Mr. Ponsonbyobserved, that on the first day of the session he had noticed. a passage relating to Sweden, in the Speech of the lords commissioners, and having inquired of the right hon. secretary, whether by that passage it was implied, that the house should make good a subsidiary treaty with Sweden, the right hon. gent. had replied,-that he expected shortly to have his majesty's commands to lay on the table of that house, subsidiary treaty with Sweden. Above a month had elapsed, but no such treaty had been produced, although, it was rumoured, on what authority he knew not, that a considerable sum of money had actually been sent from G. Britain to that country. He 695 wished to know whether any money had been so transmitted? and if it had, whether it was under the conditions of a treaty subsisting prior to the observation in the speech, or in consequence of the conclusion of a more recent treaty?
Mr. Secretary Canningreplied, that the reason why the passage in his majesty's speech had not been followed up by the presentation of the treaty was simply this until within these few days there had been, no arrivals from the continent. No less than eight or ten Gottenburgh mails had become due. Within these few days, however, dispatches had been received from the British ambassador at Stockholm, stating that the Treaty with Sweden had been actually signed. His majesty's government were in daily expectation of receiving it, and within as short a period as possible after the arrival of the treaty, he should feel it to be his duty to bring it down to the house. It was unquestionably true, that a sum of money had been sent to Sweden, not in pursuance of any prior treaty concluded with that country, but in the contemplation of the treaty that had recently been signed.