A petition of the noblemen, and the humble petition of others the vestrymen of the parish of St. Mary-la- 176 bonne, in the county of Middlesex, was presented to the house, setting forth, "that the number of men required to be raised in the said parish, under the provisions of an act of the 44th of his present majesty, intituled, an act for establishing and maintaining a permanent additional force for the defence of the realm, and to provide for augmenting his majesty's regular forces, and for the gradual reduction of the militia of England, amounted to 225; and, notwithstanding every endeavour had been made by the select vestry, churchwardens, overseers of the poor, and other official servants, it had been found impossible to procure a single man in the manner and upon the terms prescribed by the said act; and that the said parish had therefore become liable to the several fines imposed by the said act, and had consequently, on the 23d day of Aug. last, been assessed in the enormous sum of 4,500l. in respect of such deficiency, which, for the reason before given in, was not possible to avoid; and that the sum of 2000l. had been paid to the treasurer of the county of Middlesex on account of the said penalties; and the petitioners have not been informed, nor do they believe that, since the said assessment, a man has been carried to the account of the said parish by the recruiting officer of the district in which the said parish is situate; and that, as the said act seems to have failed in its intended object in every respect, and to impose very heavy penalties upon persons without the possibility of their avoiding the same, the petitioners pray that the said act may be repealed."—Ordered to lie upon the table.