The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-24 00:00:00

three millions from he Sinking -Fund, would be a. real. relief to
the Country. The Ilon. Member then contended 'for the ex-
pediency of repealing the duty on Law Proceedings, the IVin-
dow Duty, and some of the-Duties on. Foreign Wine. From
all.these dtfTerent sums, a further reduction might be made to
a large amount, which would, lie had no doubt, proportionably
increase the prosperity of the country. He concluded by saying,
that he should reserve himself on other points till the details of
the Measure came before the House:

• :
7,(,i1 r. expressed his satisfaction at the statement which
had been made by the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. lie wished to know, however, why some relief had
not been given to the. West India interest—'whiCh he expected
would have received a remission of at least 7s. per cwt. Off
the duty on Sugar. He also thought that a • reduction
might have been made of a -million or a million and a half
in the Duties from beer, and that there was no reason
.why a poor man should pay thirty-five shillings a barren for
what a rich man paid twenty-five shillings. Ile also objected
to the retention of a sinking fund which was only plausible as
a support to public credit. He also argued in favour of dimin-
ishing the duties on home and foreign spirits, and that on for-
eign wine, and further insisted that the whole of the assessed
taxes ought to be repealed, and the Sinking fund appropri-
ated to the public service. The Hon. Member next adverted
to the tax on law-proceedings and urgently recommended the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to peruse Mr. Bentham's argu-
ments against that duty. He concluded by opposing the vote
of 500,000/. for the building of churches as a partial measure.
Mr. ROBERTSON approved of the taxes which had been
proposed to be remitted by the Right Hon. the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, and dwelt on the benefits which the country
had already received from the Sinking Fund.
Mr. G. BENNET complained of the changes which took
place in the currency of the country, anti assured the Commit-
tee that the agriCultural interest was at present by no means in
a flourishing condition. He also strenuously opposed the grant
for the building of additional churches.

Mr. DAVIES GILBERT merely rose to express his wish
that the Salt Tax should be allowed to expire. If free of duty
salt would be extensively employed in agriculture, and also in
the coarser arts, such as pottery and brick-making, &c.
Mr. BROGDEN then proceeded to read the Resolutions.—
On coming to the second Resolution,
Mr. BARING rose to inquire by what means the Right
Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to raise
money to pay the dissentients.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the
means employed would of course depend upon the amount of
the sum required, Whether it would be by a new loan (which
of course could not be. called an addition to the debt) or by an
issue of Exchequer Bills, he was not now prepared to !tray.
The rest of the Resolutions were then read, and the House
resumed, when the Report was ordered to be 'received to-
morrow.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that
the Report of the Committee of Supply should be brought up.
Mr. WARitz asked a question respecting the new Dock at
Sheerness, which Was satisfactorily answered .by Sir GEORGE
CLEAN, who stated that a few pounds wouldeiender it perfectly
applicable to all the purposes for which it was intended.
Mr. HUME wished to know whether it was the intention of
Government to expend the other half million yet to be laid out.
If the Howe was the only ship too large, it was not worth while
making alterations in it.
Sir GEORGE CLERK said it would not come to more
than 401.

Mr. HWIE wished to know whether it was intended to
persevere in the work ?
Sir BYAM MARTIN said it would make but a small ex-
pence.

Mr. BENNET asked whether the pledge was to be kept,
that no further works would be engaged in?
Sir GEO. CLERK said he supposed the Hon. Member
alluded to a pledge given by him. He had stated that a large
sum would be necessary for the new part of the yard ; but
rent for some time to come would be taken for a repair of the
sea-wall. The money was laid out in repairing the sea-wall.
The report of the Supply Committee was brought up.
Mr. HOBHOUSE repeated his question. which had not
been answered on a former night—whether the Mews was to be
converted into barracks ? .

Lord PALMERSTON said, barracks were there at present,
and it was intended to continue them.
On the vote of the Committee for increasing the ;Unitary
Force being read,
Mr. HUME decidedly objected to so large an establishment.
The Hon. Member again contended that the expence was more
than the country ought to bear. He read an extract from the
speech of a Noble Lord (Castlereagh), delivered in 1817, where
he called the attention of the house to seven millions as an ex-
travagant vote, and the Noble Lord recommended not snore
than six millions and a half. The general opinion was, that the
estimate to which he had alluded ought to be reduced, but this
year the country was to support a larger establishment than in
1017. On the whole, there appeared to be a determination to
make Englaud a military nation, which we ought not to be.
There appeared, he was ready to admit, on the part of the
present Ministers, a disposition to do right for the country in all
matters with the exception of the military establishment. The
estimate of the number of men appeared to him to be wrong.—
If it were reduced 10,000 they would do right. He considered
it his duty to persuade the House to make that reduction from
the present number. The House and the nation had nothing
but peace to look for. Mr. Hume concluded by repeating the
motion he made in the Committee for reducing the Estimate.
Lord PALMERSTON said, this question had been so fully
discussed on a former occasion, that he should not trespass on
6,oTohoe,OHooolu.
the time of the House by re-arguing the matter. He rose for
the purpose of correcting a mistake under which the Hon. Gen-
tleman laboured, with respect to the establishment of 1817.
The establishment then was 107,000, and the expence 6,644,0001.
The establishment this year was less, and the expence short of
se
then divided-
For Hume's Amendment - • 8
Against it - - . - 52
The Resolution wasiaajgorreiedty to.
Mr. HUME observed, upon the question for agreeing to
142,0001. for the pay of Reduced Officers, that the Chancellor
of the Exchequer had made a mistake in saying there would
be a reduction in the half-pay ;it was a dead weight, and there
would be no reduction.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER assured the
Hon. Gentleman he himself was under a mistake if he supposed
that any reduction he had mentioned with respect to Half-pay
was above the fair estimate. He had under-stated the estimate
which the Committee had considered likely to accrue.
Mr. HOME then stated that some increase had taken place
this year in the sum estimated for the Out Pensioners of Chel-
sea Hospital.
Lord PALMERSTON said, there would have been a re-
duction in that Estimate, but several regiments from India had
brought home men entitled to high pensions for Indian service.
The Estimate this year had reacited its maximum.
The Resolutions having been read, the Report was agreed to.
The other Orders of the day were disposed of.
BANKRUPT LAWS.

lIIr. W. COURTENA Y brought in a Bill to amend and
consolidate the. Bankrupt Laws, which was read the first time,
and ordered to be read•a second time on Wednesday.
Adjourned at HALF-PAST TWELVE O'CLOCK.

A FRACAS IN BOND-STREET.—About five
o'clock on Saturday afternoon, a rencontre of a
very unpleasant nature took place on the pave,
at the door of Long% Rotel. Two Military
Gentlemen met ; high words ensued, and a
blow ; the latter was inflicted by a heavy horse-
whip on the shoulders of Captain F. The as-
sailed party had only a light stick. The blows
followed each other in rapid succession, and with
tremendous force, not only over the back, but
the face, neck, arms, and legs. The unequal
contest was not long maintained ; the person
thus assailed fell in the passage to the coffee-
room, and called for a constable, whilst the as-
sailant walked quietly away.

Another Account.—A rencontre of an un-
pleasant nature took place in Bond-street on
Saturday last, between a Mr. F a, ]ate of
the 13th Light Dragoons, and a Mr. F—n, in
which the former was horsewhipped, in conse-
quence, it is said, of some expressions said to
have been used by him to the deterioration of
Mr. F------D's character as a Gentleman.

The prospectus of the new Greek Loan will
appear shortly. This loan is already at a pre-
mium. Lord BYRON has subscribed for 10,0001.,
and we have authority for stating, that a Gentle-
man closely connected with Mr. CANNING is also
a subscriber to half that amount.—(Edinburgh
Observer.)