The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-05 00:00:00

CURRENCY.

Lord KING moved for an account of the market
price of standard 'silver. His reason for bringing
forward this motion' his understanding that
the market price of silver was now below the Mint
price ; a circumstance which proved that the sil-
ver currency was rated above its actual value.
With regard to gold, the Bank being constantly
the buyer of that artiele,: at a rate not less than
the. Mint prices, viz. 3L 17s. 101,11. that had be-
come the market priee and so continued. There
not being a similar demand for silver, the prih of
that article had fallen three half-pence per oz.
or about one and a half per cent. belOw the Mint
price. This, •iti his opiirion, pruvcd that the sil-
ver currency had been issued at too high a rate ;
bow otherwise should the matketprice of silver be
on a different footing here to what it was in every
Other part of Europe ? Or how otherwise could
such a difference haiie at all arisen ? His Lordship
concluded by moving for the account mentioned,
which was ordered.

CIVIL LIST.
The MAIVIeSS of LANSDowN, with a view to
the question respecting-the Civil List, Which it
was lately would soon-come before the
asked whether it was intended to move the ap-
pointment of a Committee to take the subject
into consideration, or whether it watintended to
move for the production of any papers- for the
purpose of giving infortuation to the House re-
specting the accounts relative to tiTe Civil List.
The Etrl of LIVERPOOL saki, it was not intend-.
ed to move for the dp pcfin tine t of Any Committee
upon the subject ; with regard to papers; it would
be found that the papers laid hefoie the [louse in
1816, when tl:c whole question was exotniued in

another place itt the minutest detail, wet e amply
sufficient' for all tire purposes of iniormation.
The Maripiess of LANK•sriowtz observed, t but
though it was true the subject was minutely invest'.
gated in 1816, yet it must be in the recollectiob
of many, that a distinct pledge was at that time
given, that on the occurrence of a new reign,
the whole subject shonhl be open to the minutest
investigation, it being obvious that during the
continuance of the late reign it was impossible
to obtain from any investigation the Wished for
effect. He had heard with the greatest sAtistac-
don the declaration of hii Majesty froth the
Throne, that he wished for no increase beyond
the arrangement in 1816, 'and in that declaration
he rtp6sed the utmost confidence. But inde•
pendent of any question of economy, there was a
(1"C8 ion in his mind of the greatest importance
relating to the classification of the.different heads
of expense, and the simplifying the accounts so
that every man might be enabled at once to see,
what sums were appropriated to the Crown and
to the Royal-Family, and what to the purposes of
the Civil Government of the country, having no
reference to the expenses of the, Crown or of the
Royal Family. The arrangement'of 1816 'stop-
ped short of this point,and it was upon this ground
in particular that he wished a detailed inVesti-
gation to take place, in order that the simplifica..
don of the accounts to which he had alluded
might be effected, and also what. be considered
would be a great advantage, the complete separa.
don of all the classes of expenditure connected
with the Civil Government of the country, from
the sums appropriated to the Crown and Royal
Family. This would remove all Uneettainty tram
the latter, whilst the former would be, like other
charges, the subjects of estimates and of annual
votes. He merely threW out these considerations
without intebding to discuss the qtiestion at the,
present 1110(11i111. 019 Lordship Cincluded by
moving for tire re-printing of the accounts,
papers relative to the Civil List laid•betore toe
•Hotise in 1816.
'lire Eat' of LIVERPOOL said, there had been
no precedent of the appointment of any Com.
tnittee to investigate the Civil List at the curb-
mencement of a new reign, and he saw no re°.
son why they should in this instauee depart troth
the practice of their ancestors. It was true,
that upon this occasion they ato,;(lnpon. vantage
.ground. Every lri arch of the Civil List having
been thoroughly and minutely investigated in
1816, not fOur yeari ago, but this rendered the
more'tstinecesSary any inVestigatiOn now,
,par-
. denlarly as ;he. examination in 1816. rook place
Whilst the Gov:Obuittot w.ty adiniuistered .by the

[PRICE SEVENI'ENCF.

Illustrious Personage now upon the ThrOne, who
was then Regent.; As to the suggestion of the
NMrle Marq't.ass, ,of
,still tut,ther,separatiug the
charges of the Civil Governutent nom the silt»,
appropriated to the'CroWn and the Royal Family,
lie (Lord Liverp66l) doubted the .pracsieability,
or at least the expediency, of. making any further
sepaeation of these classes of expenditure, as' he
not only saw no advantage to be gained from that
course of proceeding, but he. ,thought the inStik•
lion of the King and the Royal Family troal the
Civil Government of the Country, wOnisi be rather
prejudicial than otherwise, it being in a gteatde-
gree essential to the practice of the Cues it ut ion,
that the King should remain erennetted as at pre-
sent with the -expenditure of the Civil Govern-
ment. As to the preventing of floonation, it
must he obvious that the expynditureOf the Rept
Household must be tvially liable to flucruation
wish that of any priv!sie individual. He saw ,no
advantage whatever to he gainetd by the investi-
gation suggested by the Noble -Iqapptess, that.of
.1816 being amply sufficient fur every present
purpose..
Lsrd Kt,NG, had it not been for what had been
said by the Noble.Eatl, should have thought, a
Committee almost a matter of coutse, and that no
EWO Noble Lords scarcely could dilLfe aboin
As to what was said about 1816, it was a-t >getber
a fallacy, when applied to the present petiod-
-1816 was a year of tire most lavish expenditure,
of the highest prices, and df a depreciated cur-
rency ; it must be obvious, therefore, that to give
the same nominal- sum now was in tact a vtry
considerable increase. This was a strong addi-
tional reason for the proposediovestigation.
agreed also with his Noble
_Frienti, that it w,as
highly desirable to get rid of that extreme corn,
plieation of accounts which at preSt eharecter-
ised the Civil List. 11,is idea ryas, that the Civil
List should be so arranged as..to make it the inte-
rest of the Crown to he economical; at present,
by the late arrangetireut,' there was no limit to
the increase of expence; as in the class of foreign
Ministers., for instance, every appointment Wade
entitled the party appointed, after 'a certain pe-
riod, to *half pay, anti thus there was a continent
temptation to appoint persons merely with a view.
of their getting that allowance. Was it made the
interest of the Crown, by a new arrangement, to
be economical, there might be a considerable

The motion for repainting the accounts was
agreed to.—Adjourned till to-morrow (!tlis tiay)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Sotne Members took !be oaths, amongst whom
wore Lord. Folkestone, Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, Sir
ThoLmss Mmtyn, and:Sir W. U. Crespigny.

•
PRIVATE BILLS
The SPEAKER communicated to too House, that he un-
derstood a inisunderStanditig prevailed amongst the Agents to•
Private Bells. They bad supposed that the Bills were to be
retaken up at the particular stage in which they were dropped
-at the period of the-Dissolution. That was a mistake; for
though it was ordered that no increased expense was to be
incurred, and that the evidence then taken would be allowed,
yet it was essential that every preliminary step shotild be
again gone through. He mentioned the subject particularly,
as to-morrow was the last day for receiving Petitions on Pri-
vate• Rills. It would be tor the consideration of the .lltotsc
to
,say, whether, under the circumstances of site) a misconcep-
tion, it would not be proper to extend toe period fora week.
—(llear, hear !)
• Mr. IiOLNIE SUMNER, acting upon the suggestion of
the Chair, moved that the existing 11,solution of the lio.we,
as to the receipt of the Petitions on Private Bills, be rescind-
ed.—Ordered.---The extension of time for one week•was
agreed to.
Mr. K. FINLAY moved for an Annual Return of the
Number of Gallons of Spirit diStilled. in Scatlanil,,from the
year 1758 to. 1518, from Grain and Sugar, distinguishing toe
saute.

LONDON BRIDGE.
Mr. WHITBREAD presented a Petition from the Middle-
sex Watermen of the hiversTirentes, complaining of the great
insecurity of London Bridge, the danger lbws attended lite
and property, and the interruption it gave to the navigation
of the River.
Sir W. CURTIS admitted that after the presentation of
the Petition some inquiry into the state of bridge was ne-
cessary, although he believedit was not in the state of dan-
ger described. , .
Mr. F. LLWISoaid it was highly necessary either that the
Worthy Baronet or some other Member should bring the sub- •
ject before the House, as unless something was promptly in-
troduced a most serious (lineage would he done to the naviga-
tion of the river below the bridge--(1-lear, hear !)
.. Sir %V. CURTIS said he ehould consult with the Trustees
and other parties interested, and being the subject. subse-
quetruy under the consideration of Parliament.
Mr. Alderman WOOD said, an inquiry tied been going on.
for some time by the Trustees; but he tnought his Honoer-
able tsolleague had best leave the introduction of he subject
of bringing it before Parliament to one of the Gentlemen who
presented P(titions against the present state of the bridge. As
one of the Trustees of the bridge in right of his (awl-CM-ate
character, he declared himself quite prepared for inquiry.
Mr. CALVERT thought something that essentially affected .
the fact Was kept out of sight. The Corporation of London
had an interest in • the Water-wotbs, with which. the taking
down of London Bridge would interfere. As an Honourable
Vriehd.of his (Mr..Tayler) was about to make steam engines
emir:nine their own smoke, be might also extend his motion to
.have the water there worked by engines on the proposed new
construstion, rather than by wheels.
Mr. Alderman WOOD assiired his Honourable Friend, that
the City had no interest in the Water-works, except a small
rent', which they would not hesitate to give up.
The 'Petition was ordered to lie on the table.
. , TAX UPON WOOL
Mr. WILSON presented a Petition from the Merchants and
Traders in Woollen Manufactures'residebt in the City of Lons
non, prtying for the repeal of the Wool Tax, and for pro-
tection in their brand' of trade.
_He considered that impost
to have been mist unwisely laid, as the stele of the woollen
manufactures at. the time by no means jostihed such an addi-
tion to their burdens. It had been said by those who pro-
posed its enactment, that instead of producing a rise, it
would occasion a fall in the :nice of wool, hut the contrary
hadhappened, and the wool trade was reduced to a condition
-sottitith -worse than that I i which it stoedbefere the imposi-
tion of the duty, that the London Merchants had been ob-
liged to refuse an order for the supply of the Russian army,
which they had been able to execute in preceding years., The
mote he considered the subject, iby Inure, lie was convinced
of the ilijuiiiruseffects of the duty. It was in .tact a bounty
given to Colonial manufactuiers in opposition to those of the
Mother Country. He implored his Majesty's Ministers to
consider how witch better it wzr.r to repeal that relic at once,
rather than to waited( an saccumulation of distress should
render relief necessm.y.
The Petition having been brought up and read,
Mr. BARING ruse. /4e was ignorant whether the Hien.
Member intended to follow up the Petition by moving for a
Committee, bat lie could not seder this oppurtunity to pass