foned in the fame manner. The marquis of Townshend and the earl of Weftmoreland defended the conduct of his majefty's minifters in withdrawing the troops from Portugal to fend to Egypt. The motion was then put and carried.

Mr. Tierney, on the 17th of June, rofe to move his annual refolutions refpecting the ftate of the finances of the country. He faid he could have contented himself with fimply moving them, without making any previous obfervations refpecting their nature or their object, if an event had not taken place fince last year, when he followed this plan, which had introduced many gentlemen into the - houfe who had never heard him ftate his object or his plan, and who might therefore be at a lofs to understand the refolutions if

fimply moved. His first refolution he stated to relate to the amount of the funded debt at the commencement of the war; the fecond, to the confequences which had refulted from the war in increafing the funded debt; the third, to the amount of the funded debt. At prefent, altogether combining that which exifted before, and that which had been created by the war, Mr. Tierney faid, the whole funded debt of the kingdom might be fairly estimated at 500,000,000l. The fourth refolution related to the unfunded debt as it now ftood, which he estimated at 21,000,000l. more than its amount laft year. He confidered it alarming, that fo great an increase of it fhould take place in one year, and in a year in which 45,000,000l. of funded debt was contracted, and additional ftock made. The fifth refolution, relating to the finking fund, which was in the most flourishing fitua

as

tion, was of a more confolatory nature. The fixth refolution related to the permanent charges incurred by the increase of the national debt: and it appeared, that the debt contracted in the courfe of the war had fubjected the country to an additional permanent charge of no less than 16,000,000l. The feventh refolution related to the amount of the produce of the permanent taxes for the year; and it refulted from it, that there was a deficiency in the produce of this year, from that of last year, of 1,500,000l. The eighth refolution contained a statement of the total amount of the value of the exports and imports for the year. Nothing could be more gratifying to the houfe or the country than this ftatement, it appeared that the real value of them amounted to 90,000,0001. The amount of the expenditure for the year formed the fubject of the ninth refolution; and that amount he thought should be estimated at near 70,000,000!. fterling. The refult of the whole was contained in the tenth refolution, and related to the probable amount of the future efstablishment. The peace establishment in 1791 amounted to 16,800,000l. Calculating from the establishment at that time, he estimated, that a future peace establishment would amount to about 29,000,000l. fterling. Mr. Tierney then' ftated the nature of the three laft refolutions. From these refolutions it would appear, that the burdens impofed on the country fince the commencement of the war exceeded the whole amount of thofe which exifted in 1793; that the finking fund was increafing; that there was a deficiency in the revenue, from what it amounted to laft year; but that the commerce and trade of this country

had

had increased beyond all example, Some ftrong measure of finance appeared to him to be neceffary; and at the present time he thought it would be more practicable to carry it into effect than perhaps it might be at any future æra. He concluded with moving his thirteen refolutions, which were to the effect already stated.

The first revolution being read from the chair, Mr. Addington rofe, not to make any obfervations on the refolutions propofed by Mr. Tierney, but to fuggeft the propriety of doing what was done laft year, adjourning the debate for a few days to give time to any gentleman who might wish to propofe refolutions on the fame fubject. He would therefore move, that the debate fhould be adjourned till Monday; and, on that day, he would lay before the house his views of the debts, revenues, and expenditure, of the country.

On the 22d, therefore, Mr. Addington faid he meant, after laying

before the house his refolutions relative to the income and expenditure of the country, to fubmit certain other refolutions refpecting the fyftem for the reduction of the national debt. It was neceflary just to mention to the house that his firft refolution related to the amount of the public funded debt prior to the war; the fecond, to its amount fince the year 1793; the third, to its prefent amount.-The amount of the national debt laid before the houfe of commons by Mr. Tierney and Mr. Addington had become an important fact for the country: in order, therefore, to have a juft idea on this interesting subject, it would be neceffary to reduce those to the fame form, by which means an opportunity would be afforded, not only of afcertaining their accuracy, but of examining the principles on which they were founded. Refolutions, therefore, to the fol lowing effect, were, then propofed by the chancellor of the exchequer, and agreed to be received; viz.

3,408,331

21,989,703

Whole debt was £.426,207,865

The statement fubmitted to the houfe of commons by Mr. Tierney,

in the form of resolutions, was to the following effect: D4

That

chafe

£.

484,365,464

3,375,000

21,978,132

509,718,596

On this and the other propofitions of Mr. Tierney the previous queftion was put and carried on the 29th of June.

On the motion of Mr.W.Dundas, the 12th of June, the feveral papers relative to the revenue, charges, and other statements on the affairs of India, prefented on the Sth of May, &c. were referred to a committee of the whole houfe. Mr. Dundas then rofe, and faid, that, though no longer in office, it fell to him to discharge a duty he had exercifed for feventeen years. During that period, the controul over the affairs of the Eaft-India Company was placed in a board of Commiffioners. For the first eight years, the financial fyftem relating to India only was the immediate object of annual inveftigation before parliament. On the renewal of the charter in the year 1793, it was fpecially enacted, that the accounts both foreign and domeftic fhould be brought under the fame review. "The accounts upon the table," continued Mr.

490,009,846

The difference then remaining amounted to 90,4651., which was the fum in which the general itate of the whole concern appeared, on the principles of this examination, to have improved in the courfe of the year of account now before the committee.

He next stated the words in which he concluded the account of laft year. "The reduction of the debts, and the increafe of the affets, were to an amount exceed ing 11,100,000l. fterling. It was true, that within that period money had been raised on additional capital to the amount of 3,740,000l.; but it must likewife be taken into confideration, that the remainder might be termed a net improvement, under the events of an Indian war, at one time threatening ferious difafters, though finally concluded highly to the advantage of the company: under the events likewife of the prefent European war, which, during four years of the period, caufed enormous additions to the expenfe of freights, of provifion, and of every article of equipment, and occafioned alfo great expenfes by several expeditions, by which our rivals were deprived of their poffeffions in the Eaft. But, added Mr. Dundas, "I have carried the comparison three years further, which will take in a great part of the immense expenditure of the late war with Myfore; and find, that the improvement during thefe thirteen years, on the fame principle, is 11,880 000l."

He then stated, that it was with the most heartfelt fatisfaction he contemplated the amazing change in the political relations in the Eaft at the prefent moment, compared with what they were in 1784. He next mentioned the

profperous ftate of the company's alliances with the feveral powers in India. "First, the Nizam, although allied by treaty, during a long feries of years the advantages to the company were frequently problematical, from the fluctuating politics of his court; and although his highness furnished fome affiftance towards the object of the late war with Tippo, and reaped his proportion of the advantages from the faccessful termination of it, very foon after an influence prevailed in his councils threatening ferious confequences." He then mentioned the treaty with the rajah of Travancore," which, though not productive of advantages to fo great an extent, might ftill be confidered as an event, within the period alluded to, tending to ftrengthen our influence." He then alluded to the connexions on this fide of India, particularly the nabob of Arcot, the rajah of Tanjore, and the nabob of Surat.

He next began with the treaty of alliance with the nabob of Arcot. The treaty under which our prefent relation with him ftood was dated in 1792, and was entered into with his father on terms ex◄ tremely favourable to him. The treaty of alliance with the rajah of Tanjore was concluded in the year 1799. At the clofe of his Indian administration, he thought it neceffary to ftate, that the prefidencies of India improved every year. The numerous tributaries under this government were now happily brought to fuch a ftate of fubjection as to furnish the hope that the infurrections of which he had the mortification to hear by the late advices would be no more heard of. Their expectation of support, and indeed the main fpring of every revolt, being effectually removed

by.