The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-02 00:00:00

Mr. HUME said he wished that a palace was built for the King
of this country worthy of them and of the country. There was not
a petty Sovereign on the Continent who had not a more splendid
residence. Besides, it would be a saving; there was more money
granted every year for repairs than would be sufficient for the pur-
pose; b these annual grants the money was frittered away.
TheCHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
.agreed with the
Honourable Member, that there was no palace in London ade-
quate to the wealth and dignity of the country. He would not
agree with the Honourable Member, that the character of St.
James's had been injured by the mode of repair it had undergone; 1
on the contrary, the character of the building had been preserved.
The repairs were advantageous to the public, as the public had a
aces • t to have free ac,,.!ss to the royal palaces. Though the
were not commensurate with the dignity of the country, ,
did not deem it advisable, a few years since, to come fbrward ,
with a vote of a million or • million and a half, which would be
'onsidered as entailing a great and unnecessary expense upon the 1
country. As to the report's of St. James's, they were renderell lie- 1
tomary by the fire which took place throe a few years since, .and
the impropriety was in leaving the panacisolong unrepaired. • The ,
repair; took place principally in the part where the fire happened, 1
and 'were of course intended for the comfort and convenience Of i
hose who resided in that part of the palace. 1
Colonel DAVIES said, the King's Palaces in London looked
more like alms-houses than royal residences.
Sir T. BA 111 NG said that there were many palaces in existence;
though he agreed with the Hon. Member for Worcester (Colonel
Davies) that not one of them was worthy the reception of the Mo-
notch of such a country as England—Kew and M indoor, and that
singular specimen of architecture (he knew not how to term it) the
Pavilion at Brighton : 3110,0001. was granted for Windsor. We
might build for his Majesty, in some more appropriate situation,
and at a much less expense, a palace worthy of his reception and of
Cue nation who conferred it.
31r. BRIGHT objected to the erection of palaces during the
areduuance of an oppressive taxation.
MO M.W. Ridley and Mr. James rose at the same moment.
Mr. JAM ES agreed with hie lion. Friend (the Member for Bris-
tol) that at least the war taxes should be reduced before Ministers
contemplated the building of palaces.
Sir 31. W. RIDLEY differed altogether with his Honourable
Friend the economical Member for Bristol. It was not the dispo-
sition of the English people to allow their Sovereign to be more
inadequately lodged than his subjects; and however it might serve
the purposes of a vain popularity to profess such sentiments as the
Honourable Member for Bristol had adopted on that night, he .
might rest satisfied that the people of England were not uninte-
rested in the residence of their Sovereign.
Lord MILTON was not precisely initiated into this new course
of policy which the Ministers bad on this night adopted. They
seemed to vie with each other in extravagance, which while he
condemned, he could not avoid expressing a hope, that, in the rage
for the demolition of palaces, which seemed commensurate with
the expensive disposition of Ministers, the Palace of Hampton
Court would not be sacrificed; it was the scene where William the
Third lived, and its memory was enshrined in the hearts of Eng-
lishmen.
An Host. MEMBER, whose name we could not learn, observed,
that though there were three palates under repair, not one of them
was fit for the reception of the Monarch.
Sir C. LONG protested against being considered responsible
for any of those improvements, which were attributed to what was
termed the Committee of Taste. The Board of Works had no
controul over these matters beyond the selection of drawings sub-
mitted to their inspiration.
Sir J. NEWPORT hoped that the work would be stopped until
the expenses were ascertained.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained.
The vote was agreed to.
The sum of 10,0(101. for the College of Edinburgh was granted.
It was then proposed that the sum of 13,041. should be granted
for the works of Portpatrick.
Sir ISAAC COFFIN protested against this useless expense,
and the equally pernicions exhaustion of the public money upon a
pitiful place called Donaghadee. The tides were most difficult to
be guarded against.
Mr. PEEL justified the proposed grant. Mr. Rennie, who was
the artist employed originally in that work, had most accurately
estimated the effect of the rides.
Sir I. COFFIN reprobated it as a job, similar to that of Dun-
leery.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that with respect to Howth he
would assert, that there was no job mixed up with that trans-
action.
Mr. GOULBURN reminded the Gallant Admire' that the
packets much more often made Howth than nunnery.
Sir ISAAC COFFlN—Because they are ordered to go there.—
(A laugh.)
It was next proposed, that for the completion of the Caledonian
Canal a sumof 23,0001. should be granted.
Sir 31. W. *IDLE V asked for what purposes the money was
intended ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, foi the
purpose of sinking the canal to the depth of twenty feet
throughout.
Sir J

he wished for

Sir SMITH did not object to the grant, but -_
some assurance that this would be the last sum required.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied—That
the Commissioners were of opinion that the sum now proposed
would be Sufficient.
Sir J. SMITH—I understand that the Right Hon. Gent. him-
self is a Cominissioner.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—If I am, it is
merely a Commissioner ex qicio. I am not acquainted with the
circumstances of this canal.

111 r. fIUME observed, that the Canal had already cost 03,0001.
aod in all probability its expense will exceed a million. Wee there
any prospect of its ever paying ?
Mr. IiEIIRIES hoped there was such • prospect. At present,
trout its insufficient depth, there could be but little traffic on this
canal.

Mr. WARD considered it a very useless undertaking.
Mr. WILSON moved that the vote should be suspended until
an account could be taken of the probable expense of completing
this undertaking.
Mr. W. SMITH opposed the amendment. The plan as I
originally adopted was good ; no doubt considerable expenses had
occurred not contemplated by its projectors, but still it was a most
noble undertaking.
TheCIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that stopping
the vote would have the effect of throwing back the work for a
r ear.

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