Star.
London, England, 1807-08-08 00:00:00

The Committee to meet at the Speaker's Chao•,
beta next morning. • .•
Mr. BANKES Elated, that the Report might ,he
made to•mosrow, in which cafe he lhould fubmit a
motion to the Houfe upon the fubjeet on Monday.

CuNSOLIDATFD FUND BILL.
On the Order of the Day for the third reading of
theConfolidated Fund Bill,
Mr. WHITBREAD rule and obferved,, that as it
feemed evident the Seffion was about to clofe, he
thought it his duty to make two or three remarks on
the extraordinary fittration of the country, at a period
when Minifters were about to pro ogue Parliament.
The Houk had before them feveral notices of mo-
tions upon fubjeets of the greateft importance. The
Bills for the defence of the country were jolt gone up
to the other Houle to be difctiffed there ; and they
had heard fpeeches from. Noble Lord (Caftlereagli)
Slating that there were other meafures necelfary, in
It's opinion, but which the Setlion would be too fhert
to enable him to introduce. A notice had alfo been
given of a motion to confider the prefent trying fitu-
;scion of the Weft India Planters, and the motion had
been made to infpea the Lords' Journals, for the
purpofe of taking an important fobjeet into confider.
ation. He knew that we had jolt fent out a very
large expedition, which it was fuppofed had not
gone to any gr,:at dillance, and from which, there-
fore, intelligence, it was to be prefumed, might very
loon be earthed ; and its refults would be moll im-
portaot to the country, whether fuccefsful or other-
wife. He knew alfo that a treaty had been conclud-
ed between Prafrt, one of our Allies, and France,
the particulars of which were public ; and that there
was alfo a Treaty figned between France and aoo-
thee of our Allies, Ruflia, of the greatest code-
quence, but as yet unknown. From the terms of
the Treaty with Pruffia, however, we learned that
the Emperor Alexander, who, it had been laid, bad
afted with fo much magnanimity, had taken a con
fiderable portion of the territory of his late ally and
friend the King of Pinflia. The King of Sweden,
our remaining Ally, was confeffedly in a moll criti•
cal Situation, and the Britifh force was fent nut to
atilt him. Under all there cireumflancer, and with
the alarming State of the Well India Merchants, al
molt iir a flare of impending ruin, with fo extraor-
dinary a Vote of Credit Aced on account of large
lams being wanted, in the probability of the Volun-
teers being called out on permanent duty for feveral
monthia which portended an expo Cation of a fpcedy
invafion, or appearance of the enemy upon the coati;
under all there cite-I'm:lances, he wanted to know
what advice was given. or to be given by hlinillets
to their Sovereign, repeaing a prorogation of Par.
liament ? He thought that Minifters, who had ad-
vifed• the dill...lotion of the lalt Parliament, were
bound to counsel his Majetly to keep the present
Parliament together, till time was aff .rded them to
confider tl.efe various important fubjeas, which fo
mach interefted the country. The Vo'e of Credit
was great, and it teemed likely to be taken with a
view to counfel the King not to fummon Parliament
at an early day. He was therefore defirous rrf know-
ing at what time it was probable that Parliament
would again meet ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQIInIt
eontidered that the prolonging the preient Sii.tang
Parliment would be one of the greateft poffible in-
conveniences. As to the prorogation, it wauld be
in the ufual was, for a Short period ; arid to be re-
newed, as occasion rendered neceffary, according to
F.,' liter cultom. The queftion, as to the time of
meeting again, depended entirely of ciicumflances,
of which he could not at prefent freak, as it was not
potllble for him to forefee what might happen.
Lord HENRY PETTY obferred, that the quer
tion put by his Hon. Friend was rot for a frecific -
time, but a general queftion. After a vote taken
at fa late an hour for a fum exceeding any former
inflance of any vote of credit, and taken under cir.
cumliances that called for a lets vote of credit than
in other periods of war as connected with Continen-
tal co operations, the mind was naturally diretted
to ark for fume explanation of the circumtlances
which could call for fuch an unprecedented firm!—
' Recolleeting the circumflances of the vote then, he
mull call on the Houfe co be aware of its great ex-
I tent. Under the annihilation of Continental co-
operation, and after fitting two months later than
i could have been expeeled, after the events which
I alone could render fuch a vote applicable were
gone by, yet this large vote was taken, and an avow.
al made, that by the meafures now adopted an in-
creafe was made of 1.300,c001. to the public expenfe,
after adding 700,0001. to the vote of credit, under
circumtlarces that called for a diminution of ex.
Ipences. They had laid it might poffibly be neceffary,
in cafe of a threatened invafion, to call out the Vo.
lunteer force : but in that cafe he thought it would
lee the ditty of Ministers immediately to call together
the Parliament. With regard to the 700,0001. that
rum was voted in pure confidence, at a feafon of the
year when it was not wanted, and, as it appeared,
having no other objea but to enable Minifters to de-
lay the next meeting of Parliament. He Rated that
a finals part of the vote taken in March was expected
to be called for, and an allowance was made for
the additional expences in the Mediterranean. He
mull therefore again call the attention of the Houfe
to the enormous grant, founded on no data or com-
munication whatever, made to the Houle by Mini.
liters. He fhould take the advantage of the latitude
afforded him on the fubjeEt of a money bill, as he
thought it incumbent on him to fay fomething by
the authority of his Noble Friend (Lord Howick)
who was too much indifpofed to be prefent, on the
charges that had been advanced on the fubjea of
promifes held out an our allies of affillance, which
had never been performed. He thought it due not
merely to his Noble Friend, or to the charafter of
the late Government, but to the credit and honour
of the country, to make a diftina explanation on this
fubjea. -He had then that Noble Lord's authority
for laying, that as to promifes held out to Sweden,
which power lie believed had been particularly al-
luded to, fuch promifes were merely contingent
on the occurrence of a particular operation, in
which cafe cavalry were to be fent out, and the
number wanted could have been readily fupplied at
any time when that contingency Should occur: but
-the time and the occafion never did arrive. The
grounds of the promife never occurring, could any
perfon be juflified in making any imputation on the
faith,honour, and charalter of the Government or
the country ! With regard to Rusks, bis Noble