The Sun.
London, England, 1808-06-24 00:00:00

DISTILLER/ES.

The Order °Ellie Day being moved for the second
reading of the Bill, prohibiting- for a time to be limit. ,
ed the Distilling from Corn, •
Lord BATHURST rose and observed, that it wls
not necessary for him to detain their Lordships by
any minute explanation of the measure now pro-
posed. It was one, which, when fairly considered,
would be found highly avedient under all the cir-
cumstances of the present moment. The Country
was now completely excluded from any supplies of
corn from the Continent of Europe, and from Ame-
rica. A scarcity of provisions had been felt in Many
parts of the United Kingdoms ; in Scotland, wts
were scarce, and had risen in price; h Ireland the
potAtoe crop had, in a great degree, failed, -which
produced a greater consumption of corn, so that
prudence diaated a measure which, while it Season-
ably provided against a scarcity in one platter, would
afford relief in another, where distress had arisen
from t superabundance of other articles. There
Was now a glut in the market .of West India pro-
duce, which' proved highly injurious to the interests
of the West India proprietor. 'lbis glut would b.
relieved by encouraging distillation flum sugar, with-
out producing any detriment whatever to the inte-
rests and improvement of agriculture. He (mate!
therefore the measare would be cheerfUlly acquiesced
in.

Lord SELKznn was decidedly against the measure,
on the groural that it would counteract the opera-
tion of natural catises; which, if left to themselves,
would supply all the wants Of the Country. The
Noble Lord supported his opinion by a variety of
high authorities, who deprecated all legislative in.
terference in agricultural and commercial concerns,
as ulthvately mischievous, and always unwise.

Lind llowi.No did not think that the principles
so touch insisted upon by the Noble Lord who spoke
last were at all applicable to the present measure:.---
It .was only intended as a temporary .measure to
kind against a contingent Oil, and fo ensure a ro.
salve OA. " Without injuring in the least like
landed interest, it would •inaterially benefit the West
India Proprietor, whose case loudly called focevery
possible alleviation.
Lord Sinsteirrit most willingly admitted that ,!be
Westindia Planter should receive every possiblpiW
lief, which could not injure any other descripiteit
of, the community whatever; he wished, how-
ever, the. principle had been -built upon a broadyr"
principle, and with a view to a more permanent ob.'
jeti. There were resources within the country,
which, if properly improved, would render it whol-
ly independent of 4ny other nation'. • lie should,
therefore, recommend the most serious attention its
an enlarged improvement of our agricultural sya.
tem. •
• Lord,AcsastsimE was against the interference of
Parliament in. agricultural and Commercial affairs:—
It was a mistaken notion to imagine that the land
under cultivation was nUt sufficient for tne' calls of
the country. The fact was, that it was not seal-
ciently cultivated; nor were 'the farmers, under the
pressure of the present burthens, able to beSlow
upon it that perfeEt degree of cultivation ; but if half •
die sums, that were sent abroad for the importation
ofcorn, had been expondqd'ott the iinproveinent of
agriculture, there would be now no necessity'ifyr a
measure like the present, nor any appreheoiiitiOf
a scarcity. He sheuld therefore recommend the
adoption of some such Measure, which would secure
the country against the dangers of. sc,Sr6ity, dWit t
tending to the injury of uny particular class Of
comMunity.„ The present Bill he must oppose as
prejudicial to the landed interest. ,
The Dulici of MONTROSE and Lord DE
VILLE suppofted the Bill, which was strotjy tughtd
against,by
Lord LkunaanwLH, who reprobateditsifrinciple,
and deprecated its evil consequerfeeS On ttie,saitle
principle as that laid dtiwn by Lora Selkirk.
. Lord IfAwg.essußY ably teplied to alt the aign-
meats ..that Were advanced against it, and begged
their Lordships to recollect, that ettperi,.!l,6:' and A
referenceuithe statute book would most satisi.telorily
shew, that it has been the uniform principle and
pra&ice of the. Legislature to encourage and promote
aciriculture. That being the, case, with wi At, jth
* ••
cc could the landed interest •now complain twat a

3dOptett 10 relieve anotller great 'interest,
whi,'h relief might be grante.d.‘Vithout (he least pre-
judice to anyother interest in the country. &sides;
the present measure had in view the general inte-
rests Of the ,community at large and that 'he con-
ceived tone the grounclupon I,t'llieh a wise and pro-
vident Legislature would always proceed. After ad-
verting to the general situation of the country, as
afre6ed froni'vithoiit atid within, he considered the
present Bill as most forcibly presied on the adoption
of the House..... Under these impressions it :should
have his most decided support.
The question that the. Bill be read a second time
was then agreed to, and the Bill was ordered to be
committed to-morrow.—Adjourned. r •

HOUSE OVCOMMONS.
THURSDAY, JUNE 23.
A Message from the Lords, by the Deputy Usher
of the-Black Rod, required the attendance of the
noose •at their -Lordships' Bar, when the Royal
Assent was given by Commission to several. Public
A6ts; tot which seethe proceedings of the Lords.
IVIASSEY's 'DIVORCE.

The House went into a Committee on Massey's
Divorce Bill, Mr. JANIRS GRAHAM In the Chair.
Mr. FONRLANQUE, as Counsel for Mr. Massey,
stated the facts of the marriage of that Gentleman
with Miss Mary Anne Rosa Lewin, in 170, and
the subsequent adtiltereus commerce of that Lady
with the Marquis of Headfort. These leas, as well,
as the legal service of notice at the residence of the
Noble Marquis and the Lady, in York-place, Baker-
street ; the judgment on the trial of the action for
- damages at Ennis, in the County of Clare, and.the
payment of 10,0001. damages, were proved by se-
veral witnesses. The Bill was reported, read a third
tirne, and passed.
The Privately Stealing Bill was read a third time,
and passed. .
Mr. BARHAM deferred, till to-morrow, his in-
tended motion for same further measitres of relief to
the West India Planters, in pnrsuance of the Re-
ports of the West India ComnTittee.
A MeSsage from the Lords by the Masters in
Chancery, declared their Lordships' assent. to the
Pilots Bill :; the Cape' of 'Good 'Hope Trade Bill ;
' the Expiring Laws Bill ; the Bill for obtaining 'an .
.Account of Fines levied under the General Defence
Aft'. .
Mr. Rosa informed the House, that his Majesty
bad been,. ',waited on with the Address of the House
respecting Vaccine inoculation, .and Wei • graCionsly
pleased to say he would give directions accordingly.
Ou the Motion for. going into a Committee on,
the Reprisal, Bill, .•
Sir C. POLE moved an instrhaioh 'to the; Com-
mittee to receive 4 Clause, to prevent Prize Agents
from advancing Money to Superior Oißcers on ac-
count of Prizes, previous to :their general'distribu-
lion. • He spoke in high , terms of commendation of
the late arrangement for the distributiOn of prize.,
money, made public by his
.Majesty's Proclamation.
The Clatise he propOsed'would give additional etre&
to that proclamation, and would satisfy the Navy,
in general of the attention paid to the interests of
its men as well as its officers. ,
MAE stated, that since his appolutnient. to
he Treasurer of the. Navy,-he had taken measures,
, by enforcing the existing laws, to.' recover monies
due from Prize Agents, and., to redress the com-
plaints of the Navy on this head. He had recovered
several large sums from Agents in the West Indies
in partictilar,, which) would otherwise never have
• been paid. He was willing to give, farther trial to-
the enfercernent of the existing laws, and though he
thought the measure proposed,by the Hon. Admiral.
may be properly-made part of a future Bill on this
subjca in the next Session, when the whele subjea
should he., considered, and when what the existing
laws could do Tto remedy the evils complained of
should be fully tried. 'He deprecated.the introdue,
;ion of the Clause. in this Bill,: of which it could not
properly. make part. •
.After some explanation between Sir C. POLE and
Mr. Rose, the motion was negatived. The Bill
went through a Committee. The Report was re-
ceived, and the Bill ordered to be read a
.third time
to-morrow;. as was also aim Woollen Penalty 89s-
pension Bill, reported by Mr. Wharton, The De-
nial Prize Bill, the Three. per Cents, Annuity,Bill,
Itill.;the Brazil Postage Bill were read a third time
passed. . '
the motion fOr the third reading of the Coffee
buty Bill, :
Mr. litariamproposed, as a further relief to the
West India Proprietors, that the operation of the
,A.a should commence on tile I,sth of August, in-
stead of the ,10th of October.
Mr.. HosicissoN said it .was,,in justice to the retail
dealers, he thoeght, right 'to allow theni till the
loth of October to dispose o-f:i be stock on hand.--;-
The erangettients of revenue besides regained 'this
time. He 'wished it more praticable to make.the
• reduction commence 'on the tath Augtist: But as
that could not be done withoin many great inconve-'
niences, • the 1,;i1) of ()Cipher wai tiC.c.d blob as the
most accommodating to the interests concerned.
• Mr. IkiLtarts.,„ti. stated as a fa&, material for the'.
consideration of his Majesty's Ministers; that three
, tithes as much Ceffee Was smuggled as paid
He was sure the Revenue would be benetitedliaead•
of beipg injured, if the redualon. were Made to take:
place trom the present day. On these grounds he
supported. the Amendment.
Mr.. Bsitnim also supported the Amendment.
The 'Merchants were obliged to snspend their sales
this measure should coinmence.
the CH NcE,I,LqAt gf thdEXplarinart, in wishing
to give all possible. relief by the ,present measure,,
felt himself obliged to :attend to the representations
4.f. the retail dealers; who had. laid i 9 a stbek'under
the high duties. The. interval till Inth Oaober was
thereti* granted' to dispose of the. stock that had
paid bleb duties. The sale; had been suspended
only on account of the oncertninty-61 the period at
which the redu4ion to continence. When the
time was once known to be fixed, the sale would
proceed 'as Usual,
.On these grounds he could nut
coosent to allow the redu&ion to coinnience bdfor'e
the loth of Ogober.
. Sir C. dwelt, on the loss the retailers
sillies by making the reduction cortiincuce' too

, , ; 1,); soprto.rtc4 AwriLlipent,whicli
r•Appmtoltiy (of
bt.ii),(:, put, the Anictultneut lirS72

negutlyed, awl the 11A1 passed was aialso the Cof-
fee Excise Bill.

:ARM
ifA -
Mr. Wannecc rose to the attention of di e
House to „the: prodigal expenditure of the public
moat", tit t present system of clod, ing the army
with-great coats. The Wi'r Office, instead of aiA-
ing-oti theprinciple*of open contraa, as reciinmended
and otre-red by the, reasury; persisted in prieatecort-
traas, and the, consequence was, ..that though a. re-
dettien had taken place in the materiali of great
etiats, no reduaion had taken place in the price.
In the., year 1803, the Secretary at War (Mr.
Yorke) consented to pay at the rate of I(is. (3.d.
for each great coat, but stipulated that a rtdulion•
should take place if the price of kersey should fall.
Kersey was then at I 45., 6d. a yard. and since con!
tinuell. to fall till it came down to 6d. no re-
cluetion was made in the contracts till :tbe present
year; nor would any have been made, if it had not
been for the continued offers faced on the War-
office to furnish great coats at a less price than was
aaually paid. He made a variety, of calculations on
the prices at different periods, from Which he as-
sumed there was a loss to the public of 23,0001.
.
He adverted particularly to a tender made by Messrs..
Scott, eminent Army Clothiers, to fctriiish these
Coats, in 1806, at 14s. 9d. ,which would atfOrd a
saving of 2 t,OOOl. on every delivery. Not 'getting
any answer, Messrs. Scot; looked for a share in the
coutratt, as made by the War Office. They obtained
it, and 'were paid at the rate of t (is. (id. This was
an answer to any objet ion that could be made on the
ground of supposed -inferiority in Messrs. Scott's
cleathing, -On an intimation, frotn the Treasury
BenSh that this took place during the late Admi-
nistration, Mr. Wardell said he was aware that no
"blame attached for this part of the transaction to the
Itigitt Honourable Gentlemen opposite, but he Was"
influenced by no respea•to party in bringing for
ward' question. In the present year. Messrs.
Scott applied again to the Treasury. The answer
was that the coats would be made the sub-
je& of open contra& No notice of open con.:
traa 'was given, a close contra was made with
'Messrs. Pierce. Messrs. Scott again got a 'share, ,
for which they were paid at 14s, thpugh they were
ready from the reduced price of kersey, 16 furnish •
the whore quantity at 12s. Here was a.lossof above
t 6,0001. to.the public, by the system of favouritism
and private Contra& Mr, Pierce having interest not
only to get the contraa, but. to fix the price. He
'cited a' letter from the Lords of the Treasury. to 'the
Secretary at War,intinaating. that, the price of great
coats may be reduced in proportion to the accelera-,
tion of tie payment. He could not understandi what
'was meant by ,this, when the great coats were gene-
rally paid for within Six months: He ga.ve credit
to the Lords.of, the Treasury, for theirCincere coinv
cidenc,ei in. the recommendation of the Commander
in Chief, to substitute open.for pritate centraas, if
any alteration, should be made iii the present system.
lie cotnmented on the other particulars froni the
Letter of the Treasury, .riditiling the idea Of *a re-
. duetion proposed in the price of coats in the event of
a fall of the price of cloth an tine ofpeace, and this
too at a period when tnaonfaaurers were so much at
a loss for a market as they were it present; He de.
premed a deference being paid by the Secretary at
War to the present Commander in Chiefi'merely on
the ground of his being the son of Our Gracious King ;
and would allow of such a deference only in the event
of its being proved to be usually paid. . fie cited a •
letter from the Adjutant General to Mr: Harrison.
one of the Secretaries of the Treasury, stating, that
a Board of General Officers, to whom this Matter was
referred, were of opinion with the Cottimander 'in
Chief that no alteration' could with propriety be
made in the present system Of supplying 'groat coats.
He also cited a letter from Sir James Polteney, Se-
cretary at War, to Mr. Harrison, stating, that he had
submitted to the Commander inChief, the Treasury
Letter; recommending open contraa, afid that His
Royal Highness was of "Opinion, that no alteration
should be made in the present mode of supplying
the, most essemialcomtbrt of a. soldier. A fear was
expressed that open Cantraa would 4e
.made die .
means of forcing great coats' of inferi,"7nuality ; "hut
this, Mr. Wardell contended,. could be 'guarded'
against by. previous inspeaion. In order:to prevent
degclencies ou extraordinary occasions of urgent ser-
vice, Messrs. Scott proposed that there should always
be a 'supply of (1000 approved great coats, ready io
be sent to any part of the world, according as. the
exigencies of the service•Shoeld require, He pro-'
pesed, as the 'best remedy and the most applicable
to. 'the .ease,- to transfer the `providing great
coats from the War Office to tits Commissary-Ge-
neral, to whoSe department it properly belonged. He
cited another letter from the TreasUry,
.again press.-
ing the propriety of supplyinff great coats by open
contract, inti.gayqcredit ,to his Majesty-'s Ministers
in insisting on this esonornic measure, in opposition
to the great Influence by which they were resisted.
The Secretary at War, in 1803; contraCted 'with Mr.
Pierce to find great coats tor the army fat 16S. (id.
each ;" Mr. Pierce immediately contracted with a
slop 'seller of the riame of Di ,(att, who furnished him
with themnt 139.-Xil. and 14s. . By this transaaion,
the Public lost 30,0001. Bimaking the contrast an
open:, and not a private'one, he was satisfied that the
country would be very much benefitted, without any
:Wit:Try .wbatOer accruing to the po)anChtof the Re-
giments. He entered into an enumeration of the
savings that might be eflieaect on coats, hats, accou-
trements, &c. of the infantry, Which he estimated',
.at above tor,oool. and and had no doubt that if the
savings which, might be. made in the cavalry were
added,' the sum -total would be doubled, fle•kneW
Several Otficers, whnse.opiniou it was that the sac-,
tug, if properly condueled, would umount to
400,0001.. He concluded by tneving, three Resolu-
tions to the following effect :

" That it is the *won. of this. [louse, that by anintpro-
per adherence to the system of private ZnlitraCtS, great and
unnecessary expericts had been incurred mid that the Trea-
sury Orders or the ph or Nov. 1807, and of the ioth.
t•tuAry, aoli, directing the great coats the Army to be sop-
Pried b.,. phblic contract, were highly proper.
" That it appOrs highly expedient, that ih future all con-
tracts for the army-clothing should be open.
" That a Committee be appointett to examine into the
clothing of the ?truly, and to report to the Hoti4e
.their C,t
pl.;
1600 thereon."

The SteitETAit;t it VAR 'replied to• the obi;erva-
tion of the Him. G?mtemati. These who were
wi.:ll acquainted With the I.voollen trade, 11;10 n-
eti
hitrrthat the remained 2.tatiotiary trom
Itt43 to the pr:;ieht time. .With ruspeN price
for 1.,,112,:it koats that had tiefti fixed in I eo.t, y,
tji, tid. he culticl only s.3l', that aS int i‘J U;V.ivir

sio?d, that • price had • not been fried without ritie
deliberation, and a' consideration of: every cir-
eum:itance conneaed with the suhjea. A.. refercwe
to the ot?inton of military Men, dnd uarticularly4o that
t heCommanderin Chief, wasindispensible ittques-
, lions nature,•and consequently the infereintes
of. the, Lion. GendeMah did not apply. When.the
hits-Mess was referred to the Commander in Cbief,
Ike communicated it to the Board of General
Oth-
cers, who of-course were pertectly.disinieresied, and
who, after due deliberation, declared their unanimous
opinion,• an opinion in which, the Commander in
Chief had concurred: The soldier's great coat was
to last him for three years; was frequently. his
only covering, apd it became therefore most items.
sary, •that ttese coats should not be of an inferior
quality. On this'principle the Board of General
Officers and the Commander In Chief had objetied
to any change in the system by which these coats
had hitherto ,been furnished. The Secretary at
War had no connexion whatever with the appoint-
ment of those who were to furnish
,the clothing to
the army. gvery Camel of a regiment seleetedo his.
own army clothier. The War-office, therefore,
could have no interest in the qirestion. It was not
to be expeCted, that, the Treasury would suppose
any orders of this nature limed by them upon this
subject` were final, without consultation with the
military authoritiec The Treasury had recomineuded
a new sprepf, bat the Board of General Officers
and the Commander in Chief were so strongly im-
pressed with what they conceived would be the in-
jury Which the Army would sustain fromm the change*,
that the Treasury acquiesced. He did not think the
least advantage would *True- to the public from
taking the clothing out of the bands of the Colonels;
although he was satisfied that (provided a tair coin-
pensation wire made to them) the Colonels would
be much benefited,: and would be very batik to
have the clothing removed from their hands into
s those of the public. He wetild move. the previous
question on the first Resolution.
Mr..Wityrintisab commented With great severity
on the extreme absurdity of the di e+= Ut our soldiers,
and particularly that of the cavalry regiments. The
enormous Muffs on their heads, and the whiskers on
their faces were equally absurd and useless, His
Honourable Friend had plainly proved that the sol-
dier had the same great coat put on his baCk_at 16s.
6d. which might be provided for him at 14i. ad. and
even that, the same' identical . house had supplied at.
1..65. G(L the same coats. which they had professed
themselves willing to supply at 14S. N. Of all .
these statements Lbe Honourable Secretary had taken
no notice, nor had he chosen to advert to the pur-.
chafes that Mr. Pierce had made of a slop-seller..--
An open contraa was certainly infinitely preferable
to $ private contract}. ;He thought that his Honour-
able Friend had completely 'substantiated his state-
ments, and that a Comthittee. ought to be appointed
to investigate the subject. From the Made in which
.the Committee of Finance were now proceeding, it
was not likely„ were
.the Chairman to live -to.the
age of Methusalern, " that he 'would ever' have to re-
port 'on this subjeit.
The SEcRETARY at WA,a explained.

. General STUAItT defended the dress of some of the
regiments of cavalry, 'which were on .the principle of
the Gerlll3:lS for the outposts Lif—an army. It ap-
peared to him that it did not signify how thesoldiers
were dressed, prOi4e4` they 'were. well 'disciplined,
With resl)eo to the erothing of 'the army, he t:luught
It would be in, rtous to the public to take it cut of
t _

Mr. WHITBREAD explained:
Mr. HusKissou observed; that the sulljea was nu,
der diictission, and there Were arrangements making
upon it. In the contrads for great coats wet.:
already open, as -desired by the Hon. Gentleman.
He thought it would be most absurd to go into a
Committee on the other parts of the question, until
after the Report ot Vie Commissioners. of Military
Inquiry should be presented to the Hods.e. The
Treasury had nothing more at heart than an open
competition on all subjects, but on many it would be
a tiended with considerable danger and inconvenience.
Mr. Ftlt.Lcit concurred with the Hon. Gentleman
(Mr: Whitbread) in.ridiculing the dress of same of
our regiments, and especially the spdden Changes of
regimentals, the 'expellee or 'which had compelled
many Officers to quit their regiinetits, Adverting
fin th&scantiness of clothing in some casts, he de-
clared that he had seen instances in eitich the dress
of the soldiers of a regiment had been made so tight
that. it had been burst by the sudden contraction oc-
casioned by u shower of rain ; and the poor fellows
were nothing but their shirts to coveta'part
of their bodies, which he would not. name. On the
whole, hoWever, he believed that the clothing was
conducted on a very equitable principle.
After a fewttords in explanation, Mr. WARpELI.
withdrew his NiLtioli.