Eftimated furplus above the propofed grant

N. B. The only articles of extraordinary receipt in the quarter, ending 5th July, were arrears of convoy duty and income duty, amounting together to 341,7061.

354,161

The produce of permanent taxes, in the quarter ending the 5th of July, compared with their produce in the two fucceeding quarters for the four last years, omitting the duties imposed on each year respectively, as appears by the following table:

Increafe. Diminution.

"1. That towards raifing the fum of two millions voted in the Committee of Supply, the fum of 1,500,000l. be raised out of the confolidated fund, and be fupplied by Exchequer bills.

"2. That towards payment of money advanced by the Bank, the fum of two millions be alfo raised by loans of Exchequer bills, to be made good next year.

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3. That it appears that the fum of 1,500,000l. ftands as the furplus of the confolidated fund."

The Houfe refumed, and the report was ordered to be received the next day.

The Houfe went into a Committee on the curates' bill, and the report was ordered to be received the next day. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the Houfe

fhould

699

fhould the next day refolve itfelf into a Committee, to confider the expediency of relieving out of the public money fuch temporary curates as may be deprived of their cures, in confequence of the act which has lately paffed for promoting the refidence of the clergy.

On the order of the day being read for the further confideration of the cotton weavers' bill,

Colonel Stanley moved, that it be poftponed till that day three months.

Mr. H. Lee oppofed the motion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a fpeech of confiderable length, fhewed the neceffity there was of delaying this bill till next feffion, and therefore he concurred in the motion. On the question being put, the poftponement was agreed

to.

The prize captors' relief bill, the Irish Juftices' bill, and the Irith militia family bill, were feverally reported, and ordered to be read a third time the next day, and then engroffed.

A bill for rectifying some mistakes in the Scotch army of referve bill, as to the regulation of substitutes, was read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time the next day.

The courts martial witneffes' bill, and the volunteer corps' bill were feverally reported, and ordered to be read a third time the next day.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

TUESDAY, JULY 26.

The London coal market bill was read a third time and paffed.

Doctor Fisher, the new bishop of Exeter, took the oaths and his feat.

GENERAL DEFENCE.

The general defence bill was reported, and the amendments agreed to.

Lord Hobart moved that the bill fhould be read a third time, which was done. He then propofed feveral new amendments, which were agreed to; and as fome apprehenfions were entertained, that perfons ferving in volunteer corps were liable to be drafted into the army of referve, he propofed a claufe to remove thefe apprehenfions. Agreed to.

The

The bill was then paffed, and fent to the Commons.

In a few minutes after, Mr. Alexander brought up the bill, ftating that the Commons had agreed to their Lordships amendments. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JULY 26.

ALIENS.

The Attorney General role to fubmit to the House the propriety of making fome alterations in the laws refpecting aliens. It appeared neceffary that perfons offending under the alien act should be liable to be punished in a more fummary manner than was at prefent provided for. Under the act they could be punished by indictment only for disobeying the King's proclamation, and other offences. This mode of proceeding was, however, frequently very inconvenient; and it would be propofed to alter it. Another change which he intended to fuggeft related to the power of fending aliens out of the country; that power was at prefent poffeffed by the magiftrates; but in his opinion it ought to be lodged in the hands of the Crown only. Several other regulations, which were not neceffary in the time of peace when the last act was paffed, would be introduced into the bill he was to bring in. Regulations would also be made refpecting the ports at which aliens fhould be permitted to land. It was very defirable that no neceffity fhould arife for fufpending the habeas corpus act; and in order that the people of this country might not be fubjected to that inconvenience, it was proper to be more vigilant with refpect to aliens. Under the prefent circumstances of the country, it was indifpenfibly requifite that foreigners fhould be placed under reftrictions, which he fhould be very forry to fee extended to the people of this country. He therefore moved, that leave be given to bring in a bill to repeal the alien act, and to fubftitute other regulations in lieu thereof.-Leave was given to bring in the bill.

The Attorney General alfo obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend fo much of the acts of the 2d and 7th Geo. I. as relates to the pilots of Deal, Dover, and the Ife of Thanet.

SUGARS.

Mr. Chapman faid, he fhould not propofe the motion he intended to fubmit, at fo late a period of the Seffion, if the

duties now payable upon Weft-India produce, were not so exorbitant as must prove ruinous to individuals, and ultimately injurious to the revenue. He did not doubt the

Minifter's difpofition to levy taxes equally, but when he said, that the colonial articles could not only bear the new tax act, but could alfo do it if carried to a greater extent, he did not hesitate to fay that his information was unfounded, and grofsly and glaringly falfe. He was ready to prove his af fertion, and make it evident when an opportunity thould be given him, that the colonial produce was over-taxed; that all the profit went into the hands of the Exchequer; that the different taxes left very little to the planter for his capital, and nothing for his rent; and that the planter paid full twenty thillings in the pound on his rent, and at least fifteenthillings in the pound out of his capital. Upon this fyftem, therefore, the moderation of Bonaparte himfelf could not, leave the colonifts lefs than the moderation of the prefent Minifter. This was not to be answered by cafes of individual opulence, any more than in other concerns; and were he asked, why, if it was a lofing trade, they did not withdraw their capital, his answer would be, because the thing was impoffible, without renouncing two-thirds of their. property, and leaving the remainder in a state of the utmost infecurity. He withed that the tax, particularly on fugar, fhould be levied ad valorem; for as it flood at prefent, the commoneft brown or black fugars paid as high a tax as the finest fort, by which the poor man, who bought his common fugar by the pound or half-pound, paid a tax of a penny, whereas the gentleman, who bought his 'fugar by the-loaf,, paid no more than a halfpenny. He then moved that the Houfe do, on Thurfday next, refolve itself into a Committee, to confider of the duties upon fugar.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, if he understood the hon. gentleman right, he meant to reprefent the trading intereft of this country to be at variance with that of the colonies; whereas a reference to the records of Parliament would fhew that of the Weft-India colonies to be a very favoured trade. In proof of this he quoted the bonding and warehoufing acts, paffed principally for the accommodation of the West-India merchants. Neither did the indulgence. ftop there; for in the laft Seffion a bounty was granted onthe importation of refined fugars, and afterwards on the exportation of fugars in a raw and unmanufactured state. the cafe was really as ftated, it would be impoffible to account VOL. IV. 1802-3. 4 S

If

for