slavery had been practised among the antients, yet they did not carry on the traffic in large fleets as now conducted, and they had nothing among them that resembled the model of a slave ship. He entered into an explanation of the Jewish policy with regard to slaves, contending that it was mild, and that it directed the manumission of the slave after á certain period. He concluded by appealing to the justice and humanity of their lordships in support of the resolution.

The Earl of Suffolk argued on the same side of the question.

Lord Holland entered into a review of the arguments of the noble Earl (Westmoreland) who opposed the resolution. He observed, that in Barbadoes, Antigua, and several other islands, the importation of slaves had of late been trifling, while the produce of these islands had not decreased; and in Virginia, where no importation had been all wed, the increase of negroes had been almost as rapid as that of white men. The importation of slaves, therefore, was not necessary to the cultivation of our colonies ; and the preventing that importation would so meliorate their situation, that in the natural and necessary course of things, they would multiply so as to supply every demand that an increased cultivation might occasion.

Ear! Filze lliam felt rather alarmed at the consequences the resolutions might produce, but could not help feeling disposed to support them.

Lord Viscount Sidmouth could not agree to the motion. He thought the most effectual mode of abolishing the trade would be, to improve the situation of the negroes in the West Indies, and thereby ultimately to render further im portation unnecessary.

Earl Stanhope, Earl Grosvenor and Lord Ellenborough all spoke in favour of the motion.

The House divided.

Contents

No contents

Majority in favour of the motion

Lord Grenville moved to present an address to his Majesty, praying that his Majesty would be graciously pleased to negotiate with foreign powers for the purpose of procur ing the general abolition of the slave trade; which was agreed to. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JUNE 24.

On the motion of Sir A. Wellesley the evidence taken before the committee of the whole House appointed to consider the charge against the Marquis Wellesley relative to the Nabob of Oude, was ordered to be printed.

A gentleman from the custom-house presented an account of the quantity of foreign linen imported for the three years ending 1st January, 1806.

Mr. Robert Thornton brought in the East India shipping regulation bill, which was read a first and ordered to be read a second time the next day.

Mr Giles brought up the report of the committee appointed to inspeet the journals of the House of Lords, relative to the impeachment of Henry Lord Viscount Melville, which was ordered to lie on the table and to be printed.

On the motion of Mr. Hobhouse the second reading of the Nabob of Arcot's creditors' bill was postponed till Monday.

On the motion of Mr. Vansittart the farther consideration of the report of the assessed taxes allowance bill was postponed till Thursday.

In a committee on the Scotch distillery laws, the regu lations now in force were repealed, as being provided for in the new bill.

On the motion of Mr. Hobhouse, the committee on the Oude charge was postponed till the next day.

The Irish spirit licence and the Irish stamp-office regulation bills were reported, and ordered to be read a third time the next day.

Mr. Vansittart gave notice of his intention to move the next day for a committee to consider so much of the postoffice laws as relates to the carriage of letters.

The Solicitor-General gave notice that he should, on Thursday, move for leave to bring in a bill to alter and amend the bankrupt laws, in order to obviate as much as possible the evils attendant on the commission of secret acts of bankruptcy, and for enabling persons who may have contracted' with the bankrupts after such period, to prove their debts under the commission.

Mr. Foster having moved the order of the day for taking

into

into farther consideration the report of the linen drawback bill.

Mr. Stewart moved that the said bill be re-committed. In this he was supported by Mr. Dawson, Sir John Newport, Mr. Foster, Mr. Rose, and Mr. Alexander, all of whom contended, that in proposing the blank to be filled up with the 25th of November, instead of the 25th March, they asked no more for Ireland than she had been promised, and would have received in Angust last, but for a mistake. All that they now demanded was that the linen trade of Ireland should not be placed next year in the same situation in which it was now.

Mr. Magens contended that there was a fallacy in supposing that any mistake had been committed.

Lord Henry Petty desired gentlemen to consider that there were two parties here equally entitled to consideration? : The manufacturers of Ireland, who complained that by a mistake which had occurred, an advantage was given to foreign linens over them in the British market; and the British merchants, who trusting to the faith of that House as declared in an act of parliament, had embarked their cas pitals in the importation of the species of foreign linen objected to. It was but reasonable that the faith of Parlia ment should be preserved to the latter, by enabling them to full their engagements for the present year; and, at the commencement of next session, both parties would have it in their power to state their case to Parliament. On the question of re-commitment the House divided." For the re-commitment

Against it

Majority against the re-commitment

Report to be considered the next day.

GREENWICH HOSPITAL AND CHEST.

30

40

10

Lord Viscount Howick moved the order of the day for the House going into a committee on his Majesty's message of the preceding day. ·

The House having accordingly gone into the said committee, Mr. Alexander in the chair,

Lord Howick stated, that one of the principal objects of his Majesty's most gracious message was to recommend to that House, and to assist them in the task of providing for seamen wounded in the service, or when from age they should be unqualified to make any farther exertion for their country, a more adequate allowance than that which they

at

at present had. Gentlemen were not altogether unac quainted, from a perusal of the papers on the table, with what he meant to propose; and the same papers would also go far to establish the points which he should now haye to state to the House. The establishment of Chatham chest was some time ago transferred to the chest of Greenwich. Greenwich Hospital itself was exclusively confined to the relief of those wounded in the service. It was his intention now, however, to propose that it be extended to all who were no longer able to serve, and that the allowance should be increased as to both. When he stated that the out-pensions were only 77. and that they had not been increased since the year 1663, when the very great increase in the expence of living since that time was considered, and the very meritorious nature and immense. magnitude to this country of the service performed, were taken into consideration, it would not be thought very extraordinary that some addition should now be proposed. The revenue of the hospital at present amounted to the sum of 126,8117. and the actual expenditure to 114,5447. leaving a surplus revenue of 12,2671. He proposed in the slightest cases of injury, and where the service had not been of long duration, to continue the pension as it now stood, at 77. and to raise it as circumstances might warrant, to the highest sum, being 1s. a day, or 187. per annum. This discretion of judging in what cases the highest pension should be given, he proposed to leave in those hands where he thought it might with the greatest safety be entrusted he meant the lords of the admiralty.--This he estimated at 17,000l. per annum; and to provide for the deficiency he meant to propose to raise 5 per cent on all prize money and bounty for the capture of ships, as it should become due. In aid of this intention his Majesty had been pleased to signify his pleasure to grant a similar allowance out of the droits of the admiralty. The whole prize money so to be made, it was calculated might amount to 1,250,000l. He did not incline, however, to estimate it at more than 1,000,000l. Five per cent. on this sum amounted to 50,000l. One part of this sum applied to the purposes of the chest, and the remaining two-thirds to the purposes of the hospital, was the manner in which he proposed that it should be divided. One-third, therefore, to be applied to the chest was 16,6661. leaving a surplus on the total revenue in the time of war of about 1-1,000.

In

In time of peace it was naturally to be seen there must be a great deficiency. The expence, however, would then be greatly less, and in time of war the surplus to be accumu lated would in some measure be providing for the defalcation in time of peace. There were certain revenues too, which it was to be expected would very speedily be greatly cncreased, in particular from a rise on the rents of certain farms belonging to the hospital, estimated at 4,000l. per annum additional. There would also, it was computed, be at the end of the present war 200,000l. of forfeited prize money, the interest of which would go to keep down any deficiency. In this way he submitted that any deficiency which might arise could not produce any uncommon apprehension in the mind of the House. In time of war it was obvious there must be a considerable surplus, and in time of peace it was to be hoped the deficiency would not be of an alarming magnitude. The chest was founded in the year 1596, but it was not put on any regular establishmeut till the following year. Those who received from the hospital were not entitled to get any thing from it. The allowances from the chest were in this manner-For total loss of sight 127.; for loss of an arm 87. These he proposed to increase-loss of sight 201.; loss of an arm 167.; and so in proportion. This he computed would produce an additional expenditure of 17,000l. a year. The present expenditure of the chest amounted to 46 or 48,000l. a year, and the revenue of it to 63,000l. To provide for the proposed extension there would fall to be added the other two-thirds of the prize money and droits, amounting to $2,000%. leaving a surplus in time of war of 21,0007. though in time of peace there must be a considerable deficiency. He had also to propose a small allowance to the half-pay of masters and of lieutenants. These he did not consider to be acts of liberality, but of strict justice, and they were such as he was convinced the House would not feel inclined to object to. He concluded by moving, that out of all prize-money or bounty for the capture of ships of the enemy, the sum of 11. 13s. 4d. for every 1001. be granted to Greenwich hospital; and that out of all such prizemoney, &c there be granted on each 1007. the sum of Sl. 13s. 6d. to Greenwich chest.

These resolutions were agreed to, and the report ordered to be received the next day.

Lord Howick then gave notice that he should the next

day