next moved the order of the day, for the resumed debate on the resolutions respecting the amount of the national debt. The difference between the resolutions which he intended to bring forward, and those already proposed by an hon. member (Mr. Johnstone), lay in a small compass, and might easily be reconciled. The resolutions he alluded to would be ready to-morrow; and, for the satisfaction of all parties, he wished the discussion on the subject to be deferred till that day, as it was not scarcely possible that the necessary papers to be presented, could be printed before that time. The right hon. gent. then moved his 1st resolution, which was agreed to, and the farther debate upon the subject was postponed till to-morrow.

said, that as he did not conceive that this subject would be sufficiently elucidated by the resolutions that had been suggested, he would to-morrow move some additional ones, in order to render the inferences more clear and distinct. For that purpose he found it necessary to move for the production of two accounts: the one entitled, "an Account or estimate of the duties of customs and excise in G. Britain, charged and outstanding upon bond or otherwise, on 5th April 1803, to 5th April 1804, distinguishing the several articles, and temporary from permanent duties;" the other, "an Account or estimate of the amount of the duty on property, due and outstanding, from the same date, so far as the same can be made up."—Agreed to.

brought up a bill for regulating the importation and exportation of corn, and the bounties and duties thereon; which he said was, in substance and effect, in all its clauses and provisions, precisely similar to the one lately rejected in that house, on account of the amendments made by the House of Lords, except in so far as related to those amendments. He hoped that the bill would meet with the approbation of the house, and moved that the bill be read a 1st time.

said, he had various objections to urge against this bill, but he should content himself at present with asking the postponement of it to another session. There was one particular point to which he wished to draw the attention of the house; he meant that part of the bill which went to regulate the importation of grain from Ireland into Scotland, which would operate to the disadvantage of Scotland by the average price being computed, not by the prices in the different districts in Scotland, but by those of the districts in Ireland. He wished to know from the hon. gent. who moved the bill, how such matters were now to be regulated?

said, the avowed intention of this bill was to regulate the importation and exportation of grain from Ireland to Scotland, by the average prices of the 4 maritime districts of Scotland, in such a manner as not to impede, in the smallest degree, the importation of oatmeal from Ireland into Scotland. The object of the bill was also, in a great measure, to open the ports, and encourage the corn trade between G. Britain and Ireland. The difference of the prices was at any rate but trifling in Scotland and Ireland, not amounting in general to more than 1–8th. He hoped, therefore, that the noble lord would defer the farther statement of his objections till the bill was committed.—The bill was then read a 1st, and ordered to be read a 2d time to-morrow, and to be printed.