nance, for land fervice, for the year 1777.

Refolved, That there be granted to his Majefty, for defraying the expense of fervice performed by the office of ordnance for land fervice, and alfo provided for by parliament, in 1776

272,705 18 1 [These refolutions were all agreed to without any debate. The gentlemen in oppofition had repeatedly faid to their friends, that it was in vain to oppofe the measures of the Court in Parliament; the Miniftry had a regular and fixed majority; accordingly they feldom attended, except upon private bufinefs. This day gave a fignal proof of this opinion. Sir George Savile, Mr. Burke, &c. who attended the House this day upon a private bill, as foon as Lord Barrington ftood up to move the first refolution, quitted their places, made their bows to the chair, and went away.]

Sir George Savile faid, he had a petition from Thomas Rumbold, Efq. refpecting the Shaftesbury election. The petitioner, he faid, prayed that the votes of the Houfe of aft feffion, by which the Houfe agreed with the committee on the Shaftesbury election, might be reconfidered, and fuch relief given to the petitioner as the House in its wisdom fhould think fit. After expatiating on what he thought the injuftice that had been done to the petitioner on the neceffity of fupporting the dignity of Parliament, he moved for leave to bring up the petition.

Mr. Grenville oppofed the bringing it up at that time. He had no interest in the question, nor any connexion with any of the parties; but he knew, that feveral gentlemen who had ferved on the Shaftesbury committee were abfent, it be

ing generally understood fome days fince, that no more! public business was to come on before the holidays; and many of the country gentlemen who were interested in the queftion were also abfent. As a proof that no public butinefs was expected, he mentioned the difficulty the Speaker had been under to collect a House the last four days; he therefore moved, that the petition be not brought up till the 27th of January.

Mr. Powis feconded Mr. Grenville's motion,

The right hon. Hans Stanley feconded Sir George Savile's motion. He faid, he had as great a refpect for the mem-> bers abfent as any man, but God forbid a regard for any perfons fhould prevent a British House of Commons from doing immediate juftice. The Houfe was now by three times. fuller than when the votes complained of by the petitioner were paffed. The parties concerned had known that a motion for refcinding those hafty refolutions would be made before the holidays. He knew it was the fense of the Houfe to have refcinded them last year, if it had not been contrary to the standing order of the Houfe, not to permit the fame queftion twice in one feffion.

Mr. Burke for refcinding the refolutions; and wifhed it might be an example for refcinding all hafty refolu

tions.

The Attorney General [Mr. Thurlow] faid, the evidence was incompetent, upon which the petitioner and Mr. Sykes were reputed guilty.

Then the petition was brought up, and read; fetting forth, That, in the laft feffion of Parliament, the House came to divers refolutions, upon taking into confideration the minutes of the examination taken before the felect committee, who were appointed to try and determine the merits of the petition of Hans Wintrop Mortimer, Efq. complaining of an undue election and return for the borough of Shaftesbury, and in particular a refolution, That it appeared to this "Houfe, from the faid minutes, that the petitioner was a prin"cipal promoter and fuborner of wilful and corrupt perjury "at the faid election ;" and that the petitioner had not any intimation given him, that any proceedings were intended to be had with refpect to him; and, as the petitioner is conscious of his innocence, he trufts he should have been able, had he been apprized of fuch proceedings, to have fatisfied the Houfe that there was no foundation for fo heinous a charge; and that the petitioner's character and reputation are higly affected

by

by the faid refolution; and that the petitioner did make an ap lication, in the laft feffion of Parliament, to the Houfe, for relief in the premises, which was rejected; and the resolution concerning which the petitioner offered his faid petition having been paffed in the faid feffion, the petitioner apprehends, that that circumftance might have been a motive to the House not to grant the prayer of his faid petition: the petitioner therefore hopes, that this caufe no longer exifting, his request may now be more favourably received,

The Houfe was moved, That the entry in the journal of the Houfe of the fourteenth day of February, in the last feffion of Parliament, of the proceedings of the House, on taking into confideration the minutes of the examination taken before the select committee, who were appointed to try and determine the merits of the petition of Hans Wintrop Mortimer, Efq. complaining of an undue election and return for the borough of Shafton, otherwise Shaftesbury, in the county of Dorfet, fo far as the fame relates to Thomas Rumbold, Efq. together with the order of the fame day to the Attorney General to profecute the faid Thomas Rum◄ bold, Efq. might be read.

And the fame being read accordingly;

Ordered, That the faid order to the Attorney General; for profecuting the faid Thomas Rumbold, Efq. be dif✈ charged,

A petition of Francis Sykes, Efq. was prefented to the Houfe, and read; fetting forth, That, in the laft feffion of Parliament, the Houfe came to divers refolutions, upon taking into confideration the minutes of the examination taken before the felect committee, who were appointed to try and determine the merits of the petition of Hans Wintrop Mortimer, Efq. complaining of an undue election and return for the borough of Shaftesbury, and in particular a refolution, "That it appeared to this Houfe, from the faid: minutes, "that the petitioner was a principal promoter and fuborner

of wilful and corrupt perjury at the faid election;" and that the petitioner had not any intimation given him, that any proceedings were intended to be had with refpect to him; and as the petitioner is confcious of his innocence, he trufts he fhould have been able, had he been apprized of fuch pro ceedings, to have fatisfied the House, that there was no foundation for fo heinous a charge; and that the petitioner's character and reputation are highly affected by the faid refolution; and that the petitioner did make an application, in the

laft

laft feffion of Parliament, to the Houfe, for relief in the premises, which was rejected; and the refolution concerning which the petitioner offered his faid petition having been paffed in the faid feffion, the petitioner apprehends, that that circumftance might have been a motive to the House not to grant the prayer of his faid petition; the petitioner therefore hopes, that this caufe no longer exifting, his request may now be more favourably received,

The House was moved, That the entry in the journal of the Houfe, of the 14th day of February, in the last session: of Parliament, of the proceedings of the Houfe, on taking into confideration the minutes of the examination taken before the faid felect committee, fo far as the fame relates to Francis Sykes, Efq. together with the order of the fame day to the Attorney General, to profecute the faid Francis Sykes, Efq. might be read.

And the fame being read accordingly;

Ordered, That the faid order to the Attorney General, for profecuting the faid Francis Sykes, Efq. be difcharged. The like orders, which had been made for profecuting fix of the electors, were also discharged.

Adjourned to November 25.

November 25. Refolved, That there be granted for the ordinary of the navy, including the halfpay to fea and marine officers for 1777 Refolved, That there be granted for building and repairs of fhips for 1777 Refolved, That there be granted for the payment of exchequer bills

1,500,000

No debate.

December 13.

Day appointed for a general faft. Heard divine fervice, and a fermon. Adjourned to January 21, 1777.

The

The following authentic papers are copies of the laft ESTIMATES prefented to the Houfe of Commons, of the yearly expenfes in North America, before the present war.

Elimate of Expenfes attending the Commander in Chief.
Secretary's Office.

Two clerks

An allowance for pay to extra clerks employed occafionally to affift in the course of the year to write for the secretary's office Office rent

Perfon to attend the office

Firing and candles

Expreffes at an average
Stationary ditto

Incidental expenfes ditto

Inland poftage of letters to and from the commander in chief, adjutant general, aid de camps, &c. at the poft-office in New York, upon public bufinefs, as per the post-master's account for last year

Ditto at Boston, on an average
Ditto Philadelphia ditto

(Signed) G. MATURIN.

War Office.

(Signed) BARRINGTON.

£. s.

d.

ESTIMATE of the Expenfe of providing the King's Barracks in North America with the following Neceffaries for the enfuing Year, viz.

Fire and candles.-Allowance to the foldiers for bowls, platters, and fpoons.-Straw or ftuffing for the foldiers' bedding.-Brooms for sweeping the rooms.-Sweeping chimnies. Allowance to officers quartered in barracks for finding their own bedding.-And lodging for fuch officers as there is no room for in the barracks.