The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, he had propofed the tax upon the grounds that it was an article well able to bear it; and confidering the vaft circulation of newfpapers, he did not know one article more fit for taxation. The confideration, then, was, what allowances fhould be made to those who might otherwife fuffery the neceflary advance of capital. In confidering this, the fair inquiry was, what increafe of expence might eventually fall on the publisher, and what on the vender; what allowance hould, on the whole, be made, and how that allowance fhould be diftributed between vender and publisher, so as to prevent and take away the pretence for charging any addition above the new duty, to the price of the paper. After a great deal of inquiry, he had no reason to think, that on any given number of papers, the profit to the publisher and vender would not be as great as before, on giving them, on account of their increase of capital, 16 per cent. on the whole amount of the Stamp Duty between them. It was impoffible, he obferved, to eftimate what their lofs might be, by diminution of confumption; or to fay that their profits, on the whole, would be as great as before: but this was an objection equally applicable to all objects of taxation. For his own part, he did not believe that the fale of newspapers would be materially or permanently decreased; but, at all events, it was a cafe which admitted no cure, without introducing into the measure principles unknown in taxation.

Mr. W. Smith faid, that the country newfpapers would be ruined by the tax; besides newspapers were not like other ob jects of taxation: they were the conveyances of political inteligence, and every thing that affected them affected the nation at large in a political view; and this act would go to throw new paper proprietors, whofe concerns were in a tottering fituation, immediately into the power of Administration, by rendering them more needy, and of course more liable to temptation.

Mr. Rofe faid, the proprietors of country newspapers were their own venders, and the discount would more than meet their hopes. He had not had an opportunity of hearing this from themselves, but he had it from their agent in London; and the discount would enable the proprietors in town to make a fufficient allowance to the venders. For, allowing the lofs by an increase of capital to be 9 per cent. it would afford, after giving 4 per cent. allowance to the venders, 3 per cent. additional be nefit to the proprietors, who would be fo far better by the duty than they were before.

On a divifion, there were,

For the additional Duty
Against it

60

10

The

Majority 50

The farther import of the claufes refpecting this tax, was to allow 16 per cent. to thofe Newfpaper Proprietors who increased the price of their paper no more than three-halfpence, and 4 per cent. to those who did. After which the Chairman reported the Refolutions, and the Report was ordered to be received.

The Houfe in a Committee, went through the Scotch Militia Bill.--Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Thursday, June 15.

The Earl of Portfmouth was fworn, and took his Seat. Lord Sydney acquainted the Houfe, that pursuant to their Lordships' defire he had attended on their part, together with the Deputation from the Houfe of Commons, upon his Majefty, with their joint Addrefs refpecting the Plan for the more effectual Promulgation of the Statutes.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Thursday, June 15.

The London Affize Bread Bill was read a third time and paffed.

The Bill for the General Inclofure of Wafte Lands, by confent of all parties, went through a Committee.

Mr. Jolliffe moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the A&t pafled läft Seffion of Parliament relative to the commencement of the season for fhooting Partridges, which put it off from the 1ft to the 14th of September. His motive for fo doing was,' that the extenfion of the time from the 1ft to the 14th was a great interruption to the diverfion of Gentlemen in fhooting. He therefore wifhed to bring it back to the firft.

Mr. Wigley oppofed it, on the ground that the Bill of laft Seffion was paffed to extend the time to the 14th, because of the injury which was done to ftanding corn, while it commenced on the ift. He thought, therefore, the Houfe ought not to agree to the present Motion, as the injury which might thereby be done to standing corn was certainly of far greater importance to the public in general, and the farmers in particular, than the fmall interruption which took place in the diverfion of Gentlemens' fhooting.

RESTRICTION ON THE BANK.

Mr. Pitt moved, that there be laid before the Houfe a copy of the letter written by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, and their relolution confequent thereon. The faid letter and refolution were accordingly read; the purport of the letter was requcfting the information of the Directors whether they thought it fafe and prudent, under all circumftances, that the restriction fhould be taken off at prefent.

The

The refolution in anfwer was in fubftance, " that under the present circumstances, they did think it prudent that the reftrictions fhould be continued for a time to be limited; but that a power fhould be given to enable them to commence their payments in fpecie within the limited time, if they should find it expedient fo to do."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the Act for confirming and continuing the reftrictions of the Order of Council of the 26th of February laft, be read; which being done, he ftated shortly, that the Act which had just been read being once paffed, and in confequence the restriction having been cofirmed, it must appear clear to the House that it was a very delicate point to determine at once to take it off, without the most serious confideration whether it might not be productive of great hazard to the affairs of the Company, and the Public Credit. He was perfectly fenfible, from what he perfonally knew of the fubject, and from all the information which he had received from the Directors, that the reftriction had not been attended with thofe difficulties which might naturally, perhaps, have been expected to refult from fuch a fhock. He was convinced, that from the prudent measures which had been adopted and purfued by the Directors, the ftate of their affairs had been very much improved. A very confiderable enlargement of dif counts had operated to the great and general welfare of commerce; and he had no doubt but that enlargement of discounts would become not temporary only, but actually permanent. He could not enter into the grounds upon which the reftriction originally took place, from the fame reason that the Secret Committee was guided by in not doing fo; but he was altogether fatisfied that the affairs of the Bank were in a most favourable train, and had no doubt but by continuing the restriction for a certain time longer, they might very likely be enabled to commence their payments before the expiration of fuch limited period, and it certainly behoved them to look cautiously to the fituation of the country, and the fafety of its interefts. He therefore moved "For leave to bring in a Bill to continue for "a time to be limited, under certain reftrictions of the Bill, for "confirming and continuing the reftriction of the Order of "Council of the 26th of February laft."

Mr. W. Smith did not rife to oppose the Motion, but merely to fuggeft an obfervation or two. The emiffion of a great quantity of paper did not produce its evils immediately, but at a remote period. On the contrary, when it was firft iffued, it was an advantage, and gave a temporary relief to a country. If the Bank opened at a period not very diftant, it was poffible none of thefe evils might occur. With refpect to the measure itself, he

did not believe that it would furprise any one for nobody expected the Bank would refume its operations on the twentyfourth of June.

Mr. Huffey faid, there was one obfervation which the Right Hon. Gentleman had made: the Hon. Gentleman talked of a fituation of hazard. He wifhed to afk whether the Honourable Gentleman, in ftating the fituation of the Bank, had taken the whole into his confideration: with regard to their outstanding paper? Whether they did not hazard the country, by fupplying it with paper inftead of cafh?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, his opinion was founded upon a confideration of the whole their outstanding paper compared with their bullion and fpecie; and when that comparifon was made, their affairs were greatly improved. Though their discount had been more liberal, yet the iffue of paper had not gone on unqualified. It had been fufficient to anfwer the demands of the country, but had not led to a confiderable increase of outstanding paper. With regard to the obfervation of the other Hon. Gentleman, that the evils of an over-iffue were not immediate, he thought it would be found, that where the iflue of paper was beyond the demands of the country, or beyond a correfponding capital, in fuch cafe the evil was not remote, but immediate; and, inftead of giving fupport to commerce, it immediately destroyed it. Though he did not mean to say, but that the prohibition was an evil of great magnitude in itfelf, yet it was fome confolation to find it had been lefs than what was predicted. They were told, that it would be impoffible to go. on under it, not even for three months. They had gone on for three months without any fenfible inconvenience. It was in this view he mentioned it; and in this view only he meant his reference.

Mr. Thornton ftated, that the Bank was very guarded in their iffue of paper, and that the whole amount of outstanding paper did not exceed the ufual quantity. Their affairs were much improved, far beyond the proportion of an excefs of iffue.

Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.

PROVISIONS.

Mr. Secretary Dundas faid, he understood that the Bill for Foreftalling, Jobbing, &c. &c. ftood for the next day. He thought that fuch a Bill would not have been introduced at this day, fince it was proved, twenty years ago, that fuch reftrictions, inftead of reducing the price of provifions, would ftarve London, as none would be fupplied. He thought proper to say thus much -now, that the Bill might not be paffed in a thin Houfe, without obfervation.--Adjourned.

No. 44.

9. Z

HOUSE

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Friday, June 16.

Heard Counfel in the caufe of the York Building's Company, Appellants; and Bremner, Refpondent, on the part of the Appellants.

The Bills on the Table were forwarded in their feveral

ftages. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Friday, June 16.

A new Writ was ordered to be iffued for a new Member to ferve in Parliament for the County of Bucks, in the room of the Honourable James Grenville, who has accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.

The Continuation Alien Bill was read a third time, and paffed.

The Attornies' Certificate Indemnity Bill was read a third time, and paffed.

COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, he had a propofal to fubmit to the Committee, relative to the diftilleries of the Highlands of Scotland. This was a subject upon which there was more difference of opinion than upon any queftion almost that ever came under his confideration. The perfons who were the best acquainted with the fubject, differed to an extent that could hardly be conceived. Under all thefe circumftances, he felt, that he was not prepared to bring forward any decifive permanent plan; but should propofe a measure, which, for the prefent, would, he hoped, remedy the evil.--There was fome difficulty in fixing the exact boundaries; but that part, which, upon fome occafions, had been confidered as part of the Highlands, and, upon others, as part of the Lowlands, he should, at prefent, propofe to exempt. He therefore moved, that an additional duty of 61. 10s. per gallon be laid upon the ftills in Scotland, with the exception of a district to be limited.

Sir William Pulteney difapproved much of this mode of taxation he saw no reason why there should be this difference between different parts of the country; and thought it would be more productive if laid equally upon the whole of that country.

Mr. M'Dowall thought the fum propofed was not fufficient. He thought, that if the Stills in the Highlands were not taxed higher, the confequence would be, that there would be no Stills remaining in the Lowlands; and all the diftilling would be carried on in the Highlands at a much fmaller duty. As a proof of what he faid, he wished to ftate, that, though the Lowlands were infinitely more populous, there were but 6000