearer the coast. 12,000 men are proceeding towards the coast of North Holland; 15,000 are assembled in Zealand, and a large detachment has been embarked at Bergen-op zoom for Zierikzee. Strenbergen has received a considerable body of French troops; and five battalions of Batavian infantry from Gossel-heath have arrived in the Isle of Walcheren. At Flushing, Middleburg, and throughout Zealand they are busied in preparing for the invasion of England.

NAVAL.-On the 1st of August, Capt. Mundy, in the Hydra, captured the French lugger Le Favori, of 4 guns. The capture was made near Tongues, by the boats of the ship, under the direction of Lieut. Tracy. The crew of the lugger run her up near the branch and landed, but notwithstanding their being aided by a large part of the military on shore, Lieut. Tracy succeeded in bringing her off.-On the 13th Capt. Rose, in the Jamaica, off the Isle de Bas, captured the French privateer Fanny of 2 guns and 24 men.-On the 14th Capt. Paget, in the Endymion, captured the French privateer Le General Moreau, of 16 guns and 85 men; six days from Bourdeaux.-On the 15th the boats of the Cerberus, under the orders of Lieut. Mansel, made an attack on the enemy's shipping in Concalle Bay, but the coast being alarmed, they could only bring off One large fishing vessel. They proceeded, however, to St. Cas Bay, where they were successful in cutting out seven fishing vessels, of 16 or 18 tons each.-On the night of the 16th Lieut. Watt with the boats of the Ville de Paris, passed within the rocks at Ushant, and brought out the French lugger Le Messager, of 8 guns and 40 men.It is said that Sir Home Popham has been appointed to the command of a secret expedition, for which preparations are now making at Sheerness.

SUMMARY OF POLITICS. PRINCE OF WALES.In two former numbers of the present volume †, we thought it our duty to remonstrate against the conduct of ministers, with regard to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; and, we derive no small satisfaction from perceiving, that there are very few persons, who do not, on this subject, entirely concur in our sentiments. To refuse the Prince a command, while the rest of his Royal Brothers are employed, is to make a distinction so invidious, is to cast such a slur on the character and rank of his Royal Highness, is, in effect, to give such a stab to the monarchy, that no person, who does not wish to see the destruction of that monarchy, or, at least, who is not perfectly indifferent as to its existence, can possibly hear of this refusal, without feeling the utmost indignation at the conduct of the ministers, to whom, and to whom alone, it can, or ought to be ascribed. The evil consequences, which this attempt to degrade the Prince must produce, and the dreadful consequences, which, if persevered in, and followed up by other attempts of the same kind, it may finally produce, shall be the subject of a distinct essay in our next number: at present we shall content ourselves with urging the necessity of publishing the corre spondence, which has, on this occasion, taken place, between his Royal Highness and the ministers. That it is expedient, that the heir-apparent to the throne should stand high in the opinions of the people, is, we imagine, a position, which even the ministers themselves will hardly attempt to deny; and, disguise the fact how we may, it is absolutely impossible, that, while the transaction, of which we are now speaking, remains enveloped in darkness, the people of this country, whose habit it is to think for themselves, should not entertain doubts respecting the character and views of their future Sovereign, doubts not less dangerous to the present safety of the realm than injurious to his Royal Highness. By publishing the correspondence, therefore, the danger would be removed, and the injury palliated, though by no means redressed. It has been officially declared, that his Royal Highness has offered his services as a general in the army, employed for the defence of the country; for the defence of the people, over whom he is to reign, and whose peace and happiness and safety must, in a great degree, depend upon his

+ See pages 192-and-218.

wisdom and his courage. All that the peo ple know of, as the consequence of this offer, is, that it has been rejected. They are well aware, that his Royal Highness has been a military man from his youth; they perceive his Royal Brothers and Cousin invested with high military commands, and they, moreover, see the latter sent to infuse, by bis presence, a military spirit into the people of that principality from which his Royal Highness takes his title! And, can it be supposed, that the people do not wish to know the cause of this distinction? Had the slanders of the King-killing saints reduced the nation to that state of indifference, gloomy indeed would be the prospect be. fore us! As to the objection founded on the field-marshalship of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, that might have been obviated by placing the Prince at the head of the irregular army, a measure which would, in every point of view, have been attended with immense advantage to the service. Besides, if there had still been an objection to assigning the Prince a command in this Island, what objection could there be, or can there now be, to giving him the military or civil command in Ireland, where there is every reason to hope and to believe, that his presence alone would give greater security to the country than an army of an hundred thousand men, and where, without some such step, it is greatly to be feared, that tranquillity will never be restored?No satisfactory reason can, therefore, be conceived, why, at this time of universal zeal and exertion, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales should be condemned to an irksome, not to say disgraceful, inactivity; and the nation demands from the ministers, and beseeches from his Royal Highness, that explanation, which can be afforded only by the correspondence, which has, on this subject, taken place between them. For want of an explanation of the truth, falsehoods are circulating in every direction; falsehoods the most atrocious in themselves, and of a tendency the most dangerous. We shall not dwell upon the insinuations which have been made as to the "manner," in which the Prince tendered his services, the "exorbitant demands” with which his offer was clogged, the "interest"ed" and "aspiring" views, apparent in his conduct. These wicked and base insinuations will produce little effect upon well-informed persons; but, then, how few are there who answer that description! The minister did, indeed, condescend to acknowledge, that the Prince's offer was made in "a most handsome and gallant manner;"

but, it is understood, in the world, that these are words of course; and, besides, their effect was instantly destroyed by the mysterious close of the minister's declaration, from which the natural inference was, that something was suppressed in tenderness to the Prince. Thus it was that the affair went forth to the world; and, under the improving influence of the se wretches, who are never wanted to anticipate, and, we hope, in the present instance, they have surpassed, the wishes of their superiors, the Prince's injuries have been increased a thousand-fold. The truth is, that, unless the ministers pub ish the correspondence, we, for our parts, cannot see how the Prince can avoid doing it; for, to suppose him willing to bear the conclusions, which the partizans of ministers draw from his silence, would be to join in the slander that we have so decidedly condemned. The publication of the correspondence will also destroy the effect of the insinuations, by the means of which it is attempted to fix upon another great personnage the blame of refusing the offers of the Prince. The nation will then see, that the refusal came from the ministers, and, from the nature of their excuses, will be able to discover the real motives, by which they have been actuated in injaring and insulting a personage, whom, next to their Royal Master, it was their bounden duty to cherish and to honour, but whom, for reasons too obvious to mention, they wish to keep in a state of helplessness and obscurity.We shall, in our next, resume this important subject.

As

RUSSIA. The policy of this court is by no means decisive. It is not inimical to us; but, there appears to be no reason to suppose, that it is hostile to our enemy. far, perhaps, as is necessary to put a stop to French encroachments in the North of Europe, Russia may interfere; but, we have been informed, and that, too, from very good authority, that the Russian ministers are afraid to stir an inch with the persons, who at present bold the reigns of power in this country. This is what we have frequently predicted: those who abandoned Portugal, the King of Sardinia, the Stadtholder, and the Vendean Royalists, can never expect confidence from any foreign court, which is not under the influence of insanity or of treason. The nation is now suffering for the folly and pusillanimity of its ministers. Were there, in power, men in whom Russia could confide, a Russian fleet would, perhaps, have been at this moment in the Channel while a Russian army would have been on its march for Italy. We should find it difficult to answer many of the ques

tions of our correspondent THOMAS,* who is a very well-informed politician; but, against facts we cannot reason, and we know it to be a fact, that Russia is, and always, since the accession of Alexander, has been, favourably disposed towards this country; and, our readers may rely, that the weakness and pusillanimity of the English ministry are the principal cause of the indecision of Russia. Events may, indeed, lead Russia into the contest; but, till she has decided, there is always danger; and, it must be obvious, that her assistance now, would, at once make a most important change in the complexion of affairs.

SIERRA LEONE. It is a considerable time since we endeavoured to draw the attention of our readers to the baneful effects of fanaticism, as displayed in the establishment of this colony. Far be it from us to regret the loss, which has been sustained by the original promoters of this measure; on the contrary, we heartily wish, that their persons and properties were all embarked in the philanthropic experiment; but, we do regret, and we blush for, the weakness of that government, which could be induced to expend such large sums of money, in support of so visionary a scheme. Now, however, we have the satisfaction to learn, that a naval gentleman of abilities. and character, has been sent out to enquire into the present state of the colony; and, as his return is daily expected, we venture to predict, that, if his report be made public, it will clearly appear, even to the most incredulous of Mr. Wilberforce's friends, that government and the country have been shamefully deceived and cheated, and that nothing but destruction awaits a colony, which, without ever having produced any one good effect, has cost so many lives, and such large sums of money.If the few remaining settlers, who, according to the last accounts, had not a foot of land beyond cover of the guns of the fort, and very little of that under cultivation; if these miserable creatures were not already expelled, or cut off by the natives, whom they went out to civilize, it would be a consummation devoutly to be wished, that Messrs. Wilberforce and Thornton, and all the other persons, who are filling our streets with blacks, and raising up amongst us a race of filthy mulattoes, would themselves go to the relief and re-establishment of that colony, on the success of which the civilization of Africa and the happiness of the blacks in the West Indies are said to depend.--Short follies are best, and we do

* See p. 244.