4 po the Chancellor of the Exchequer to *cifice a million to gratify the whim, or ciliate the onftinacy, and infure the pecarious attachinent of one capricious, anfecting individus. However, if a ical, he would not Toy, cordial friendhip evuld be promoted by fuch means, he sa-i intle objection. It the hands of gofeinment could be firengthened by fortifying the deck yards, a million was but a title to of et luch a falutary purpose. If Le principle was fairly avowed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, or any of his vouching friends, he would vote for the noble Duke's fortification; confident, as he was, that it would promote peace, unanimity and concord in the cabinet, where it was fometimes to much wanted, adal ways to Totially requifite. Beides, the beneficial eff Ets wou'd n't stop there —faction would be depreiled and confounded; the petitions on the table would be withdrawn; the murmurs and complants of the people would ceafe, if it was once avowed that the House of Com- Another at Plymouth mons had generoully voted away a million of their conftituents money, for the fole and exprefs purpofe of cementing an allarce, between two fuch great perfonages as the Mafter General of the Ordnanse and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. To Abloh an adequate fund for the pay ment of the intereft, and other incidental expences, he hoped the hop tax would be made perpetual, and the produce of it unalienably applied to the building of fortifications. ter Lake, above three miles in extent? He would appeal to any military man, whether an enemy's column might not, with the utmost facility, and with very little danger penetrate between his two projected forts, and his boasted works must then fall at once. Was it ever difcuffed, or was it ever moved as a propofition by the noble Duke, and fubmitted to the Board whether magazines (bomb proof) might not be built in the centre of Portsea Island, at a very inconfiderable expence, and whether an immenfe fum might not be faved by confining our military works to that ifland alone? A bomb proof maga zine (he fpoke from the unquestionable authority of an excellent engineer) of about 402 rods of brick work would hold almoft double the quantity of combustible ftores contained in the dock yard at Portfmouth. This at 10l. per rod, 4000 o Filling up the infide Mr. Courtenay then begged leave to obferve, left the panegyrick paffed upon the noble Duke in an elogium by an hon. Gentleman (General Burgoyne) should make too ftrong an impreflion on the House, that the noble Duke's skill was rather problematical, and indeed held in very fight eftimation by profeflional officars, with whom he had converfed on the fubject. He had been told that there was a battery erected at South Sea Caftle, by the noble Duke himfelf; nobody difpated the honour of it with him; it was his own unclaimed dividend: many of the pins were to injudiciously placed, that they would not bear on the defigned obj,—the buoy on the fpit on firing; their r.col endangered the battery; and the Barrow enclosed cafemates were fo well contrived, to prevent the efcape of the fmoke. that on quick firing, the gunners t perish bike bees fuffocated in a hive. What fhould we think of the noble Duke's line of defence, from Stoke's Bay to Fra 1000 0 O 5000 0 0 5000 0 0 1,000 O In fhort, the very refpectable Board of Naval and Land Officers were attacked by furprize, and furrounded and befieged by the noble Duke's new raised corps of data, axioms, poftulata, lemmas, corrol, laries, and hypothetical fyllogifins, and foon found themselves reduced to furrender at difcretion. Seriously, they found themfelves abfolutely precluded from confidering the general defence of the kingdom, combined in all its circumstances, on a large and comprehenfive view; and only fpecially appointed to examine the noble Duke's plans for Portsmouth and Plymouth, and report accordingly. Mr. Courtenay begged leave to remark, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had always, and indeed, rather triumphantly laid it down as an incontrovertible datum, that the very existence of our fleet depend→ ed on the ftores in our two dock yard. Was the fact fo? Thank God it was not ? the Right Hon. Gentleman had again that day, with his ufual eloquence, in all the fafcinating pomp of declamation, enobled and dignified-hemp, tar, pitch and oakum, turpentine and fail-cloth, by the name, ftile and title of the feeds and stamina of the future navies of England. Was this the language of a British state man? Was this the language of a well informed enlightened British minifter? For his part, he had always formed a very different idea on the fubject-he had had always thought that the feeds and stamina of our feers confifted in an unbounded commerce, in the fuperior skill and gallantry of our Naval Officers, in the hardiness and intrepidity of the British failors in the freedom of the British conftitution, which diffused a spirit of independence to the loweft individual of the community. Such were the true ftamina of our Navy; of that Navy to which Britain was indebted for her empire and her glory, and which had extended her fame to the extremities of the globe. “In vain the pations have confpired her fall, "Hert cach the fea, and fleets her floating wall." But could the Right Hon. Gentleman be ignorant, that there are ten times the quantity of naval ftores in the Merchants warehoutes in the river, that where ever at one time in the King's stores at Portf mouth or Plymouth. How many fhips of the line were launched laft war from flips in the river? Where did the Eaft India Company build "the Afia, Ganges, and the Bombay?'' Did not a noble Lord contract with private builder for the fhip he defigned as a present to the King? but to his great regret, was most unluckily prevented from accomplishing his patriotick defign, by that neceffary peace which a Noble Earl made-and the Chancellor of the Exchequer figned. Mr. Courtenay then expatiated on the spirit and generous exertions of the country Gentlemen of England, who had last year compelled the Minister, however reluctant, to fufpend "the noble Duke's plans, and even put his office in commiffion, and now, by their perfeverance and patriotifin would probably put an end to a scheme pregnant with every mifchief. If this military projector was not checked in his career, none could know what confequence might enfue. A Mafter General with his Committee of Engineers, like the Leputan Philofophers in their flying ifland might hover over the Kingdom in an Ordnance balloon, defcend in a moment, and feize on any man's houfe and domain-(Mr. Cary would not be the only fufferer, draw out their scales and compaffes, or sketch out their works. The country gentlemen would find their terraces converted into baftions, their flopes into glaces, their pleature grounds and fhrubberies into horn works and crown works, to which they have hitherto born an irreconcilable averfion. But where was the fyftem t end? Who could fet bounds to itPortsmouth and Plymouth were to be fur vered with military works, to preferve the Naval ftores, London fhould be fortific on the fome principle. Ridiculous a this project might now appear, their wa once a ferious defign entertained of carry ing it into execution, For the truth a the fact, he would appeal to the venerabi records of the Board of Aldermen, to th authentick minutes of the Board of Or nance. When the pretender in the year 1745 or to fpeak in more courtly language (the Grandfon of Janes 11.) had flipped the Royal army and advanced as far as Stone, the Board of Aldermen, took no falle alarm. The Lord Mayor fent a circular letter to every Member, commanding his attendance, conftituted himself president, drew up a fet of infirustions to direct their proceedings; and after a long debate, t was at lalt unanimously agreed, to apply to the Duke of Neweattle, to fend thea an Engineer; as on such an arduous occafion, they did not choose to entrust the defence of the metropolis, to the city fur veyor his office therefore (like the noble Duke's) was put in commiffion. Colonel Lafcelles was actually appointed for this duty, and was directed to wait on the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with a plan and eftimate, but an exprefs critically arriving with an account of the highlanders retreat ing to Scotland, put a stop to this wife project. If we were refolved to provide againf all poffible dangers by fortification, why thould not Newcafile, Sunderland, and many other important places be fecured in this way? The noble Duke, from a principle of gratitude, would not leave our colieries exposed to an attack; they would equally affect the partial attention of the Chancellor of the Exche quer; as he had early, with infinite fagacity, perceived in them the feeds and ftamina of future taxation. Mr. Courte nay then alluded to what a Right Hon. Gentleman (Col. Barre) had rather, he thought, invidioufly introduced, a fort of comparifon between the commiffion iffued to Sir Walter Raleigh and others, the firfi military characters of the age, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and the late circular letter and inftructions to the noble Duke. This was tender and delicate ground; otherwife, he had a strong inclication to fay-Rex fuit Elizabeth olim nunc and Regina Jacobus. Mr. Courtenay faid, he now clearly perceived the reason why the ways be bleffed with a gracious Prince; we might not always have a mild, uuaffuming, virtuous Minister. Still it was the duty of the Reprefentatives of the people, to guard posterity against thofe evils which they were not Courtenay concluded, by calling forcibly and with energy on every man, who felt for the rights and liberties of his country, who venerated the glorious constitution of England; as it behoved every man to refect seriously before he gave his voice on a propofition of fuch dangerous tendency¿ The propofition moved by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the fuggeftion of the noble Duke, went directly to depreciate the British navy, and to fubftitute a new and fallacious mode of defence in its room. A new and degrading fpecies of difcipline was to be introduced. The British foldier was to be left "To lurk in the trench and fkulk be hind the line. he Right Hon. Gentleman had, with his fual point and energy, objected to the after General's having a feat in the Cabinet; as our pavy was to be increated, ar army diminished, by the fingular exedient of building fortifications. If we vere to credit the Chancellor of the Ex-apprehenfive of fuffering themselves. Mr. hequer (though all this appeared an 3.dnance conundrum to him) why might sot the want of allies be fupplied in the ame manner? It was only carrying the yitem one step farther; on this fuppofition the Right Hon. Gentleman (Col. Barre) might justly apprehend, that the Mafter General would act confiftently with his own principles, and oppofe any alliance in the cabinet, leaft it should make his fortifications lefs expedient and neceffary. Indeed, this was the most fingular, and at the fame time the mott verfatile project that ever was devifed. In other ages, and in other countries, the increase of the military establishment was always decmed an effential when the fortifying fyftem took place: otherwife it became relative weakness. But the noble Duke had fo Contrived it, and the Chancellor of the exchequer became his voucher, that it would reduce our ftanding anny, increase our fleet, and furnish us with firm and fteady confederates in the day of peril. By a fort of fecond fight, we were to difcover allies in pentagonal forts, and a fquadron of the line in a chain of redoubts. Mr. Courtenay obferved, that feveral Gentlemen had jufly ftigmatized the fortifying filem as dangerous, and inimicable to freedom and the conftitution, he should take the liberty of offering to the House, the fentiments of a great and celebrated political writer on the fubject: Baron Montefquieu exprefsly applauds the watchful jealoufy of the English in not Permitting the executive government to erect military works and fortifications, as by fuch means defpotifin, may be eftablished under the fpecious pretext of protecting the kingdom againft foreign enemy. Hiftorical facts confirm. ed the principle. In the reign of Charles the First, the glorious efforts of our anceffors would not have proved fuccefsful, if Portsmouth had then been furrounded with the prefent projected works; and Lord Clarendon juftly remarks, that the poffeffion of this place was almoft reckon ed decifive in the contests between the King and Parliament. However he did not mean to draw any invidious parallel between thofe inglorious and the prefent aufpicious times. But we might not al In his confcience and honour he believed the vote of that night would be decifive;z fatally decifive indeed, if the amendment propofed by the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Baftard) was not carried. a Lord George Lenox rofe, to fate that the Hon. Gentleman who fpoke last, had not been correct in the facts he had adverted to. In one inftance he knew that the Hon. Gentleman had faid, what was not strictly the fact; the fortification at South Sea Castle, built by the Mafter General of the Ordnance, he had f、en fire and it had not the defect of letting its guns run back, nor of fmothering the men with their smoke, (this Mr. Courrenay had mentioned in the courfe of his Speech, as having been told him by an officer), Lord George faid, the Hon. Gentleman had a manner of delivering his fentiments that might divert himself and it hurt not any body; but he appeal. ed to the Hon. General near the Hon. Gentleman, if the fact were as the Hon. Gentleman, had stated it to be? General Burgoyne declared, that fo called upon, he could not, as a man of honour, refufe to fay, that he had feen the fortrefs, and that he had not obferved the incon venience in queftion. Mr. Courtnay rofe again, and faid he had not afferted the fact as a fact that had come within his own knowledge, but had merely ftated that fuch a fact had been told him by an engineer. The House he had no doubt. would hear what he had to fay upon the subject. Mr. Sturt then rofe, and declared, he had feen the guns of the fort fired, and they at that time, ran back and filled the fort with fioker. The Hon. Charles Marfham refted his objection to the propofed fvftem of fortifications, chiefly on the difference of opinion that prevailed between the Naval and Land Officers who formed the Board of enquiry. In all points of fo peculiar and technical a nature, he faid the authority of the Land and Sea Officers would have great weight with him, and had he reafon to think that the Board had been fairly and impartially conftitured, and that their opinion had been unanimous in favour of the proposed fyftem, he should in that cafe have given his vote in its fupport; but from what he had heard from the Hon. and Gallant Officer near him (Captain Macbride,) he was led to imagine that the reverfe was the fact. Mr. Marsham took notice of fomething that had fallen from Sir Charles Middleton in favour of the propofed fyftem of fortification; and in order to fhew what had been the prevailing opinion of the beft and wifeft ftatelmen on the subject of infular defence, when the danger of invafion was moft dreaded, he read the following extract from a letter written by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton ro Secretary Burleigh in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. "In ary"wife, Mr. Secretary, tend your force, "credit, and devife to maintain and en"create your navy, by all the means you nor good words. It is your belt and "molt cheap defence, and moft redoubt"ed of your enemies, and doubtful friends, there is not fo mar v peitis in "it, as there is to depend upon fortresses : "neither the changes be like." Sea Officers, who had been appoimed examine the Duke of Richinond's pla fortifications. Your Majefty's Land Officers Portfimouth) are unanimoufly of opini that the propofed fimfhing of works ready begun, the improvements to i ones, and the plan for rebuilding So Sea Cafle, will, together with the works propofed, give a reasonable deg of fecurity to your Majefty's dock yard Portfinouth, for the time and under circumstances of the data, with a garril of the numbers before fpecified (regula and militia) which the Land Officers a of opinion, is fufficient for its defend whereas the prefen: works, even whe repaired, tiuished, and improved, woul require a larger force for their defenc with which they would fill be ineffectua for the purpose of securing this dock yar "Your Majefty's Land Officers ( Plymouth) are unanimously of opinion that a garrifon of the numbers before fpe cified, (regulars and militia) appears fut ficient, if the propofed new works and re pair of old ones are executed, and the for the prefent works even when repaired a much larger garrifon would be ineffec tual for the purpose of fecuring the doc yard." And at the end of this report a fil ftronger fact is proved, viz. "The works we recommend appear to us to be calculated upon the most aca, nomical principles, and to require the finallest number of troops poffible to an fver the purpose of electually fecu.ng your Majelly's dock yards at Portsmouth and Plymouth. Signed, Richmond, Guy Carleron, Will. How, Gro. H. L.nox, Cornwallis, David Lindfay, Lord Makon faid, Charles Grey, James Pattifon, Sam. Cleaveland, James Bramham, William Green, Wilham Roy, George Garth. that the question was not, whether there should be fortif cations or no fortifications, to defend ite dock yards; but the question was, whe Lord Mahon rofe and faid, that he could affure the Houfe, he was of opinion, that the encreafing the army, was not the best way to encrease the navy. But that it had always been his opinion, that a stand-ther the prefent exifting fortifications which ing army ought to be an object of conth tutional jealoufy in this country. That no confideration whatever should ever induce him to support this rian of the Duke of Richmond's, if it had not been proved to the House, that this plan would tend to decrease, instead of tending to encreate the number of troops neceffary to be employed to defend the dock yards. He then read the following extracts from he report of the Board of Land and require a very large body of troops to man them, and which are not adequate to the defence of the dock yards; or whe ther the plan propofed by the Duke of Richmond, which will require a much finaller number of troops to man them, and which will give fecurity to the dock yards, ought to be preferred. (To be continued in our next,} |