The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-22 00:00:00

Aare* rears ago. and it was time for the House to expect the result of
the labours which it was said had been expended upon
HELIGOLAND.
Ir. HUME was desirous of directing the attention of the Hones
to the expense incurred in furnishing articles for the use of the light. '
house at Heligoland. lie complained of the manner in which the
itemsof charge for this colony were placed in the accounts laid
before that House. Some of them were to be found in tht Anny
Isseinnfes, and others were distributed and scattered over the pubic
account*. lie thought the better way would be to submit to
she House all the items of expenditure of the island in one view and
Sn one table of account. The charge at present made for the light-
goes. was 5711. 9s. 6d. Now he thought the amount of the d'.:ea
Deceived for the light house there should be stated, and the House
wool/ be enabled to judge how far these were sufficient to defray the
'spews of furnishing the articles thr which this charge was made.
Mr. if ERRIES said, that as to the tint part of the Hun. Gen.
theman's objection, there would be no difficulty in arranging the
accounts of the colony according to his suggestion. The dues of
the light-house were, he could assure the Hon. Member, very in.
to par the expense of maintaining it. The dues and the
Mditwa-I necessary expense were certified by the Consul at Ham-
burgh : they were then sent to the Trinity House here ; and on being
del, approved of, the necessary surplus expenditure over the dues
ass anted. This item came strictly under the head of civil ex-
penditure, and it was therefore placed amongst the present F.sti-
Itallea.
r. HUME com_plained of the very great charge of private light-
' - The r were burthened with a heavy el--

houses generally. to public
ehir
whilst twenty or Silent private gentlemen were enriched. He
ilernaght that his Majesty's granting patents to individuals for this
wpm woo productive of great evil. The practice had prevailed
sosegpko• very late period. The dues of the public Board,' had
Wow rodiaswil, and so ought those of the private ; and both the
glebe cad private ought, in his opinion, to be placed under the
Newel' i Ake of one Board.
Mr. 'WALLACE said, that these light-houses were the property
of individuals. Some enjoyed them by purchase, others by
grant of patent. He did not see how the House could interfere
with them.
Mr. HUSXISSON di] not see how they could be interfered
with. These private light-houses in some instances were, he ad-
mitted attended with abuse, and care would be taken, on the
renewal of the present leases which were given to them, that the can.
lenience and advantage of the public should be consulted. (Hear,
hear.)
Me. CURTEIS said, he knew that many great abuses had pre-
vailed to the system pursued by the proprietors of these private
leght-heueee. .He was glad to hear Ministers say that due atten-
tion would be paid the subject on the expiration of the present
WESTMINSTER ABBEY AND ST. PAUL'S.
Mr. HU3IE was desirous of next calling the attention of the
Hasse to the Item of 1,0311. to " G. Fludgenn, Chapter Clerk of
St. Paul's Cathedral, in London, towards the expenses incurred
by the Dean and Chapter in the cleansing acid repairing of St.
Paul's Cathedral, and of the number of monuments erected there
at the public expense, in commemoration of the victories ob-
tained during the last war." He should be glad to know on what
authority this grant had bren made. Of Westminster Abbey
and the practices' that prevailed there be had spoken before, and
would have occasion to speak again ; but he would desire to know
if the Dean and Chapter had no funds of their own wherewith to
make the necessary repairs in the Cathedral and its monuments?
Before this money was granted, inquiry should be made as to
what was done with the fees which were exacted for seeing these
monuments. Independent of their other resources, they had ini-
poeed s tax upon people for seeing these ornaments, which ought
to be sufficient for cleansing and attending to the monuments. It
was also worthy of remark, that both at Westminster and St.
Paul's the Dean and Chapter claimed a right of property over
these monuments, though they had been placed thereat an immense
expense by the people. He could not approve of this grant until he
sal informed of what became of the twopences and threepence
that were levied on the visitors, at every turn, for seeing the
Cathedral and its monuments.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not un-
dertake to account for the manner in which every farthing collected
in the manner adverted to by the Honourable %lember WAS dis-
posed of. The Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's certainly had
funds of their own, but they were in a great degree required to
defray die expense of maintaining that structure. They had lately
been at to small expense in certain reparations necessary in the
done of the cathedral. This repair, from the altitude of the
dome. was attended with great expense and difficulty. It was, he
thought, the duty of the public to maintain those monuments
which they placed in St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey, to cont.
inemorste the achievements and the virtues of the great men of
their count?). It was their duty to watch over and protect in a
suitable nianner those records of national honour, which the gee.
muds of the country and the liberality of that House had raised.
(Hear, bear.) He agreed with the Honourable Member, that the
fees exacted at Westminster Abbey, when he had occasion to
visit it, were excessively large. (Hear, hear.) The mode of ex.
battling the monument,' and various parts of the building was very
inconvenient to the public. Visitors were driven about there, and
ro opportunity was permitted of delaying and examining any par-
tinder object they may be desirous of inspecting. However he
might regret, Government had no power of tntertering to alter it.
(Hear, hear.)
dlr. II Li E was glad to hear the Right lion. Gentleman con-
ic:ten the avarice of thaw exactions to which he had referred.
Every liberal man must do so. It was shameful that those charges
Could be made, more paniculatly when is was considered how
ample were the funds and other resources of the Deans and Chapter
of St. Paul's and Weetnauster Abbey. They actually wallowed
in wealth, and ought sot to make such a demand as the present.
Mr. W. SMITH wan surprised that this subject had not been
taken up by a Committee of the House of Commons, more para.
cularly after the annual complaints they frequently beard of these
tees being excessive. The present charge was made, not only fur
repairing the cathedral, but also the monuments erected there at
the public expense. Yet the public were not permitted to see these
monuments, which they erected at their own expense, without an
additional expense for permission to do so. There was an iron rail
at the north and south ends shutting out the public from a view of
any of the monuments without pr yinent. The practice was highly
improper, and ought to be investigated by a Committee of that
,Ifouse.
Sir J. SEBRIGHT said he was suite ashamed when shewieg
Westminster Abbey to strangers at the charge made at every
tarn. It was most discreditable to the country. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUME next objected to the grant of 4281. 12s. 6d. to T. N.
Wittser, Ent. Accountant to the Board cf Cor niseioners for the
Affairs of India, for having acted as accountant on the part of the
public in investigating the accounts between the publie and the
tact India Company, in conformity with the recommendation of
tee Committee of the House of (hormone in the year 1805, from the
eth September, 18T2, to the sth September, 1823, in conjunction
with Wm. Wright, Esq. oil the part of the said Company, and to
defray the expenses for the some period.
Mr. HORTON defended the grant on the ground of the indis-
per.sableneeeseity of having a person competent (as Mr. W. was)
to eiramine these imponeent account,. Ile was not paid by the
East India Company, but was the officer employed on the part of
die pdblic.
Mr. HUM E next objected to the item of 3501. to J. Finlayson,
Esq. allowance for services at five hundred pounds per annum, for
halt a-year ended sth April, 1824, and that of his assistant at one
hundred noonds per annum, for making calculations connected
wish public business, for one year ended 10th October, 1824.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER contended that
the calculation in which this gentleman was engaged was of the
utmost importat.ce. He had a mind peculiarly capable and suited
try the task he was engaged in. The ohject of these calculations
was to make rut tables of the greatest accuracy as to the
)•roisible lives of annuitants. In determining the real duration of
such, lives he had already made 1010 f important discoveries, and
Ltd ascertained the real duration to he greater than it was gene.
rally supposed to be.' He was engaged an rectifying and improving
on the various former calculations on this important subject. Thia
wss an occupation of great utility to Governmera, particularly in
respect to their annuitants, and those who were concerned in
life-insu rar ce.
Mr. HUM E understood that this gentleman had an office for the
liquidation of tl:e debt. If his services were so important as they
wrre stated to be, his undivided attention ought to be given to
the auLjtmt.
klr IMONCR bore testimony to the merit and services of Mr.
Finlayson, from which lie expected not only Life-Insurence Com-
panies, but the public generally would derive great benefit.
On the question that 1,2871. 9a. 6d. be granted to John Walker,
Esq. Sopertntendent of the Winkel Eetablialiment in Berbiee —bills
drawn by him on account of the expenses of that Esteblisliment—
HU3IE felt it necessary to make a few observations on that
HOGS. Some impatience being manifested by the Home, the Ihni.
Member said, though it might not at first sight appear important,
still that in it was involved the principle& employing the free labour
d slaves. At present there were three or four thousand slaves em.
ployed as free labourers, and that was done at the instance of lion.
Members who were continually urging anti (eating on Government
.sake the experiment. It turned out, however, that the slaves
411 Dot pay by their labour foe their support, but were a continual
ine.utribrance on this country. Five years ago he had called the
attention of Government to that circumstance, and sull in 11125 he
found the same cause of compliant. Ile begged particularly to
call the attention of the Chancellor of the Eethequer now to it, as
he feared the Right Hon. Gentleman, from hit great press of bust.
ones, had not time to look narreAvly into every thing. If be paid
more attention to these matters, he would not, as then, place all at
the disposal of the Colonial Department. The Hon. Gentleman,
after some further remarks, submitted to the House whether it
would not be better for 'the country to manumit the slaves alto-
gether than have them as they then were—a total loss to the com-
munity. It was unfair for Government to pay private individuals,
IVest India proprietors fur instance, after the example they were
teen.seives affording. When they called on them gentlenien lie
would tell them to look at home. They can have no excuse for
iveddling with, public property at the time they were talking of an
infringement on private property.
The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the cit.
t'uoultatmee connected with the question were rather peculiar.
Berbiee was originally a Dutch settlement ; the slaves belonged to
OB.:Government, and were transferred to the English Clevernment
on the taking of that place. A new system of management was
peopoce to be adopted with regard to his Majesty's slaves, which
H was supped might prove an usefullexample to other parts of I
the Britiehdominton• s. They were placed under the control of
Commissioners, who, he had no doubt, were good individuals • he
Node no doubt they Password considerable seal, but were,; like
lawny honest Individuals, considerably defrauded. Tic slaves
math tame iota the bends of Oovernmert. It was certainly Seta