§ [MINUTES.]—
Mr. Smithinformed the house, that his Majesty had been waited upon with the address of this house, and had ordered the proper officers to prepare and lay before the house, the several estimates accordingly.—Sir P. Stephens presented estimates of the expense of maintaining prisoners of war, sick and in health; also an estimate of the expense of transport service, for the year 1804. These estimates were ordered to lie on the table; and Sir P Stephens gave notice, that he should move them in the committee of supply to morrow.—Mr. Hobhouse brought up the report of the committee of supply. The resolutions were agreed to, nem. con.—Lord Castlereagh brought in his bill, for regulating the interest on East-India bonds. The bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday, and to be printed.—Mr. Vansittart brought in the bill for continuing the restriction, on payments in specie by the Bank of England. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a second lime tomorrow. Mr. Hobhouse brought up the report of the committee of Expiring Laws. The resolutions were for the continuation of the act 39 Geo. III. for prohibiting the exportation, and encouraging the importation of corn the act for regulating the trade with Malta; the act of last session, relating to the drawback on the exportation of sugar; and the act relating to the exportation of sugar to Ireland. The resolutions were post- 57 poned, and referred to a committee of the whole house to sit tomorrow.—The house went into a committee on Mr. Jarvis's bill, for preventing the desertion and collusive arrests of seamen. Several verbal amendments were made, the blanks were filled up, and the report ordered to be received tomorrow.—Mr. Vansittart moved, that tomorrow the house should resolve itself into a committee, to consider of ways and means, for rating the supply granted to his Majesty.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave notice, that to-morrow, in the committee of ways and means, he should move, that leave be given to bring in a bill to empower his majesty to raise five millions, by loan, on exchequer bills, for the service of the year 1804.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave notice, that to-morrow, in the commute of ways and means, he should move the land and malt taxes, for the year 1804.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that there be laid before the house an account of the outstanding exchequer bills, on the 1st December, 1802, and 1st December, 1803. respectively.