asked, whether the Chancellor the Exchequer was ready to authenticate the estimates on the table, with regard to the erections in the Park, several of which he animadverted upon as grossly delusive? The hon. member also asked, whether it was not intended, as a part of the plan of the new palace, to take from the public some of the covered walks in St James's park; and whether it was not with that view, the idea of rendering the new bridge upon the canal permanent for the accommodation of the public, which idea was evidently an after-thought, was determine upon?

said that he would not be responsible for any estimates, but those he himself presented. As to the hon. member's second question, he was fully prepared to state, that the Treasury had granted no authority for an encroachment upon the public walks in St. James's park; and he thought he might also answer for it, that no such authority would be granted before the next session.

thought that the foreign sovereigns having departed from the country, and such a period having elapse since the conclusion of the peace, the time was gone by for the proposed celebrations in the Park. A toast of three times three might be very appropriate after dinner, which it would be very absurd to propose after breakfast next morning.

considered as a very auspicious feature in the politics of the country, that gentlemen had thought proper so frequently to refer to this subject of the preparations in the Park. For such reference seemed to imply that there was no serious ground of complaint, or such a subject could not, for so many weeks, have excited so much animadversion. With regard to the merit of those preparations to gratify the public, he was ready a to say, that he still adhered to the opinion he had before expressed, that it would be found that nothing more had been done than was absolutely necessary to the object in view.

said, that he could not conceive why the noble lord should regard the allusions which had been made to the subject under discussion, as implying any wish on the part of the gentlemen on his side of the House, to seek occasions to annoy the noble lord or his colleagues. For there was about the character of this transaction, something so peculiar as to challenge animadversion. Considerable public expense was obviously incurred, and no minister appeared responsible for it. The Lord Chamberlain and the Treasury disavowed it; and could it then be deemed cavilling or quærulous of on the part of that House, as guardians of the public purse, to enquire into such a transaction, and to demand some official responsibility for such extraordinary expenditure? For himself, he declared, that he should have thought it a serious dereliction of duty to overlook the establishment of a precedent for the expenditure of the public money, without any official responsibility. Such was the precedent to which the transaction under consideration was calculated to give birth; and therefore he would oppose it, even though he should agree with the noble lord, that no more expense would be incurred than might be expedient, that not a it single rocket would be let off more than would be necessary. Then as to the report of an intention to annex some of the covered Walks of the Park to the newpalace, he thought that report derived some countenance from the concluding statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. But recurring to the remark of the noble lord, he thought it better, from the considerations he had stated, rather to deprecate the proceedings alluded to in the first instance, than be hereafter called upon to refuse the payment for wasteful expenditure. That the expenditure was wasteful, would, he apprehended, very soon appear quite glaring; and the extraordinary delay which had taken place in these preparations served to render the expenditure more a matter of regret. The emperor of Russia and king of Prussia, for whom it was understood, these exhibitions were originally intended, had left the country—the principal part of the nobility and gentry had already gone to the country—London itself was, in fact, almost gone into the country. Then to whom was this exhibition to be presented, for admission to which the lottery offices were employed to sell tickets? When was the farrago, so pompously advertised, to be displayed? He wished to know the day fixed upon, either from the noble lord, or any person competent to inform him. It was fair, that the public should have some information upon the subject, after having been so long kept looking for the shew. At the same time, he could not help saying, that if the performance did not exceed the published programme, the public must be very much disappointed. But even were it to exceed the public expectation, were it much longer delayed, all might be right, but the audience would be gone.

expressed his intention to move an address against any encroachment upon the Park, should such an encroachment be in contemplation; and in this proceeding, he should be governed by the precedent of a similar motion with respect to Hyde Park, some years since, upon which occasion many gentlemen who heard him, could not forget the impression produced by the speech of the late Mr. Windham.

declared, that he was not aware of any intention to encroach upon St. James's-park, nor did he think that any such intention existed.