for allowing the use of salt duty free in curing fish, the stale bread bill, the pension duty, and one private bill, were read a first time.

Counsel were heard in a Scotch appeal.

NOV. 19.

Nov. 20.

Heard counsel in a Scotch appeal.-The bills on the table were forwarded in their several stages, and an account presented of the bounties paid on the importation of fish into London.

NOV. 21.

Their lordships met at ten o'clock, and passed the mum, malt, and cyder bill, the stale bread bill, the salt-fish duty bill, and the sugar and melasses duty bill.-Their lordships adjourned to half after three, when they again met; and the commons having attended at the bar of the house, the royal assent was given by commission to the several bills.

The commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Walsingham. The lottery mistake bill was brought up from the commons, and their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, OCT. 29.

HIS Majesty's Speech having been read, the Address was moved by Lord Lovaine, and seconded by Colonel Woodhouse.

Mr. Fox, in a speech of very few words, testified his entire approbation of the Peace, under the existing circumstances of the country. The present was not the proper opportunity for canvassing the detail; he should content himself, therefore, by giving his most cordial assent to the Address.

Mr. Pitt followed. For once, he said, the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Fox) and he did agree in opinion, although when the discussion of the Preliminaries came on, he did not doubt that their agreement would be found to result from very different motives. The Peace was unquestionably a great event. It had been obtained on terms honourable to this country. Upon this point, however, he should not enlarge at present; another occasion would be found when he should speak his sentiments more at length.

Mr. Windham, in a speech of considerable length, in which he objected to the peace, said he differed widely from those who talked of the advantages which would result from it, and concluded with saying, that he should not oppose the Address, unless it touched upon the peace; but that in that case it should expe rience all the opposition he could give.

Mr. Addington remarked, that the Hon. Gentleman knew only that Preliminaries of Peace had been signed, but of the Treaty he. was ignorant. Notwithstanding the difference of opinion between the Hon. Gentleman and himself, when the discussion took place he would meet him with that high respect he had ever cherished for his talents.

Mr.

Mr. Sheridan said, whatever satisfaction the termination of the war may afford, the people of this country never can regard the Peace either as glorious or honourable. It is a Peace of which every man is glad, but of which no man is proud. No Englishman. can approve of the terms, however much he may rejoice in the event. But it is a proper termination of the war. As the war is the worst the country ever saw, a better Peace could not be expected. It is such a Peace as such a war deserved-it is such a Peace as might naturally be expected from the promoters and conductors of the war; and none who encouraged and supported that contest could be reasonably expected to conclude it more auspi ciously.

Lord Temple said a few words, and begged to be understood as disapproving of the peace.

Mr. T. Martin observed, that although he should vote for the peace, he was not to be understood as giving up his vote for punishing those who had been the authors of the late war.

The question was then put, that a Committee be appointed to frame the Address, which was carried nemine dissentiente.

ост. 30.

Mr. Addington rose to postpone his motion of thanks to Admiral Lord Keith, and to Gen. Sir John Hely Hutchinson, as the information received from General Hutchinson was not complete with regard to the forces employed in the late brilliant atchievements. He meant the Staff, &c. of the Indian army, which had doubtless been engaged. Until that information was obtained, he must delay his motion. He had, however, a Vote of Thanks to propose, which he trusted could not be opposed. After having passed a high eulogium upon the bravery of Sir James Saumarez, and also complimented the officers, seamen, and marines under his command, he concluded by moving, that the Thanks of the House should be given to Sir James Saumarez, K. B. for the zeal and alacrity he had displayed in attacking a superior force of the enemy in the bay of Algesiras upon the 12th and 13th days of July last, &c. Mr. Addington made similar motions for the Thanks of the House to be given to the captains, officers, seamen, and marines under the command of Sir James, upon that occasion. These motions were put and carried nem. con.

The Speaker was then ordered to communicate the above Vote of Thanks to Sir James Saumarez.-Adjourned.

NOV. 2.

The speaker informed the house, that upon Saturday his ma jesty had been waited on with the address; to which his majesty had been pleased to return a most gracious answer.

NOV. 3.

ADDRESS ON THE PRELIMINARIES OF PEACE.

Sir E. Hartopp moved, "That an humble address be presented to the king, thanking his majesty for having communicated to the house the preliminaries of peace ratified with the French republic, and to assure his majesty, thatthis house does most sincerely approve

VOL. 2.-NO, II.

prove of an arrangement which, whilst it manifests the justice and moderation of his views, will doubtless also be found productive of consequences highly advantageous to the interests of the country and honourable to the British character."

Mr. Lee, in an able speech seconded the motion.

The motion was supported by lord Hawkesbury, lord Castlereagh, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, and opposed by Mr. T. Grenville, earl Temple, Mr. Windham, and Dr. Lawrence.

The question of peace passed without a division, at half past three o'clock in the morning, when the house adjourned.

Nov. 4.

Sir Edw. Hartopp brought up the report of the address to his majesty on the preliminaries of peace.

The report was received; after which the house adjourned till Friday.

NOV. 6.

After some uninteresting business, the house proceeded, with the house of peers, to St. James's, to lay the joint address of both houses, congratulatory on the preliminaries of peace, at the foot of the throne. Adjourned to Monday.

NOV. 9.

The Secretary at War brought up the estimates of the army. He moved that these papers be laid on the table.

Mr. Robson wished that the estimates might be printed. The Secretary at War saw no reason for so doing, as the estimates were exactly the same as those of last year, with this difference, that they only were for three months.

Mr. Robson said, now the country enjoyed peace it had a right to know what the peace establishment was.

Mr. Addington observed, that the estimates could not give either the Hon. Gentleman, or the country, information as to the peace establishment, as these estimates were founded on the war establishment.

The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up and agreed to.-Adjourned.

NOV. 10.

Ordered that no petition for private Bills, &c. be received after the 15th of February next.

A petition was presented from the Debtors confined in Newgate, praying for relief. Ordered to be laid on the table.-Adjourned.

NOV. 11.

The House went into a Committee of Supply, when the following resolutions were agreed to, viz. 210,6041. for the ordinary establishment of the Navy for three lunar months, from Jan. 1, 1802; 232,6331. for extraordinaries of the Navy for the same period; 360,000l. for the Transport Service and Prisoners of War in health; and 28,000l. for sick Prisoners, both for the above period.

In a Committee of Ways and Means, the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the continuance of the late Acts imposing additional duties on Malt, Mum, Cyder, Perry, &c. and also the duty of 4s. in the pound on Pensions, &c. to March 25, 1802.

The

NOV. 19.

The committee on expiring laws reported; recommending the continuance, for another year, of the additional duty on spirits imported into Scotland. The continuance of the starch and distillery. bill was fixed for the same period; and several public accounts were presented.

NOV. 20.

An account was presented of the sums advanced in pursuance of votes of the house, and not yet made good by parliament.-. The exchequer-bills bill was committed.

FETE AT PARIS,

PARIS, NOV. 9.

THE Fete of Peace, conceived on a very large plan, and ideas as new as happy, has been conducted with great magnificence, and the most complete unanimity. At present, we shall merely remark, that it constantly fixed the attention, and excited the interest of an immense number of citizens, who had assembled in the places where the different spectacles were prepared. The scenic amusements, for which a theatre was erected in the Place de la Concorde, produced a fine effect; no one appeared able to recollect an illumination more varied, or founded in more elegant designs. The two superb basins, which the Seine forms between its three principal bridges, exhibited the appearance of long rafts of fire, the brilliancy of which was increased by the reflection of the water. The Palace of the Government, that of the Legisla tive Body, the buildings in the Place de la Concorde, being united by brilliant lines of light, seemed to form only one monument, The weather was much finer than the season and the preceding days gave reason to expect. The most perfect tranquillity prevailed during the whole of the Fete.-Moniteur.

Repeated vollies of artillery this morning announced the Fete of Peace. Every thing proves that it is one of the most splendid

ever seen.

On the Pont Neuf, on the spot where the Statue of Henry IV. formerly stood, a triumphal arch, consisting of three arcades, surmounted with an attique, was raised,

Opposite to the port of St. Nicholas, was a Temple in the Doric order, dedicated to commerce, and built on boats tied together, and boarded over. The fire-works were let off from boats placed by the side of this Temple, and decorated for the purpose.

From the middle of the bridge of the Thuilleries, the spectators enjoyed a most magnificent spectacle. The inside of the quays was adorned with small lamps. The arches of the Pont Neuf were covered with circular frames, loaded with variegated lamps. The elegant baths of Vigier added to this illumination a picturesque effect which did bonour to the taste of the proprietor. The other basin, between the bridge of the Thuilleries and that of La Concorde, presented the same decorations. The arches of zz 2

the

the bridge, the interior circular ranges of the quays, were likewise covered with fanciful variegated exhibitions of a prodigious number of lamps.

Farther on appeared the Altar of the Invalides, at the gate of which had been raised a triumphal arch of the same dimensions. The top was decorated with antique crowns. From the basement was hung a globe bespangled with stars, and a frame placed above the keystone of the arch, exhibited, in letters of fire of prodigious dimension, the name of Bonaparte. Four pyramids were displayed along the front.

The Place de Concorde was surrounded by yews, fixed at the distance of eight metres from the fosses. At the outlet from this place, between horses of Coisevex, an immense Theatre was constructed, upon which was elevated the Temple of Peace, the same which was raised on the 14th July, on one of she squares of the interior of the Champs Elysées. It was supported by ninety-four columns of the Ionic order, disposed in a right angle of ten to sixteen.

Two other Temples on a smaller scale, were erected beside that of Peace. The horses of Coisevex were taken in so skilfully into the view that they seemed placed there on purpose for ornament. Behind to the right and left were placed frames covered with canvass, on which were painted mountains, towns, bastions, and other objects in fortification.

On both sides of the grand alley of the Thuilleries were raised arcades with their sub-basements. The octagonal bason was illuminated in all its circumference. On the top of the illuminations were the principal part of the fete, but they were brilliant, and generally well conceived.

The Embroidery Manufactures of Lyons, on the day of the fete, presented to the Chief Consul a superb dress of dark blue velvet, embroidered with silk and gold. The perfect workmanship, the beauty of the design, consisting of laurels, wheat ears, palms, &c. was particularly distinguished. The Chief Consul received it with great complaisance, and promised to wear it.

The handle of the First Consul's sword was adorned with the celebrated Regent Diamond. This beautiful jewel was found in the mines of Golconda. In the Memoires de St. Simon, a very particular account of it is given. It was stolen by a man employed in the mines, who, notwithstanding the precautions employed, found means to bring it to Europe, where he offered it to several Sovereigns, and finding none inclined to purchase it, brought it to EngJand, where he made a model of it in chrystal and sent it to France. The price set on it was such as to alarm the Regent; but the famous Law, the ancestor of General Lauriston, to whom France is indebted for it, assisted by St. Simon, at length prevailed upon the Duke of Orleans, then Regent, to make the purchase, having first made the merchant abate his demands to two millions of livres, about 85,000l. The weight of it was one ounce and a penny weight.

SHERIFFS.