fhould move for leave to bring in a bill founded on the fourth report of the commiffioners for naval inquiries, relative to the early diftribution of prize-money.

Mr. Dent gave notice that he fhould, in the course of a few days, unlefs fome other Gentleman brought the fubject forward, fubmit a motion to the Houfe with refpect to the loyalty loan.

The Houfe went through a committee on the priests orders bill. The report was received, and the bill ordered to be read a third time the next day.

The Committee on the Irish revenue regulation bill was ordered for Friday next.

On the motion of Mr. Bond, the Houfe refolved itfelf into a Committee on the act of the 438 George III. relating to the carrying of paffengers to the plantations, &c. In the Committee leave was given to bring in a bill to exempt from the provifions of that act all veffels employed in the Newfoundland trade. The bill was afterwards brought in, read a first time, and Mr. Bond moved, that it be then read a fecond time, on account of the expediency that existed for the trade to Newfoundland not being delayed. Sir John Newport was of the fame opinion. Mr. Francis wifhed to be informed of the urgent neceffity for hurrying through the bill, and was fatisfactorily answered by Mr. Bond. The bill was then read a fecond time, and ordered to be committed the next day.

A perfon from the Secretary's office in Ireland prefented certain accounts, which were laid on the table.

On the motion of Mr. Western, an account of all clover feed exported from Great Britain to foreign countries, and imported from foreign countries to Great Britain, during the last seven years, ending the 5th of January 1804, diftinguishing the amount in each year, and the ports, together with the duties and drawbacks thereon, was ordered to be laid before the House.

Mr. Secretary Yorke brought in a bill to fufpend the operation of the Irish army of reserve act. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time on Tuesday, and to be printed.

On the fuggeftion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Committee on the Aylesbury election bill, which stood for Friday, was poftponed till Tuesday. Lord Porchester alfo poftponed his motion until Thursday.

Mr. Wilberforce gave notice, that he fhould, on Friday fe'nnight, make a motion for the abolition of the flave trade.

Mr.

Mr. Corry rofe to move for a Committee of the Houfe, in order to ftate the terms upon which he had concluded the loan for Ireland; but on the fuggeftion of Mr. Pitt, who obferved that bufinefs of more importance would occupy the Houfe that evening, the right hon. Gentleman poftponed the ftatement till Friday next, trufting the Houfe would enable him on that day to tranfmit the neceffary information to the Government of Ireland.

SUSPENSION OF THE ARMY OF RESERVE ACT,

Mr. Secretary Yorke moved the order of the day for the House going into a Committee upon this bill.

Mr. Pitt-Sir, upon the motion which the right hon. Gentleman has juft now made, I feel myfelf called upon to exprefs, at fome confiderable length, my fentiments as to the real object and effects of this bill, and think myself called upon, for the reafons which I will state to the House, to give my negative to that motion. I do not, however, with to be understood, that by my doing fo, I mean to difapprove of the ultimate object for which fuch a bill has been introduced; for, on the contrary, I thall take the liberty of propofing other measures in lieu of it. My chief objection to the further progrefs of this bill has been already introduced in the debate which took place on the difcuffion upon other measures, connected with our general fyftem of defence. On that species of general objection, therefore, it is not my intention at prefent to take up much of the time of the Houfe; I mean only fhortly to remind Gentlemen, that it has been alleged, and, as I think, without an anfwer, that the complexion and nature of this bill goes to fufpend the operation of the army of referve, which is neither more nor less than to relinquish all chance of any further benefit being derived from the bill which conftitutes that fpecies of force; I mean, in so far as it tended to add to our difpofable force, which all perfons in this House agree in thinking we ought to refort to, as the principal means of our country's defence. I aver, that we are relinquishing all chance of reaping further advantage from a measure which, however much it may have been impeded and embarraffed in reaching to its full effect, has been found to add, within thefe laft twelve months, a fupply to the regular army, which in the prefent circumftances of the country we could not have attained by any other mode what

ever.

It goes, I fay, to relinquith that benefit, without propofing any other adequate plan in order to accomplish the fame

fame object. This measure, when first introduced, was avowed to be a part of a plan, the object of which was to increase our difpofable force. The three parts into which that plan is divided are-the raising a confiderable number of additional battalions-the fufpending the operation of the army of reserve and the increase of the militia of Ireland. On thefe feveral measures I fhall not at prefent attempt to enlarge; but I muft fay, that my opinion is, that neither of them promises to be, in the fmalleft degree, adequate to its purpole. The plan of increafing the Irish militia is one which is to give us a transfer of a most limited fpecies of force, not adopted upon any well founded grounds for the interchange of fervices, nor upon any grounds that justify a variation from the general rule, which limits the fervice of the militia to their refpective countries. That part of the plan feems thus to partake of thefe and other difadvantages, while it partakes of none of the advantages which it is alleged by fome that it will embrace. With refpect to the augmentation of the Irish militia, I may just observe, that it is a measure which is flow in its effect, diftant in its operation, and that there is no poffible excufe for bringing it forward at the prefent period, but in order to render the transfer of the Irish militia to this country more practicable. If this be the fole reason that can be alleged for fuch a measure, it cannot render that transfer effectual at the prefent moment, nor on any future occafion. At the very time we are ftating our with to augment our regular army, we are thus going on to augment a fpecies of force, which, however refpectable and defirable on ordinary occafions, may thereby be carried beyond its proper limits. It creates all the difadvantages of competition which the fame government were defirous of reducing. While Minifters are endeavouring to put a stop to that competition in England, they feem not to advert, that they are introducing all thofe difadvantages and inconveniencies complained of, into another part of the united kingdom. All this, too, is done with the intention of ftopping a competition, in order merely to fubftitute fuch a force for the army of referve, as would neither afford fo many advantages, or contribute fuch aid to the real object in view. This fyftem is accompanied too with the fingular circumftance, that it is propofed at a time when we with to increase our regular regiments, by railing new levies both in England and Ireland. In England, you determine to stop the operation of an act, in cafe it fhould raife a competition with thefe new levies, while

in

in Ireland we are fubftituting a worse kind of force, by levying a new militia; and I find, at the fame time, on looking into the bill now before us, that there is no mention of suspending the operation of the army of reserve act in Ireland. Is it not plain, Sir, that if a fufpenfion of a fimilar act as to Ireland, does not take place at the fame time, that the effect of the competition-[Here the right hon. Gentleman was interrupted by a cry of hear! hear! and at the fame time was informed that a fimilar bill as to Ireland had been introduced that day, previous to his having come into the Houfe. Mr. Pitt then continued -I beg pardon for having thus alluded to what I thought had been neglected towards our fifter country, but I really muft confefs, that I never heard it included in any motion made upon this fubject. I am glad to hear that fuch confiftency has been obferved in this particular, but as the law yet ftands, whatever may be the number of the army of referve in Ireland (only, I believe, 1000 men), there would be a profpect of a preference being fhown to the militia, instead of that other fpecies of force. The fervices of the one were by law limited folely to Ireland, while thofe of the other extended to both countries. There was no chance of thus procuring a greater number of men, and therefore to procure men in a fhape in which they cannot be nade fo efficient, or fo apt to enter into the regular army, is certainly a plan which is far from being advifable. As to the other measure of raifing new levies, I may obferve on the abfurdity, that while you cannot even procure men for a limited fervice at a high bounty, it is proposed to raise men for an extended degree of fervice, at a lower degree of bounty, without at all offering any other or new encouragement to men to come forward. Ministers seem to truft folely to the great recommendation and influence of these people who raise men from their tenantry and clans, and to various other local circumftances, which they imagine will give facility to their measures; but nothing of this kind has been ftated in answer to any of the objections which have been made. There is just as much profpect of raifing men for the exifting battalions as for new levies; but then it is faid that you give inducement, by railing new regiments for rank. I cannot believe that fuch will be the cafe, unless you say that officers are thus to be induced to give additional bounties to operate as an encouragement. Such are the principal reafons for my objecting to fuch a bill at this moment. If the prefent fyftem has not a fufficient efficacy, the fufpenfion of

the

the army of reserve, the more especially, ought not to take place at the prefent time. I think, that as the army of referve now ftands, no man could, with propriety, attach to it fuch an appellation, because it has, in reality, fo little fimilitude to an army of referve. I think that none of thofe Gentlemen who are advocates for the fufpenfion of that force, will carry their arguments fo far as not to approve of our confidering whether or not there may be a mode to raise men for a limited fervice, which would embrace a ftill greater number of perfons, and fuch as cannot be reached by any other means for the regular fervice, provided it can be done without increafing the complaint of competition. I confess [ am not fanguine enough to fuppofe, that any plan which I can fuggeft for that defirable purpofe, can be entirely free from inconvenience. I do not know but objections may be made to my proposals, which do not prefent themselves to me at this moment, but fure I am, that there is no man who would not be difpofed to confider fuch an object highly defirable. All I with is, that before we determine to fufpend the army of referve act, we should confider, in the fist place, whether or not fome means might not be fallen upon, which, without any fufpenfion at all, would enable us to derive advantages from that very fpecies of force, by modifying and improving it; and, fecondly, if that force be really found to be ineffectual, to confider whether the fufpending it in a limited manner, is not doing too little, and whether we ought not to do it away altogether. I fhall now proceed to fubinit to the House the meafures which, in my opinion, will have a beneficial tendency towards the accomplishment of the objects in view. They are fuch as have been the refult of a great deal of inveftigation into our general fyftem of defence, and mature confideration of the circumstances of the country. I am not withing, by any means, to obftruct the measures of Government; I am only oppofing their prefent plan, in order to fubftitute another in its place, which I humbly conceive may have a better effect. I therefore beg, that the further confideration of this bill be poftponed. Gentlemen will perceive, that the general foundation of the measures, which it' is my with to fubmit to the Houfe, rests upon this principle, that in the prefent ftate of society, and confidering the prefent circumstances of the country, looking at the state of commerce and of agriculture, all the demands for labour, and all the temptations which divert men from enlifting in the regular army; looking, I fay, to the diftinction which naturally exVOL. II. 1803-4, 4 L

ifts