GENERAL HISTORY. 



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contributions were of the same 

 nature with the droits of the 

 crown, and became tlie pirsonal 

 property of the sovereign ; but 

 the Prince Regent had deter- 

 mined, that it should be applied 

 solely to the public service, with 

 the exception of a donation to the 

 army of the Duke of Wellington 

 as prize-money, estimated at one 

 million. For the 20,000 forces 

 in India, the Company was to 

 provide. The whole amount of 

 the military diarges for the year, 

 including ordnance and miscella- 

 neous service, was stated at 

 29,398,0001. from which was to 

 be deducted the Irish proportion 

 of 2^ millions. 



The waj's and means by which 

 it was proposed to meet this ex- 

 penditure were the concluding 

 subject of the Chancellor's speech ; 

 and he began with a ' very no\ el 

 and satisfactory item,' namely a 

 surplus of three millions remain- 

 ing of the unapplied gi-ants of 

 the preceding year, applicable to 

 the service of the present year. 

 The next was of the consolidated 

 fund, which lie estimated at 2f 

 millions. The ordinary annual 

 taxes he took at 3 millions, and 

 said that he intende<l to propose 

 the prolongation of some of the 

 war taxes on customs and ex- 

 cise. The next items were a 5 

 per cent, property tax estimated 

 at 6 millions, and a lottery at 

 200,0001. The last article was 

 an advance of 6 millions from the 

 Bank, at the interest of 4 per 

 cent., of which, however, 1^ mil- 

 lion \\as to be deducted for the 

 re-payment of a former advance. 

 The total amount of ways and 

 means he therefore stated at 

 26,700,0001. 



Having concluded his general 

 exposition, the Chancellor of the 

 •Excheciuer moved, that the sum 

 of 16,024,1001. be granted for 

 the discharge of outstanding ex- 

 chequer bills. 



In the discussions which en- 

 sued, and in which many mem- 

 bers on both sides took a part, a 

 variety of topics was entered 

 upon, particularly those of the 

 income tax, and the peace esta- 

 blishment of the army ; but these 

 being afterwards directly made 

 the subject of debate, the notice 

 of them will be reserved to the 

 proper occasion. The resolutions 

 now moved, were put from the 

 chair and agreed to. 



The alarm excited by announc- 

 ing a proposed continuance of 

 the property tax was now begin- 

 ning to operate ; and the city of 

 London comiuenced an opposition 

 by presenting to •parliament, on 

 Feb. 13th, two petitions against 

 the tax, one from tlie Lord Mayor, 

 Aldermen, and Commons, the other 

 from the Lord Mayor and Li^ ery- 

 men, both expressed in strong 

 language respecting the odious 

 and inquisitorial nature of the tax. 



On the resumption of the com- 

 mittee of supply, the financial 

 plan of the Chancellor of the 

 Exchequer underwent attack, and 

 the subjects of the property- 

 tax, and the militaiy establish- 

 ment, were again brought into 

 debate ; the second resolutions 

 were however passed. On a mo- 

 tion from Mr. Horner, acquiesced 

 in by the minister, an address 

 was ordered to be presented to 

 the Prince Regent, praying, that 

 be would order to be laid before 

 the House, a copy of any agree- 

 ment entered into by the allied 



powers. 



