This last Refolution having occafion'd a warm Debate, and being like to meet with great Oppofition, by reafon of the 125,000 Pounds above-mention'd, it was, the next Morning (February 14th) moved, and refolv'd, without dividing, to addrefs his Majefty for a particu lar and diftinet Account of the Diftribution of the Sum of 125,000 1. which (in an Account laid before the Houfe, fhewing how the Money given for the Year 1726, has been difpofed of) is charged to have been iffued for other Engagements and Expences, over and above fuch as are therein particularly specified, for the fecuring the Trade of this Kingdom, and preferving the Peace of Europe, and of the Time or Times when the faid Sum of 125,000 Pounds was iffued and diftributed. After this, Mr. Farrer reported the five Refolutions on the Supply above-mention'd, the four first of which were readily agreed to, as was alfo the fifth, after a fmall Debate. This done, it was order'd, That the proper Officers lay before this Houfe, an Account of all Exchequer Bills Standing out at Christmas 1716, what have been fince made out, what have been paid off and cancell'd, in what manner discharged, what has been paid for Intereft, and for the Charge of Management, and of circulating and paying the faid Exchequer Bils, and what Exchequer Bills are now ftanding out.

On Wednesday the 15th, the Commons read the third Time the Land-Tax Bill, which was pafs'd, and fent up to the Lords. The next Day, a Petition of feveral Merchants trading to Leghorn in Italy, was prefented to the Houfe, and read, fetting forth, That his Majesty's Conful, with the Majority of the British Merchants refiding at Leghorn, have, for many Years paft, used to receive from Merchants and Traders of all Nations, feveral fmall Duties on Tonnage, and Bale Goods imported into that Port, in British Shipping, to be apply'd to Pious and Publick Ufages; but the Payment of the faid fmall Duties hath, of late. been avoided, by Confignments of Goods to Strangers and Foreigners, to the great Difadvantages of his Majesty's Subjects, and pray-. ing, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill for charging the faid Duties upon all Goods and Merchandizes imported into Leghorn in British Shipping, whether they be configned to his Majefty's Subjects or Foreigners, in the Great Duke of Tuscany's Dominions, with fuch proper Powers for the receiving and recover.. ing the fame of the Mallers of Ships, as fhall be neceffary, or that the Petitioners may be otherwife relieved, as to the Houfe fhall feem meet: Which Petition was referr'd

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referr'd to the Confideration of a Committee, who were impower'd to fend for Perfons, Papers, and Records. After this, another Petition of George Townsend, junior, Montague Bacon, John Atwood, and John Burton, late Commiffioners for Licenfing Hawkers, &c. was prefented to the House, and read, praying, That Leave may be given to bring in a Bill to enable the Lords Com miffioners of his Majefty's Treafury to compound with the Petitioners for a Debt due to the Crown, occafion'd by the Default of Mr. Thomas Tomkins late Cashier of the faid Office, who hath withdrawn himself into Parts beyond the Seas, or that they may have such other Relief as to the Houfe fhall feem meet: And Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer having acquainted the Houfe, That the Petitioners Cafe having been reprefented to his Ma jefty, his Majefty had commanded him to acquaint this Houfe, That his Majesty gave his Confent, that such a Bill might be brought into this Houfe, as was defir'd by the Petitioners; the faid Petition was referr'd to a Committee of the whole Houfe.

After this it was order'd, that the House be called over on Tuesday the 28th Day of this Instant February; and a Bill to enforce the Laws for the Transportation of Felons, &c. was read the fecond Time, and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The next Day (February 17.) after the reading of se veral Petitions, which were referr'd to Committees, a Bill was order'd to be brought in for punishing Mutiny and Defertion, and for the better Payment of the Army_and their Quarters; as alfo another Bill for the better Regu lation of the Woollen Manufacture, and for preventing Dif putes among the Perfons concern'd therein. After this, in a Grand Committee on Ways and Means to raise the Supply, it was refolved to continue the Malt-Tax from the 23d Day of June 1727 to the 24th Day of June 1728; and then the Houfe adjourn'd to Monday the aoth of February.

That Day, Mr. Frecker, from the Treafury, presented to the Houfe, A Copy of the Report made to the Lords Commiffioners of the Treafury, by Edward Harley and Thomas Foley, Efqts. and by Mr. Nicholas Paxton, dated the 26th of February 1723-4, relating to the Debt due to the Crown, occafion'd by the Default of Mr. Thomas Tomkins, Cafhier to the late Commiflioners for Licenfing Hawkers, Pedlars, and petty Chapmen, with feveral Papers thereto annexed, which were all referr'd to the Confideration of the Committee of the whole Houfe.

Mr.

Mr. Pelham prefented to the Houfe a Bill for punishing Mutiny and Defertion, &c. which was read the firft, and order'd to be read a fecond Time; by which Time the King being come to the Houfe of Lords, with the usual State and Solemnity, and the Commons being fent for up, and attending, his Majefty gave the Royal Affent to An Act for granting an Aid to his Majefty by a Land-Tax to be raised in Great Britain for the Service of the Year 1727, and to Two Naturalization Acts.

The Commons being return'd. to their Houfe, Mr. Farrer reported the Refolution for continuing the MaltTax a Year longer, which was agreed to,, and a Bill ordered to be brought in thereupon.

The next Day (February 21.) Mr. Speaker was order'd to iffue out his Warrant for a New Writ, for electing a Burgess for the Borough of Buckingham in the Counof Bucks, in the Room of Richard Grenville, Efq; deceas'd. Mr. Farrer prefented to the Houfe, a Bill for continuing the Duties upon Malt, &c. which was read the first, and order'd to be read a second Time: And then Mr. Treafurer reported to the Houfe, That their Addrefs of Tuesday laft (that his Majefty would be graciously pleased to direct the proper Officers to lay before this Houfe, a particular and diftinct Account of the Diftribution of the Sum of One hundred and twenty five thousand Pounds, which (in an Account laid before this Houfe, fhewing how the Money given for the Year 1726 has been difpos'd of) is charged to have been issued for other Engagements and Expences, over and above fuch as are therein particularly fpecify'd, for the fecuring the Trade of this Kingdom, and preJerving the Peace of Europe;. and of the Time or Times when. the faid Sum of One hundred and twenty five thousand Pounds was iffued and diftributed) had been prefented to his Majefty; and that his Majefty had commanded him to acquaint this Houfe: That the Sum of Money mention'd' in this Addrefs, has been ifurd and disbursed, pursuant to the Power given to his Majefty by Parliament, for neceflary Services and Engagements of the utmost Importance to the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom, and the Tranquil lity of Europe, and which require the greateft Secrecy; and therefore a particular and diftinct Account of the Dif tribution of it, cannot poffibly be given, without a manifeft: Prejudice to the Publick.

Hereupon Mr. William Pulteney endeavour'd to fhew the Infuficiency of that Anfwer, alledging, among other Reafons, That he had an entire Confidence in his Majefty's great Wifdom, paternal Care, and Royal

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Word a

Word; but that, when in the laft Seffion the Houfe came to a Refolution, effectually to provide for and make good all fuch Expences and Engagements as Jhould be made, for the Security of the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom, and for the Prefervation of the Peace of Europe; the Commons did not thereby divest themfelves of their undoubted Right of being acquainted with the Difpofition of publick Money; that if they gave up fo effential a Right, that Houfe would be-t come altogether ufelefs; or ferve only blindly to approve of, and register the Acts and Deeds of the MinifC ters. That he did not, in the least, doubt the iffuing and Disbursement of the 125,000 1. in Queftion, for neceffary Services: But that if they were fatisfied with fuch a general Account, the fame might, in future Reigns, prove a very dangerous Precedent, and ferve to cover Imbezilments of the publick Treafure: Where'fore he moved, That a further humble Addrefs be made to his Majefty, humbly reprefenting the indifputable Right of this Houfe, to have particular and diftinct Accounts laid before them of the Difpofition of all Money granted by this Houfe, for the Service of the Publick; and that this House did moft earnestly befeach his Majesty, that he would be. graciously pleafed to order fuch an Account of the 125,000·7.: faid to have been expended for fecuring the Trade of this Kingdom, and preferving the Peace of Europe, to be forthwith laid before this House.

This Motion was feconded by Mr. Shippen, but was op- '. pofed by Mr. Doddington, Mr. Lewis, Sir William Yonge, and feveral other Gentlemen, upon which there was a high and warm Debate, from one till about fix in the Afternoon. It was reprefented in general on the Court-fide, That the Sum in Queftion was inconfiderable, and that it was impoffible effectually to carry on important Negotiations, without expending a great deal Money in 'fecret Service.' And Mr. St. John Broderick mention'd, in particular, a Cafe in the late Queen's Reign, when the Commons acquiefced in fuch a general Anfwer, for a. more confiderable Sum. The Precedent by him quoted was read by the Clerk, as follows:

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On the 16th of January, 1710-11, Mr. Secretary St.. John acquainted the Commons, that their Addreffes of the 5th and 8th Inftant, had been prefented to her Majefty, That she would be pleafed to give Direction to the proper Officers to lay before the Houfe, Accounts relating to the Poundage and Days Pay, deducted out of the Pay of the Army; of the Deficiencies of the

• Grants,

Grants, and of the Funds fince Michaelmas 1701; of the Payment of her Majesty's Proportion of Subfidies to her Albies; of all the Penfions, payable out of the "Revenue, and Warrants and Directions fór Penfions; and alfo of the Diftributions of the Contingencies, and Forage and Waggon Money, granted for the Forces in Flanders, in her Majeffy's Pay, and of the Diftributions of the Money granted for Contingences of the Guards, Garrisons and Land Forces in Great-Britain: And that her Majefty had been pleafed to give Directions for laying all the faid Accounts before this House, (except the Accounts ' of Contingences) and that the Account touching the Deficiences of the Grants and Funds, had already been laid before the Houfe; and that other of the Accounts were preparing, and would foon be laid before the Houle; but that as to the Account of Contingencies, it was not poffible from the Nature of the Service, which requires the utmoft Secrecy, for any Account of them to be made; but that they were really diftributed.

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Some Objections were raised to this Precedent, as if the Cafe was not parallel: Befides which, Mr. Onflow, and fome other Gentlemen, chiefly infifted on the Promife made to the House the laft Seffion, by a great Man in the Administration, That they should have a particular Account of all the Money that should be expended upon that Vote of Credit, which Promise induced the Houfe to come fo readily into it. They were anfwer'd by Sir William Strickland, Mr. Trelawny, Mr. Conduit, and Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, to whom Sir Thomas Hanmer reply'd; after which the Question, upon Mr. Pulteney's Motion, being call'd for, the Houfe divided, and it was carried in the Negative, by a Majority of 235 Voices against I fo. Then it was moved, and refolv'd, without dividing, That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, to return his Majesty the Thanks of this House, for his great Care and Wifdom, in taking fuch Steps, and entring into fuch "Engagements, as his Majefty thought would beft condute to the Security of the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom, and to the Prefervation of the Peace of Europe; And to affure His Majeffy, That this Houfe, placing an entire Confidence in His Majefty's Goodnefs and Regard for the true Intereft of his People, will fand by and fupport his Majefty in all fuch further Meafures as his Majefty fhall find necessary and expedient for preventing a Rupture, and for the Honour and Advantage of thefe Kingdoms.