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day for the House resolving itself into the said Committee, observed, that he intended to propose only such votes as would go to the renewal of certain usual annual taxes, and a grant of Exchequer Bills to replace those which were now out. The several duties on malt, sugar, &c. were then moved; as also that £24,000,000 be raised by Exchequer Bills for the service of the year 1817.

After some observations by Sir C. Monck and Mr Calcraft, the resolutions were agreed to.

Feb. 7——Lord Castlereah (the House being in a Committee on that part of the Regent's Speech which related to the Finances), in an elaborate speech of great length, and embracing a variety of views of the state of the country—past, present, and prospective,—did not disguise or extenuate the present distress, but still maintained, that with the characteristic vigour and energy of the British character, and an economy pervading every department of the public service, we should soon be restored to our high situation among the nations. He then entered into a detail of the reductions of the national expenditure which were contemplated, making a total annual diminution, in all the different branches, of six millions and a half, and thereby reducing the current expenses of this year to £8,373,000; and that there might be a further saving of above a million anticipated in the next year, which would bring the expenditure down to £17,300,000; and that of this sum there was not more than £13,000,000 applicable to current services, for there were now paid in pensions, and half-pay to the officers and men in the army, navy, and ordnance departments, who had contributed to bring the war to so glorious a termination, upwards of four millions. A certain proportion of the pensions would annually be available for the public service by the decease of those who enjoyed them. A hundred thousand men were now in the receipt of pensions and half-pay. He had made inquiries as to what, upon ordinary calculations, might be expected to accrue annually from the falling in of their allowances. By assuming the medium age of 40, one half of the whole would cease to exist in the course of 20 years, making 2,500 annually; and, as the allowances are four millions, the sum becoming available every year for the public service, in the reduction of the public burdens, would be £100,000. In making up the estimates, a sketch of which he (Lord C.) had submitted to the House, Ministers were actuated by the most anxious desire to effect every possible reduction; to carry into effect every plan of economy that was consistent with our situation and security; and to bring the expenditure of the nation as much as possible within its means. His Lordship took a review of the general distress that prevailed all over Europe; he praised the generous sympathy which bound all classes of society together in this happy land, and those spontaneous efforts made to lighten the burdens of the destitute, by sharing them. In the highest quarter, in the head of the government of this country, the same feelings and sympathies were shared that actuated his people. He not only sympathized with their distress, but was prepared to share their privations; and, from the spontaneous movement of his own mind, had expressed his determination to abstain from receiving, in the present state of distress, so much of the civil list as he could refuse, consistently with maintaining the dignity of his station, without doing what Parliament would disapprove of incurring.—(General Cheering.) His Royal Highness had given his commands to inform the House, that he meant to give up for the public service a fifth part of the fourth class of the civil list, which, it ought to be observed, was the only branch connected with the personal expenses, or the royal state of the Sovereign; for all the other heads of charge included in the civil list, except the privy purse, were as much for paying public services as the sums included in the estimates he had this night mentioned—(Hear, hear !) That branch of the civil list amounted to £209,000; and his Royal Highness offered, out of this and the privy purse,£50,000—(Hear, hear!)—for the public service. His Royal Highness had directed and applauded the exertions of his people, he had shared in their glories, and now generously sympathized in their sufferings, and determined to share their privations—(Hear!) The servants of the Crown had resolved to follow the example of their Royal Master, and to surrender that part of their salaries which had accrued to them since the abolition of the property tax. (Hear, hear ) His Lordship came then to the last branch of the subject, the formation of a Committee, for the purpose of inquiring into the income and expenditure of the country, on the mode of choosing which, and on the duties they were to perform, his Lord expatiated for some time, and then concluded with proposing the appointment of a Committee, to consist of 21 members, "for the purpose of inquiring into the revenue and expenditure of the country for the years ending the 5th January 1815, the 5th January 1816 and 1817, and also for the years ending the 5th January 1818 and 1819, with a view to the investigation of measures for affording relief to the country, without detriment to the public service; and to report thereon, from time to time, their opinions to the house." Before he sat down, it would be right to mention, that he proposed the committee should be invested with full powers to send for persons, papers, and records, (Hear, hear!) that they should possess all the means of pursuing their inquiries to the bottom.

The noble Lord concluded with reading