William the Conqueror, and the brave hoft under his command, though he fet up fome pretenfions to the crown, which was recognized by many. After the battle of Haftings, inftead of proceeding immediately to London, he took up his poft and erected his citadel within nine miles of the coast of Effex, in a pofition which enabled him to awe the metropolis. But fuppofing it practicable for an enemy even to gain poffefion of the metropolis of England, he would not defpair, as there would still remain a great deal more to fight for. He then apologized to the Houfe for detaining it at fuch length, and declared his main object to be, that of doing away erroneous impreffions, and to exprefs his opinion, that the attempts at invafion would prove to be impracticable. Though fome defpondency had been excited by the decla rations made within thefe walls on the fubje&t, yet he was glad the fpirit of the country was roufed. He thanked his right hon. Friend near him (Mr. Windham) for having roufed that fpirit; and he thanked his Majefty's Ministers for the vigour they had manifested in difpofing the resources, and arraying the ftrength of the country; and convinced he was, that befide the force of the country already in arms, the moment that real danger fhould approach our fhores, or a foreign foe fet foot upon this ifland, there was not a man within or without thofe walls, that would not fly to arms, fcorning to avail himself of any plea of exemption from the defence of his country.

General Loftus faid, upon the fulleft confideration, he faw no caufe for alarm; for though certainly the enemy had many able Generals, and veteran troops used to service in open countries, yet fhould they be able to land a force in this inclofed country, the whole nature of military operations would be changed; as every lane, ditch, hedge, and wall would prefent a strong poft for their annoyance and deftruction. Suppofe even that an army of forty thousand men fhould land. -Here

Sir Robert Buxton rofe, and moved the standing order of the Houfe, for clearing the gallery of ftrangers, which was immediately done.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

THURSDAY, JULY 7.

The royal affent was given, by commiffion, to Foote's di vorce bill, and to the army of reserve bill.

Several bills were brought up from the Commons, among which were the Irish import and export bill, the Scotch militia families bill returned, and the Irish army of referve bill.

The fouthern whale fishery bill, the Irish workmen combination bill, and the Irish promiffory bank note bill, were read a third time and paffed.

On the motion of the Duke of Norfolk, the confideration of the claims to the Peerages of Zouch and Rofs were, after a fhort converfation between the noble Duke and the Earl of Rofslyn, poftponed till next feffion of Parliament.

Lord Moira prefented a petition from 15,coo people of Gloucestershire, against the woollen manufacturers bill. Lord Harrowby (formerly Sir Dudley Ryder) took the oaths and his feat. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COM MONS.

THURSDAY, JULY 7.

The House pursuant to a fummons from the Black Rod, attended the House of Peers, and on their return, the Speaker informed them, that the royal affent had been given, by commiffion, to the clergy farming and refidence bill.

The New Foreft black game prefervation bill was read a fecond time, and committed for the next day.

Mr. I. H. Browne obtained leave to bring in a bill for granting 20,000l. for building a navigable canal in the Highlands of Scoland.

Sir Lawrence Dundas made a report from the Waterford election Committee, ftating, that there were a great number of voluminous documents, neceffary to be minutely examined both by the counfel and members of the Committee, and at the exprefs defire of both, the parties interested applied to the Houfe for leave to adjourn till the 25th of August, which, after fome further converfation, was agreed to.

The Speaker faid, he confidered it as a part of his duty to ftate to the Houfe, that by the letter of the act of Parliament an election Committee was not empowered, without the fpecial

fpecial leave of the Houfe, and for fatisfactory reafons given, to adjourn for more than twenty-four hours. There were feveral inftances however, in which the Houfe acted more on the Spirit than the letter of the bill, when there were good and fpecial reafons affigned. The Committee on the Weftminster election, for example, were allowed to adjourn for five or fix days; that on the Worcester election for a fortnight; and the fame indulgence was granted to the Committee on the Eaft Grimsby election for four or five days. The Houfe would of courfe recollect, that the prefent report affigned very good reafons, but the extent of the adjournment requested was unprecedented, and very probably the Parliament might not be fitting fo late as the 25th of Au guft.

Mr. Lee confidered the motion to be of confiderable confequence. The neceffity of an adjournment he believed to be univerfally admitted; and the more fo, as it was made. at the request of the parties interefted. The motion, however, was, in its prefent fhape, liable to very strong objections. The difficulty which fuggefted itfelf to him was that as by the act of Parliament, Committees could not adjourn for more than twenty-four hours, unless Sundays or Christmas-day intervened, thofe members of it could make no application to the Houfe for the purpose of extending its adjournments, however neceffary, as it would have no difcretion unless fitting at the fame time. He did not fee how, if the Houfe was ready to extend their adjournment to the 25th of Auguft, they might not with greater propriety extend it ftill farther to the time when it could be afcertained that the Houfe would be actually fitting.

Mr. Bragge fuggested the propriety of extending the adjournment to September, if the 25th of Auguft should not be deemed long enough; but perhaps it might be better, in this cafe, to pafs a thort bill, as had been done before, to difpenfe with the provifions of the act of Parliament, in this particular inftance.

The Speaker faid, that toties quoties the neceffity of adjourne ments was made out, Parliament had a right to exercise its difcretion in granting permiffion; but, that it never recognized the power of a Committee to adjourn by its own au thority for more than 24 hours, or affembling on the first day after the meeting of the House.

Mr Ward fupported the opinion of the Speaker.

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Sir L. Dundas preffed the adoption of the adjournment, for which fufficient reafons were affigned in the report of the Committee.

Mr. Lee faid, he did not deny the propriety of an adjournment, but declared his opinion of the Grenville act to be fuch, that he wished the letter of it to be conftrued more ftrictly than that of any other on the ftatute book.

Mr. Bragge declared, that all he had heard only confirmed him in the opinion, that the best remedy would be found in a fpecial bill for this particular object.

Mr. Brage moved the further confideration of the report of the British port bill.

Mr. Henderfon faid, he did not mean to oppofe the bill, but fuggested that the rates would amount to much more than the neceffity of the cafe required.

Mr. Bragge acknowledged the suggestion to be just, but added, that the produce received in that way would go to the purpofe of a finking fund.

The report was then agreed to pro forma, and the debate upon it adjourned till after the disposal of fome remaining orders.

The Irish army of referve bill was put very deliberately by the Speaker, and agreed to. The bill paffed nem. con.

and Colonel Vereker was directed to take it to the Lords.

A meffage from the Lords announced that they had agreed to the whale fishery, Irish bank promiffory note, the Irish militia pay, the Irish combination, and the port of Glasgow

water bills.

The debate on the Bristol canal bill was refumed, when Mr. Bragge proposed a clause, enjoining that the rates for that purpose fhould not commence till twelve months after the works were advanced, and 100,000l. expended on them, which was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be engroffed.

Sir C. Pole obtained leave to bring in a bill on the fecond report of the navy commiffioners.

Lord Caftlereagh moved for an account of the amount of the profits and loffes on the fales of the Eaft India company to the firft of March laft, 1803, which was agreed to..

His Lordship then said, that for fome particular reasons he found it neceffary to poftpone the Eaft India budget, of which he gave notice for Mnday next, to Monday fe'nnight; and he now gave notice that he fhould, on Monday next, move for leave to bring in a bill to permit the East In

dia company to make allowances to fuch of their fhips as had failed before the delivery of his Majefty's meffage.

Sir Robert Buxton moved an humble addrefs to his Majefty, praying that there be laid before the House, an account of the returns made to the Secretary of State's office, of the number of prifoners contined in his Majesty's gaols of Great Britain and Wales, together with the offences or charges for which they were committed.

The Speaker faid, there was a doubt whether the motion would embrace the object, for it had yet been undecided, with gentlemen of the long robe, whether all the prifons could be comprised under the denomination of King's gaols.

Mr. Hobhoufe faid, if the object of fuch motion was mere curiofity, and not as the foundation of fome public measure, it would be giving a deal of unneceffary trouble.

Sir R. Buxton replied, that it was fufficient to fay, that the returns were now on the table of the Secretary of State for the home department; and that whether any measure thould be founded on it or not, it must be of importance for the Legislature to know the nature of the crimes committed, and to afcertain whether they were increasing or diminishing.

The motion was then agreed to.

The Irish treasury bills' bill was read a second time, and committed for the next day.

The Irish revenue regulation bill, the Irish militia pay bill, the Irish militia adjutants bill, and the East India dock bill, were read a third time and paffed.

Mr. Vanfittart moved the further consideration of the report of the affeffed tax duty confolidation bill-which was agreed to, and the bill recommitted. In the Committee he moved an amendment, that any parish which was fituated within the bills of mortality, fhould be liable to the fame qualifications for commiffioners under that act, as were impofed on the commiffioners for the cities of London and Weftminster, which was agreed to, and the report ordered to be received the next day.

Mr. Alexander brought up the report of the five millions exchequer bills' bil, which was ordered to be read a third time the next day.

The bill for allowing the exportation of grain to the islands of Jerfey, Guernfey, and Alderney, was read a first, and ordered to be read a fecond time the next day; as was allo a bill for allowing Portugal wines to be landed, and warehoufed, duty free, for a time to be limited.

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