Mr. D. Davenport took the oaths and his seat for Cheshire, in the room of Mr. Egertou, deceased.—The Customs Fees Abolition bill was brought up, and read a first time.—The house resolved itself into a committee on the Scotch Distillery acts. Mr Vansittart stated various inconveniences, that arose from the present mode of collecting the duties on distilleries in Scotland; and concluded by moving, that they should be collected in the form mentioned in the resolutions which he was about to propose. These were handed to the chairman (Mr. Hobhouse); who took the sense of the committee, whether, as the particulars were to appear on the Votes, he should then read them. The sense of the house being against reading the particulars then; the resolutions were agreed to, and the house resumed.—Mr. Foster rose, pursuant to notice, to move for papers relative to the Corn Trade. He accordingly moved for several accounts respecting the quantity of corn, flour, &c. imported and exported, between Great Britain and Ireland, for the last 12 years; the drawbacks and bounties allowed, during the same period, for exports and imports of corn, to and from Great Britain and Ireland, and the Ameri- 517 can colonies; together with the average prices; which were ordered accordingly.—Lord Castlereagh moved for so much of a letter, dated the 4th of December, 1800, of the court of directors to the Bengal government, as related to the transactions in Oude. Ordered.—Mr. Paull moved for the production of the correspondence of the Bengal government with col. Scott, respecting the arrangements made by marquis Wellesley, pursuant to the treaty of Lucknow concluded in 1801. These papers had before been moved for; but then were thirteen omissions in the correspondence, all of them, in his opinion, of importance. Lord Castlereagh, after what had passed the preceding night, trusted that he might be allowed to state how the matter stood. Strictly speaking, the late board of control was not a party to the return at all, for it had been made by the present hoard; therefore, if there was anything improper in the discretion exercised the present board was responsible. But he had no objection to state what would have been the course, had they continued in office. They had determined to keep back part of the papers; but left them in such a state, that their successors might judge for themselves. However, he had stated, confidentially, to the hon. gent. opposite (Mr. Creevey) his views upon the subject: they wished to withhold that part which related to the private character of the nabob vizier, which they considered it as disrespectful to him to publish. They, therefore, set aside five letters. There were, also, four or five paragraphs kept out of different papers, because they were to be found in other papers presented, and the reasons were stated in marginal notes. He had no objection, however, to the production of the omitted paragraphs, if the hon gent. wished to have them. Lord Morpeth said, that they had thought of withholding some papers, as being private and confidential; but if the hon. gent. was of opinion that they would support his cause, he might have them. As to the letters respecting the private character of the nabob vizier, he thought that extracts from these would answer his purpose. Mr. Creevey agreed in what had been said by his noble friend.—Mr. Paull said, that he had come to the knowledge of these papers from the dispatch of the directors; and contended, that such as he called for would not injure the character of the nabob. He thought, therefore, that the whole should be produced. 518 He did not stand up for the character of the nabob vizier; but a more correct and dignified conduct had never been displayed by any European prince. From the oppression and tyranny which he had suffered, he had, to be sure, resorted to means to kill care; and if, by these means, he was unfitted for the management of his affairs, it was an additional reason why the papers should be produced. He then read one of the omissions from a letter in his hand; which one lord Castlereagh pointed out in the printed papers. But Mr. Paull insisted, that the tendency and bearing were different in the letters. Sir Arthur Wellesley had no objection to the production of the papers in question, on the part of marquis Wellesley. They would even be of advantage to his noble relation; but his cause did not need their support; and, therefore, he thought that those relating to the private conduct of the nabob ought to be suppressed, because it ought to be considered that he was a mussulman, and the publication might do him a great deal of injury in his own country. After a few words from Mr. Wallace, the motion was put and carried.—Sir John Sinclair called the attention of the house to the subject of the state of the highways and broad-wheeled waggons. He was of opinion, from the statements of an ingenious mechanic, and other circumstances, that various improvements might be made in this respect. He would, therefore, move for a committee, to consider the acts relative to the highways and broad-wheeled waggons, with a view to form proper regulations on this point, and report to the house. Mr. Curwen seconded the motion, and a committee was accordingly appointed.