juftification of the proceedings of Lord St. Vincent; which gave rife to a converfation between Mr. Garthshore, Admiral Berkeley, and Mr. Jarvis. On the report of the Committee of Supply, Mr. Vanfittart propofed a Refolution refpe&ting the importation of Malt from Ireland, under a countervailing duty.-Agreed to. The following Refolutions were reported and agreed to: Refolved, That when the average price of raw or Mufcavedo fugar fhall be above the average price of 358. and hall not exceed 40s. there fhall be granted a draw back of 228.; from 40s. to 585—20s. ; from 58s. to 60s.-18s.; from 60s. to 625.-165.; from 62s. to 645.-149.; from 64s. to 66s.-128.; from 66s. to 68s.-10s.; from 68s. to 703.-8s. Duties on refined fugar exported When the average price of the hundred is above 45s. and does not exceed 50s. 228.; from 50s. to 58s.-18s.; from 58s. to 60s.-16s.; from 60s. to 645. 145.; from 648. to 66s.—128.; from 66s. to 68s-10s.; from 68s. to 70s, -8s. Alfo the following duties on brown and Mufcavedo :-When the average price fhall be above 35s. and not exceed 37s. per hundred-40s.; from 37s. to 40s.-385.; from 403. to 445-36s. ; from 44s. to 48s.-345.; from 48s. to 588.-31.; from 58s. to 60s-278.; from 60s. to 645.255.; from 64s. to 668.—205.j from 668. to 68s.-175.j from 68s. to 70s. 135. Mr. Corry moved, that feed corn be permitted to be exported to Ireland for a limited time.-Agreed to. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15. The Secretary at War gave notice, that after the receis he would bring forward a motion for a Bill for regulating the Pay, Clothing, and providing for the Militia, which Bill would be different from that of last year. Instead of twentyone days in a year, they would in future be out twenty-eight days. He then took notice of a cultom which deferved the vigilant attention of the Houfe; namely, the providing of fubftitutes by focieties. This cuftom, though it had long prevailed, was nothing more than downright fwiedling: he entered upon a defcription of thefe different focieties; and was of opinion, that they were of a very evil tendency, inafmuch as the perfons procured by them to ferve as fubftitutes VOL. XLIII. Jan. 1803 were the very dregs of fociety, who, when wanted, could not be found, except in fetters in fome prifon. He hoped Gentlemen would confider this monstrous abufe, and give their affistance in putting it down. General Gascoyne inquired of Minifters, whether they had come to any final refolutions relative to the trade and intercourfe with Malta; as, if they had not, it was his intention to give notice of fubmitting, before the recefs, a motion on the fubject, particularly as the Act concerning Malta would expire next Tuefday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer anfwered, that he was not aware, till the moment of his coming to the House, that the Act was fo near expiring. He understood, however, that it would be in force till the 28th inftant. Mr. Kinnaird paid fome handfomé compliments to the First Lord of the Admiralty for his endeavours to remedy the abuíes in his department; but he thought the different Boards had already power enough to prevent them; and to afcertain this, he moved "That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he would give orders that copies of the Patents of Commiffion of the Admiralty and Navy Boards be laid before the Houfe." Mr. Sturges oppofed the Bill, on thẻ ground of its giving too great a power to the Commiflioners. Captain Markham said, that unless the Commiffioners had full powers, the Bill would fall short of its object. In proof of the abuses, he said, a person who contracted for cooperage in the Navy fent in his accompts, making the total of charge for cooperage work done 1260l. cr 1020l. When this bill was referred to the proper Officers to inveftigate and examine it, the whole was reduced to 371. It then became neceffary to recur to his former charges, and he was ordered to attend the Board, and produce his books and vouchers for all he had done. He did attend; but he unrefervedly refuted to produce them, and fet the Board and the publick at defiance. After Mr. Sheridan and other Members had expreffed their opinion of the neceffity of plenary powers, the motion was carried without a divition. In a Committee of Supply, the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the fum of 15,160l. os. 6d. be granted to make good the like fum iffued by his K Majelly, Majefty, and not made good by Parlia ment. The motion was agreed to. The Navy Bills Bill was read a third time, and paffed. THURSDAY, DEC. 16. The Dublin Bakers' Bill was read a third time, and paffed. The report of the Expiring Laws Bill was brought up, and a new Bill ordered refpe&ting Malta. Mr. Sheridan moved for papers refpecting the Nabob of the Carnatic, particularly for Copies of the Inftructions from the Governor-General in Council to the Governor of Fort St. George, dated the 26th of March 1800; with Copies of all Minutes, &c. which gave rife to these Inftructions." Mr. Canning thought the Houfe was too precipitate in pafling this Bill; there were tribunals already perhaps fufficient to correct the abufes complained of, as a Committee of the Houfe was the old conftitutional check over the Public Boards; and he concluded with wifhing the Bill to stand over till after the recefs. The Chancellor of the Exchequer de fended the measure, on the ground of its not being a new one; after which the difcuffion of the different claufes was protracted to an extraordinary length, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. MONDAY, DEC. 20. Captain Markham moved for an ac count of the quantity of flax and hemp imported during the last ten years, diftin guishing each year, and the country from which it was imported.-Ordered. The English Militia Amendment Bill was read a third time, and passed. On the order for the third reading of the Sugar Bounty Bill, Mr. Johnson made fome objections. He faid, the object of the Legiflature, with respect to the fugar trade, had always been to grant bounties on the re-exportation of that article, equal to the duty it paid upon its importation he stated the immenfe fum which would be loft to the publick, if this Bill were to pafs, befides the effect it would have on fugar by enhancing the price of that confumed at home in confequence of the quantity fent out of the kingdom. The remainder of his arguments tended to fhow, that Parliament ought not to indemnify any fet of men who were lofers by their fpeculations.-Several Members fpoke in favour of the bill; after which it was read a third time and pafled. MIDDLESEX ELECTION. Sir F. Burdett preferred a complaint against the True Briton, and read the Refolutions contained in an advertisement in fupport Mr. Mainwaring's caufe by that paper, the object of which was to fubfcription: he then read two Refoluftance of which was, "1tt, That atter a tions that he meant to propofe, the subPetition had been received, any applica tion tending to prejudice the merits of a breach of the privileges of the House, the cafe, or prejudice the Members, was That fubfcribing money in fupport of a and a contempt of its jurifdiction. 2dly, Petition, while pending in the House, was a breach of its privileges."-He then difclaimed any thing perfonal: he had no wish to bring any printer to the bar, but left it to the Houfe to mark its difapprobation of fuch proceedings, confulting its own dignity and honour. Mr. Thornton, whofe name was to the advertisement, briefly vindicated his conduct; and conceived himself jultified, as an Elector of Middlefex, in maintaining his rights and franchises. By the return of Sir F. Burdett, he had found his own vote, and the votes of many other freeholders, rendered nugatory. In confiftency, therefore, with his duty, without any motives of perfonal hoftility to the Hon. Baronet, he had endeavoured to get his valuable franchise restored. Lord Hawkefbury confidered the first Refolution to be founded on an erroneous statement: Mr. Mainwaring had a Peti tion presented, ascribing misconduct to his fuccefsful opponent. In that Petition it was obfervable, that the language was as moderate as could have been used. The Petition was made public, and circulated in all parts of the kingdom by the votes of the Houfe; and he could not comprehend how it was indecorous in any fet of Gentlemen to fubfcribe to that Petition. On the Election Petition on behalf of J. Williams, Efq. being prefented, fome debate took place as to the neceflity of adhering ftrictly to the Grenville A&t; after which the motion for receiving the Petition was negatived. The Irish Sugar Drawback Bill and Provision Importation Bill were read a third time, and paffed. Mr. Corry, after a few prefatory obfervations moved for the production of the following Accounts: An Account of the Ordinary Revenue, and the Extraordinary Refources.conftituting the Pub. lic Income of Ireland, from the 25th of March 1799, to the 5th of January 1800. Alfo an Account of a fimilar nature, from the 25th of March 1800, to the 5th of January. 1801; and from the 25th of March 1801, to the 5th of January 1802, -Ordered. ject refpecting which fome erroneous notions had been entertained. He alluded to a Bill for extending the fyltem of bonding and warehousing to a number of articles, to which the Bill exifting did not apply. He wished it to be underfood, that it was not in contemplation to adopt any thing like a general fyftem of free ports, but merely a partial extenfion of the prefent regulation. To that effect, a difcretion would be vested in fuch hands as the wisdom of Parliament thould think fit, for granting licenses to port-towns, enabling them to participate in the advantages of the intended regula tion. He also renewed a notice he had given in the laft Parliament, of his intention to bring in a Bill for appointing Commiffioners to inveftigate the joint accounts between Great Britain and Ireland. The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave notice, in confequence of this last inti mation, that early after the recefs he. fhould fubmit a proposition to the Houfe, for confolidating the duties of cuftoms. That propofition would not only embrace the plan adopted in the year 1787, but would include feveral additional articles to which that plan did not apply. He fhould alio fubmit a motion upon a fub He likewife obferved, that he should not introduce his propofition for extending the bonding and warehousing fyftem, until after his Bill for confolidating the Cuftoms fhould have received the approbation of the Houfe.. FRIDAY, DEC. 24. Mr. Irvine prefented at the Bar an account of the quantity of Flax and Yarn imported into Great Britain for the last ten years. Several Petitions were prefented, and much private bufinefs tranfacted after which the House adjourned till. MONDAY, DEC. 27. On the motion for reading a fecond time the Navy Inquiry Bill, feveral Members again expreffed their sentiments, but particularly Mr. Kinnaird, who conceived the Bill, in every refpect, unneceffary. Mr. Sheridan rofe, and Jaid, that he had feen in the public prints a paper (Proteft) figned by five Noble Peers, which he thought a high infringement of the privileges of the House; he therefore gave notice that he should, immediately after the recefs, make a motion on the fubject. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 29. On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the House do adjourn to the 3d of February, Mr. Elliott expreffed his aftonishment at fuch a motion, under the prefent awful and unparalleled circumstances of the country: he alluded to the Peace Eftablifhment, and concluded with obferving, that Members ought to give their conftituents some substantial reafon for taking their money for fuch an establishment. K 2 The The Chancellor of the Exchequer juftified the adjournment on the precedent of that which took place from October till February, at the time when our troops were worsted in Holland; and after anfwering the arguments of Mr. Elliott, concluded with faying, that he faw no foundation for alarm. Mr. Windham (poke in his usual manner; the object of his remarks was, to cenfure the Peace Establishment. The motion was then carried. the Houfe fpeedily after the recefs'; as he intended to make the fubject of this queftion the ground of a motion? The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, the fubject had been for fome time under the confideration of the Lords of the Admiralty and of Government; but he believed it would not be thought neceffary to bring it forward. Mr. Alexander gave notice that he fhould shortly after the recefs, bring forward a measure for the improvement of the town of Belfast. The House then adjourned to Thurs day, the 3d of February. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. PARIS, DEC. 14. ON Sunday, the 12th December, a Deputation from the Republic of the Valais was prefented to the First Conful. It confifted of Citizen Antoine Auguftini, Grand Bailli of the Republic; Jacques Quarteri, ViceCounsellor of State; and Pierre Jofeph de Rudmatten, Ex-Prefident of the Tribunal. The Grand Bailli delivered an addrefs upon the occafion; after which he prefented a law of the Valaifan Diet: Art. I. Bonaparte, Firft Conful of the French Republic, and Prefident of the Italian Republic, is proclaimed, in the name of the Valaifan People, Reftorer of the Independence of the Republic of the Valais. II. The homage of the prefent Law fhall be conveyed to him by a Special Deputation. III. The prefent Law fhall be printed, published, and posted up, and republished every year, on the 5th of September, the Anniverfary of the Proclamation of the Independence of the Valais. Given in the Diet at Sion, the 28th of October 1802, &c. All the Swifs Deputies having arrived in Paris, were, by a Commiflion of four Senators, requested to meet on the 10th of December, in the Office of the Minifter for Foreign Affairs. Bar-. thelemy, one of the Senators of the Commiffion, with Roux and Roederer, its Secretaries, there communicated to them a letter from the First Conful, dated St. Cloud, Dec. 10, and addressed to the Deputies from the eighteen Can tons of Helvetia. The fubftance of that letter is as follows: "The prefent critical fituation of Helvetia demands from all parties an entire facrifice of their factious and felfifh paffions. The First Conful will fulfil his engagements, and restore tranquility to Switzerland. He expects the Deputies to aid his intentions. Switzerland is a country diftinguished from all others by the peculiarity of its local circumftances. It is formed for a Federative Republic by the very hand of Nature. Circumstances had there eftablished Sovereign States among others which were dependent. Other circumstances have introduced a general equality of rights. There are in Switzerland both pure Democracies and Governments engroffed by particular families; both cannot continue to fubfift together. The three principles on which alone tranquility can be re-established, are thefe a general equality of rights among all the eighteen Cantons; an entire renunciation of all Ariftocratic Family Rights; a Federative Conformation in respect to each particular Canton. After the Canton fhall have been conftituted, the courfe of the central Government will be easy. The revenue, the military force, the political administration, will be different in different Cantons." The letter continues- It is the duty of the French Government to take care that there shall not be formed on that open frontier of the French Republic a fyftem hoftile to it. A Government must be established in Helvetia, fuch as, in its fpirit, may be Horrid Circumftance.-At a fmall vil. lage between Marquife and Boulogne, in France, a written paper, with three fignatures, was carried to the house of the Mayor, appointing a meeting upon bufinefs, in the evening, at a fixed place. A neighbour obferved three men at the door, and the Mayor to go out, leaving at home his wife, daugh. ter, niece, and a maid fervant. Early the next morning, a nephew of the Mayor's calling, found the door open, and upon entering, fit beheld the maid murdered in the paffage; the mother and daughter dead in one Toom, and the niece a corpfe in an other. As foon as he could recover himself, he, with the affiftance of a neighbour, fearched the house, when it appeared nothing had been taken away. The written paper was found, containing the three fignatures, which induced the nephew and the neighbour to proceed to the stated place, when they difcovered the Mayor, miferably mangled. In one of his hands was a large lock of hair grafped, with a part of the fkin to it, fuppofed to belong to one of the villains. This was taken to the Municipality, who embargoed all the veffels between Calais and Boulogne. The diligences were examined, and every one obliged to take off, his hat; but the moniters were not difcovered. A perfon arrived in England about a week ago, to communicate the act to the English Police. The Mayor was a powerful man; he was very much cut; and by the hair which he appears to have torn from one of their heads, it is evident he made resistance. He bore an excellent character, and was much efteemed. The brother-in-law of the First Conful, General Leclerc, died at St. Domingo on the 2d November, after an illness of ten days; and his embalmed remains have arrived in France with Madame Leclerc. It appears that the affairs of that quarter have been dreadful; but that after the death of Leclerc they had affumed a more favourable complexion. General Rochambeau had been appointed the fucceffor of Leclerc, who, previous to his decease, had made every neceflary arrangement for the civil and military government of the island. In confequence of the reprefentations of the Batavian Executive to the Chief Conful, General Montrichard, who commands the French troops in Holland, has been directed not to place any garrifon in the Hague, but to fix his head-quarters at Breda. Letters from Genoa, of Dec. 15, mention the fudden demolition of more than two-thirds of the village of Villaguardia, near Oneglia, by a convulfion of the earth, which took place in the following manner :-The village was compofed of about eighty dwellinghoufes and 400 inhabitants. It ftood' on the flope of a hill, in high cultivation, and abounding in fprings. On the evening of the 22d of November, two apertures were convulfively made in the ground near the village church. It rained all that night. At day-break, on the 23d, an enormous mafs burit down from the fummit of the hill, brought before it all the furface earth, and fell upon the houses. The roof of the church was first demolished, then fifty-feven of the houses met the fame overthrow. In the night of the 23d, the ruins were removed to the distance of |