The Sun.
London, England, 1806-01-23 00:00:00

PERMANENT ADDITIONAL FORCE BILL.

Mr. SHERIDAN rose to submit the Motion ,of
which he had yesterday given notice to the 'House.
As he understood that no opposition would be made
to the produlion of the Papers he wanted, it was
unnecessary for him to occupy the time of the House
with any preliminary observations: He should, there-
fore, content himself with moving,

" That there be laid betine the House a Return of the num-
ber of ctredive Men that had been raised under the Act of the
44t1v0l His Majesty, entitled an Ad for Raising a Permanent
Additional Force, &G. up to the period of the last Return,
together with an Account of the number that have been re-
cruited per week, distinguishing those that have been raised
by Parish Officers, and those by . his Majesty's Officers for
the:, Parishes. —Also, the number of those that have volun-
teered from this Force for general service."—Ordered. •
Similar Returns were also ordered, on the motion
of Mt. SHERIDAN, for Scotland and Ireland.

Mr. CHARLES DTINDAS 'took this opportuni-
ty of presenting to the House a Petition from the
Magistrates and Freeholders of the County of Berks,
on the subject of the Additional Force Bill, and pray-
ing its repeal. The Petition was,sigded by all the
respedable Magi:3trates, Gentletnen, and Freeholders
of the Connty, and had been unanimously agreed to
at a most numerous Meeting of the County, held
for the purpose of considering the subject. It had
been found by experience that the At was imprac-
ticable, and the Petitioners, -of necessity, felt thern
selves compelled to apply to the House for its re-
peal. They stated in their Petition, that of the whole
number which the County, under the At, was
'called on to raise, only eleven had.been procured by
Parish Officers, which had not arisen from any
neglect on the part of ,the Overseers, but from the
impossibility of carrying the Provisions cf the Ad
into execution: The Petition also stated, that in
consequence a sum of 63251: had been imposed on
the County for penalties, which operated as an op-
pressive and unjust burthen . upon the landed inte-
rest, and was particularly severe upon the small
limners. The Hon. Member after thus' stating the
substance of the Petition, declared, that under such
circumstances, he should have felt it his duty to
submit a Motion to the House for the repeal of the
Bill if the subied had riot been taken up by the
Hon. Member (Mr. SHERIPAN) who had given a
notice respeCting it, and who was far better quail,
fied for the task than he was. At the same time,
however, that he felt satisfaCtion at seeing the busi--
ness in such able hands, he could not let slip the
present occasion of calling the attention of the Gen-
tlemen opposite (and particularly of the Noble Lord
who had last night spoken on the subject, and inti-
mated an intention of His Majesty's Ministers to
Make some . alteration in the Bill) to the matter of
this Petition. He was convinced that the measure
was impradicable, and that nine-tenths of the land-
ed interest of the Country would not be satisfied
without the total repeal of it. Experience had proved
it totally insufficient to the object which it was de-
signed to aceomplish, .and in its operation it had
been found a grievous, unfair, and unn.ist imposition
upon landed property, and very unequal in different
Parishes. • He had but • one observation - more to
make, and that was, that whatever a imin's property
in the Public Stocks or Funds might be, he was not
called on to find a single man; a circumstance that
shelved how heavily the pressure must fall upon
landed property. He hoped; therefore, that His
Majesty's Ministers would_ re-consider the subject,
before they formed any determination to continue
such an Ad under any mOdifications.
The Petition was then brought up, and ordered
to lie on the Table.