THE CHRONICLE, 
aellor of the Exchequer, 21/2 of Febru- 
eryy 1797. 
THE Committee obferving, with 
reat. uneafinefs, the large and con- 
nt decreafe in the cafh, held-a 
articular confultation on that fub 
je&t this day; and on examination 
into the ftate of the cafh fince the 
beginning of this year, they found 
that in the courfe of the month of 
January there had been a decreafe 
of ]. and fince the 
beginning of this month a farther 
lofs of 1. and that the 
cafh was now reduced to between 
andabout 1. 
. yalue, in bullion and foreign coin, 
and about the value of 1. 
in filver bullion. Perceiving alfo, 
by the conftant calls of the bank- 
ers from all parts of the town for 
eafh, that there muft be fome ex- 
traordinary reafons for this drain, 
arifing probably from the alarms of 
‘an expected invafion, the Com- 
mittee, after maturely confidering 
the matter, refolved to fend a no- 
tice to the Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer of the fituation of matters 
at the Bank; and to explain exact- 
ly to him how the cafh is circum- 
ftanced, that he may if poffible and 
proper, ftrike out fome means of 
alleviating the public alarms, and 
ftopping this apparent difpofition 
in people’s minds for having 4 
ize depofit of cafh in their houfes. 
The Governor, Deputy Gover- 
nor, with Mr. Darell and Mr. Bo- 
anquet, were deputed to wait up- 
on Mr. Pitt; who went to hin,— 
d after defcribing to him the 
anxiety of mind which all the Di- 
rectors were under on this fubjeét, 
they explained to Mr. Pitt the ex- 
et particulars above mentioned. 
r. Pitt feemed aware that this un- 
wfual drain of cafh from the Bank 
I4t 
mutt arife from the alarm of an in- 
vafion, which he obferved was now 
become much more ’general than 
he could think neceffary... He faid, 
that~ by all his informations he 
could not learn of any hoftile pre- 
parations of confequence making 
in France. to invade this country, 
except the fleet which was refitting. 
at Breft, after being driven off from 
the coaft of Ireland; but, that he 
could not anfwer that no partial at- 
tack cn this country would be made 
by fuch a mad and defperate enemy, 
as we had to deal with. The De- 
putation preffed on Mr. Pitt to de- 
clare fomething of this kind in par- 
liament, in order to eale the public 
mind. 
The Deputation then mention-~ 
ed to him the neceffity of bringing 
forward the new loan, out of which 
the repayment of the feven mil- 
lions to the Bank was to be made, 
as in the prefent emergency it was 
of the utmoft confequence that our 
advances fhould be contracted as 
foon as poflible. He faid, he was oc~ 
cupied on that point, and hoped, in 
a couple of days, to have his plan fo 
arranged as to be able to call the 
gentlemen together, with whom it 
might be neceffary to negotiate for 
anewloan. Mr. Pittalfo mention- 
ed, that he hoped the Committce 
would, in the prefent fituation of 
matters, think it neceffary to en- 
deavour at obtaining a fupply 
of gold from foreign countries; 
which the Governor told him they 
were confidering about, and fhould 
do what they could therein. 
(No. 35.) 
Interview with the Chancellor of the Fix- 
chequer, 22d of February, 1797. 
Mefirs. Goldfmid, and. Elinfon 
attended the Committee this day, 
and 
