The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-05-18 00:00:00

PRICE SIXPENCE.

I.IIPERLE, IMRLIAMPIV7:
HOUSE OF LORDS
riaso•v, MAY 17.
Loici Hawke and Lord Alvanley spoke on the
claim of the Chandos Peerage ; after which the Lora
Chancellor moved, that the further hearing be ad-
jounieu to next Thursday se'nnight, when. he said,
after further consideration, he meant to deliver his
sentiments on the subject.
Thirty-six Bills (public and private) received the
Royal Assent by Conirnission ; among which *were
the Nottingham Police and filedion 8.11, and other
public Bilis.
Seven Bilis, one of which only was a public one,
were broueht up from the Comnirms, Ind presented
by Mr. Alexander and others, and read a first time.
LUNATICS ESTATES.
Lord RADNOR Said a few words on the Luna-
tics Estates Bill, considthing some a its clauses
and provisions,to be unusual, and requiring expla-
nation.
The LORD CHANCELLOR left the woolsack
to explain the objeft df the Bill, which was neces-
sary on this account ! As the law stood, the lease:-
hold estates of lunatics could not be sold by their
Committees, and he had not the least doubt but that his
Noble Friend near hini /Lord Rosslyn) would confirm
his experience on this point. Lunatics might he in
debt, ant ICommittees might pay their ascertained .iebts
out of their personal assets and propene. Lunatics,
however, were liable to arrestment, althoegh their
Lordships must all see, that to arrest a 1 inatic
would be dreadful. If their personal estate was not
equal to the discharge of their debts, in that case a
creditor might bring one or two actions, and upon
two judgments obenned, might seize upon the ht-
mites estates, which could not he recovered, pre-
vious to the full discharge of the creditors' just
claims, so that lunatics were red.iced to the day. -er
of being starved. He himself, in the legal -situation
he held, declared, that he believed that within. the
last six months he had found himself obliged to de.
erece, in cases of lunatics, in favour of the petitioner,
which could not hut operate in I cruel spanner.
The present Bill, which had been submitted to him,
and had his full approbation, was absolutely nicer

Silly.
The House resolved into a C4:nnnittee, in which
the Lunatic Bill passed without aniendinehts ; the
India Volunteers Bill passed the Contnittee witnout
amendment; and Ship-destroying Offenders' Pu-
nishment Bill passel the Co:amittee with amend-
ments.

.l

A Bill (possibly the Croydon Railing Bill) and
the Chequer Police Bill, were read a second time.
Lord A LVANLEY moved some amendments in
the clause of Lord Ellenbarough's Bill, which were
put and agreed to, and the Bill read a tLird time
and passed.—AdjGarned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
TUESDAY, MAY 17.

A message from the Lords requested the attend-
ance of the Commons to hear the Royal Assent
given by Commission to the Irish Revenue rill, the
Irish Bank Restridion Bill, the Tea and Coffte
Drawback Bill, the Inn-keeper's Allowance Bill, the
Nottingham Magistrates BM, and a number of Pri-
vate Bills.
Mr. HILLIARD presented a Petition on be-
half of John Simpson, Mayor of Great Grimsby,
praying that he might be brought to the Bar on
Wednesday, in order to be discharged.
On the motion of the Hon. Member, the Speaker
was ordered to issue his warrant accordingly.
Mr. I. H. BROWNE moved for a Committee of
the whole House, upon the Report of the Committee
appointed to consider of the Means of improving
the Highlinds of Scotland. The I rouse resulved
itself into the said Committee ; thl Resolutions were
agreed to, and a Bill founded upon them was or-
dered to be brought in.
Mr. CORY suggested, that the title of the Bill
should be left open, in order that such furti.r rep,
ii-
lations as should be deemed necessary, might be en-
grafted on it.
The SPF.AKFR observed, that the purpose of the
Hon. Member could not be obtained in tue way .-.::
wished. When the Bill was brough: in on the mo-
tion, he might move the regulation he was desirous
of having obtained.

NEGOTIATIoN'WITEI FRANCE.
General G ASCOIGNE gave notice, that or. Fri-
day next he should Move for certain phperg' %;,zhich,
from the statement made yesterday by the Sectc ary
of State seemed to him not likely to be proluce.i.
He wished for the produaion, not only of _those
which were subsequent to, but also those which were
anterior to the Treaty of Amiens.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
requested the Hon. Member would state, to what
point the papers he alluded to referred.
General GASCOIGNE said, he had been in ge-
neral so distina in his notices of motions, that h.
should not now have forlwrn stating the precise oh-
jed of his present one, if he could have exaalv de-
fined it. Two or three of the papers he meant to m, ye
for, respe3ed Malta : the others related to the
Italian Republic. His notice must be a provisional
one, for till he saw the papers that were to be laid
before Parliament, he could not tell to what extent
his motion might be necessary.
The SECI=ARY at WAR said, he availed
himself of the first opportunity of giving notice, that
he should consider it his duty to-morrow to move
for leave to bring in a Bill for better providing for
the defence of Great Britain and Ireland. The Bill
he should propose would be nearly similar to the one
which had been introduced last war, only extending
its proviiens to Ireland.
Mr. WHII'I3/tEAD remarked, that on a former
occasion his Majesty's Ministers had given notice
that the Papers to be laid before the House were to
be relative to the signing the Preliminaries of Peace
whit Prato% but yesteiday he had stated, that only