The earl of Moira considered the say, that it was not intended for the real point in question to be, why ad- delerce of Ireland exclusively, but miral Colroys had not received or- for every part of his majesty's Euroders to proceed to Ireland, as soon pean dominions. With regard to as he received information that the the question, where the fieet could be French fieet had failed. A noble bus stationed for general desence, he earl (Spencer) had contended that, maintained that it had actually been from the mass of intelligence which starioned in a place and fituation ministers received, it was impossible where it could operate to the best to decide on the real object of the advantage for the defence of this enemy's expedition. But did not nation, and was in readiness to come the noble earl know, that it was the to the defence of Ireland, as soon as province of talents and ability to de- that of any other part. Admiral duce causes and consequences from Colpoys had orders to intercept the the materials with which they might enen''s fleet going to any part of be furnished, and that on such occa

the world, and although it appearfions only true fagacity was to be. ed doubtful, at that time, whether discovered? He had been at Dublin they were intended for Ireland or when the preparations of the Portugal, was it pogible to imagine, enemy were going on, and the arms, that it'admiral Colpoys thought they stores, and other articles with which were going to Ireland, he had such they were provided, demonstrated orers as did not leave him at liberty the real point of their destination. to follow them to Ireland? The ad, That their design was to furnish the miral, viewing all circumstances, discontented in Ireland with arms formed the resolution of remaining was evident. But if the best means on his station. From all the inforof securing Ireland had not been ination he had, the admiral was taken, this did not affect the admi- right in so doing: and all that hap, Talty exclusively, but the administra- pened to disappoint his hopes and tion in general. He should vote for expectations was owing to the the inquiry in the hope that the house wind. would proceed farther, thew to The duke of Bedford confessed whom the disasters of the war were that he was but little satisfied with to be attributed, and why ministers the confolation held out by the nodid not seize and improve the fa- ble earl, who spoke laft, that it was vourable opportunities which were always held fufficient in former wars presented.

for us to equal the enemy with a The earl of Liverpool maintained channel fleet; thereby infinuating that a channel fleet, equal to that of that it would be fufficient for us to the enemy, had always been deemed do so in this. Such doctrine apsufficient for our defence. Such peared to him to be but frigid conlowas the understanding in the last and lation, after the repeated affertions all our former wars. That the fleet which had been made, that we had under admiral Colpoys was fitted to almost annihilated the maritime face the enemy's was a point that power of France. It had been said, did not seem to be much disputed. that at the time the armament was As to the place to which he was to preparing at Brest, it was uncertain direct his force, he begged leave to whether it was intended for Ireland

or

or for Portugal, and that the chance to serve in the present just and nes was equal. Now he would ask, cessary war, if he had been perwhether, supposing the chance to be mitted to do so.. equal, there was a man in this world Lord Auckland could see no reawho thought it would be wise in us fon for considering what had hapto put Portugal in the scale against pened on the coast of Ireland, as a Ireland? Whether there was a man miscarriage on our part. The adupon earth rafh enough to put these vantage was all on our fide, The two chances upon, an equality. enemy had failed in their expeWith regard to the interest of this dition, and lost one-fourth of their country in thwarting the expedition, thips, and nearly five thousand of admiral Colpoys, he had no doubt, their men. acte. well, according to the infor- The earl of Guildford observed, mation and instructions he received; that some sort of inquiry had been but he must contend, that, from the judged to be necessary even by adinformation which ministers recei- ministration :. for no sooner had the ved, he onglit to have had positive subject been inentioned in the house, orders to fail to Ireland: and here it than the noble lord, at the head of was notorious, from the documents the admiralty, was ready to produce which ministers themselves had laid the papers that had been laid on the upon the table, that this fleet ought table. That these had been garbledi, to have been in Ireland when the he would not lay; but he would at French were there; for minisiers least contend that, for the purpole of had early information of the Breft conveying information, they had fleet being to fail, and probably, at been very badly selected. He could least that they were destined for not find, in those papers, any good Ireland; indeed they could not even reason for admiral Colpoys being deny that they had information, or kept io long at sea. With respect that they ought to have had it, con- to the real destination of the Brest fidering the vast sums of money that fleet, the ministers were, he bethey were allowed for obtaining in- lieved, the only persons who entertelligence. They might have judy- tained any doubt. He concluded ed, they ought, indeed, to have with observing, that, unless their known, from the arms that were on lordships felt the propriety of the inboard, and from the nature of the quiry proposed, themselves, from the equipment, that it was destined for papers thenselves, and the speech of Ireland,

the noble earl a: the had of the adLord Hood expressed his con- miralty, nothing that could be said viction, that the motion, if adopted on the subject, could have any

effect by their lordships, could be of no on their lordship's minds. service, but, would do mischief. Lord Grenville, after declaring He was convinced that every possi- the harmony and concert that la ble measure had been adopted, du- happily reigned among the ministry, ring the course of the war, by the na- and the share he himlelf had taken val department, for the good of the in the transaction in question, and nation. He said, that, while his his readiness to take allo his thiare of mental faculties, such as they were, responsibility attached to it, comcontinued, he should have been glad plained, that whenever any expewhich, fu far from having been ne- or on which, at least, they were glected, had been the object of par- refted. ticular attention. The house having In the house of peers, the earl divided on lord Albemarle's motion, of Moira rose to make a motion, it appeared that it was rejected by of which, as usual in all fimilar 74 against 14.

cafes, he had given previous notice, The noble secretary's repeated respecting Ireland, on the twentya. aflurances, respecting the security, first of March: The exordium of external and internal, of Ireland, his lordship's speech turned on the were not satisfactory to the mem- delicacy that was to be observed, bers in opposition to government, in 'agitating questions in which nor to some not always or often in separaie and independant legislaopposition, in both houses of par- tures, --in agitating questions in liament. Motions for inquiries into which the privileges and the inthe internal state, and allaying the dependence of each other, were discontents, of Ireland were made, involved. Yet, when urgent cases and gave rise to animated and long render interference necessary, the debates in both houses. Of thelé delicacy, which may be observed, debates, however, it would be un

may remove € ery jealousy which neceliary and even nugatory to give might otherwise be excited; and other than a very summary account: it would be meritorious for the as the explosion which soon after different parties mutually to matook place throws greater light on nifest their attention, and their the situation of Ireland than was, anxiety, for objects in which their at this time, enjoyed, proves or

common interests were disproves the statements of facts, on ed. On these grounds he had which much of those debates was now rifen, for the purpofe of founded; and, on the whole, sinks moving humble address to his much of the interest in those tem- majesty, that he would be graporary and temporizing effufions, ciously pleased to interpose bis pain the events which it produced, ternal and beneficent interference and the new spirit and order of to remedy the discontents which affairs by which there have been prevailed' in Ireland, and which succeeded. And here we shall take create the most serious alarm for occasion, once for all, to observe, the dearest interests of that counthat, in relating the transactions of try, and of the British empire. parliament, it is not so much our The extent and rapid increase object to display the eloquence of of the discontents, which prevailed the different speakers, which would in Ireland, were subjects of fuffwell our narrative to the size of ficient notoriety to form the ground feveral volumes,* as to pursue the of this proceeding. He should abthread of the main reasoning on stain, therefore, from an enumerawhich the main decisions turned, tion of the particulars which had

concern

*

umph. In the continental mil- was the notorious want of intellicarriage we had, indeed, suffered gence. The noble earl had faid, fome pecuniary loss, which could be that he would resign when he could easily repaired : and he was so far find a person daring enough to confrom regretting what had been thus tend against the winds. What the expended, that were it possible to public wanted was, not a man who recall hat was palled, he would could govern against the winds and vote for the aslistance that had waves, but one who would

govern been actually given over again. with them : this was the case in the

The marquis of Lansdowne said, present instance. The wind had been that in Ireland it had been a preju- favourable; and all that had been dice to represent the government of wanting, was an admiralty capable this country, as careless of the fifter of making use of it. On the 16th of kingdom. At present a new dif- December, admiral Colpoys receive content had arisen, and gentlemen ed intelligence of the French having who were in the habit of correspond- failed, the wind continued fair, and ing with Ireland, knew very well, if he had proper orders, he would that they who had formerly taken have been off the Irish coast. Had the part of the government, were the ships under lord Bridport been now forced to acknowledge that ready, the wind would still have Ireland had been neglected. Ap- been fair. The noble earl had plications had been made from talked of long nights; was it to thence for protection; and it must great a reach of foresight to know be confessed that country had that there were long nights in Debeen abandoned by England.- cember? But the French fleet, it Ministers had pledged to keep up seemed, might have gone up the a great land 'force in Ireland, channel. In the first place, the which they had withdrawn. In wind was agairft them; but if they the last war, a pledge had been had, what would have been the made, that a naval force should, in cafe? They would have been under all future wars, be kept off the Irish lock and key. The remainder of coast; and were he minister now, the subject lay in a very lmall comhe should think it necessary to station pass; it turned upon two points. a fleet in the Cove of Cork imme- Why were not orders given to addiately. An inquiry could not but miral Colpoys to go off Cape Clear? be fatisfactory in every point of And why were not more fhips kept view; fatisfactory to admiral Col- ready at Portsmouth? poys, to lord Bridport, and to the The earl Fitzwilliam said, that profession at large. There were, where there had been blame, there hefides, other persons concerned ought to be inquiry. Some exprefin the inquiry; the admiralty, the fions that had been thrown out of commissioners of accounts, and other “ greater care being required for inferior boards. It would not im- England than Ireland," would make pede, but accelerate operations a deep impreffiou on the minds of Ministers, indeed, had shewn some the people of that country; and he consciousness of the necessity of a was sorry to have heard them. I'm mock inquiry at least, by their pro- Lord Grenville assured their lord. ducing papers; and the first thing ships, that they might let their minds to be remarked on these papers at rest on the fubject of Ireland;

a

which, so far from having been ne- or on which, at least, they were glected, had been the object of par- refted. ticular attention. The house having In the house of peers, the earl divided on lord Albemarle's motion, of Moira rose to make a motion, it appeared that it was rejected by of which, as usual in all fimilar 74 against 14.

cases, he had given previous notice, The noble secretary's repeated respecting Ireland, on the twentyaflurances, respecting the security, first of March. The exordium of external and internal, of Ireland, his lordship's speech turned on the were not satisfactory to the mem- delicacy that was to be observed, bers in opposition to government, in 'agitating questions in which nor to fome not always or osten in separaie and independant legislaopposition, in both houses of par- tures, -- in agitating questions in liament. Motions for inquiries into which the privileges and the inthe internal state, and allaying the dependence of cach other, were discontents, of Ireland were made, involved. Yet, when urgent cases ard

gave rise to animated and long render interference necessary, the debates in both houses. Of thele delicacy, which may be observed, debates, however, it would be un- may remove € ery jealousy which neceliary and even nugatory to give might otherwise be excited; and other than a very summary account: it would be meritorious for the as the explosion which sovn after different parties mutually to matook place throws greater light on nifest their attention, and their the fituation of Ireland than was, anxiety, for objects in which their at this time, enjoyed, proves or

common interests were disproves the statements of facts, on ed. . On these grounds he had which much of those debates was now risen, for the purpose of founded; and, on the whole, finks moving a humble address to his much of the interest in those tem- majesty, that he would be graporary and temporizing effufions, ciously pleased to interpose his pain the events which it produced, ternal and beneficent interference and the new spirit and order of to remedy the discontents which affairs by which these have been prevailed in Ireland, and which fucceeded. And here we shall take create the most serious alarm for occasion, once for all, to observe, the dearest interests of that counthat, in relating the transactions of try, and of the British empire.parliament, it is not so much our The extent and rapid increase object to display the eloquence of of the discontents, which prevailed the different speakers, which would in Ireland, were subjects of suffwell our narrative to the size of ficient notoriety to form the ground several volumes,* as to pursue the of this proceeding. He should abthread of the main reasoning on stain, therefore, from an enumerawhich the main decisions turned, tion of the particulars which had