Star.
London, England, 1809-03-23 00:00:00

IRISH MALT DUTIRS.

Mr. FOSTER, in consespence of the rejection
of the Bill yesterday, for imposing a duty of ss. per
barrel additional upon Malt in Ireland, after some
explanation of the course he should nOw- find it ne-
cessary to pursue, in order to avoid so great a loss of
revenue as that rejection would occasion to the Ways
and Means of the year, moved that the House do to-
morrow resolve into a Committee, to./ake law consi-
deration the Acts for imposing Duties on Spirits
distilled from Sugar in Ireland. Ordeved.
Sir JOHN NEWPOR.T had no objection to the
measure proposed by the Might. finstaurable Gentle-

man, far as it would fp tp asek&lsenefieial megula.-1
tions, but thought it an extraordinary. proceeding to I
I attempt to raise large sums in the shape, of revenue
in Ireland, before the accounts ranter krants
were laid before the House, otany-general statement'
made respecting the finances of that country. ' - - -
Mr. FOSTER had no objection to state at any
time his opinion respecting the finances of Ireland,
though he did not think that the proper moment for
so doing. The Right Honourable Baronet must be
aware, that a sum not less than twenty-four millions
had already been voted by Parliament for the service
of the present year, two seventeenths of which, being
nearly three millions, were to be provided for by Ire-
land. As the expence upon that sum was already
in progress, and actually incurred, which rendered
it necessary to provide successively the means of
meeting it, when the general statement of the finances
of the Empire should be brought forward by his
Right Honourable Friend, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, whereby he:would be enabled to ascertain the
quota of Ireland, he should have no hesitation in
opening the Irish Budget in a Committee of Ways
and Means.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT again adverted to the cir-
cumstance, that the Papers had not been laid before
the House, shewing what had become of the money
♦oted in former ysars.
Mr. FOSTER replied, that the accounts of last
year were, by Act of Parliament, to have been pre-
sented on the sth of March, but as the sth of March
fell on a Sunday, they had been presented on the*fol-
lowing Monday. One or two of the papers, from some
unavoidable delay, were not then ready, but they had
since ben presented ; so that the Right Honourable
Bar• n-t could not have any ground of complaint up.
on that head.

• The motion was then agreed to, and the Commit.
tee appointed for to-morrow.

COMMITTEE OP !SUPPLY.

The House on the motion. of Mr. WARD, resolved
itself into a Committee of Supply, to which the Navy
Estimates had been previously referred. Mr. Witan-
TON in the Chair.
Mr. WARD then rose and stated, that in conse.
quence of what had already passed, when the various
votes for the service of the Navy had been submitted
to the Committee on a former occasion, he would not
then have to trouble the Commktee with any intro-
ductory observations. He should, therefore, content
himself with moving the usual votes, reserving to
himself, however, the liberty to answer to any ques-
tions or enquiries which may be made upon any of the
heads of the Estimates. He had only to observe,
that.the motions he had to sabmit were the usual
votes upon the Estimates.
The following sums were then moved by Mr.
WARD, for the respective services, and agreed to
by the Committee :

1,408,4371. 15s. 9d. for the Ordinary of the Navy, including
half-pay of Naval Officers and Marines for the service of the
year 1809.

2,296,0391. for Building, Re-building, and Repairs of Ships of
War, over and above the allowance for wear and tear, for the
year 7309.

3,000,000 L for Hire of Transports for the year 1909.
814,0001. for Defraying the Charge of Sick and Wounded Sea-
men and Marines, at home and abroad, for the year 1809.
506,0001. for Defraying the Charge of Prisoners of War in
Health, for the year 1809.

500,0001. for betraying the Charge for Sick Prisoners of War,
for the year 1809.
• Mr.WARD then begged Frdon of the Committee,
that he had not particularly mentioned the next sum,
which he proposed to move, which was now first in.
traduced amongst the usual votes, but to which he
was convinced there could be no objection. fie moved
that there be granted to his Majesty, to enable his
Majesty to establish a Compassionate List for the
Navy and Marines, a sum not exceeding 50001.
Sir CHARLES POLE wished to put a question
to the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, respecting the increase of the Commissioners
of some of the Departments connected with the
Naval Service, such as the Victualling Board, &c.-
-What he desired to be informed' f was, whether the
Act of Queen Anne did not extend to these Boards ?
and if so, whether it was not the opinion of the Law
Officers of the Crown that if the public service requi-
red any increase in these Boards, it would be expedi-
ent to have a particular Act passed to authorize the
same.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
replied, that it was the opinion of the Law Officers
of the Crown, and of the Lord Chancellor, that the
Act of Queen Anne did not extend to the particular
Commissioners alluded to by the Honourable Baro-
net. He had himself felt it his duty to direct his at-
tention particularly to the subject, and he had no he-
sitation in saying, that he coincided in that opinion.
The Act of Queen Anne applied only to Commis-
sioners appointed to execute offices which had ante-
cedently been held by one person, and were in exist-
ence previous to the passing of that Act, such as the
offices of Lord Treasurer or of L( rd High Admiral.
The Commissioners to whom the Honourable Baronet
referred, did not execute the duties of an office previ-
ously existing, but derived their office and discharged
the duties of it, in consequence of their commission.
The Act of Queen Anne, as the Hon. Baronet would
perceive, if he attended to the purview of it, had for
its object to define what offices may or may not be
held by Members having seats in that House; and
the limitation it set to the numbers of Commissioners
had reference only to Boards then in existence. If it
were purposed to increase the number of Commis-
sioners of that description, a new Act would unques-
tionably be necessary ; and the Hon. Baronet might
himself recollect, that when a few years since it was
thought expedient for the public service to make the
Chancellor of the Exchequer for Ireland, for the
time being, a Commissioner of the Treasury here, a
short Act was passed for the purpose, though no sa-
lary was proposed to be given to him. He could
assure the Hon. Baronet, therefore, that there was
no ground for his doubts upon the subject.
Sir CHARLES POLE returned thanks to the
Right Hon. Gentleman for the information he had
received, and declared himself satisfied, he having
had no other object in putting the question, than to
promote the public service.
Mr. WARD stated, that he had felt it hii duty to
make himself acquainted with the subject, and decla-
red himself of the same opinion with the Chancellor
of the Exchequer.
The sum for the Compassionate List was then vo-
ted, and the House having resumed, the report was
ordered to be received to-morrow.—Adjourned.

VII-ETYENTNT6 STAR

,~: .

LONDON.

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The FERVENT gun-brig had arrived at Plyrnonti
before our letters left that place, bat not in time to
allow much inquiry as -to the truth of the intelligent(
said to have been brought by her. The report %vs;
that when the FERVENT left Rochefort, on the 15t]
instant, Lord GAMBIER'S fleet was under weigh,
into Basque Roa4 to quack the enemy's feet.