The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-05-05 00:00:00

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beard any learned or laborious men complain of any
want of facilities in their own admission to the Mu-
mma, though they sometimes generously wished those
facilities to be extended to others.
Mr. LOCKHART explained.
The vote was agreed to without a division..
1.3.50,0001. was voted for the Army Extraordinaries of Great
Britain.
60,001. for Do. le Ireland.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT, in proposing a vote for the
African Forts, took occasion to mention the recom-
mendations which had been made to Government on
this elect. The first was to appoint a Governor
on the spa Coast, Independent of the African Com.
patsy ; the next was, to reduce the number of the
Committee of the African Company. The last was
to reduce the number of the forts. It was thought
inexpedient to displace the present Governor, who
was engaged in discoveries in the interior, and in ne-
gociations with the native Princes, who had consented
to send their sons to Cape Coast Castle to be in-
structed. It was deemed invidious to displace the
Members of the present Committee; but as vacancies
occurred, they would not be filled up till they were
reduced to the number recommended. It was thought
inexpedient to reduce the number of forts, lest an
opportunity should be given to ships of any nation
to renew the ravages of the Slave Trade. The sum
Of 23,0001. bad been annually voted. This year he
proposed to vote 28,0001. The additional menu,
was to beespended on the building of a chapel, there-
Or of forts, and the building of schools,
Mr. W. SMITH said, (befit bad been thought in-
jodlcious that the present measures for tbeimprove-
ment of Africa, should be carried on by those who
had been engaged formerly in carrying on measures
of a different description. He had no objection to
the sums voted for discoveries in Africa, but he had
rather see them carried on under the direction of the
Government than of the African Company.
Mr. GORDON said, that his investigation on the
Committee convinced him of the good management of
the African Company, and that since the abolition
of the Slave Trade, they had done all in their power
to carry the law into effect. He was of opinion that
the additional grant would be made up for by addi-
tional commerce, and especially by an ad valorem
defy on ivory.
Mr. SMYTH agreed there was no proof that the
African Company had engaged in the Stave Trade;
but he saw no reason why the coast of Africa should
be excepted from the general rule of colonies which
were under Governors appointed by the Crown.—
The House was hardly justified in indult sums to the
African Compauy, over whose expenditure they had
no check.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT said, that in future accounts
would be every year laid on the table of the expendi-
ture of the Company.
Mr. W. SMITH said be wished it to be under-
stood, that he did not even insinuate that the African
Company had acted improperly ; but whet he and
others bad doubted, was, whether a proper effect
would be produced on the People of Africa, when
they saw that the persons employed to put an end to
the Slave Trade were those who for years they bad
wen carry it on.
The Vote was agreed to.
&MO!. was voted to the Board of Agriculture.
394.7001. for the Commtwariat.
99,0001. f..r the Harm k Department.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT proposed 25,0001. for the
Caledonian Canal.
Mr. WYNN wished to know whether there was a
probability that this sum would complete the work?
Mr. ARBUTHNOT said that it would not be
completed in the present year.
dlr. FORBES lamented the reluctance with which
money was granted for Scotland. He particularly
condemned some Ilonourable Member, who, utt a
former occasion, had called Scotland a Colony, and
bad said she should maintain herself.
Mr. W. SMITH thought this complaint of the
Honourable Member came with rather ill grace on a
vote for a work on which, with others lately done
by Parliament for Scotland, 900,0001. had been ex-
pended—a aim, the application of which he had ap-
proved of, but which was not trifling, and which
equalled all that had been expended in England (by
Parliament) for the Rome purpose for two centuries.
Ile thought it would be better to vote a sum to con-
clude the work at once. The invention of steam-
boats promised to make the work of more importance
than had been contemplated. If either end of the
Island was to, be called a colony—which meant a
country populated by au influx of people from ano-
ther—this part was at present more entitled to the
name than Scotland.—[d laugh.]
Mr. FORBES explained.
Mr. PROTHEROE thought it strange that a
Gentleman should complain of illiberality towards
Scotland, when the House was voting public money
to that part of the island, for doing that which was
in this always the work of individual capital.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT said be had reduced the esti-
mate in consequence of the pressing demand for eco.
nomy, but with the pleasure of the (louse he would
withdraw it, to give the subject more mature con-
sideration as to the propriety of proposing a larger
vote for the more rapid completion of the work.
After a few words from Mr. Wynn, Mr. Finlay,
Mr. Arbuthnot, and the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, the vote was withdrawn.
MOM. was voted for the Collegent Ediabargb.
Mr. W. DUNDAS took occasion to say, that the
liberality of Parliament to Scotland had been un-
bounded, and the effect had been, that in a few
years that country had made more rapid strides to.
wards prosperity, than in centuries before.
3.4941. was voted for the Repairof Henry the V l lth's Chapel.
Mr. A tißuniNoT proposed a vote of 75,0001.
for the Gold Coinage in 1818.
Mr. J. P. GRANT observed, that it was sur.
prising to heir a proposition of this kind, at a time
when the gold coin could not be kept in the country ;
and wb .rs, of two millions of sovereigns which had
been issued, not one was to be seen, except in the
possession of some old ladies to mark their points at
whist.
Mr. W. POLE stated, that the law of the land
was, that the bullion brought to the Mint should be
coined without charge to the owners. Bullion had
been, within the last few months, sent in in such
quantities, that the amount in the year would pro-
bably be eight millions. it was therefore necessary
to provide for its coinage. Though only two millions
of suteteigus had been issued by the Batik, stun