England and Napoleon (1801-1815). Various
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looked smiling bright
O’er a wide and woful sight,
Where the fires of funeral light
Died away.
VII.
Now joy, Old England, raise
For the tidings of thy might,
By the festal cities’ blaze,
Whilst the wine-cup shines in light;
And yet amidst that joy and uproar,
Let us think of them that sleep
Full many a fathom deep
By thy wild and stormy steep,
Elsinore!
VIII.
Brave hearts! to Britain’s pride
Once so faithful and so true,
On the deck of fame that died
With the gallant good Riou!
Soft sigh the winds of Heaven o’er their grave!
While the billow mournful rolls
And the mermaid’s song condoles,
Singing glory to the souls
Of the brave!
IRELAND IN 1801.
Source.—Diary of Lord Colchester, 1861. Vol. i., p. 286.
Minutes of Proceedings in Ireland from July to Dec. 1801; and Outlines of Irish Business for 1802, reported and read over to Mr. Addington, Feb. 1802.
Irish Affairs, Jan. 1802.
I. Their present state, including a detailed Account of the Government Transactions there during the last Six Months.
II. Outline of the Public Business of Ireland for the Year 1802.
I. THE GOVERNMENT.
1. Lord-Lieutenant.—Unsettled powers; question whether a Lord-Lieutenant from England, administering the protection and patronage of the Crown subordinately to the King’s Ministers—or a Government by Lords Justices setting up for themselves, and tyrannising over their countrymen—or endeavour to govern Ireland entirely by a Secretary of State at Whitehall.
N.B.—No communication has been made to Lord Hardwicke in answer to the paper transmitted by him to Lord Pelham, containing remarks upon Lord Pelham’s proposition.
2. Chief Secretary.—Unsettled emoluments of the Office in Ireland. Unsettled footing of the Irish Office in London.
Query.—Suppress its establishment as an Office accredited with the Secretary of State for the Home Department; and as hitherto employed for soliciting Civil Patents and Military Commissions in the place of the old office of Resident Secretary (Fremantle and Jenkinson). And transfer the agency and fees of the business to the Secretary of State’s Office; leaving no establishment in London for the Chief Secretary to transact his business, except what assistance he may personally obtain for himself from Dublin Castle, etc.
N.B.—The salary and fees of this Office upon Peace Establishments, viz. about 5,000l. British, are not more than adequate to the necessary expenses of the office conducted with economy; having houses and servants in each country; and the removal of a family twice a year across the Channel.
3. Private Secretary.—Unprovided present subsistence, and no certain future provision.
4. Lord Chancellor (Lord Clare).—Hostile to any Government by Lord-Lieutenant. Desirous himself to be Lord-Deputy, or at the head of Lords Justices; and for Mr. Cooke to be Secretary of State under him.
5. Commander of the Forces.—Sir W. Meadows, cordially co-operating with the Lord-Lieutenant.
6. Royal Building, &c.—In the Castle a library for printed books upon Irish affairs. Orders also given for arranging the State Papers, &c., in the Birmingham Tower. Plans and estimate ordered for rebuilding the Castle chapel, and adapting it to choir service.
Parliament House.—A proposal transmitted to the King’s Ministers for selling it to the National Bank of Ireland, or appropriating it to Public Offices.
Phœnix Park.—Walls and roads ordered to be repaired; rights of Park officers ascertained; encroachments defeated.
7. Union Engagements.—Many liquidated. No vacant office has been given away without considering to what promise it could apply.
II. FINANCE.
1. Treasury Statements of Annual Income and Expenditure of Ireland assimilated to the British series of Public Accounts, and adapted to the same annual and quarterly periods.
2. Revenue Boards.—Examination into its past state by personal conference with each of the four senior Examiners; all of them agreeing that it was corrupt and inefficient; proved also by lists of Officers accused and protected; proved also by reports of Mr. Beresford, in 1792; and of the Acting Surveyor-General, Mr. Cooke, in 1800.
Division of the Board into Customs and Excise, as projected in Lord Townsend’s and Lord Buckingham’s Administration, and executed now in the manner prescribed by Mr. Beresford, in a letter written by himself on a former occasion; a copy whereof was delivered to me by Mr. B., with a recommendation of its being adopted for this purpose at this time.
Dublin Quay Regulated.—Tobacco stores, gate notes, &c., under advice of the Board, and upon suggestion and report of Mr. Croker, who was appointed acting Surveyor-General of the port, with joint approbation of Mr. Beresford and Mr. Annesley, and established in the Office of Surveyor-General by Lord Hardwicke.
Regulations enforced prohibiting all Revenue Officers from being traders.
Revision and Amendment of the Distillery Laws considered. Throughout Ireland the Surveyors-General ordered to report quarterly from their actual surveys.
N.B.—Dublin Customs’ duties are one half, and Dublin Excise duties one quarter of all Ireland.
A mode settled for passing Collector’s accounts in Dublin with more expedition, and (as in England) without their personal attendance.
Cruisers called in; inspection of repairs ordered, and a report upon the future complement of men for their Peace Establishment.
Additional officers appointed, not for patronage, but upon special reports of the Board, and upon considerations of personal merit, viz. two Surveyors-General, one Inspector-General, and one Inspector, and two Landwaiters in the Port of Dublin.
General plan for prevention of smuggling and illicit distilleries prepared for consideration.
Commercial regulations between Great Britain and Ireland considered, and reported upon by the Commissioners of Revenue.
3. Auditors of Public Accounts.—Their accounts methodised on the British plan, and brought