Clerks, &c.-The commissioners may appoint such clerks and officers as may be necessary for carrying this act into execution, and as may be approved of by the Treasury. § 47.

The lord high treasurer, or the commissioners of his majesty's treasury, or any three or more of them, may order and direct to be issued and paid, out of the fund upon which the establishment of the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt is chargeable, any sum of money for the payment of salaries to officers and clerks, and for discharging such incidental expences as shall necessarily attend the execution thereof; and may settle and appoint such allowances as may be proper for the labour of the cashier or other officer of the Bank of England in execution of this act. § 48.

Sections 49, 50, authorize three or more commissioners to act; and direct an account to be annually laid before parliament of the amount of Bank and Long Annuities transferred, and of money paid for annuities, and the gross amount of annuities granted, within the year ending on the 5th January.

Limitation of Actions.-Actions against persons for any thing done in pursuance of this act must be brought within three calendar months; and defendant may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence, and, if plaintiff fail, shall have treble costs. § 51.

REDUCTION OF NATIONAL DEBT.

CAP. 27.-An Act to amend the several acts for regulating the reduction of the national debt. [1st June, 1829.

Account of Surplus Revenue to be made up every Quarter by the Treasury. Whereas by the 9 Geo. IV. c. 98. intituled An act to amend the acts for regulating the reduction of the national debt, it is amongst other things enacted, that until the 5th July, 1829, there shall be issued out of the consolidated fund, to be placed to the account of the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt, to be applied towards the reduction of the national debt, such sum of money as (together with the interest on all capital stock whatever which on the 5th July, 1828, was standing in the names of the said commissioners, either on account of the sinking fund, or on account of stock transferred to them for the purchase of life annuities) shall not exceed the sum of three millions; and whereas it has been resolved by the Commons' House of Parliament, that in lieu of the sum of three millions so directed to be issued, there shall be issued from and after the 5th July, 1829, out of the consolidated fund, to the said commissioners, to be by them applied towards the reduction of the national debt, such annual sum as shall appear to be the actual surplus revenue of the United Kingdom beyond the actual annual expenditure thereof; it is therefore enacted, That for the ascertaining the actual annual amount of such surplus revenue, the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury shall, within thirty days next after the passing of this act, with respect to the quarter of the year ending on the 5th April,

and within thirty days next after the 5th July and the 10th October in this present year 1829, and within thirty days after the 5th January, the 5th April, the 5th July, and the 10th October, in every subsequent year, cause an annual account to be prepared, shewing the actual receipt and expenditure of the United Kingdom in the four quarters, for the whole of the year immediately preceding such several quarterly days; and the one fourth part of the sum which by every such annual account shall appear to be the amount of the whole actual annual surplus revenue for such year, shall be the sum which shall be issued out of the consolidated fund to the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt, to be applied towards the reduction of the national debt during the quarter of the year then next immediately ensuing the quarter within which such annual account shall be made up; and the commissioners of the tseasury, or any three or more of them, shell certify the amount of the actual abuual surplus revenue of every such year respectively to the said commissioners for the reduction of the national debt; and such last-mentioned commissioners shall thereupon publish in the London Gazette the sum which under the provisions of this act will be so applicable in such ensuing quarter of the year. § 1.

But the several sums directed to be paid into the Exchequer on the 15th April, and on the 15th July, 1828, under the provisions of the 4 Geo. IV. c. 22. intituled An Act to confirm an agreement entered into by the trustees under an act of the last session of parliament, for apportioning the burthen occasioned by the military and naval pensions and civil superannuations, with the governor and company of the Bank of England, shall not be deemed for the purposes of this act as part of the revenue of the United Kingdom, nor be included as such in the first annual account directed to be prepared under the provisions of this act. § 2.

Such Surplus Revenue to be issued to Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt.-And one fourth part of the sum which from time to time shall appear by every such annual account to be the actual surplus revenue of the year immediately preceding, shall be charged upon the consolidated fund, and shall be issued and paid, in and for the quarter of the year then next ensuing the quarter within which such annual account is hereinbefore directed to be made up, either into the Bank of England or into the Bank of Ireland, to the account of the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt, as the said commissioners shall direct, to be by them applied towards the redemption of the national debt, in such proportions, and at such times in each quarter in every future year, as the said commissioners shall require, according to the provisions and directions of any act in force respecting sums issued from the said exchequer towards the reduction of the said national debt. § 3.

Stock &c. in the names of the Commissioners to be cancelled.-And all capital stock whatever (except such capital stock, standing in the names of the said commissioners for the reduction of the national debt, as by au act of the fourth year of his present majesty, for

further regulating the reduction of the national debt, is directed to be carried to "The Account of Donations and Bequests towards reducing the National Debt"), and all annuities for any term of years, which on the 5th July, 1829, shall stand in the names of the said commissioners in the books of the Governor and Company of the bank of England, or of the Governor and Company of Merchants of Great Britain trading to the South Seas and other parts of America, and for encouraging the fishery, or of the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland, either on the account of the fund commonly called "The Sinking Fund," or which shall have been transferred to the said commissioners for the purchase of life annuities, shall be cancelled in the books of the said Banks and South Sea Company; and the interest or dividend on all such capital stock and annuities, which would have been payable after the said 5th July, 1829, shall cease to be issued out of or to be charged upon the consolidated fund. § 4.

And all stock, and all annuities for any term of years, which at any time after the said 5th July, 1829, shall be purchased by the said commissioners, shall in like manner be cancelled; and all interest or dividends thereon shall cease to be charged upon the consolidated fund from and after the day upon which any such capital stock or annuities respectively shall be transferred to and placed in the names of the said commissioners in the books of the said Banks and South Sea Company respectively. $5.

Commissioners may buy Exchequer Bills, &c.-And it shall be lawful for the commmisioners for the reduction of the national debt, if they shall deem it expedient, and under such regulations as they shall direct, to apply any part of the sums of money which shall be placed to their account, either in the purchase of Exchequer bills, or in the paying off Exchequer bills, or in the lending and advancing of money upon the credit of any Exchequer bills which shall be made out in pursuance of the 57 Geo. III. c. 48. intituled An Act to make further provision for the adjustment of the accounts of the consolidated fund of the United Kingdom, and for making good any occasional deficiency which may arise in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, and to direct the application of the moneys by the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt; or in the lending and advancing of money upon the credit of any other Exchequer bills which shall be made out under any act now or from time to time in force. § 6.

Such Exchequer 'Bills to be cancelled.-The commissioners shall cause all Exchequer bills which shall be so purchased, or upon which any sum of money shall be so advanced, to be delivered to the paymasters of Exchequer bills, to be cancelled, within seven days next after the expiration of the quarter in which such purchase or advance shall be made. § 7.

How Commissioners shall apply Money issued to them.-The commissioners shall from time to time apply all such annual sums as shall by virtue of this act be issued or granted, and placed to their account in the books of the Banks of England and Ireland

respectively, either in the whole or in part, in the purchase of such redeemable public annuities, or annuities for any term of years, or in the purchase of Exchequer bills, or in the paying off Exchequer bills, or in the advancing of such annual sums upon the credit of any Exchequer bills herein before mentioned, as the said commissioners may judge most expedient; and the several directions, provisions, and regulations contained in any act in force at the time of the passing of this act, with respect to any moneys applicable to the reduction of the national debt, shall be valid and effectual with respect to any moneys issued to them or placed to their account by virtue of this act, and shall be applied in the execution of this act, except only so far as the same are repealed or altered by this act. B.

YEOMANRY CORPS (Ireland).

CAP. 30.-An Act to continue and amend the laws relating to yeomanry corps in Ireland. [1st June, 1829.

This act recites that whereas it is expedient that the acts of the forty-third and fifty-sixth years of his late majesty, and the fourth year of his present majesty's reign, so far as relates to any troops or corps of yeomanry in Ireland, should be further continued, and should be amended; it is therefore enacted, That the said act of the forty-third year of his said late majesty's reign, so far as relates to any such troops or corps in Ireland, and also the said act of the fifty-sixth year of his said late majesty's reign, and the said act of the fourth year of his present majesty's reign, so far as the same amend the said act of the said forty-third year, shall be and the same are hereby continued as amended by this act; and the said acts shall be and remain and continue in force during the continuance of this act; and all such provisions and regulations in the said act of the forty-third year contained, so far as relates to such troops or corps in Ireland, as by the said act are applied during war, or during the continuance of war, and until six months after the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace, shall during the continuance of this act be in force, as amended by the said recited acts of the fifty-sixth year of his late majesty's reign, and of the fourth year of his present majesty's reign, and by this act. § 1.

And it shall be lawful for the lord lieutenant or other chief -governor of Ireland for the time being, to dismiss any officer of any corps of yeomanry in Ireland, at any time when such lord lieutenant or other chief governor shall think fit and proper. § 2.

And this act shall continue in force for five years from the passing thereof, and from the expiration of such five years until the end of the then next session of parliament. § 3.

SCOTCH AND IRISH COMMISSIONERS OF EXCISE.

CAP. 32.-An Act to enable one or more of the Commissioners of
Excise to act for the dispatch of business for Scotland and
Ireland respectively.
[4th June, 1829.

This act recites that by the 7 & 8 Geo. IV. c. 53. intituled An Act to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the collection and management of the revenue of excise throughout Great Britain and Ireland, it was enacted, that it should be lawful for the commissioners of the treasury to order any one or more of the commissioners of excise, together with two assistant commissioners, to sit and act in and for Scotland, and to order and direct any one or more of the commissioners of excise, together with two of the assistant commissioners, to sit and act in and for Ireland, for the dispatch of business in those parts respectively, under the controul and direction of the Board of Commissioners of Excise; and that any two of such commissioners and assistant commissioners in Scotland and Ireland should (under such controul and direction as aforesaid) have full power and authority to order and direct, and to do and permit to be done, all acts, matters, and things relating to the revenue of excise in Scotland and Ireland respectively; and whereas it is expedient to extend the said power of the commissioners of the treasury; it is therefore enacted, That it shall be lawful for any three or more of the commissioners of the treasury to order and direct any one or more of the commissioners of excise to act as such commissioner for Scotland, and to order and direct any one or more of the commissioners of excise to act as such commissioner for Ireland, for the dispatch of business, under the controul and direction nevertheless of the Board of Commissioners of Excise; and that such commissioners shall have and be invested with the collection and management of the revenue of excise, and all matters and things relating thereto, arising in Scotland and Ireland respectively; and that such commissioners shall (under such controul and direction as aforesaid) have full power and authority to order and direct, and to do and permit to be done, all acts, matters, and things relating to the revenue of excise in Scotland and Ireland respectively; and that all rules, orders, acts, niatters, and things, which shall be so made and done by such commissioners for Scotland and Ireland respectively, shall be good, valid, and effectual in law to all intents and purposes whatsoever. Provided always, that such commissioners for Scotland and Ireland respectively shall in all things observe, perform, and fulfil, and cause to be observed, performed, and fulfilled, in and throughout Scotland and Ireland respectively, the several orders, rules, directions, and regulations touching or relating to the said revenue, which shall have been or shall be made or given by the Board of Commissioners of Excise.