Star. — London, England, 1826-03-18 00:00:00

•• ' t % 1, •N 1 - ••• t• aor any other man living could tell. No men of cha racter would ILish to embark their capital without a likelihood of deriving a fair return from it. What would be The consequence of the new system ? It would induce hankers to conduct their business in the English mode, and to pay no Interest on the money deposited in their hands. He therefore understood perfectly well why bankers might be friendly to the measure • but it was the people who.had grows. prosperous unii,e)-thals;esent system—it was the people who would Purer. He Masson the Gentlemen who had brought the various Petitions against the measure. They were anxious to answer ques tions, qfiritritstpport a particular doctrine * but fairly and frankly to ssti4fy the House and the public of what would he best for the country at large. And he had no doubt, that after ;hearing them, the Noble Earl (Liverpool) would not only feel disposed to remodel his measure, but that before the end of the Committee, he would be snore inclined to transfer the system long established in Scotland to Enghnd, than to extend his new-fangled banking regulations from England to Scotland. E.rl GROSVENOR was understrod to say, that it would have been better, bad his Majesty's . Ministers come down with a measure at once, instead of proposing the appointment of a Committee. _ _ _ The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that they had thought it more consistent With their dignity, on a question on which a variety of opinions . prevailed, to afford the means of a fair and full investigation, than to come forward with a measure of their' own, As to what a Noble Earl (Limerick) had said about 'lreland, he had been surprised at h'i argument. If it were true, that Scotland had not suffered in het banking system, the same could not be said of Irel in.t. She had suffered more than any other ; and it would be ton mush to say, tL at she would be quite safe,.becausr a new system of Winks had been established in that country within the last three years, a system which he believed to be good, but of the efficacy of which there was not yet sufficient time to judge. As to the Commute, the subject was not robe decided by the question, whether the state of the Banking Establishments in Scotland and Ireland were such as it ought to be ? It would be considered with reference not only to the feelings of the people, hot also to the commercial interests of Scotland. Within the last ten years Scotland had suffered as much and even more in commercial distress than England. Another clues. Lion should be, whether under the present state of things and the commercial relations of this country, it was pos sible to support one system in one part of the United Kingdom and a different one in anothet ? The Noble Earl (Lauderdale) might say, have your system, but let us keep our own; do not force yours upon us. But could they in Scotland do without us ? Could they do without coming on the Bank of England? Could they relieve their own distresses themselves without calling on our Government for an issue of Exchequer Bills, or on the Bank of England for advances? If they could do all that ; it they had no expectations wha•ever from this country, and did not want the aid of a single sovereign, then indeed they might remain as they were. But if this were not the case—if in times of commercial dis tress they came to England for relief, then England and Scotland and England and Ireland were so far connected together, that when a new system was established in England, it wee but fair to inquire whether it ought not to be extended to the others. He should not go farther at present intcrthe question. The Committee being appointed, it would be indecorous to do so. Let his Noble Friend (Lauderdale) come down to the Committee; let him cam vince Its Members, and afterwards the House, that Scotland could towage her own affairs, support her own establishment, relieve her uwo distresses, and want nothing from England, and the necessity of a change would be superseded. The EARL of LAUDERDALE said, 'that had it not been fbi the new tootle in which the Noble Earl clvise to administer relief to the people of the country, bsvilanslyevi4 have ne occasion to apply for advancei, to the hint of England. As to an issue afTeclstipter MIN he would contend that the Scotch people had as great a right, in times of distre,,s, to apply for it to the Government as the peplos' Eng land. The argument of the Noble Earl, therefore, was wholly founded on his own practice. and not on the regular tours* of things. The Earl of LIMERICK explained. The Duke of ATHOL believed that if a measure like that pro posed had been introdneed some yeses ago. there would be a great difference in the amount of taxes paid by Scotland, from wart of means to pay them. Viscount CLIFDEN wished for protection against Country Bankers. In 1819 nine Bankers had failed in the country parts of Ireland, and one in Dublin. It was a case of great importance to prevent those country hanks from again springing up. The loss did not fall nn the rich, not even on their agents, but solely on the people. Could that be otherwise, when a bank in Northamptonahlre had broken for 120.00e4. and had alerts oply to the amount of 11,00 W. He had a horror of one pound notes. Scarcely had they reappeared in circulation, and there bad already been a condemnation, if not an execution, in the coonery on the charge of forging them. The .Earl of CARNARVON conceived that his Majesty's Ministers acted in a most extraordinary mounter. Having decided without any inquiry what ever, that small notes should be abolished in England, they were now going into a regular investigation to ascertain whether such a measure would be proper for Scotland and Ireland togethtr, thus excluding England roni the benefits of the inquiry. This was a most hasty and extraordinary proceeding at a moment of public agitation, which it tended to augment instead of assuaging. Why should they not have a Committee of the whole House instead of a Select Committee, the majority or full moiety of whom were English. It was in fact as nearly as possible a revival of the Committee of IMO, sod be was afraid that Bank Notes would not have fair play when submitted to the Midas. of that day, who, whatever their ears alight be, were so empralloot gold that they would endeavour to extract blossoms othalliss nem from the Caledodian thistle. He *mold have espeeml main geed from an open than from a Select Committee. Lord ELLENBOROUGII should also have preferred a Com mittee of the whole House. lie believed, however. that the result of the labours of the present one wools: be the abandonment of the measure, as far us it respected Ireland and Scotland, for at least one year.—Tbe stssiou was thew agreed to. The Army and Marine Mutiny Bills went respectively through Committees, and were reported.—Adjourned. MOUSE OF COMMONS. On the motion of Mr. lIOBHOUSE, the Bill to enable the btilding of a New Gaol in Westminster, was read a second time and ordered to be committed. Sir E. KNATCHBULL brought up the Report of the Com mittee on the Margate Theatre Bill, which was received, and the Bill ordered for a third reading on Monday twit. Lord PALAIERSTON presented a Petition from tbe Man reline, Master and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, com plaining of several clauses in the New Cambridge Gaol Bill, which obliged them to bear their share of the espence.. The Petitioners stated that they were a distinct Corporate Body from the town, and they prayed that such clauses should be omitted, and the town of Cambridge be obliged to defray the expence. After a few words from Col. TRENCH and the ATTORNEY CRN ERAL, the Petition was brought up and referred to the Committee on the Bill. sir W. GUISE presented a Petition from Raiford, praying for the abolition of Slavery.—Ordered to be printed. Sir KNATCHBULL presented a similar Petition from the irhabitants of the town of Margate.—Ordered to be printed. Sindlar Petitions were presented front the Householders of the pp ai.b of St. Leonard, Shoteditch. by Mr. Bran; from Willerk barn, Swably, Dunmore and thre other parishes, by Mr. W. Smarts ; from two parish es ' In Cornwall, by Mr. .I . IIILNAVAIC; and front the congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Wallingford, by -Ale. S. WIIITAIIiAL llse Petition s were laid nn the table and ordered to be printed. Sir GEORGE/. NIG it It A Y presented two Petitions, front the Noblemen and Gentry of the city of Perth, and from the Pro catraterir rem of the same city, against any ake►atiun in the Coftetterof fleottlimi.-.-laid on the table. The Hon. bf amass also presehted a stn ittr Petition from Car dilf.—Laid on the sable. Similar Petitions were presented from the City of Edinburgh. by Mr. Wisuax Dustakss;frattiethe Coituty ,pf %Vista; bt- Mr. &ma; and from the Justices of Pl** "in the County oflinte, l Ipy hard Swaim. • 4 , . • Sir JOHN NEWPORT branlght.ils s Bill to prevent P. Is. cupid Unions and restrain Dispensatioiis is. Irelind.—Read a first and second time, and ordered to be wommitted on Monday next. Mr. C. GRANT brought up the Report' of the Silk I)uties* Committee Bill —Ordered to be brought in, pursuant to Resolu tions of Committee. _ _ ' A message from the Lords aalsorinsed that their Lordships bad agreed to the Scorch Juries' Bill, miff several Private Bilk. 'The would reading of the Middlesex Turnpike Trusts' Bill was postponed till Wedoesday nett. Mr. CROK ER brought in a Bill fur the more speedy and effec tual Punishment of offences committed on the High Seas.—Head a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday. I , ALE-HOUSE LICENSES. Mr. ESTCOURT, in pursuance of his notice, rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the Li censing Ale-houses in England. He stated-some of the alterations he desired to effect. One Was to protect the parties interested in obtaining licenses from the dangers of inadvertency or neglect, by requiring the Magistrate to adjourn the first meeting for the purpose of grantitig licences, to a future day within the same month, sachet there should be in effect two licensing days instead of one. Another very useful regulation be thought would be, to cause notices to be sent to all the Magis trates and Parish Officers of the district of the days appointed for licensing, as well as to the Publicans. Another was, that the body of every license should iontain the names of all the Magistrates present when it was grauted,and that it should be sighed by a ma jority of them. Mr. HUME seconded the motion, and recommended the con solidation of all the Acts upon this subject. He animadverted upon the abuses width prevailed, and reconsmended that the system should be more open than it now was. After a few words from Mr. Loognatev, Sir M.W. Rinr.yr, and Mr. &novae in reply, leave was given to bring in the Bill. Sir M. W. ItIDLEY begged to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite whether it was intended to allow the Act permitting compositions for A-eased Takes to expire ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was understood to say, that the subject had not yet been fully considered, and be could not therefore give any decided answer to the question. USURY LAWS Mr. BEATITCOTZ suggested it would be convenient to post. poor till after the holidays the consideration of the Usury Laws. The Right Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) having promised to devote his attention to the subject. Mr. Sergeant ONSLOW was understood to acquiesce. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed, that there appeared to be a disposition to throw upon his hands the bantling, which certainly was none of his--(A laugh). An that had ' been said on the part of Ministers was, that when the B ll of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman came .on for the second reading, the views of Government on the subject could be explained. As the time when this could most conveniently take place was in some mea sure referred to him, he would take the liberty of suggesting thd 10th of April. After a short conversation between Mr. Hutment, Mr. Ser jeant Osscow, and the Cuarscm.t.na of the EXCHOWER, the Bill was finally ordered to be read a second time on Monday the 17th April. COMMIFTti OF SUFFLY.-CIVIL CONTINORNCIZS. The House having resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. HERRIES reminded the House that a Vote for £lOO,OOll bad been already takes towards the Civil Contingencies of the year. The Vote be had now to move fur, under this head, was for .41100,000. Mr. HUME objected to the estimates. He thought the country was not in a situation to pay half a million of money a year for Ambassadors. The expense *the Mi nisters and Consuls, both in Europe and South America, was enormous,and he intreated the Committee to consider whether we could go on in this increasing ratio of expense. lie thought the Missions to the minor European Courts, possessing no influence, altogether unnecessary, and that those to the greater powers were upon a scale of extravagance entirely unjustifiable. The Mission to Paris was charged in the estimates the enormous sum of 30,000t.' a sum greater than was paid by America ter the whole of her• Di. plomatic establishments, IN the year 17911, the whole of our ex pense under this head of service was 115.0001. In the present year it w#Ettill alitift of half a. railllon. Our Ministers abroad were 014 SO well as to be above their work ; reduce diem iris bar and the work would be better done. These Estimates wait ess mares.- ing year after year. He saw there was no less a wits charted, for repairing the house of the Embassy at Paris, than IS. 1. That things lama increasing, and he bad no doubt that this espouse of the Embassy at Paris, would in a very sew years be 50,0001. if 'it were not checked. The Honourable Member then enumerated in detail the different sums charged for the expenses of our 'Minis tars at different Courts, and contendid that in every 'nuance the charge was excessive. Mr. Secrerary CANNING said, that he would en deavour to follow the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, not, indeed, through all the particular items which be had gone into with such laborious accuracy, but only through the prominent objections which he had made to the Estimates before the House. He would confess, that the Hon. Member had made his different objections with perfect candour and fairness, and he would meet him in .a similar spirit. He must also confess, that he felt no little surpri‘e that the Hon. Member should be so entirely dissatisfied with the present Consular system, for it might be considered as a child of his own, an of.pring of his particular fancy. When he (Mr. C.)' came last into office, he found that the opinion of the House of Commons had been taken upon the subject of the system to be pursued in relation to our Miristers abroad. Whether the opinion had been expressed in a formal vote, or given in a way which only conveyed the sense of the House, he was not quite sure, but he found that he had no discretion to exercise, for it had been determined, that the whole system relative to our Con suls should be done away, and that they should be put upon a totally different footing. The new principle was, that fees should be entirely abolished, and that s darks should be substituted, to the extent of affording a remuneration for their loss. He begged leave tb state, that his own it.dividual opinion did not concur in this arrangement. But he found the point already settled, and his business was only to carry it into execu tion. Had the point been left to his judgment, or could his , opinions have had any influence upon the question, he should have expressed an opinion, that there were many cases in which it would be better to remunerate for services by fees than by salary. But Government had only to follow a pro scribed ptincfple, that all private charges were abo lished, and remuneratory salaries were to be granted in their stead. With respect to settling this arrangement, he had attended to the subject himself, and of all diffi cult jobs he had ever undertaken, he must confess that this was the most corn, lete. He had to go thsough every part of the world, to hear the private cases of in dividuals, and, what n as must painful, he had to settle how much this man's income had been abridged, how much another had sacrificed, and these points ascer- 1 tamed, he had to settle the degrees of compensation. Tice t •sk of shooting in a crowd without seeing the victim —of dealing out in de.atl the sentences of execution ,pronounced in the gross, was, he could assure the House, far f►om a very grateful one. As far as he had ;et proceeded, he had received every day a emonstrance‘ against the system. In the course of the last therm years, e had received applicati ns on the subject from d ffe. ene parts of the world; these he had answered, Ana he would state the result to the House. The buttheria to which trade had been subjected, in the amount of fees at different our-ports, according to the returns he had received, were 61,1201. Tc is ;night be a great deal Mt re, for lie bud not yet received ad the recut u► ; but he [calculated that 700001. would cover everything: . star , , -es fetish . ): bed been received , he could state, with - titickiel icewracy, ;Rat the amount was 613201. -The tyitem of Government was, that this sum should b. taken from the private, and cat vied to the public lecOOnt.. 2 .He did not defend the principle, whether trade, in de tail,,could or could not bear fees, or whether fees were or were not necessary, the system adopted was no decision of his. When this sum was placed to the public ac count, it necessarily followed, that a proportionate in crease of charge would appear upon the Estimates.— The Honourable Member for Aberdeen was aware that last year the public had bought the Charter of the Levant Company. The amount of fees that had been levied by the Levant Company alone amounted to 20,0001. If these fees were abolished, nut of which the Consul- General under the Company had been paid, the pub lic must sustain the loss. The salaries to Consuls, under the old system, had been 500001. The Le vant Consul's salaries had amounted to 11,0001.—The Charter had been surrendered only last year, hut there were extraordinary expences to t! e extent of 18,0001. making in the whole 79,0001. It would he seen, by a hal.nce of the extra charges with the fees formerly paid, that there was a relief to the public of 61,004. If the public now paid what had been formerly paid by the merchant, the sum so discharged was to be considered as a relief to the trade of the country. Thus the trade was relived to the extent of 61,0001. and all that had been done under. the old system for 61,000 i. was now done for 49,0001. so that, in point of fact, the trade of the country had been relieved to the extent of 12,0001. a year. With reference to the Consuls ap pointed to South America, it would not be necessary for him to enter into any details, as the Hon. Member for Aberdeen had been perfectly fair upon that point . . But he would state that he had wished to get the im• mense mass of matter upon this subject into some shape and order. This was a new sea to navigate; there were no measures in Europe which would apply to the adjustment of these expellees, and a priori, it was impossible to say what those expences would be. He had endeavoured to feel his way by procuring the most accurate returns of every item of expenrst, in order to form a judgment; and in proportion as he got information, he endeavoured to shape, as much as possible, the Establishment of Great Bri tain to South America, by ;he other establishments) of Europe. It was difficult to form any analogies with a country, where a person might buy a horse 1 for a dollar, and pay two guineas for shoeing I him. A priori, it was difficult, under such circum stances, to adjust any scale of expenses: but he had come to a resolution of placing the establishments of our Ministers to Buenos Ayres and Colombia upon the scale of the second class of the Embassies to the Courts of Egrope. With reference to the Missions to Europe generally, he could say that the present Estimates were precisely on the scale which had already received the sanction of Parliament in 1816, excepting where he had effected some reductions; for as to augmentations there were none. The reductions to which he had al luded had fallen on some of the small Courts, such as Sweden, Frankfort, Saxony, which the Hon. Member had said were of no importance. To carry this princi ple so fir as to withdraw our missions, - because such Courts were insignificant, and of no political import. ance, he must say that the Hon. Gentleman was setting' up a principle which did surprise him beyond all ima ginary expression. It never had been the principle of this,eountry to neglect minor Governments of the Con tinent. Although he would not anticipate the crisis in Wtich those might hold high their heads who were now made low, the time might come when we should not repent that we had not withdrawn ourselves from such States during the period tff their fallen fortunes. From generals, the Hon. Member had descended to particu lars, and he cites, as an example of extravagance, the Embassy to Paris, and declates that the annual ee proses have been 30,00 W. and that going on at the rate of preceding augmentations it might soon arrive at .50,0001. The Hon. Member must be aware of the fallacy of citing as a regular annual expence, disbursements which have fallen within a ?animist year. H. would allow that the items complained of did require explanation. The expenses of the mission to Paris were swelled by very extraordinary repairs to the hotel of the Ambas sador. In order to understand the transaction, it would he needs eery to state the whole history of it. In the year 1814, it bad been thought right to purchase a hotel, furnished, and iu a part of the capital most convenient for public business. The hotel itself was to be of a description agreeing with the rank of au Ambassador from Ragland, and the coot amounted to eighty thousand crowns.— This purchase was made twelve years ago. No expenses were Incurred on this subject for the last eve or six years of Sir C. litewart's mission. In 1824, as large a suns as 5,0001. and upwards wag voted in the civil contingencies for the repairs of this hotel. Mita had excited his attention to the subject, and on the first opportunity, which was on the occasion of a change of the Minister, he desired that the Treasury would send some English architect to Paris to survey the house. and see whether it did re quire repairs, and to what extent, and to make an English survey On the state of the premises, and to repair or get rid of the house, as circumstances might justify. Mr. Smirke had accordingly reported, first, that such another house was not to be got in Paris, and that if k was advisable that the British Ambassador should have a hotel of shat description, it would be impolitic to part with this. lilt Report further stated, that to make the house sound and weather tight, would require between bye and six thousand pounds.— Upon this Report of Mr. Satiate, the 'l' y issued an order to the Board of Works to undertake these repairs, and Mr. Wyatt was accordingly sent to Paris to superintend the work. To his (dr. Canning's) utter dismay and astonishment, the Report of Mr. Smirke, which had estimated the repairs at 5,5551. sterling, was superseded by a Report from Mt. Wyatt, who nsade the expense amount to 17,0001. and the furniture, which for twelve years had not been renewed, was replaced .at an expense of £7,000. Thus an expence was Incurred `4if no less than £23,000; and the only consolation was, that the architects gave an assurance that the work was done in an English workmanlike manner . (a laugh.) Orders had been sent to Paris to see if the house could he sold to such an advantage, that the interest of the money Tor which the house would be sold, added to 41,000 deducted from the Ambassador's salary, would equal the rental of auother house adequate to the residence of an English Ambassador. The Report received from Mr. Wyatt discouraged the doing of any such thing. The value of this hotel or house had 'risen during these twelve years. That was to say, that the number of houses or hotels in Paris, of that description, had in the interim, decreased. It was the same as if Devonshire House, Bur- Magoon House, Camellord House, Marlborough House, and three or four others in London (for there were not more than three or tour ether such houses even its London), he meant such houses as had that space of ground before them, which, in Paris, constituted' an hotel, had recently diminished in number to such an extent that it was dillcult to get one. Inquiries had been set on foot, whether, if this had of the English Ambassador was to be sold, another could be hired or bought. Its one instance the demand had been 15 OW francs a month, or 4251. sterling a month, or about 70001. sterli.og a year. Another house in the Rte St. Howe was offered at 9,000 francs a month unfurnished. Numerous applications had come to him front various persons col:nested with aim Government of France. representing, that if the English Ambassador were to give up his Hotel, it would argue, that the connectioo between the two Governments had become less strict, and that the I.:lig ht's Ministry was contemplating a dissolution of connectiose— jThese things would not have stood in the way of any change; but edging from what Lord Grenville had been obliged to pay tot four mouths' hue of an hotel at Paris. he had thought it right to incur the eeperibe charged in the Estinsatss. Lord Granville had paid for four months hire of an hotel at Park, suited to his dignity and public sestina at the rate of a,., 101. a year. It Was as wall in state that use only Ambassadors who kept up such tatablishments at larts were the English AmbasaaJot a mid Use ItuaLtin Ault,. i wiatturs ; c And it was thought proper that tire Thresh Amhassador * should hold his bead as high as the Russian Ambassador. Ti 4 Hon. Member for Aberdeen had stated that the expenses bad in this year swelled from 6,0001. to 23,0001. ; but be wished the Honourable Gentleman to recollect, tkat, in the last summer en Extrao dinary Embassy bad been lent to . Paris, to am. gratulate the King of France upon his accession to the Throne. This had occasioned an increase of expence. Now be wished to inform the House, that the Noble Duke (Northumb.,. land), the moment he was nominated to that Embassy, had at once offered to defray the whole of the expence of it oat of his own pocket (hear). 'lbis he felt It but justice to the Noble Duke to state ; but he (Mr. Canning) should hate felt ashamed if Governmen: had allowed themselves to accept of - so generous an offer (hear, hear). lu looking to the molar( of such .an expenditure as this, it became necessary to look back to forgoer periods of a similar nature upon which to found a bask and he found that the cal culated expence would be from 20,000iL to 10,0001. Ile did not mean to say that such an expenditure upon former occasions was a wise one, or one proportioned to the country's means; but he felt that while, on the one hand, it would nut be right to incur such an expense to the country, it would, on the other hand; be unjust to allow one of the first Nobles of the laud, when called to represent his Sovereign, to pay the whole expense, or that the King and Country should be served gratuitiously upon such an important or. casion. It was therefore agreed upon to present the Noble licks., in the name of his Majesty, and as a mark of respect and esteem for his services, which might be handed down to his family, a diamomi sword, valued 10,00(K., a sum not amounting to one-half of •••114 the Embassy cost his Grace. The sword was presented, and ca tered down as a testimonial of the country's sense of the Noble Duke's services. He thought the House must feel with him, that after the very generous offer of the Noble Duke, some tribute was due to him, which might beperpetuated in his family--(Hear,hear).--He believed he bad now answered all the inquiries of the Honourable Member ; if nor, he was ready to give suck further explanations as might he required. He should therefore conclude as he had begun as to the Consular regulations; with respect to those which were new, they were matters of trial and experiment ; arid be could not, of course, answer for them. The Committee would perceive that he bad regulated the whole of these matters to the Dist of his power, but be felt at the same time. that he would hate been perfectly justified an taking the whole of the Consular fees, and distributing them among the Consular establishments. his he had not done, but had saved to the country £l2 000 annually. Mr. BERNAL said, be found in Class Ne. 2, of thes: Bs•r mates, two items upon which be begged some explanation. They consisted of Presents for Rereign Ministers. The first vra., " Meurs. Rundell, Bridge, and Rundell, in discharge of their bill for a gold snuff box, as a present Irom his Majesty to the Danish Minister, on the exchange of the ratifications of a Com mercial Convention, signed in London on the 16th of June, 1824, 10tie1. ISi." The next was, " luool. to the Russian Cbaucery, on the exchange of the ratifications of a Convention, signed at St. Pt. tersburgls on the 28th of February, 1825." This was a very large, and, he conceived, an unnecessary expenditure or public ntoney. Mr. Secretary CANNING said that these were diplomatic pre sents, and had been given upon such occasions for a very great length of time throughout Europe. He wished, while on his leg', to explain a mistake into which he had fallen with respect to the expenditure of Lord Granville at Paris. He had described it to be one-half more than the sum allowed by this country, but since he had sat down, be had been informed that the expenditure of drat Nobleman was double the suns allowed for bid embassy. ' Mr. BAILING expressed his disapprobation of the system of appointing Consuls at fixed salaries, and restraining them from commercial occupations. Mr. Secretary CANNING did not entertain a genera; objection to the union of the commercial profession with the office of Coe sul. His rule extended only to the exclusion of new Coln from commerce. ...... Mr. HU MR again adverted to the subject of the repairs of the Ambassador's house at Paris. He understood it was fitted up in as splendid a style as any house in London. (Mr. Canning said " Very welL"—A laugh).—lt was not very well, but very ill. He could see mend of the extravagance. He should like w have seen a detail of the 73,0004 that was over and above the estimate of last year. Mr. HERRIES said, the particularscould not be stated in the estimates of this year, as it formed part of the unexpected e.ti. sates. It was therefore included in the 700,0001. The particulars should be at the Hon. Gentleman's service to-morrow, if be likes. Mr. HUME inquired upon what principle the sum of lirO,Ourg. for the outfit of Foreign Ministers Jew calculated. Mr. BERRIES replied, that whets perms* see* advanced to a situation of higher valueobey merely received the dikerence be tween the allowance, not a double outfit. Mr. HUME observed, duo there was a sum charged far chapel plate and furniture for the Governors of Antigua, Dominica, and Sierra Leone; and silver boxes for the Great Sisal.—(A laugh.)— Good God ! said the lion. Member, does the preservation of the colonies depend on these silver boxes , Mr. HERKIES teplied, that they were perqui4tes attached to the office ; arid not metely so, but necessary adjuncts. Mr. H U al E then put various questions relative to the outfits of Ambassadors, the appointment of a Consul at Algiers, and the ex pense of plate and a canopy of state for the - Embassy at Madrid.— lie protested against silver boxes being given to the Coeditors of such places as Sierra Leone, Antigua, and Dominica, and to the Great Seal, upon new appointments. He also complained of the item of charges for the Life Guards on account of the extravagant frippery of their dress. Nothing could be more painful to a mai, of feeling than to Ste the gaudy and expensive frippery in which the band of the Guards were dressed when they assembled he:ore the King's Palace, surrounded by thousands of squalid, starving people who bad to pay for these gewgaws. The expense of these kettle drums was enormous. He understood that a trumpeter's jacket cost upwards of seventy pounds. He next complained of the esta blishment at Bethke for supporting Slaves, which had came inns the hands of Government, and which cost the country nearly £4OOO a year, thrre being only about 3UU Negroes. lie wished to k•iii3 , whether any arrangement was to be made for ridding the cOliit. of this expel", (These questions were each put as the ChArni;.: was in the aci of reading the vote, and each received a sattsfac , tory answer.) Mr. HUME remarked, that 13,0001. was charged on account of expeditions for discoveries. He hoped that some public betiens would accrue from this charge. Mr. WI la M OT.HOKTON said that the individuals bad con ducted themselves With great talent. NATIONAL OALLERY. Mr. - HUME adverted to the sum of 4,6431. on account of the National Gallery, and inquired the mode in which the purchases were made, and under whose opinions? Sir C. LONG observed, that two years ago .eke Honourable Member had been one of the warmest advocates of this gallery, and said it was disgraceful to the country that it was not established before. It was his (Sir C. Longs) opinion that it was unedvi.able to purchase whole collections; but that individual pictures should he purchased. The pictures were purchased according to the opi nions of persons whom the Treasury thought competent; .these persons were the -Earl of Aberdeen, Sir George Beaumont, S;r Thomas Lawrence and Mr. &quiet. Mr. HUME remarked, that there was a charge of 3501. for %Ir. Fitileissiti. lie did not object to this; Mr. Finlatson was a man ui ability ; but he wished to know when the duty upon which he w.s employed would be completed. Your years had elapsed since he had commenced his laborious and useful undertaking in making calculations for annuity tables. Mr. lIER II t ES replied, that he was unremittingly employed In a very arduous duty; but it was impossible even fur Mr. Finiaason to tell when it vloallikely to be completed. CHOKER bore testimony to the great diligence and talents of the individual in question. He had beets in his office at one period, and his heel never in his life known a man ut greater industry. Beyond the ordinary business of his %itill tion he sat up at nights and rose early in the mor 1111 l g, to indulge in the put suit* consonant with the bent of his natulai genius. He had dune great good by his labours, especially in the errors he had discovered in Dr. Price's tables. Mr. COURTENA Y also bore testimony to the assiduity of Mr. Finlaison. _ _ . Mr. 11 UME next objected to the charge of 1,5001. for defraying the expenses attendant upon the investiture of John VI. King of Portugal, with the Order of the Garter. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that there were fees payable upon all public appointments. lie hint elf, he believed, had paid about 5001. upon his own. Mr. HUME further wished to mesinon an item of 1661. for en graving two seals for the Island of Tobago. If the colonies desired to have seals, they ought to pay for them themselves. Mr. WI LEI OT-HORTON said that the custom had been con stantly f.,r Government to pay. Tnc vote of chg. tor making an index to the Statutes respecting Ireland, was objected to by Mr. Hews as extravagant. Mr. GOULBURN said, that the work wa-i of great utility, and by no means of easy construction.—The vnte'veas then agrr, d to. The twat was fur a sum of 15,1,0410 r theennsular Eitablishmen... Mr. HUME ebbed why Me. Waft bad been put un a reit. Lti potsioa. . Mr. *They CAN NINP thalk that b, found Mr. Wist's o fire useless, and he houfithell tt. Ily tamicing Mr. Wit& {lOll 1 .: