§ The East India Papers which were ordered to be produced were laid upon the table.
§ Mr. R. Dundashoped, if it was in the contemplation of any hon. gent, to move that 425 they should be printed, that he would give I proper notice of his intention.
§ Sir J. Anstrutherstated, that the papers moved for on the affairs of India consisted of no less than 5800 folio pages, and that the printing of them would cost 12,000l.
§ Mr. Bankessaid, that the expence of printing papers was a growing evil which ought to be corrected, as it amounted now to no less a sum than 90,000l. a year. He hoped that it would be left to a committee to make a selection of such as it might be thought expedient to print.
§ Mr. Whitbreadprotested against the doctrine, that the members of the house of commons should be debarred from information, because this could not be communicated without incurring a certain ex-pence. Was there any man, for instance, who would regret the expence which had been incurred, in printing the papers relative to the transactions in the Carnatic? He admitted, that on the present occasion, it might not be necessary to print the voluminous mass of papers now upon the table; still, however, he thought that it would be better even to expend 10,000l. in having them printed, than to assent to the proposition of the hon. gent, who had just sat down, of entrusting a special committee with the power of selecting such as they might think proper to print; a proceeding which was contrary to all parliamentary usage, and from which very bad consequences might result.—The Papers were then ordered to lie upon the table.