168] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



law now experiences few or no 

 difficulties, owing particularly to 

 the good will wifch which the mi- 

 litia fulfil their duty. The num- 

 ber necessary to be called out to 

 fill up the contingents becomes 

 less every year. With the view, 

 however, of further conciliating 

 the security of the kingdom with 

 the interest-s of the treasury, 

 some modifications of the existing 

 law will be proposed to your High 

 Mightinesses, 



" The confidence with which 

 you sanctioned the laws on finance 

 has given general satisfaction. 

 The opening of a considerable 

 loan was in the course of a few 

 da)rs followed with offers to more 

 than double its amount. 



" Sensible of this proof of 

 good-will as well as of ability, re- 

 lying on the perfect restoration 

 of the credit of the state, tranquil 

 with respect to the situation of 

 the treasury, certain that all the 

 obligations which have been con- 

 tracted can be scrupulously ful- 

 filled, I am encouraged in hence- 

 forth establishing at present every 

 possible economy, and in prepar- 

 ing others which may hereafter 

 be adopted. 



" The budget for the ensuing 

 year will prove to your High 

 Mightinesses how far the efforts 

 of the Government have already 

 succeeded in this respect. You 

 will find in its formation the al- 

 ready announced attempt at a 

 division into ordinary and extra- 

 ordinary expenses ; and though 

 it includes new s' mis, which are 

 charged in consequence of the 

 financial measures you recently 

 adopted, the general total is infe- 

 rior to that of the present year. 



" It is at the same time with 



much satisfaction that I am ena- 

 bled to state, that according to 

 the account which will be com- 

 municated to your High Mighti- 

 nesses, and estimating the produce 

 of the taxes by the revenue of 

 the current year, the amount will 

 be sufficient to equalize the re- 

 ceipts and the expenditure of the 

 ensuing year. 



In order, however, to ensure 

 this desirable result, some legis- 

 lative measures will be proposed 

 to your High Mightinesses. I 

 expect their adoption with the 

 greater confidence, as they are of 

 a nature to convince all those 

 who take an interest in the situa- 

 tion of our finances, that the mea- 

 sures already adopted, and those 

 about to be adopted in this re- 

 spect, may be reckoned amongst 

 the first objects of our common 

 solicitude for the public welfare. 

 These laws will besides concur in 

 realizing any ulterior views as to 

 what remains to be done, in order 

 to produce in future an equal 

 balance between the revenue and 

 the expenditure. In a fixed and 

 regular state of things, the greater 

 part of the charges are indis-' 

 pensable ; and with the view of 

 ascertaining such as may be of a 

 contrary nature, I have found it 

 necessary to order all the details 

 to be strictly examined : that 

 examination, however, requires 

 much time ; and if it be wished 

 that it should be accomplished 

 with due care and attention, all 

 precipitation must be dangerous. 

 The investigation is conducted 

 with activity, and I confidently 

 hope, that by perseverance it will 

 be rendered complete, and my 

 desire with respect to this object 

 perfectly fulfilled. 



" Other 



