Sitting of 20 March 1804

MINUTES.—
Sir John Frederickobtained leave to bring in a Bill for paving, lighting, and cleansing the parish of Lambeth in the county of Surry.—The Two Millions Exchequer Bills Bill was read a third time and passed.—Sir Jacob Astley moved, that there be laid before the House an account of the malt imported into Gt. Britain from Ireland, and into Ireland from Gt. Britain, during the 6 years, ending 5th of Jan. 1804 distinguishing the duties upon each for each year, as well as the separate duties appertaining to Scotland; also, that there be laid before the House an account of the quantity of malt carried coast ways between England and Scotland; also, an account of the quantity of beer imported into Gt. Britain from Ireland, and vice versa; also, an account of the quantity of malt, on which a duty was charged in Gt. Britain, and in Ireland, during the same period. These several motions were agreed to.—Mr. King moved, that there be laid before-the House a list of all public accompanies, in respect of whom any process had been suspended, prevented, or controlled, under the authority of the act of the 29lh of the King. Ordered.—A person from the Exchequer presented at the bar the accounts relative to the surplus of the Consolidated Fund, moved for on the preceding

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day by Mr. Gregor. They were bid on the table and odered to be printed.—The Highway Statute Labour Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed only pro forma, and deferred till after the Easter recess.

PROPB TY TAX.—
Earl Templeobserved, that he had on a former day given notice of his intention to bring forward a motion relative to the assessments which had been made on the military incomes of subaltern officers. But since he gave that notice, several other oases of a similar kind had presence themselves, which lie conceived to bee usually strong and equally deserving the at tention of Parliament, with that of subaltern officers. He should therefore conceive, he hid acted wrong, if ha did not bring all the other cases under the consideration of the House. He now, therefore, withdrew the first notice he had given, and gave notice, that shortly after the recess, he would bring forward his motion in a more enlarged and extended shape. His motion should be for a Committee of the whole House to consider the propriety of revising and amending the act for laying a duty on property.

VOLUNTEER CONSOLIDATION BILL.—
Mr. Secretary Yorkemoved, that the report of the volunteer consolidation bill be taken into further consideration. The report was accordingly taken into consideration, and the clerk proceeded to read over the several amendments and causes, adopted in the Committee, in order to be agreed to by the House.—On the clause respecting the allowances to volunteers on being called out.
Mr. Pillsaid, that as the clause stood, the guinea to which each volunteer would be. entitled who came out on permanent pay and duty, was to be placed in the hands of the commanding officer to lay out the whole or part, as he should think tit, for necessaries for the use of such volunteer. Now, when h first took the liberty of suggesting to the House the propriety of improving as rapidly as possible, the discipline of the volunteers, he conceived, that the idea of the House was to hold out to each volunteer distinctly a bounty for so doing. It was agreed, that many must make great sacrifices in coming out upon permanent duty, and he did understand, that the principle of giving a bounty to each individual was acceded to. Bat he could not help thinking, that the bounty being disposed of as provided in the bill, it must operate as an impediment in any encouragement to the volunteers to come out, as the sum to be given would no longer be at the disposal of the individual, nor would he be enabled to provide for his fa-
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mily out of it during his absence. The money was thus prevented from becoming what it ought to be, a substitute for his earnings during his absence.
Mr. Secretary Yorkecontended, that the guinea ought not to go indiscriminately into the pockets of the volunteers, as, though there might be several industrious men with families, who might wish to appropriate the money to the use of those families, yet there were others who might probably lay it out in procuring those indulgences which were not very consistent with the character of a soldier.
Mr. Kinnairddenied that this guinea was an inducement to the volunteers to come out, at least in Scotland, because, m fact, they were not paid. He wished to know, whether this guinea was to be paid to them, and if it was, whether it was in the discretion of the commanding officer to lay it out for the men in the purchase of necessaries for them, and he also wished to know, whether that guinea was to be considered as a part of the two guineas which the volunteers were to receive when called out in case of invasion.
Mr. Sturges Bournecontended, that the guinea allowed ought to be paid directly to the volunteers, as an inducement to them to offer their services for permanent duly. They came out last year because they were told of invasion, but they would not come, out up n the same grounds now when they were told, as they had been in Parliament, that all apprehensions upon that subject was a mere panic, and that the fleet at Boulogne was a Musquito fleet. This guinea ought, therefore, to be given to the men, and even, that would be but a small compensation for the loss of time they would sustain in being absent from their labour for 3 weeks.
Mr. Pittsaid, if he had understood the instruction sent round by the Sec. of State, according to the construction now put upon it, he certainly would not have troubled the House about it, but certainly that was not the way in which it was generally understood. He was perfectly satisfied with the explanation he had heard, and should act accordingly; but he submitted, whether it might not be proper that some means should be taken of informing others who might have understood the instructions as he had done, and who had not the advantage of hearing the explanation which had been given.
Mr. Hiley Addingionsaid, that the most advantageous way of laying out this money, would be to purchase great coats, which were in point of fact absolutely necessary. With respect to the price of them, he knew that so far from their costing 23 or 24 s. that very good ones might be had for 13 s.
Mr. Canningsaid, that the guinea which was to be allowed to the volunteers who offered their services for permanent duty, had been very improperly, in his opinion, compared with the marching guinea allowed to the regulars and to the militia. With regard to the latter, when they were ordered to march, it was not optional in them to march or not, they were bound to do it; but the case was very different with regard to the volunteers. You could not compel the volunteers to offer their services for permanent duty, and, therefore, the guinea was given to them as an inducement to them to go out.
General Grosvenorsaid, he never was an advocate for this guinea at all; it was one out of two guineas to be allowed in all to the volunteer, and he should vote for its being laid out as proposed by the original clause, and not by that which was proposed by the amendment.
Mr. Fonblanquethought the commanding officer had full power by the clause to provide the volunteer with what was necessary, but then what was necessary was in a great measure a question of taste. A great coat might appear necessary to one man, while another might prefer a feather. The question here was a question of inducement, what was most likely to call a man into the field before the enemy comes.

For the amendment

39

For the original clause without it

73

The amendments being gone through, the bill was ordered to be read a third time on Thursday.

Preamble
Mr. Erskine was heard, and evidence received in behalf of Lady H. Fitzgerald's, claim to the Ross Peerage. The further hearing adjourned to Thursday next.—The Irish Revenue, the Irish Malt Duties, and Hides and Tallow Importation Bills, went through a Committee of the whole House, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow.—Several Bills were received from the Commons, and read the first time. Adjourned,