Mr. Secretary Canning said, that unquestionably there had been engagements entered into with foreign powers, and that it was the intention of his majesty's ministers to make the necessary communications, with respect to such engagements, to the House, before the end of the session. But as such engagements depended on certain contingencies, his majesty's ministers had thought it adviseable, in order that such communication might come before the House in a full and perfect form, to defer it until the result of the contingencies upon which it so much depended, could be clearly ascertained. That such a communication would be made in the course of the present session he had no doubt, and he did not think it improbable that before the end of the present or early in the ensuing week, he would be authorised by his majesty's command to make such a communication to the House.

Mr. Lethbridge brought up the report on Mr. Palmer's petition. Ordered to be taken into further consideration on that day se'nnight.

The sheriffs of London presented at the bar a petition from the lord mayor, aldermen, and common council, against the bill now pending for the relief of the poor of the parish of Christ Church. Ordered to be referred to a committee.

MAYNOOTH COLLEGE,

Mr. Foster said, that with respect to the grant to May nooth college, he had given notice that he would move for the ordinary grant of eight thousand pounds, but now thinking the additional grant of five thousand pounds unnecessary, he had said that he should not move for it. He now rose to give notice, that he should not for the present year withhold his consent to the additional grant, as it had appeared, that the building depending on such money had been already commenced; at the same time he wished it to be distinctly understood, that he did not by now supporting it, at all pledge himself to support the said grant at a future period; the propriety of continuing which he thought a matter of great question, as it went to no less than double the Maynooth establishment.

Mr. Williams Wynne said, that as the right honourable gentleman had thought proper to decline pressing his ob jections to the additional grant of five thousand pounds, he would not think it necessary to move at prest for the omments.

documents which would go to substantiate the claims of the Maynooth establishment, to that additional grant. He should therefore withdraw the notice he had made to that effect.

Lord Howick was extremely glad, that upon further consideration the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Foster) had thought it wise to abstain from a measure that must naturally have proved of the most dangerous and mischievous tendency (order! order!) nor could he think, that the right honourable gentleman had so satisfactorily accounted for this change of opinion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer rose to order, and submitted to the noble lord if it would not be better to postpone all observations of that nature until the question was regularly before the House, as if such proceeding was admitted, the gentlemen on the other side would feel themselves justified in even being irregular while answering to such irregularities.

The Speaker intimated to the noble lord, that there was then no question before the House.

• Lord Howick proceeded to observe, upon the right honourable gentleman's (Mr. Foster's) statement; the right honourable gentleman objected to the additional grant the other day, and on that day assented to it, because he had learned what on the first day he ought not, because he might not, have been ignorant of, that the buildings had been already begun, and yet the right honourable gentleman after assigning that reason, stated that he would for the future object to it, because it was in fact doubling the Maynooth establishment. If the right honourable genticman did not at first know that the buildings were already begun, his ignorance of that fact could have nothing to do with doubling the establishment, and if such a grant did double the establishment, the actual commencement of the building could not be any argument why the grant should be now acceded to.

Mr. Foster rose to order, and insisted that it was quite unparliamentary to enter into the merits of any measure to be proposed, of which notice had been only then given.

The Speaker thought it better that any thing to be said upon the subject should be deferred to the time appointed for the discussion there, as the subject was not then before the House.

Lord Howick said, that he certainly felt it his duty to

bow

bow to the decision of the chair, at the same time that he should take good care to enforce the strict exercise of the rule that had been now applied to him, and upon all occasions for the future, when a notice was given, he would take care that that notice should not be followed up by any further question or comment whatever. He was certainly fully aware how troublesome it must be to the right honourable gentleman to have questions put, which it might not be convenient to answer.

Mr. Williams Wynne gave notice, that he would move for a reconsideration of the order, requiring notices to be served on members in cases of controverted election.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought down a message from his majesty, which was read from the chair, in substance as follows: That his majesty being anxious to settle Frogmore House, and the lands adjoining, on the Queen during her natural life, and after her demise on the princesses, recommended to his faithful Commons to adopt such speedy and effectual measures for carrying the same into effect as to them may seem most fit. It was ordered that the said message be referred to a committee of the whole House the next day.

The Secretary at War laid upon the table a return of the names of all field officers on half-pay. Ordered to be printed.

Mr. R. Dundas brought in the East India stock bill; read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday.

The Secretary at War brought in a bill for regulating the payment of the pensions of officers' widows, and officers on half-pay.

General Fitzpatrick took occasion to thank his right honourable friend who had succeeded him, for adopting a measure which had appeared to him so desirable.

Mr. Foster brought in the salt beef Irish export bill. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time the next day.

Mr. Foster laid upon the table a return of the dates of all warrants issued from the Irish treasury suspending duties on raw sugar exported.

The House in a committee of supply, on the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the following sums were voted:

Extraordinaries

Extraordinaries for the army from the 26th De cember, 1805, to the 24th December, 1806, not made good by Parliament,

For the army extraordinaries for 1807,

Ditto for Ireland,

£793,710

2,950,000 600,000

It was then ordered that provision be made for clothing the militia of Great Britain and Ireland, and providing the pay of the subalterns in each.

The report was ordered to be received the next day, and the committee to sit again on Wednesday.

The Windsor forest bill was read a second time, and committed for the next day.

On the request of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir T. Turton postponed his motion from Friday to Tuesday. It was moved in a committee of the whole House, that the lords commissioners be instructed to contract for the sale of lottery tickets, not exceeding 100,000, the tickets to be rated at 101. each; all money arising from the sale to be lodged in his majesty's treasury, two-thirds for England, and one-third for Ireland.

A bill to enable his majesty to appoint the Chancellor of Exchequer of Ireland one of the lords commissioners of the treasury in England, without pay, was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time the next day.

POOR LAWS.

Mr. Whitbread moved, that the parish school bill be 'now read a second time.

Mr. Davies Giddy moved, as an amendment, that, in place of the word "now," be inserted, "this day three months."

Mr. Morris disapproved of the local manner of levying the poor rates; and said that he should support the amendment.

Mr. Ellison followed at some length, on the same side.

Mr. Sturges Bourne highly approved of the principle of instructing the poor, but dreaded the expence. He therefore suggested that those parishes who might be induced voluntarily to submit to the rates for this purpose should be allowed to do so, but that there should be no compulsion. The voluntary plan would be more effectual than the other. He thought the bill ought to go no further this session. In the interval, his suggestion might

be

JULY 13.]

POOR LAWS.

be considered. He requested of gentlemen also to con-
sider whether something might not be done for the ame-
lioration of the condition of parish apprentice, and feel-
ingly described the cruelties to which they were often
subject. These he thought arose from the masters being
compelled to take them.

Sir Samuel Romilly was sorry to see a different dispo-
sition manifested by this Parliament, on this subject, from
what appeared in the last, where all agreed that the bill
ile contended that instead
should go to a committee.
of increasing, this would ultimately very much diminish
the poor's rates. He agreed with the last speaker as to the
importance of atten ling to the condition of parish appren-
fices. It was the practice to send them to as great a
distance as possible, where they had no friends who could
In some parishes in London
attend to their situation.
they were accustomed to send them to the distance of
some hundreds of miles, and to contract with the pro-
prietors of the cotton mills of Lancashire, &c. for so
many of them, who were sent off in carts like so many
negro slaves. To an observation of Mr. S urges Bourne,
and need
that the bill had been committed last sessio
not be committed now, he replied, that it had only been
commi ted before, pro forma.

Mr. Rose would be sorry to oppose the bill going into a committee, provided it was understood it should not pass this session. He had no doubt but the poor ought to be taught to read; as to writing he had some doubt, because those who had learnt to write well were not willing to abide by the plough, but looked to a With respect to the situation in some counting house. poor rates, if they did not now exist, he would propose them, because he thought that the relief of the poor ought not to be left with the generous to the exemption of the

miser.

Mr. Lushington supported the principle of the bill, and argued for going into a committee. In every coun try where the poor were well in trucied, they formed the This measure better subjects in every point of view. would rather diminish than increase the poor rates.

Mr. R. Dundas felt the strongest predilection for pa rochial shools, and certainly agreed in the principle of extending information as much as possible among the lower ranks. The object however, for which he rose, was to YOL. 1.-1807.

state