House went into a Committee on the State of the Affairs of India, and the feveral accounts were referred to the Committee, Mr Smith in the Chair.

Mr Dundas then rose and entered into extenfive and comprehensive statements relative to the Affairs of the Eaft India Company; and, having given a detail, laborious and accurate, of the ftate of the financial affairs of the Eaft India Company at home and abroad, proceeded to fhew the flourishing and increafing profperity of the Company to the prefent period; and inftanced that in the article of tea alone, their fales had increased progreffively from 15 millions to 25 millions annually, within the last 8 years, increafing the revenue on that only from 324,730l. to 1,410,1781, annually.

The Refolutions were then agreed to, and the Report ordered to be brought up to-morrow.

The Bill for indemnifying Volunteers from the Hair-Powder Duty went thro' a Committee.

26. The Hair-Powder Indemnity Bill was read a third time and passed.

On the Order of the Day being read to confider the Bill for improving the Highways,

Mr Burdon, after a few obfervations, wherein he enlarged upon the neceffity thereof, moved that the confideration thereof be referred to a Committee of the whole House on Friday.

Mr Wilberforce faid, that the failure of the Bill recently before the House, for the cultivation of Potatoes, rendered it neceffary for him to fay, that fome other measure of a tendency fimilar, in a graduate nature, was required to avert the forrows that muft arife to the poorer part of the community by the difcomfiture of that Bill. That which he intended to introduce would be of a partial nature, calculated to meet partial exigencies, fince that of a more general tendency was rejected. His object was merely to alleviate, and if poflible foften, fome of the calamities. In many parts, Potatoes might be cultivated without any breach of right or private property, and feveral places in the kingdom furnished example. To cultivate thefe quarters was his wifh, and in Yorkshire he had documents fufficient. Therefore, after fome obfervations on the prefent high price of Potatoes, he gave notice of moving for leave to bring in a Bill to enable Overfeers and other Parish Offi

cers to appropriate certain Lands for the cultivation of Potatoes for the bene-, fit of the Poor.

31. A Bill for increafing the rate of fubfiftence for Soldiers billeted, was read a firft time.

The Houfe having refolved itfelf into a Committee of Supply, Mr Pitt moved a feries of Refolutions, of which the, following are the principle:

"Refolved, that it is the opinion of this Committee, that a fum not exceeding 2,506,250l. be granted to his Majefty for the purpose of paying off the Exchequer Bills raised upon the credit of the Act of laft Seffion, relative to certain Duties upon Income.

"That a fum not exceeding 1,079,740l. be granted to his Majefty to pay off the Exchequer Bills raised upon the credit of the Bill for Affeffed Taxes, and the Export and Import Duty Bill;

That a further fum of 3,500,000l. be granted to his Majesty, to pay off the Exchequer Bills iffued in 1799, upon the credit of the aid to be granted next Seffion of Parliament:"

Thefe and feveral other Refolutions were agreed to.

Mr Wilberforce then brought up his Bill for fupplying the Poor more effectually with Potatoes, which, after a few words from Mr Buxton in approbation thereof, was read a first time.

April 1. The Lord Advocate of Scotland took the oaths and his feat.

A Meffage from the Lords informed the House that their Lordships had agreed to the Aberdeen Paving Bill, and feveral other private Bills.

Lord Hawkesbury moved, that the Houfe do to-morrow refolve itfelf into a Committee to confider of the expediency of permitting the Importation from America of goods and commodities belonging to Foreign States in neutral bottoms.-Agreed to.

The Reports of the Committees of Supply and of Ways and Means were received, and the Refolutions agreed to.

The Bill for increafing the Rates to be paid to Innkeepers upon Soldiers being quartered on them, was read a fecond time.

2. Sir William Pulteney after some previous remarks on the cruelty and barbarity of Bull-baiting, which, he obferved, feemed daily to be gaining ground, moved for leave to bring in a Bill to prevent the practice of Bull-baiting.

It is with the moft fincere fatisfaction that his Majefty finds himself enabled to communicated to this Houfe, the joint Addrefs of his Lords and Commons of Ireland, laying before his Majefty certain Refolutions which contain the terms proposed by them for an entire Union between the two Kingdoms.

His Majefty is perfuaded that this Houfe will participate in the pleasure with which his Majefty obferved the conformity of fentiment manifefted in the proceedings of his two Parliaments after long and careful deliberation on this most important subject; and he earneftly recommends to this Houfe to take all fuch further fteps as may best tend to the fpeedy and complete execution of a work fo happily begun, and fo interefting to the fecurity and happiness of his Majefty's fubjects, and to the general ftrength and profperity of the British Empire. G. R

Mr Pitt moved, that it be taken into confideration on Thursday fortnight,Agreed to.

He then moved an Addrefs of Thanks to his Majefty for his moft gracious communication, which being alfo agreed to, it was read, and was, as ufual, an. echo of the Meffage, fignifying the intention of that Houfe to confider the meafure with all convenient fpeed.

3. The Bill for prohibiting the practice of Bull-baiting was read a fecond time, and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

In the Committee Sir W. Pulteney moved, that a penalty should be inflicted upon all thofe concerned in Bull-baiting, not lefs than 20s. nor more than 51. He thought it proper that confiderable difcretionary power should be entrusted to the Magiftrate, fo that he might be lenient to those who erred through inattention, and feverely punish all obdurate offenders.

The Refolution was agreed to, the House refumed, the Report received,

and ordered to be taken into farther confideration on Friday fortnight.

Mr Long brought up a Bill to enable the Lords of the Treasury to iffue Exchequer Bills to a limited amount on fuch Aids and Supplies as have been, or fhall be granted for the 1800.-Read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow.

The Lord Advocate of Scotland brought up the Report of the Committee, to whom was referred the confideration of the most effectual means to encourage the importation of Oats and Oatmeal. The Report was read and agreed to, and a Bill ordered.

The Lord Advocate of Scotland gave notice, that immediately after the Eafter recefs, he would move for leave to bring. in a Bill for the more eafy Recovery of Small Debts in North Britain.

Mr W. Dundas faid, that he would at the fame time move for leave to bring in a Bill to indemnify fuch perfons in the Eaft Indies as had drawn Bills upon this country to greater amount than is allowed by Act of Parliament.

The Report of the Committee of Ways and Means was brought up, and Bills ordered.

Mr Bragge moved for leave to bring in a Bill to permit the importation of Goods from America in neutral Vessels. -Leave granted.

Mr Rofe brought in a Bill to repeal fo much of an Act paffed laft Seffion, as granted permiffion for the warehousing of Eaft India Goods, and for altering the duties to be paid by the fame. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow.

The Bill for appointing Commiffioners to carry into execution an Act impofing a duty on Sugar, Malt, and Tobacco, was read a third time and paffed..

4. The Houfe having been fummoned to attend the Lords Commiffioners in the House of Peers, the Speaker on his return informed them that the Royal Af ffent had been given by Commiffion to the Land Tax Redemption, the Corn Bounty, and several private Bills.

The Exchequer Bill Bill was read a fecond time.

Columbine's Divorce Bill was read a firft, and ordered to be read a fecond time on Thursday fe'nnight; as were alfo the Oat Importation Bill, the Militia Cloathing, the Bill for allowing the Importation of Foreign Goods from Ame

Fica in neutral bottoms, and feveral others.

The Coal and Fishery Committee had leave to fit, notwithstanding any adjournment of the Houfe.

Mr Joddrell, after fome prefatory remarks, moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend and explain the Vagrant Act. The Bill was prefented, read a first time, and ordered to be read a fe cond time on Thursday fe'nnight.

Mr Jones gave notice, that at an early period after the adjournment, he fhould fubmit a Motion respecting a Parliamentary Reform.

Mr Pitt, after fhortly expatiating on the abuses in the returns and confequent collection of the Income Act, obtained leave to bring in a Bill to remedy the fame it was intituled "A Bill to explain, amend, and render more effectual two Acts of the 38th and 39th of George III. for granting to his Majefty certain Duties upon Income;" which, being read a first time, he moved that it fhould be printed for the convenience of Members, and lie on the table till a day fhould be appointed for a fecond reading.-Ordered.

17. Mr Rofe moved, that the Order of the Day for the fecond reading of the Income Bill, which ftood for to-morrow, fhould be discharged, and that the fame be poftponed to Friday fe'nnight, in order that opportunity might be afforded to confider feveral objections made thereto, and to adopt alterations or additions accordingly.

Mr Tierney with fome warmth rofe, and defired to know through what quarter those objections had been ftarted.--He knew of no quarter but that of the House of Commons, from which objec-' tions could legally or honeftly be fubmitted. It abounded with many objections, not only the Bill then in queftion, but the whole meafure; and for that reafon he took the opportunity now of giving notice, that on Thuriday next he would move the Houfe for a repeal of it altogether.

.

Mr Rofe differed with the Hon. Gentleman, and was of opinion, that without any degradation of parliamentary dignity, objections might very fairly be made and heard, and alterations adopted accordingly, when grounds for fuch alterations were fubmitted.

Mr Tierney contended that the Bill in its present shape was unprecedented, as.

instead of amending an old law, it was forming a new one, which, if that had been fairly ftated, the House would not have had the difgrace of being duped into the adoption of an act which reflected reproach on them. This Bill took the tenth of every man's income, together with the addition of the affeffed taxes, which were particularly exempted from that of last year. This therefore was a new tax, and confequently a trick played on the condescending temper of the House.

The Speaker obferved, that if the Bill were as the last Hon. Member defcribed, it certainly was invalidated by feveral ftanding orders of the House, and could not proceed a step further; therefore he fubmitted to Gentlemen the propriety of turning that circumftance in their minds in the interim between this and Friday fe'nnight, to which day he fug gefted the propriety of poftponing further difcuffion.

The Solicitor General entered into a long difcuffion on the principle and propriety of the Bill, and the hafty manner in which Gentlemen were then prematurely reflecting on it. He fpoke to the propriety of reading it a fecond time on Friday.

The Speaker then put the queftion, that the Bill be read a fecond time on Friday next, which Mr Gray and Mr Sheridan both oppofed, and the Houfe divided---for the motion, 85; against it, 20.---Majority for the fecond reading next Friday, 65.

The Houfe then went into a Committee on the Exchequer Bills Bill.

18. The Speaker rofe in his place, and fignified to the House, that having applied his best attention to the Bill for amending the Income Act, and having applied himself more efpecially to the fubject which last night occupied the confideration of the Houfe, he felt it his duty to state, that it is a Bill, which by the introduction of fome clauses therein, that ought previously to have been voted in a Committee of the whole Houfe, is fo vitiated, that it must be withdrawn. He then obferved, that the form now to be purfued fhould be, if the Houfe agreed with him on the propriety of withdrawing it, to fignify the caufe thereof, for the reafons before ftated.

Mr Long said, that in conformity with the advice and opinion of the Chair, he would move to have the Order for read

ing the Bill a fecond time on Friday next difcharged; which being moved accordingly and agreed to, he then asked permiffion of the Houfe to withdraw it, affigning on record the reafons ftated from the Chair; and leave being given, it was withdrawn accordingly.

Mr Long faid, that in the abfence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer it was committed to him to ftate, that the Right Hon. Gentleman he had juft mentioned intended on Friday next to move, that the House should refolve itself into a Committee of the whole House to take into confideration the laws relating to the Duty on Income, for the purpofe of framing, on the Report of the faid Committee, fuch a Bill as may beft meet the intent of rendering more effectual the faid laws.

Mr Tierney, in adverting to the notice of Mr Pitt's intended motion on Friday next, and in confequence of the abfence of feveral Gentlemen attending the Seffions through the country, said he fhould poftpone the motion which he proposed for Thursday, until Thursday fe'nnight, which, after an obfervation from the Master of the Rolls, was put down for that day.

The Order of the Day for taking into confideration the Report of the Bill for preventing Bull-baiting, being read,

The Secretary at War oppofed it, and moved, "That inftead of now, the Report be taken into confideration this day fix months," when the House divided---for the Bill, 41; against it, 43. It was therefore loft by a majority of 2.

21. The Order of the Day being read for confidering the King's Meffage on the Union,

Mr Pitt moved, that the refolutions of the Houses of Parliament of both kingdoms be referred to a Committee; and the House having refolved itself into a Committee,

Mr Pitt rofe and faid, as the fentiments of this and the other Houfe of Parliament already expreffed their fenfe of the adoption of the measure on its general principle, it was now his duty to lay before the Houfe, without further recapitulation, and within one comprehenfive fcope, the complete views of the Governments of both countries, which, in compliance with his Majefty's moft gracious Meffage, had been confidered as fit to fubmit to Parliament, and here confented to already.

The Right Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to ftate the feveral refolutions, which were fimilar to thofe that were moved by Lord Grenville in the House of Lords.

Mr Grey rose and faid, that without venturing into the tedious confideration of the detail of the fubject then before the House, he had no hesitation at once in declaring that he abhorred even its principle, and fhould oppose it accordingly. He would affure the Houfe that a Union was held in deteftation by the almost unanimous opinion of the people of Ireland. The landed intereft was against it, and the whole trading part of the community. Of the 300 Irish members, 120 were decidedly hoftile to it; of the 162 that voted for it, he knew that 116 were placemen or English Generals in command there, who had not a foot of land in the country. He should therefore move for fufpending all further proceedings till the people of Ireland are fatisfied.

Mr Dundas entered into a very long argument in favour of the measure; afferting that Scotland was benefited by the Union, and using a variety of arguments to that effect.

Mr Tierney, against the measure, and in fupport of Mr Grey's motion, took a comprehenfive view of the fubject, and' concluded with faying, that, confidering it in whatever way he might, he deemed it equally difgraceful to Ireland, and detrimental to this country.

The House then divided on Mr Grey's motion---for it, 30; against it, 236;Majority, 206.

The further confideration of the Re-. port was ordered for to-morrow.

22. Mr Pitt moved for the House to refolve itself into a Committee, further to confider the Union.

The House being in a Committee, he then faid, that he would poftpone till Thursday the confideration of thofe Articles that relate to the admiffion of the 100 Members into that Houfe, and thofe relative to the Church and to Commerce, confining himself fimply to the feventh Article, as it adverted to the contribution Ireland fhould hereafter pay, which he did by merely moving that Refolution of the Irish Parliament, which, after fome debate, was agreed to, and the further difcuffion on the Union ordered for Thursday next.

23. Sir Charles Bunbury moved, that

the

the proper officers do lay before the Houfe accounts of the number of perfons confined for civil debts in the various prifons within the Bills of Mortality.

The motion was feconded by Mr Buxton, and immediately granted, and the requifite orders iffued forthwith accordingly. [This is understood to be

preparatory to an Infolvent Act, in cora fequence of the very crowded itate of the goals of the metropolis with diftrefled debtors.]

The Bill for authorizing the iffue of Exchequer Bills was read a third time, paffed, and ordered to the Lords. Adjourned.

SIR,

BE

E pleafed to acquaint my Lords Commiflioners of the Admiralty, his Majesty's fhip Phoebe arrived in Kinfale yefterday, with Heureux French hip privateer, of 22 brafs twelve pounders, and 220 men. Copy of Captain Barlow's letter to me, with the parti culars, I enclose for their Lordships information. I feel great pleasure at a fhip of the Heureux's fuperior defcription being captured from the enemy, and great merit is due to Captain Barlow for his exertions in the protection and affiftance he has afforded the trade during his cruize.

SIR,

I have the honour to be, &c.
R. Kingsmill.
Phabe, Kinsale Harbour, March 9°

I have to acquaint you, that on the 5th inft. in lat. 50 deg. 2 min. N. long. 14 deg. 43 min. W. his Majefty's fhip under my command captured the French fhip privateer Heureux, of Bourdeaux, mounting 22 brafs twelve-pounders, and manned with 220 men. She bore down to us at eight in the morning, her Commander taking the Phoebe for an Eaft Indiaman, and no; difcovering his error until within point blank musket fhot, when fhe wore on our weather-bow, and hauled to the wind on the fame tack as the Phoebe.. In this fituation fhe began a fpirited, well-directed fire, which was

kept up a confiderable time, in the hope of escaping by difabling our masts, sails; and rigging, an act of temerity to be regretted, as it occafioned a loss to his Majefty's fhip of one feaman killed and five wounded, two of them mortally, and fince dead; and to the enemy a lofs of 18 killed and 25 wounded, moft of which have loft limbs. The Heureux is the most complete flufh deck flip I have ever feen, coppered, copper faftened, highly finished, and of large dimenfions; viz. 128 feet long, 32 and a half broad, and admeasures near 600 tons. The accounts given of her failing are very extraordinary: fhe will be confidered as a moft defirable ship for his Majefty's fervice. She had been out 42 days, and had taken only a fmall Portuguese floop, laden with wine, which had been blown off the land in her paffage from Limerick to Galway.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Robert Barlow.

Extract of a Letter from the Hon. Courtenay Boyle, Captain of his Majefly's Ship Cormorant, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated in the River Tagus, Mørch 7.

On the 20th ult. I retook the Elizabeth Jane, of London, from the Bahamas, with twenty-five Frenchmen on board her; that vefiel parted with me on the 24th, and I have not fince heard of her; on the evening of that day, in lat. 45 deg. 45 min. N. 10 deg. 29 min. W. I captured the Spanish brig privateer El Batardo, of 14 guns, and 87 men, out of St Andero eight days, on a cruize of three months; had made no captures.