36G 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



sent to your royal highness for 

 this purpose, is intituled " An act 

 for enabling his majesty to raise the 

 sum of five millions for the service 

 of Great Britain, and for applying 

 the sum of 200,000/. for the ser- 

 vice of Ireland :" — 



To which Bill his majesty's 

 faithful Commons, with all humi- 

 lity, entreat his majesty's royal 

 assent. 



The royal assent was given in the 

 usual form to this Bill; and also to 

 another, for the Regulation of Pe- 

 nitentiary Houses. 



The Prince Regent then deli- 

 vered the following Speech from 

 the throne — 



My Lords and Gentlemen : 



I cannot release you from your 

 attendance in parliament without 

 repeating theexprcssionof mydeep 

 regret at the continuance of his 

 majesty's lamented indisposition. 



The attention which you have 

 paid to the public interests in the 

 course of this session demands my 

 warmest acknowledgments. 



The splendid and signal success 

 which has attended the commence- 

 ment of the campaign in the Pe- 

 ninsula, — the consummate skill and 

 ability displayed by field marshal 

 the marquis of Wellington, in the 

 progress of those operations which 

 have led to the great and decisive 

 victory obtained near Vittoria,— 

 and the valour and intrepidity by 

 which his majesty's forces and 

 those of his allies have been dis- 

 tinguished, are as highly grati- 

 fying to my feelings as they have 

 been to those of the whole nation. 

 Whilst these operations have added 

 new lustre to the British arms, 

 they alTord the best prospect of the 

 deliverance of the Peninsula from 



the tyranny and oppression of 

 France ; and they furnish the most 

 decisive proof of the wisdom of 

 that policy which has induced you, 

 under every vicissitude of fortune, 

 to persevere in the support of this 

 glorious contest. 



The entire failure of the French 

 ruler in his designs against the 

 Russian empire, and the destruc- 

 tion of the French army employed 

 on that service, were followed by 

 the advance of the Russian forces, 

 since joined by those of Prussia, to 

 the banks of the Elbe; and though 

 upon the renewal of the contest 

 the aUied armies have found them- 

 selves obliged to retreat before the 

 superior numbers collected by the 

 enemy, their conduct during a se- 

 ries of severe and sanguinary con- 

 flicts has nobly upheld their mili- 

 tary character, and commanded the 

 admiration of Europe. 



I have great satisfaction in ac- 

 quainting you, that there exists 

 between me and the courts of St. 

 Petcrsburgh, Berlin, and Stock- 

 holm, the most cordial union and 

 concert : and I trust that I shall 

 be enabled, by the aids which j'ou 

 have so liberally afforded, to render 

 this union effectual for the accom- 

 plishment of the great purpose for 

 which it has been established. 



I regret the continuance of the 

 war with the United States of 

 America. 



My desire to re-establish be- 

 tween the two countries those 

 friendly relations so important to 

 their mutual interests, continues 

 unabated; but I cannot consent to 

 purchase the restoration of peace 

 by any sacrifice of the maritime 

 rights of the British empire. 



Gentlemen of the House of Com- 

 mons,— I thank you for the liberal 



