HC Deb 15 May 1806 vol 7 c215

A message from the lords acquainted the house, that their lordships would proceed further with the trial of lord viscount Melville to-morrow, in Westminster Hall.— Mr. II.Thornton presented, pursuant to order of the house, an Account of all sums of money paid to the Sierra Leone company pursuant to grants of parliament; also an Account of the disbursement of said sums.—Mr. Williams presented the 13th report of the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry. Ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.—The Irish Loan bill, and Irish Treasury Bills bill, were read a third time, and passed.—The Mutiny bill was read a third time and passed.— The speaker stated to the house, that he had received a letter from admiral Duckworth, dated the 1st of May, in answer to the vote of thanks of the house to himself, and the officers and seamen under his command. The letter was to the following purport: "Superb, off Cales, May 1. Sir; I have received yours of the 25th of March, conveying the highest honour that can be conferred on any officer in his majesty's service, the Thanks of the Imperial Parliament of his Country. However feebly I may be able to express the high sense which I entertain of this high and distinguished honour, I certainly feel it deeply. The best return that I can make on this occasion for the proud distinction which the house of commons has conferred on me by its approbation of my conduct in the battle of the 6th of February off St. Domingo, is to request you to assure the house, that I shall shew my gratitude in the manner which will be most agreeable to them, and that is by using my best efforts in opposing the enemies of my king and country. They have done me a particular favour when they desire that I should communicate their thanks to the officers under my command, and no lesser favour when they desire that the captains of the several vessels should communicate to the seamen and marines the most honourable reward of their services, the thanks and approbation of the representatives of the nation. I beg leave to return my particular thanks to you for your congratulations, and the very handsome terms in which you have transmitted to me the approbation of the house. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. J. T. Duckworth."—The Secretary at War presented at the bar the Army Estimates for the current year. On his moving that the Estimates do lie on the table, the right hon. secretary acquainted the house that they contained the regular Estimates for the year, and added that it was desirable they should be taken into consideration on as early a day as possible. In order, however, to afford the gentlemen opposite an opportunity of considering the nature of these accounts, he should not propose an earlier day than Wednesday next. The usual course on such occasions was to suffer a week to elapse between the presenting and voting the estimates. That time would nearly intervene between this day and Wednesday, and he therefore trusted, that no objection would be made to voting the estimates on Wednesday, for which day he fixed his notice. The estimates were then ordered to lie on the table and the abstract of them, on the motion of general Tarleton, to be printed.