§ MR. MACAULAYsaid, it was well known that the British Government in 1807 confiscated a large amount of Danish property; that the produce of the sales belonged 1219 to the Crown exclusively, but that the Government of the day took credit for having appropriated a considerable amount of the money produced by the sales to the public service. At that late hour (twelve o'clock) he would not go into the original merits of the claims for compensation of the sufferers, or into the state of the question as it stood. On some future occasion he intended to take the sense of the House in regard to the conduct of the Government, after the address of the House praying the Crown to make payment of the adjudged claims and the gracious answer expressing Her Majesty's willingness to do so, in not taking any steps to carry that arrangement into effect. At that time, however, he should content himself with asking, whether the Government would afford him any facilities in ascertaining what were the proceeds of the Danish vessels and munitions seized by the British Government, which led the Danes to make reprisals, and to what purposes those proceeds had been applied? He understood that they amounted to between two and three millions.
MR. PEELsaid, the Government would be glad to give the hon. and learned Gentleman every information in their power. No valuation had been made of the munitions taken from the Danes and used in British vessels, and none could be procured. As to the prize vessels, he understood that papers had already been laid before Parliament showing the amount of the proceeds, and how they were applied.
§ Main Question put, and agreed to.