A. D. 1799. 4S5 



bankruptcies. Thefe took place in Hamburgh to the alarming amount 

 of about three millions Clerling, and involved many Britifli merchants 

 in much perplexity and diftrefs, which did not, however prevent them 

 from fending over ^^^i 40,000 to fupport their commercial friends in 

 Hamburgh. The money was put onboard a fhip of war, which was 

 unfortunately cafl away upon the coafl of Holland (October 9"') : and 

 the whole lols fell upon the underwriters, who, thinking the rifl-: next to 

 nothing, had taken it at a very low premium. 



06lober 1 2"' — The merchants of Liverpool appear to have fuffered 

 more by the ftagnation of the fugar trade than thofe of any other place 

 in this kingdom ; and the parliament thought it neceflary to grant them 

 fome relief The expedient, v\'hich had proved fo beneficial fome years 

 before, was on this occafion again reforted to. Commiflioners were ap- 

 pointed and authorized to accommodate the merchants of Liverpool and 

 Lancafter, who fhould apply to them, with exchequer bills to the 

 amount of ;^50o,ooo on nearly the fame terms which were prefcribed 

 in the year 1793. [39, 40 Geo. Ill, c. s\ 



The parliament gave the diftillers a temporary permiflion to ufe fugar 

 and melaffes, and allowed them a difcount of 4-|^ out of certain duties, 

 amounting to i/2:|, payable upon fpirits made from melaffes or fugar in 

 England, with a proportionable allowance for fpirits made partly of 

 thofe materials and partly of corn. They alfo totally prohibited the ufe 

 of wheat in England, and of all kinds of corn in Scotland, for the man- 

 ufadure of fpiritous liquors. And as it was fully as neceflary to lefTen 

 by every means the confumption of corn as to promote the confumption 

 of fugar, they allowed foreign ftarch to be imported, on paying a duty 

 reduced from ;^5 : 5 : 8 to ^{"3 : 19 : 4 per hundredweight, till the 20'" of 

 September 1800. \^cc. 7, 8] The permiflion to diflill from fugar was 

 continued till the i" of July 1801 by a fubfequent ad: of this feflion. 



The following ads were continued for limited times, viz. 



The ad for admitting certain articles of merchandize imported in 

 neutral veffels, continued till 20"" February 1800. 



The ad authorizing his Majefty to make regulations for the trade of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, continued till 20'" February 1800. 



The ad enabling his Majefty to permit the importation of goods in 

 neutral veflels, continued till 20'" February 1800. 



The ad enabling his Majefty to prohibit the exportation and permit 

 the importation of corn, and for allowing the importation of other ar- 

 ticles of provifion without paying duty, continued till 30'" September 

 1800. \c. 9] 



The three firfl of thefe were further continued (19'" February 1800) 

 till forty days after the commencement of the next feffion of parliament, 

 [r. 17] 



The very great quantity of fugar produced in the Britifh Weft-Indies 

 by the influence of a feafon uncommonly favourable, together with the 

 late increafed application of capital and of mercantile and agricultural 



