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cenfuring the minifter for his conduct cefpecting the late loan. The refolutions were very ably fupported, but were rejected by a confiderable majority.

On the 29th, another debate took place, in confequence of a motion made by Mr Jekyll, cenfuring the minifter for his conduct refpecting fome Hamburgh bills employed in the late loan; but the motion was negatived.

The fame day, Sir John Shuckburgh Evelyn prefented a petition from the executors of the late Mr. John Hunter, who, in his will, had directed the trustees therein appointed to offer to the British Government that invaluable mufeum and collection of fubjects in natural hiftory, which he had made with fuch vaft fcientific knowledge, vnceafing perfeverance, and an expenditure of at least 20,000l.If this government rejected it, it was then to be offered to any foreign government, and afterwards to private individuals. The petition was referred to a fele&t committee.

The

On the first of March, the house refolved itfelf into a committee on the high price of corn; when Mr. Lechmere gave notice that he intended to fubmit to the houfe a motion for more effectually preventing the exportation of corn. diftreffes of the poor, he faid, occafioned by the enormous price of corn and flour, demanded an immediate remedy. The confolidation of fmall farms into large ones he confidered as at the root of the mifchief. It facilitated monopoly, and it tended to make the large faimer carclefs, or at least obliged him to depend too much on the fidelity of hired labourers. Mr. Lechmere having flated, that it appeared, that large quantities of grain were cleared out for Jerfey and Guernsey, and which were after wards conveyed to France, Mr. Pitt obferved, that he was not aware of any exportation to Jerfey and Guernfey having taken place to a greater amount than the 9,500 quarters limited by law. No more could be publicly exported, except for the ufe of his Majefty's army or pavy; and he was convinced there was not much on that account. As to clandeftine exportations, he could fay nothing; but there had certainly been no want of vigilance on the part of government to prevent them. Every exertion had been made by government to afcertain the truth with respect to the nature of the fearcity, by making inquiries of the Lords Lieutenants of the different coun.

[March,

ties. To have adopted any other mode of making inquiries, would have occafioned an alarm, which might have been dangerous; while at the fame time there could be no certainty of coming nearer the truth. If the real quantity of wheat in this country were known, he was far from thinking that the price would be what it now is. He was, however, far from ftating, that he believed the scarcity to be artificial. It appeared, from the returns which had been made, that though the crops of wheat had been deficient, yet thofe crops capable of affording a wholefome and nutritious fubfitute had been very abundant. He lamented as much as any one, that the poor fhould be abridged of any part of their comforts or fubfiftence; but he alfo much lamented that prejudice which prevented the introduction of mixed bread among them.Though averfe to any compulfory means, he was forry to hear gentlemen holding out that fpecies of bread as improper food for the poor. It had already been proved in different parts of the country to be a very wholefome fubftitute for wheaten bread, and the use of it caufed no difcontent whatever.

It did not appear to him, that there was any fuch deficiency of grain, as to render our stock in hand unlikely, to hold out until next harveft.-Those who kept up their grain in the expectation of high prices, he had reafon to think, would be difappointed. He was, however, far from faying, that thofe perfons acted wilfully for the injury of the country. He believed that they only meant to benefit themfelves by making that use of their capital which appeared the molt advantageous manner of difpofing of it, and which it is, perhaps, for the general intereft of fociety they fhould be at liberty to do. An al rm had been produced; by increafing that alarm, the evil would be increased. Whenever alarm took place in any mercantile tranfaction, the general effect was to produce that ftagnation which refembled fcarcity. By dwelling continually on this fubject, the profpect of famine was held out to the country. The confequence was, that every place was inclined to lock up corn, and became jealous of every other. This, in the nature of things, was to be expected, whenever there was alarm. Gentlemen fhould take care that they did not do more harm than all the measures they propofed could do good. If they would be at the trouble to look to the remedies

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within their reach, they would find them fuch as would go a great way to prevent the threatened evil.

On the 4th, Mr. Curwen moved, in the House of Commons, that the houfe fhould refolve itself into a committee of the whole houfe, to confider of the game laws, on the 11th of March. He obferved, that the injuftice of the game laws could only be equalled by their impolicy; and that it was fomewhat fingular, that England, which boafted of its freedom, was, in refpect of its game faws, in a more defpotic condition, than the most defpotic ftate in Europe; and that it required fifty times as much money to kill a partridge, legally, as to vote for a reprefentative in parliament. After fome debate, his motion was carried without a divifion.

On the 8th of March, Mr. Ryder brought up a report from the felect corn committee, which was read at the table, and is to the following purpose: Refolved, 1. That it is the opinion of this committee, that every miller hall keep a pair of fcales, and weights, in his mill.

II. That infpectors be appointed to examine thefe weights, feize them if defective, as in other cafes of falle fcales and defective weights, and that millers fhall be liable to the ufual penalties on conviction. III. That perfons bringing grain to the mill fhall be entitled to have it weighed in their prefence when brought.

IV. That millers fhall be obliged to make out returns of the produce, with deduction of what is loft in the operation of grinding. V. That millers fhall be obliged to return the meal thus afcertained, with deduction of the tall, where toll is taken in kind. VI. That no toll fhall be taken in kind, and that it fhall be received in money, except where mills have rights established, or to be established, by Acts of Parliament, fo to levy it.

VII. That millers thall put up in a confpicuous part of their mill, a correct table of the different rates and prices. VIII. That where perfons are unable to pay money, the miller may, with the confent of fuch perfons, take a quantity of the produce adequate to the price established. Laftly, That Juftices of the Peace shall be empowered fummarily, to enforce thefe regulations.

The refolutions were then feverally read and agreed to, and leave granted to bring in a bill in pursuance thereof, and Mr. Ryder and Sir Francis Baffet ordered to prepare and bring in the fame. On the oth of March, a motion was made by Mr. Grey, which was feconded by Mr. Fox, That a committee fhould be appointed to enquire into the

151

expenditure and general ftate of the nation." In fupport of this motion, Mr. Grey urged, that although different opinions prevailed, with respect to the prefent fituation of the country, and the minds of men were much divided as to the expediency of the war, and the means by which it had been carried on, he was certain, that there could be but one opinion as to the neceffity of its being conducted with propriety, and with a due regard to the expenditure of the public money. Whether, from the prefent complexion of affairs, we were to expect peace, or to look forward to a profecution of the war; in either cafe, it was highly neceffary that our attention fhould be directed to the state of our finances. If we were unfortunately doomed to continue the prefent ruinous conteft, we ought not, he faid, to fuffer the minifters to proceed in a fyftem of fuch extraordinary and extravagant expenditure, as had hitherto characterised their condu&, without infifting on an investigation of the mode of difpofing of the public money. We were now, he remarked, in the fourth year of a war, the expences of three of which were fully afcertained. By the public accounts, it appeared, that at the end of the third year, we had added the fum of 77,900,000l. fterling to the capital of our national debt, exclufively of the unfunded debt, the intereft of which amounted to 2,600,000l. A fum fo enormously extravagant, expended in the fhort pace of three years, was of fo unprecedented a nature, as, he hoped, would be confidered as affording fufficient grounds for him to call upon the houfe, to examine in what manner it had been difpofed, and to what fervices it had been applied.

peace;

and

Mr. Grey farther obferved, that of the fums voted for the prefent war, almoft as much had been spent without eftithority of parliament, as with it; and mate, and confequently without the aubuilt for an ariny of forty thousand men, he remarked, that barracks had been to be kept up in time of that fince the year 1790, eleven hundred thousand pounds had been expended in the erection of barracks. He added, that, by the new fyftem, the peace efta. blishment could not be lefs than twentytwo millions per annum; and that the permanent revenue was not likely to be more than 19,500,000l. Confequently, if peace were made to-morrow, independently of the winding-up of the war expences, additional burthens must be

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laid upon the people, to the amount of 2,500,000l. For thefe, and other reafons which he ftared, he thought that it must be the general opinion, that a committee ought to be appointed, to inquire into the expenditure and general ftate of the nation.

The motion was oppofed by Mr. Jenkinfon, who admitted the peculiar privilege of the Houle of Commons, to exercife inquifitorial powers over the purfe of the nation, and to look with jealoufy upon the public expenditure; but he obferved, that the houfe was, at the fame time, equally called upon for confidence in thofe, who were refpontible for the exactness of that expenditure. It was bound, in the one inftance, to ufe the caution, without which, its conftituents would be its dupes; and in the other not to withold a conftitutional confidence. beyond which, he faid, the prefent adminiftration never carried its demands. Without fuch confidence, the measures of any minifter must be inefficacious. He denied that the prefent war was more expenfive than others. It was not fo, he faid, if the fame allowance for the decreafed value of money was made in affairs of ftate, which every man made in his own family. One reafon for this decreafe, was the flourishing ftate of commerce; and for this reafon, and not for the extravagance of minifters, every war was neceffarily, in appearance, more expenfive than the preceding ones. Nor was it only the decreafe of the value of money that conftituted this difference. The refources and expenditure of the enemy, determined the amount of the refources to be applied to, and the expenditure to be ufed in oppofition to them. In the prefent war, which he would fill affirm to be just and neceffary, we were contending with an enemy, whofe refources were no more to be eftimated than their mode of attack. The prefent application of the public money, he faid, was unprecedently judicious and economical; and the revenue was even more productive, under the prefent adminiftration, in time of war, than it had been formerly in time of peace. He afterwards made fome obfervations on the conquefts which had been made during the courfe of the prefent war, and laid particular ftrefs on the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, and the Dutch fettlements in the Eaft-Indies, and the acquifition of the kingdom of Corfica.

The motion was alfo oppofed by Mr.

[March,

William Pulteney, Mr. M. Montague, Sir Gregory Page Turner, and Mr. Steele; and was fupported by Mr. Curwen and Mr. Martin. The chancellor of the exchequer did not speak upon the occafion. On a division, the numbers for Mr. Grey's motion were 45, and against it 207.

On the 15th of the month, a long debate took place, on a motion of Mr. Wilberforce, for taking into confideration the report on the bill for abolishing the African flave trade. An amendment was propofed by Gen. Tarleton, that the report fhould be deferred till that day four months; and this motion was carried by a majority; fo that the bill for the abolition of this INFAMOUS TRADE, is loft for the prefent. The numbers were, for General Tarleton's amendment, 74, against it 70.

On the 16th, a debate took place in the houfe of commons, upon the bill for eftablishing new wet docks upon the river Thames; and a motion was made by Mr. Pitt, and carried, that the bill fhould be read a second time on the 11th of April. A motion was also made by Alderman Lufhington, and carried, that a committee should be appointed to confider the beft mode of rendering the port of London more commodious for the reception of fhipping, and the purposes of trade; and the city members were ap pointed to the fame committee.

On the 23d, Lord Moira prefented a bill on the fubject of debtors and creditors; which, he faid, was founded upon the principle of the bill of 1794. He had liftened to, and weighed with the utmost attention, all the arguments used on that measure, and the refult was, that he found that conviction, which had long poffeffed his breaft, was ftill unfhaken. He had laid afide in this bill the confideration of imprifonment on mesne process, as he found it fo intricate, that he could not reduce it to any rule; but he had extended it in another inftance. By the former bill, creditors could not compel the ceffio bonorum, but in this they might force their debtors to give up their property, and by that means defeat the intentions of thofe debtors, who, having property, chofe rather to fet their creditors at defiance, and fquander it away in prifon. But in thefe circumftances, much mu depend upon the peculiarity of each cafe, and large difcretionary power must be vefted in the juftices, who must apply them as their judgment directed. By the former bill, the benefits only at

tached

1796.]

Marriages and Deaths in London.

tached to perfons in cuftody at a certain time, and was restricted to a certain fum. It was not his intention to follow the mode in this inftance. He meant it merely as a bill of experiment, for one or two years, as their lordships in a committee fhould determine, to be applied to all perfons hereafter to be in cuftody for debt. He now fhould move that the bill be read a first time, which was accordingly done.

On the 24th, the royal affent was given to acts of parliament, for paving, lighting, &c. the ftreets of Ramsgate, Beccles, Deal, Wakefield and Folkeftone. Alfo for a canal from the Exe to

153

berwell, on the 29th of December, 1795, to the
great grief of her hufband and family. She
was the only furviving daughter and heiress of
Francis Whitfield, Efq. late of Betherfden, in
Kent. She left three fons and two daughters.
2. In Villers-ftreet, Mr Norris.
3. Mrs. Stoneftreet, of St. Olaves.
Mr. W. Stephens, of Old Round-court.
4 In Chancery-lane, Robert Fry, Efq.
Mr. J. F. Page, jun. of Great Smyth-ft.
6. In Kensington-fquare, Mr. W Wood.
At Hammersmith, M. T. Smith.

7. At Finchley, S. Andrews, Efq. of Queen's-fquare, Westminster.

9. Mrs. Bicknel, of Mile-end.
Aged 69, in Thaives Inn, W. Webster, Esq.
Mr. Terr, of the Bank of England.
March 13, at his lodgings, London-Road,

the Tone; and for another to join the John Beffel, Efq. late affiftant-commiffary to Kennet and Avon Canal.

DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. Married.]-Mar. 1. James Crowder, Efq. City Road, to Mifs Mettleship, of Boston. Dr. J. E. Smith, of Hammersmith, prefident of the Linnæn Society, to Mifs Reeve, of Loweftoffe.

5. Mr. C. Fofs, jun. to Mifs Hamnal, both of Portman-ftreet.

March 10. Wallop Brabazon, Esq. of Rath, Ireland, to Mifs Dupre, daughter of the late D. Efq. of Wilton Park, Bucks.

Same day, Mr. Griffin, of Ludgate-ftreet, to Mifs Charonce.

12. Mr Thomas Woodfall, to Mifs Collins, formerly of Drury-lane theatre.

14. Robert Tubs, jun. Efq. to Mifs Stephenfon, of Bedford-fquare.

15. David Windfon, Efq. of the Minories, to Mifs Louden, of Houndfaitch.

Died.]-Mar. 1. In Size-lane, Wentworth Ogle, Efq.

In Great Ruffel-ftreet, Major James Camp bell, Chatham divifion.

In Coleman-ftreet, Mr. John Jacob.

the British army on the continent.

At Roehampton, W. Galley, Efq.
On the 10th, defervedly regretted, Thomas
Atkinson, Efq. of Lothbury.

At Edmonton, Mr. P. Dacie, Stock-broker, of Walbrook.

His

Mrs. Clarke, of Queen Ann-street-cast. On the 5th of March, Sir William Chambers, furveyor-general of the board of works, fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. treasurer of the Royal Academy, and knight of the Polar Star, Sweden. He was defcend ed of the ancient family of Chalmers, in Scotland, barons of Tartas, in France. grandfather fuffered confiderably in his fortune by fupplying Charles XII, of Sweden, with money, &c. which that monarch repaid in bafe coin.-Sir William's father refided feveral years in Sweden, to recover his claims and there Sir William was born, and, at eighteen years of age, appointed fupercargo to the Swedish Eat-India-Company.--- From this voyage to China, he brought home the Afiatic ftyle of ornament, in tents, temples, mofques, and pagodas.-Thefe ornaments (through the intereft of Lord Bute) he was enabled to apply in the gardens at Kew.--- Patronifed by the princefs dowager and the king, Mr. Cham bers had much of the fashionable business of the day. Under Burke's reform, he was appointed furveyor-general. Somerset Houfe was worth to him at least 2000l. a year. His chef d'œuvres are his ftair-cafes, particularly thofe at Lord Befborough's, Lord Gower's, and the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. The terrace behind Somerfet Houfe is a bold effort of conception. His defigns for interior ar→ rangements were excellent. His Treatife off Civil Architecture alone will immortalize his She was name. In private life, Sir William was hofpitable, kind, and amiable. His fon married Mifs Rodney. Mr. Cotton, Mr Innis, and Mr. Harward, married his beautiful daughters. Having been abftemious in his youth, Sir William's conftitution did not begin to break till he was feventy years of age for the last three years, he has been kept alive by wine and oxygenated air. His X

In Cornhill, aged 64, Mr. John Maintree. At Clapton, John Withers, Efq. chief clerk to the commiffioners of land-tax.

At Fulham, Stephen Jermyn, Elq. aged 83. In Chapel-court, Oxford-ftreet, Mr. John Godwin.

On the 1st instant, aged 54, at the house of herfon, in Lincoln's-inn-fields, where she had lately arrived from Bath, Mrs. Jane Gurteis, wife of Jeremiah Curteis, Efq. of Rye, in Suffex. She was the fecond daughter and coheirefs of Searles Giles, Efq. late of Biddenden in Kent. An only fon and four daughters have furvived this excellent woman. buried in the family vault at Tenterden, in Kent. In the fame vault, aged aloft 5 years, was lately interred Edward Jeremiah Curteis, eldeft fon of Edward Jeremiah Curteis, Efq of Lincoln's-inn-fields: he died the 7th of Auguft, 1795.-And also Mrs. Elizabeth Curteis, wife of William Curteis, Efq. merchant, in Friday-ftreet. She died fuddenly, at Cam MONTHLY Mag. No. II,

celebrity

154

Marriages and Deaths in London.

celebrity will be lafting in the works he has left, and, as he was equally fkilled in the practical and theoretical parts of the arts he profeffed, his precepts are as valuable as his works.

At her houfe, in Great Cumberland-street, on the fourteenth inftant, Lady Bridget Tollemache, many years diftinguished in the haut ton. Her ladyship was the daughter of the chancellor Earl Northington, and fifter of the late Earl, Lad Wentworth, Lady Jane Afton, Mrs. Luttrell, and the first Lady Deerhurt. The death of Lady Bridget will be long lamented by her numerous and noble relatives. She was once the most reigning beauty and moft celebrated wit in the court circle. Her husband fell fome years fince in a duel in America; but though the furmounted that calamity, she had not fortitude to bear the lofs of her only fon, Lionel Robert, who was killed at the fiege of Valenciennes.-She truggled under this fevere ftroke nearly two years, with all the courage that a great n.ind could call forth, and then expired a martyr to her parental affections!-The character of this accomplished woman naturally took its various colourings from the strange viciffitudes of her fortunes; her mind, however, was always clevating and commanding, and he ever kept aloof from the vices which dilgrace fafhionable life. She had a natural propenfity to make others happy, to alleviate diftrefs, and her hand never failed to accompany her heart in all its charitable intentions.

At his houfe in Saville-row, on Thursday, March 10, the Hon. Admiral John Forbes, aged 82, rema kable, above all other men, for his extenfive and univerfal knowledge of naval affairs, having ftudied them, in all their branches, with a perfeverance, and obferved upon them with an acuteness and judgment altogether unparalled.

In the carlier part of his life, he was peculiarly noticed as an able, enterprising, and intrepid officer. He ferved with much reputation under Sir John Norris; and was no lefs diftinguished as Captain of the Norfolk, of 80 guns, in the action of Matthews and Leftock with the combined fleets of France and Spain, when his gallantry contributed in a high degree to fave his brave friend, Admiral Matthews, whofe fecond he was in thit engagement. So bright was his honour, and so clear his reputation in those turbulent days, that though his evidence on the trial of the Admirals went wholly against Admiral Leftock, yet that of ficer was often heard to declare, "that Mr. Forbes's teftimony was given like an Officer and a Gentleman."

When the warrant for executing Admiral Byng was offered for fignature at the Admiralty Board, Admiral Forbes refufed to fign it, at the fame time humbly laying at his late Majefty's feet his objections. A copy of the paper given by the Admiral to his Majefty on that occafion, may be seen in Smolk t's History of England, and it is well worthy the attention

[March,

of all men of honour, as it contains, perhaps, the best specimen of an upright and independent mind, an honest and benevolent heart, that is to be found in any language.

During a late Adminiftration, it was thought expedient to offer a noble Lord, very high in the naval profeffon, and very defervedly a favourite of his Sovereign and his county, the office of General of the Marines, held by Admiral Forbes, and fpontaneously conferred upon him by his Majefty, as a reward for his many and long fervices. A meffage was fent by the Miriters, to fay, is would forward the King's fervice if he would refign; and that he fhould be no lofer by his accommodating the Government, as they propofed recommending it to the King to give him a penfion in Ire land of 3000l. per annum, and a peerage to defcend to his daughter. To this, Admiral Forbes fent an immediate anfwer; he told the Minifters, the Generalfhip of the Marines was a military employment, given him by his Majefty, as a reward for his fervices-that, he thanked God, he had never been a burthen to his country, which he had ferved during a long life to the beft of his ability-and that he would not condefcend to accept of a penfion or bargain for a peerage. He concluded, by laying his Generalfhip of the Marines, together with his rank in the navy, at the King's feet, entreating him to take both away, if they could forward his fervice;, and, at the fame time, affuring his Majesty, he would never prove himself unworthy of the former honours he had received, by ending the remnant of a long life on a penfion, or accepting of a peerage, obtained by political arrangement. His gracious mafter applauded his fpirit, ever after continued him in his high military honours, and to the day of his death condefcended to fhew him ftrong marks of his regard.

On the 18th, his remains were removed from his houfe in Saville-row to Watford Church in Hertfortfhire, where his lady is interred in the family vault of the Earl of Effex, to whom he was half-fifter. The funeral was very private, only one coach following the corpfe, with the fervants of the deccafed, confifting of a footman, valet, cook, and housekeeper. He has left behind him a fortune of near 200,000l. which devolves to two daugh ters, co-heireffes. To his houfekeeper, and two other domeftics, he has bequeathed aunuities of 301. each, and to his butler a year's wages. The infcription on his coffin-plate and monument contains not only his titles and honourable defcent, but alfo the pedigree of his wife.

13. John Harrison, Efq. of the Million

bank.

At his father's, Pall-Mall, C. Heberden, Efq. fon of Dr. H.

14. At Vauxhall, T. Snaith, Efq. banker, Mrs. Byron, of Portugal-ftreet, Grosvenor fquare.

At Clapham, Rev. Jonathan Gardiner, fellow of St. John's, Oxford.

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