1204 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
keep her from a state of prostitu- 
tion, that she should come to the 
house by a petition, and pray for 
some farther provision. 
The clause was then omitted. 
On the same day in the house of 
commons, Sir H. Mildmay brought 
forward a motion, calling upon the 
commissioners appointed under the 
naval abuse bill, to make their re- 
port. The principal circumstances 
on which he grounded his motion, 
were, first, the sudden dissolution 
of a contract with Mr. Taylor for 
supplying the navy with blocks, 
without assigning any cause what- 
ever; 2dly, the resignation of Mr. 
Leycester, whose known talents and 
abilities as a commissioner, was 
ene of the principal inducements 
for passing the bill; and 3dly, the 
expectation which had lately been 
held out, that in a case of emer- 
gency 50 sail of the line could be 
got ready in a month; this emer- 
gency appeared now to have arriv- 
ed, and the ships were not ready ! 
Sir C. Pole, (one of the com- 
missioners) bore testimony to the 
zeal and assiduity, with which the 
commissioners discharged the task 
reposed'in them; they generally 
sat from five to seven hours a day. 
In a very few days, the house might 
expect their first report. 
Capt. Markham, defended the 
eonduct of the admiralty generally ; 
and insisted that our naval force in 
every part of the world, was abun- 
dantly sufficient to cope with that of 
any European power. 
The chancellor of the exchequer 
also defended the conduct of the 
admiralty ; and said, he should suf- 
fer more willingly the charge, of 
having used unguarded language to 
attach to him, than hear the board” 
of admiralty found fault with, for 
not having fifty ships of the line rea-’ 
dy within a month. Although the 
ships might have been got ready 
within that time, yet it would be im- 
possible to have them manned so 
speedily !!! 
Mr. Canning considered the mo- 
tion as perfectly fair and candid, 
although, as a report was now pro- 
mised, it would perhaps be unneces- 
sary to press it farther. 
commenting a little on the state- 
ment of the chancellor of the ex- 
chequer, he compared both that, 
and the express terms of his majes-' 
ty’s message, with an assertion that 
had fallen this night, from a lord of 
the admiralty, (captain Markham) 
that there was no preparation of 
any consequence, either in the ports 
of France or Holland. 
Capt. Markham confessed, that 
in this instance, his zeal had out- 
stripped his prudence: he had 
spoken with the warmth of a sea- 
officer ; who was always ready to 
under-rate the power of the enemy. 
Mr. Fox opposed the motion, on 
the ground of its being necessary to 
invest strong powers somewhere, for 
the remedying the multiplied abuseg 
in the navy. 
After a short conversation, sir 
H. Mildmay obtained leave to 
withdraw his motion. 
The Irish bank restriction bill, 
being the following day committed 
in the house of lords ; 
Lord King, again adverted to 
the rate of exchange between the 
two countries, the unfavourable 
state of which to Ireland, he attri- 
buted to the depreciation of its 
currency, that naturally arose ale 
e 
After: 
