The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-27 00:00:00

RANK AFFAIRS.

Mr. GREurrbi. said, 1w had often before ad-
! dressed the House on the subject to which he was
about to allude—a subject of deep interest, which
demanded all the wisdom of the House. Notices,
lie said, had been given of different motions since
the opening of the Session, connected with the
question he was about to submit to their consider,-
tins. The first was from his Hon. Friend (Mr.
Twritey)—the second from a Right Hon. Gentle-
man on the other side—and notice was given by an
Holt. and Learned Friend of his (Sir J. Mackin-
'tosh), whom he saw in his place, on the subject of
the fabrication of Bank notes—an inquiry of
deep !while interest in every way that it can
he considered—interesting as it affects national
credit, and doubly interesting as it affects the
happiness. the character, and the morals of the
people. It would, he said, be of course extremely
ill-timed in him to enter into a subject which
happily was in the hands of men so capable of
treating it with superior knowledge and ability
it was not his intentiou. The papers which he
would move for were for an object on which lie
would say one or two words. Ile was, he said,
willing to address himself to Gentlemen then in the
House, mid who were not there before. He wish-
ed to state, that the only object he had in view in
calling the attention of Parlia►nent to the subject
was, t n 'hew that the Corporation of the Bank of Eng-
land had, during a period °let years, accumulated
an ellornions mass of wealth at the expense of the
witl t the performance of any public ser-
vice that could have entitled theta to that exclusive
benefit—that they had accumulated wealth doting ■
shorter period, aud to a greater amount, than any
body of men had been ever able to do, in any bank-
ing or commercial country, since honking or com-
merce had been established in the world. The
first great benefit this Corporation enjoyed flowed
directly from the Batik Restriction Bill, an Act
which was host passed in the year 1797, and from
that period down to the itresem, comprising a
Plaice of twenty-two years, the Batik of England has
been relieved from the neces►ity of paying in cash,
and has therefore been exonerated from the per-
formance of its pecuniary engagements. For
these twenty-two years, twenty-four merchants of
the city of !Ando'', as the Directors of this Corpo-
ration, had, without t heck and without control, the
power, the unlinked power of issuing a forced pa-
per currency on the country, for their own exclu-
sive benefit. The public do not participate in any
way in the advantage derived from this establish-
ment ; and this Corporation. uncontroled ■nd un-
limited, had the power of issuing notes to any
amouta, without any expense to them but the trif-
ling expense of paper and the payment of their
clerks. There was, lie should add, one other item
nn their expenditure—one, lie supposed, of consi-
derable atar.uut, from the frequency of the case—
lie 'want the thousand prosecutions carried on by
the Bank, from one extremity of the kingdom to
the other, against those unhappy wretches who are
almost every hour brought to the bar of criminal
justice, on the charge of forging notes. This prac-
tice had of bete years been carried to so alarming an
extent, as to c;.II forth from every quarter the loud-
est a 00000 nurs of disapprobation—it forced itself upon
the attention of Parlaament, and demanded an im-
mediate inquiry.

The next great 'Nonce of profit and advantage
to the Batik was floe enormous extortions which
they have committed in their various contracts
with the Govertimelit. By means of their exclu-
sive credit, the Corporation of the Bank has been
enabled to meet the wants of the Minister, but
they have done so on terms enormous and highly
injurious to the country. These matters, he said,
had beets frequently mentioned—they have been
met on the part of the Batik, sometimes by asser-
tion, often in silence, and never by disproof, lie
concluded by moving for—

" Accounts of the total weekly Amount of Bank Notts
and Hank Post Bills in circulation, from the Ist of Janu-
ary, 1818, to the 25111 of hominy, 1819; distinguishing
the Bank Post Bills, and distinguishing the amount of Notes
under the rains of Five Pounds, and slating the aggregate
amount of the whole."

" Of the Amount of Bank Notes in circulation on the
7th and 17111 of each month, front January, 1818, to Janu-
ary, 1819, !soils inclusive; distingnishing the Bank Post
Bills, and the amotiut of Notes under Five Pounds, and
swill the aggregate amount or the whole.4'
" Of the highest and lowest aggregate Amount of Hank
Notes, incholnig those of every kind, at any one lime in cir-
culation, Cum the Ist of January, 1818, to the 2hth of Jann-
ars, 1819, 6.01.1.13 s inclusive; specifying the date of every
such amount, and distinguishing the amount of Bank Post
Bills, and that of Notes above or !silos, the value of Five
Kneads, of which it is composed ; also an Account of the
highest and low. st Amount of each separate kind of Notes
at say one tone In esicillation, for the same period, specify-
ing MIA distinguishing as before."
la Of the weekly amount of Bank Notes in circulation of
the value of Five Pounds and less, from the lst of .1 y,
1818, to the 2bili of January, 1819, boils inclusive; distin-
guishing the amount of Notes of Five Pounds, and of Two
Pounds, null One Pound."

Of the :41arket Prices of Standard Gold in Bars, of Por-
tugal Gold in Coin, Standard Silver in Hors, and Spanish
Dollars, or l'illnr Pieces of right, with the Count, of Ex-
chiller with Ilatnburgli, Lisbon, and Paris, from the Ist of
January, HIS, to lite'2so. of January, 1819."

'6 (►f the B31111)(441 of Cash in the hand, of the Bank of
England, on the Ist mid 15th day. of earls month between
11w lot of January and 1511, of December, 1818, inclusive,
resulting from paynreuls lender 11w head of Customs, and of
all other branches of she Public Perrone, stating the aver.
■ge Melanin.' of the year, made up from the paid dayo."
Of she Balances of Cash is. the lands of the Bank of
England, on the lot and 15i1, days of earls month, between
the Ist of January and 15.11 of December, 1818, inclu-
sive, resulting front the Poot.ilaster.Generars A
Oh ihr Bank, pitons( the average Balance of the year,
mode up from the said day..."
Of she Dclanees of Cash in the hands of the Bank of
England ion ilir lit mad 15.1. drays of • acts month between
the lot of Jaimary and the 1511, of Dceemlier, 1818, Melo-
sive, belonging to the different Departments of she Governs
meal, including the Balm ees of the Accountant-General of
the Court of Chancery, and staling the average Balance of
the year, made up 'Nom the said days."
"Of all usher Public Balances not particularly specified in

the three preceding Accounts with the Bank of England on
the Ist of January, 1819; distinguishing the amount under
each bend respectively, sad stating the aggregate Smuunt of
the whole."
" Of the total Amount of Unclaimed Dividend*, including
Lottery Prizes, In Ilse hands of the Rank on the Ist an 4 15th
days of every month in the year ISIS Inclusive ; distinguish-
ing the Unclaimed Dividends from Lottery Prism sad mat-
ing the average Balances of both in the year, made up from
the said days."
" (If the Exchequer Bills and Bank Nudes deposited by
this Governor and Company of the Bank of England, as
Cash, is the Chests of the four Tellers of his Majesty's Re-
ceipt of Exchequer, on the Id of January, 1818, and on
every 28th day ruhsequent to that period, dow• to the Ist
of January, MIS •' distinguishing the amount of all such
Rank of EuglandlSotes as exceeded in value (One Thousand
Pounds each, known at the Exchequer under the title of
Smelt! Notre, and stating the average Balances of the year,
made sip trom the said days."
"Of all Allowances made by the Public to the Rank, or
charged by the Bank against the Public, exclusive of the
charge for the management of the Public Debt, for transact.
Mg any Public Service In the year ISIS ; describing the
nature of the services, and the amount charged thereon in
the said year, and including the soma paid to the Dank
under the denomination of Charges of Management."

"Of the Advances made by the Bank of England to Go-
vernment on Lind and Malt Exchequer Bills, and all other
securities, on the lath of January, 19th of April, 10th of
July, and 10th of October, 1818, and on the 10th of January,
V. 19 ; distinguishing the various heads under which such
advances have been made."
" Of the Bank Notes in circulation on Saturday night• in
each week, from the 1.1 of January, 1818, to the 25th of
January, 1819 ; distingnishing the Bank Pied Bills, and dis-
tinguishing the amount of Notes under the value of Five
Pounds, and staling the aggregate amount of the whole."
lie also moved for—

" An Account of the Number of Sovereigns and Half.
Sovereigns tooled from the Bank of Euglaud, in the year
1818 ;"

" Also an Account of the Gold Coin issued from the Mint,
in the course of the year ISIS, distinguishing the Sove.
reigns and Half-Sovereigns, and stating the aggregate
amount
" Alru for an Account of the Silver Coin issued from the
Mint, in the year 18111, distinguishing the Crowns, Half.
Crowns, Shillings, aad Sixpence., and stating the aggregate
amount)'

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would not oppose the motion of the Hon. Gentle-
man. He would, however, suggest, that instead of
moving for an account of the issue of sovereigns,
half-sovereigns, and of silver, for the year 1816
—that an account should be moved for up to the
present time, of the total amount issued by the
Bank.

Mr. GRENTELL consented to this alteration, and
the motion was put and carried accordingly.
THE GAME LAWS.

Mr. BaAND said he would not trouble the House
with any observations on the motion which he was
about to make. It was for an account of the per-
sons convicted of offences against the Game Laws
in England and Wales for the last year, distin-
guishing those convicted under the Act of the 57th
Geo. 111. chap. 90, and specifying the different sen-
tences pronounced under the same.

After a few words from Mr. BECKETT it was
ordered.

CORN LAWS.

Mr. CALLAGHAN made a variety of observations
(which were but imperfectly heard in the gallery)
as to the state of the Corn Trade, and the operation
of the Corn Laws, which he described as attended
with the best consequence., and as affording great
encouragement and protection to the agricultural
interests. The Honourable Gentleman said, that
notwithstanding those laws various irregularities and
differences existed in the returns of the quantity of
grain imported into various ports, and he concluded
by moving for an account of the amount of wheat,
barley, and flour, imported into England and Ire-
land for the year ending sth January, 1819; and
also for an account of the qoantity imported into
the maritime counties in England and Wales for
the same period.

Mr. Rout IqSON said the House would excuse him
from entering into the topics touched on by the
Honourable Member who just sat down. lie did
not know how it was possible to prevent the occa-
sional occurrence of errors in the manner of mak-
ing the Returns alluded to by the Hon. Gentle-
man ; but he was of opinion those errors were by
no means of the extent which he seemed to think.
The Hon. Genticinan admitted that many of his
statements respecting the Returns he mentioned, were
not perhaps capable of demonstrative proof. With
respect to the error which was committed in the
Glamorganshire average, it was occasioned by the
Inspector's having omitted to reduce the local cus-
tomary measure in his district, from the amount of
the Winchester measure, in striking the average.
The Hon. Gentleman had alluded to the difference
between the prices of oats in Suffolk and Lincoln-
shire, but lie knew that in the latter the prices
were always below the general average in other
dis-
tricts. He had no objection to the motion of the
lion. Gentleman, particularly as he understood
from him that he did not mean to ground upon it
any ulterior proceeding.
The motion was then put from the Chair, and
agreed to.