1799-] 
Mr. DunDas fpoke againtt it. 
Upon ‘a divifion of the houfe there ap- 
peared for it 55, againit it 84. 
The queftion refpecting the treatment 
of the prifoners in the Coldbath Fields 
prifon has been brought before the houfe 
of commons for’ the purpofe of a fair in- 
veftigation.—-Mr. Dunpas laid on the 
table the examinations taken before the 
magiftrates at the laft quarter feffions 
refpecting this bufinefs. This and feveral 
other papers relative to this fubje& were 
afterwards ordered to be printed, .and 
alfo a Committee appointed to examine 
into the ftate of that prifon, who were 
empowered to fend for papers, perfons 
and records. 
Sirk FrRANCIs Burdett withdrew 
the notice for his motion for the 7th of 
March, on the fubjeét vas he wifhed to 
avail himielf of the information that 
would ariie trom the above arrangement. 
[In our next we fhall be enabled to give the 
refult of this enquiry. ] 
On the motion of Mr. Pitt onthe 8th 
of March, the houfe in a committee of 
fupply agreed to grant 150,000]. for 
foreign fecret fervice money for 1799, and 
alfo that an aid of s00ol, fhould be granted 
to the Turkey company. 
Mr. Dunnas onthe 12th of March, 
the houfe having refolved itfelf into a 
committee on the ftate of the finance of 
India, gave an elaborate detail of what 
is generally called the India budget. Af. 
ter going through the various calculations 
ufual on thefe occafions, he obferved to 
the committee that the affairs of the 
company were better on the whole than 
they were in the preceding year by 
413,220]. But he did not mean to give 
this in an unqualified way, for there was 
a difputed article between the nabob of 
Arcot and the company, which amounted 
to no lefs than one million fterling. he 
company were truftees for the creditors of 
the nabob who claimed their initaliments 
as ufual during the Jaft war im India. 
The revenues appointed for the payment of 
thefe inflalments had unavoidably been 
employed in defraying the expences of 
that war. If the company were now to 
make good this fum thev would of courfe 
ftand ina worfe fitwation by 600,000. 
But when he recolleéted that fince the 
year 1726 at which time the accounts of 
the company had been firft put into a 
proper train, their capital had been in- 
creafed inno lefs than eleven millions, he 
could look without any difinay on this 
deficiengy or on any ftagnation which 
might occur during the prefent wag. He 
State of Public Affairs. 
243 
alfo obferved that he felt it his duty, as 
looking to the general interefts of the 
empire, to fee that the directors in Lea- 
denhall-ftreet fhould make compenfations, 
either by exporting bullion or otherwile, 
for the increafed imports which they drew 
from India. This was the more necef- 
fary ata time when the company, how- 
ever opulent, felt it beyond their power te 
import the fuperflux of Indian wealth into 
the poris of thefe kingdoms. ‘The fum re- 
mitted annually to Europe from India 
amounted to no lefs than fiwe geulhons ; 
but of this fum the means and capital of 
the company did not permit them to im- 
port more than fewo millions. He was 
determined to try in fome fhape to bring 
this wealth into the ports of this country. 
and before the end of the prefent feffion 
he fhould certainly fubmit the matter to 
the ferious confideration of that houfe, 
and crave their advice as to the beft means 
of fecuring to this country that pre-emi- 
nence to which it was entitled. ‘The 
refolutious were read and ordered to be 
reported the next day. 
Mr. Dunpas on the 15th of March, 
after ftating that our volunteer cavalry 
amounted to 30,000 which fendered the 
provifional cavalry not yet called out, no 
longer neceflary, moved that fuch of the 
latter as were embodied fhould be put 
on the eltablifament of fencible cavalry 
which was agreed to. On the motion of 
the fame gentleman, the bill for reducing 
the militia from 106,000 to 82,000 was 
ordered to be printed and a committee 
appointed. 
On the 16th of March the Paral kt or 
the committee of fupply fer granting 
226,000]. for the reliet of the iuffering 
clergy and laity of France now in this 
country and the American royalilts, was 
agreed to by the houle. 
It-appears by a proclamation iffued 
from the court of St. James’son the 15th 
day of March, that tome attempts. have 
been making to organite rebellion in 
thiscountry. “This proclamation itates, 
*« that there isreafon to apprehend that 
divers perfons engaged’ in treafonable 
con{piracies in the kingdom of Treland in 
concert with our foreigh enemies are en- 
deavouring to incite and ftir up rebellion 
and war in this country.—That for the 
reafon the privy council do ftriftly order 
and charge, that froin and after the 20th of 
March no perfon whaticever be permitted 
to pais from Ireland into this kingdom, 
except perfons in the public’ fervice and 
fuch perfous as fhall obtain a paffport 
for that purpofe from the Lord Lict= 
tenant 
