and this he thought should be granted by Parliament only; for the House of Commons was always found generous and liberal, when fervices of that nature called for a recompence.

Mr. ROSE and Mr. TIERNEY faid a few words in ex

planation.

Mr. JOLLIFFE approved of augmenting the falaries of the Judges; and as to the office of High Chancellor, confidering all circumstances, he thought that 6,000l. would be more proper than 4,000l. per annum on his removal; and, if he were not afraid of being fingular, he would move an amendment to that effect on the refolution.

Doctor LAURENCE pronounced a high panegyric on the prefent Lord High Chancellor, and affured the Houfe of his perfect conviction that that noble and learned Lord accepted his prefent high office from motives of pure public fpirit.

Mr. TIERNEY explained, and faid he disclaimed all idea of casting the least reflection, or making any attack on that noble and learned Lord.

Doctor Laurence alfo explained.

The refolutions were then all agreed to.

Mr. BRAGGE moved, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to His Majefty, praying that he will be gracioúfly pleafed to iffue his Commiffion to the Great Seal of Great Britain, for examining the duties, falaries, emoluments, &c. of the feveral offices of the clerks and Minifters of the Courts of Juftice of this kingdom, and to examine what regulations may be fit to be established with regard to the fame."-Ordered.

Mr. BRAGGE brought up the report of the Committee of Supply. The feveral refolutions were read a first and second time. On the fecond reading of the refolution which provides for the pay and cloathing of the Militia,

Viscount BELGRAVE rofe merely to notice an abuse which prevailed in that particular. He was forry to fay certain Colonels of Militia, not fatisfied with a moderate gain on the article of cloathing, had, in feveral inftances, withheld a part of it-nor did they ftop there; he had heard that fome held out inducements to the men to take a small sum of money, in lieu of cloathing, for lefs than the value of it. He did not state this on general rumour, but particular cafes had been pointed out to him. Motives of delicacy should, however, prevent him from mentioning individuals, unless driven to it by fome very urgent neceffity. He conceived it would be alfo an act of injuftice to do fo, becaufe, although the accounts which he had received were true in fubftance, yet coming from VOL. IX.

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perfons who felt themselves aggrieved, they might, when accurately investigated, turn out to be much exaggerated. He hoped, therefore, he should be under no neceffity of proceeding to such a difagreeable length, and that what he then faid might operate as a general warning against such an abuse; and while it induced those, who had the power, to examine into and correct it, it might at the fame time be the means of awakening those to a sense of their duty in this particular, who had either fraudulently, or, perhaps, thoughtlefsly, fallen into fo reprehenfible a practice. He knew, however, many Colonels who made no profit in the cloathing; on the contrary, feeling for the honour, credit, and refpectability of the Militia, they were confiderable fums out of pocket in providing extraordinarily for their Regiments, in whofe appearance they naturally felt fo much pride. The abuse, however, to which he alluded was of long ftanding; it had been hinted by the Committee of Finance, and alfo Government had, he understood, entertained an idea of establishing a depot for cloathing the Militia, thus taking it entirely into its own hands; and the idea he hoped to fee carried into effect, if the abufe was continued. He did not wish to ftrip Colonels of any emoluments to which they were entitled; he only withed that gentlemen fhould not enter into the Militia with felfish, fordid views, but from motives of patriotifm and public fpiritfuch as he was fure influenced the great body of Militia Colonels, who were ready, in the hour of danger, to rifk every facrifice to their country.

Honourable Mr. PIERREPOINT faid, it was with regret and concern he was obliged to corroborate what was just stated by the noble Lord. He knew of great abufes and peculations in the fubject he alluded to. Enormous things had come to his knowledge in this particular. It was a difgrace to the country that they should be fuffered. However, he commended the delicacy of the noble Lord in not naming any individuals at prefent; but he hoped the Executive Government would look to this evil, and endeavour to provide a remedy for it. Men should not be appointed Colonels to Militia Regiments, unless they had confiderable property, or were very respectable, and well known in the county where the men were raised. He knew of many inftances of perfons being appointed Colonels in the Militia who neither had nor were likely to have any property in the county.

Mr. JOLLIFFE thought this a queftion which deeply interested the character of country gentlemen, who undertook to ferve in the Army for a stipulated pay, and in whom fuch impofitions must be a very great abuse. He thought, therefore, a strict inquiry should be

made into the neceffary expence of cloathing, and then it would be eafy for Government to regulate the establishment in that particular, and guard against any impofition.

Colonel STANLEY faid it was his wifh, and it was the wifh of many other Officers, that they fhould have nothing to do with the cloathing of them; that Government fhould take it on the footing of the Horfe Guards, Artillery Men, and others of the like regulation.

The Refolutions were then agreed to.

Friday, June 14.

Mr. Secretary DUNDAS moved, that the order of the day on the Militia Reduction bill be read; which being done, he obferved that fince this measure had been brought forward, many points had occurred to him which would require much attention; fome of the prefent claufes of the bill might require amendment, and feveral fresh claufes would be requifite. It would, therefore, be very inconvenient, if not impoffible, to difcufs all that matter now. was his intention now only to move, that the Speaker do leave the chair; and then he should propofe to go through the bill in the Committee pro forma, that the blanks might be filled up; and then he intended that the whole should be printed, and the bill farther committed.

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The Houfe then refolved itfelf into a Committee of the whole House on the bill, went through it, and the report was received immediately. The bill was ordered to be recommitted to a Committee of the whole Houfe on Tuefday next, and to be printed.

Lord HAWKESBURY moved the order of the day on the bill for the improvement of the port of London, &c.

Mr. MANNING informed the House, that he was inftructed by those on whose behalf he originated a measure which produced this plan, the merchants of London trading to the Weft Indies, to do nothing that was illiberal. They adhered to the reafons they formerly affigned in favour of their plan in preference to that which the House had now before it. But they defired that he should oppofe no part of this bill, but the compulfory claufe in it. This he mentioned, to fave unneceffary trouble, and delay. He should not oppose the House going into a Committee.

The Houfe then went into a Committee of the whole Houfe upon the bill; and there being only verbal amendments proposed until the compulsory claufe came under confideration, they were

adopted. On reading the compulsory claufe, which was propofed to continue for twenty-one years,

Mr. MANNING obferved, that there had been erected very magnificent docks at Liverpool; there was no compulsory clause in the bill paffed with regard to them, fuch as was now propofed in this. He apprehended many inconveniences to Weft-India merchants from this claufe, if adopted, many of which he enumerated, and among the reft, the great diftance of their fhipping from their place of refidence, which would render their property more infecure than upon the legal quays. He apprehended compulfion to be in its nature inconfiftent with the character of a free port, on which the profperity of trade depended fo much. He fpecified many evils which he apprchended from this claufe; and to enforce the objections which, the West-India merchants had to it, caused their petition ta be read; which being done, he said he was under the neceffity of oppofing this claufe.

Lord HAWKESBURY faid, that the whole of the merit of the bill depended on this claufe. If the Committee threw out this claufe, they would, in fubftance, throw out the bill, and, therefore, the only question was, whether this bill ought to be adopted or rejected? It was a mistake which some gentlemen had entered into, that the two plans which had been propofed for the improvement of the port of London were inconfiftent with each other. So far was that from being the cafe, that they were perfectly compatible with each other. He hoped to fee wet docks erected at Wapping, in addition to the plan which was now before the Committee; he only took this as the most advisable to be adopted in the first inftance. Upon the merits of it, the very best judgment had been exercised. The elder brethren of the Trinity House, and the Cuftom Houfe, had confidered both plans; they were clearly of opinion, that that which was now before the Committee ought to be adopted in the first inftance. The noble Lord then proceeded to expatiate on the advantages of adopting the prefent plan; among which advantages that of faving much of the property of the WeftIndia merchants themfelves from plunder would not be the leaft; for it ought to be remembered that almoft all the plunder upon the river was between Blackwall and the prefent legal quays; this would be done away totally by fhips being brought in at the Isle of Dogs. His Lordfhip obferved, again, that without this compulfory clause, the bill would be nothing; for the duties would otherwise fall fhort of what would be neceffary to defray the expence of the measure; but that this by no means prevented the merchants' plan

for a dock at Wapping; on the contrary, he hoped to see that plan also carried into execution..

Mr. LUSHINGTON declared, that he was a friend to competition in general; but in points of fuch magnitude as the present, he could not bring himself to think that it was defirable. At all the meetings held at the London Tavern upon the present subject, the majority of the company were always in favour of the plan at the Ifle of Dogs, without their opinions being warped by the ingenuity and forciblencfs of the arguments urged against it by his honourable friend (Mr. Manning.) He was ready, indeed, to acknowledge, that Weft-India commodities might not fell fo well in that pofition as in the other; but the general advantages to be gained by the prefent plan would more than counterbalance any fuch disadvantage. It was therefore his opinion that the whole city of London fhould contribute to the expences, because even thofe fhips which fhould not wish to go into thefe docks, would, however, receive great advantage from having the reft of the river made clearer for their reception. All then which he required was, that all fhould contribute who fhould reap advantage from the accomplishment of the plan.

Sir WILLIAM YOUNG was adverfe to the claufe, as far as it militated against the spirit of commerce, and he thought the compulfory claufe, which was to be enforced for twenty-one years, would, if adopted, prevent the Wapping plan from ever being put into execution.

Mr. Chancellor PITT contended, that what was now urged, conftituted but a part of the great plan which it was in contemplation to accomplish. It would accommodate all parties by taking in the largest ships, and then leaving the reft of the river unembarraffed and commodious, whether the Wapping plan was adopted or not. Befides, the Ifle of Dogs could alone receive the whole of the Weft-India trade, and the Committee were unanimous in opinion, that this should be the first point attended to, not only in that view, but as it would be productive of confiderable advantage to the whole trade of London; the other plan would alfo prove advantageous to the mifcellaneous trade.

After a few words in explanation, the Houfe divided on the claufe-Ayes, 46; Noes, 17.

The Chairman then reported progrefs, and leave was given to the Committee to fit again on Monday.