Mr. Bennetsaid, he had understood that 13,000l. had been paid out of the Droits of Admiralty to general Hulse, an officer of the Prince Reagent's household; which was one of three sums, amounting in all to 39,000l. that had been paid out of the same funds towards the liquidation of the Regent's debts. He wished for some explanation of this transaction from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, he felt no difficulty in answering the question of the hon. gentleman, though on a subject somewhat delicate; but which had been brought before the House at a former time, on the occasion of the passing of a Bill for regulating the Prince Reagent's household. In that Bill, which had passed into a law, it was provided that a certain annual sum should be set aside for the removal of certain incumbrances under which his Royal Highness laboured. There were, however, some of these of so urgent a nature, that it had been deemed advisable to pay the sum of 39,000l. out of the droits of the Admiralty for their removal, and this sum was to be repaid by instalments to that fund. He did not know the exact amount of the debts outstanding; but he understood they would be liquidated in somewhat between 3 and 4 years.
§ Mr. Tierneyfelt considerable pleasure, on the whole from the communication of 462 the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, if he rightly understood him, said that the prince's debts would be liquidated in between three and four years. They therefore could not amount now to more than 150,000l. As to the repayment of the 39,000l. to the droits of Admiralty, by instalments he did not see what security there could be for this; as the funds out of which the repayment was to be made was to determine on the demise of his Majesty.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerrepeated, that he knew not the exact amount of the outstanding debts; but that by the monies applied by the Act, and some arising from the duchy of Cornwall, he understood they would be paid in three or four years. The fund, he allowed, was determinable on a contingency not pleasant to contemplate.