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received, by the poft, several petitions, purporting to be tranf mitted from different fhips of the Channel Fleet. They were all exact copies of each other, limited folely to a request for an increase of pay, that the feamen might be able to make better provifion for their families; decently expreffed, without any figHis Lordship could not reply to applications which were anonymous; nor acknowledge the receipt of them to parties unavowed and unafcertained. About four or five of the petitions first received, though little different in the hand-writing, were obviously dated by the fame perfon: and his Lordship had therein farther reafon to think they were fabricated by fome malicious individual, who meant to infinuate the prevalence of a general difcontent in the fleet. Not refting, however, on this conclufion, his Lordship wrote to the officer at Portsmouth (to whom he was naturally to expect fuch appplications would, in his abfence, he addreffed), to inquire whether any such dissatisfaction exifted in the fleet. The anfwer was, that no fuch appearance had been heard of there, and it was fuppofed the petitions had been framed for the purpose he fufpected.

On the morning of the 22d of March, the day after his Lordfhip was able to come to town, one of the Lords of the Admiralty, now absent on service, happening to call upon him, he (Earl Howe) related thefe particulars to him, fhewed him the petitions, and fent them the fame day to his houfe in the Office, that they might be communicated to the Noble Earl who prefides at that Board. Of the fubfequent events he had no other knowledge than fuch as was to be obtained in the daily papers; and demands for an increafe of pay, by a fleet or army on fervice, were not to be difcufled, his Lordship apprehended, in an anonymous correfpondence.

His Lordship concluded by making fome remarks on the effect of his former obfervations, and vindicated the character of the British feamen in general, whom he defcribed as open-hearted and generous, but too cafily mifguided.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Wednesday, May 3.

COUNTY RATE BILL.

Upon the Motion for the fecond reading of this Bill,

The Marquis of Titchfield stated, that in objecting to this Bill he had no defire to controvert the principle that the burdens of a county ought to be borne in fair proportion upon its feveral parts; but he thought that certain diftricts merited fome exemptions, where, under the implied faith of Parliament, the proprietors had expended fums of money in improvements, which otherwife they would not have done, if they had fuppofed the rates would

have been altered. He therefore fhould propofe an amendment, that inftead of the word "now," "this day three months" thould be inferted.

Mr. William Dundas feconded the Amendment.

Mr. Sheridan objected to the Amendment; and thought, as the Noble Lord had ftated, that Parliament was pledged, he fhould have fhewn where. He then entered into the detail of the inequalities of the rate, and hoped the Noble Marquis would withdraw his Amendment.

Mr. Courtenay made an ironical speech against the Bill. The Bill mutt have been framed by Jacobins, for the petition against it ftated it to be founded on the vifionary bafis of equality. He had heard it faid that King William had given that district to an old active whig in the revolution, who had been a zealous affertor of liberty in this country, and had co-operated to bring Ireland into that ftate of freedom and happiness which it now enjoyed; and therefore to attempt an innovation there, was obliquely to attack the principles of the Conftitution. Befides, if the Noble poffeffor had fold any part, he had an increased price for it on account of the lownefs of the rates; therefore, if they were altered, he was convinced Bills in Equity might be filed to make him refund a proportion. He understood all the lawyers fupported the Bill, doubtlefs because they knew they were procuring lawsuits for themselves. He was alfo glad to fee fo numerous an attendance on this important bufinefs, much more numerous than ufually attended upon the trifling bufinefs of voting away two or three millions of money, and did not doubt but they, in fupport of the Amendment, would divide in a majority equal to that which gave away our money to the Emperor.

After a few more obfervations in favour of the Bill from Mr. Mainwaring, Mr. Curwen, and Sir W. Young; and the Speaker ftating that the objections of the Noble Lord might be urged in a Committee, and if the Bill did not meet his approbation when so amended, that he then might oppofe the whole on the Report on the third reading, the Noble Marquis confented to withdraw his Motion.

MESSAGE FROM THE KING.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought down a meffage from his Majefty, which was in fubftance as follows:

That his Majefty had agreed to a marriage between the Princefs Royal and his Serene Highness the Duke of Wirtemberg, and that he thought fit to communicate the fame to the Houfe, being fully perfuaded that an alliance with a Proteftant Prince, of fuch high rank and exalted station, connected with his Majefty's Family by a common defcent from the Princefs Sophia of Hanover, could not fail of being highly acceptable to all. From the

many

many proofs of affectionate attachment which his majesty had received from his faithful Commons, he could not doubt but that they would concur in making the ufual provision, for the marriage of the eldest daughter of the Royal Family of England on

fuch an event.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that the fubject was of fuch a nature as he was fure made it unneceflary for him to say a word on the complexion of the addrefs which the House should make in return. He therefore fhould move an humble addrefs, and that the Houfe would proceed to confider it immediately; which paffed nem. con.---The addrefs was an echo of the meffage.

LOAN TO THE EMPEROR.

Mr. Fox rofe to afk the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, after the intelligence which Minifters he believed had received, and of which the public were now in poffeflion, it was his intention to go on with the Loan to the Emperor? He wished to know whether, after the Emperor had concluded a separate peace, after they faw the fituation of affairs on the continent; when they faw the delufive hopes held out by the Right Honour able Gentleman blafted, and the statements on which he had proceeded proved to be falfe, was it poffible for those who had truited to his declarations, was it poffible for the House, in fuch circumftances to go on? When the Report of the Committee of Supply was agreed to laft night, this important intelligence he understood was known to Minifters, though they had given no fuch information to the Houfe; and he wished to know whether it would make any difference in their measures upon this fubject? He wished for fome delay at leaft before the matter was preffed further; at all events there were future ftages on which it would be fubmitted to the confideration of the Houfe.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, as to any intelligence on the fubject alluded to, Government had none but through the medium of French papers, but the accounts which they contained of preliminaries being figned, were not fufficiently detailed to warrant any pofitive conclufion, or to determine what line of conduct Parliament was to purfue. There were future ftages for the difcuffion of the measure of the Imperial Loan.--Farther he declined faying.

Mr. Fox faid that he meant to fay that Minifters were in poffeffion of the information now before the public, at the time when the Report of the Imperial Loan Refolution was agreed to, though nothing had then been faid of it.

The Chancelor of the Exchequer faid that he had then seen none of the French papers. He understood fubfequent to it that French papers were in England with accounts of preliminaries

being figned, but though he had known all he knew now, he would have done juft as he had done.

Mr. Sheridan wished to know whether the House might understand that no money would be fent to the Emperor till the truth of the information was ascertained?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid he meant to proceed with the Loan Bill to-morrow.

Mr. Jekyll faid he was not fatisfied with the answer the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made. He wished to know whether any money had been sent to the Emperor fince the vote of last night?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer made no answer.

Mr. Jekyll then said, he should move for an accouut of the money fent to the Emperor fince the vote of last night.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, he was willing to fecond this Motion.

WASTE LANDS.

The Report of the Committee on the cultivation of Waste Lands was brought up.

The Speaker obferved, that one of the Refolutions of the Committee, ftating, that it was their opinion, that a Bill ought to pafs, was wholly irregular, as it was, in a manner, dictating to the House.

After a fhort converfation, the Bill was ordered to be recommitted for Friday next.

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Sir John Sinclair faid, it was with the utmost astonishment he faw the manner in which this Bill had been received. He had expected, that every Gentleman who valued the prosperity of the Country, would have been anxious to give it every fupport. He hoped, that Gentlemen would look into the Report; and he was fure, if they did not agree with the meafure now propofed, they would fee the neceffity of propofing fome other in its room.

ADVANCES TO THE EMPEROR.

Mr. Jekyll faid, it fo feldom happened, that any propofition of his met with the support of the Right Honourable Gentleman oppofite, that he could not fuffer this opportunity to país, of calling upon the Right Honourable Gentleman to perform his promile. He fhould, therefore, move, that there be laid before the House, an account of all the fums advanced to the Emperor, and now outstanding.

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The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that, although he should not oppose the Motion, yet he begged to obferve, that the Motion now made, was very different from that which he had promifed to fecond. The Honourable Gentleman at firft faid, he only wanted an account of the fums advanced to the Emperor

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fince the laft difcuffion took place. He, however, had no objection to the Houfe being in poffeffion of all the facts upon the fubject; and they would then fee, whether it was for the motive affigned by the Honourable Gentleman, that he had declined giving him an answer.

The Motion was then agreed to.

The House then refolved itself into a Committee of

WAYS AND MEANS.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the fum of 1,500,000 be granted for the fervice of Ireland. He ftated, that this fum was included in the Loan which had been contracted for.

The Refolution was agreed to.

Mr. McDowall moved, that leave be given to bring in a Bill to continue the Scotch Small Note Bill, paffed this Seffion.---Agreed. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Thursday, May 4.

The Order of the Day being read for taking his Majesty's Meffage into confideration, refpecting granting a further Loan to the Emperor, and raising a fum for the fervice of Ireland,

Lord Grenville faid, that he fhould only detain the House for a few moments. Of the propriety of fending 1,500,000l. to Ireland in the prefent ftate of affairs in that country, he supposed that none would be difpofed to doubt. The 1,600,000l. which had been already advanced for the service of the Emperor, he alfo conceived that their Lordships could have no objection to make good. And when the present situation of Europe was confidered, and the object of an honourable and permanent peace kept in view, he was convinced that no measure could be adopted which would tend fo effectually to promote that object as guaranteeing a Loan for the fervice of his Imperial Majesty to the amount of 2,000,000l. more. He therefore proposed an Address, which was the echo of the King's Meffage, and which was agreed to nem. diff. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Thursday, May 4.

This being the day for the confideration of the petition complaining of an undue election for the Borough of Malmesbury, there only being 95 members prefent at four o'clock, the House Adjourned.

HOUSE

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