Star.
London, England, 1819-02-20 00:00:00

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PARLIAMENTAR P PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY 19. •
Counsel were heard at some length touching the Scots Cause,
" George and Sir Patrick Walker so. Gibson."—To pro-
. *ad again on Monday.
The Earl of Saassox and Earl Neuter took the oatba "id
their seats.
Mr. lita.t.ocx, from the Treasury, presented statements of the
amount of the National Debt, in each year respectively, from
1804 to 1819 ; anti also of the amount of the Consolidated Fund
far the last four years, with sonic other financial documents.
pursuant to a recer.t order of the house.
Mr. Jomisots, from the London Dock Company, presented an
Account of the Receipts and Disbursements of that Corpora-
tion, from the 30th November, 1817, to the 110th November,
1818, and also a Report relative to the Progress of the Works.
These Papers were ordered to lie on the table, and subse-
quently the Finance Accounts were, on the motion of the Mar-
quis of Lai/swims, ordered to be printed.
Lord KEN YON observed, that their Lordships stood sum-
moned for Monday next, on a proposition, of his original intro-
duals:us, respecting a Committee of Inquiry on the subject of
employing Children in Cotton NI anufsctories. It was however
his wish, in consequence of die lamented indisposition of a Noble
Earl, who took a prominent part in the discussion, to move to
discharge the Order for summoning their Lordships, in order to
renew it for Thursday next, when he was anxious that no fur-
ther postponement should take place, as such would be highly
inconvenient to many of the parties ho had come up, and were
prepared to give their evidence before the proposed Committee

en the subjeci.
The Noble Lord, having moved to that effect, it was ordered
accordingly by the House.
The Tnoenty Millions Eschequer Bills' Bill passed through a
Committee and was reported.
STATE OF THE PRISONS.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, seeing a Noble
Viscount in his place, took the opportunity to call
their Lordships attention to a subject which had
been more than once before them. He meant that
of an Inquiry into the State of the Prisons in the
united Kingdom. He had understood from the No-
ble Viscount, on a former occasion, that he was wil-
ling to propose a Committee of that description. He
sow wished to know whether things were in such a
state that such a Committee as was spoken of may
be speedily appointed? He was as desirous as ever
to come forward on the occasion ; but as circum-
stances stood, if the Noble Viscount still retained his
purpose, he should preferably leave the subject, in
the first instance, in the hands of his Majesty's Go-
vernment:
Viscount SIDMOUTH observed, that their Lord-
ships would recollect what he had stated on the sub-
ject towards the latter end of the last Session ; and
the little prospect there was of having the necessary
information got in, to any considerable extent, before
the close of the year 1818. The whole of what was
required from England was not yet returned ; but
he should be able to lay' these returns, he thought,
on the table on Monday next. The major part of
what Was required from Scotland, had been returned.
From Ireland the returns were very few. His Lord-
shirstated his intention on Thursday next to move
that the subject and the documents thereon before
the House should be referred to the consideration of
a Select Committee. The Noble Secretary of State
then presented some additional papers on the subject--
a Statement of the several Committals to the various
Prisons, from 1805 to 1815, both inclusive, together
with a specification of those convicted ; with some
other relevant accounts.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE wished to be in-,
sm.; ,n,l,..thpr ...Turns were to be made not only
from the principal Jails, but from the various Pri-1
sons appertaining to local jurisdictions. It were un-'
doubtedly to be wished that all could be included,
stud in the most comprehensive sense.
Viscount SIDMOUTII observed, that at present
big was unable to answer the Noble Marquis's ques-
tion. The requisitions made were for such informa-
tion as had been ordered by the House : but their
lardships may rest assured that no effort should be
wanting on his part to procure the fullest informa-
tion practicable upen the subject.
The papers just presented were, on his Lordship's
motion, ordered to be printed.