Colonel Wood was of opinion that confidering the distracted and disjointed state of Europe, inftead of diminishing the number of Militia from 106,000 to 82,000, it would be better to complete them to the full number of 106,000; and as it was defirable to afford as much relief to the country as poffible, a mode might be devised to allow the old and well difciplined men in the Militia Regiments leave of absence for a given time, who would not only be fit for duty when called on, but would furnish that fupply for industry and agriculture which the profperous ftate of the country re quired, The fituation of Europe was at prefent such that no man could tell what it would be in a year, he thought it therefore wrong to diminish the number of our forces. Mr. Buxton approved of the reduction propofed; the difficulty of finding fubftitutes for the Militia in the prefent ftate of the country, was very great, and he was convinced that the propofed reduction would be confidered as a relief; as to the mode fuggefted by Cololel Wood, he doubted its practicability. Lord Sheffield faid he entertained great doubts whether the embodying the Supplementary Militia was not contrary to the letter as well as to the fpirit of the Act, which stated that it should not be done but in cafes of great emergency. Though there might have been appearances of invasion to juftify the circumftance of having embodied them, there was no reafon for keeping them fo now. It was very neceffary in thefe times of enormous taxation to fave money.The Act being read on his requeft, he proceeded to ftate that they were to be called out only in cafe of invasion, or immediate danger thereof, or in cafe of infurrection, (and certainly there was no danger at prefent of invafion, at leaft in this country) and if Ireland was threatened, that would be an argument for keeping up the full number to fupply the place of thofe fent to the fifter kingdom. He wifhed the country to be relieved from the burden which was occafioned by the neceflity of providing for the families of perfons ferving in the Militia, which in many cafes was confiderable, and caused the Poor Rates to amount to from 8s. to 12s. of the rack rent. He thought that it was no longer neceffary the Yeomanry and Volunteer affemble fo often as formerly, as their difcipline might be kept up without it. corps fhould Mr. Secretary Dundas thought this country would act unwifely, if from any motive of temporary eafe, or fuccefs against the enemy by fea, it was to leffen that fecurity which it it enjoyed from its Militia. Nor, if they were difbanded for a feason, would any faving accrue, because they could not be embodied again without a fresh Act of Parliament. At present there was little more than the Militia force in the kingdom; and of thefe 12,000 had been fent to the affiftance of Ireland, and the neceffary defence of the military districts in this country, nor did he fee how a less force could be kept up. As to the illegality of calling out the Supplementary Militia, he could not conceive how it could be fo reprefented. The Act gave the King the power, they had been called out after his Majesty's intention had been notified to the Houfe by a meffage, and the Supplemental Militia now ferved for the war under the authority of this House. With respect to the Volunteer Corps, he thought if 30,000 fuch Cavalry could be raised at only the expence of 31. per man for acoutrements, &c. it was the cheapest bargain which could be made for the Public, and their drilling and exercifing were attended with no additional expence; and as to other Volunteer Corps, a great number was embodied without any expence whatever to the Public, and others received only is. a week per man. He could not, therefore, confent to the fuggeftion of the Noble Lord in reducing the Militia or Volunteer Corps in the manner propofed. Lord Sheffield explained; he faid he by no means meant to lop off the allowance of 31. per man for acoutrements, nor that the Supplementary Militia fhould be put on any other footing, than that they should be liable to be called upon whenever wanted. Mr. Burdon did not queftion the utility and propriety of the measure in the view ftated by the Right Honourable Secretary; but he thought that fomething tending to enable us more effectually to profecute offenfive measures, would be more advantageous. Economy doubtless was good, but it was effentially important that we fhould be prepared for offence as well as defence, and he thought that part of the force propofed to be reduced might be applied to the augmentation of the regulars, by allowing the Militia to enlift into the latter. Sir James Pulteney agreed with the Honourable Gentleman who fpoke laft, that it was of great importance to have an offenfive force: the Bill for railing a Supplemental force of Militia allowed a limited number to enlift into the regulars; and though that did not fucceed fo well as could have No. 25. 6 H been been wifhed, the principal ought ftill to be followed up; and he thought in circumstances like the prefent, when it was fo important to have a tranfportable force, a limited number might be taken from the militia, of those who were willing to enlift in the regulars. He was aware that oppofition arose to this measure from the commanders of militia regiments, from a laudable wish to retain the men who made a good appearance under their command; but he fhould think that their feelings would give way to a higher fenfe of public benefit. The benefit refulting from the measure propofed would be fuch as to place this country in a different point of view from what it now stood in, when fuch a number of men were tied up by law from quitting this ifland. He thought it a matter of great importance that there should be a great body of troops in readinefs to be employed on any service that might be wanted. The fafety of Ireland, and with it that of the Empire, had perhaps been owing to the voluntary offers of the militia; but it was not fit that we fhould rely merely upon a volunteer army; we ought to have a tranfportable force, and though from a battalion of five or fix hundred men, many could not be fpared, yet, as many of the militia regiments amount to 1,200, from fuch corps a few might be fpared without inconvenience. Colonel Sloane faid, it was true that very few foldiers in the Militia had enlifted into the regulars in purfuance of the act alluded to; and he thought a new provifion to the fame effect would be attended with as little fuccefs. For his own part, he would not like to be a drill-ferjeant for the regular fervice; although he would wish to affift it as far as lay in his power. Sir James Pulteney faid he did not mean that the numbers to be taken from the militia fhould be unlimited. Leave was given to bring in the Bill. Mr. Dundas then moved for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal certain parts of the act relating to the Provifional Cavalry, and to make further provifions in regard to those already called out.-Leave granted. EXCHEQUER BILLS. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the other Order of the Day be deferred till Friday the 22d, on which day he gave notice that he would move for an iffue of 3,000,000l. on Exchequer Bills, for temporary uses, to be repaid by inftalments.-Adjourned. HOUSE HOUSE OF LORDS. Counsel were called in to be heard on Mr. Williams's Divorce Bill, and being read, feveral witneffes were examined. The Bill was read a fecond time, and committed for Tuesday the 26th. A Petition of feveral manufacturers of Manchester against Dr. Bancroft's Patent Bill was prefented and read, and ordered to lie on the table. The Bill to be read a second time. Several accounts refpecting the trade of Ireland was laid before the House, and ordered to be printed.-Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The Bill for diffolving the marriage of Ricketts, Efq. with Caffandra, his wife, was read, paffed, and ordered to the Lords. Mr. Alderman Curtis prefented a Petition from the Merchants, Bankers, Traders, &c. of the city of London, complaining of the abufes in the porterage of parcels, of the inefficacy and inconvenience of the laws, when referred to magiftrates, and praying for fuch regulations, as may tend to their remedy and relief. The Bill for the regulation of his Majesty's Marine Forces was read a fecond time, and ordered to be committed on Monday the 25th. On the motion of Mr. Secretary Dundas, the Bills for reducing the number of militia in that part of Great Britain called England, for exempting volunteers from fervice, and for extending the limitation of the return of Affeffments under the Income Bill, were all read a first, and ordered to be read a fecond time on Monday next. Mr. Secretary Dundas prefented papers containing the correfpondence which paffed between the Secretary of the Home Department, and the Governors of the West India Colonies, relative to the Slave Trade. Mr. Wilberforce faid, that as the papers could not be printed fo as to be delivered on Monday, he trusted that every care would be taken they fhould be prepared with all poffible dispatch, The Speaker obferved that every attention was paid to the difpatch which the Honourable Gentleman fo much defired. The papers were given out from the Houfe as soon as poffible, in order to be printed, and he was not informed of 6 H 2 any any delay having occurred in the fubfequent stages of the bufinefs. Mr. Wilberforce expreffed his complete fatisfaction at the obfervation which had dropped from the Speaker, and defired it might be understood that he would bring forward his motion respecting the Slave Trade on Friday next. Mr. Tyrwhitt moved, that an account of the number of flaves arrived in the Weft India Iflands from the coaft of Africa, with the quantity of tonnage, and the number of mariners employed in the Slave Trade from 1796 to 1797; be laid before the Houfe.-Agreed to. Mr. Abbott moved, that there be laid before the House an account of the value of the Imports and Exports of Great Britain for the last twelve years preceding January 1799, diftinguishing each year; diftinguished alfo the nature of the articles fo imported and exported, &c. Also an account of the net produce of the permanent taxes for fix years ending the 5th of January 1799, distinguishing the years 1793—4—5—6—7—and 8. Alfo for a Difpofition Paper, which he faid was out of the usual form, inasmuch as it related not only to the manner in which money had been laid out, but also the manner in which it was received, under the various heads of fervices from 1798 to 1799.-Ordered. Mr. Long moved for the following new writs-For the county of Stafford, in the room of Lord Gower Sutherland, who has accepted the office of one of the Joint Post Master General-For the city of Litchfield, in the room of Lord Levifon Gower, who has accepted the office of steward of the Chiltern Hundreds-For Beverley, in the room of William Tatton, Efq. deceased.-Another for Wareham, in the room of Lord Robert Spencer, who has accepted the ftewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds. COLD BATH FIELDS PRISON. Mr. Burdon faid he wished to draw the attention of the House to a motion which he was about to fubmit. Frequent difcuffion had taken place on the conduct of the magistrates of the county of Middlesex, and of the management and condition of the prifon in Cold Bath Fields, which was under their fuperintendence. An Honourable Baronet had fome time ago faid he should make a motion relative to this prifon. He had waited for that Honourable Baronet for fome time, in hopes of his appearing in the House, and making that motion, but had not been fortunate enough to fee him in his place fince. As he understood that at the recommendation |