Commons Sitting of 11 February 1806

MINUTES.
A message from the lords communicated their lordships' assent to the malt duty bill, and the pensions, sugar, tobacco, and snuff duty bills.—On the motion of lord Folkestone, the account on the table, stating the progress made by the commissioners for reducing the national ,debt for the year ending the 31st of Jan. last, was ordered to be printed.—Mr. Alexander brought up the report of the committee of ways and means. The resolution for an issue of five millions of exchequer bills was read and agreed to, and a bill ordered.—Mr. Tierney rose to revive a notice, which he had submitted to the house above two years ago. He said, that he should on this day three weeks move for leave to bring in a bill for the
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purpose of removing all doubts with respect to the law which applied to the treating at elections. The reason which urged him so long to delay bringing this subject before the house, the right hon. gent. stated to be, that ever since he had given notice, a number of election petitions had been generally before the house, which in most cases involved this question.—New writs were ordered for Wilton, in the room of lord viscount Fitzwilliam, who had accepted the stewardship of the manor of East Hendred; and for Haverfordwest, in the room of lord Kensington, who had been appointed one of the commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral.—Mr. Vansittart moved, 1."That there be laid before this house, an account of the number of vessels, with the amount of their tonnage, and the value (official and computed) of their cargoes, which entered inwards, and cleared outwards, in the several ports on the West coast of Great Britain, from Liverpool inclusive to the northward, from or to any part of the continent of Europe situate northward or north-eastward of Holland, and also from or to any ports on the east coast of Great Britain, from Lynn Regis, in Norfolk, inclusive, to the northward, for five years, ending the 5th of Jan. 1793, and for five years, ending the 5th day of Jan. 1806." 2. "An account of the number of vessels, with the amount of their tonnage, and the value (official and computed) of their cargoes, which entered inwards, and cleared outwards, in the several northern ports of Ireland, including Dublin and Sligo, from or to any part of the continent of Europe, situate northward or north-eastward of Holland; and also from or to any ports on the east coast of Great Britain, from Lynn Regis, in Norfolk, inclusive, to the northward, for five years, ending the 5th of Jan. 1793, and for five years, ending the 5th of Jan. 1806." Ordered. —Mr. O'Hara moved, "that there be laid before this house, an account of the totals of the imports and exports of Great Britain, according to their real value, for the years ending 5th Jan. 1800, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, so as to ascertain the balance of each year." Ordered; as was also a similar account for Ireland.

AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
Lord Folkestoneadverted to the notice which had been given by an hon. gent. near him (Mr. Paull) with respect to the affairs of India,

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and to the several papers which that hon. gent. had moved for preparatory to his intended motion. But in addition to the papers on the table, and those ordered to be laid before the house, the noble lord thought the following essentially necessary to a thorough investigation and full understanding of the subject to which they referred; he should therefore move, 1. "That there be laid before this house, a return of the officers, non-commissioned officers, privates and recruits belonging to his majesty's service, which have been embarked for the East-Indies, from June 1793, to the last embarkation; and of those who have returned to Great Britain, distinguishing each year." 2. "A return of the cadets and recruits entered and enlisted for the service of the East-India company, who have been embarked for the several presidencies in India, item June 1793, to the last embarkation, and of those who have returned to Great Britain, distinguishing each year." Ordered.
Mr. Paullmoved, for an account of the quantity of specie and bullion which had been exported to the several presidencies in India, since the year 1797; and also an account of the bills of exchange drawn from those presidencies, distinguishing the amount to and from each presidency, and also each year.
The Speakersuggested to the consideration of the hon. gent. whether it would not be more regular to give notice of a motion of this nature, particularly in the thin state of the house; because if, hereafter, there should he any objection to the production of such an account, another specific motion must be made to expunge the order. 1 he right hon. gent. thought it his duty to submit this remark to the hon. gent., leaving it to his own discretion to determine upon what course to pursue.—In consequence of this suggestion, Mr. Paull gave notice of his motion for to-morrow.

LORD COLLINGWOOD'S ANNUITY BILL.
Mr. Alexandersaid, that as he was the person who presented his majesty's message upon this subject, he thought it his duty to state, for the consideration of the house, certain circumstances which had come to the knowledge of the late admi-
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nistration, since this message was recommended. These circumstances were of such a nature as strongly to urge the propriety of reconsidering the limitations contained in the bill before the house. Although he did not feel himself entitled to expect that any suggestion of his would be much attended to by his majesty's present ministers, yet upon this occasion he could not suppose that the grounds upon which his suggestion rested, could fail to interest their consideration. According to the limitations in the bill before the house, the succession to the annuity was settled upon the two next male heirs of lord Collingwood. But it appeared that this noble lord had no male children, his family consisting merely, of lady Collingwood and two daughters; who, in the event of that gallant officer's death, were likely to be exposed to a state of distress, which, no doubt, it would be the most anxious wish of that house and the country to prevent. With a view then to guard against such consequences, and to afford an opportunity of arranging more suitable provision for the family of lord Collingwood, it was his wish to suspend the progress of this bill for some time. He therefore moved that the report be taken into consideration on this day sennight.
Mr. Spencer Stanhopewho stated that he had long had the honour of being acquainted with lord Collingwood and his family, recommended that, instead of the limitations at present in the bill, it should be arranged thus; that in case of the death of that meritorious officer, 1000 l. a year of the proposed annuity should descend to his widow, and 500 l. per year to each of his daughters, to be held by them during their lives. This plan would be infinitely more suitable than that which the bill contained, as lord Collingwood was not likely to have any more children; and sure he was that it would be much more agreeable to the family of that noble lord, and of course to the feelings of that noble lord himself. It would serve to relieve much of that anxiety which must naturally arise in the breast of a parent who is daily exposed to death in his country's cause, and who must he sorely afflicted by the idea that his death would leave his family with a very limited provision. Parliament, the hon. member had no doubt, would be happy and prompt to release the feelings of that noble lord from such an afflicting prospect.
Mr. Vansittartfelt the utmost satisfaction in acceding to the proposition of the noble lord, and he had riot the least doubt that the object to which it referred would meet with the fullest attention from his majesty's present ministers. They would of course not fail to take care that the family of an officer who deserved so well of his country should not be left without an adequate provision; and with that view it would certainly be necessary to provide, that, in failure of male issue, the proposed annuity should devolve on the other branches of the noble lord's family.
Admiral Harveyobserved, that it was no affair of his to consider with what the annuity mentioned in the bill originated; but it was to him an object of the most serious solicitude, that such merit as that of lord Collingwood should not go unrewarded, or that the family of such a man should not be left unprovided for. That the latter was likely to be the case, if the house should not reconsider the bill under discussion, he very much feared was but too true.—The motion was then put and agreed to.