after they have finished their round, to tranfmit a lift of all Appendix. the bills they have remitted during fuch rounds, and a balance bill for the remnants of the feveral duties with which they are chargeable during that round.

That the commiffioners will not permit the collectors to keep any money in their hands, but require them to clear the balance of each round, if there be any, before the commencement of the fucceeding, otherwife they will be charged with intereft for fuch money, and incur the displeasure of the board.

That the collectors are very punctual in remitting; that he never heard of a collector being proceeded against for default of payment of the money collected by him, and that he does not believe there is any fuch inftance fince he has been a commiffioner; that the collectors, by orders from the board, in confequence of a treasury warrant, repay the land tax charged upon the inferior officers falaries, which do not exceed one hundred pounds a year.

That the receiver-general makes up his accounts weekly, and the fum to be paid into the exchequer is by an order figned by five commiffioners, and confifts of all the money in the receiver-general's hands, except the fum allowed by the commiffioners as proper to be referved in the hands of the receiver-general, to anfwer fuch payments as the office has juft reafons to fuppofe may be demanded the following week.

That every year a general cafh account of the weekly receipts and payments of each refpective duty is made out, examined, and figned by the commiffioners, and afterwards fworn to by all the commiffioners, before the curfitor baron of the exchequer. It is then carried by the auditor to the chancellor of the exchequer, before whom it is declared, and after being inrolled in the different offices, a quietus is granted to the commiffioners.

No. 13.

Appendix. An account of the total fums in the hands of the feveral receivers-general of the land tax, from the weekly certificates next following each quarter day, from the time the mode was adopted of the receivers-general tranfmitting their accounts on oath, to the pre

No. 14.

An account of the arrears and defaulters of the land tax and window duties, for twenty years preceding the year 1777, and from that period to the prefent time; comprizing therein the fums which have been componnded for by act of Parliament, or otherwife, and what has been received upon fuch compofitions, in lieu of the fum or fums in arrear from any defaulter or defaulters.

WALES, So.

William Williams.

21ft 2s. Aid, 1775

28 4s. Aid, 1756.

29 4s. Aid, 1757.

4,826 4 4

30 4s. Aid, 1758.

2,509

Houfes and Windows, 1756.

Ditto

1757.

640 4 3

Ditto

1758.

614

9,509 8 7

WALES, So.

Leon, Bel. Gwyn.

40th 4s. Aid, 1776.

14,160

Houses and Windows, Do.

3,800

17,960

STAFFORDSHIRE, James Bailey.

35th 4s. Aid, 1763.

Houses and Windows, Do.

36th 4s. Aid, 1764.

Houses and Windows, Do.

The lords commiffioners of his Majefty's treafury agreed, by a warrant under their hands, to accept of 3000l. as a compofition for the debt due to Mr. Williams for South Wales; for the recovery of which fum, fuits are now carrying on against the fureties, who are able to pay the money.

Mr. Leonard Bilfon Gwynn has given fufficient fecurity for the payment of the whole arrear due by him for South Wales, within four years and a quarter from the present time.

Several fums have been paid on the account of Mr. Bailey for Staffordshire, and a decree of the court of chancery is obtained for the fale of his eftates, from the proceeds of which the whole debt to the public will be paid.

The eftates of Mr. Lane, late receiver-general for Herefordshire, have been in poffeffion of the crown under an extent ever fince his failure, and the amount of the nett receipts is annually paid into the exchequer, in diminution of his debt to the public.

Sufficient fecurity is given, and means are now used for enforcing it, for the payment of the whole arrear due by Mr. Earle, as receiver-general for part of the county of Wilts, on window duties.

The executor and fureties of the late Mr. Wallis have paid very large fums on his account, as receiver-general for part of Suffolk, in diminution of his balance, fince his death, and

have

have only obtained time for the payment of the remainder, from the lords commiffioners of the treafury, in order to enable them to get in money due to the deceased.

Mr. Gildart, late receiver-general for Lancashire, has lately compounded his debt with the lords commiffioners of the treasury, under the authority of an act of Parliament, on condition that he fhall pay into the exchequer the fum of ten thousand two hundred and eighty-two pounds two fhillings and fix-pence farthing; four thousand two hundred and eighty-two pounds two fhillings and fix-pence farthing of which he has already paid; and has given very fufficient fecurity for the payment of the remainder on or before Ladyday 1781; it is, however, to be obferved, that the firftmentioned fum is a compofition for the whole debt due to the crown, which includes the whole debt on the window duties.

Office for Taxes, 12th October, 1780.

}

GEORGE ROSE, Secretary.

No 15.

Return by the Commiffioners of Excife to the Order of the Commif fioners of Accounts, dated 29th of September, 1780; requiring an Account of Arrears, and Defaulters, of Officers of Excife,

&c. &c.

There are no arrears, nor defaulters, of the officers of excife, for twenty years preceding the year 1777 inclufive, nor to this date except that in the year 1774, Thomas Collis, collector of Oxford, having advanced 3600l. of the excise money upon bills of exchange, drawn by Anthony Collins and Thomas Sylvefter, on Meffrs. Sylvefters, of Great Ruffel-ftreet, London, and the feveral parties, both drawers and payers, becoming bankrupts before the faid bills became payable, the faid Collector Collis was, by order of the lords commiffioners of his Majefty's treafury, acquitted and difcharged in his accounts of and from the faid fum of 36001. but their lordships were pleafed, at the fame time, to order, that the faid Collins and Sylvefter, who drew the faid bills, and Meffrs. Sylvefter, of Ruffel-ftreet, who accepted the fame, fhould be fet infuper, for the said 3600l. and in no wife discharged from the fame, which fum is ftill remaining due from the parties above mentioned.

Excife Office, 4th October, 1780.

GOULSTON BRUERE, Accom. Gen.

Mr.

November 24.

Mr. Minchin faid, before the Heufe went into a committee Mr. Minof fupply, for the purpose of impofing on the public the enor- chin. mous expence of the army eftimates, it was their duty, in juftice to their conftituents, whofe money they were about to take out of their pockets, to know for what it was voted, and to be able to affign a reafon to the people, why they called upon them for fo large a fum. The eftimates upon the table, among other heads, ftated that a very numerous army was neceffary for carrying on of the war, and that the troops to be employed in plantation fervice amounted to a confiderable number, and coft the nation a confiderable fum. In order to obtain fome fatisfaction on that point, it was, that he meant to trouble the House, and without farther preface, to move for an account of the ftate and diftribution of the army under the command of Sir Henry Clinton, according to the last returns. He therefore moved,

"That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this Houfe an account of the number of forces now under the command of Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, in North America, and also the diftribution of the fame, according to the laft returns made up and tranfmitted by him to the office of the right honourable Lord George Germain.

Mr. Jenkinson, Secretary at War, faid, he believed it Mr. Jenkin would not be expected that he should use many words in ex- fon. preffing his entire difapprobation of the motion which had been juft made by the honourable gentleman. The motion fpoke fufficiently for itfelf; the object of it was to procure the exact account of the prefent pofition of the British army in America, Motions had before been made, at different periods, which went not near fo far in their object, (they only requiring the ftate of the army in America) all which motions the House had thought it wife and prudent to reject, because if they had been agreed to, the Houfe would itself have published to their enemies what the intereft of the nation rendered it highly neceffary fhould be concealed from their knowledge, The prefent motion was of all others most objectionable. Would gentlemen feriously think it politic to publish to all the world, not only the ftate of the army, but its actual pofition? He flattered himself the House would

feel