Star. — London, England, 1806-03-29 00:00:00

PaRLIAMENTART PRCCEEDINGS. • HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, MARCH 2/1. In the Appeal, Johnftone and others en Scutt and annther, Mr Gamer was lean! In behalf of the Refpondents. The further hearing was then paftponed till Monday. The to,son,occl. and IdCo.ctoollEachequer Bills Bills, the Spi rite Excite Duties Bill, sod the Felons Tranfporeation Bill, were read a third time sod paged, and a Maar lent to the Hoare of Commons to acquaint them therewith. Mr. HAWTHORNE, Mr. BALDWIN, and feveral other Menibers of the Houfe of Commons, brought up the Expiring Laws BiU,•tho Cape of Good Hope Trade Regulation Bill, and a Private Bill, which Were feverally reads brit time. SIR J. T. riUCILWORTH. Lord GRENVILLE peer-need a Menge from the King, pun. peering that en account of the eminent ferskes performed by Vice Admiral Sir J. T. Dockworth, Bart. K. B. his Mayßy is defocus of granting to him a penlina of 'cod. per annum, for the term of his natural Life, and traits the Houfe will concur In any mature iseceffary to carry fuel his Majetty's intention into execution. On the motion of Lord Grenville, his Majeftes Menage was ordered to be take-a Into confidcrattoo on Monday ....Adjourned till Monday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. fr.TTRWHIT took the oaths and his fat. The Sheriffs of the Cky of London appeared at the Bar, and *relented from else Lord Mayor, Weenies, and Common Coon. dl, a Petitionjigainft the Coal Admeaforement Bill, and praying that it do not Oafs into a law.—Ordered that the Petitioners be beard by their Cumfel &villa the Bill. ;....,„ Ai A Perron prefented an Account of all declared and al lowed by the Comn Hamlets for Managing , Civil Affairs of the Navy, together with the items relating ti expenditure of gooook —Ored to be printed. ... A Perron from the Tat °See prefented an mount of the net affdrinent on the Duty of Property tot the resraikling the stb of April, and an Accosnt of an ex, rn prions....Ordogoli to be referred Os the Committee of Ways and Mum. Me. VA stEr rART moved for an Account of ;he quantity of Plartatioa Sugar imported for the year iii. 26. Alto an Accoutre et the war duties for the left year. An Actount of the puotley '4 Idoets imparted ter home eonfaniption, for ft: years, ending tit /di jigger,. *SI. An Account of foreign iron imported tor At NEI period. An Account of Britith iron menufadtured for the Owe pried. An Account of the net modem of the tazno wine fee the leit year—Ordered, that the Paid Amounts be edema to Oa Cesweittee of Ways and Meson The M Treaftuy Bills Bill was read a feeend time, and was eadeeed et be eceanktitt to-morrow. Tbe Ibblit Mary MI was read a (mood time, sod ordered to M eammistai tirowarreer. Lerill MAPLE raid, the Bill was merely of m temporary na• tare, tot that when numfures were Melted relative to the bid& /Miry, he would fubmit them to the Houle after the holidays. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHESyER brought up the following Meffage from his Majefty : • ct. R..—His Majefty being &thous of conferring fnme fiscal =l' hie Royal favour and approbation on Vice Admiral Sir Illidtwarth, Knight of the Bath, in confopmcce of the embeit Orden mitered by him in the engagement with the Siam& Opmeas ea the 6th of February laft, when the whole of Obi bee WINO blips of the faid fquadron were taken or deftroyed, .liiid aim weber and drill difpbyed by him on that meallon, re nelmintieht hp faithful Commons to enable his Malefty to recut' ill Wit NAN if saga. a year. for the term of hb natural We." Th e cMOCILLOR of the EXCHEQUER mowed, that bh Stebity's Meip aright be taken Into coalandon en Monday ante—Hie LaMar silo gave notice, that after the Rafter Hell- Am be Ibmild Molt to the Hours the propriety of making as as wail pee fee the family of the late Lord Vitnt Nelfon. )UDORT. The Houle, on the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, refolved itfelfinto a Committee of Ways and Means, Mr. HAWTHORNS in the Chair. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then role and fpoke in Cubßance :—I rife. Sir, for the purpofe of listing to the Committee the Ways and Items for railing the Supplies which have already been voted, or are very fpeedily to be fubmitted to Parliament. The duty I feel to be arduous and im portant, and I tea, I (ball receive from the Com mittee that indulgence I (hall require. In fubmitting the Ratements of the Ways and Means, however, compared with the Supply. I do not mean to detain the Committee with any length of obfervation, or of (peculation on the financial fituation of the country, both becaufe lam unwilling to tut - pals on the pa tience of the Committee, and 'becaufe any fpecula• Lion of mine would be of little importance, compared with the feat which may be laid before them. At the fame time I am delimits to be ample in the nate. merit of fats, on which Gentlemen will be enabled to form their own judgment. It is for this reafon that I ( ball depart a little from the pradlice which has prevailed of late, and preface what I have to (übmit with a view of the alual fituation of the country as to its financial concerns. I (hall therefore proceed to lay before the Houle a Ratement of thefe objeCts, and I requelt the Committee will bear it in mind and apply to it the more immediate fubjca of the Refo lutions with which I (hall conclude. The Funded Debt. oo the tit of February, 1805, was 493,128,e0e Oa sada dr Charges sad interelt was above - 1 tooz,ooo )Rediessed - - a so,oco,oto Oa which the Charge, &e. - 6.0c0.cc0, On which the Charge. &c. 2 4.9 00 , 000 Ia iSoi the Stock created by die Loan WAS 334.20.000 636,827,000 Nat front this addition is to be &dotted the redue. dos made by the Doman!Loners of the National Debt, and by the Purchaang Land Tat, fa that on the tit of February, tSo6, the Unredceami Debt was . - The Redeem:4 - - 517430.000 113436,000 Nest comes the Unfunded Debt ; and from the comparifon It appeared that on the Heads of Et ch.quer Bills, N..y Debt, Ordnance Arrears, Barraclis.te. the Untunded Debt o 9 the tftof Ja nuary, 1806, was greater than in January, 'got, by 3.130.ew0l of the Unfunded Debt. In review ing the income of the year t Boy, it appeared that the Intereft and Charges upon the Lonlolidated Fund amounted to That the Income was 29,760,000 33.000,000 Latvia, a Surplus of .3.24 0 5000 His Lordthip, after going through this narement proceeded to point nut the beneficial operations of, the Sinking Fund. Were I, continued he, to venture giving any opinion of mine to confirm the impreffiin which a review of what the Sinking Fund has already effeeted muff produce, I ihntild fay. that had it not been for the Sinki , ,g Fttnd we Mould now have been loaded with the whole charges now borne by the enuntry, without deriving any of its advantages, bccaufe filch, if we could have borrowed at all, it , would have been on bail terms, and we Ihnuld have created more debt to obtain that, which, through the Sinking Fund, we have obtained on more favourable terms. The Sinking Fund over and above that it leadv to the extintgion of the debt, has been a laying of the burden, while it has feemed to increafe. Inde pendently then of the obligations ofgnod faith which Mould lead us to Afore even difadvantageous con tratts, we ate lcd by die enjoyment of the tWoft folid benefits, and by real meonomy, to a perfeveranee in that fyflem from which they have flowed. His Lordbip then proceeded to lay before the Houfe a Statement of the Expenditure of amounting, under the ufoal items, to 43,639,8001. He then proceeded—Having laid before the Houle thofe Statements of our financial lituaticn, by a re view of our debt, our income and expenditure, I (hall now recapitulate the Supplies of the prefeut year, either already voted or to be propofed. SUPPLY. The fira head then. is the Navy, excluthre of Sea Service • Army litre, though I ant not able to Rate the amount of the (urns that will be required on this head, owing to the arrangements not bang yet com pleted; I am happy to think, that there is every rearm to believe, that if approved by the Houle they will not cieCed the turn I have Rated, or the amount of the Eftimates on the kale voted for a limited period ; or If they Ewald, a raving may be eapc6ted on fume other head. Including Sea ‘7,ot Coco So7io:;0 -England zjor,o'o Ireland 676,000 On this head of apatite, however, which rnuft appear conftderable, it is right to flue, that there ens Included feveral important grants in con templation—fuck u the provifion for the family of Lord Nelfon, and for the remuneration of our Seamen--objedts, which I am lure will be a fufficient juitificatioo of the eapence they may °cation. Amalie( EnbEdiell Vete of Credit—England Ireland £ ',al ,000 slidcoo•x) SaNice Ireland 4.753Ac0 2,170,020 • 3,40Nca3 ioo,oco Ihca9looo Making the Joint Supply Add, however, fsparate charges of Busked. To the Raft India Company tpoo,oolo This claim Is of feveral years Rand. log. A Coramlilloo had been ap pointed to inveftigats the demand of the Company, In ao,i—a mil lion was voted, and alto left year, and In Autumn. it waa underftomi by the Company, that another mil lion would this year be propofed to beamed. There is alk a delkieney of Malt, doe geo,oors Ditto, Ways and Means of tBog 1 .7 0 1M0 !meta on Exchequer Ms a ,too,.oss It may be proper to fay a far words in explanation of that article. It miles from the method ruined of inking Exchequer Hills bearing a certain intereft. It has not hitherto been ufual to provide the intereft ads these the Hills are voted, bet It comes into the Supply of the following year. It has been thought advifeabk, however, to bring that caper.% withio the year, and per for it meordio#y. There is called lbr alto, a font of yoo,ocet to pay off g per Cents. at 1797, & in Odlober next. SCo.C*OI - will be wanted t,Ioe,CMS zpoool 40 16 90 Xe Total Supplies Dedudt for Ireland a spas of 43.669A00 - Alfo a• t 7ths for CbU Lilt and other charges 5• 1 174 11 260,w0 5.147.000 411,9z6,0c0 5497.558 Remake, es menet ofEesleed 43t618,472 WAYS AND MEANS. The Ways sod Means are u ofold--The Mak sod Parana) /Mate Duties W. 7 5 0 •000 Grants frees Proceeds of Ships captured peter to the War Tle Lotter?, witch kit year produced 314,c001. end ',bleb Ma pike of tier eneibldsted Pond kit Year, efti- Mead at Iker 611111aes, bat which did not pro. • does C. wadi Mere Is reafoo to believe, how- IMAM re keeNfed Produce of the loft guar lIFOst !way baikly taken for War MINI. saw s 4 Millions, but wttleit it la my Inmeles lio prepare to inmate, as afterwards maks& to 1 p,soo,coo But, MOP* se bat may be outftand ing k Apil. do; usoopoo Loam 100,030 330000 s tOOO,OOO 1 Bpoopoo Total - 43,630p00 The Loan I have Bated at eighteen millions for England and two for Ireland. It will be obferved, however, that of arrears and deficiency; of the laß year, there comes into the Ways and Means of the prefent a turn of 3,800,0001. fo that the loan of this year, for its own ellimated expence, amounts only to twelve millions for England. One part of the arrears of laß year, that which occurs in the head of foreign fubfidies, it is difficult to eftimate with precifion. Confidering the manner in. which the treaties of fubfidy were negociated, and the balls on which they are founded, it is not eafy to fay how much other parties may claim, or we ought jualy to pay. On this head, however, I (hall, on the its. perk& data we havy, Bata not lets than I,oog i oool. Having pointed nut thefe circumftances to the Committee, I now come to explain the addition to the war taxes already alluded to. I have already pointed at the documents which (hew the rife and progrcfs of the war taxes. The principles which Brit led the Houfe to adopt them ; that of making every effort to maintain the public credit and to prevent the accumulation of our debts, I have no doubt, will Rill continue to operate, becanfe it remains equally powerful. That [Oen; began with tripling the af felled taxes when it was deemed expedient by the Houfe to raife a confiderable part of the fupplies within the year. That example of dire& taxation being introduced, the Income Tax was afterwards reforted to, and at daft the Property Tax now ella blifhed. The advantages derived from this mods of calling upon the financial exertions of the country, . will heft be teen from the effc& produced upon the public debt, and from thence the Committee will be able to judge of the utility of perfeverin in that fyflem, and following up thole efforts. the accu mulation of debt from 1793 to 1803 was at the rate 0123 millions annually, the unredeemed debt in t 793 being 230 millions, and in 1803, being 480 millions. —Now the unredeemed debt is 317,000,0001. fn that the accumulation, inficad of being as millions a year, is only at the rare of 12 millions a year. This fa& mull demon (Irate the advantages obtained by that fyllem which they have approved, and what be nefit our Ilrength and refources mug derive from a perfeverance in it. It is unneceffary for me, therefore, I to (late any opinion of my own upon a point on which the Houk have already decided. Whatever my own views of the Property Tax in Tome refpefis may be, and whether the moll fair and equal in its operation, yet I have no hefitation in fayinic, that a► sow laid, sad as modified by experience, it is free , from many of the objedions to which the tripling of the filleted Taxes and the Income Tax were liable. Compared with there, the Piorerty Tax is the molt praticahle, fair, and efficient plan which had been attempted for railing a confiderable fum within the year. That the meafure is enabliffied, however, is of itfelf a great deal ; and k mutt be the &fire of the Houle, by which its principle has been fanftioned, to render it as effeaual as potlible in its operation. It is now let agoing, experience has foggefted the ufeful improvements, and fmorithed the difficulties by which it was oppofed in plat ice. Being now better on derftood, it is calculated to be both more produaive in its amount, and left grievous in its execution than at fire. Feeling it needlefs, therefore, to fay any thing farther as to the propriety of adhe ing to the &nem of War Taxes, it is my intention to propore that the duty on property be railed to ten per cent. It may feem paradoxical ro fay, that this mode of increafe is preferable to one more gradual and lere alarming to the public. Such, however, is my opi. Dion. A gradual rife would have led to the fuppo-, tits° that this was a fund to be drawn upon to an indefinite extent, but being railed at once to its ea• tural limit, there will be left fufpicion of future aug mentation. Betides the addition to the rate, I am perfuaded that confiderable addition may he made to the produce by judicious regulation. That there have been fraud and evafion in the payment cannot be doubted, and the mode of exemption has furnifhed the greaten facility to the attempt. But stomach. (Landing the diminution of the produce through that cattle, I thould have been forty to have deprived 'of exemption thofe who have a fair claim to it. But Rill exemption and relief will be extended to thole who molt [land in need of it, while the means of evalion will be taken away. The dares molt wor thy of being confidered, with a view to relief, are (mall tradefmen and (mall annuitants, in whole fa vour fome provifion will be made. It is propored that ten per cent. (tall be paid on all property *bon soh a year, but on produ6ion of the will or deed conflitutiug the annuity and demonfrating tbt claim to exemption, the Tax Office will be authorifed to make repayment. The farther regulation of that part of the plan will come afterwards to be con& dered, but the objed is to referee the benefit to that claire. I have mentioned. The fmall tradefmen doubtedly are the lealt objeas of taxation, becauft they have not the means of adding property to Is. bout, which thofe polreffing property cant and tit. principle will be to reach, as far as poffible, all theta who have property. There will be rouse regulation rerpating hofpitals and charitable innitutions. As one 'mode of rendering the tax more produaive, I am happy to nate, that the Governors and Direaors of the Bank have agreed to receive the duty on the ' dividends at the Bank. Regulations will be adopted to facilitate the afleffment, and to cafe the labours of the Commiffioners. For this purpofe itis propofed to empower the Committioners to make an affeffment of houres and land for two years, which will (aye them fame trouble, and it is probable that loch a mode will be trolly fatisfadory to all. The fum which this addition will produce is eftimated at five millions. Another million is expelled from the Cuttoms and Excite ; and this fource will be the more agreeable, that it is derived chiefly front the enjoyments of the higher darns. It is prepared, with certain modifi - tions and exceptions, to raife the war duties of the allows frame one fourth to one third. Tobacco will be taxed under the Excife. Certain woods corn- Ing under this branch are to be exempted. An addition will be made to the duty on Sugar of 3s. additional per cwt. As this tax has continued progreffively to inereafe, and the objea of it, from its bulk and Nab able nature cannot be eafily fmuggled, there is little doubt that with the addition it will be produaive.— The Cultoms then I take at yoo,oool. Under the Excife an additional duty on Tobacco, and in the prefent circumfances, and diftribution of ouenavy, frnuggling being left prafticable, it will continue pro dative. This will be 300,0001. Total—Cotton's and Excite Property Tax 50:00,000 6 000,ono Next follows the Loan contraßed for this day, which, I am happy to fay, is not only upon terms ad vantageous to the public, but from what I haft heard is beneficial to the Contractors. The terms are, For every tong advanced, too Three per Cant. Oughts. at 6of 6o 7 6 66 Three per Cents. Reduced sq. 39 3 9 Amount of Dirconnt on prompt pa ymcnt 99 £1 3 3 zo 0 103 t 3 So that theintereft paid by the public Is under 5 per Cent. being £4 1 9 7 To cover the intereli, one per cent. linking fund, charges, acc. on this loan, a fum of 1,136,0001. is to be provided; which I propole to do in the following manr.er • propok to render the Wine Duty, already milling and made permanent, applicable towards the Interoft of the Loan. which will give us A Duty on Pig Iron of aoL per ton. Thin Tax was formerly in contemplation, and as the oWeet is DOW greatly extended In life, and as soo,ooo tons was the quantity then manefaCtured, I apprehend that the quantity may be ealmated at zsopco tons, which at ans. will be Upon this head there will be Countervailing Duties on Foreign Iron, and a fair drawback will be al lowed. This Tax will be under the lixcife. The third oiled Is, a Regulation of the Dudes on Tea. Formerly it was intended, for the relief of the lower claff,s, that no tea fuppored to be ufed by them (bout , ' tall under the tax. But the fad is, either that the lower elates, preferring a better article, do not buy the Inferior kind, or the yen den mix it, fo defrauding both Government and their Cußomers, the Inferior tea Is not fold. The Equalisation of the Duties on lea is expeCted to produce Next I prat:wife, that, as there is a conftderable Tax on Auctions, there ihould be a Tax on Appraife. ments • both there modes bring adopted to give the hiihett value that can be procured to obJeCts (old. I eftimate this Tax at one half the Duty on Auftions ioo,coo 66,000 Total t,t36,000 Befnre ( fit down I wish to explain a circumllance ref - peeling the E.limate of the Civil Lid, in which these isa deficiency of tgk,oool. from the Eilimate being exceeded. To make good this his Majelty has been advised to apply a farther sum from the captured (hips, In that the burden may not fall upon the pub lic. 1 moil add, however, that it is defirable not only to rave any additional burden to the public, but to take effeCtual measures to prevent loch deficiencies for the future. 7 4 F.7r 7 f His Lordthe then proceeded en recapitulate the different items of Supply end Ways and Means as ' ' above flared.—l with I could fay that the burdens i which I have now felt it my duty to propofe arm light ; but, as I do not think fo, I will not In repre fent them. At the fame time, I fhould think ill of myfelf by thinking meanly of my country, if I could entertain a doubt thit they will be fupported with that conllancy and fortitude which are the moa dill ingu tiled feature* in the character of any country, but which I may venture to fay are prominent in this. I feel myffilf jultitied in dating. that if the people of this country would have borne theft burdens with cheerfulnefs formerly.. they have now additional mo• tires to do fo—now that we are placed in a coif,' of our affairs—now that by the failure of our hopes from the tco•operation of Allies on the Continent, we are left to our own refuurctss, and to our own exertions. In loch a moment, the people of this coUtt• try will call forth all their energy, and Mew themfclves equal to any difficulties with which they may have to contend. As they feel too that they will be called. upon to bear thole burdens only fo long as the War is necaffary, fo they mull know that, if it is necelfary, the contell involves in it every thing they hold dear as individuals and as a nation. They will bear thefe burdens the more che e rf u lly too, feeling a con fidence that what they contribute will be anftly ap. plied and economically adminiaered to the purpofes for which it lashes. They know that if any let of men ever were pledged for economical Government it is the precept Mettler', and if they foram from that pledge they mall retire from Office s carrying with them their own condemnation and difgracc. The Public. however, feel this confidence, both from the character of the preffint Minifters and from the be nefits lately derived from inquiry, particularly from the labours of the Naval Commiffioners. 'fhefe thing', infufe confidence into the people, and they rapport Minifters in the ceconomy they with to pradife- In the office I have the honour to fill, I have already experienced thofe advantages, and from tbe Corn miffion of Military Inquiry, emulating the condo& of the other Commillion, I truft that farther benefits will be obtained. Confident I am that Miniflas will be defirous to follow up the plans and improvements which thefe inquiries may fuggea. In the mean time I am happy to fay that Reps are tak e n to recover t h e (urns 101 l to the public by nalverfations in the Wei Indies, and meal - tires are adopted to put a flop to thole (cents of fraud, perjury, and pectilation, which have too long prevailed. Minifters are doing, and will do every thing to purify the adminiarsten, by the means • with which they are entrußed ; ands feeing this, the people will be flat farther difpofed to bear their burdens with chearfulnefs, and to exert that fortitude and courage they have fo often dif played. If there be any thing in the alinements I have made, in which I feel pride. it is that there is no concealment in them. The notoriety and publi city of our public accounts and financial tranfatlions is one great carafe of the public credit* That publi city it (hall be my endeavour, as far as my humble efforts can go, to promote. It is recorded of an old Roman moralift. that he wiffied to build his houre in i fuch a manner that it Gould be open to the view of all, and that his conduct might be liable to the ift fpettion and cenfure of his fellow citizens. Tito pia ci* of this with I am deftrous to fee rated upon in our fyftem of finance $ and to extend the familiar acquaintance of the public with fubjeas of that fort 'ball be one of the points I atoll keep moll Readily in view, convinced that this publicity is the circumaance moll calculated to remedy that conßitutional evil which has been thought molt incident to the increafe of our public burdens. He concluded with moving his firft refulution. Mr. FRANCIS obferved, that the great labour which the Noble Lord appeared to have bellowed oa his fubjett, and the ability with which he had opened it. did him high credit. fie expetted this, however, but the Noble Lord had certainly exceeded the hopes of many. There we re two p o i nts to w hi c h he wil led &only to advert : The fira was of a fatisfattory na ture ; the fecond was rather matter of regret: The fatisfattory one was, that t h e N o bl e Lord - had been enabled to perfuade the Governor and Company ot the Bank, to deduct the amount of the Property Tax 1 from the income arifing from the fund'. He congra tulated the country on this head, and the rather, be. caufe the fame thing had been refilled on a former occafion, though it was admitted to be a proper and kilt thing. The matter for regret was the great en creole on the Property Tax. He was not fatisfied with the reafons which the Noble Lord had given for this, and certainly it would be received thrunghotit the country with a feeling of the keenett diarels and diffatisfaCtion. He Rated, that it would be an objec tion to the tax that it thupld be impefid gradually s and that therefore it was better to raffle it to to per cent. at once. The remedy was worfe than the dif cale. He (Mr. Francis) for one, would have liked better if the Noble Lord had founded this on the nes ceffity of the cafe; and he did not welienderttand how doubling a tax at once, was a les bravy burden than railing it gradually. But in ;KIM& to this, after the burden was doubled, where was the feeurity that it world not Rill be gradually augmented The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER Rated, that the Bank had been induced to undertake the receiving of the tax 'wiling from funded property, from having obferved the inconvenience attending the other mode of collecting it. As to the other point, what he hated might be erroneous, but he could only repeat that he thought it better that the Property Tax Arnold be railed to an amount at which it was likely to continue for force time, than that it fhould be gradually railed. Mr. ROSE would not follow the exempt,. of the Hon. Gentleman oppofite, by oppofing any of the taxes. He had no intention of tiling at all, had it not been fur what the Noble Lord had fail towards the clofe of his fpeech. If he had confined himfelf to eulogiums upon himfelf and hi, friends, he would have (aid nothing, but he had proceeded to cenlvire the former Adminifiration for the frauds and perjuries committed in the Welt Indies. He himltlf (Mr. Role) was the perfon who had detected thefe frauds. and the remedy which he propofed wit., that Commit - - (loners should be appointed, and fent to the Well Indies, with a view to examine into them—they went, and did their duty. Their proceedings had been referred to the Crown Lawyerr, and they would be able to :late why it was impolfible to bring the der linguini' to juftice. It was but jolt. however, that 1 the Emmet Administration fbould be allowed the I . I