Sitting of 7 February 1805

MINUTES.
Mr. Quarme, deputy us he

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of the black rod, acquainted the speaker that the presence of the house was requested in the house of peers. The speaker, accompanied by several members, accordingly proceeded to the upper house. On his return he informed the house that they had heard the royal assent given by commission to the malt duty bill, the pensions and personal estates duties bill, add the insolvent debtors' amendment bill.—Mr. Johnson, from the office of the chief secretary of state for Ireland, presented, pursuant to order of this house, copies of letters which had been sent from the chief secretary to the boards of customs and excise relative to the better collection of duties in those departments in future. Ordered to be printed. —Mr. Pole presented a return of the number of drivers, artificers, and labourers who have enlisted into the service of the ordinance from the 1st Jan. 1804, to the same period in the present year. Also a return of the officers, non-commissioned officer's, and privates serving in the artillery at each of the above-mentioned periods. Ordered to be printed.—Mr.Wilberforce moved, that there be laid before the house copies of any correspondence that had taken place between his maj.'s secretaries of state and the governors or other civil authorities of the colonies, since the 13th Feb. 1804. Ordered.—The 3 million exchequer bills bill was reported.—The house went into a committee on the act of the 44th of his maj. relative to the Greenland fishery. In the committee Mr. Huskisson stated, that the object of his motion was only to obtain leave to renew a bill for allowing vessels in the Greenland trade to complete their complement of men in certain ports. The resolutions were agreed to; and the house being resumed, Mr. Alexander obtained leave to bring in the bill.

LOYALTY LOAN.
Mr. Huskissonmoved the order of the day, for a committee of the whole house on the loyalty loan act. The house having resolved into the committee, the hon. gent, informed the committee, that as his right hon. friend, (the Chanc. of the Excheq.) had yesterday stated to the house the plan he proposed to follow with respect to this object, it would be unnecessary for him to take up the time of the committee. He should therefore content himself barely with moving the resolutions. The 1st resolution provided, that such of those holders of loyalty loan as had given, notice on or previous to Oct. 10, 1804, that they wished to be paid off
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on the 5th of April, 1805, should, by giving notice to that effect previous to the 10th of March, 1805, be entitled on the 5th of April, for every 100 l. debenture, to such a proportion of the 5 per cents; as' should be equal to 100 l. with a bonus of 1½ per cent, on every 100 l. or such a proportion of the 3 per cents, as should be equal to 100 l. with a bonus of ¾ per cent. which bonus, in the former case, would amount to 1l. 9s. per 100 l. and in the latter to 17 s. per 100 l. the price of the respective funds to be struck by the directors of the bank of England, on an average of the 10 days of sale preceding the 26th Feb. 1805. The second gave power to the lords of the treasury to contract for a loan to the amount of that part of the loyalty loan which might not be subscribed under the foregoing terms.—The resolutions were agreed to; and on the house being resumed, the report was ordered to be received to-morrow.—Adjourned.

MINUTES.
The house in a committee of privileges heard evidence relative to the claim of lady H. Fitzgerald, to the barony of Rous.—The earl of Chichester took the oaths and his seat.—The royal assent was given, by commission, to the malt duty bill, the pension duty bill, the insolvent debtors' amendment bill, and a naturalization bill.—Mr. Robinson, from the London dock company, presented an account of the disbursements of the company from the 1st June, 1803, to the 30th Nov. 1804, with an account of the progress made.—Earl Spencer moved that, on account of lord Grenville's indisposition, the consideration of the Spanish papers should be postponed from to-morrow to some future day.—Ld. Mulgrave had no objection, as the noble lord had shewn so much interest in the subject, and as from the situation he had formerly held in the country, his opinion must be entitled to some weight, that the business should be delayed to some early day, when it might be in his power to attend. After some conversation on this point his 1dp. moved, that the order, do stand for Monday next, which was agreed to.—Adjourned.