Sitting of 16 January 1805

MINUTES.—
Lord W. Russelpresented a petition from the proprietors of the Surry Iron Railway; ordered to be referred to a committee.—The committees of religion, grievances, courts of justice, trade, and privileges were appointed—The standing orders of the house were read as usual at the commencement of every session.—Mr. Dillon brought up the report of the address to his majesty on his speech from the throne, which was read and agreed to, and ordered to be presented by the whole house, and that such members as are of the privy council do wait on his majesty, to inquire when he will be pleased to receive the same.—Ordered, that his majesty's speech be taken into consideration to-morrow.—Mr. Williams presented the ninth report of the commissioners of naval inquiry; ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.

WARIN INDIA.—
Mr. Francisadverted to a motion which he had made in the course of the last sessions, for the production of certain papers respecting the war in India, and which was not complied with, as the papers were not then arrived to which his motion referred. Understanding now, that those papers were received, the hon. member submitted a motion, that there should be laid before the house copies of all treaties, engagements, and correspondence, as have taken place between the governments of Bengal, Fort St. George, and Bombay, and any of the surviving Mahometan princes or states, in the upper part of India, particularly with the king or mogul, at Delhi, or his ministers. —Ordered accordingly. —Mr. Francis also gave notice, that he would, on Monday next, move for the production of some farther papers with respect to the war in India, After the two distinguished chiefs, Scindiah, and the Rajah of Berar, had been conquered by our arms, and a treaty concluded with them; after India was understood to be completely tranquillized,
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it was heard with surprise that new hostities had commenced with Holcar, who was a minor chief. The papers for which he meant to move, the hon. member said, would refer to those hostilities, the cause of which the house and the country were naturally anxious to ascertain.

MINUTES.—
At two o'clock the Lord Chancellor took his seat on the woolsack. —The Earl of Aylesford signified to the house his majesty's pleasure to receive their lordships' address at three o'clock at St. James's. —Some naturalization bills, and bills of a private nature, were forwarded, and a variety of arrangements made with respect to the judicial business of the house.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' BILL.—
Lord Ellenboroughpresented a bill for the consideration of their lordships, the object of which was to rectify certain omissions of the insolvent debtors bill of last session, and more clearly to ascertain how far the provisions of that bill were meant to extend; one of the leading provisions of the bill seemed to be a specific regulation of the lists to be furnished by jailors of the prisoners in their custody, liable to the operations of the late insolvent debtors' act. His lordship moved that the bill be now read a first time.
The Lord Chancellor,after reading the breviate of the bill, quitted the woolsack, and expressed his opinion, that the noble and learned lord deserved the thanks of the house and of the country for his conduct in the present instance, and on two grounds: 1st, in coming forward with a provision to rectify an act, which greatly required it; and, 2dly, for bringing it forward at so early a period of the session. The bill of last session was brought in, he observed, at so very late a period, that the house was unavoidably deprived of the assistance, in its discussion, of several of its most able and best-informed members (of that of his noble and learned friend, for instance), who were absent on calls of indispensable duty; he wondered not, therefore, at the late act requiring so much amendment. To this was to be added another consideration, that acts of that description, when passed towards the close of a session, generally create an idea that the relief is meant to be extended farther than is really the case. On these grounds he highly approved of the present bill, and begged leave to repeat his thanks

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to the noble and learned lord for bringing it forward at so early a period —The bill lies over for farther consideration. —At half past two the house adjourned till Monday, after which their lordships proceeded to St. James's, with their address to his majesty.