5,905,927

1,318,937

13,211,370

gainft,

718,945

Difference at China

1,366,322

The Committee on hearing thefe details, muft have observed that deficiencies 7,916,459 had arifen in fome of our Settlements, 7,284,694 arifing from the circumftances of the war in which we were engaged, the rein£.631,765 forcements neceffarily fent out from this country, and the expeditions formed against the fettlements of the enemy. 12,476,813 They would fee, however, from the laft ftatement, that the affairs of the Com pany were better on the whole by 413,220l. than they were in the precedióg year. He did not, however, mean to give this in an unqualified way; for he muft obferve, that there was a difputed article between the Nabob of Arcot and the Company, which amounted to no less than one million fterling. The Company were trustees for the creditors of the Nabob, who claimed their inftalments as ufual during the late war in India. The revenues appropriated for the payment of these inftalments bad unavoidably been employed in defraying the expences of 998,195 that war. If the Company were now to make good this fum, they would of courfe ftand in a worfe fituation by 600,ocol. But when he recollected, that fince the year 1786, at which time the accounts of the Company had been firft put into a proper train, their capital had been increafed in no lefs than eleven millions, he could look without any dif may on this deficiency, or on any ftag. nation which may occur during the prefent war, The Committee would allo fee, that there had been a confiderable increase of the debt in India, but the 1,516,690 Company were not in a worfe fituation on this acccount, as there was an equivalent increase in their affets at home. He was of opinion that the debt in India had become too unwieldy; and that it was not wife in the Company to fwell their receipts at home by increafing beyond certain bounds their debt abread. This was a fubject on which he should have occafion to dwell more at large

when

when next he had to enter on this fubject. He should for the prefent only fuggeft, that the Company, though merely a commercial body, were accountable for the Imperial Revenues of India. He felt it to be his duty, as looking to the general interefts of the Empire, to fee that the Directors in Leadenhall-ftreet fhould make compenfation, either by exporting bullion or otherwile, for the increafed imports which they drew from India. This was the more necessary, at a time when the Company, however opulent, felt it beyond their power to import the fuperflux of Indian wealth to the ports of thefe kingdoms. The fum remitted annually to Europe from India amounted to no leis than five millions; but of this fum the means and capital of the Company did not permit them to import more than two millions. He could not tamely fubmit, at a time when this country commanded the commerce of the world, to see the remaining three millions imported into other ports in Europe. He was determined to try in fome shape to bring this wealth into the ports of this country, and before the end of the prefent Seffion he fhould certainly fubmit the matter to the serious confideration of that House, and crave their advice as to the beft means of fecuring to this country the pre-eminence to which it was entitled. He concluded by moving the first of a ftring of Refolutions, founded on the preceding ftate

ments.

Colonel Wood afked whether the expences of the Ifland of Ceylon were included amongst the charges?

Mr Dundas replied in the negative. The expences were calculated on an average of three years, and the Inland of Ceylon had not been fo long in our poffeffion.

Colonel Wood expreffed alfo a defire to know whether the expences of the expedition fo fruitlelsly meditated against the Manillas were included? He had his doubts refpecting the ftatement of five millions of Indian wealth being annually imported into Europe. He wifhed at all events that the Right Hon. Gentleman would be fomewhat more explicit with refpect to the meafures in his contemplation. What he had already thrown out would be fufficient to alarm the Eaft India Proprietors, who looked upon that Right Hon. Gentleman as the ftrenuous defender of their Chartered Rights. The arrangements in contemplation might be Strictly proper, but he wished to be inEd. Mag. May 1799.

3

formed whether it was meant to open the trade, or to continue the monopoly enjoyed by the Company?

Mr Dundas replied, that he had no intention to lay open the trade. He fhould support the monopoly of the Company in its full extent, and fee that every rupee fhould be imported by them into this country, as far as their means would permit. He muft, however, carry his views ftill further, and provide that the furplus of Indian wealth be brought home to this country, either in neutral bottoms, or by any other means which may fuggeft themselves.

Colonel Wood expreffed himself fatisfied with this explanation.

The Refolutions were then read, and ordered to be reported to-morrow.

13. Upon the claufe being read for taking away appeals in cafes of contracts for the purchase of the Land Tax,

Sir W. Pulteney fuggefted, that there were many cafes in which it would be highly unjuft to take away the right of appeal. If a man, by fradulent or other means, could get his Land Tax reduced, and confequently increase that of his neighbours, and then fhould make a contract for the purchase of his Land Tax, it would be very unjuft not to permit thofe, who had their Tax thus improperly increased, to appeal.

The Houfe then divided; for the claufe 34; againft it 4; majority 30. The Report was then agreed to.

Mr Pitt faid, he should move that the Bill be read a third time to-morrow, as it was very important it fhould receive the Royal Affent before the Holidays. In fact, in many cafes the contracts were fufpended, and the Bill was anxiously expected by many parts of the kingdom.

14. The Order of the Day being read for taking into confideration the Report of the Bill for extending the time for making returns under the late Income Act,

Mr Hobhouse opposed that clause which precluded fecrecy after return, and inveighed against it in very ftrong terms, as being productive of one fcene of general confufion and difmay in the money and commercial world.

This was refifted by Mr Ryder, who contended that the spirit of the Bill was well understood, and fecrecy, after a certain time, intended to be no feature be longing to it.

Sir James Pulteney arraigned the dif closure of men's circumftances, as calculated to commit men with each other in D

that

that kind of way, as to render mutual confidence for ever infecure, and that which the Bill in its firft fhape by no means promised.

Sir H. Browne was in favour of the claufe of disclosure, and thought fecrecy would defeat the Bill, its object, and its purposes. He was of opinion that there were but three defcriptions of perfous who could or would oppofe its progress, or fear disclosure: the firft, thofe who exceeded their income in their expenditure; the second, thofe who intended fraud; and the third, those whose feelings and prejudices were too delicate. He therefore fupported the claufe.

Mr Tierney fignified how deeply his conftituents complained of the abuses already prevalent with regard to the conduct of the Affeffors under the Bill.

Sir William Pulteney took a general View of the Bill, which, as far as principle went, met his approbation; but the clause which was the subject of difcuffion he arraigned in the ftrongeft terms, and faid it ruined the whole, and made a measure in itself, patriotic, tyrannic in the extreme.

Mr Pitt then took a comprehenfive view of the whole Bill, the result of which was a candid admiffion, that he never

intended fecrecy fhould extend beyond the original statement given in, or difcovery commence fooner than that ftatement given in was approved or admitted, publicity being the prime object of the tax. The Houfe then divided, for the claufe 45; against it 9; majority 36. The Houfe then proceeded on the other claufes.

Mr Wilberforce objected to the Schedules as arranged under the Bill, and thought them in fome degree as bearing hard on the public.

Several claufes were then introduced by Mr Pitt, and the Report was ordered to be confidered to-morrow.

15. The Bills for granting feparate annuities of 12,000. on the Princes Ed. ward and Eruett were severally read a third time and paffed, as was the Bill for making provifion for Princefs Amelia.

The Land Tax Bill was read a third time and passed.

Mr Pitt moved, that a fum not ex ceeding 150,000l. be granted to his Ma jefty, for the purposes of Secret Service, to be used abroad, which was agreed

to.

The Militia Reduction Bill went thro a Committee.

Adjourned.

From the London Gazette, March 30. CORFU, March 3.

by Capitulation to

united forces of the Ruffians and Turks. The Leander and Brune frigate were taken in the port.

Admiralty-Office, March 30. Copy of a letter from Capt. Countess, to the Right Hon. Lord Bridport, K. B. Ethalion, at Sea, March 6, 1799.

MY LORD,

I have the pleasure to inform your Lordship, that this day his Majefty's fhip

of his Majefty's Ships and Veffels at Jamaica, to Even Nepean, Efq: dated the 10th February, 1799.

I inclofe a lift of the armed veffels taken or destroyed, with the number of merchant veffels taken or deftroyed, by his Majefty's fhips and veffels under my command fince the laft report; and I have the pleasure to ftate, for their Lordfhips' information, that from the activity of the cruizers, few privateers are at sea. A Lift of Ships and Veffels captured or deftroyed by the Squadron under Command, between the 4th June, 1798, and 10th February.

my

By the Queen-The Spanish armed fchooner L'Amiable Marfeilles, of guns and 40 men, taken. By the Queen and Lark-A French fchooner privateer, of 4 guns and 30 men, cut out of Port Nieu. By the Acafta-The French brig priva teer Active, of 8 guns and 36 men, the Spanish armed fchooner Cincinnatus, of 2 guns and 33 men, taken-a French fchooner privateer, of 6 guns and 60 men, burnt,

By the Trent and Acafta-The Spanish armed fhip Penada, of 14 guns and 40 men, taken.

By the Renommee-The French floop privateer Le Triumphant, of 6 guns and 56 men, taken. By the Renommee and Squirril-The Spanish armed brig Neptune, of 4 guns and 23 men, taken.

By the Magicienne-The Spanish armed fchooner Julie, of 4 guns and 12 men, taken.

By the Surprize-The French fchooner privateer Laurette, of 6 guns and 46 men, taken.

By the Swallow-The French schooner privateer Buonaparte, of 6 guns and

50 men, taken.

SIR,

Captain Weftbeech, in his Majefty's floop Favourite, on the 8th Dec. laft captured a Genoefe fhip from Rio de Plate bound to the Havannah, laden with jerked beef, tallow, and hides, and carried her into Tobago; and on the 20th ult. Capt. Warren, of the Scourge, captured a Spanish brig from Cadiz bound to La Guira, laden with wine, brandy, and merchandize, which he carried into Trinidad. I am, &c.

Henry Harvey. Copies of Letters from Captains Bowen, Sanders, and Markham, to the Earl of St. Vincent, K. B. Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Veffels in the Mediterranean.

SIR,

Argo, off Port Mahon, Feb. 8, 1799. I have great pleasure in acquainting you, that in carrying your orders into execution, in company with the Leviathan, on the 6th int. at four P. M. drawing round the east end of Majorca, under form ftay fails, with a violent gale wefterly, I difcovered two large Spanish frigates at anchor, near a fortified tower on the fouth point of the Bahia de Alcudi, who, immediately on feeing us, cut their cables, and made fail to the N. N. E. We inftantly gave chace with all the canvas the fhips could bear; unfortunately the Leviathan's main-top fail gave way, which caufed her to drop ȧftern; the enemy feeing this, took the advantage of it, and after the close of day spoke each other and feparated; one hauling her wind to the northward, and the other fet top-gallant fails, and kept away before it; which latter I followed. The darkness of the night precluded the Leviathan from feeing their manœuvre,

20

as alfo my fignal to her to alter her courfe to port; however, the Leviathan kept fight of the Argo, and was near up with us at mid-night, when I got alongfide of the enemy, who ftill perfevered in his endeavours to get off, (although his fmall fails were either thot or carried a way in the chace) and did not furrender until he had received our whole broadfide, which wounded two men, and did much mischief to his rigging. She proved to be the Santa Terefa, commanded by Don Pablo Perez, mounting in all 42 guns, befides fwivels and cohorns, and manned with 280 feamen and marines, befides 250 foldiers; in all five hundred and thirty perfons on board.

My First Lieutenant, Mr Thomas Lyne, has much merit in keeping fight and obferving the different shifts of the enemy, by which great advantage was gained by the Argo during the chace; much commendation is due to his profeffional skill and great exertions after taking poffeffion of the prize, in faving her tottering maft from tumbling overboard, which he could not have done had not Captain Buchanan fent him fpeedy

affiftance of officers and men from the

Leviathan, to whom I feel myself much

indebted.

Great praife is due to all my officers and feamen for their vigilance and exertions.

I am, &c. James Boven. P. S. The Santa Terefa is juft out of dock, rebuilt, new coppered, and is in every respect almoft as good as a new fhip; the was completely ftored and victualled for four months, and is efteemed one of the fafteft failing frigates out of Spain, of large dimenfions, upwards of 950 tons, and fit for immediate fervice. Her confort, the Proferpine, that made her escape, is of the fame force, but not fo large.

L'Efpoir, at Sea, Feb. 22.

At a quarter paft noon, town of Marbello, bearing NNW. three leagues, a brig and two xebecs in the S.E. quarter, appearing fufpicious, I hoifted my colours to them, when the brig and one of the xebecs hoifted Spanish, upon which a Moorish brig in tow was caft off, and L'Espoir hauled to the wind in chace; it was foon perceived they were armed vef fels, but not being fo fortunate as to weather them, we exchanged broad fides with both in paffing: L'Espoir being tacked, foon brought the xebecs to close adion, which continued for an hour and

a half, when a favourable opportunity of boarding her was embraced, and after a conteft of about 20 minutes the furrendered, and proved to be the Africa, commanded by Jofepho Subjado, in the fervice of the King of Spain; mounting 14 long four pounders, and four brafs fourpound fwivels, having on board 75 feamen and 38 foldiers from Algofamus, bound to Malaga. Lieutenant Richardfon, (in whom I have much confidence) all the Officers and feamen of his Majefty's floop I have the honour to command, behaved with, the fame courage they have done on former occafions. During the action the brig (which, I have fince learned, mounted 18 guns) ftood in fhore and anchored. James Sanders.

Lift of Killed and Wounded.

L'Espoir.- feamen killed, 2 ditto wounded.

Africa-1 Officer, 8 feamen killed, 1 Captain, 2 Officers and 25 feamen woun ded.

SIR, Centaur, at Sea, 16th Feb. 1799.

I have the honour to inform you, that in obedience to your orders I proceeded to Sallo Bay in his Majefty's fhip under my command, after the Spanish frigates, and having been joined by the Cormorant alone, of the fquadron under Capt. Bowen, I at length, after beating againft heavy gales of wind from the 28th January

till the 9th February, reached Sallo Bay, in which I found twenty-one Swedifh and Danish merchantmen, but no men of war had been in fight of Sallo fince the 2d February. Having looked into Fangel Bay and Tarragona, allo where Lord Mark Kerr, in the Cormorant, took a Tartan, and drove a nother on fhore, I proceeded towards Majorca, and at day-light the Cormorant took a fettee laden with oil, and I chaced two large Xebecs and a fettee, all privateers in the Royal Spanish fervice; one of which, La Vierga de Rofario, I captured at two o'clock, mounting fourteen brass twelve pounders and ninety men, the other two efcaped by the wind fhifting at dark when within hot. The fame night the Aurora joined and proceeded for Tarragona, in confequence of intelligence I received of two Spanish frigates being bound there with Swifs troops from Palma. On the 15th I fell in with the Argo and Leviathan, and the next morning ftood in for Sallo Bay. Finding the frigates were not in the neighbourhood, I attacked the town of Cambrelles, and the Spaniards having quitted their guns

ов