The several resolutions were read and agreed to, the House resumed, and the report was ordered to be brought up the next day. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29.

A message from the lords announced their lordships' agreement to the ten millions and a half exchequer bills bill; the one million and a half exchequer bills bill; the customs expiring law bill, and the felon transportation expiring law bill.

On the motion of Mr. Fydale, the account presented to the House on Monday, of the quantities of wool imported and exported, was ordered to be printed.

On the motion of Lord Temple, the British fishery bill, and on the motion of Mr. Vansittart, the Irish treasury bills bill, went through committees, the reports of which were ordered to be received on Monday.

Mr. Vansittart presented an account of the money issued from the civil list establishment to public charities, unprovided for by Parliament. Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Vansittart moved, that there be laid before the House an account of the sums remaining in the exchequer on the 1st of Jan. 1805, being part of the grants of Parliament for the use of the year 1804; and also for the unappropriated balances remaining in the hands of the paymaster-general of the forces, the treasurer of the navy, and the treasurer of the ordnance, being part of the said grants.

Mr. Long declared, that when the papers should be produced, the House would find that there was no ground whatever for the statement made the preceding day by the noble lord who brought forward the budget, of a deficiency of 5,800,000l. in the ways and means for the last year, which would render it necessary to deduct that sum from the loan of the present year. There were arrears that would meet, and more than meet, all the deficiencies mentioned.

Mr. Vansittart observed, that the hon. gentleman had misapprehended his noble friend, who had stated these deficiencies as peculiar to the last year.

Mr. Canning appealed to the House, whether from the manner in which the noble lord had made his statement,

and

and from the hailing cheers with which it had been accompanied by the gentlemen who surrounded him, it did not evidently appear that his intention was to induce a general belief that this deficiency existed. For his part, he was struck with such astonishment and dismay at being told that his lamented friend had left so large a burden to be discharged by his successor, that he had immediate recourse to the proper channels of information, when he found the fact to be, that there did exist a deficiency to that amount, but there did also exist (which had not been stated by the noble lord) sufficient assets to put against that deficiency. If it were fair to state one part of the subject, that outstanding charges did exist, it was also fair to state, that there were sufficient means to meet them. Not to do so was in the highest degree uncandid.

Lord Temple thought that when the right hon. gentleman got up to defend the character of his late friend (not more that right hon. gentleman's friend than his own), it would be but just that he should use the same fairness which he had extolled so much to his noble friend, and not reflect on him in his absence. If he wished to make any comments on the statement of his noble friend, in his opinion he ought to reserve them until he was present to defend himself.

Mr. Canning replied, that the discussion did not ori ginate with him, and when the subject was mentioned, it was impossible for one ferling like himself to defer expressing those feelings. As to the absence of the noble lord,. he must say, that the absence of a chancellor of the exchequer on the day when the report of a budget was to be brought up, appeared to him to be most extraordinary and unparliamentary.

The accounts were then ordered.

(Lord Henry Petty immediately entered the House.)

DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.

Mr. Secretary Windham gave notice, that on Wednes day next he should be ready to submit to the consideration of the House the measures connected with the military defence of the country, the delay of which had excited such extraordinary impatience in the gentlemen opposite.

BUDGET.

BUDGET.

Mr. Hawthorne brought up the report of the committee of ways and means.

Mr. Brooke gave notice, that considering the duty on sugar as calculated to fall, not on the consumer, but on the planter, who was ill able to bear any addition to his burdens, he should on Monday oppose it.

Mr. Francis also gave notice, that on Monday he should think it his duty to submit to the House his objections to the increased tax on property.

The first and second resolutions relative to the loan were read and agreed to, and bills ordered to be brought in on them.

Lord Henry Petty moved, that the remaining resolu tions should be read pro forma, but that the further consideration of them should be postponed till Monday.

On reading the resolutions relative to the increased tax on property,

Mr. Babington objected to the mode in which the exemptions were to be made. He wished to ask the noble lord, whether or not under the term "small annuitants," he meant to include the military, the clergy, and those who had only a life-interest in their property?

Mr. Rose suggested the propriety of deferring any discussion on this subject till Monday; but

Lord Henry Petty felt no hesitation in informing the hon. gentleman, that it was intended to include in the exemptions the military and clergy with small incomes, but not those who had a life-interest in estates.

The remaining resolutions were then read, and ordered to be taken into further consideration on Monday.

On the motion of Mr. Rose, there were ordered to be laid before the House an account of the quantity of wine imported into, and exported from, Great Britain, from the year 1790 to the year 1805, distinguishing French wine from wine not French; and an account of the quantity of wine during the same period, taken for home consumption, with the same specification.

Mr. W. Wynne presented copies of the abstracts of the returns made to the subdivision rolls bill. Mr. Wynne observed, that there were several deficiencies in the returns for the year 1805, but that circular letters had been ad

dressed

dressed to the lords lieutenants of counties for the purpose of supplying them. Ordered to lie on the table.

The Attorney General brought up the report of the committee appointed to inspect the journals of the House of Lords, relative to the witnesses liability act. Ordered to be printed. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY, MARCH 31.

In the appeal "Johnson and others v. Scott and another," Mr. Perceval was heard in reply, after which the further consideration was postponed till Monday the 14th of April.

The royal assent was given by commission to the 10,500,000l. and 1,500,000l. exchequer bills bill, the spirits excise duties bill, the felons transportation bill, and seven canal, road, and private bills.

The commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Walsingham, and Lord Auckland.

The Cape of Good Hope trade regulation bill was read a second time, and committed for the next day.

The expiring laws bill was read a second time, the commitment negatived, and the bill ordered to be read a third time the next day.

The committee of privileges on the Zouch peerage was postponed till Monday the 22d of April.

SIR J. T. DUCKWORTH.

On the order of the day being read, for taking his MaJesty's message into consideration,

Lord Grenville said he felt a reluctance to trouble their lordships again upon this subject, as they so recently had in their consideration the eminent services performed by Vice-Admiral Duckworth, and so recently marked their sense of those services by conferring on the gallant admiral that high reward which was in this case so well deserved, the thanks of their lordships' house. He should, therefore, merely move that an humble address be presented to his Majesty, thanking his Majesty for his most gracious communication, and expressing their readiness to concur in any measure necessary to carry into effect his Majesty's gracious intention.

The motion was agreed to nem. dis.

MILITARY

MILITARY FORCE.-VOLUNTEERS.

Earl Camden moved for several abstracts of returns relative to the additional force act, and for several accounts of the force of the army, the number of men raised for general service, &c. all which, he said, he considered necessary to the proper discussion of the subject which was shortly to come before Parliament, involving the general defence of the country. He did not know whether the additional force act was intended to be repealed, nor did he intend to ask his Majesty's ministers the question; but it was, at all events, necessary that the fullest information upon the subject should be laid before the House.

Lord Grenville had no objection to the motions, though he doubted whether they would produce all the information which was wanted; with respect to the additional force act, he was strongly inimical to it at the time it was brought forward, and his opinion respecting it still remained the same.

The motions were agreed to.

Lord Hawkesbury rose to move for information upon another branch of the same subject, which he considered it highly important the House should be in possession of. He alluded to the volunteers force, his object being to obtain information as to the gross numbers of volunteers, and also the relative proportion of efficiency which existed amongst that force. He had heard from report that the subject of the defence of the country was very shortly to be brought forward in another place. He did not wish therefore to enter into any premature discussion on that subject, but he could not help expressing his opinion, that it would be highly advisable the volunteers should know as speedily as possible what was intended to be done with that description of force. That part of the year in which volunteer corps could be most usefully employed in attaining discipline, by being placed on permanent duty, was within about two months from the present time, it was therefore highly expedient that all uncertainty with respect to their situation should be at an end without delay. He concluded by moving for returns of the numbers of the volunteer force in the years 1804 and 1805, and also for returns of the numbers of those who had been on permament duty in the same years.

Lord Grenville agreed that no time ought to be lost

upon