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N our laft volume we brought down the historical events of the year in general to the very conclufion of it. The only fubject of importance which we could not notice confiftently with the plan of our publication was the meeting of parliament, which was called to gether fo early as the 24th of September, 1799. The fpeech from the throne opened with recommending to the house to confider of the propriety of his majesty's availing himself to a farther extent of the voluntary fervices of the militia, at a moment when our active force abroad might be of the moft beneficial confequences.

It fet forth, "That, fince the laft feffion, our profpects, under Providence, had been improved beyond the most fanguine expectation: the deliverance of Italy might now be confidered as fecured by a campaign equal in fplendor and fuc

cefs to the most brilliant recorded in history.

"The kingdom of Naples had been rescued from the French yoke, and restored to the dominion of its lawful fovereign.

"The French expedition to Egypt had been productive of calamity and difgrace, whilft its ultimate views against our Eastern poffeffions had been utterly confounded; the defperate attempts which our enemies had made to extricate themfelves had been defeated by the courage of the Turkish forces, directed by the skill, and animated by the heroifm, of a British officer; and the overthrow of that reftlefs and perfidious power had placed the British interests in a state of permanent fecurity.

"There was every reafon to expect that our prefent efforts for the deliverance of the United Provinces would prove fuccefsful; we had rescued

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refcued already the principal port and naval arfenal of the Dutch republic from the enemy; and might hope that the skill of our generals, and the intrepidity of our troops, would foon, with the affiftance of our allies, furmount every obstacle; and that the fleet deftined, under the ufurped dominion of France, to invade these islands, would, under its ancient standard, restore the religion, liberty, and independence of provinces fo long in alliance with this country.

would be exercised, and that thofe who had been firft in their voluntary offers of fervice abroad would be firft preferred. He adverted to the ancient formation of the militia, and the exprefs terms on which they had been called forth; obferving, that nothing less than the nèceflity of this extraordinary war could warrant the leaft departure from the original fyftem; nor would he ftand up on the prefent occasion, if he entertained an idea that any attack would be made on the folemn compact on which the militia was inftituted.

"To our good and faithful ally the emperor of Ruffia, whofe wifdom and magnanimity directed the force of his extenfive empire to fo many quarters of Europe, we were in a great meafure indebted for the favourable change in the general posture of affairs. In purfuance of the recommendation of the British parliament, his majefty had communicated their fentiments to both houfes of parliament in Ireland, refpecting a union with that kingdom, which would add so much to the fecurity and happiness of his Irish fubjects, and confol.date the ftrength and profperity of the empire."

The marquis of Buckingham moved the addrefs in the houte of lords. He confidered the fpeech from the throne as a high compliment to that invaluable conftitutional force, the militia of this kingdom, with which he eftimated it a great honour to have been fo many years clofely connected: he knew their high fpirit, active efforts, and eager zeal, to dare every difficulty and danger in the fervice of their country; and at the fame time he knew their jealoufy with refpect to any thing which could appear a violation of the principles on which they were inftituted, and therefore flattered himself that the utmost impartiality

When he contemplated the events of the prefent year, beheld the fuccefs which had attended our arms in almost every quarter of the globe, he could not help confidering thefe as advantages very far fhort of thofe which Providence had yet in ftore for us. In confequence of our fituation, in confequence of the liberation of a large army which had been kept up in the country, and a large fleet ftationed in the Northern Seas, many of the provifions which parliament had adopted for the defence of the coafts were no longer neceffary: it would therefore be wife to entrust the defence of the country to the original militia, who were fully competent to that object, and to that invaluable body of men, the volunteer corps. Befides reducing the prefent establifhment to its original standard, it would be expedient to add to our troops in Holland; and if it were politic to difembody fo much of the militia force as was not neceffary for internal defence, it would alfo be politic to take those men into the regular forces who should make a voluntary tender of their fervices, that they might be employed abroad with honour to themfelves and benefit to their country. The