lel to be drawn; or that the name of liberties should be given to a fyftem of oppreffion and flavery that has been extending the fame defolation to every land, however remote, that have already curfed every nation within its reach. Though this was not the object of any measure now before the Houfe, yet he would not now difavow the with, or the hope, that if any fuch effect could be produced, as that of extinguishing that monstrous fyftem, he should think it proper and glorious for this nation to co-operate in its atchievement. This much, however, he thought it advifeable to fay, to prevent any conclufion being drawn from the parallel that feemed to be instituted between the councils and projects of the two countries. But though it be not the defign of Great Britain to embark as a principal in the delivery of France from her present thraldom, yet there are other objects, in the accomplishment of which it fhould be our glory to co-operate, were an opening to offer not unfavourable to such an attempt, and that is, to refcue other independent countries from the flavery under which they are now ftruggling. Such object, he trufted, there was no man would oppofe; much lefs did he expect that any one would confound it with the objects purfued by the profligate ambition of the enemy. Whether fuch an opening might take place, or what thould be our beft mode of improving fuch an opportunity, was not the subject of that day's difcuffion. His only reafon for alluding to it was, that if fuch opening did actually arife, and if such an endeavour was made on our part to benefit by it, no one' fhould dare to affume a comparifon fo unjustly founded, and fo difhonourable to our principles, or be permitted to confound an honourable exertion upon our fide, to rescue the liberties of oppreffed countries from the gripe of France, with that plan of monftrous tyranny which France has been purfing to overwhelm the liberties and ruin the independence of every nation within her reach. Nor were the mistakes into which the Honourable Gentleman has fallen, lefs glaring than his precious obfervations were reprehenfible. He contends that we are now voting a larger force than was voted last year, or rather incurring a greater expence but did he pay a little more attention to it, he muit perceive that the difference arofe from the expence attending the Supplementary Militia which in the former eftimates was made out only for half a year. There is therefore no real increase in the expence, but only appears fuch, because it is now made permanent and computed for the the full year. The other increase arifes from a great force, efpecially Fencibles, being fent to Ireland. They were ordered thither in the end of fpring, and the militia, for the moft part, not till the fummer was far advanced, and nearly about the clofe of the laft Seffion of Parliament. Befides, the regiments now propofed to be raised were not new regi, ments, but fome that were to be filled up, and were therefore now brought upon the estimate of 1799. The mistake of the Honourable Gentleman is therefore evident, fince al lowing for the reductions now made, the force upon the whole is lefs,, or at leaft not greater, than that of last year. Surely it could not be his with to diminish the amount of the force in Ireland, for the rebellion was not there extin guished, as the Honourable Gentleman seemed to affert, on the authority of his Majefty's Speech. The Speech by no means acknowledged its extinction-it merely faid that it was curbed and repreffed; but there was no authority from the Throne for faying further: neither did his Majesty's Speech infinuate that there was no longer any danger of invafion in that quarter, or that the rebellion might not again break out; and indeed, whoever has looked attentively at the state of Ireland, and as to what it has been, and what it may be, muft fee and acknowledge that every measure of vigour and of precaution is ftill neceffary for confirming in an effectual manner the returning tranquillity of that coun→ try. Sir John Sinclair expreffed a wish to know, if the Report on the Army Eftimates was to be taken into confideration on Monday next? The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that as the difcuffion in the report might run into fome length, it was his with that it be taken into confideration on Tuesday, efpecially as Monday was already fixed upon for confidering an important measure of finance. The report of the other estimates he wifhed might be brought up on Monday, as they must be voted before he could open the Ways and Means of the year, which it was his intention to bring forward without delay. The Refolutions were then put and agreed to, and the Report ordered for Tuesday.. The Committee of Ways and Means was then ordered to Monday, and the Houfe adjourned. HOUSE HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, DEC. 3. Mr. Manning brought up a petition from the Merchants and others of the City of London and the Borough of Southwark, relative to the Wet Docks, which was referred to a committee. Mr. Dickenfor brought up a petition from the Bath Agricultural Society, praying for leave to bring in a Bill for the inclosure of certain lands in their neighbourhood. Leave granted., Mr. Rofe moved for an account of the net produce of taxes for one year, ending the 10th of October, 1798, distinguishing each quarter, and also distinguishing the duties impofed in the year 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, and 1798; an account of the value of British Manufactures exported from October 10, 1797, to October 10, 1798; an account of the value of foreign merchandize exported in the fame period; and a lift of articles of British manufacture exported in the quarter ending October 10, 1798. These accounts were brought up and laid on the table. Mr. Rofe brought up a bill for continuing and granting a certain duty on penfions, and on tobacco and fnuff, and a bill for continuing the duties on malt, mum, cyder, and perry, which were read a firft time, and agreed to be read a fecond time the next day. An account was brought up, and laid on the table, of the amount of the voluntary contributions in lieu of affeffed taxes. Mr. Tierney faid, that as he fuppofed the week would be wholly filled up with difcuffions on finance, he fhould, with the permiffion of the Houfe, put off his intended motion till the next day week. The order was accordingly made for day. Lord Nelfon's annuity bill was read a third time, and passed nem. con. Mr. Hobart brought up the report of the army eftimates, and, except the refolutions relative to the number of troops, the fecond reading of which was poftponed, they were all read a first and fecond time, and agreed to. FINANCE. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the House do refolve itself into a committee of the whole Houfe to con fider further of a fupply to be granted to his Majefty. Agreed to. He next moved, that the Act of the 38th of his prefent Majefty, chapter the 16th, be read, and that it be an inftruction to faid committee, to confider of faid act, which being alfo agreed to, the Houfe refolved itfelf into a COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS, Mr. Hobart in the chair. The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, before I proceed to open to the committee the very important fubject to which their attention will this evening be directed, it will be proper for me previoufly to lay before you a general outline of the fupplies, which will be neceffary for the fervice of the. prefent year. It must be obvious to the committee, that it is impoffible now to produce that ftatement with perfect accuracy, but from the manner in which the different estimates are made, we may form a general outline which will approach pretty near the truth. This ftatement must be founded upon a comparison with the expence of the fame branches of fervice in former years. SUPPLY. Independently of the transport service, which has not yet been voted, the extent of which it is impoffible to ftate with precifion, but which I fhall ftate at 1,300,000l. the fums voted for the navy, including 120,000 feamen, amount to 10,720 000l. making in all, under the naval department, ordinary and extraordinary For the army there has been already voted upon estimate The extraordinaries laft feffion amounted to about 3,200,000l. befides a vote of credit of one million, but I am happy to fay that thefe fums will be fully adequate to cover the extraordinaries in the courfe of the year, and that there will be no arrears on this head. As no fpecific provifion, however, was made for the vote of credit, that article must come to be provided for in the fupply of this year For the fervice of the year 1799, I fhould imagine that the extraordinaries of the army will not exceed the fum of two millions, at which I now ftate this article £. 13,642,000 8,840,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 There has this night been voted under the head of ordnance the fum of 1,500,000 1 Miscellaneous fervices, including money expended on the plantations (which, however, on the whole will be fomewhat lefs than ufual) 600,000 The fum voted in addition to the annual million for the reduction of the national debt 200,000 Brought over Certain other fums under the head of deficiencies of grants→ Intereft due to the bank on various fums advanced to go vernment Discount on prompt payment of the loan of last year Intereft on Exchequer bills Deficiencies of land and malt Making in all about 27,782,000 565.000 210,000 300.000 300,000 £.29,157,000 WAYS AND MEANS. Towards this fupply there are the fame general refources as The lottery Last year the growing produce of the confolidated Fund was taken at 2,100,000l. In the prefent year, however, variaus circumftances have concurred to diminish the amount of this branch: arrears of different kinds-the arrears of the intereft on the Imperial loan, &c. On the other hand it is fwelled by the payment of a fum of 800,000l. which had been advanced to the merchants of Grenada. Under all the circumftances, then, I shall state it at no more than The tax upon exports and imports, taken last year at 1,200,000l. has, I am happy to fay, yielded very confiderably more than the fum at which it was eftimated. In addition to the additional fums which it has produced, it has likewife enabled us to ascertain in a manner more accurately than hitherto, and by the acknowledgment of the parties interested, the extent of our profperity. We know from unquestionable evidence that the British manufactures have continued to flourish beyond the most fanguine statements, and that the fum of our exports has exceeded what they had been estimated upon former calculations. In addition to the increase upon this article, the prefent fituation of affairs, which has thrown into our hands the unrivalled commerce of the West Indies, it may be found adviseable, when competition no longer exifts, to reduce the draw-backs which it had been confidered politic to grant on the exportation of fugars. I do not mean at prefent to enter into the parti culars of this fubject, or the details of any new regulation. which it may be thought proper to bring forward. I only ftate it as a matter connected with the exports and imports, and by which the produce on that head is likely to be increased. Upon this branch I shall take what the regulation of exports and imports has produced This will amount to about 2,700,000 200,000 1,500,000 1,700,000 £.6,100,000 Leaving a fum of about 23 millions to be provided for the fervice of the current year. It remains then to be confidered in what manner this fum fhall be raised, and in what proportions it may be divided be tween |