Sitting of 1 February 1806

MINUTES.
Mr. Alexanderbrought up the report of the committee of supply on the army estimates. The resolutions were agreed to, nem. Con.— Mr. Alexander brought in bills for continuing for one year, from the expiration of the last grant, time usual duties on land, malt, &c. The bills were read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday.— Lord Castlereagh presented the following message from his majesty, viz. "Geo. R. His majesty having taken into his royal consideration the splendid and unparalleled achievements of the late vice-admiral lord viscount Nelson, knt. of the most hon. order of the Bath, during a life spent in the service of his country, and terminated in. the moment of victory by a glorious death, and being desirous of conferring on his relict lady viscountess Nelson a net annuity of 2000 l. per annum for the term of her natural life, recommends it to his faithful commons to consider of a proper method of enabling

117
his majesty to grant such annuity, and of securing and settling the same in such manner as shall be thought most effectual for the benefit of the said lady viscountess Nelson. G. R."—Lord Castlereagh presented the following message from his majesty, viz. "Geo. R. His majesty having taken into his royal consideration the signal and important service performed by Cuthbert lord Collingwood, vice-admiral of the blue, in the ever-memorable and decisive victory obtained by the fleet under the command of vice-admiral lord viscount Nelson over the combined fleets of France and Spain off Cape Trafalgar, in the month of Oct. last; and his highly meritorious conduct after the action, not only highly honourable to himself, but greatly beneficial to the united kingdom; and being desirous to bestow upon the said Cuthbert lord Collingwood some considerable and lasting mark of his royal favour, as a testimony of his majesty's approbation of the said services; and for this purpose to give and grant, unto the said Cuthbert lord Collingwood, and to the two next succeeding heirs male of the body of the said Cuthbert lord Collingwood, to whom the title of baron Collingwoood shall descend, for and during their lives, a net annuity of 2000 l. per annum; but his majesty not having it in his power to grant an annuity to that amount, or to extend the effect of the said grant beyond the term of ins own life, recommends it to his faithful commons to consider of a proper method of enabling his majesty to grant the same, and of extending, securing, and settling such anunity to the said Cuthbert lord Collingwood, and to the two next persons on whom the title of baron Collingwood shall descend, in such manner as shall be thought most effectual for the benefit of tine said Cuthbert lord Collingwood and his family. G. R."—Lord Castlereagh presented also, the following message from his majesty, viz. "Geo. R. His majesty being desirous of conferring a signal mark of his favour and approbation on rear-admiral sir Richard Strachan, bart. in consequence of the eminent services rendered by him, in the capture of a French squadron in the month of Nov. last, and of the valour and skill displayed by him on that occasion, recommends it to his faithful commons to enable his majesty to make pro-
118
vision for securing to the said sir Richard Strachan a pension of 1000 l. per ann. for the term of his natural life. G. R." Resolved, that the house would on Monday next, resolve itself into a committee of the whole house, on the said messages. —Lord Castlereagh gave notice, that he would on Monday move an address to his majesty, for the erection of a monument to tine memory of the late marquis Cornwallis.

AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
Mr. Wallacerose, to move for the production of certain papers referring to a subject which an hon. gent. (Mr. Paull) had thought proper to bring under the consideration of the house. These papers, the hon. gent. stated, were necessary fully to elucidate the different questions to which an hon. gent. (Mr. Francis) had alluded in the course of the last sessions. They referred principally to those treaties and transactions in India, upon which it was endeavoured to inculpate the character of the noble marquis (Wellesley) who lately presided over the government of that country. To repel the charges against that noble marquis, and to enable the house completely to understand, and satisfactorily to determine upon the whole of the transactions alluded to, the papers he meant to move for were essentially necessary. The hon. gent. concluded with moving for the production of "extracts of the letters addressed by the governor-general in council on the 28th of August, 1786, to the court of directors, on the subject of the troops employed by the nabob of Oude, &c. together with a copy of the answer of the directors to the said letter in the year 1787."
Mr. Paullexpressed his surprise and dissatisfaction that such delay should have occurred in bringing forward the papers which had been some time since ordered, pursuant to his motion, and wished to know from the hon. gent. why such delay had occurred?
Mr. Wallacereplied, that, according to the terms of the orders alluded to, which left to the board of controul a discretion of considering which of the papers the hon. gent. moved for could be produced, consistently with the interest of the public service, that board had taken the subject into their serious consideration, and as soon as their decision could be formed, the orders of the house would be complied with.
Mr. Paullobserved, that the papers he had moved for were so essential to the ends of justice, particularly with regard to the nabob of Oude, that he thought it incumbent on the board of controul to come forward and state the reasons why they declined to lay them before the house.
Mr. Wallacebegged the hon. gent. to recollect, that the papers he referred to had not been refused.
Mr. Wallacemoved also for the copies of several letters, addressed by the residents at the court of Oude, &c. to the governor-general in council; the letters of governor Duncan, generals St. Vincent and Craig, &c. from the year 1785 to that of 1801, together with the political letters of lord Cornwallis, to the court of directors, during the several years of his government in India.— These motions were agreed to.
Mr. Wallacethen mentioned, that as allusion had been frequently made elsewhere to a letter addressed by the court of directors to the governor-general and council of India, for the purpose of annulling the appointment of the hon. Henry Wellesley to the office of lieut. general of certain provinces which had been transferred to our dominion, he thought it necessary to say that no such letter had ever been sent out. Such a letter had, no doubt, been transmitted by the court of directors to the board of controul; but that board had thought proper to refuse sending it to India, and returned it to the directors, accompanied by a letter containing the reasons of that refusal. Drafts of the original letter and the reply it was his wish to have laid before the house, in order that a subject which had been much animadverted upon should be fully understood. The right hon. gent. submitted motions accordingly, which were agreed to.