The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-05-14 00:00:00

e1t0%% N LANDS.

Mr. licsittssers. in pursuance of his hotiee.
moved as a resolutiou of the Muse, " lisat in all
Bills of hieinsure, draining and improving any
lands in which Ili. Nbijerty has an iuterestin virtue
of hiF. Croat), there be a clause or dames intro-
duced, enipone.ing. the liurvevor4*arra4, or if
the hinds he ie the Duchy of Lain isler, the Chan-
cellor of that I)ucliy, to appoint Commissioners to
attend to the ititeresti of the Crown.

Ntr-Witurnatuip Wa4 proceeding to object to this
motion, thinking at first that it was a Bill• the
Right llonourable (.:entleinan was proposing; but
upon being set right in this particular, he merely
observed, that he thought such a resolution wholly
unnece,sary, as uo instance had occurred in which
the nib -n-4s of the Crown had not been attended
tpi. 11 there were any, it must lute; beau owing
fo the neglect of those whose duty it already was to
do so. _ _ _

Mr. iit'sntssos informed him, that there bad
occurred vanous cases, and particularly in the in-
stance of the act which hud passed for it/closing
Sherwood Forest, in which no &mutton bad been
paid to the interests of the Crown ; and when it
was attempted to substantiate them, it bud Leen
nrgued by those afro procures! the Act, that the
Crown was not entitled to be heard upon the sub-
ject, there being no proviso in the Act to that
effect. ‘Vhat he wished, therefore, was, not to
allow the po,sibility of such obstructions being
thrown in the nay of the Crown's chinas, and that
Commissioners should be appointed, wherever the
interests of the Crowe could not he otherwise at-
tended to.

Mr. TAYLOR thought it was the ditty of the
Crown Officers and Surveyors of the Crow n !Ands
to look to all Inclosure Rills passing that House.
It was very easy for the Surveyor either to question
the Law officers of &op Crown, or to apply to the
House itself, in cases wham it might bideemed ne-
cessary. In most cases, however, the interests of
the Crown would of course be preserved by those
whose duty it was to attend to them. The appoint-
mesa of Commissioners, in every case, would be at-
tended with a very heavy and unnecessary expense.
What did this resolution tend to, bet merely to
supply the neglect of those entrusted with such
of ? There was, therefore, no occasion for
this sweeping resolution, as it would create ei-
pease, and give more than a proper degree of
power to individuals, %bile the• interests of the
Crown alight be very well attended to without it.
Mr. Ga.tussi also thought such a resolution
wholly unnecessary.
After some further conversation between Mr.
STURGES BOURNIE, Sir JOHN N rWrOST,the Coss-
CELLOS of the EIS mots, Mr. BR.Aev, and Mr.
Ht^sitissox, the Resolution was agreed to.

The committal of the Dublin Police Bill Wai,
on the suggestion of Mr. PONSONSTI and after
some conversation, postponed from IVeduesday

next, to this ,lay
The Cnallo:i.t.na of the Flitstotta moved,
" That the liouie,at its rising, do adjourn to Mon-
day next."

STOCK TRANSITRS.

Tha CH INCELEUIR of the EXLJAC(II'IIR. in pur-
6111111le of his notice, moved, " That the House do
so into a Committee, to consider certain Resolu-
tions which he should submit to them, for the pur-
pose of eaahling the holders of Stock, in the Three
per Ceuta. to transfer said stock, to purchase An-
nuities."
The Rouse aceardinglr went into a Committee.
Before ti.te ORA S 4 ULLOR of the likcamat;Ert
proceeded to submit his propositions,
Mr. TAYLOR stated, that lie understood the
_

Property-Tex had not been paid up. and put a
piestion relative4herato to the Right lion. (kn.
Orman.
The Cn 4N CIF LLOPL of the Eicoeor ea rose and
said, that lie could not at present answer with pre-
visioii the quertion put to him as to the Propert.-
Tax ; but at all events this surely w AS not the most
proper opportunity for entering upon such a sub-
ject. lie bad moved the House to go into a Com-
mittee, to enable him to submit certain Resolu-
tions, laid' a view to• melds persons possessing
3 per cent. stock to transfer that stock, in ordes
to obtain annuities in lieu thereof. This alone
was the subject he intended to discuss in that
Committee, and he felt that it wa. one of gnat im-
portance; yet he thought it ass not at that parti-
cular moment that the propoutious he was about
to submit were likely to lead to any discus-
sion whatever. Ile nay not to request of the
Committee any opini as to these Itesoliitiovis at
pry.cot ; all that he wished to do, after esplainiag

the nature of the propositions sod the yam of
them which hod recommended them to bio odop-
totsa, sent, to pOuposethet one of thesettesolutiotst
should he read, and that the Chrinasu should

report pnti.:rt•mh iu ordcr that the Hesulutionsmight

la; minted, and mime day nest week appointed fur
tukingthein fully wto discussion. Thomas fin- the
purpose of enabling Nlessibers to become ae-
(lnsulted with their nature, previous to discussant
them. Before he proceeded to state kuy thing
whatever as to his plan, be thought it of im-
portance is g ;mot himself against the effects of
Honourable Gentlemen imagiuni; that has pro-
positions would teal to any diverting' of the
Sinking Fund from its proper object, the re-
demption of the Natiolial Debt. Ile hoped that
on p►e-voawived opinion avoid be encouraged or
taken up, that he was endeavouring to subvert the
Sinking Fund, isr to feud it from its naturel chan-
nel, for the purpose 'of facilitatiing the ways and
memo for providing the supplies. Hiviug prem'ised
these observations, be should nest proceed to sate
the purpo►t of the resoltitions be intended to pro-
pose, and the reasons which au-tooted him for their
adoption. He lIIIIMkt to suggest, that power
shonld he given to any person possessing three per
cent. comiohdated, or South Sea neck, (whether it
limy ate necessary to extend tins power to other de-
scriptions of stock, bring k matter of toslisequent
(mead •ratise) to t•an.+fir ties stock into the
hands of Commissioners for the ttdmiption of
the natioaol debt, and be evititled to nevette *orb
ea annuity weer sad above the value of the

dividend payable upon *ors, so transferred, as
Would eitfouut to the value of the princidt masa
ferred for • the annuity upon .the lite of. t Verson
uniniaated. This was to be done by taking the
value of the stork at the current price of the day,
and ealcalatiug die vat of the anituity to be
granted to persona not trailer J 5 years of age, and
coefiuing the trun ster. at the same time, to sums
not less thou IOW: capitol. Ile thus confined the
amount of the capital, so to be mune:Ted ; as
there %mild be as lunch trouble in transacting the
transfer upon the smaller annuity, as upon the
larger; and if the age acre nut also to be coutitied,
as he had stated, to persons above ass, there could
be it Tooter Facility afforded tOr imposition, as had
already beets evinced in many eases of toutrue as-
uuities. The effect that Would be pmduced by this
transfer would be meanly to takeout uf the market,
at the time that the tratrafer is made, all such stock
as might lie the subject of such coiumutation,
bat also to secure the reileruptiou of the netioual
debt, to the ainceurt of the funds's° transferred, at
the rate at which the 'stocks were ispoa the par-
ticular duy oo which such trunsfer vies wilily.
—lt was this which earticuhirly roc ornineirded
the measure to his lineation, and Jae trusted the
House would see that it was wise to adopt it. The
late effects of the Sinking Fund had been greatly
to iucreusethe price of st..ck. This was within a
very recent period, and the experience of past
years lied strewn that the tanking land would be the
means of increitsiug the price of stock more 1111(1
more, and the ultimate effect would be, that an
opportunity would be secured to ftve public, at
seine future period, for the redemption of the
whole of the national dobt, at a price root interior
to what it at present stands in the market. 'this
%sanld surely be on extremely desirable oleeet,
and his present measure, su tar from retarding,
would certoialy, in a great degree, tend to hostess
ib progress. There were two objects that lie con-
ceived the sinking fuud, trnw first ega-
blisliment, had in view; the one was, to pro-
vide for the tine! redemption of the national.
debt, and tlje other, to keep up the price of stock
iu the marlet, so as to enable the Goverumeut of
this country to make udventageons loans fur the
public service. It, therefore, tended not only to
support the public credit, but to secure the final
redemption of the public debt. Now it must occur
SO the t'orninittee, that these two objects were
somewhat ineousistent with each other ; or, in other
words, that they did in a certain degree counteract
each other. Ithatever enables the Government
to borrow money, or transact loans upon advan-
tageous terms, had the effect of immediately rais-
ing the price of stock, ere such lean could be con-
cludes!. Now, he thought that the proposal which
lie was now making,. would lent' the advantage sof
combiiiing both these objects in One, as it would
have a natural tendency to increase the price of
stock, and at the same time secure the redemption
of so much of the stock, at least, as transferred
within the compass of this measure, antecedent to the
effect at' the rise produced. The proposition which lie
had thus briefly stated, must be in its mature and ten-
dency pretty obvious, e ithout occasiotring hies the
necessity of entering into any detailed explanatiou
but lest rosy dubiety might exist, which it might be
pauper, if possible, to attempt to remove, he should
yet be somewhat more particular. The person
who transferred his stock for the purpose of con-
versing it into an ammity, would be entitled to such
annuity, according to the value olohis life, as would
be a fair cousideration for the stock so transferred
calculating compound interest upon compound iu-
terest, keeping in view the number of years the in-
dividual so transferring was likely to live ; the
compound interest upon the annuity that is to be
granted to him, over and above the dividend to be
paid, will hare redeemed that portion of stock, or
sum of money, by which the annuity was pur-
chased, withiu that period that the life of the indi-
vidual was expected to last.. For instanee, the
effect of a transfer of 10001. which would be esi-
titlirig a iscrson to receive 301. a-year, so long as it
reinareed stock. might, perhaps, when thus trans-
ferred, entitle him to receive 601. a-year, during his
life. calculating upon the consideration. that it' the'
301. were continually accumulating, by comprised
interest, it would, in time, amount to 10001 and
redeem the debt, but not if the value of stock pro-
ceeded to rise, us it naturally would, by thus being
converted into Annuities. It would not only have
the effect of redeeming dad whet amount of such
tnruslins, but would likewise have that of taking
iininediatelv out of the market a mach greater
proportion -of that negotiable security than could
be erfectid by the operation of any other measure.
Instead merely of taking 301. out of the market,
sucha transfer, as I have stated, would take 1000!.
and operate as a diminution of that marketable
stock, from the moment that transfer was made. It
was, however, obvious, that the whole of the merit
of this plea rested upon the propriety and accu-
racy of that expectatiou which was formed of the
stocks being likely to rise; bursas: he would admit,
that if a eestrary fate should g teed the Node, it
could uot be expected that advantage would Le
derived from it. The principal cans Aeration walk,
whether, tender the financial ciruinstances of the
counter, there was not good reason to be assured,
that Use fleets would continue progressively to rise ?
In the state in which we were at preseetet, the House
would be surprised to hear, that since the liege-
chstiou for the last lows. the rise of the funds hae
toe been less than 6 per cent. upon the stock itself,
amounting toy or 10 per cent. upon the capital.
The price of stock in the 3 per c.srits. swat that
time 62, and is now about 66; so that if, the 191194+
sure he now proposed hail been suggested or set
an foot last year, then. whatever quantity lof
stock had been converted into Annuities when
time price war so low as 61. the redemption of that
stock would hurt been secured at that low rate,
and the amount prevented from becoming a bur-
den upon the Sinking Fund. He should not say
that such a great anti sudden rise was to be cal-
earated upon ; but there ass every reason to be-
heve, that whether we were involved in war, or en-
joyed the bleeeings of peace. the effect of this mea-
sure won'd be to keep them up. Suppeting peeler
should occur, he tether uppreheuded that the
effect of it would be to raise the price of stocks. As
far as experience went. it bad been uniformly
fouud, that the return of peace bad %crated di-
rectly to do se, mid-r the circumstances .atteuriing
the existence cc 1 large Snikiug Fund ; because,

• •
•1/4* .1. •
when tile ,
dr. .•e•tlial ;it require luau
to 1,„ tat 11. ut taaweuats to Couutttart
the lieu 41fr‘ to • • hihkisax Fowl. Tut
egfeta of tkle t Itnrutl the Treaty
of Amiena, W Fi td rainetheitts from an to 77. At
that time the attsot vel Smiting Foull was
1.50400,000, and %mould of the capital debt
Wu, 4611,04.10,0001. _to that the:iirtkiogFuud
amounted to about one eiaty-eighth part of the
u hula duht. The amount of debt at the present
day via. 5145,000.0001. and the Sinking Fund uww
amounted to ---I. bring as I—enth, Instead
. .

of 1-eirsl part of the whole iiebt. There was,
therefore, every reason to suppose, thatthe roam
of pence would produce a prolamin:time or consi-
derable rise. Supposing, however, that we etre
only to took to the owe of war, we were en.
titled, from oast experience, to believe, that
the effect of the Shaking Fond was sufficient to
prevent all the iticonvenitirce likely,to arise to
the thouicial concerns of the country, ky meant
of the continumice of hostilities. both fm..
fug the effect cat, the Shaking Fund alone iu
raising the price of stocks, then this proposition
would secure the public against' the isconvenicuce
of redeeming the_ national debt at a price beyond
that of the present day. The next thing to be con-
sidered was the probability of -such a proposition
operating to induce persons to spectilute JO the pur-
chase of annuities to any grist extent. He thought
that, as far as it went to operate iu effecting a clear
good, it would also have those other advuotageuus
effects. The probability indeed of its being
efficientonight be looked upon as being Very tab.
siderable. There could be no doubt that there
was a great number of persons disposed to be..
come purchasers of annuities. Many felt the want
of the morns of securing to themselves au increased
iueoiney such as annuities upon their lives might
give them, without risk or expense. Under this
plan, there would be no difficulty in obtaiuing an
annuity wish the greatest ease, as the object of the
plan Ca. not so much to procure the mere sale of
it, but to redeem so much of the national debt
at the then current price, by meatus of giving
full value for it, iu a manner that most naturally
be both advantageous to the individual and the
country. We might, therefore, noon the whole,
conclude front the present state of our financial
affairs, that our fonds would rise higher, fold
• I!. all equal proportion, the amount of the Olt-
bona' debt would become lower. Aholher poiut
worthy of notice was, that he meauit to coa flue the
operation of this plau to the traiieffer of stock,
when the price of it did not exeeed 90, as that
price might be considered the nitslitini, beyond
which it would nut be advisable for persons to
transfer their stork to purchase ainnuities, nor
desirable for Goveriiineat to secure the re-
demptiou of the national daises It might tie
found expedient also that future loans should
not be transacted when the 3 per cents could
only lieeedeemable at a higher price than so.
-i-flaiiug thus stated, with sufficient periipicuity,
for the present occasion, the general outline of the
measure he had to propose, he should now only
trouble the Connmitter with reading the first of his
resolutions, and afterwards move that the Chair-
man should report progress, mai that the whole of
them should be printed for the consideration of
. Members previous to their farther diseuision.
flight Hon. Gentleman then cuucluded with
111101/10g-
- That it isebe opinion of this Committee, that it rrouli
teed to the speedy reduction of the National Debt, and he,
at the mute time, an teeo:nutodation to the public, if .'vary
propeietoe of the Three per Cent Conaulidated, Reduced,
and South Sea Stool, be left at lawn, to exchange such
Stack for • Life Anieuit?, of an individual, a holder thereof,
or to the hougxet liver of trio uuntiaecs."

The lion. Mr. BRAND observed, that the system
which the Hight Honourable the Chuaellor of the
Exchequer was thea propesiug, had this great de-
fect, that it woukl produce such an accelerated
iucrease iu the price of the public stock, as would
be attended wish very improper effects. Such a
consequence mart necessarily. follow from tatting
se large a sum u five millions out of the motel.
market.

Mr.( TIERNEY was of opinion, that annuities at
so low a rate us lel. • 131. or even eel. per annum.
were dangerous in the extreme to perisous in the
lower orders of life, being productive of an in-
clination to speculate merely for thewselees, to the
destruction of their little families and domestic
concerns. Yet though this might partially ope-
rate to the dmldenutago of the public murals,
it by no means appeared to him to he productive
of the game important benefits to the Sinausces of
the country, as the Right Honourable Gentleman
had stated., There did nut exist in this country
that extraragaut inclination to sink their properties
on annuities that seemed to have pervaded the
cotiotries abroad. In Pruner, wider the old
tem, this practice had gained considerable gnome!.
It was the opinion of persons in that cosontrv, that
if they could provide a suitable poring' for cads
child, iu proportion to their property, they might
cousult •their own Comfort, awl, emsertisenee, by
laying out the remainder on en annuity to provide
for them old age and intionitice. /or were the
terms eireu of a townie relished is this coantry
though seconded by the great abilities of Mr. Pitt.
that projeet had failed to a considerable ex-
tent, lietianse it was not (*misled on a knowledge
of the political trains of the British ustiou.
Other principles actuated this country. If he
would hr permitted to give an opimou of the
ehsuontivn of this country. in matters of trade
mid speculation, he shootd say that as in-
crease of capital am the grand object of met' ut
this sky. Ileime be did not conceive that men ef
coswelersible property would he led into tt e
share of the Right Hon. Geutleman, how intoli
'peever it might be decorated. lie was surly isesi,
mitts respect to the J per Cents. to hear from trio
RIM HOD. Gentleman, that a hope *at ierluiged.
and a conviction proclaimed, that peremis who hall
property 'n tlivae Stocks would. by the operation of
leis plan, be imbued to sell ant at the etetneut he
expected the Stoeks would vise. Thi. ass net at
present, at least, the habit ef the possessors of Sts'.
11/ London. But the groped of all these systen s
was, that thite was a certain large sacs I.lf tuenev
ever stetuutsl its the natme, eli.cli waft
'somehow or other he employyd ; aro. it. trade
was generally lit arznaat. sus
Mg:mumble eseitlstom WA.; .12ht : ►
follow, that this s.:u.

IJ-,1 Lt

:t

1 it.

nen system of fluatice, is mill. to realiu the an-
uudisi it %% :is tattier, ptuhattiy, the dispu-
tant/a of the count/ y, that new clsaiusels of trade or
svecuiation sluiuhl be cat out, through wiiich this
wealth would 6uw, as tlie high pncra of the stuck
,cpulj prevent.their lyweituring in this new vs-
tsui tit b,seculat . With respect. to the sinking
hind, hr tit to observe, there appeared to hitu to
be in contempt:don a complete infraction of the
I.lw. a= it 1011%, stood. Suppose a permit, of
in the 3 per cents. this plan woutrp:itaietdthe
pktyrietor to transfer the stock to the Coustuissiotters
for an imunity of perhaps 601. per oilman for his life,
isttead of Jul. for ever ; east the justification of
this measure was, that it would decrease the public

debt. Granted—but would it be argued thit this
,‘ stem by any means equalled that of sending
Commissioners iiito the market each market day
to purchase stock, suppose it even reduced the
public del* a million ? These Coin rniesiloners were
compelled to buy, and sorely there tould be no
hitter means to raise the stocks. If the ',stem

could be reduced to practice to any extent, it

Air* be productive of great advantage in lessen-
ill the public debt ; yet it might be hereafter
ebjected by the holders of public stock, that as
nary bad purchased on the faith of Government
that certain Commissioners should buy lip stock
each day, they had been injured, contrary to the
ptedge of the Government, by the change which
61 taken place. The Right Hon. Gentleman
Lad loniser state.d, that lommahould lre.mstle te-
deentable at ant. he would he glad to know why
he bad not made them redeemable at par ? Tins
would he a decided advantage in favour of the na-
hon. lie begged leave to call the attention of
*e Ilnuse to three points, as the meiLl serious, and
thought them extremely liable to objection; al-
though it 41114 pretty evident the night lion.
Geutlersaa had conceived he would he far more
tkan a match for all other Chancellors of Ex-
chequer.
Mr. Rose was not apprehensive that parents
would be found in this country w ith so small a pro-
portion of parental affection, as to sacrifice the late.-
re4to of their faindies to their personal comfort %nig
eaats He defended the measure, from the great
accommodation it woald provide to those who
evold not be said to labour under any amoral disabi-
btr in the purchase of stock. It had been ad-
mitted, he observed, that with respect to the sink-
ing hind, the law might in some instances be not
strictly *Levered, and in addition to such admiasiein
tic hid to observe, that it in this instance the letter
sof the haw was not strictly observed, the spirit with-
out doubt was. _ _ _ _

Lord H. Prerr, though he admitted that the
funds. as stated by the Right Hon. Gentleman,
taig.'ut .'.e equally in peace and war, yet as this
was arliing flout our present state, t►e wisilted to
appribe the House of the danger there existed of
the credit of the country being severely chattered
by setae unforeseen and itnexperted shock, for the
prevention of which the present plan had not pro-
vided. The Hight Hon. Gentleman, not content
with a fair trade in the market, had added* bounty
o)lthat trade, in order t• induce others to purchase.

This was indeed to endanger, first the aggregate
of property, and ne%l the re/iganim of morality left
the,canotry, by teaching raeu to neglect the
',mutton duties or social life to prneurc their own
rt,e and gratification. Of the pernicious effects of
inch a practice there hod beck exhibited abundant
example.; in the time of M. Neckar, in France, and
tle event Win predicted and apologized for by that
rdinieter, on the introehiction of that system into
France. He admitted his only justification was
comprised in the great difficulty there existed to
raise money there. Yet Neckarluid been content
to act op die principle of fair trade, and had left
his plan to operate without granting any bounty-.
It woulsi he much better to put 3 duty on life
in.aratices, for the purposes of increasing labour,
fair trade, parental affection, and prudence, ainongst
the community. reduction of the stock in the
market was, he cr.ritendeil, not the only thing upon
which the iiiien:st of the iLvehant ulc•pentictl, the
male was also to be taken into consideration ; and
no mode of nxinctioit could be so productive and
advantawrous as the present system of buying up
by Coinmissioners.
Mr. ►IGSILLSJI*3I Saki, Ile mold not perceive a

great tendoury to improvidence in the measures of
his Right lion. \o inducements were
held oat by him to immorality or wild schemes of
alisculatiou. Every man hid awed of ea induce-
ment to enter into a fair told common trade, MA
such inducements as hod been '41111.11 by this system
had repeatedly Lieu iireu before, though such had
on trial been found totally deficient, notwithstand-
ing they had beets fir more mlifuse in pngnise.
Mr. (woe defended the proposed plan.
Sir Jou% N En. yr mur Dhigerwd, the usual way of
porliasing in the funds was not prejudicial to the
po4Le seatimeut, as it often happened that some
of their fitends haying swerved set rely by their lope-
<illations, exhibited tes them s useful example of its
effects. 1; it he was totally averse to the State in-
terfering and opening an race for the purpose
of increasing the speculating
.principlr . It would
poultice that decay of social vtrtnr which Lad pre-
ceded the downtla of }moor and auoient Rome,
and was ever a sure mark of ruin he hoped Mi-
nisters suttf.t not wish to assimilate the people of
this count-.' in their moral principles to those of
I hence,. or declining !foie.
Mr. Taansisve Mr. Ross, sad Mr. GIDDY, Se.
verallyt explained.
Mr. F. RAISING inaintlined, that in rendering
nuneyesotry leourauee Offices, this plat) would the
illtimatet. of the oreateit int-indict to the sale of
stocks. • kle thouOit the Home should not nine's
flatter itself en the rile of the stocks since the last
loan, a, lie %minuted it solely to the general stag-
nation of teado is etcry other department. Ile
hoped a period would at some time arrive, when
there would be uo nceesi,ity for borrowing money ;
bat twit% then he nuist conctide the old system of
stock n es far the best for rz!iti.tg• the supply ; since,
In beiug sold at a lower r.et.., io order to give the
poretnuer all the advantage of the sollsequent rise.
rebteed. a greater cielo.noi fo^ work m the
le • het mod heol out au airs:it:L., in future. Of
t , et:m.o. that tile Feu IA was no pgriod

to aster •
M Vt
144144

• btl. iLI.

Iti ismentecl, C.st 2.tfylic vices and
.‘n of in ..I;t.rrs s a cnsptantly

.1 :Amy wrie of it,:%Antog to the

Government. fleece, the trawler of Lotteries ;
and that fact that it was ruiner to ot,tain licenses fer

ten new, than suppress one old ale-how.e. Yrnm
hence the number of common pernicious quack

siuce bo great duty was derived front
this pertnission. Thus. he del not mean to object
to the present Ministry only, but, nt the present
iustance„he thought the Musistry were about to
open a larger shop for the sale of national evil.
The eiIANCELLOR of the ElcutuuErt, iu reply,
thepked the House for its attention and cairn in-

quire. He could not agree, that vicious propensities
would alone he encouraged by this measure. Au
old man might feel it his duty to provide for him-
self end wile, liugering iii ill health, and cotnistra-

tive poverty, by putting his money iuto au a tttttt ity,
and with all possible Justi► e. Hence th. balance
sheet of good and evil should be *track ; he had no
doubt the advautage would be on his aide. This
would also appear from the scale of calculations
submitted to the llou ; wherein the operation
would appear to remove 10001. indeed of 301 from
the market; this must appear highly advantageous
to the country. Though he admitted that the Com-
tniasioners for the rrductioa of the National Debt
Could not, according to law, purchase up thole An-
nuities, yet lie always had been of °pluton, that in
matters of this importance, the letter. of the law
should be disregarded, provided the spirit was not
infringed.
After n explanation by Mr. TIERNEY and Mr.
BARING. the resolution was agreed to, the ra
port brought up, and the Committee obtained
leave to sit agatulen Thursday neat.
The SPEAKER informed the House, that as
Thursday was the last duv for receiving the
reports of private Mills, he should take the Chair
at three o'clock.

On the suggeNtion of Lord CASTLIRLAGH, Mr.
Lushington was prevailed mi. to deer his motion
on the Etrusco, on which, Sir Home Popham
assented, the notice was renewed fur Monday
week.

Mr. WARD brought up an account of stores
ken at Copenliageu, which was ordered to be
id on the table.

LOCAL MILITIA.
On the motion of Lord CASTLEREAGH. the
House reeolverl itself iuto a Committee on the
Local Militia Bill.
Mr. BAISINGTON declared his anxiety to have
the public security provided fur by a prompt and
immediate operation of this measure. He consi-
dered it the duty of the Legislature to provide for
that immediate cud active operation, and not leave
it discretionary with any Administration, whether
this Bill shoald he carried into execution or not.—
Ile concluded by moving an amendment, to ren-
der the immediate execution of the measure com-
pulsory on the Crown.
Lord CASTLEREAGH objected to the amend-
ment, as violating the very principle of the mea-
sure itself. That object was to forte thuse coun-
ties where there was a deficiency in producing
their quota to the pislilic defence, to come up to the
standard of other parts of the country, which had
contributed their [ashore. He still could atrium
the lion. Gentleman, that this nieasure was nitcod-
ed to be operative, and not, as iii the tare of the
Traiuinq Bill:to coalmen • dead Lewin
Mr. %V t Mellen Said, it certainly was but consist-
ent in those who entertaiued such a sanguine opi-
nion of the merits of the present Bill, to wish its
prompt and immediate operation; as they be-
lieved it calculated to make the population of the
country more amilrble to the purposes of public
security. The sounerthese regimeuted battalions
were thrust into their jackets and trowsers, the
sooner would its advocates hare the gratification of
enjeying. the only merit of their measure. Still,'
eutertaining..as he did, a very d 1 tferent opinion of
those merits, he should say, that if such exertions
were not likely tone wanting for two or three years,
at least let its evils. its confusion, and its injestice,
be deferred, until the necessity of acting upon It
should arrive. With respect to his own Training
Bill, and the ivactivity which the Noble Lord attach-
ed to that measure. he should say, that one of its great
advautage4 was, that it could be suspended iu its
operation, until the moment when its exercise was
absolutely necessary. Then the means were ready
arranged to give, vu such an occasion, when there
must, from the nature of things, exist a great deal
of hustle and confusion, the hest and only assist-
ance which the physical force of the country could
supply. It did not follow, that because a person
should deem it wise and proper to keep within his
reach certain medicines, that therefore he should
drug himself with physic before there was any symp-
tom of the disease, or Aunt for the remedy. (A
lord laugh.) He should only say to those Hon.
Geistlehien; who were so mach in love with this
Bill, that be, as its decided enemy, wished them
no grimier evil than the enjoyment of their own
luxury.
Mr. GEORGE VANSITTART and the SECRETARY
at Waa spoke against the anseudnient. The for-
mer reprobated it, as, without any material Wean-
ta,ge to be derived,' it would throw the whole court-
, try into confusion at the oeason when it was incuin-
bolsi to keep the people employed in their habits
of industry.
Mr. Bentecrrom. unwilling to press his amend-
ment in the words he originally proposed, then
substituted the term, as SUM as weight be mere-
nient, which was agreed to.
The next amenduient was proposed by Sir JAMES
NIONTGOMERY. He Mt strong objections to the
mode by which the services of the populatiou were
to be made, by the present Bill. available. The
evils attending the ballot would be numerous, and
calculated to excite more general dissatisfaction
than at any former period. On previous (evasions,
people who were subject to be drawn, had taken
care to provide a remedy by iiisur.mite, and entering
into chills. They therefore were not anxious fur
the mink of the ballot. But by the present mea-
sure, wherein those former means of precaution
were refused, every pereou would be interested, and
the consequence would hi, that the period for
drawing, mould produce the greatest confusion, and
disturb the general industry of the country. lie
should conceive. that much more practical benefit
would lee produced. unattended by any of the
great evils which nsiest attend the operation of this
Bill, if every young man, from the age of la to 2 t,
was made subject to enrolment, and called out for
the space of seven weeks, daring the Bret year of

his service, and proportionately shortened periods
every succeeding year, until lie arrived at the
air when the principle of exemption began.
:the country would by this mode have the
beg species of such a kind of defence, sad would
be liberated from the- • battle' • ati& espensalof supL
porting the wives and families of the local militia-
men, iu the dame manner as those oldie permanent
militia. Ile oast° strongly impressed, from a variety
of reasons, with the excellence Of the plan over that
proposed by the Noble Lord, that be, sbaidd move,
as an amendment, to leave out the word "ballot"
entirely, and to substitute 4‘ the enrollment of all
young men, from the see of 18 to '24."
Lord C ALS it.catkmat was happy to have the 411p-
port of the Woithy Baronet, so fur as to agree
with him in the great principle of providing a new
species of force to meet the public eiii.geney. With
respect to the aincodment proposed, it certainky,
as a system, had soineadvantages ; hut in the pre-
meat state of British society, and with reference to
I the volunteer system, which it would, if ail ti
upon, totally overthrow, .was attended math
great defects, which far overbalanced the proposed
Ird •
Mr. WINDHAM, on a comparative view of time two
plans, gave the pre&reuce to that proposed by the
worthy Baronet. if it was burdensome, it was nut,
like the present measure, totally" ineffcient. lie
ridiculed the affected regard which time Noble Lord
feigned to feel fur the volunteers, at the moment
that he was otging a measure decidedly at variapcs
with their existence. But the Nol.le Lord was so-
licitous to kill them in his own way ; not by any
violent death, but that he should operate for their
destruction, secandeas smear. 'Flits wits the eistrt
of him who had made this volunteer establishment,
and the ill treatment it had received, the sources of
all the criosinations, caluumies, and ruisrepresnta-
time, in which he bad indulged against his pre-
decessors in office. _ .

Colonel FO LET thought the Bill a very fair one:
it went to compel those counties which had been
remiss and backward, to take their due share of the
public duty.
Mr. teams believed the country would prefer
a conscription, limited to the mule populatiou,
front the age of 18 to :!5, rather thaw the present
grievous system of ballot. Ile deprecated the pre-
sent Bill, as spelling the door for such a gross
system of perjury, the bad effects of which the
cuantry would- feel for many years to come.
The SCCRETARY at WAR supported the system
of ballot, because it brought into the service that
lower description, which was best calculated to
produce the best soldiers for the ranks.
Mr. Wicsearoace did not think that the amend-
ment could be agreed to, because, in that stage of
the lousiness, it was the usage of the house merely
to regulate the detail on the admitted principle of
the measure. However, sinaultt the Worthy Ba-
ronet, at some future period, briag that plan for-
ward it, a distinct and separate shape, he pledged
himself to give his earnest support.
The-Comittee then divided ou the amendment :

Aye,
Nees
Majority fur Ministers

The Clause was thee agreed to without a dvitioa.

The Connaittee sent through, several clauses of tba
which were agreed to without any ameudaient.
Oa the Catalonian reading tbe Clown, t►at all pensearr
from the ben d sightorn to therty.hve, should be liable to
serve la the Local Militia,
M. 'Miamian observed, it was a Clause that woalrl
create cousidcrable divenasion, foe which reason he 711041,114
" That the Committee 'Mudd not," which was atreed to.
The Chairman, Mr. W , reported progress, and
asked leave Go nt again 0111 Monday.
'1 be Committee ua the Cantles' Bill was postponed to
31,

rood*, pest. - -
The Hoes* veisolved itself into *Committee of the whole
House cm tbe Copper Misty Bill. The several clauses were
agreeito, and the report ordered to be received as :Monday.
Leave was given to briar I. a Bill to permit Sugar sad
Coffee to be imported hymn awe colonies in the West Indies,
to any port is Europe, to British hotn.sus.
The Irialk Poet- °thee Bill wan read a third time at.d pavied.
The second readiug of the Scotch Jude s• Bill, and As-
unwed Taxes Bill, was postponed to Moodiiy. .
Adjourned, at TWO p'CLOCIL, to Monday.

FOREIGN EVTIILLIGENCE.

MALTA AND .Gl-11/IALTAR MAILS.

111111111ALTAR' •Flift. 16.
His Nfidest!.'s frigate Spartas nest is a bust os the t
last. with intetligeoce that os the Ist she had hales is with a
Francis squadron, of to sail of the hat, under the south end
of Sardinia, steering wider a beery press of easiest' to the
westward. On within them out to be enemies, Captain
lbriaos dispatched his launch, huh (wares to land as
slicer us the nearer point of Sicily, I. proceed to
Levi Collingwood with the intelligence, sod thin to
make the be,,t of his way to xata. now the winds
which bad peevedrei after his boat had quitted hirn, Captain
Decorum is of upiltios, she oust hate reached Gil-gears, 4to
hours after.

By the convoy fro. Malta, we- learn, that an expree. had
been received by Sir A. Nall, from the British Vice-Cousui,
at Natalie* porporting that • 'quadrats of to tali of WTI. -
whips, French and Spaniel', with :r) transports. had passed
that island, oa the inch February, steeling to the VI esteatd ;
'Spaniels host to said to have landad oa Pantelaria, trum the
squadron.
By the prize•master of a Spanish brig, captured by the
Iniperieuse, we •hw learn, that that ship, on 1 huraday last.
fell in with a strange liao.of-hattle ship and a frigate, by
which she was chased coder the coast of Barhary, sear Algiers.
lord Cul inane had loaded la the north-west part ref NI inures,
dad born op a fort, conevucted by Criseral Fox for the
defeat. of tbe :oaditewl where it was situated.,

corio9“Gicx,. APRIL 23.

The day before yesterday we received Intelligeor,
that till the enemy's ships Lama left the Great Belt.
and sailed to the south-east, probable to Langeland.
In the straits between Labind and liohrtein, 10 many
foreign vessels were crut:.ng, that the passage was
much impeded. On the other hand, the ships that
lay in the Kioge Bay sailed away on the xOth. We
have since heard that the B.:4;11*h made an attack
upon Lanweland : on which oeeasion they shot mare
then two dozen balls upon the wall ; and in the skir-
mish, which lasted about three hours, not one was
lost on the aide of the Danes, but more than six on
the part of the English.
The fullouing official report has Leen received
froM 'Norway

Colonel V. Stsfeld went wilts these essetpaeliee to op-
pose the 'Medea. who had catered Naivety by Makkeragero,
dad Awe sees mare their IdivaliCed gawk emeiseing et Our
tees, tar oiler the trimness. harm( ris as ds, rwe last •
eiarle use. TM Mario& s.ataameadeer is Dei aer- tta Ms
dispersed a Proriae...t.on is. Sitaitnikda, *Met, Meteor,
wAI bees ay 'fact urat tla le&aMsi Narbcov.*:'

11CDR1Deiltitn
The Grant) Duke of Berg _has issued.* Yruelaw
!nation, ordering a pert of the !•reach trilogy,
which weresin the city, to go into mop, and °that..
wise providing for the relief of the city'. 'floe
tolinaink, annunciation has been I.uhtiiiheil :
'• His Hiltons the lefast Due Aisteuio Aaa reseived a let-
ter trout Vitteria,dated the ankh ins:. outueuericit that die

Majesty Is a/vivid in that taro, and comma..s to;risjo., hie
health. We also bear that his Isighotia the lutist Don.
Caries is arrive) at itapatine, being probably infurtueol of the
appr..aching arrival of Ills liajesity the Emperor of the
French awl King of ttnly. The our S..veroi,„4ll tta:ilit I
Lilo aid isfact lois .t the gio.liouthystaudiii,g betatoeu iltos people
of 3laJs id, and the arioy of his pond and good Ally."