The Sun. — London, England, 1821-06-02 00:00:00

PARLIAME NT. HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 1. Mr. Menzies, from the Admiralty Office, pre sented an Account .of the Number of Line-of- Battle Ships-and Frigates fit for sea, of . those now building, and of those intended to be repaired ; togethe z r-.w.ki t h , the - Ainbunt 'or the Expences al ready incurreJ,..in his. Majesty's__Doci.-yard at Sheerneu. . -I!lr l :' e rd.WartJs Presented the 18th Report of the CorrinCissidue'rs -- of the Caledonian Canal.. . , The Earl of LIMERICK gave notice that he would move tie secoUd readings of the Iri i sh Rate of Interest 13i11 ) And' the London Wharfs Bill, on Tue,sdhy, next. ' The li•ishinland _Navigation Bill Was brought, up frotm . .the ounnons, and read the first time. Mcivmli brought up certain Papers re lative .05. the Slave Trade, which were ordered to be, laid "on the Table. • The Earl of LimitnicK in the absence of his Noble Friend the ,Secretary of „State, who .was preveilted from attending by. important State bu siOst, postponed the second reading of the Irish COur4. Regulation Bill till Monday': *Ttie Earl of 'DA . IIN . LEY p‘resented Petitions from tw . o pe'rson in the County of, Armagh against the Irish Coroners' Bill.—Ordered to be laid on the table.--Adjourned ill), Monday. • . . • HOUSE OF COMMONS. .Mr. N. DUNDAS presented a Petition from the City cf,Edinbergh against the Extra Post Bill, 'A Petition was . presented from some inhabitants of Aber daen. (North Britain), complaining of the aiulteration of Clover Lord A. HAMILTON presented a Petition from the Bur gesses-of the City of Edinburgh, in common with those of the Royal Burghs in Scotland, praying fora reform of those abuses which were known notoriously to exist in Scotch Burghs. Or- . dered to be printed: - Thd Report on the Prisons Bill was brought up and read, 14.d.tlif. Bill was ordered to be read a third time or. Monday. The House went into a Committee on the Irish Coal Yards Bill. The Report was ordered to be received on Monday next. - • _ _ • li,ord BINNING brought up the eighteenth Report of the Caletbnian Canal Commissioners. - . T . GLERAWLV DIVORCE RILL.. •The Agents of the Parties in' this case, Mr VAT MAN, and Mr. W. INtrsG, were examined at the Bar of the House, and satisfied the .House that they were the Agents authorisell by the - partici to act. MAXWELL SLAVE 'REMOVAL BILL. her. J. P.ll-BANT, in moving the second reading of the Bill, said, that if the Bill could in any respect injure the slaves sought to be removed, or could in any way injuriously affect the negro population, - to whose emancipation he had ever been a waun friend, no motive of private regard' for. Mr. Maxwrll would induce him' (Mr Grant) to. introduce or to press the Bill through that Rouse. - The simple facts of the case were these— :vit. Maxwell had a considerable estate in the island of An tigua, en which he had a negro population ; for the maintenance otthit popitlation"-the produce of the estate for several years had:been unproductive. -Mr. Maxwell (who, tliongh posscesed of the Antigna'and other estates, had ever been constant ad vocate for the abolition of the Slave Trade) had rillt for a period of 60 years found it necessary to _purchase _a single slave. On the contrary, such . was the treatment they received, - that within that period there was a considerable increase of the population on his estate.' -Under these circumstances, the produce of, the estirte•being- •.no - longer' sufficient for the maintenance of his s2.aves, Mr. 'Maxwell came to that House to seek CO a dispensa tion' of the law which prevented the removal of slaves. He (Mr..-Gtant) hoped that the House would - grant, a Committee cEn'the-13ill ; and should it appear in that Comnrittee that any fittr-Wojcietion could 'be made to tire principle of the Bill, he (Mt. Giant) far from supporting, would in that case oppose the =astir& to the utmost of his power. Mr. , GOULBURN.said, •that without meaning to cast any kind of reflection on the conduct of Mr. Maxwell, he felt it his <WV to oppose theßill; on broad ground that,iniio circum stince4; toe removal of 'slaves from insular to continental pos- Said ought to be countenanced. Parliatnent could not pass the petent -Bill in favour of Mr. Maxwell, and, refuse similar' applications on the part of other proprietors Hear, hear !) and he (Mr. G.) had good reason to know that' there were many prsotic.-waitlng flit:the result of - the..present proceeding ; there were many persons 'who regarded the application of Mr. Max well as a sort of forlorn-hope and should it, 'by any accident, strOceed, -the aeons of Parliament Would-be surrounded with per, soda - Mri,ing similar claiinS, and-calling upon the bcgislature for exEiniotions from the general - law, which, after passing the pre= scat Bill, - the House could - not' on any ground of consistency re fuse. The Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to state that to •grant 'Mich exerription,s would be equally impolitic and unjust •!-, , it Would belighly dangei•ous to transport slaves froin insular possessions, to which they were attached. and:on which the Bri tish Nicv f 'COW be'gasily . brought to operate in - case of env in surrectionary. moverdrints ; and, with tespect t o the' slaves . them aelvesc to tear them away from 'the place of . iheirbirth--L-froin country whete- the arts of - sedial life had adVaneed, to remote and uncivilised regions, would be highly oppressive and unjust. TE/nder hathe gircuinstan - ces', he felt it his diftk to move, as an Amman:lent,' that the Bill be read . a second time that day, three months: - • • " •• Mr. CALCRAFT strkgly urged the propriety of sending the-Rill to a- - (7orrunittee, 'wlrere•objections, if strong objections esisteti,'Wohld be urged, and u?cessfully urged, against it. -Doctor -PHIL LI AI ORE' • opposed the' Lill, which lie con sidered Unjust and oppressive, because it was a measure for the transportation of 329 peisons from a dry and healthy climate to a meow country. Mr. WILBERFORCE trespassed on the time of the House with great reluctance on.. the present occasion... --Ile objected , to • the measure as being at war with all the giat principles of 'the Abolition of the Stave Trade. Nothing could be more oh- kosj.jous to the dictates of - humanity, than to remove anumberl o. those unfortunate creatures from the place of their birth and residenee to a spot they - were not acquainted With, and to a climate they were 'unaccustomed • to. . Their work would be immediately changed in • its• natirro;- and augmented in its aniount,- and finally exacted from:them by increased seVecity. l igtrdated. the , Honse not to •be seduced from a due esti- Mete' of - the characterof Chia measure, from its being called a• --PrivA ; bill, te affecting -only _private individuals. The cliffetent — stAte in which the ' slaves would be, who were', transported from Antigua.. to Demeram, was inconceivably gfeat: Tit : Antigua Ebel hied a right to vote at elections, and p(wsse.ssed manyprivileges tnd' advantages of &nature to elevate and - ermoble•human , nature: • They might'also be said to enjoy the . ..blessings' of • Christianity, . for there were established' in .that island? some ..considerable sects - of Moravians who had succeeded -in, converting' .'at' least. half the population of the island to Christianity:'' Let the - House consider the .seve rity of this deprivation heals the blessings and comforts of the Gcspelto the depths of darkness. Let those Gentlemen "wto • were anxious for the welfare of the Itegrocs look at ti7;e reward proposed - to be given them upon an increase of their Aunihcrs. That reward was to transport them to a new td•-theirfeelings and habits, and to sever the pa . rent frbiu the the wife, from the husband ; in short, to 'dissolve all those ties which alone tended to endear human be !rips, to their existence this world. The intellectual superio-• -riff of -Antigua over DeMerara could - not'be doubted i 'and as to.the.exclusive advantages' it possessed in point of climate, he iso• t ild refer all those who wished to satisfy themselves in that tft4c4t to a work then extant, Mini the hand of a physician -grateitin the metropolis (Dr. Pinkardl, Which contained the :sdosp,able 4rrd luminous exposition of • the climate, &c. of the Wrest Iv:ilialslands that bad issued from the press. Under all a ttlati'.chicuinsthhces he trusted the House would not any longer !'en*fesiti this . Bill.-S.s(Hear, hear !). • • Nat-guess. of LOikOONbf.H.RY. wished, shortly to s4te the j-easons of the.vote. which. he intant to give upon this qiieslibt...'lr the prificipleof the Bill 'was 'good, it should be generalised.—(Hear !)—The questioticAtras, whether the Learnea, Gentleman who proposed the Bill was prepared to purthe prolicifition on i#s general footing. If they opened all ;,the fertile. lands of the British possessions on the Continent to the negroes of persons in the situation of Mr. Maxwell, they seared the. depopulation 'of the West India Islands. The . .-ittrtiam of emigration once opened," must continue to .flow in, Xl'4 the nuestion was,. would it be advisable to Change the de ..grqe of advancenient and civilisation which existed among the •Eckre. es in the island for thit which was likely to be offered on the . .. Continent ? He thoiight not; as he was not prepared to -,.‘ciclit the general principle, he.saw no reason for establishing an etception in the case of-Mr. Maxwell. He might transport the sir; es to his own estate in Grenada, and he was not entitled, on the ground of dry colonial speculation, to transport them to Dc. mertza ; he hoped the Honourable and Learned Gentleman would withdraw the Bill. Sir .T. MACKINTOSH contended that, according to the ex-. isting law, Mr. Maxwell had power to inflict Upon - the slaves all the inconvenienc's which were urged as the ground for opposing this Bill. Thp Housp had, or might have it proved to them, that,..Mr. Maxwell had it no longer in his power to cultivate his plantations ist'Antigua by the help of the slaves. He was therefore desirous of transferring them to De— merara. The question then was this, whether it would be .bet ter for the slaves themselves that Mr. Maxwell should be al lowed to transport them thither in a body, than that he should be forced to dispose of- them so as to disperse them round the neig - hbounng islands. The Bill" had been objected to upon two grounds-,that it would interfere with the C9lll fort of the negroes, and would .prove adangerous example. Ile would ask, ,was not the haPpine.ss.of the body best consulted by Heir being retained in the possession of that individual, under the paternal care of whose family they had lived so long and so advantageously ? It was a strong case indeed against Demerara that would warrant the House in forcing the diaper sion of the slaves. It was said that the laws of Demerara were bad. It was the fault of this Government that they were so. But he would not hear it maintained in that House that any of their Colonies was a place unfit fin. human residence, in cense, quence of the inferior state of the laws. As to the objection that the climate was bad, all he could say was this, that if the salubrity of the climate was- not satisfactorily made cut, he would readily oppose the Bill. 'He denied that any danger could arise fr6rd this precedent ; for let the House consider the con. ; ditioni annexed to the privileges now to be granted to Mr. Max well, and by which that Gentleman was willing, to be bound. He (Mr. M.) would, first of all, strike out the preamble which 'alluded to the former Act, and substitute a preamble reciting the whole circumstances of this peculiar case. And, anxious. as he was, as an ardent friend to the abolition of the Slave Trade,- that every measure made with respect - to them should Lave for its end the amelioration •of their condition, he was • willing-to assent to an obli"atibn whereby he would be bound to purchase Plintations in Demerara, to keep the-slaves there, 'in his own possesSion ; that he should satisfy the House as to the salubrity . of the climate ; "that he should be disabled from selling any of the slaves for a period 'of five; or, if necessary, of ten years ; and that he should build a chutch, endow it, and supporra Clergyman of the established religion, for the'henefit of the sla;,res-. Sir R.-WILSON shortly opposed the Bill. n had been urged, as a reason for the measure, that if Mr. Maxwell should not be permitted to transport these slaves to Demerara, they would- be, of no use ; and they would, of course, diminish in value in Antigua. He would ask, was it not an object with the. friends of the abolition that the slaves should diminish in value?' and ought rot the circumstance to be hailed with pleasure by all who looked with pleasure upon the decline of the traffic ? Mr.. BARING had no hesitation in expressing his opinion of the soundness of the principle contained in this Bill, as a gene= ral principle. The gallant General thought that he ought to rejoice at the diminution of the value of a slave in Antigua.— Now the circumstance, if examined, would be found calculated to entail a series of miseries-upon the slaves, because when once they lowered in value their masters would become, indifferent. .to them, and the consequence would be, that they would be come the objects, and, perhaps. the victims of all manner - of ill treatment. He looked upon this question with reference to the principle of an overstock of population. In the present case, there appeared to be a superabundance of slaves in Antigua, and this Gentleman looked viand and fixed upon a place of comparatively thinpopulation, where the surplus might be transported. Would any one say that this was a harsh step to the individuals themselves, or dangerous as a precedent ? He, for one, rejoiced 'that an 'opportunity was opened for giving vent co an overstock; and that the time was come whena population of slaves was not to be thinned by the effects of misery. Being persuaded of the soundness of the general principle, he should expect it to be satisfactorily made out that Antigua laboured under the inconvenience of an overstocked population. - Mr. PEEL assured the Horse that he was a most impartial judge in this case, as he knew nothing of the case but from - What he had hea4.l-in the course of the Debate. Ile must however say, that the case made out by the supporters of this Bill, ought, in his opinion, to cause the indignant rejection' of it. If the principle on which the Hon. Member for .Taunton (Mr. Baring) supported the measure, were a correct one, it ought.to be fatal to the Bill; for the Hon. Member contended, that the principle of the Bill ought to be extended in its ope ration to all the proprietors of slaves in the West Indies. If so, then, it-must be fatal to this as a special Bill, instead of being a general one. Ike viewed this Bill as encouraging a qualified Slave Trade, and, 'as such, opposed it. He was sorry to see the Hon. and Learned 'Gentleman opposite (Sir J. Mackintosh) among the number of its supporters; and nothing convinced him of tie weakness of the side he advocated, more than the speech he had made. It had taken no other effect upon him than causing him to think that the immediate rejection of the Bill ought to follow. Mr. BARHAM said, that as the best friend of these 329 slaves he demanded of the House to go into a Committee to, hear their case.—(Cries of " Question !") . . Sir I. COFFIN said. he kiiew that the slaves of Antigua were so happy and had such 'excellent masters, that they had rather have their throats cut tomorrow than be removed from that place. The House then divided, when the numbers were- For the Amendment - - 93 • Against it - . 47 • Majority against the Bill - -—5 l THE BUDGET. The CtIANcELLoa - of the EXCIIEQUEa moved the Order of the Day, for the House to resolve into a Committee. Mr. HumE, adverting to some printed Papers explanatory of the state of the Finances., which had been distributed in the course of the evening, expressed. his surprise and regret ,that any par tiality bad•been evinced in the 'distribution of such Papers: Such partiality was indeed highly improper. He.was aware that it was through the favour.of Government•that such information as the. Papers contained was given.to the Mem bers of. that House, but then such information should, not. be confined to particular persons Friendly to. the. Ministers, instead of being put into the hands of those who, upon examination, might be able to detect any fallacy which ap peared in those Papers, or to make an unbiassed use of any correct information . - which they might contain.. , . The CII f tNCELLO it of the. EXFLIEQUIR declared that he had no disposition ,whatever to sanction any partial distribution of these papers, which were intended for the general use of the House. But the. fact. was, • that they were not ready for delivery.,until a late hour, to-day, • and .he had not himself received a copy of them until five o'clock this evening. -After several public accounts were - ordered to be 'referred to the Committee,. the House resolved into it. The CHANCEL7.OR Of the EXCITEQUEIt then said, the House having. now discharged its functions , by voting the Supplies, whic-,h Ministers had found it.their duty to ask for the. service of the present year, and the Estimates having been printed, and for some time past in the hands of the Mem bers of that House, he DOW felt it his duty to submit to the Committee a statement of the Ways and Means by which he prOposed that the-ex pence. of those Supplies should be met. The' House were well-aware, that, for particular rea sons, he could have been happy to•defer entering . on the subject to a future day. But, as-he could not postpone the annual statement which it was customary for the Chancellor of the . Exchequer to make without rendering his conduct liable to a serious misconstruction,. he had not thought. it right to interpose .any delay, as he considered that nothing short of the most imperious necessity would justify - him in taking such a course, 'or in suffering the task of bringing it forward to de volve upon any of his lion. Friends near him, although he was sensible that the duty might be discharged by them in a manner more satisfactory to the Committee. Unwilling to intrude upon them, he took upon himself the performance of the duty, and would endeavour as clearly, but at L tb sawe time as shortly as possible, to bring the • • .• Ways - and Means Itir;:the-present year. before the House. In the fiatplacehewOuld state the Sup -plies which had i3"611 voted, and lie would then enumerate the Ways and Means by .which they were to be met. The House had already voted—, For the Army_ 7 ^ 7 - - - £8,750,090 Last year .the Grant for the. Army . was - -9,443,24 i For the Wavy there had been proposed (present year) 6,176,700' Of wkieh sum there remained still to' be voted-- 10Q . 01. for a Giant upon' the Superannuzition which had been deferred in the Committee of . .. Supply until certain Papers could be produced. The Supply foe the Ordnance of the present year was - - - - - 1,195,100 The Vote for the last year for the Navy was - 6,519;,4i95 The Vote for the Ordnance last year was - - .1,109,650 For the Miscellaneous Services, the greater part of the Estimates had been agreed to, although some still remained for the future consideration of the - Committee 'of Supply. He would assame their gross amckuut to be in round numbers 1,900,0001, 'i'he totfel , amonntof the-Supplies he had enumerated for the year . ] 821 waSI4,O2I;BOQI. The total amount of the same for the last year was 19,673,6881. The House, therefore,_ would perceive, that, if. they sanctioned. the Estimates proposed proposed by Ministers as they had hitherto done, there would be a- reduction of expenditure, as compared with - last - year, of 1,65-1,8881. It would be in the recollection of the House, that when, at an early period of the,,Session, he had intimated an expectation 'that a diminution iii the public expenditure would be effected to the . amount of a million and a - half ; there were not wanting these who were not ready to assent to the proba, bility of such- a reduction being accomplished. It would 'therefore appear, - that, in this instance, his Majesty's Ministers had' gone beyOnd what the House had expected. To the supplies which he had - already enumerated, there was to be add ed for. the interest of Exchequer Bills the same sum that had been voted for a similar purpose last year ; namely, one million. To this must be added for the Sinking Fund on Exchequer 8i115,290,00.01. making, with the supplies which he had already gone over, the total amount, For the service of the present year -- • - • 19,311,800 The Taal voted under - the same Heads for last Year was - - - - 21,033,688 It would therefore be seen that the . reduction effected in the present year did not fall far short of 1;800,0001. its amount being.. 1,771,888/. He would now proceed to lay before the . Committee the Ways and Means to 'which he had proposed to direct their attention. In the first place the Hobse had sanctioned the following :—Annual Taxes, 4,000,0001. The House had ' sanctioned taxes to this amount instead of that of 3,000,0001. at which they had been taken last year. The reasons for taking them at 4,006,000/. for the present year he would . proceed to explain. A certain portion of the Excise Ditties' granted daring the war, and which were to have expired on the .sth of next - July, had been - added to the Annual Taxes, instead of being continued to the Consolidated Fund. The produce of these hav ing heretofore:amounted to a million, he had felt justified in adding that million to the estimated amount of the Annual Taxes. But it,was proper to remark, that for the increase so claimed, a corresponding diminution would be found in another portion of the Ways and Means. This would be seen in the very next article. The. Committee would find' that the temporary Excise Duties for the present year were taken at 1,500,600/. instead of 2,500,0001. at which they were estimated last year. The ",reason of this he had already explained, while stating the in crease in the Annual Taxes. The result was this, that under the two heads he had enume rated, the .expected produce was precisely the . same as last year, the amount . being 5,500,0001. The Lottery he took in the present year at 200,000/. In the last year it was taken at 210,0001.; but as the actual produce had fallen considerably short of that sum, he did not deem it prudent to take it at more than 200,0001. for the present year. For the Old Stores he thought, he was entitled to take 163,4001. The next item to which he had to call the attention of the Com mittee, was in . its character somewhat noVel and extraordinary, and required explanation. He had just laid before the House, by command of his Majesty, Papers by which it would be seen that there was a surplus of the pecuniary indem nity due to this country from France; amounting to 500,0001., -which was applicable to the public service of the present year: He - regretted that he could notlay before the House a detailed ac count of the whole of the payments which had been made by the French 'Government, and their Application. It had flot_ been possible to get it made up in time, the payments not being com pleted ; but early ,in the next Session of Parlia ment,' he expected it would be laid _upon -their table. At present he would give the (louse such information as it was in his power to supply from ' memory. It would be remembered that the amount of the sum to be paid by France as an indemnity to this country, had amounted to 125,000,000 of Frenehliyres, or about 5,000,0001. sterling. From thie sum-the bounty, of Parlia , ment bad taken 1,000,000/., which had been be stowed, in conjunction -with our Allies, as a do nation to the army employed in atchieving the last glorious events of the . .war. The extra ex pences of the Army of Occupation had been pro vided .for by further deductions to a considerable amount. The French Government, in addition to the sums paid, as indemnities, had advanced other sums to meet the expellee of the Army of Occupation, which it had been thought necessary to maintain in France. But as the allowances for a Continental Army were not equal to those rrequired for a British Army, a consider able expellee had fallen upon this country, which, though .in the first instance met from other sources, had - finally been paid out of the indemnity. T.he sums issued by the Paymaster-general amounting to 1,200,000/. had also' been taken from - the same source. Other payments had been - made for the Hanoverian troops which formed a part .of the . British army. Various sums had been paid to individuals who had claims on the British Government for services .performed. The French Government, pursuant to the, treaty concluded,-had made a liberal pro vision for the relief of those who had .suffered from .the spoliations of their armies. In some instances, claims of a similar description had been made on the. British Government. These had been answered, and after providing for the va rious charges which he had described, and fut , titer, after advancing to complete the fortifications in the Netherlands, the sum of,. 2,000,000/. after all this there remained a surplus of 500,000/. ap , . plicable to the service of the present year, and perhaps a small additional. sum at the winding up of the accotints mighr,be 'applied to the NV,ay's and Means of next year. THe hoped he..had stated the outline of the -case intelligibly to the house: For the particulars, of course, they must wait until the accounts .could be produced. The next item to which he had to call their at tention, was the sum received" in - repayment - or Nxchequer Bills for Public Works, under an Act passed in 1810. The sum realiSed last year under this head, was 198,0001. In the present year it amounted to 125,0001. While upon this subject, he could - not but congratulate the House upon the successful- operation of the Act to which he had alluded. By the issue of- Exchequer Bills which that had author;sed, most important assistance had been afforded to the in dustry of the country, and several a public works had been brought to a successful conclu sion, which had previously languished from -a want of funds to carry them on. Upon this subject, therefore, he sincerely congratulated the House, that without bringing any charge on the country, effectual aid .had been given to those engaged in carrying on important, and in many instances necessary public works, which could not but prove highly conducive to-the ge neral good. The only remaining item to which he had ,to call the, attention of • the committee, was a surplus of the Ways and Means of 1820, amounting to 81,6301. The total amount, there fore, of what was called the ready money pro - - duce of the year; it would be seen amounted to 6,570,6301.. In order to make this sum meet the Supply, which he had estated amounted to 18,021,0001. it became necessary to take a loan from the Sinking Funds - of Great Britain and Ireland ; he therefore took from the Sinking Fund of Great Britain, 12,500,0001. ; from that of Ireland, 500,0001.--11 e proceeded to state his reasons for taking this sum from the Irish Sink ing Fund, and thought it right to inform the [louse, that in consequence of the diminution of that Fund, for the convenience of the purchasers of Stock in the Dublin market, to propose to ad mit the re-transfer of Stock, so that the holders on both sides of the water might be enabled to seek the most favourable market. To the sums already enumerated was to be added an advance from the Bank of Ireland, for permission to in crease their• capital, of 500,0001. Irish currency ; being in British currency 461,5391. The ready money produce, he had stated, Amounted to - - - £6,570,030 . . Adding to this the Loan to the Sinking Fund - 13,060,000 And the advance from the 'Bank of Ireland for in- creasing its capital 461,539 The Total charge was • - - - £20,031,569 Giving an excess.. over the supplies of about 12,0001. The total of the SupplieS and Ways and Meani' he then briefly enu merated. They were as follow's -- 1820.. SUPPLY. . 1821. 9,443,243'Army - - . 8,750;000 6,586,695 Navy - , - a- •- •• 6,176,700 1,199,660 Ordnance - - - 1,195,100 2,444,100 Miscellaneous -.- - - .1,900,000 19,673,689 - . 18,021,800 1,000,000 Interest on Exchequer Bills -' 1,000,000 410;000 Sinking F and on ditto - - 200,000 21,083,683 19;311,800 • (By reduction of Unfunded Debt,._viz• 9,000,000 Irish Treasury Bills 500,000 - Bills for Public Works 200;400 706,400 30,083,688 - 20,018,200 ed . for 1820. EstiiniieTor 1821. WAYS AND MEANS. £ 3000,40 Annual Taxes - - • . ,4,000.,000 2,500,000 (Excise Duties) Tea Duties - - 1,500,000 '240,000 Lottery - ••• - 200,000 200,030 Old Stores - - - 163,400 - Surplus of Pecuniary Indemnity,. pay able by tae French Government - 500,000 198,000 { Exelietjuer Bills for Public Works 1 25,000 • repaid - Surplus Ways and,Mcans, 1820 .• - 81,630 6,570,030 • , • Sinking Fund Loan, viz.— • 4 'OO 000 13 12,000, 0W I - 1 "` 5 ) 00 : 000 ,600,0'30 Bank of Ireland, increase of . • Capital - 500,000 Irish CUrrency being in British Currency - • 461,539 12,009,!/00 000 000 Loan. 7,000,000 Funding Exchequer Bills. -; • • 30,19i1,000 UNFUNDED DEBT. 1020. _ 20,031,569 _ Exchequer Bills, l' Geo. IV. - - - - 29,000,009 Irish Treasury Bills, 1 Geo. IV. - - - 1,500,000 Exchequer Bills, - for Public Works, &c: . 206400 -.. . 1821 30,706,400 EN-chequer Bills - - - - 29,000,000 Irish Treasury Bills , - - - 1,000,000 • . 30,000,000 By reduction of Unfunded Debt -. X 30,705,400 He had stated that a large diminution had been made in the public expenditure for the present' year. Ile did not know that he had a riiht to hold, out the expectation that any farther mate rial reductions would be made. But he could, state that the Government had most anxiously fumed their. attention. to this subject, and every saving that could possibly be -made, consistent with the. honour, and security of the country, would be brought under the consideration of Parliament in the ensuing Session. But while he stated it to be the object of Ministers to make every possible, reduction in the public 'expen diture, it was proper that he should mention that there were one or two circumstances which seemed likely to cause an increase, if not in the present year, yet probably within a short period. The first of these was the charge, of the Out pensioners of Greenwich Hospital. This had -hitherto been met by a fund, to which Officers contributed from their Prize-money, and which continuing to accumulate in war had hitherto been sufficient to meet the expence thus thrown on it.' But the interest of the fund so established was no .longer equal to the burthen, and it was. therefore probable that the charge must fall upon the public. It was however expected, that in the -course .of five or six — years, from the di minished expence which might be calculated upon, and from other circumstances, that the fund would again be sufficient, and the pub lic be relieved from tke burthen. tat present; it could riot be so applied, a legal doubt hav ing - arisen, as to the right of the Director.; to touch the capital of the fund, and the inte rest being, as he had already stated, no longer adequate to the demands made on the fund. The out-pensioners would therefore become chargeable upon the 'public for 300;00 01. per annum until the fund had recovcked , , or the leg 4 doubts were cleared up. He was not sure that he might not have to, cat upon •Parliament for some provision the p.resent year ; and if, it was found indispensably necessary, he had-no irohbrintiThe - should find the House-ready-4o_ grant the support which must be supplied from some' source' or other. , The other object which might occasion an increase of expence was the. claims of the East. India Company. They had' made application for the payment of certain suviu which they considered to be due to them. On. the ..part • c,f. -Government there had never been any . indisposition to settle the" accounts between them and time Company, but he now felt it more than ever.necessary to • endeavour to bring their" to an early adjudication: - He could not sap what it might become his duty to ask from Par. liament to meet these claims. He, however; considered, that it would not be necessary to re quire any farther addition to be made to the Ways and Means in the course of the present Session. Those already provided would •suffire•-, and at all events a very small issue of Exchequer. Bills would enable them to satisfy the demands of the . COmpany.. , Mr. llumE desired to know the amount of the The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. replied, that their nominal amount was 2,00Q,0001. The, general account, however, was of a doubtful na ture, and some of the claims were not admitted. On this subject the Government only required a fair investigation, and, it was in contemplation, as soon as possible, to bring the' claims of the Company into the course of being annually iiritti dated and regularly brought to account. Hither. , to, such had not been the practice. • The ac counts on both sides had been allowed to got.o great lengths, and to embrace a•great variety of topics. In future they would be simplified, and brought forward with less delay. lie had shown that the Supply for .the present year, includin; 500,0001. for Irish Treasury: Bills, and 1,000,0001. , for the interest of Exchequer Bills, with a Sink ing Fund on them of 200,0001., amounted to 20,018,2001., exclusive of the supplies neces sary to meet the existing debt, amounting to 30,706,4001. He wished noir to show how the Irish Sinking Fund Loan would operate, upon the purchase of Stock. It would be undoubtedly satisfactory to persons connected with the Funds to know, that although a loan of 12,500,0091. was to be taken from the Sitiking Fund in the present year, and though - but 12,000,0001: had been taken in the last, the . sum for this .year's. purchase of Stock was 60,0001. larger than - the sum appropriated to a like purpose in the year 1820. lie then entered into a more detailed comparison of the sums received by' the Corunds- Sioners for the Reduction of the National Debt. in Great Britain and, Ireland, in the year ending - .sth January, 1821 ; and an estimate of the sums which will be received by them in the year ending sth January, 1822, exchisive of thr! sums set apart to pay life annuities, which was as follows ISums applicable to they 'Tatal Sums received. Leans. Purchase of Stock. Great Britain. 176 u ending .sth Jan. 182 l 4,101,024 . 182 4,160,202 Ireland (B. C.) Jan.l ear ending ath _ 18221821 4 64:82856,4 12,400,090' 16r,501.,021 12,000,000 16,160,201 • 645,865' 174,462 665,70 United Kingdom, 1 Year ending sth Jan. 1821 1 ' 4,7411,889 12,400,000:, 17,14,909 . . 18221 4,651,496 12,174,4621 16,825,958' In another year he hoped there would be no occasion to take a loan from tbe Sinking Fund of Ireland, but that its full amount, would be left to operate upon the public debt: There was ino- . ther important view to be taken of this - subject. The Finance CoMmittee of - 1817 and 1818, besides unravelling many other. intricate accounts, called for statements of the cash payments made in each year by the Commissioners for the reduon of the national debt, in order to shew how much the debt was di minished, and how much of the sum taken to liquidate it was . made good by borrowing. This view of the subiect he had called upon the House to take in the last as he did in the pre sent year, and to compare the actual income and exp mditure of the years 1820 and 1821. In the year ending January the 25th, 1821, the revenue actually received in the United Kit , 3'_ dom, amounted to - - - - - £54,022,i 14 To this was to- be added, for the Lottery 156,1Z4 For . Old Stores - - - 263,8E0 Repayment of EXchequer Bills - - 'mp. Amounting together to the. Sum of X 5040,6 03 And now he came to the Expenditure Of the same Year • The actual charge on the Consolidated Fund was 1:48,597,17' Interest upon the Irish Sinldng Fund and tin funded Debt 2 2 300,219 550,897,376 Making a Total of This was the amount of the charges borne by the public, ex elusive of the supplies for the service of the year, which he had' before enumerated. - The - actual expenditure for• the Army, Navy, and other services ;*which he did not think it neces- , ' sary to recapitulate, made the total charge amount- to £71,199,864.—Then • if the actual income were deducted froto the above amount of public expenditure, the- latter would be found to exceed -the 'revenue. by - J.:16,569,176. Sinking Fund were applied to this, amounting to X 17,60,7 73, in point of fact it would appear that there was a surplus of Come o'er the expenditure, amounting to 1:950,597:—8ut tb l3 was nor a fair way of viewing the subject, because. the interest of the unfunded debt was charged. Z 2,300,000. Now the ac tual amomit of the interest of the'unfunded debt 01 - it-sta7.: l ,ing , did not exceed £1,000,000, and the amount of the Sinkiog Fund £400,000. But then there had been a large arrear Of_gx chequer Bills unsatisfied, to the amount of -£990,00 whit; l 2 had been met, and this was to be added to the debt lie idao the last year, making a total of from -£1,700,000 to 1,1 - ,U00,0 00 ., i H In the course of the year 1920, the situation of the country ha mproved to that amount clpar of every thing. e would 3'" proceed to state what he thought was probable would the amount of the revenue of the present year: In the,. fit; instance, he would assume the general Revenue to, e 91 same as the last, and he would presently state the grailal upon which he made this calculation. He would take then • at The Lottery at : : Old Stares - - French Indemnity - - - 0' m Repayent of Exchequer Bills for Public Works 10, 1 I ,1 14 • The amount charged to the Consolidated Fund would be a - short of what it was last year ; it-would be less by a b ou t 100, He would take it in round numbers at - ~ • The Interest in the Unfunded Debt,' including Ex chequer Billsand some Arrears due to the Bank of England - ,700,fV.° ~Ito Total Total if ----- • - Without going through the 'particulars of the Supplies he Ijia, l before enumerated, it would be sufficient 'to state, .that t e,%g added to the sum he had just named, - mude Cue. tcral ,Ct'd ;•:x? being £3,000,000 all.but 0:`,000 less than the exP of the present year - - - end 3 cry of