The Chancellor of the Exchequer answered in the affirmative.

Sir William Young having had the honour to know the much respected proprietor of this collection, was enabled to say, that the sum mentioned was not equal to one fourth of its value. The hon. baronet felicitated the public on the probable possession of such a property, and expressed a wish that Mr. Townley's collection of coins and medals, &c. were also to be purchased for the use of the country, as he deemed it superior to any private collection in Europe, not excepting even that capital of the arts Rome, where there were not more than three or four collections supposed at all equal to it.

The Master of the Rolls observed that the family of Mr. Townley were not disposed to part with the collection alluded to by the hon. baronet.

The petition was referred to a committee, which was nominated.

Lord William Russell brought up the minutes of the evidence taken before the committee on the South Lambeth water-works bill, which was ordered to be printed; and the further consideration of the report was, on the motion of Mr. Tierney, postponed till Friday.

The papers ordered on the motions of Mr. Jeffery, were presented by Mr. Dickinson, and ordered to be printed.

Sir John Newport rose to make his promised motions; the first of which was, that an account should be prepared and laid before the house next session, of the bencfices, dignities, prebends, donatives, and parochial chapels belonging to the established church, upon which the clergyinen have not been resident within the last year, distinguishing such clergymen as may have received any licence or permission for non-residence from their diocesans; also stating the names of the several clergymen who have been non-resident. The second motion was for an account of the names and numbers of such parishes as have been united in Ireland under one head, stating the time when such unions took place, and under what authority. Also what distance the several parishes were asunder, what glebe land belonged to each, and whether there was a glebe house, what churches were standing in the several parishes at present, and what at the time of the union. The hon. baronet stated the object of these motions to be, that the house should be put in full information previous to the discussion of the measure for enforcing the residence of the Irish clergy, which

a learned

a learned gentleman (Dr. Duigenan) had given notice of his intention to bring forward next session, but the adoption of which he had expected this session. If the learned gentleman should not bring forward this measure early in the next session, he felt it so material to the interest of the protestant establishment, that he should himself conceive it his duty to bring it before the house. The non-residence of the Irish clergy was a great grievance, but the union of the parishes was still as mischievous. This practice of uniting parishes, merely in order to increase the revenues of individual clergymen, was such, that in some cases there were fourteen parishes under one pastor; of course there was but one protestant church in that district, in which there were fourteen catholic chapels. He submitted to the house whether such a state of things was calculated to forward the interest and doctrine of the church establishment.

Mr. Fitzgerald feconded the motions.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer ftated, that it was the full intention of Dr. Duigenan, to propose the matter alluded by the honourable mover for enforcing the refidence of the Irish clergy,

Mr. Alexander faid, that bishops in Ireland often divided parishes that were too extenfive for the attendance of one rector.

Mr. Vanfittart wished the utmoft information might be had towards the ends propofed by the honourable mover. The right honourable gentleman obferved, that unless very ftrong grounds exifted to call for the union of parishes defcribed by the honourable mover, it was very reprehenfible.

Sir George Hill bore teftimony to the regular refidence and laudable demeanor of the clergy in three diocefes of the North of Ireland, with which he was well acquainted. The motions were agreed to.

Col. Stanley rofe to poftone the motion of which he had given notice for that day, to refer the report of the committee on the Duke of Athol's petition, &c. refpecting the Ile of Man, to the confideration of a committee of the whole houfe. He underftood that many gentlemen who did not fuppofe it was fixed for that day were difpofed to deliver their fentiments upon it; in order that thofe gentlemen fhould attend, as he was defirous to have the business fully difcuffed, he was induced to poftpone it till next day. Mr. Creevey obferved, that as the object of the proceeding on the part of the petitioner was to invalidate an act of par

liament,

liament, he wished the evidence taken before the committee to be presented before the houfeuld go into the confideration of the fubject. In order to afford time for this, he thought it defirable that the honourable gentleman's motion fhould be poftponed till Friday..

Mr. Curwen had no doubt it would be found that many facts alleged in the report were in direct contradiction to the evidence.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer thought the remark of the honourable gentleman would apply better on Friday. The report of the prize agency bill was brought up, and feveral amendments, introduced by Sir W. Scott, were agreed

to.

- Mr. Johnstone adverted to the charge brought before the houfe on a former occafion by Admiral Cochrane against the king's proctor, alleging that he permitted his partner, in many cafes, to act for the adverfe party; and animadverted in ftrong terms upon fuch a practice, particularly in an officer who, according to the statememt of the honourable mover of this bill, received not less than 13,000l. a year net profit, from his bufinefs. The honourable gentleman remarked that when the charge of grofs malverfation which he alluded to was made, the learned gentleman (Sir Wm. Scott) did not contradict it. He concluded with moving a clause, that any proctor who fhall allow his partner to take the adverse fide, or who fhall directly or indirectly receive any part of the profits from the proctor on the other fide, or any other perfon, fhall, upon conviction thereof, be utterly excluded from the profeffion, and any place whatever he may hold in the admiraltry or vice admiraltry courts. And alfo that for every fuch offence the offender fhall forfeit 500l. to be recovered on information, &c.

Sir IV. Scott did not fee the neceffity for this clause, as the practice it referred to was already pronounced illegal and was punishable on detection. He had no objection, however, to its import, and therefore thould not oppofe it.

The claufe was adopted, the bill was gone through, and ordered to be read a third time next day...

Mr. Hufkiffon gave notice of a motion for the next day on the fubject of the quantity of coals to be carried to London by the Grand Junction Canaliquoredes 19

The Irish diftillery bill was read a third time and paffed. On the motion for the third reading of the bill for fupplying the Irish cities and towns with water,

Mr.

Mr. Fofter objected to the bill, as giving too great powers to grand juries; and moved, as an amendment, that it be read that day three months.

Colonel Bagwell did not think the objection of the right hon. gentleman was well founded, and opposed the amend

ment.

Sir John Newport fupported the aruendment, which was agreed to.

The report of the committee of ways and means was brought up, agreed to, and bills ordered accordingly.

The receiver general's amendment bill was read the first time, and ordered to be read the fecond time next day.. The Weft-India free ports bill, the public auditors' bill, and the post-horse duty farming bill, were read the third time and paffed.

The bill for inquiring into the fees and gratuities of public offices in Ireland was read the fecond time, and ordered to be committed next day.

The expiring laws bill was committed, and the report ordered to be received the next day.

The other orders, were poftponed.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LOR D.S.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6.

The house went into a committee on the charges against Mr. Juftice Fox, when Mr. Armstrong, one of the petitioners whofe evidence was the preceding day declared to be admiffible, was examined.

On his cross-examination, Mr. Adam having inquired if the witnefs had not, in his examination before the committee, given a different ftatement? the queftion was objected to by Mr. Romilly.

Counfel being ordered to withdraw, a long converfation enfued, in the courfe of which Lord Ellenborough having alluded to the fact of its having been decided that the evidence taken before the committee could not be fubmitted to the inspection of the learned judge,

Lord Minto maintained that no fuch decifion had taken place; but that the queftion still remained open to difcuffion. Lord Ellenborough declared that this being the cafe, he thought the point entitled to the most folemn decifion; but in the mean time, he fhould be of opinion that the queftion propofed by the learned counsel be not put.

VOL. III. 1805.

S

Lord

Lord Minto then, after a long converfation on the form of the motion, in which the Duke of Clarence, Earl Spencer, Lord Auckland, and Lord Ellenborough delivered their opinion in favour of the mode propofed by Lord Minto; and the Marquis of Abercorn, Lord Hawkesbury and the Lord Chancellor against it, gave notice that he thould the next day move that the committee who formerly fat on the bufinefs be revived, for the purpose of allowing the chairman to lay the proceedings taken before the committee on the table of the houfe. When that ftep fhould be agreed on, it would be time for the houfe to refolve how they should follow it up. it

"

The chairman reported progrefs, and obtained leave to fit again the next day.

་་

On the motion of Lord Auckland it was ordered, that the evidence now taken be printed.-Adjourned.s

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6.· ́

Sir Laurence Parfons was fworn, and took his feat on his re-election after accepting the office of one of the commiffioners of the treafury in Ireland.

Mr. Brooke prefented petitions from 39,000 clothiers of the county of York, and from the clothiers of Somerset, Gloucester, and Wilts, in favour of the bill relating to their trade now before the house. Mr. Brooke obferved, that the contests now exifting had lafted for three years. What he wifhed was an equitable arrangement between masters and workmen; he wifhed the law to be reduced to a compendious fyftem, fo that masters and workmen may be able to understand it.

Mr. H. Lafcelles thought the prefent period of this feffion too late for introducing a bill of fuch magnitude; he thought arrangement neceffary, and the fubject of fufficient magnitude to engage the attention of government.

Sir R. Buxton and Admiral Berkeley fpoke to the fatne

effect, the latter objected to

the ufe of all machinery.e bill, as putting a ftop to

lie on the table.

The petitions to

On the motion of Sir C. Price, the report of the committee on the bill for the completion of the London docks was ordered to be re-committed to a committee of the whole houfe.

On