fequence he must regret, with refpect to that peace, was the neceffary reduction of the army which it occafioned: to this he wholly attributed the deficiency of the militia on the breaking out of the prefent war, and not to any negligence on the part of the refpective Lords Lieutenants As to the

charge of tardiness, he doubted whether the bill, if it had been brought forward fooner, would have had the fame fupport throughout the country. We were now in a fituation when, he that hath a fword let him gird himfelf therewith, and he that hath not, let him fell his garment to buy one." The preparations now fo generally made, his Lordthip thought the most likely means of preventing the attempt of the menaced invafion; but if, contrary to that expectation, it fhould, in fact, take place, he trusted that neither the country at large, nor London in particular, would feel any alarm, but be ready, as they were amply provided with the means, to retrieve the character they loft on the invafion of the Roman CESAR.

Lord Hobart expreffed himself much furprised at the object and tendency of the fpeech delivered by the noble Lord (Mulgrave) who spoke aft but one, particularly as he had reafon to believe his Lordship was a friend to the principle of the bill. His fpeech appeared to be made for no other purpofe but to depreciate the Government in the eyes of the Country; but was it poffible, his Lordthip afked, for the bill to have been fo well received in the country, if the conduct of Government had been fo weak and tardy as had been represented?—In the present fituation of affairs, his Lordship could not conceive what advantage his noble Friend propofed to the country, by this ftudied animadverfion on the paft conduct of Government. He had faid that the people took their tone from the tone of Government; and feemed to condemn the latter, for not fooner roufing the country from a state of liftlefs indifference and inactive apathy. For what purpose was all this? Why, at the prefent moment, fhould his noble Friend affert that Government had fallen fhort of their duty? The point, however, had in no degree been eftablifhed. His noble Friend had upheld, as he himself would uphold, the conduct of the late Administration, in times of trying exigencies. Was it meant, however, by thus timing this panegyric, to infinuate that if they had now been entrusted with the conduct of public affairs, the prefent measures would not have been fo long delayed? If fo, why, it may be afked, in a

period of scarcely lefs danger, the year 1798, did not this fame Adminißration bring forward a fimilar meafure? The arguments now advanced would lead to the inference, that they were culpable in not doing fo. In fact, however, as had been faid by the noble Lord who fpoke laft, the propriety of a measure must depend on the peculiar circumftances of the moment in which it was brought forward. Government, however, were not frictly chargeable with weaknefs and inattention, bec ufe they exercifed their judginent in felecting the time in which a particulaeafure fhould be brought forward. Let the Houfe recolle what had previously to this measure been done. The militia were called out, the fupplementary militia added, the regular force increafed, and an army of referve eftablished. Now all thefe plans of ope- . ration were neceffarily carried on by the fame perfons What we forefaw, therefore, would have arifên, if they had all been undertaken at once. He could not fpeak accurately of the state of preparation in which France might at this moment be, but it was much greater than he conceived, if the forces of the country would be ready to act with any poffible effect before the winter preparations, now fuggefted by the prefent bill, would be ready to oppofe them. He was aware that the preparations on the other fide of the water were great; they were great alfo here, and adequate to repel them. Approving, as the country was acknowledged to do, of the prefent measure, it was too much to take that opportunity of charging Government with criminal delay, and doing nothing in its preparations. He profeffed the greatest refpect and friend hip for the noble Lord who brought forward this charge, but he would not have the conduct of Government arraigned on grounds so untenable, without rifing to fpeak in its defence.

Lord Winchelsea spoke in favour of Ministers as to not bringing forward all their plans of preparation at once. Such a conduct must neceffarily, he thought, have been productive of great confufion.

The question was then put and carried.

The bill then went through the Committee, and the report ordered to be received the next day. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MONDAY, JULY 25.

A meffage was received from the Lords, intimating that their Lordships had agreed to the Frith Treasury bills bill; the English militia completion bill; the chapel endowment bill; the Highland canal bill; and the woollen manufacturers' penalty fufpenfion bill.

Colonel Wefton gave notice of his intention to move cèrtain claufes of amendment in the income and property tax bill, for certain allowances to landed proprietors, on account of repairs and drainage.

Lord Caftlereagh moved the order of the day for the House to refolve itself into a Committee on the Eaft India fhipping

bill.

Mr. Johnstone rofe, and repeated his former arguments against the granting of compenfations to the contractors for India freights, beyond what they had agreed to receive during the period of peace. He contended, that having not only made their bargain in the firft inftance, but made it at a rate of 211. per ton, at the very fame moment that there were offers from the fhip owners at Hull, at Newcastle, and various other ports befide London, to take the freights at 181. 155. Nay, fome had offered to take the contract at 141. the ton; and five fhips had actually been taken up, and contracted with by the Directors at 181. 5s. Thofe fhip owners had now no right whatever to come forward with new claims for additional compenfation, under pretence of war breaking out, and to demand compenfation which they never dreamt of at the moment of entering into their contract. The Directors, he contended, had no right whatever to break up thofe contracts, and to lay the proprietors open to new claims; and he concluded by obferving, that fo far did he conceive the contractors from being likely to fuftain any lofs, he was convinced they must be confiderable gainers by their original bargain, by having a rate fo much fuperior to that which other fhip-owners had agreed to accept. The circumftances of contracts in this way differed moft materially from those of former years. The navigation to India was fo much better understood, and the arrangements in India fo much better calculated for procuring freights with promptitude than heretofore, that the voyage out and home was com

pleted

pleted of late in fifteen months, which formerly used to occupy two whole years. However, if the Houfe would agree to fufpend the prefent bill, and the claim fhould be again brought forward early in the next feflion, if any one of the whole, twenty-one fhip-owners who were claimants in the prefent cafe, would then prove that he tuftained any lofs by the performance of his contract, he (Mr. Johnstone) would cheerfully confent even to a much greater compenfation than that now propofed.

Lord Cafilereagh defended the meafure, upon the ground that it was perfectly confiftent with the original fpirit of the contract. The bidding, he faid, was to be at a peace rate, but it was agreed and understood, that in cafe war fhould be declared, the performance fhould be at a war rate, and that both were to ftand as diftin&t confiderations.

Sir William Pulteney supported the fentiments of Mr. Johnstone.

Mr. Peter Moore defended the terms of the amended contract, which, he faid, were as jealously opposed, and as warmly difcuffed at the India-Houfe, as they could be in that affembly.

The Houfe then refolved into a Committee, agreed to the, refolutions, and the Chairman was ordered to bring up the report the next day."

BONDING AND WAREHOUSE SYSTEM."

General Tarleton, adverting to the bill pending before the House, refpecting the bonding and warehoufing goods, for the accommodation of the mercantile interefts, obferved, that as it was the notice of the right hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer that this fubje&t fhould again be taken into confideration on Friday night, he had to fay, that the bill not having yet been printed according to the orders of the Houfe, he of courfe had not had an opportunity of forwarding a copy thereof, for the confideration of his con ftituents, who were very materially interested in its operation, in order to receive their inftructions on the subject fo foon as Friday. He, therefore, hoped the right hon. Gentleman would have no objection to defer the Committee till Monday..

The Chancellor of the Exchequer cheerfully acquiefced, and moved that the order for Friday be difcharged, and the Committee appointed for Monday.

Mr. Corry rofe and adverted to fonie obfervations made VOL. IV. 1802-3

4 Q

during

during his abfence on a former night, respecting the extenfion of the bonding and warehousing fyftem to Ireland. He perfectly agreed, that confiftently with the principles laid down by his right honourable Friend, (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) this, as well as every other principle for the advantage and improvement of commerce, ought to be extended to ireland in common with this country. He then explained the reafons which, in his mind, rendered it unneceffary for him to bring forward a bill of this nature in respect to Ireland, during the prefent feffion of Parliament.'

The Chancellor of the Exchequer's motion, for deferring the Committee till Monday, was agreed to.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

Lord Hawkesbury moved the order of the day for the House to refolve into a Committee of Supply.

Lord Levefon Gower faid, he certainly fhould not oppofe the motion of the noble Lord, for going into a-Committee of Supply that day. But as notice had been given that a motion would be that day made for granting certain compenfations or allowances to the Prince of Orange, agreeably to his Majesty's meffage referred to the Committee of Supply, he wifhed to be informed of the grounds upon which it was the noble Lord's intention to move for fuch allowance; whether it was upon the grounds of any deficiency in the compenfation ftipulated for him by the 15th article of the treaty of Amiens, or as an additional compenfation to the terms ftipulated under that treaty. From what had fallen from a right hon. Gentleman fome time before laft Chriftmas, an intention feemed to have been then entertained by his Majefty's Minifters, of bringing forward fome measure in favour of the Prince of Orange; and he wifhed to know why an intention fo long fince entertained fhould have been fo long kept back by thofe Minifters, and now brought forward at the latter end of July, when nearly four-fifths of the Members of Parliament were retired to the country, and confequently could have no opportunity of confidering the question?

Lord Hawkesbury obferved, that the object for the Houfe refolving into a Committee of Supply at this momenty was not exclufively the confideration of his Majefty's meffage refpecting the Prince of Orange. This, however, was one of the objects; and fo foon as the Houfe fhould refolve