ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



have been adopted. He men- 

 tioned that we had now a regular 

 disposable force, far beyond that 

 of last year, but admitted, at the 

 same time, that it ought to be fur- 

 ther augmented. In adverting to 

 the detention of the Spanish ships, 

 Jie said, he was confident that a 

 little time would clear up and jus- 

 tify the suspicions which the ho- 

 nourable gentleman entertained 

 upon that subject. lie agreed that 

 it was at all times necessary for this 

 country to keep up its high charac- 

 ter for moderation, justice, and ho- 

 nour, but was confident that the de- 

 tention of the frigates would not, 

 upon lull explanation, be found a 

 departure from the strictest rules of 

 moderation and justice. All these 

 topics may, in their turn, be subjects 

 of discussion in that house, till which 

 time it would be proper to postpone 

 any debate upon them. 



Mr. Windham vindicated the con- 

 duct of INIr. Fox, in urging the ca- 

 thollc claims now, when we had a 

 cabinet that v.as friendly to them, 

 though it would have been in 

 ▼ain to urge them during the admi- 

 nistration of a hostile cabinet. With 

 respect to our relative situation 

 with the continent, he thought the 

 communication was rather scanty, 

 and should have wished to know to 

 what extent the emperor of Russia 

 Was willing to co operate with us 

 against France, or what exertions 

 lie was disposed to make for the re- 

 storation of the ancient balance of 

 power on the continent : but upcn 

 that subject lie would wait, in hopes 

 of further explanation. As to the 

 rupture with Spain, and (he deten- 

 tion of the frigates, though he did 

 not feel himself in a situation to pro- 

 nounce a final judgment, yet, judg- 

 ing of it from what was knowa as 



yet, it could excite no other senti« 

 ment than reprobation. In stat- 

 ing this opinion, he wished it to be 

 understood as subjeft to such expla- 

 nations as might hereafter be afford- 

 ed. In adverting to the state of the 

 regular army, he said, if the word 

 respectable applied to the quality 

 of our regular force, no man was 

 more ready to admit it; but if ap- 

 plied to their number, he must deny 

 the truth of the assertion. When he 

 came to that part of the speech 

 whicli mentioned the violent and un- 

 just proceedings of the French go- 

 vernment, he dwelt emphatically oa 

 the case of captain Wright, of the 

 Vinccjo ship of war, who, though 

 taken valiantly fighting on board his 

 ship, in most clear and legitimate 

 warfare, was detained a close pri- 

 soner in the 1 emplc, and exposed 

 to alarming threats, contrary to 

 every rule and practice of war, as 

 observed among civilized nations.- — 

 This officer remained in that situa- 

 tion far longer than was consistent 

 with the honour of this country, and 

 if no other means of redress should 

 be found eifectual, he suggested wh«- 

 ther it was not full time to recur to 

 tlie only remaining one, of retalia- 

 tion. On the question being thi;n 



put, the address was unanimously 

 agreed to. 



The address was accordingly pre- 

 sented to his majesty on the Thurs- 

 day following, and a most gracious 

 answer returned to it. 



In the house of commons, on the 

 21st of January, Mr. Francis, after 

 adierling to the variety of papers 

 laid before them last year, relative^ y 

 to the causes of tlie war which be- 

 gan in 1803, against two of the prin- 

 cipal Mahratta chiefs, Scindia and 

 Boosla, and its conclusion by a 

 treaty of peace signed after these 



chiefs 



