HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JUne 18.

There being only thirty-seven members present when the Speaker counted the house, an adjournment took place of

course.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19.

The committee of the whole house relative to Mr. Justice Fox, sat for a considerable time, and proceeded in the examination of witnesses.

The chairman having left the chair, the committee were ordered to sit again on Saturday.

Lord Glenbervie, and several other members of the house of commons, brought up a message, intimating that the attendance of the Lord President of the Council, the Earls of Buckinghamshire and St. Vincent, to give evidence before the committee on the eleventh report of the commissioners of naval inquiry, was no longer necessary.

The prize courts bill and some other bills were read a first time.

JUDGE FOX.

Lord Grenville adverted to a notice which had been given by the noble secretary of state, of his intention to bring in a bill to continue the effect of the proceedings in the case of Mr. Justice Fox until the next session, in case they could not be gone through in the present. He was aware he was irregular in making any observation upon the subject at the present moment, but as the measure which the noble lord intended to propose went to alter the constitutional frame of parliament, and to interfere with the king's prerogative in putting an end by a prorogation to all business before parliament, he thought it at least one which demanded the most serious consideration. Proceedings were at present only continued from session to session in two cases, that of impeachment, and in the case of election committees in the other house. That a principle of this nature should, however, be extended to the proceedings in the case of Mr. Justice Fox, appeared to him to be a measure so important in its nature and consequences, that he trusted (and this was the principal purpose of his rising) that the noble lord would give ample and sufficient notice, with

respect

respect to the bill upon this subject which he proposed to bring in, in order that noble lords inight have sufficient time to consider it in every stage.

Lord Hawkesbury certainly intended that due notice should be given with respect to the bill. If it should be his determination to bring in a bill, he should, on its being read a first time, move that it be printed, and propose a day for the second reading that should give ample time for noble lords to consider its provisions. With respect to the principle of the proposed measure, he should say little; at the present moment, he should only observe that the proceedings in the case of Mr. Justice Fox were of a judicial nature, and, therefore, did not come under the denomination of those legislative proceedings to which the noble lord had referred. A measure somewhat similar was had recourse to in the case of Sir Thomas Rumbold, where the proceedings preliminary to a bill of pains and penalties were continued from one session to another. He again declared that he would give due notice if he should resolve to bring in the bill to which the noble lord had alluded.

The lottery bill, the turnpike act amendment bill, the militia pay and clothing bill, the militia adjutants' bill, the militia subalterns' bill, the Spanish red wine bill, the Irish commissioners bill, and some other bills, passed through committees, and were reported.

The stipendiary curates bill passed through a committee, and the report was ordered to be received next day.

MESSAGE FROM THE KING.

Lord Hawkesbury delivered the following message from his majesty :

"GEORGE R.

"His majesty thinks proper to acquaint the house of lords, "that the communications which have taken place and are "still depending, between his majesty and some of the "powers on the continent, have not yet been brought to "such a point as to enable his majesty to lay the result of "them before the house, or to enter into any further expla "nation with the French government, consistently with the "sentiments expressed by his majesty at the opening of the "present session. But his majesty conceives that it may be

of essential importance that he should have it in his power "to avail himself of any favourable conjuncture for giving ef"fect to such a concert with other powers, as may afford the VOL. III. 1895.

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"best

"best means of resisting the inordinate ambition of France, or may be most likely to lead to a termination of the present " contest, on grounds consistent with the permanent safety "and interests of his majesty's dominions, and the security and "independence of Europe. His majesty therefore recom"mends it to the house of lords to consider of making pro"vision for enabling his majesty to take such measures and "enter into such engagements as the exigencies of affairs may "require. "G. R." Lord Hawkesbury moved, that his majesty's message should be taken into consideration the next day. Agreed to. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19.

Sir J. Warren brought up the report of the committee to whom the petition of the truftees of the naval afylum was referred. Ordered to lie on the table, to be printed, and to be taken into confideration by a committee of the whole house on Friday next.

On the motion of Lord Glenbervie, it was ordered, that a meffage fhould be fent to the lords, acquainting their lordfhips, that the felect committee on the eleventh report of the commiffioners of naval inquiry having clofed their examinations, the commons no longer thought it neceffary to defire the attendance of the lord prefident of the council, the Earl St. Vincent, and the Earl of Buckinghamshire.

The bank note forgery bill was read a fecond time, ordered to be committed on Tuesday, and in the mean time to be printed.

The London port improvement bill was read a third time, and paffed.

Mr. Serjeant Beft moved the second reading of the members of parliament bankrupt bill.

Sir W. Lemon, conceiving that the bill was of great importance, hoped the learned gentleman would not prefs it through the houfe the prefent feffion.

The bill was then read a fecond time, and ordered to be committed on Tuesday.

The Irifh fifh bounty appropriation bill was read a third time and passed.

Mr. Long brought up the report of the committee to whom the petition of the trustees of the British Museum

was

was referred, ftating that, in their opinion, the purchase of the late Mr. Townley's collection of antiques was an object of great national importance, and that the fum required of 20,0001. was a moderate price for the fame. Ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.

Mr. W. Dickinfon prefented certain papers from the admiralty, pursuant to the order of the houfe.

On the motion of Mr. Bankes, it was ordered that fuch part of the report of the committee on the petition from the trustees of the British Muleum, as related to the additions making to that building, for the reception of antiques, &c. be referred to a committee.

The house went into a committee on the Irish compenfation acts, in which Mr. Vanfittart ftated his intention to bring in a bill obliging the commiffioners to advertise a certain day of limitation beyond which no claim should be attended to.

The houfe having refumed, the report was received, and Mr. Vanfittart obtained leave to bring in a bill accordingly.

Mr. Rofe brought in a bill for repealing the duties on woollen goods exported to the Eaft Indies, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time next day.

On the motion of Mr. Hulkiffon, accounts were ordered to be laid before the houfe, of the amount of exchequer bills outstanding and unprovided for on the two loans in 1804, one of eight millions, the other of one million.

Mr. Vanfittart brought in the Irish compenfation limitation bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time next day.

Mr. H. Lafcelles brought in Mr. Pitt's indemnity bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time next day.

Mr. Long prefented an account of the further fums that would be neceffary for the erection of a court-houfe, &c. in the city of Westminster.

The house went into a committee on the American wool trade; when it refumed M. Rofe obtained leave to bring in a bill permitting the exportation of wool from the British plantations in America to the united kingdom.

Mr. Fofter brought in a bill for regulating the duties on the imports and exports of Ireland, which was read a first time, and ordered to be printed, and to be read a second time on Monday next.

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The house went into a committee on the goat skin act, the report of which was ordered to be received next day.

1

On the motion of Admiral Berkeley, the bill for fufpending the penalties on the woollen manufacturers was ordered to be read a fecond time next day.

On the order of the day for the fecond reading of the woollen manufacturers bill, Mr. Brooke intimated his difpofition to abandon the bill at prefent, if he could be affured that a fimilar one fhould be brought forward early next feffion. It was a fubject of much confequence, as it kept in fufpenfe a body of above 200,000 men.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, though he could give no pledge that fuch a bill fhould be brought forward, yet affured the hon. gentleman that the attention of parliament fhould certainly be drawn to the fubject as early as poffible in the next feffion.

After a few words from Sir W. Young, the bill was given up. Colonel Craufurd moved, that there be laid before the houfe an account of the number of men wanting to complete the regular forces in his majesty's fervice, cavalry and infantry, on the 1ft of May 1805, diftinguifhing British troops from foreign, and thofe enlifted for limited fervice from thofe enlifted for 'unlimited fervice; as also an abftract of the number of men raised under the additional defence act in Great Britain and Ireland, fhewing the number raifed on the 1ft of February, 1805, and the number from that period to the prefent time.

After fome doubt expreífed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether or not fome of thefe papers could be furnished, Colonel Craufurd's motion was agreed to.

The order of the day for the house refolving itself into a committee of ways and means having been read, it was ordered, that the public eftimates and accounts fhould be had referred to the faid committee.

On the motion for the fpeaker's leaving the chair,

Mr. Fox afked the right hon. gentleman oppofite, whether or not he was right in understanding that the fum of five millions, to be appropriated to a particular purpose, had been already voted in the committee of fupply?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, that it was certainly included in the general vote, but that there had been no fpecific vote on that fubject; in fact, the specific votes had been kept back from the circumftance of the

deftination