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The sum of £21,000 was then voted for the commissioners of military inquiry; also £14,000, to the commissioners for distribution of the American compensation; £6,000 to the trustees of the British Museum; £5,000 in aid for repairing the damages sustained by Margate harbour; and £10,000 for the improvement of the harbour of Holyhead.

Sir T. Turton moved, that the house should make provision for the payment of £54,700 to John Palmer, Esq. being the estimated per centage on the increased revenues of the Post Office, from April 5, 1798, to Jan. 9, 1808."-Agreed to, on a division, by 93 against 73.

The distillery bill was read a third time and passed, on a division of 93 against 73.

JUNE 15.-Mr. Sheridan moved an address to the king, for copies of any proclamations, or other documents, relative to the late events in Spain, which may have been received by his majesty's government, whether published by the enemy or by the Spanish patriots.

their regiments, or an equivalent in lieu thereof."-He observed, that the commander in chief, through the medium of the secretary at war, assumed to himself the right of contract; and, in 1803, contracts were made for great coals at the rate of 16s. 6d. per coat, when kersey was 4s. 6d. per yard, and the same sum was given for the same article February, 1808, when kersey was but 3s. 6d. per yard. By these private bargains, the public fost a considerable sum annually, which, considering the fall of the kersey in price, and the reduction in wages could not be computed, taking the army at 250,000 men, at less than £9,000 per annum, in great coats alone. He calculated that a saving might be made of £101,000; and if the saving on soldiers' caps, and the other fantastic articles in which we see some of our military disguised were added, the amount of the savings would be near £200,000.

The secretary at war entered into an explanation respecting the price of kerseys; and observed, that a report would speedily be preMr. Canning objected to the motion, that sented from a committee of military inquiry the papers required could not be regularly recommending a new system on the subject produced; but, at the same time, he expressed of army clothing, and this would render unin strong terms the lively emotion with which necessary the appointment of the new comhe and his colleagues beheld the noble efforts mittee proposed by the honourable gentleman. making by the Spanish patriots for the inde--Mr. Wordell accordingly withdrew his mopendence of their country; and declared it to be the wish of his majesty's government to aid the people of Spain in their magnanimous struggle, by every assistance which the British empire can afford.-Mr. Sheridan with drew his motion.

In a committee of ways and means, 500,000l. was voted for the service of Ireland, and 9,1591. for protestant dissenting ministers there.

JUNE 17. In a committee of supply, the following sums were voted :To discharge the arrears of the debts

20,000

of the Duchess of Gloucester......£ 495 Towards the building and repairs of the Naval Asylum at Greenwich...... 35,000 Towards erecting a Military College, at Sandhurst, Surrey... To Phillip Martin, Esq. Lieutenant General in his Majesty's army, as a compensation to make good his losses at Virginia, in America...... 20,000 JUNE 23.-Mr. Wordell submitted the following motion relative to the clothing of the army:-"That a committee be appointed to take under their consideration the clothing and appointments of the army in general, with a view to ascertain whether, by the adoption of a new system, clothing and appointments, agreeably to his majesty's regulations, might not be furnished on such terms as would insure a great saving to the public, and at the same time allow a continuance of those emoluments to the colonels, that they have hitherto enjoyed from the clothing of

tion.

JUNE 24.-Mr. Canning, in answer to several questions put to him by Mr. Whitbread, observed, that it was the wish of his majesty's ministers to co-operate with Sweden in the common cause; but the military plans and military councils of the king of Sweden, had undergone some changes, and it was therefore necessary for Sir John Moore to send home for fresh instructions. The gallant general, it was true, left Sicily with a large force, which it was deemed necessary to have there, in consequence of the operations of the enemy; but he did not return to England without orders from the government. As to the commercial co-operation of Sweden, the orders of council, and the bill passed. thereon, were sent out to the court of Stockholm, which agreed with them, but it was also thought necessary to enter into an adjustment on the subject, which he had every reason to believe was by this time confirmed. With respect to America, it was the inten tion of his majesty's ministers to be conciliatory, without relinquishing any of our maritime rights, on which depended the honour, the glory, and the very existence of our navy. With respect to any proposition for peace, his majesty's minsters, entertained the same opinion which they expressed on a former occasion, but he did not imagine that recent occurrences rendered that desirable object more practicable than when the hon. gentleman made his motion on the subject.

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JUNE 29.-Mr. Perceval, in answer to a question from Lord A. Hamilton, respecting Mr. Alex. Davison, observed, that a parliamentary commission had been instituted, to which the examination of the accounts of Mr. Davison had been entrusted. This com-gressions made on their rights, by the most mission had given it as their opinion, that with regard to some particulars, at least, the proper way would be to demand from that person the payment of a civil debt to the pub. lic, and if payment be not made, then a civil prosecution will be commenced to enforce it.

due time, be satisfactorily informed on the matter. Since that period the importance of the thing had greatly and vastly increased; the whole Spanish nation was in arms to repel the tyranny that attacked them, and the ag

Mr. Banks brought up the third report of the committee of finance. He said, when he considered how much time had elapsed since the last report, he was afraid the House would think that the committee had been negligent, but he had to state that a great part of the delay had arisen from the contrariety of opinion on various points which had existed in the committee, and consequent discussions. He could say, however, that the matters contained in the report were not the only subjects to which the committee had directed their attention. There were others connected with the army accounts, in the consideration of which some progress had been made.

JUNE 30. An address was voted to his majesty, that he would be graciously pleased to direct the several archbishops and bishops, by his Order of Council, to make such returns of the clergy resident within their respective dioceses up to March 25 last, that the same may be ready to present to the House of Commons, early in the next session of parliament.

abandoned and abominable transactions, managed and conducted by the chief of the French government. Hedid expect that we should second their views with energy and effect; and, as a convincing document of our sincerity in their cause, the noble Lord opposite to him (Lord Castlereagh), after the letter he had himself written to the Lord Mayor; on the glorious tidings reaching his office of the temper and efforts of the Spanish nation, that a substantial vote of credit would have been proposed, to assist ministers in their endeavours to restore that high-minded and struggling country to its independence; or, that an address would have been moved to his majes ty, to effect the purpose. [Compare Mr. Whitbread's letter to Lord Holland on this subject in Panorama, Vol. IV. p. 890].

Lord Castlereagh observed, that had he advanced any thing on the subject before, it would have been premature, and out of season; but he had now the pleasing task of announcing, that it had been determined to give to the patriotic exertions of Spain, every aid that we could afford. As to his majesty's ministers' not having laid before parliament any proposal concerning that country, he did not, in the present state of affairs, think it necessary in due time that would be done; The following motion by Sir Francis Bur- and, although a vote of credit was not askdett, after experiencing the most decided oppo-ed for, yet, whatsoever disposition might be sition, from the secretary at war, and from Lord Castlereagh, was negatived on a division, by 77 against 4:-"That there be laid before the house returns of the several courtsinartial, both general and regimental, that have taken place throughout the army for the last ten years, ending January 1, 1808, specifying the number of couvictions, the punishments inflicted in each regiment, and the number of lashes which each individual, punished with whipping, had received."

JULY 4.—Mr. Whitbread observed, that he had waited with the utmost patience till the last moment, when the House was going to separate, in expectation that his majesty's ministers would condescend to make some communication relative to the present singular and important situation of Spain; and it was no less a matter of surprise, than it was of disappointment, that not one word had been uttered by them on this eventful and extraordinary subject. On a recent occasion, when he put some questions to ministers regarding that country, he was informed that his questions were premature; and that he would, in

* Vide Panorama, Vol. IV. p. 1041.

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arranged and agreed on for the desirable object, he had the satisfaction of saying, that, by the liberality of the House, means were in hand to enable them to give that assistance which might be immediately required; and, should more be requisite, the law furnished his majesty with the power of calling together parliament at a very short notice, by which any further or greater supplies, if wanting, might be furnished.

The public business of the session having been disposed of, the members of the House of Commons were summoned to attend the Lords, where a speech was read by comunis sion, in the name of his majesty for which vide page 981.-Parliament was then prorogued, in the usual form until August 20.

In Panorama, Vol. IV, page 833, et seq. we remarked (under the head of PARLIAMENTARY EXERTION)" that vigilance and prompitude were the order of the day. "—We now verify our observations by adding, that 152 public acts, and 237 of a local and personal nature, &c. passed during the session.The following is a list of the public ones.

LIST OF ALL THE PUBLIC ACTS

To continue several laws relating to bounty on hemp and flax, from colonies in America; and encouraging manufacture of flax and cotton in Great Britain until March 25, 1810. Bounty on British and Irish linens exported, and taking off duties on foreign raw linen yarns made of flax,

Passed in the Second Session of the Fourth Par-
liament of the United Kingdom of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland--48th Geo. III. 1307-8.
ACT for regulating, issuing, and paying exche-imported until March 25, 1811.
quer bills.

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For continuing duties on malt, sugar, tobacco, and snuff, in Great Britain; on pensions and offices in Englan, and for repealing duties of 6d. and Is., respectively, on offices and pensions; and for re-granting the said duties, &c. for 1808. For empowering the Bank of England to advance £3,000,000 for 1808.

To authorize the advancing, for the public service, a proportion of the balance remaining in the Bank of England for payment of unclaimed dividends, annuities, and lottery prizes; and for regulating the allowances to be paid for the management of the national debt.

For repealing 47 Geo. III. "an act for suspending the operation of an act of 36 Geo. III. for the further support and maintenance of curates, &c. so far as relates to the avoidance of benefices by the incumbents thereof."

To continue, till end of this session, acts for execution of treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, with America.

For raising £10,500,000, by Exchequer bills, for 1808.

To amend 25 Geo. III. for regulating treasurer of navy.

For abolishing surveyor of subsidies and petty customs in London.

To amend 46 Geo. III. for granting duties on spirits made in Scotland, delivering up licences, and for better preventing private distillation.

For permitting importation of goods from Portuguese territories, South America, in Portuguese ships.

To amend and continue, until March 25, 1809, 47 Geo. III. allowing bounties on British plantation raw sugar exported.

For settling annuity on Viscount Lake.
For regulation of marine forces on shore.
For punishing mutiny and desertion.

For continuing, till March 25, 1809, bounties on exportation of sugar from Great Britain, &c. Ditto from Ireland, and for warehousing in Ireland rum or spirits of British sugar plantations. For amending and continuing 38 Geo. III. duties on cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, and mace.

For continuing the importation into Great Britain, of hides and other articles in foreign ships.

For continuing until July 25, 1809, 33 Geo. III. for rendering payment of creditors more equal and expeditious in Scotland.

For granting until the end of next session, duties, &c. in furtherance of orders in council.

To continue until March 25, 1809, 41 Geo. III. for prohibiting exportation from Ireland, and permitting importation into Ireland, duty free, of corn and provisions.

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For imposing, until end of next session, a duty on cotion wool, growth of British colonies, exported from Great Britain.

For continuing, until June 24, 1809, 46 Geo. III. relating to duties of excise on malt.

For making valid certain orders in council, &c. For granting annuities to satisfy certain Exchequer bills.

For increasing rates of subsistence paid to innkeepers, &c. for soldiers.

To indemnify such as have omitted to qualify themselves for offices and employments, till March 25, 1809, and to permit affidavits of execution of indentures of clerks to attornies and solicitors, on or before first day of Hilary Term 1809.

To repeal certain duties of excise, and to grant stamp duties in lieu thereof, &c. and to amend laws relating to stamp duties, in Ireland.

To continue, till March 25, 1810, 46 Geo. IH. To grant taxes in Ireland, on carriages, dogs, for permitting importation of masts, yards, bow-fire hearths, horses, male servants, and windows.

sprits, and navy timber, from British colonies in

N. America, duty free.

To continue till March 25, 1808, Greenland whale fisheries, oil and blubber from Newfound

To suspend until June 11, 1808, payment of drawbacks on spirits distilled in Great Britain or Ireland, exported from either country to the other. To prevent exportation of wool to Ireland, be

land, and importation of fish from Newfound-fore bond given for due landing thereof. land and Labrador.

To empower commissioners for distributing the money paid by United States of America, to invest it in Exchequer bills.

Act for perpetuating several laws relating to exportation of tobacco pipe clay from Great Britain to British sugar colonies in West Indies; importation of salt from Europe to Quebec; and prohibiting of foreign-wrought silks and velvets.

For defraying until March 25, 1809, pay and clothing of militia of Ireland, &c.

For defraying pay and clothing of militia in Great Britain for 1808.

For quieting possessions and confirming defective titles in Ireland, and limiting the right of

the crown.

To purchase premises for enlargement of general post office in Dublin.

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For raising £1,500,000

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For repealing assessed taxes, and granting new duties with additional; for repealing stamp duties on game certificates, and granting new duties under management of commissioners for taxes.

For abolishing fees received by custom officers in Ireland, and for regulating hours of attendance, and holidays.

For increasing duty on corks imported.

For amending proceedings on indictments and informations in court of King's Bench in certain cases; for authorizing execution in Scotland of certain warrants issued for offences committed in England; and for requiring officers taking bail in king's suit to assign bail bonds to the king.

To settle annuity on her royal highness the Duchess of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel.

For repealing 1 James I. "concerning tanners, curriers, shoemakers, and other artificers occupying the cutting of leather;" also certain parts of several other acts.

To continue 45 Geo. III. appointing commissioners to inquire into public expenditure and business in military department.

For perpetuating several acts for better collection of customs and excise in Ireland.

To amend 47 Geo. III. duties on auctions in Ireland.

To amend 46 Geo. III. to accept volunteers

from militia of Ireland.

To make more effectual provision for building churches, chapels, and glebe houses, and for purchase of glebe lands, glebe houses, and impropriations, in Ireland.

For enforcing residence of spiritual persons in Ireland.

For granting additional duty on copper imported into Great Britain, till April 5, 1811, and to end of then next session.

For extending bounty on pilchards exported: To permit, till March 25, 1810, sugar and coffee to be exported from colonies, to southward of Cape Finisterre, and corn to be imported.

To provide that British ships captured by the enemy, afterwards becoming property of British subjects, shall not be entitled to privilege of British ships.

To amend two acts of this session of parliament, for carrying into execution certain orders in council, respecting duties on goods exported, and on prize goods imported.

For increase and preservation of timber in

forests.

To improve land revenue of the crown in England, and Duchy of Lancaster.

For better collection of duties on malt. For interment in church-yards or parochial burying-grounds in England, of dead human bodies cast on shore from the sea.

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To grant duties on malt, and on spirits made in Ireland, with drawbacks on exportation.

To amend the two acts for collecting malt duties in Ireland,

To continue till July 5, 1809, duties, and for allowing drawbacks and bounties on goods, &c. imported into and exported from Ireland; new duties on East India sugar and foreign spirits §. and reduce duty on British plantation coffee imported.

To amend acts for securing duty on spirits in Ireland.

To perpetuate better regulations for granting excise permits and certificates, in Ireland.

For raising £750,000 by annuities for Ireland. For amending an act of last session, for prevention of smuggling, &c.

To regulate trade between Great Britain and United States of America until next session.

To revive until March 25, 1809, 39 Geu. III. for encouragement of British fisheries.

For augmenting rates of hackney coachmen, &c. To restrain negotiation of promissory notes under a limited sum.

For assisting commissioners appointed to examine Barrack Office accounts.

To relieve those commissioners, also those for auditing public accounts, from postage for official letters.

For assisting commissioners of public expenditures in West Indies.

To repeal 47 Geo. III. as to money issued for charges of management of stock redeemed.

To repeal 1 James I. penalties on shooting at hares; also 3 Geo. I. relating to gamekeepers.

Same for Scotland, 4 sess. 1st parl. Anne.

III. for bringing a quantity of coals, culm, or For continuing, until Aug. 1, 1811, 45 Geo. cinders, to London by inland navigation.

For better care of lunatics, paupers, or criminals in England.

To issue Exchequer bills for 1808.

stage, or for less time than 28 days. For farming duties on horses hired by mile of

For depositing prize goods in warehouses, for reducing prize spirits to proper strength, for home: consumption.

For extending 47 Geo. III. prize money made by foreign in conjunction with British ships, to captures made by land forces of foreign states in conjunction with British.

For extinguishing right of way over a lane in' front of Chatham lines.

For appointing commissioners for executing an act of this session for granting a duty on pen sions: also 38 Geo. III. land tax for 1798.

For further extending the bank of Ireland; said bank to advance 1,250,000l. Irish currency. For better regulation of pilots and pilotage. To authorize his Majesty, until March 25, 1809, to make regulations for trade to Cape of Good Hope.

To remedy inconvenience from expiration of acts, before passing of acts to continue them.

To enable secretary at war to enforce returns

from clerks of subdivisions, &c. stating fines, half bounties, &c. under local militia act.

For making compensation to John M'Clintock, and William Foster M'Clintock, Esquires, patentee serjeants at arms of Court of Exchequer in Ireland.

To regulate trade between Great Britain and Portuguese territories, South America.

For encouragement of British white herring fishery, until June 1813.

For establishing a permanent local milițią. For raising £500,000 by treasury bills for Ireland, for 1808.

To empower grand juries in Ireland, to sell or exchange ground occupied by old court houses, gals, or county infirmaries, and materials.

For ra sing £6.000,000 by exchequer bills for Great Britain, for 1808.

For enlarging times for first meetings of commissioners under certain acts of this session. Relating to marking of bags and pockets of hops.

To amend 46 Geo. III. to give further time for payment of loan to Grenada merchants, William Mac Dowall, James Mac Dowall, and Robert Houstoun Rae in the West Indies and elsewhere, except in Scotland.

To indemnify persons who have carried into execution an act of last session, in relation to militia of Tower Hamlets.

To enlarge 46 Geo. III. for improvement of streets near Westminster Hall and Houses of Parliament.

For regulating commission of tiends, in modifying stipends of clergy of Scotland.

For granting a sum of money raised by lot

To grant countervailing duties on spirits im-teries. ported into Ireland from Scotland, and equivalent drawbacks from Ireland to Scotland.

For postage of letters to and from Madeira and South America.

For duties on silks painted and stained.

To prohibit distillation from corn or grain for a limité time.

For directing justices of peace, and for preven

tion of felonies at Dublin.

To regulate assessed taxes, tax on property, professions, &c. Vide Panorama, Vol. IV, p. 369. For reduction of national debt, by granting life annuities.

To regulate stamp duties on licences for selling

For charging duty on spirits imported, accord-ale, beer, and other exciseable liquors. ing to their strength.

For reducing excise duties on coffee imported into Great Britam, and for subjecting coffee and Cocoa warehoused to 43 Geo. III.

For reducing customs on coffee imported when taken out of warehouse,

For vesting property occupied for barrack service in the commissioners.

For discharge of debtors in execution for small debts, from imprisonment in certain cases.

For continuing premiu:ns to southern whale fishery.

To permit importation of rice and grain from foreign colonies in America to West Indies: also, from United States, by British colonies to West Indies.

To permit goods warehoused in London to be removed to outports for exportation: for.empowering his Majesty to direct that licences heretofore under his sign manual may be granted by one of the principal secretaries of state; and for permitting exportation in vessels of less than legal burthen during hostilities.

To render valid marriages solemnized in certain churches and chapels in which banns had not usually been published before 26 Geo. II.'

To repeal so much of 45 Geo. III. as requires certain accounts to be settled within certain pers, by the secretary at war, and enabling his najesty to make orders for examining and settling such accounts.

To repeal so much of 8 Eliz. as takes away benefit of clergy from persons stealing privily from the person of another; and for more effectually preventing larceny from the person.

For preventing frauds, &c. in the Cinque Ports; also for adjustment of salvage, under 12 Anne. For continuing till May 1, 1809, 43 Geo. III. .for suspending actions relating to woollen manufacture

To extend 45 Geo. III. for encouragement of

seamen.

VOL. IV. [Supp. Lit. Pan, Oct. 1808.]

For protection of oyster fisheries, in England. For annuities to judges of court of session, &c. in Scotland, on resignation.

For vesting stock of court of session in Scotland in trustees, for erecting buildings for college of justice and pub ic goal, in Edinburgh, &c.

To permit sale of Danish prize ship Constantia Maria, and her cargo, at Fowey, in Cornwall.

For granting money out of consolidated fund, and appropriating supplies granted this session.

For regulating stamp duties on deeds, law proceedings, and duties on legacies and successions to personal estate on intestacies.

For establishing local militia in Scotland. Concerning administration of justice in Scotland, and appeals to house of lords.

For duties on wash from sugar during prohibition of distillation from corn.

Number of Acts passed this Session.
152 acts, public and general.
157 local and personal.
77 not printed.

386 Total,

SEA BATHING.

To such Persons as intend to visit the SEA COAST,
the following Observations, postponed from the
last Number, are now submitted.
New Kent Road.

C. PEARS.

In general, every disease which is founded in, or is accompanied by debility, derives very maerial and important advantage from bathing and as sea bathing has a decided superionty over every other, from its possessing greater strengthen

* See Sir John Floyer, M. D. on Cold Bathing from which much good may be selected. 2 Z

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