and commerce of the British em. pire.

Your petitioners conceive that none of the ends proposed by the present war either have been, or appear likely to be obtained, although it has been carried on at an unprecedented expence to this country, and has already produced an alarming increase of the national debt, augmented by subsidies paid to allies, who have notoriously violated their solemn engagements, and rendered no adequate service for large sums actually received by them, and wrung from the credulity of the generous and industrious inhabitants of this island.

Your petitioners, from their present view of public measures, presume humbly, but firmly, to express to this honourable house their decided conviction, that the principle upon which the war appears now to be carried on, neither is or can be essential to the property, the liberty, or the glory of the British empire.

Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray, that this honourable house, diselaiming all right of interfering in the internal concerns of France, will be pleased to take such measures as they, in their wisdom, shall think proper, for the purpose of promoting a speedy peace between Great Britain and the power wer with whom we are at war,

Southwark Petition.

To the Honourable the House of Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled,

The humble Petition of the Inhal bitants of the Town and Borough

of Southwark, convened by pub lic Advertisement of the High Bailiff of the said Borough.

Sheweth,

of

That your petitioners, sincerely and awfully affected by a due sense of the trying and momentous circumstances, under which they now appeal to the wisdom and to the feelings of their constituti nal representatives, the commons, Great Britain, in parliament assembled, find it their bounden duty to give their opinion upon the present alarming state of pub. lic affairs, with all the frankness and explicitness which the crisis demands.

And, first, vour petitioners freely and zealousty declare their true and unshaken attachiment to the monarch on the throne, and to his royal family; and their firm determination to support the genuine principles of this most excellent constitution, should any attempt, from whatever quarter, whether foreign or domestic, be made to subvert it.

In revolving, however, the events of the present war with France, your petitioners, with the deepest concern, have observed that the uniform bravery manifested by the British fleets and armies, has, in no respect, advanced the presumed object of the war, and now, less than ever, appears likely to at. tain it.

The consideration of the dis. asters and defeats which have lately attended the unsupported efforts of the British arms on the conti. nent, is, in the minds of your petitioners, bitterly aggravated by the reflection that those allies, whose councils and resentments

first engaged us in the contest, have wrung, from the credulity and confidence of the generous and industrious people of Great Britain, large sums of money, for which, in violation of all faith, no adequare service appears to have been performed, or attempted..

In the events of a campaign, so unparalleled in calamity, your petitioners, among other fatal consequences, perceive a large addition to the existing national debt, the speedy diminution of which has been long held forth to your petitioners, and to the country, as a measure indispensably necessary to the maintenance of the constitution, as well as to the credit of Great Britain.

Under the increasing pressure of such burthens, your petitioners are convinced, however highly they are disposed to estimate the forti. tude and loyalty of all descriptions of their countrymen, and how ever readily they admit the temporary advantages which both the general commerce and the public funds of this country may have derived from the terrors and ca. lamities of other nations, that the consequences of persevering in the present destructive war must tend rapidly to depress and ruin the occupations of useful labour, and profitable industry; and ultimately to destroy the only true sources of the nation's power, our trade, our commerce, and our manufactures.

Under this impression, your petitioners are compelled to turn their thoughts most seriously, and eagerly, to the only real remedy for the evils they apprehend, peace;-for in the tranquillity, the civilized intercourse, and the commercial prosperity of the surround.

ing nations of Europe, your peti. tioners conceive the commercial interests of Great Britain can alone find their interest and support. In the pursuits of vengeance or ambition, in wars and camps, in desolation and blood-shed, even were the contest attended with temporary success, the result to a country, circumstanced as this is, must be national bankruptcy, and ultimate ruin.

On these grounds your petition.. ers humbly, but distinctly, pray, that your honourable house, disclaiming every pretence of right on the part of Great Britain, to create or correct a government for France, and disregarding what. ever is or may be the title or con. struction of the ruling power, which either does, or may exist in that country, will earnestly adopt the most effectual means for re. commending an immediate negotiation for peace, on terms consistent with the honour and security of the British empire. And your petitioners further assure your honourable house, that if, contrary to the hopes of your petitioners, motives of inordinate ambition, or of implacable resentment, however rashly and improvidently ex. cited, in the mind of the enemy, should render it impossible to obtain a termination of hostilities upon safe and honourable terms, your petitioners will be found among the readiest of his ma jesty's loyal subjects, to stand for ward to the last means of exertion, in defence of their country, or to perish with its fall.

And your petitioners will ever pray.

[Variety of other petitions to the same purposes, which were echoes of

the

the above were presented. Avery few counter petitions were also laid on the rable.]

Copy of a Circular Letter written by Mr. Dundas, on the Subject of Manning the Navy.

Horse-Guards, Jan. 17, 1795.

SIR,

H

IS majesty's ministers being desirous of submitting to par-. liament the most speedy and effect tual means of procuring an additional supply of men for his majesty's naval service; and being desirous, for that purpose, to receive the best information on that subject from the principal ports in the kingdom, I have thought it right to apprise you of it, in order that you may communicate this in. tention to the merchants and traders of Hull; and in hopes that they will send up some persons enabled to state whatever may occur to them with a view to the general service, as well as to the particular interest of that port.

I am Sir,

Your obedient servant,
HENRY DUNDAS.

(Signed)
The Mayor of Hull.

Answer from the Mayor of Yarmouth. SIR,

IN consequence of your letter of the 17th instant, there have been two public meetings of the mer. chants and ship-owners of this port, whose opinion, on the subject

of it, I am requested to communi. cate to you.

With respect to any particular persons being deputed by Yarmouth to wait on his majesty's ministers, it was thought, that as varicos plans for procuring supplies for the naval service have, at different times, been suggested by many, who had the best opportunities for ascertaining the effectual means for that purpose, very little additional information could be communicated on this subiect.

most

The putting of the navy upon the most respectable foo ing, how. ever, being in the present situation of affairs highly important, stall larger bounties and an increase of wages, together with a more speedy and regular payment, by way of support to the families of seamen, were conceived to be measures in. dispensably requisite.

The establishment of an equitable peace appeared, at the same time, to be the object deserving of prin. cipal attention; for the speedy negotiation of which, it is respect. fully recommended to government that every just and proper mode may be adopted. After this, should the ambition of the enemy render a continuance of the war necessary, persons of every description, it was the unanimous opinion, would cheerfully unite in whatever might contribute to a vigorous prosecu. tion of it.

I have the honour to remain, Sir, your most obedient, And very humble servant. Yarmouth, WILLIAM TAYLOR, Jan. 28th, 1795.

Estimate

107,483 -495.655

- 223,099

84,210

9872

16,072

333,253