said, that before any motion could be made for an inquiry into the conduct of the naval war with the United States of America, it was necessary that certain papers should previously be produced. There was a very general complaint among all persons connected with the trade to every part of the West Indies, and North and South America, of the insufficient protection afforded them by our navy, and of the manner in which that trade had been interrupted by the vessels of the United States. There never was a time in which there prevailed a more decided opinion of an undoubted failure of protection. Whether this had happened from government having under-rated the consequence of the war with America, or from whatever other cause, it was inconceivable how the trade of the whole coast of Brazil and our West India Islands had been interrupted. It was not his intention, however, to anticipate the discussion of a future day; he merely wished to state these facts, while troubling the House for the papers he was to move for. He intended to move for an account of the number and tonnage of the English ships captured by American vessels since the commencement of the American war; but he had been informed by the hon. secretary to the Admiralty that no office of government could furnish such a paper. He wondered that the Admiralty could not furnish it. How was it possible for the Admiralty to distribute their forces so as to afford the most efficacious protection to our trade, if they were unacquainted with the amount of the captures made by each enemy? At Lloyd's something like a register of the sort was kept. A3 such a document as he wished for, however, was not to be got, that the matter might not be left to vague assertion, and that some government officer might not say the trade was never better protected, as the next best means, he should move, "That there be laid before this House, copies of all memorials or remonstrances presented to the Admiralty by merchants, ship-owners, or others, respecting the insufficiency of convoy for trade, or the insufficient naval protection of the ports or coasts of America, the West Indies, or of the merchant vessels frequenting the same, since the breaking out of war with the United States of America."

said, he should be perfectly prepared to defend the vigilance of the Admiralty whenever the subject might come before the House. With respect to the information first wanted by the hon. gentleman, it was impossible for the Admiralty to give an accurate account of the captures of English vessels by the enemy, as they had no means of getting such an account except from the enemy, and therefore if they were to furnish any thing in the shape of what the hon. gentleman wished for, it could only be fallacious. With respect to the other information asked for, he was really astonished that a member of the experience of the hon. gentleman could call for papers of such a description, as all the memorials and remonstrances submitted to government, under which head must be included all the letters written by individuals smarting under their losses. If the Admiralty were to be put upon their trial in this way, it would at least produce this effect, that the number of memorials and remonstrances would be incalculably increased, and the different offices of government would be loaded with complaints of the most unjust, scandalous and vexatious na- ture. He had no hesitation therefore in giving a direct negative to the request of the hon. gentleman, satisfied as he was, that in any case of neglect on the part of administration, there were members in the House sufficiently vigilant to bring it forward and put his Majesty's ministers on their defence. He therefore hoped the hon. gentleman would not press his motion.

said he was not calling for vague information, but merely wished for the production of the complaints made by persons complaining of insufficient protection on the coasts of the West Indies and America. It was well known that the Jamaica merchants could not send brokers from one port of the island to another for the American privateers. He could see no objection to the production of such complaints.

The question was then put and negatived.