what he had at first mentioned, he wished an amendment to be made to enable his Majefty to remove the men raised under this act from one regiment or battalion to another.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer ftated, that measures had been taken within the last twenty-four hours, for the more effectually recruiting the two branches of the army alluded to by his right hon. Friend, namely the guards and the cavalry, and that the recruiting for general fervice was now going on with more fuccefs than for many months paft.

After fome obfervations from Colonel Craufurd, Mr. Frankland, General Tarleton, Dr. Laurence, and General Gascoyne,

Mr. Sheridan repeated his objection to any question being put to perfons enrolled under this act, as to whether they were willing to enlift for general fervice.

Mr. Pitt, on the contrary, thought it would be the best way to have fixed days of mufter, on which the commanding officer should propose, at the head of the regiment, that thofe who were willing to volunteer for general fervice should come for. ward.

The amendment propofed by the Secretary at War, as well as an amendment propofed by Mr. Pitt, was then agreed to.

On the fubject of enabling the men to be raised under this bill to enlift into the line, a long converfation took place, which was fupported by Mr. Pitt, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Sturges, Gen. Gafcoyne, Mr. Bragge, the Secretary at War, and many other Members.--Colonel Wellesley wifhed the claufe to exprefs the royal regiment of artillery, which produced a very Jong converfation between the above hon. Gentlemen and many others, which terminated on the Chancellor of the Exchequer intimating a with that his Majefty's power to accept the voluntary fervices of these men might remain unfettered by any specific words, that the liberty of enlifting into his Majesty's fervice in the line fhould be general, and that there fhould be a perfect understanding, that the leave of enlifting under the bill fhould extend to that of going into the royal regiment of artillery.

The hon. Captain Cochrane advifed the Houfe to be very careful not to overlook the marines, a body of men without whofe aid it was impoffible for this country to exift in fecu-, rity, and he wished the number of men conftituting that part of our force to be much encreased. 3 C

VOL. IV. 1802-3.

Several

Several claufes were brought up by the Secretary at War, providing for the mode of railing men in the Cinque Ports, and Tower Hamlets, and for various other purpofes, which were all agreed to; after which the Committee went through the bill. The report was received immediately.

The Secretary at War obferved, that after the long and minute confideration this bill had received, and after the conviction of the Houfe had been expreffed, as indeed the country felt that difpatch was an effential part of the plan, the Houfe would, he hoped, think it proper to agree at once to all the amendments made to the bill in the Committee, and order that the bill be engroffed.

The amendments were agreed to, and it was ordered that the bill be read a third time the next day, if then engroffed.

The further confideration of the Scots additional army bill was deferred till the next day, on the motion of the Secretary at War.

The order of the day being read for the Houfe to go into a Committee of Supply, Mr. I. H. Browne moved, that the third report of the Committee upon the furvey of the Scotch Highlands fhould be referred to the faid Committee. Ordered, and the House refolved itself into a Committee.

Mr. I, H. Browne then faid, that after the long, arduous, and important difcuffion which had already occupied the attention of the Houfe, he fhould not trefpafs tedioufly or unneceffarily upon their patience, but thould as thortly as poffible call their attention to the objects of the motion he intended to have the honour of fubmitting to the Committee; for however important the object of preparation for public defence, and the most important he would allow it was, yet it should not fuperfede the neceffity of attention to the internal improvements of the country; efpecially thofe improvements which had the strongest tendency to cultivate and preferve the ftrength, the refources, and wealth of the country. Already had the House voted to his Majesty's difpofal a fum of 20,000l. for the purpose of opening roads and erecting bridges in the Highlands of Scotland, and thereby facilitating the intercourfe, improv. ing the agriculture, aiding the fisheries, and opening the inlets for improvements in the manufactures, commerce, and wealth of that important part of the United Kingdom from which this empire derived fo much of its ftrength, and from whence fo many invincible regiments were from time to time drawn for

the

the defence of the country. The measure which he had now to propofe was to follow up the former, and which was not only of the utmost importance to that part of Great Britain, but to the commerce of every part of the United Empire, Ireland as well as this ifland.

From the third report of this Committee upon the Highland Survey, of which he had the honour to be chairman, and which report was now upon the table, the Committee was already apprifed that the project to which he alluded was the opening of a navigable canal across the Highlands of Scotland, from the Eaftern to the Western Sea. The project might at first appear not only arduous, but impracticable; but it appeared upon a minute furvey, that though the tract through which this canal was intended to pafs, was extremely mountainous, yet there was a chain of deep valleys to favour the operation, and thefe containing in the line of 59 miles (which was to be the extent of the navigation from sea to fea), thirty-eight miles of lakes of unfathomable depth, and capable of naviga ing the largest ships in the navy of England. The remaining line to be artificially cut, was about 21 miles, which it was purposed to make 20 feet deep, and of a proportionable width, navigable for frigates. This work in its operation would be attended with much lefs difficulty, and with infinitely lefs expenfe, than the Royal Junction and many other canals cut through different parts of this country; for the highest point of land, through which this cut was propofed to be made, was but 100 feet above the level of the fea, at high water-mark. The advantages of this measure, when completed, would not only be of incalculable benefit to that part of the United Kingdom, but of the utmost importance to the commerce and naval operation of the empire. It would not only enfure without rifque or uncertainty the paffage of the whole Baltic and North Sea trade to the Irish Channel during the Summer months, and that probably in feven days, which, by the prefent dangerous na vigation, round by the Shetland and Orkney islands, is not generally effected in less than a fortnight or three weeks, and with the most contrary winds, and bad weather, ensure in twelve days that conveyance, which, by the old navigation, can rarely be effected, under the fame difadvantages, in lefs than three months, and this with the most imminent rifque, and frequently immenfe lofs, not only of valuable fhips and cargoes, but of the invaluable lives of able British feamen; and the whole expence may perhaps not exceed the amount of the

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loffes

loffes by thipwreck on the average of the laft five years. A project fuch as this, which would not only enable this country to carry on with little or no rifk, and with fuch certain and extraordinary celerity, a commerce which now amounted to four millions annually, and must encrease, with all the advantages this canal will afford, was a project of fuch high national importance, as induced him to rely upon the prompt concurrence of the Committee in the motion he had been inftructed, as Chairman of a Select Committee, to make, namely, that a fum not exceeding 20,000l. be granted to his Majefty for the purpofe of opening the faid navigation by the way of Fort William and Invernefs. The motion was

agreed to nem. con. and ordered to be reported next day. Further Committee of Supply on Friday.

The Irish duties bill was read a fecond time.

On the question for committing it,

Mr. Hutchinfon asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for Ireland, whether any additional duty was impofed on falt in

this cafe?

Mr. Corry faid, there was not.

The bill was then ordered to be referred to a Committee of the whole House.

On reading the order of the day for going into a Committee of the whole Houfe on the faltpetre bill,

Mr. Hutchinfen took decafion to obferve, that the Act of Union was not paffed with an intention that the business of Ireland thould be tranfacted in the House when the benches were empty,' and expreffed a wish for a fuller attendance in general than he had obferved on these occafions.

Mr. Gorry anfwered all the obfervations of the hon. Gentleman, affured him there had been no intention in any quarter to negle&t the affairs of Ireland in that Houfe, and that the utmoft affiduity had been employed in the management of them; that with regard to the Houfe being fometimes thinly attended, it was not peculiar to the affairs of Ireland, for that millions of money were voted on the service of England in the Houfe when thinly attended, not because Members were indifferent to public bufinefs for England or Ireland, but because when once they were convinced of the propriety of the principle of a measure, they did not think it neceffary to difcufs or to attend to all the ftages of its detail, and indeed it would be impracticable if it were otherwife. Subjects were difcuffed in thofe ftages which called for difcuffion, and what was over the detail, proceeded from the principle which

had

had been decided in that difcuffion, and that he was fully fatisfied that none of the affairs of Ireland or of England had been neglected in that refpe& now before the Committee, and concluded with enforcing the propriety of it.

After a few words in explanation from Mr. Hutchinfon and Mr. Corry, the House refolved itself into a Committee of the whole Houfe, when the refolutions were paffed, and the House being refumed, the report was ordered to be received next day.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30.

Counfel was heard in the appeal caufe, M'Farlane v. Methuin; the farther proceeding in which was deterred till Monday following.

The Houfe having forwarded the feveral bills before them,' adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

THURSDAY, JUNE 30.

The Eaft India dock bill was ordered to be re-committed the next day.

Mr. Alexander brought up the report of the Irish faltpetre

bill.

The refolutions were agreed to, and inftructions ordered to be given to the Committee on the Irish duties, to make regulations for carrying the provifions of the bill into eff Et,, The Irifh militia pay-bill was committed. Reported the next day,

The Irish revenue regulation bill was ordered to be committed on Monday following.

Mr Corry gave notice, that the next day he would move for leave to bring in a bill for the better regulation of distilleries in Ireland.

Sir John Anderfon moved, that the report of the bill for the improvement of the ports of London fhould now be taken into farther confideration. The amendments were agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time on Monday following.

The Secretary at War moved for leave to bring in a bill for enabling his Majefly to call out the yeomanry cavalry in the different diftricts, for putting into a state of difcipline

thole