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mittee of both Lords and Commons on both sides had agreed upon that point. If the measure were to come from the right honourable gentleman opposite only, he should look upon it with suspicion, but at present he saw no reason to oppose it. He trusted that the honourable gentlemen opposite would use the powers given by this bill, with the same moderation that had been displayed by their predecessors, so much to the honour of the noble duke who presided over the Irish government, and to the benefit of the country.

Leave was then given to bring in the bill, as also a bill to prevent improper persons from having arms in Ireland.

Mr. Hobhouse brought up the report of the Irish glebe houses bill, which was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought up the bill for inquiring into the state of Windsor forest. Read a first time, and to be read a second time the next day.

The Scotch taxes regulation bill was read a second time; to be commi ted on Monday next.

The three millions exchequer bills bill, and the one million and a half ditto, were read a second time; to be committed the next day.

The House went into a committee on the Irish provi, sions act, and resolved, that Irish salted beef and pork should be allowed to be exported duty-free. The House -then resumed, and the report was ordered to be received the next day.

The coffee warehousing bill passed through a committee, and was ordered to be reported the next day. Adjourned,

HOUSE OF LORDS.

FRIDAY, JULY 10.

Mr. Bankes, Mr. Hobhouse and several other member of the House of Commons, brought up the offices reversion bill, the American trade indemnity bill, Sir John Stuart's annuity bill, and the Kilmainham hospital bill, which were read a first time.

The American treaty bill passed through a committee, and on the motion of Earl Bathurst, was ordered to be read a third time on Monday.

Mr.

Mr. Smith, from the commissioners of Richmond bridge, presented their cash account, which was ordered to lie on the table.

Lord Viscount Sidmouth said, he had attended that and the preceding day, in the expectation of seeing in his place the noble lord, who conducted the official business of that House, of whom he wished to ask a question, whether it was the intention of his majesty's government to bring forward any measure in consequence of the present momentous crisis of affairs, and particularly any mea sure relative to the amount and distribution of the military force of the country? He confessed that it was not altogether recent events which had called his attention to this important subject, but when he considered the information recently received, he thought it of the utmost importance that measures should be adopted without delay, calculated to met with vigour and effect the increased and increasing dangers of the country. As, however, from some business before the House, he understood that a full attendance was expected on Monday, he should defer till then his proposed question.

Earl Bathurst said, there having been nothing before the House for the last two or three days which was expected to excite any discussion, and his noble friends having much business before them elsewhere, they had not thought it necessary to attend. On Monday, how ever, he had no doubt that the noble viscount would receive a satisfactory answer. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

FRIDAY, JULY 10.

Mr. Alderman Shaw presented a petition from the mas ter ship-owners of the port of London, against the Dover pilots regulation bill; which petition was referred to the Committee upon the said bill, and it was ordered that counsel should be heard for and against the petition.

Mr. Long gave notice of a motion for Tuesday, for leave to bring in a bill to enable the trustees of the British Museum to dispose of certain articles belonging thereto.

A per on presented at the bar certain accounts from the commissioners of Richmond bridge. Ordered to lie on the

table.

VOL. I.-1897.

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Mr.

Mr. Leslie Foster give notice for a motion for the next day, that the House should resolve into a committee to consi ler of the act with regard to hospitals in Ireland.

The second reading of the Bristl port bill being moved, Mr. B. Bathurst, not withstanding that an opposition was intended to this measure, endeavoured to shew that such an intention proc e led from a misconception of its character. He sated that the object of the bill was to procure further aid for the completion of a most material work of national utility, upon which a large sum had already been expended.

Sir Thomas Turton disapproved of any further grant for the purpose which this bill had a view; 300,000. had been already obtained from the public for thi 15,000/. more were applied for last session, but now the sum sought for was no less than 78,000l. and all this for an undertaking from which the public derived no advantage, while those engaged in the West India trade complained loudly of the inconveniences to which they were subject in the port of Bristol.

Sir John Newport was peculiarly jealous of any mea sure of this nature, where a company promised in the first instance te ecute a great public undertaking for a cer tain specified sum, and afterwards came to Parliament for further aid. But the fact was, that this company neither really wanted nor deserved such aid. For it was remark able that although the work to which the bill referred was proretive of no advantage to the public, the proprietors actually derived a profit from their respective shares. Let them those profits be applied to complete the work, and let not the public be burthened for the particular benefit of individuals.

Mr. Bayley and Mr. Dillon spoke on the side of the last speaker; and the House divided,

For the bill,
Against it,

Of course the bill is lost.

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Mr. N. Dan las suggested to an honourable baronet (Sir T. Turton) the propriety of postp ning his motion with regard to the Polyrars, as the papers on that subject were not ready to be laid before the House.

Sir Thomas Turton acceded to the suggestion, and postponed his motion to that day se'nnight.

Mr. R. Dundas announced his intention of bringing

. forward

forward the India budget on Monday; and upon the motion of the right honourable gentleman, accounts, were ordered to be laid before the House, of the revenue and expenditure of the several presidencies of Bengal, Madras, Bomba, Fort William, Fort St. George, and Bombay, and of our settlements in India.

The petition of General Martin was, upon the motion of Mr. Vansittart, referred to a select committee, with orders to report thereon."

Mr. H. Martin put his motion with regard to certain advances made by the treasurer and the paymas ef of the forces, from the year 1802, up to the latest period at which the same could be made out, in the corrected form suggested to him in the conversation which took place upon the subject the preceding day, and the motion was agreed to. The secretary at war seated, that he would on Monday, move certain resolutions with regard to the army.

Sir C. Pole adverted to the resolution passed by hat House in the year 1:04, with respect to the payment of those who were concerned in the capture of Toulon.. It would be recollected that a large and liberal sum kad been voted upon that occasion, which sum was not yet distributed, and in consequence of the delay and difficulty com lained of by those who were entitled to a shue of this prize mo ney, he felt it his duty to move that there be laid before the House an account of the several sums issued from the treasury to the agents of Lord Hood, &c. from the 29th of March, 1804, stating the date of each issue, and the sum total. Also an account of the payments actually made to the several classes of the army and navy, together with a statement of the balance remaining in the hands of the agents, and also the balances in the treasury.

Mr. Rose was not aware that such an account could be made out in any of the offices, as that which referred to the balances in the hands of the agents,

Sir C. Pole thought, that when the amount of the issues from the balance in the treasury was ascertained, what related to the agents might be easily made out."

Mr. Huskisson observed that the treasury was ready to issue the whole of this sum at the time it was voted. But from the difficulty in ascertaining the several claimants, which difficulty was naturally to be expected fom the time that had elapsed since the capture of Toulo, it was deemed more advisable to issue the money from time to

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time. The balances which now remained in the treasury, which he supposed about 20,000l. would be advanced as soon as the justice of the demands was made known.

After a few words more from Sir C. Pole, the motion was agreed to.

Petitions were presented complaining of undue returns for Chippenham, Kincardinshire, Malden, Penrhyn, Beverley, Malmsbury, East Grinstead, Bridgewater, Christchurch, Newcastle-under-Line, and Westminster. The petition respecting the latter was from the right honourable R. B. Sheridan, and certain electors, complaining of bribery, treating, &c. on the part of Lord Cochrane. The whole of these petitions were appointed to be taken into consideration, on Saturday the 25th instant. From which order it is inferred that they will not be gone into in the course of the present session.

The secretary at war presented the accounts ordered on the motion of Mr. C. Johnstone, with regard to the sale of commissions. Ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.

Mr. Windham moved for a return of the number raised for the regular army, in each month from the 1st of July, 1807, up to the latest period, at which the same could be made out; also for a similar account during the corresponding periods of the years 1805 and 1806, especially those raised under the additional force act, those obtained by ordinary recruiting, and at the regimental head-quar ters and also those recruited for the foot guards.

The secretary at war had no objection to this motion, with an amendment distinguishing the number of boys raised for the army.

The motion with this amendment was agreed to, as was the motion for a return of the number of de-ertions during the before-mentioned periods in the army at home, distinguishing the effective strength of the army out of which such desertions respectively took place; and also distinguishing Ireland from England.

Mr. Sheridan, adverting to his notice which stood for that day, relative to the admission of strangers, observed, that it was not his practice to address motions to that House against the sense of a decided majority, but much less against the opinion of his friends. Upon the subject of the notice to which he alluded, he had consulted with several who were friends to the object of his motion, and

the

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