46] 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



or cauals, or to trustees of roads, 

 or to any persons engaged in pub- 

 lic works now in progiess, or a- 

 bout to undertake them. The as- 

 sociations for the encouragement 

 of the fisheries would likewise be 

 a very proper institution to receive 

 aid. In Ireland it would not be 

 practicable to nominate a similar 

 commission without such a delay 

 as would defeat the purpose of the 

 grant. It would be necessary to 

 enter into a correspondence with 

 that country to know what gen- 

 tleman would undertake a duty 

 which would entail some trouble 

 without any prospect of reward. 

 To avoid that delay, the sum ap- 

 propriated to that countiy would 

 be placed at the disposal of the 

 lord-lieutenant. 



With respect to advances on the 

 security of the poor-rates, he had 

 never thought that any thing co\ild 

 be done towards the relief of the 

 agricultural pojiulation by the loan 

 of any such sum as he then jiro- 

 posed to advance. He was also 

 afraid that loans to the agricultu- 

 ral districts in aid of the poor- 

 rates, would encourage the prac- 

 tice of curtailing the fair wages 

 of labour, and sup])lying the de- 

 ficiency from such a source. When 

 the bill came before the House 

 there would be found clauses 

 which would guard against such 

 an idea. The advance to be grant- 

 ed to paiishes was never to ex- 

 ceed the half of the last year's 

 rate, and no advance was to be 

 made to any parish except where 

 the rate was double the average of 

 the two preceding years. Speak- 

 ing of the particular distresses of 

 Birmingham, he attributed a con- 

 siderable part of it to the falling 

 off of the supi)ly of small arms 



for the use of the allies, which 

 amounted to no less than three 

 millions during the war. That the 

 general demand of goods for the 

 foreign trade had not suffered in 

 an equal pi'oportion, he concluded 

 from the official value of the ex- 

 ports of steel and iron from the 

 year 1814. From the persons best 

 acquainted with the trade of the 

 country, he thought that a loan 

 of 30 or 40,0001. to the manfac- 

 turers of Birmingham would be 

 of material service in the present 

 exigence. The right hon. gentle- 

 man concluded with proposing his 

 first resolution. 



Several members found it ne- 

 cessary to desire explanations from 

 the Chancellor of theExchequer re- 

 specting different subjects; whilst 

 others were very doubtful whether 

 any good would be the result of 

 his project. The resolution was, 

 however, put and carried ; as was 

 also the second concerning Ire- 

 land. 



On the 14 th of May, the Chan- 

 cellor of the Exchequer rose to 

 move the order of the day, that 

 the House would resolve itself 

 into a committee, to take into 

 consideration the bill for the Em- 

 ployment of the Poor. He said 

 he had introduced a considerable 

 number of amendments into the 

 bill, which he thought would re- 

 move some of the objections raised 

 to it. He would not at present 

 enter into the merits of these 

 amendments, as a better oppor- 

 tunity would hereafter occur. 



Some additional observations 

 were made upon the bill ; after 

 which the report was brought up, 

 and a <iay was appointed for a 

 farther consideration. 



On the 21st of May, on the 



motion 



