Sitting of 16 July 1806

MINUTES.
The Land Tax Redemption Amendment bill, the Warehousing Goods bill, the Woods and Forests Surveyors' bill, the Windsor Forest bill, this Irish Hops Importation bill, the Grenada Loan bill, the Lottery bill, and the Stage Coach bill, were read a third time and passed. Upon the latter, sir John Sinclair took occasion to observe, that the provisions of this bill did not appear to go far enough to satisfy the wishes of the public. But yet it formed an additional arrangement to those already existing, which he hoped would operate to diminish the evils com-

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plained of, as to the number of passengers, particularly outside, upon stage coaches, and the general conduct of the drivers and guards of such vehicles. The hon. bart. added, that this bill was only meant to be temporary, and that he would, very early in the next session, call the attention of the house to this subject, in order that endeavours should be made to establish a more eligible system.

Mr. PITT'S DEBTS.
The house having resolved itself into a committee upon the Consolidated Fund bill, Mr. Vansittart moved a clause of appropriation.
Lord Folkestoneobserved upon that part of the account in which it appeared that 41 010 l. 6s. had been paid for the discharge of Mr. Pitt's debts, although the words of the address voted by the house upon this subject contained these precise words, "a Sum not exceeding 40,000 l."
Mr. Vansittartremarked upon the insignificant amount of the difference alluded to by the noble lord. and stated, that this difference might be considered the result of the order, that no deduction for fees should be made upon the sum originally granted.
Lord Folkestonesaid, that to overlook such a difference would be to establish a precedent, tending to justify the minister in exceeding the grant of that house, in applying a sum of the public money beyond that which parliament or that house might authorize. The noble lord also noticed some incorrectness in casting up the accounts upon which this bill was founded.
Mr. Vasittartreferred the noble lord to the journals, in which he would find a similar difference to that of which he now complained, and that in the case of the illustrious Chatham; which difference was afterwards sanctioned by the house of commons.—The resolutions were then agreed to, and the report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow.

BARRACK ABUSES.
Mr. Robsonrose, pursuant to notice, to call the attention of the house to the accounts on the table, with respect to the expenditure of the public money in the barrack department. In times like the present, when the national expenditure was no less than one million and a half weekly; when the national burthens were rapidly increasing, and likely to increase still farther, he did not think it necessary to make any apology to the house for attempting to occupy its attention upon the subject of the flagrant abuses, which, he had no doubt of being able to shew, ex-
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isted in the department to which his motion would refer. It was now nearly two months since he had felt it his duty to mention this subject in the house; but, at that time, he was by no means so well acquainted with the mal-practices which prevailed for these ten years back, as he had since become. He was now fully satisfied, that the statement he before made was even below the fact. The house would recollect, that, when he brought the business forward, many gentlemen seemed to doubt the correctness of his information; and that, in consequence of such doubt, he received a check that was calculated to discourage the prosecution of his object; but no such check should ever avail to restrain him from the performance of his duty, or damp his feelings in the pursuit of the public good. However, notwithstanding this check, it turned out immediately afterwards, that the rectitude of his pursuit was recognised even by those from whom the check proceeded. For the noble lord (H. Petty), whom he now saw in his place, but a few days afterwards brought forward precisely the same motions, which, when proposed by him, were rejected. But, at the tune of that rejection, he was fully persuaded that the noble lord was not at all aware of the enormous abuses that were going on; and, it was but justice to that noble lord to say, that he immediately afterwards applied himself to a diligent investigation of the subject; and the result of that investigation was, that the noble lord found the case much worse than it had been described by him; in consequence of which discovery, the noble lord took the course already alluded to, and did him the honour of copying Ins motions. Now, it turned out, that the rent of the barns which he before referred to, and which were hired for the use of the soldiery in the Isle of Wight, were some time since reduced to one half of that for which they were originally let; yet such was their value, that he could assure the house, that were a farther reduction of one half their present rent to take place, as it must, there would still be paid for them even double more than they were worth. But he had to state, that a great many more buildings, of a similar description, let on similar terms, had undergone no reduction whatever. If the house would turn their attention to this matter, they would meet, in every step of their enquiry, circumstances equally calculated to excite their surprise and indignation, Gen-

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tlemen would hardly believe that the sum of 200 l. a year had been paid for shells of barns in the Isle of Wight. In referring to this part, he took merely a single speck of the barrack accounts; for, in order to avoid confusion, he did not mean, at present, to extend his investigation to the whole of the barrack accounts, which were confessedly the most confused in Europe. Therefore, he should confine himself, in illustration of the cause of his motion, to Sandown Bay barracks, respecting which, he was possessed of the most satisfactory information. But yet the communications he received were such as impressed him with the propriety of extending his motion to all temporary barracks; and, it would appear astonishing to the public, that many of these barracks, although hired and paid for by the week, were often actually unoccupied for a considerable part of the year. TO expose such improvident conduct, such Scandalous waste of the public money, and to prevent its continuance, was the object of the motion which he should have the honour of submitting to the house. The hon. gent. concluded, with moving—"That there be laid before this house, a return of all the buildings, of every description, rented or hired by government, and used as barracks or places for lodging, or containing officers and soldiers of the army, or of persons and horses attached to the army; that the said return do embrace every building which has been so rented, or hired, and so used, in the whole of G. Britain, between the 1st day of Jan. 1793, and the 24th of June, 1806: That the said return be exhibited in 15 columns, placed in the order, and containing the several heads here following, viz.—1st, The date of the year and of the month and day when each building respectively was taken; 2d, The county and parish in which the building is situate; 3d, The name or phrase describing the building; 4th, The number of officers that are, or have been, generally quartered or lodged in the building; 5th, The number of non-commissioned officers and men, and of horses, that are or have been generally quartered or lodged in the building; 6th, The name of the proprietor of the building; 7th, The name and rank of the officer or person by whom the building was taken on the part of government; 8th, The weekly rent or hire of the building; 9th, The yearly rent or hire of the building; 10th, The name and rank of the officer or person, or officers or persons through whose hands the rent, or
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hire, has been paid to the proprietor of the building; 11th, The time when any alteration (if any) in the rent or hire of the building was made; 12th, The weekly rent or hire of the building, subsequent to such alteration; 13th, The yearly rent or hire of the building, subsequent to such alteration; 14th, the time when the building was given up, if not now occupied by government; 15th, The account of the whole of the sums which have been expended in repairs upon the building: and the said returns do exhibit all the names and descriptions of the said buildings, following one another in due chronological order, the building first taken by government standing first, and the building last taken standing last."
Lord H. Pettysaid, that when he first interfered in this business, in putting the previous question on the hon. gent.'s motion, it was because he was convinced, that very considerable abuses prevailed in the barrack department; and the only objection he then had to the motion of the hon. member was, that a military board was now sitting, especially appointed by parliament, for waking an enquiry into this very department. From this committee, a report was expected to be received, he believed, to-morrow; and were he in the place of the hon. gent., he should defer his motion till he had seen that report. If, however, the hon. gent. thought fit to persist in his motion, he should certainly make no objection to it.
The Secretary at Warwished to know of the hon. gent. whether he meant to ground any enquiry on the papers he had moved. for? As he thought it not quite candid to move for voluminous papers, in which the characters of individuals were implicated, which papers went abroad, and those characters became injured, without having any opportunity allowed of defending themselves; he thought, that as there was a board of commissioners now sitting, which was expressly appointed by parliament, for investigating the accounts of the barrack department, the house should not sutler any other enquiry to be entered upon, till that commission was closed, without repealing the act by which it was constituted.
Mr. Robsonsaid, the right hon. gent. who just sat down, must surely have forgotten what passed about 3 weeks ago, when he was asked by that right hon. gent. himself, whether he meant to go on with the barrack enquiry? He said, he thought the business had been taken out of his

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hands by the right hon. the chancellor of the exchequer; but if he did not pursue it, he (Mr. Robson) would make a motion on the subject. The right hon. secretary wished him to name the day, as he meant to move for other papers, that would throw more light on the subject. Thus had he been goaded to come forward with the business, and now he had done so, he was told he ought to wait for the report of the commissioners. These commissioners had now been sitting 13 months, and, in all that time, had only produced one report, which might, with case, have been made in 3 weeks; for it was only an account of the one per cent. which had been overcharged by gen. De Lancey, from his first appointment to the office of barrack-master-general. A Mr. Standbank had said, that it might be 3 years before this commission was closed; and yet he was told, he was to wait for the report of commissioners who had only made one report in 13 months, respecting one office, and they had five offices to enquire into. He looked upon such commissioners to be more maskers of enquiry, than unfolders of it. Those abuses, he well knew, were at this moment going on to as great an extent as ever; and as these commissioners were so slow in their motions, he was determined he would not forego his privilege of a member of parliament, of pushing forward an enquiry as speedily as possible. The house would recollect what good had been produced by the naval enquiry. He proposed to enquire into the state of the canteens, and asserted, that the rent of the canteens would pay the expenses of the barracks. He should then be glad to know what had become, or been done with all the money that had been received from canteens; on which subject he wished to fish for some information.
Mr. Martinsaid, he wished to see an enquiry instituted in that house, rather that by commissioners; because the latter, from the slow progress they made, seemed to look on the people of England as able to bear peculation, in the same way as cooks did the skinning of eels; because they were so well used to it, they felt nothing from it.
The Secretary at Warwished to know what farther measure the hon. gent. meant to ground on his present motion.
Mr. Paullthen made some observations with regard to a Mr. Atkins, the late barrack-master, who had been dismissed. He stated him to have been formerly an honourable character, and recommended by Sir R. Abercromby to the situation which
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he held. It was not found out that he was a pilferer, till he had discovered certain peculations of others, and bad given information of them to the war-office. Till then he was never found out to be dishonest. Sums had been given by way of rent that were perfectly incredible; and in consequence of his information, they were reduced from 1100 l. to 500 l. He had been told, also, that these barracks were first furnished by government, and then immediately gutted. When Atkins gave information of those abuses, he was immediately dismissed, without even being confronted by his accusers. He concluded with cordially supporting the motion of the hon. gent., whom he was proud to call his friend.
Mr. Canningobserved, that it had been asserted for a fact, that this Atkins was dismissed on the affidavit of a man who had suffered by Atkins' giving information of his peculations. He had no reason to suppose that the dismissal was not right, but he could wish that the matter should be stated to the satisfaction of the house.
The Secretary at Wardenied that the barrack-master had been dismissed on account of any information he had given, but merely because there were inaccuracies in his accounts.
Mr. Paullconsidered it very extraordinary, that this man, who appeared now to be the most improper of all persons, should be so long continued in a situation of trust and confidence, that none but an honest should be placed in.
Mr. Secretaty Windhamsaid, that he knew nothing of this barrack-master when he was first appointed, and had only heard that he was an officer somewhat distressed, and that there was nothing then said against his character. It was not surprising that the discovery should have been made in the manner it was; for the fact was, that there was so little public spirit generally going, that it usually proceeded from the irritation of sonic private quarrel, that transactions of this sort came to light. He did not see how parliament could take the business into its own hands, or do more than generally recommend it to the commissioners to enquire diligently into abuses of this nature. If these commissioners did not do their duty, other commissioners should be appointed; but he did not see how that house could examine into every separate abuse that might be complained of.
Mr. Bastardthought it was the duty of the house to look diligently into abuses, when they were stated, and, as guardians of

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the public purse, to be generally distrustful of them. He did not expect much good from one set of commissioners being appointed to supersede another. The military commissioners had cost the nation the sum of 10,000 l. for their labours the first year. He thought the punishment of the individual, by removal from his office, would do more good, in the way of example, than ten commissions. Common fame reported, that there were most enormous abuses in the barrack department: that the nation was often charged for pulling down stone buildings, convenient for lodging men, as much money as was spent in building wooden barracks in unwholesome situations. He thought the whole system ought to be examined accurately.
The Secretary at Warobserved, that the dismissal of any barrack-master was only done upon the report of the barrack-master-general.
Mr. Robsonthen said, that he never thought the right hon. secretary at war capable of discharging Mr. Atkins upon any improper ground, for it was not in his nature; nor did he intend introducing the name of that gentleman into the debate, as his enquiries had proceeded a great way before lie ever heard of him. As it was thought right to ask him, what his objects were in this motion? he would honestly answer, first, that he meant to save the money of the public; and, secondly, that he might save to the amount of 500,000 l. a year in the barrack department only. At present these accounts were scarcely settled in the course of two years; and he saw no reason why they should not, like those of the board of works, be audited and passed quarterly; and why they should not, in the same manner as that board, have a comptroller and auditor to themselves. Another of his objects was, to make the rents of the canteens pay the rents of the barracks, for which they were amply sufficient. He said, it was now intimated to him, that a report from the commissioners might be expected to-morrow or the day after; bat though that might assist him, it was not likely to embrace all his objects. There was an unfounded report abroad, that out of the 658 members of that house, there was not one who was careful, or capable, to attend to the public accounts; but it was his intention to shew the contrary; and that it could be done by the bare knowledge of the lour rules of arithmetic. It was not his wish or intention to state; at this time
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aggravating things, but be would mention a report, that the persons concerned in this department had interest enough to have barracks made in the most unhealthy situations; and that, in consequence of it, so great a mortality had prevailed amongst the king's troops and prisoners, that the inhabitants of the parishes would not suffer them to be buried in the church-yards. As to the present commission, he observed, that when it was appointed on the 5th of January, instead of going back in search of old abuses, they should have immediately stopped those that were then existing. The consequence would have been, that a great expenditure would have been saved, and we should not now be paying 474 l. a year for buildings not worth 170 l. If the house chose to employ him in this enquiry, he would set about it to-morrow morning, and soon make them a report which would produce an important saving of the public money. The hon. gent. then moved,"That there be laid before this house, a return of the canteens or houses for vending beer and liquors, which have been set up at the several buildings, rented or hired by government, and used as barracks, or places for lodging or containing officers and soldiers of the army, or of persons attached to the army. That the said return do include every such canteen, in the whole of Great Britain, existing between the 1st of Jan. 1793, and the 24th of June, 1506. That the said return be exhibited in distinct columns, placed in the order, and containing the several heads here following, viz.: 1st, The parish, place, or station, in alphabetical order; 2d, The date of the year, month, and day of letting each canteen respectively; 3d, The name and rank of the person or persons who let the canteen; 4th, The name of the person or persons who rent, or rented the canteen; 5th, The weekly or annual rent of the canteen; 6th, The name and rank of the person or persons through whose hands the rent has been received, on the part of government; 7th, The name, or phrase, descriptive of the building so let as a canteen; 8th, The number of non-commissioned officers and men, generally quartered, or lodged in the several buildings used as barracks, to which such canteen is, or has been attached."
Mr. Paullseconded the motion; and was proceeding to remark upon some misrepresentation of what he said before; when
Mr. Windhamreminded the house, that such a course was disorderly.
The Speakersaid, that it was certainly irregular, in seconding a motion, to go into the subject of a preceding one.
Mr. Paullthought himself entitled to explain a circumstance on which he had been misrepresented.
The Speakerrepeated, that he was proceeding in a disorderly manner; and if he wished to correct a misrepresentation, the fit mode would be to take another occasion of doing so.
The Secretary at Warsupposing himself to be alluded to, wished, that if the orders of the house admitted it, the hon. gent. might be allowed to afford the explanation he wished for.
Mr. Paullsaid, that if he was not allowed to explain, he must withdraw his seconding the motion. He thought, that in seconding a motion, he was entitled to give his reasons for doing so.
Mr. Rosesaid, he never knew that the canteens were made private property, but were always accounted for to government.
Mr. Robsonreplied, that though some of these canteens produced a rent of 1500 l. a year, very little of the money was accounted for to government. The brewers often gave money to the barrack-master, for permission to sell their beer in them, by which the public were defrauded in the revenue; and it was farther increased, by the sale of nothing but smuggled spirits in them, not only in the Isle of Wight, but even in the county where the right hon. gent. (Mr. Rose) resided!—This motion as well as the former were agreed to.
Mr. Robsonnext observed, that the subject of his next motion was of great importance to the public interest, as he would, if permitted, prove at their bar, that the rent of the canteens, and the sale of manure alone, would, if properly accounted for, defray the whole of the rents paid for the barracks. Sonic parts of the information which he had received, were almost too bad to mention to the house. Amongst the abuses in that department, he would state, that a Mrs. Parker, who, it seemed, was a favoured friend of major Lewis, had hired a house of a tailor for 30 l. a year, and through his interest let it for barracks at 70 l. When questioned on the subject, she said, "As I find every one robbing government, I do not see why I may not have a little in the scramble." He then made a detailed motion relative to the
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dung, ashes, broken straw, &c. &c. sold; which motion was negatived.

MILITIA OFFICERS' BILL.
Mr. Secretary Windhammoved the third reading of the Militia Officers' bill.
Mr. Percevalobserved, that the reason why he had given notice, the preceding day, of his intention to take the sense of the house on the third reacting that day, was, with a view to have a fuller attendance; the material objection to the bill, which he had before stated, was the lateness of the period to which it was brought. Considering that the militia had till now been on the same footing, as to pay, with the army; that most of the militia officers were now absent on other duties; that none of those who remained had voted with ministers on this question, while several voted against them; and that two servants of the public, the one paymaster of the forces (lord Temple) and the other a person belonging to the ordnance, both officers of the militia, had opposed the bill, he thought the house ought to pause before it assented to it. He was sorry that he did not see those persons now present. But still he must give as much opposition to this impolitic measure as he could. He had already stated the inexpediency of bringing forward such a measure at this late period of the session. The only argument which was urged for departing from the established system, was, the point of economy, which, in this instance, was quite paltry; and setting the lateness of the period out of the question, it was not such as to make it worth while, on this account, to run the risk of giving dissatisfaction to the militia officers. But when we were at war, and in possession of the services of these men, it was impolitic to give them dissatisfaction; and we had it from the militia officers themselves, that this increase would do so, not on account of being refused the additional pay, but on account of the invidious distinction made between them and the line. He thought the objection of an hon. colonel (Bastard) very strong, when he stated that injustice was done to the militia; for when they entered, they might, as the law stood, take it for granted, that they should always be kept on a footing with the line, and might, in justice, now claim their discharge. When the prize-money was taken from the seamen, it was said, they had no right upon this to claim their discharge, as they had been pressed. He (did not think that the engagements even

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with them should be violated on that account; but this, however, did not apply to the present case. He then went on to state, that he saw no reason why the seven-pence a day given to the soldiers in the line who had served seven years, should not be extended to the militia. At all events, it ought to be extended to the non-commissioned officers, who were on the same footing as those in the line. He also objected to the bill, because it gave ministers the power of doing as they pleased on this subject, either to give or withhold pay at their option, and this was the reason why an honourable colonel had said, that it put the militia more in the power of the crown. This measure totally altered the nature of the militia system, and was breach of parliamentary faith. The right hon. gent. seemed, indeed, to admit this to a certain degree. It was a breach of faith, but a little one. He was somewhat like the lady who owned, that she had had a natural child, but then it was a very little one. This measure ought, at least, to have been proposed in time of peace. concluded by moving, that the word "now" be left out, and that the words "this day three months" be substituted.
Lord Folkestone,though he supposed it would be a material objection to the gentlemen on the other side, that he was not a militia officer, must still assert his opinion on the subject. He maintained, that there was no reason whatever for any dissatisfaction on the part of the militia officers, for they suffered no injustice. The field-officers and captains were, by law, required to have certain qualifications, which rendered this additional pay unnecessary. Besides, they could not reasonably expect to be put exactly on a footing with officers of the line, who gained rank through toils and dangers, while they immediately attained their rank, on account of their property. The old mistaken principle had been departed from already; and, besides, it was a quite different service. He would, therefore, support the bill.
Mr. Secretary Windhamsaid, he was not sorry that the gentlemen on the other side had taken an opportunity of renewing this discussion, as he felt convinced, that the more the subject was discussed, the more it would be generally approved of. The lateness of the session was, to be sure, an argument that told well in so thin a house; but it should be recollected, that this was not a substantive argument, and there
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ought to be some other reason assigned for opposing any measure. If it were contended, that there was any greet constitutional principle, which required that the two services should be exactly placed on the same footing, he must deny that doctrine. There were already distinctions between the services sufficiently marked. The regular officers had half-pay, when the militia had not; and the militia officers were required to have qualifications, which the regulars had not. The militia officers might, perhaps, have some reason to complain, if any regulation, extending benefits to every other branch of the service, were to be withheld from them. That was not, however, the case in the present instance. A distinction was also made between the infantry and the cavalry, and the distinction was founded on the same reason, merely that the latter description of officers did not stand so much in need of the addition, and that if an addition was to be made to the pay of those who were not in need of it, there must be a diminution to the allowances, which the liberality of the house was called upon to give to those officers who were in need of the addition. This was the principal reason for making exceptions, and the exceptions did not extend merely to militia field-officers, but to those of the cavalry and the guards, who certainly could not consider this distinction meant as a slight to them. As to the alleged breach of faith, it was the strangest thing he had ever heard asserted, that the legislature was so bound by any one of its own acts, that it would be a breach of faith even to alter it. Would any person consider it a breach of faith to make an alteration in the mutiny law, even to make it more severe, if necesary? Would any body suppose, that it would be a breach of faith to the army to alter the discipline of one part of it, and not of another? As the militia was always to subsist in some shape or another, therefore, on those grounds it might be argued to the end of time, that it would be a breach of faith for the legislature to make any objections. It would be a breach of faith to do it in time of peace as well as in time of war; and yet the hon. and learned member (Mr. Perceval) was himself the person to propose its being done in time of peace, and not in time of war. If, then, he considered that it was a great breach of faith in time of war, and only a little one in time of peace, the story of the lady and her "little natural child" was only applicable

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to the argument of the hon. and learned gent. and he might have done better to have kept it to himself. The exceptions were not so much made upon the ground of economy, as on the ground of justice. It was but justice to the regular officers to give what was absolutely necessary for them. If this increase was not considered so necessary to the militia, they should rather consider it as an honourable distinction, than any sort of ill treatment.
Mr. C. Wynneobserved, that the principal argument on the other side of the house, that the militia officers were injured by the arrangement prescribed in this bill, was a total mistatement, and a complete inversion of the fact: for how could the militia officers, who suffered no diminution of pay, be injured by a small increase of pay to the officers of the line? They, in fact, would sustain no injury whatever, and he was confident, would feel none, notwithstanding the arguments of gentlemen, who assumed to advocate their cause; but whose arguments reminded him of a petition of the celebrated lord Chesterfield to his majesty for a pension, professing, "that it was purely for the honour of it, and not for any pecuniary consideration."—The question being now loudly called for, on the third reading of the bill,
the house divided; Ayes, 35; Noes 24; Majority for the bill, 11.

INDIA BUDGET.
Lord Morpethrose and moved to postpone, till Friday, the further consideration of the India Budget.
Mr. Robsonfelt it his duty to call the attention of the house to this most important subject; and to express his astonishment, that affairs of such vital importance to this country, as those of India, were to be discussed in such thin houses as this business had hitherto been. Whether the India Company were to be continued by a renewal of their charter, or not, their affairs ought not to be treated with so much levity, with so thin an attendance of members, and, more especially, without the attendance of his majesty's ministers. Their affairs, as he was taught to understand, were in a most embarrassed and deplorable situation, almost, indeed, upon the brink of ruin. It was declared in that house, that a loan, to an inconceivable amount, would be requisite to support them; but, whether this was to be a loan of 7 millions, or 17 millions, or what not, he thought the subject was one of too much importance to be discussed in that house, without a full attend-
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ance of members; and, by the blessing of God, as he never would leave it in the power of his majesty's ministers to say he did not attend, he would make a point of taking some measure to stop the proceedings in every stage, unless there was a fuller attendance, and, more especially, of his majesty's ministers.
Lord Morpethwished to know, upon what authority the hon. gent. stated, that a loan would be wanted for the India Company? He certainly had made no such statement, in bringing forward the Company's affairs: nor did he hear any such thing mentioned by any of his majesty's ministers in that house.
Mr. Grantalso disclaimed, on the part of the Company, the representation of their affairs made by the hon. gent., and which he could not suffer to pass uncontradicted. He knew nothing of any loan proposed or desired by the Company: they stood not in need of such assistance; nor did he hear any thing of any such proposition, with which their authority or wishes were connected: a noble lord, indeed, near him (Castlereagh), in his speech, the preceding night, had thrown out a suggestion, that a loan of 5 millions might be desirable for the accommodation of the Company; but this was a mere suggestion in the course of a speech, wholly unauthorised by the Company.
Mr. Paulldefended the conduct, and approved the determination, expressed by his hon. friend (Mr. Robson); and hoped, he would persist in his endeavours to obtain a full attendance of members upon every discussion on India affairs: for, notwithstanding the declaration just made by the hon. ex-director, it certainly had gone forth, that the Company's affairs were in a desperate situation. It had been said, not by himself, but by a worthy alderman opposite to him (Prinsep), that they were in a state of bankruptcy; and, although the noble lord's suggestion of a loan, in his speech, the preceding night, might not be admitted by the hon. ex-director, as an official authority upon the point, yet his hon. friend had a right to consider such a declaration, coming from the noble lord, as good authority upon a subject, namely, the situation of the Company's affairs, in which the noble lord's own character and safety were so deeply interested: for it was no secret, that the noble lord's conduct in those affairs was likely to become the ground of very serious charges from an

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honourable member of that house, who now filled an extensive space in the public eye.—The question being put, was agreed to, and the house adjourned.

MINUTES.
The royal assent was given by commission to the Scots Distillery bill, the Vote of Credit bill, the Irish Customs bill, the Irish Prizage bill, the Greenwich Chest bill, the Greenwich Hospital bill, the Portsmouth and Dover Works bill, the Training bill, the Militia Ballot bill, and the Irish Road bill. The commissioners were the lord Chancellor, earl Spencer, and lord Walsingham. The Slave Ship Restriction bill, the Irish School Commissioners bill, and the Nabob of Arcot Creditors bill were read a third time and passed.