many, who talk of a superabundance. Our granaries in general were empty, and the consumption begins a month earlier than usual. However, it is the popular cry, and among those who ought to have the wisdom to discourage such cries, that the quartern loaf will soon be at 7d. I heartily wish it may. What shall we do next session with you and your 131 fellow travellers? Will you be manageable? Will you be noisy? Will there be many orators among you? I am, my dear Beresford, yours affectionately, AUCKLAND. LORD CASTLEREAGH TO MR. BERESFORD. Phoenix Park, 17th Oct., 1800. MY DEAR MR. BERESFORD,—I landed yesterday, after passing eight days at Holyhead-no small penance. As the 1st January is approaching, when things are to flow in somewhat a new channel, it will be necessary for us to consider what previous arrangements must be made. I should be thankful to you to turn the subject a little in your mind, and send me your ideas upon the steps that should be previously taken with a view to the new duties and the Revenue Bills, which Mr. Pitt is of opinion must be prepared on this side. When do you think of moving? I hope your quiet summer has repaired the severities of the two last campaigns. It gave Mr. Pitt and your friends in England the truest satisfaction to understand that you had borne the fatigue so well; and they all feel that your important services on this most important of all measures has done justice to the whole series of your political acts. They desire earnestly to express to you the sense they entertain of your unvarying attachment to the British Government, and hope that you will attend the inauguration of the United Parliament. I trouble you with a letter from a lady who claims kindred with me; if you will enable me, if her request cannot be complied with, to give her a cousin-like answer, I shall be thankful. Believe me very sincerely yours, CASTLEREAGH. LORD CASTLEREAGH TO MR. BERESFORD. Phoenix Park, Friday night, 7th Nov., 1800. MY DEAR MR. BERESFORD,-I directed the Union Act to be sent by last night's post from the office; it contains every legislative provision on the question-as the Election Act, countervailing duties, &c., were all incorporated. The British Act is the same precisely, merely varying the recital; it therefore cannot be of any use to you. I showed your query, relative to duties, regulations, and bounties, to Cooke; he seems unable to furnish you with any hints they relate to what existed in either country previous to the measure, of which you are better informed than he is. Rose has written for some Irish accounts, principally those where the Irish duties are made the standard, as in calicoes and woollens. : We have received various applications from the maltsters, stating that a considerable proportion of the old malt now on hand is unfit for brewing, and that it will be entirely lost unless permission is given to distil what is damaged. Do you think that by confining the permission to Dublin and perhaps Cork, and limiting the licence in point of time, proportioned to the quantity in the hands of the distiller certified upon inspection to be unfit for brewing, that this indulgence could be granted? Their memorial has been referred to the Board. I am myself afraid of fraud; the time is the only security possible. I am very happy to hear that you are so well. I hope to go to the north in the course of a week. I shall return to Dublin, and can then arrange with you whatever we may feel necessary for the ensuing session. The King's Proclamation relative to the United Parliament will appear in the next Gazette. Donegal is settled, and Maxwell has withdrawn from Cavan. Yours, my dear Mr. Beresford, ever faithfully and sincerely, CASTLEREAGH. LORD AUCKLAND TO MR. BERESFORD. Eden Farm, Nov. 18th, 1800. MY DEAR BERESFORD,-This is merely a note of inquiry after your health; for I can tell you nothing that you will not equally well collect from newspapers, and better from other correspondents. I went to the House of Lords on the first day of meeting, but I have avoided taking any part in what is going forward, as I do not see that I can do anything, and as it is extremely desirable to me to remain here till Christmas. Lady Auckland's health has not been so good as usual, and so in short I am quiet at this place, occupied by my lawn and library, and with the daily details of the Post Office, which occupy a good deal of time. The gross income this year will be 1,050,0007.; the net, about 730,000. When I took it, three years ago, the net income was about 560,000., and no new duties have been laid on. We had a gloomy meeting. In plain truth, though it would be dangerous to say so publicly, as it would give a further pretext for enhancing prices, the deficiency of bread corn is undoubted and great. The price has been a great reduction in the consumption, and is introducing the use of rice, &c. I trust that in the course of this week the two Houses will unite in forming a general rule of reduction, by which private families may be guided. We are also gloomy as to our great politics. I told you, immediately after the battle of Marengo, that we were placed in the alternative between peaceful war and warlike peace; and we shall gradually tend to the latter, though perhaps it is the worst choice. Is your patriarchal party over? Are you settled in Dublin? And are you all in good health? Believe me, ever affectionately yours, AUCKLAND. MR. WALTER BORROWES TO MR. BERESFORD. - Austin Friars, 10th July, 1801. DEAR SIR, We had our meeting this day with Mr. Addington. We stated merely that the difficulties which the high exchange put in the way of the intercourse between England and Ireland were very great, and that we hoped he would bring forward some measure to remove them. Mr. Addington said that the subject was of great difficulty and delicacy, but that the importance of it put it in the first place in his mind, and made him desirous to have it settled upon a right ground. He conceived Ireland was over-supplied by the enterprise of English manufacturers, and hence her difficulty to pay her debts, and also the high exchange. We stated that the high exchange was no proof of the balance of trade, as all the goods sent to Ireland reckoned as merchandise imported there, and brought her in debt to England; and if these goods were got back again, exchange would be in favour of Ireland; but they were locked up in Bank of Ireland, or hid, and therefore, excepting a few purchased at a high premium, were of no avail towards enabling her to pay her Debt; and what we wanted was, a common medium of paper to be substituted in room of the specie locked up by order of Government. Mr. Addington admitted that if Ireland had the means of paying her Debt to England, and getting rid of high exchange, she ought to do it; and he thought the consolidation of the Bank the most likely to answer this purpose. He has therefore taken upon |