House of Commons Journal Volume 85: 26 May 1830

Mercurii, 26 die Maii; Anno 11 Georgii IV ti Regis, 1830.

PRAYERS.

Rawlings' Estate Bill-Petition for Committee to proceed.

APETITION of John Kirkman, of Cannon-street, in the city of London, Solicitor for the Bill hereinafter mentioned, was presented, and read; setting forth, That a Bill is now depending in the House, intituled, An Act for vesting the legal Estate in certain Estates late of Ann Budgen, formerly vested in Elizabeth Pedder, deceased, in mortgage in Edward Rawlings, the present Mortgagee and Trustee of the equity of redemption thereof, which was on Friday last, the 21st day of this instant May, read a second time in the House, and committed; and that the said Edward Rawlings has sold the estate referred to in the said Act, and the purchaser thereof has filed a Bill in the High Court of Chancery against him, the said Edward Rawlings, for the purpose of compelling him to complete the said sale forthwith, which he is unable to do until the said Act has passed into a law; and that the time limited for the said Edward Rawlings to put in his answer to the said Bill having expired, the complainant in the said Bill has threatened, and the Petitioner believes intends, to issue an attachment against him, the said Edward Rawlings, for contempt of Court; and that the Petitioner is advised and believes that it is most material to the interest of the said Edward Rawlings not to answer the said Bill in Chancery, for that after the said Act has passed into a law, it will not be necessary for him so to do, but that he may plead the said Act in bar to the said suit; and praying, That under the peculiar circumstances of the case, leave may be given that the Committee on the said Bill may sit and report forthwith.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Leave given.

Ordered, That the Committee on the said Bill have leave to sit and proceed, and to make their Report Tomorrow.

Committee on Shakerley's Divorce Bill.

The House, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, upon the ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act to dissolve the Marriage of Charles Peter Shakerley, Esquire, of the Parish of Egham, in the County of Surrey, with Laure Angelique Rosalbe Shakerley, his now Wife, and to enable him to marry again, and for other purposes therein mentioned; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair; and Dr. Phillimore reported from the Committee, That they had heard counsel, and examined witnesses for the Bill; and that no counsel or party appeared before the Committee to oppose the Bill; and that they had gone through the Bill, and had directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendment.

Petition of Thomas Griffiths respecting Service of Orders.

A Petition of Thomas Griffiths, Agent for William Medows Hamerton, of Leckhampton, in the county of Gloucester, Esquire, was presented, and read; setting forth, That a Bill is now depending in the House, intituled, An Act to dissolve the Marriage of William Medows Hamerton, Esquire, with Isabella Frances his now Wife, and to enable him to marry again, and for other purposes, and that the said Isabella Frances Hamerton is now resident at Paris, or in some parts beyond the seas; and that Alexander Fraser, Esquire, of Lincoln's-Inn Fields, is the agent of the said Isabella Frances Hamerton, and is willing to accept the order for the Committee on the said Bill, and a copy of the Bill for her; and praying, That service of the Order for the Committee on the said Bill upon the said Alexander Fraser, the agent of the said Isabella Frances Hamerton, and leaving an attested copy of the said Bill with him, may be deemed good service of the same upon the said Isabella Frances Hamerton.

And the House being informed that the said Thomas Griffiths attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar gave the House an account of the allegations contained in the said Petition:-And then he withdrew.

And the House being informed that Alexander Fraser, agent of Isabella Frances Hamerton, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar stated, that he was authorized to receive any notice or order on her behalf:- And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the service of the Order of the House upon Mr. Fraser, the Agent of the said Isabella Frances Hamerton, and leaving an attested copy of the said Bill with him, be deemed good service of the same upon the said Isabella Frances Hamerton.

Hamerton's Divorce Bill, deferred.

The House was moved, That the Order made upon Monday last, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House upon Wednesday next, on the ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act to dissolve the Marriage of William Medows Hamerton, Esquire, with Isabella Frances his now Wife, and to enable him to marry again, and for other purposes, might be read; and the same being read;

Ordered, That the said Order be discharged.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday the 3d day of June next, resolve itself into the said Committee.

Amendments to Sheffield Waterworks Bill, agreed to.

The House proceeded to take into consideration the Amendments made by the Lords to the Bill, intituled, An Act for better supplying with Water the Town and Parish of Sheffield, in the County of York; and the same were read; and are as followeth;

Pr. 7. 1. 24. Leave out from "any" to "in" in line 27, and insert "springs, watercourses, and other sources of water which may be discovered."

Pr. 18. 1. 10. Leave out from "Porter" to "And" in line 30.

Pr. 95. 1. 26. After "inspection" insert "and may take copies of, or extracts from, the said book or books, or any part thereof."

The said Amendments, being read a second time, were agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That Sir William Guise do carry the Bill to the Lords; and acquaint them, that this House hath agreed to the Amendments made by their Lordships.

Amendments to Hollingrake's Patent Bill, agreed to.

The House proceeded to take into consideration the Amendments made by the Lords to the Bill, intituled, An Act for prolonging the Term of certain Letters Patent granted to James Hollingrake, for an improved Method of manufacturing Copper and other Metal Rollers, and of casting and forming Metallic Substances into various Forms with improved closeness and soundness of Texture; and the same were read; and are as followeth;

Pr. 7. 1. 23 and 24. After "notwithstanding" insert Clause (A.)

Clause (A.) "Provided always, and be it further Enacted, That the said James Hollingrake, his executors, administrators or assigns, shall supply, or cause to be supplied, for His Majesty's service, all such articles of the said inventions as he or they shall be required to supply in such manner, at such times, and at and for such reasonable prices and sums as shall be settled and fixed for that purpose by the principal officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy for the time being; and that in case of any neglect or failure on the part of the said James Hollingrake, his executors, administrators or assigns so to do, it shall be lawful for the said principal officers and Commissioners, at any time thereafter, to make use of the said inventions for the advantage of His Majesty's service, without making any compensation for the same, or being liable to account for any infringement of the rights by this Act vested in the said James Hollingrake."

Pr. 7. 1. 32. After "Bankrupts" insert "or of the said Samuel Davenport and Robert Fayle, or either of them."

The said Amendments, being read a second time, were agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That Lord Stanley do carry the Bill to the Lords; and acquaint them, that this House hath agreed to the Amendments made by their Lordships.

Bute (Cardiff Canal Bill, passed.

An ingrossed Bill for empowering the Most honourable John Crichton Stuart, Marquis of Bute and Earl of Dumfries, to make and maintain a Ship Canal, to commence at a certain Place called the Eastern Hollows, near the Mouth of the River Taff, in the County of Glamorgan, and to terminate near the Town of Cardiff, in the said County, with other Works to communicate therewith, was read the third time; and several Amendments were made to the Bill.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass: And that the Title be, An Act for empowering the Marquis of Bute to make and maintain a Ship Canal, commencing near the Mouth of the River Taff, in the County of Glamorgan, and terminating near the Town of Cardiff, with other Works to communicate therewith.

Ordered, That Sir Christopher Cole do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their concurrence.

Kennedy's Estate Bill, reported and passed.

Sir James Graham reported from the Committee on the ingrossed Bill from the Lords, intituled, An Act to vest a part of the entailed Estate of Dunure and others, in the County of Ayr, in Trustees in fee simple, for the purpose of disposing of or applying the Lands so vested, or the Price thereof, or the Securities to be granted thereon, towards satisfying the Debts contracted, for Money laid out in the Improvement of the said entailed Estate; That they had examined the allegations of the Bill, and found the same to be true; and that the parties concerned had given their consent to the Bill, to the satisfaction of the Committee; and that they had gone through the Bill, and had directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendment:-And the Bill was read the third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Sir James Graham do carry the Bill to the Lords, and acquaint them that this House hath agreed to the same without any Amendment.

Committee appointed to inspect Lords Journals.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to inspect the Journals of the House of Lords, with relation to any proceedings upon the Bill, intituled, an Act for more effectually repairing and otherwise improving the Road from Beverley, by Molescroft, to Kendell House, and from Molescroft to Bainton Balk, in the County of York, and to make report thereof to the House:-And a Committee was appointed of Mr. Fountayne Wilson, Mr. William Duncombe, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Batley, Mr. Stewart (of Beverley), Mr. Baillie, Mr. Hyde Villiers, Mr. O'Neill, Mr. Sykes, Mr. Ramsden: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ordered, That Three be the Quorum of the Committee.

Petitions for Duty on Importation of Lead.

A Petition of Inhabitants of Stanhope and Wolsingham; -of Dufton, Hilton and Murton;-of the Governor and Company for smelting down Lead with pit coal and sea coal;-of William Gabriel Davy, of Tracy Park, in the county of Gloucester;-and, of the Miners, Smelters and others, interested in the working of mines in the county of Flint,-were presented, and read; praying, That the House will be pleased to advance the Import Duties on foreign Lead and Lead Ore, so as to place the British Lead Miners on an equality with the raisers of other metals in this kingdom, and adopt such other measures as will give them a proper and effectual preference over foreigners, both in our home market and that of the colonies.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and that the last be printed.

Petition of Sir Harcourt Lees.

A Petition of the Reverend Sir Harcourt Lees, of Black Rock, in the county of Dublin, Baronet, was presented, and read; taking notice of the present unsettled state of Ireland; and praying the House to provide for the security of Ireland before Parliament separates, by sanctioning the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act in that country, should it be thought necessary to do so, until the 1st of March 1831.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petitions against Poor Removal (Irish and Scottish) Bill.

A Petition of Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the parish of Saint Mary Newington, in the county of Surrey, was presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill to alter and amend several Acts relating to the Removal of Vagrant and Poor Persons born in Scotland and Ireland, and chargeable to Parishes in England; and praying, That the same may not pass into a law.

A Petition of the Wardens of the parish church of Saint Saviour in Southwark, and Overseers of the Poor and Inhabitants of the same parish;-and, of Trustees for the better relief and employment of the Poor, and for the enlargement of the burial grounds in the parish of Saint Leonard Shoreditch, in the county of Middlesex, and for other purposes relating to the said parish,-were also presented, and read; taking notice of the said Bill; and praying, That they may be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents against the same.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

Petition respecting Spirits.

A Petition of the Heritors, Magistrates, Justices of the Peace, and others interested in the agricultural prosperity of Scotland, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the measure now proposed by Government, of laying an additional Duty of 1 s. per gallon on Corn Spirits in England, while no additional Duty is laid on Rum, is, in the opinion of the Petitioners, in the present circumstance uncalled for, and, while it will not lessen the quantity of ardent Spirits consumed, will benefit the West India Proprietors at the expense of the Land-owners of Scotland in particular, by driving British Spirits out of the market, and substituting Rum, and consequently diminishing the demand for and price of Barley, their staple commodity; and praying the House not to increase the Duties payable on Grain Spirits, which would have the effect of diminishing the value and consumption of Barley, and to take such other measures in relation thereto as to the House shall appear proper.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition against Inventory Duty leviable in Scotland.

A Petition of the Freeholders, Heritors, Commissioners of Supply and Justices of the Peace of the county of Elgin, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, understanding that a revision and consolidation of the Acts of Parliament imposing Duties on Stamps is about to be made, beg leave humbly to call the attention of the House to the vexatious and inquisitorial manner in which the Stamp Duty on moveable or personal property left by individuals deceased is ascertained and levied in Scotland under authority of the Acts 48 Geo. 3, c. 149, and 55 Geo. 3, c. 184, by which the whole private transactions, not only of the party deceased, but of those also who might have had dealings with him, are exposed; and praying the House to relieve the Petitioners, by appointing the Duty to be levied only upon the free amount of the deceased personal estate, instead of the gross amount, as at present practised.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition against Duties on Spirits, &c. (Ireland.)

A Petition of Inhabitants of Carlow, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners represent that while it is proposed to the House to lay additional Duties upon Corn-distilled Spirits in Great Britain and Ireland, the price of Rum, upon which no countervailing Duty is imposed, will so closely approximate to that of Spirits distilled from Corn, as seriously to check the distillation of the latter, to diminish its consumption in the market, and proportionately to depress His Majesty's revenue; the Petitioners also complain that, being seriously engaged, whether as employers or employed, in commercial transactions, they will be most seriously affected in their business by the proposed increase in the new Duties upon Stamps; that these will enhance the embarrassments of the trading and agricultural population in all proceedings at law, and especially in promissory notes, and all securities for money; the Petitioners state it as their firm belief, that in the whole class of the lately-proposed Stamp Duties, none will have a more lamented result than those on the Newspaper Press of Ireland; and praying, That no legislative Act may emanate from the House to increase, but rather to alleviate, the burthens by which the Irish Newspaper Press is already a deep sufferer.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition against establishing Poor Laws in Ireland.

A Petition of the Landed Proprietors, Clergy and Freeholders of the King's County, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners have heard rumours of some intended measure to provide for the poor of Ireland, by means of a compulsory assessment; in declaring their opinion against the policy of such a measure, the Petitioners wish to guard themselves against the imputation of being insensible to the claims of those who, from age, sickness, or inability to procure employment, have to contend with poverty and want; they would most willingly advance any plan calculated to relieve them from the evils of their condition; but the same principle that would make them anxious for their relief, induces them to oppose the introduction of Poor Laws, tending, as they naturally do to increase those cases of destitution which, in attempting to relieve, we must be careful not to multiply; and praying the House not to introduce Poor Laws into Ireland.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition for revision of Friendly Societies Act

A Petition of John Garlick Ball, of Minchinhampton, Attorney-at-Law, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner hath seen with regret the consequences of one of the sections of an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament, intituled, "An Act to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Friendly Societies," so far as they regard Societies established prior to the passing of such Act; and praying, That so much of the Act before referred to as goes to deprive Societies in existence at the time of the passing thereof of the protection of all former Statutes, may be repealed.

Ordered, That the said Petitions do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition against Parish Vestries Bill.

A Petition of the Minister, Churchwardens, Overseers, and other Inhabitants of Paddington, in the county of Middlesex, was presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for the Regulation of Parish Vestries, and for lighting and watching Towns in England and Wales; and praying, That the same may not pass into a law as it now stands.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petitions against Administration of Justice Bill.

A Petition of the Clergy, Gentry and principal Inhabitants of Sandbach;-and, of the Grand Jury assembled at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace held at the Castle of Chester, in and for the county palatine of Chester, -were presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for the more effectual Administration of Justice in England and Wales, whereby it is proposed to abolish the separate jurisdiction of the county palatine of Chester; and praying, That the same may not pass into a law as it now stands.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and to be printed.

Population Bill, reported. No. 460.

Mr. Davies Gilbert reported from the Committee on the re-committed Bill for taking an account of the Population of Great Britain, and of the Increase or Diminution thereof; That they had made other Amendments thereunto, which they had directed him to report to the House, together with the Minutes of the Evidence taken before them; and the Report was brought up, and read.

And the House being informed, that other Amendments are necessary to be made to the Bill:-The Bill was recommitted to a Committee of the whole House for Friday next.

Ordered, That the Minutes of the Evidence taken before the Committee be printed.

Petitions for Appointment of Committee of Appeal.

A Petition of Jacob Dixon, Esquire, Provost of the royal burgh of Dumbarton, acting on behalf of the Corporation of the said royal burgh, was presented, and read; setting forth, That by various charters of erections of the royal burgh of Dumbarton, and in particular by a charter granted in the year 1609, the Corporation of Dumbarton became and were possessed of the right of levying rates and duties of various denominations from vessels and goods therein navigating the river of Clyde, from the river of Kelvin near Glasgow, to Lochlong in Argyleshire; these rights were completed by infeftment, which was followed by possession and exercise of the rights till the year 1700, and the rates and duties so collected made part of the revenue of the burgh of Dumbarton; that, in the year 1700, the said Corporation of Dumbarton agreed to sell to the royal burgh of Glasgow a part of the said right, videlicet, to the extent of levying rates and dues upon all vessels and goods not being the property of resident Burgesses of Dumbarton, and a certain contract (afterwards perfected by resignation and infeftment, according to the law of Scotland) was thereupon concluded, containing the following clause: "Provided always, that these presents, with the instrument of resignation and infeftment to follow hereupon, shall no ways prejudice the freedom, liberties and immunities of all ships, barks, boats, &c. belonging or fraughted by the burgesses, inhabitants and freemen of the burgh of Dumbarton, and their successors, present and to come, of and within the river of Clyde, but that they shall enjoy the same as freely as ever they did formerly, notwithstanding of what they are hereby denuded of in favours of the burgh of Glasgow in manner above written; and farder, it is hereby expressly agreed betwixt the representatives of the said two burghs of Glasgow and Dumbarton, that in all times hereafter, the vessels, of whatsomever size and burden, belonging to the burgh of Glasgow, Port Glasgow, and the hail Burgesses and inhabitants thereof, that shall happen to come to the harbour of Dumbarton, or any other port or harbour belonging to the said burgh, shall have exemption from, and shall not be liable unto, the payment of any duty whatsomever to the said borough of Dumbarton, and in like manner that the hail vessels and boats belonging to the Burgesses inhabitants of the said burgh of Dumbarton, are exeemed from and no ways liable in payment of any duty whatsomever at the said burgh of Glasgow, Broomielaw, Port Glasgow, or any other port or harbour belonging to them, so that both burghs are hereby declared free at each other's ports in all times hereafter;" that by a certain Act of the Parliament of Scotland, made and passed in the ninth Session of the first Parliament of his Majesty King William the Third, intituled, "A Ratification of a Contract betwixt the Burghs of Dumbarton and Glasgow, anent the Rights and Privileges of the River of Clyde," it was enacted, that the same contract and infeftments should be as valid and sufficient as if the same had been done by decree of Parliament; that by a certain Act passed in the 32d year of the reign of his Majesty George the Second, intituled, "An Act for improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the City of Glasgow, and for building a Bridge cross the said River, from the said City to the Village of Gorbells," the magistrates and city council of Glasgow were authorized and empowered to improve and deepen the said river, from Dumbuck ford to the bridge of Glasgow, and to demand certain rates and duties upon vessels and merchandize sailing or carried upon the river, as therein mentioned; that by a certain Act passed in the tenth year of the reign of his late Majesty George the Third, intituled, "An Act to explain and amend an Act made in the 32d year of the reign of King George the Second, for improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the City of Glasgow, and for building a Bridge cross the said River, from the said City to the Village of Gorbells," the said first recited Act was in part altered and amended; that by a certain Act passed in the 49th year of the reign of his said late Majesty King George the Third, intituled, "An Act for explaining and amending two Acts for improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the City of Glasgow," the said two first recited Acts were altered and amended, and the said Magistrates and Council, and their successors in office, were declared Trustees for the purposes of the said Acts; that by an Act passed in the sixth year of the reign of His present Majesty, intituled, "An Act for amending three Acts for enlarging the Harbour of Glasgow, and improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the said City, and for other purposes therein mentioned," it was, amongst other things, enacted, that "the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council of the City of Glasgow for the time being, and their successors in office, together with five other persons interested in the trade and navigation of the River and Forth of Clyde, whom the said Magistrates and Council are thereby required to nominate and appoint within six months after the passing of the Act, and thereafter annually in the course of the month of October, declared Trustees for the purposes of the said Acts;" and it was by the said Act also enacted, "that from and after the passing of the said Act, all ships, vessels, barges, lighters and boats whatsoever, bonâ fide belonging in property to the Burgesses, resident inhabitants of Dumbarton, shall, with the exception and limitation after mentioned, be exempted from payment of any part of the aforesaid Harbour Duties, leviable at the harbour of the Broomielaw, or at any of the ports, whether above or below the said harbour, at which the said Trustees are entitled to levy any of the Harbour or Quay Duties granted by the said recited Act, saving and excepting always vessels moved by the power of steam, which shall be exempted only in the event of their making a direct voyage from Dumbarton to Glasgow, and from Glasgow to Dumbarton, declaring that the said voyage shall be considered to be a direct one, even although the said steam vessels should, in the course of the voyage, touch at Greenock or Helensburgh, or at any place, these places and Glasgow, and saving and excepting also vessels which may load coals at Glasgow, not bonâfide for the use and consumption of the inhabitants of Dumbarton within the said burgh;" and it was further enacted, "That all cargoes and goods bonâfide the property of Burgesses, resident inhabitants of Dumbarton, shall be exempted from all river or tonnage duties leviable below and to the westward of the new bridge of Glasgow, under the present or the said recited Acts, save and except coals not bonâfide for the use and consumption of the said Burgesses within the said burgh of Dumbarton; provided always, that the Burgesses, inhabitants of the said burgh of Dumbarton, under a penalty of 20£. for each offence, shall at no time, and in no manner, and by no means whatever, cover the vessels and goods belonging to unfreemen and others, under the colour or pretence of being their own, in any time coming, and shall, if required, be obliged to prove their property in the said goods and vessels as accords with law, and to make affidavit before any of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace to the truth of their statement, if required, on behalf of the said Trustees;" that a Bill, intituled, "A Bill to enable the Trustees for the improvement of the Navigation of the River Clyde to purchase up certain Exemptions from the Rates payable on the said River and the Harbour at Glasgow," is now depending in the House, such Bill having been introduced upon the Petition of the said Trustees; that such Bill, as first introduced, contained various clauses for compelling the said Corporation of Dumbarton, and the Burgesses thereof, to sell and convey to the said Trustees all their interest in or title to the said right of exemption, and other immunities before mentioned, and for the valuation of such right of exemption or immunity by a jury, in case the said Corporation and Burgesses should neglect or refuse to treat or agree for the sale thereof with the said Trustees; that the said Bill, having been read a first and a second time, was referred to a Committee of the House, and, according to the ordinary course of the House, and the Standing Orders thereof, the Petitioners presented a Petition to the House, praying that the said Bill might not pass into a law as it then stood, and that they might be heard by themselves, their counsel and agents, as well against the Preamble and recitals of the said Bill as against its clauses, or such of them as affected the interest of the Petitioners; that the House was pleased to refer the said Petition to the said Committee on the said Bill, and to order that the Petitioners might be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents, before the said Committee; that the Preamble of the said Bill, after certain introductory or formal recitals or notices of the Act of the Scottish Parliament, made in the ninth Session of the first Parliament of his Majesty King William, and of the several other Acts noticed in this Petition, contains the following allegation as the ground, inducement, and consideration for the enactments therein contained: "That whereas since the exemptions were originally constituted, the trade and intercourse upon the said river and to the said harbour have very greatly increased in consequence of the successful operations carried on, and still carrying on, by the Trustees aforesaid, at great expense, by the Trustees under the said recited Acts as aforesaid, to which expense the parties exempted in no ways contribute;" "And whereas, the class of persons claiming such exemptions have of late increased, and there is reason to apprehend their farther increase, whereby the other traders upon the said river, and the public at large, are and will be injured, inasmuch as the rates and duties granted by the said Acts must be increased or continued upon such other traders and the public in proportion to the extent to which the said exemption is or may be allowed;" "And whereas, it would be for the public advantage, and for the benefit of the traders upon the river, and resorting to the said harbour, if the said exemption were forthwith repealed and done away, compensation and indemnity being made and granted for the same to the body or bodies politic, corporate or collegiate, or person or persons entitled thereto, to the extent to which the said exemption at present exists;" "And whereas it is expedient that the said recited Acts should be forthwith altered and amended; but these purposes cannot be attained without the aid and authority of Parliament;" that the promoters of the Bill appeared by counsel before the said Committee on the fifth day of May instant, and several subsequent days, and various witnesses were produced and examined on their behalf, for the purpose of supporting the allegations in the Preamble of the said Bill; that there was no proof given by the promoters of the Bill sufficient to establish the allegations of such Preamble; and the Petitioners having appeared by counsel, and being heard in opposition to the said Preamble, thereupon submitted to the Committee, that there was a failure of any such proof, and that the evidence given in support of the Preamble in no manner established the allegations of such Preamble; but the said Committee have, nevertheless, voted that the promoters of the Bill had proved the Preamble of the Bill; against this vote the Petitioners humbly pray that they may be allowed to appeal, under the Standing Orders of the House: in support of their claim to the House to appeal against this vote, the Petitioners beg leave to refer to the Minutes of the Committee for the evidence given in support of the Preamble, in the fullest confidence that a re-consideration and examination of such evidence will distinctly show that the evidence adduced on the behalf of the promoters, did not prove the allegations contained in the Preamble, and that such evidence wholly failed in proving any necessity for the said Bill, with reference to any public interest, or the prosperity or future improvement of the navigation of the River Clyde, and that the violation of rights, and of the solemn compact assured to the Petitioners under the sanction of Parliament, is therefore wholly uncalled for upon any principle which has hitherto governed the Legislature in any of the cases in which private interests have been compelled to yield to public improvements; that (after the case of the opposers on the Preamble had been closed) on the 10th day of May instant, the said Committee came to the following Resolutions: "The Burgesses resident at Dumbarton on the 10th day of May 1830, to enjoy during their lives the full privileges to which they are at this time legally entitled, no person not entitled to such exemptions to acquire such right in future;" "The sum of to be paid within six months, by the River Trust of Glasgow, to the Trust to be appointed by this Act, such sum to be applied by the said Trust to the improvement of the harbour of Dumbarton, and for the building of a quay thereon:" and intimated to the parties that the Committee themselves intended to fix the amount of such compensation; that on the 14th of May instant, a certain clause marked with the letter D. was read in the said Committee, but the consideration thereof was postponed, which clause is in the following words: Clause D. "And be it further Enacted, That, in addition to the said reservation of the said right of exemption or immunity as aforesaid, to the present resident Burgesses of Dumbarton, during their respective lives, the said Trustees shall, in consideration of the said exemptions, thereafter ceasing and being extinguished within six months from the passing of this Act, pay over to the sum of to be applied in the improvement of the harbour of Dumbarton, by building additional quays or otherwise, and to be held by the said persons in trust for the said purposes;" that on the same day it was moved that the blank in Clause D. should be filled up with Sixteen thousand pounds, whereupon it was resolved that each of the parties should be heard thereon by one of their Counsel; that on the 17th day of May, the Petitioners appeared by Counsel, and stated that it was utterly impossible for them, at that time, to lay before the Committee evidence to show the specific value of the exemption which it was the object of the Bill to annul, or to prove the amount of the loss and damage which would arise to the Petitioners, and to the private property of the Petitioners at Dumbarton; and, after protesting against the decision of any such questions by the Committee, applied for reasonable time to prepare their case for compensation, and to produce such further evidence as they might think necessary, in case the Committee were determined, notwithstanding such protest, to decide on the amount of such compensation; that the Committee negatived such application for time, and immediately afterwards voted the amount of compensation at the very inadequate sum of 16,000£.; against both these votes the Petitioners also complain, and humbly appeal under the Standing Orders of the House, and in support of the complaint of the Petitioners against the said votes, and of their Petition of appeal against the same, the Petitioners humbly state that the Bill originally contemplated the remedy of a jury valuation, under which, if the Petitioners were compelled by the Legislature to accept compensation, they would have the opportunity of preparing proof of the damage which they would sustain by the operation of the Bill, and of bringing such proof before a competent tribunal, invariably selected by Parliament, and sworn to decide upon evidence what amount of compensation the parties so deprived of their rights were entitled to receive, and the promoters of the Bill were bound to pay; and the Petitioners therefore could never have expected that they could be called upon to give such evidence before a Committee of the House, and could not, without serious prejudice to their future rights, give the limited and imperfect evidence which they could without further time have presented to the Committee, as such evidence would only have tended, as their counsel stated to the Committee, to show the nature of the loss, and could have enabled the Committee to frame proper clauses, compensation to be thereafter settled by a jury, but could not have enabled the Committee to fix the amount of such compensation, and their counsel accordingly declined to give such imperfect evidence in a question relative to the amount, not thinking it right to afford any ground for an inference, that the compensation had been fixed upon the full consideration of all the evidence; and the Petitioners humbly state, that the same was fixed by the Committee, without having before them any evidence upon the part of the Petitioners, and that no evidence of any kind was given on this subject before the said Committee, except that of one witness, called upon the Preamble, who admitted that he had no knowledge of the extent to which the tonnage employed in trade at Dumbarton (exclusively of steamboats) had increased or decreased, or the amount thereof, and the Petitioners confidently refer to all the Minutes of Evidence before the said Committee in support of this their Petition of Appeal in proof that the said amount has been fixed without any evidence of value, or loss, or injury, which must arise to the property of the Petitioners by this Bill; that on the said 17th day of May the question was put, that the Clause D. should be passed, and the same was passed accordingly, in the following words: Clause D. "And be it further Enacted, That, in addition to the said reservation of the said right of exemption or immunity as aforesaid, to the present resident burgesses of Dumbarton, during their respective lives; the said Trustees shall, in consideration of the said exemptions thereafter ceasing and being extinguished within six months from the passing of this Act, pay over to the Members for the time being, for the counties of Dumbarton, Lanark and Renfrew, the sum of 16,000£. to be applied in the improvement of the harbour of Dumbarton, by building additional quays or otherwise, and to be held by the said persons in trust for the said purposes, and to be lodged in their names in the Royal Bank of Scotland until so applied," against which vote the Petitioners also complain, and humbly appeal under the Standing Orders of the House; and in support of such, the Petitioners complain and appeal, they state that said Committee ought to have voted the said clause, inasmuch (as has been before stated with respect to the Resolutions upon which the same is grounded) no evidence had been adduced before the Committee, whereby the amount of the compensation could be fixed, nor was any such opportunity afforded to the Petitioners (as before mentioned) of proving the extent of the damage which they would sustain, as would enable them to bring before the Committee any fair estimate of the loss which will be sustained by the Petitioners by such inadequate amount as has been voted by the Committee; the Petitioners further state, in support of this their appeal against the said clause, that the compensation so voted is not even given to the Petitioners, or to any party injured by the said Bill, but on the contrary is, without inquiry or evidence relating to the expediency of improving the harbour of Dumbarton, or of building additional quays upon the same, given and applied without any plan or estimate, or any inquiry whether such sum was necessary, or could be beneficially applied to such purpose, and such an application of the money being wholly foreign to the purposes of the Bill, and having no connection whatever with the objects for which it was introduced into the House, and in no wise introduced by the notices, or in any wise contemplated by any of the parties, and the property and rights of the Petitioners are therefore deeply injured, and in some respects wholly destroyed, without any compensation whatever being given for the same; and property of the Petitioners is greatly depreciated and destroyed, to the great injury of the creditors of the Corporation, whose security for debts of nearly 20,000£. is thereby lessened, and by the appropriation of the inadequate sum voted for a foreign purpose, the Petitioners are wholly deprived of the means of applying any part of the said sum to any general beneficial purposes applicable to the good of the burgh or the creditors thereof; furthermore, that the said sum of 16,000£. cannot be applied to the purposes of the said clause without the aid of Parliament; and the Petitioners most humbly submit, that it is contrary to the course and usage of Parliament, to introduce an enactment which on the face of the Bill is so incomplete and inefficient as to require another legislative enactment to carry the same into effect; that on the 18th day of this instant May, the said Committee, having passed all the clauses of the said Bill, ordered the Report thereof to be made to the House; that the Petitioners refer to the Proceedings and Minutes of Evidence before the said Committee in support of their foregoing objections, and submit this their humble Petition to be heard before a Committee of Appeal, under the rules and regulations of the House, against the Votes and Resolutions heretofore set forth, and the Report made to the House, and they are ready to enter into a bond or obligation, with two sufficient sureties, to answer all costs, charges and expenses of such Appeal, in terms of the Orders of the House; the Petitioners therefore humbly pray, That a Committee of Appeal may be appointed upon the said Votes or Resolutions of the said Committee, and that they be allowed to appeal against such Votes, and that they be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents, against the said Votes of the said Committee, before the said Committee of Appeal, and that they may have such further or other relief in the premises as to the House may seem meet.

A Petition of Jacob Dixon, Esquire, and Partners, was also presented, and read; setting forth, That by various charters of elections of the royal burgh of Dumbarton, and in particular by a charter granted in the year 1609, the corporation of Dumbarton became and were possessed of the right of levying rates and duties of various denominations, from vessels and goods therein navigating the river of Clyde, from the river of Kelvin near Glasgow, to Lochlong in Argylshire; these rights were completed by infeoffment, which was followed by possession and exercise of the rights, till the year 1700, and the rates and duties so collected, made part of the revenue of the burgh of Dumbarton; that in the year 1700, the said corporation of Dumbarton agreed to sell to the royal burgh of Glasgow, a part of the said right, videlicet, to the extent of levying rates and dues upon all vessels and goods not being the property of resident burgesses of Dumbarton, and a certain contract (afterwards perfected by resignation and infeftment, according to the law of Scotland), was thereupon concluded, containing the following clause: "Provided always, that these presents, with the instrument of resignation and infeftment to follow hereupon, shall no ways prejudice the freedom, liberties and immunities of all ships, barks, boats, et cætera, belonging or fraughted by the burgesses, inhabitants and freemen of the burgh of Dumbarton, and their successors, present and to come, of and within the river of Clyde, but that they shall enjoy the same as freely as ever they did formerly, notwithstanding of what they are hereby denuded of in favours of the burgh of Glasgow in manner above written; and farder it is hereby expressly agreed betwixt the Representatives of the said two burghs of Glasgow and Dumbarton, that in all times hereafter, the vessels, of whatsomever size and burden, belonging to the burgh of Glasgow, Port Glasgow, and the hail Burgesses and inhabitants thereof, that shall happen to come to the harbour of Dumbarton, or any other port or harbour belonging to the said burgh, shall have exemption from, and shall not be lyable unto the payment of any duty whatsomever to the said borough of Dumbarton; and in like manner that the hail vessels and boats belonging to the Burgesses, inhabitants of the said burgh of Dumbarton, are exeemed from, and no ways lyable in, payment of any Duty whatsomever at the said burgh of Dumbarton, Broomielaw, Port Glasgow, or any other port or harbour belonging to them; so that both burghs are hereby declared free at each other's ports in all times hereafter;" that, by a certain Act of the Parliament of Scotland, made and passed in the ninth Session of the first Parliament of his Majesty King William the Third, intituled, "A Ratification of a Contract betwixt the Burghs of Dumbarton and Glasgow, anent the Rights and Privileges of the River of Clyde," it was enacted, that the said contract and infeftments should be as valid and sufficient as if the same had been done by decree of Parliament; that, by a certain Act passed in the 32d year of the reign of his Majesty King George the Second, intituled, "An Act for improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the City of Glasgow, and for building a Bridge cross the said River from the said City to the Village of Gorbells," the Magistrates and City Council of Glasgow were authorized and empowered to improve and deepen the said river from Dumbuck ford to the bridge at Glasgow, and to demand certain rates and duties upon vessels and merchandize sailing or carried upon the river, as therein mentioned; that, by a certain Act passed in the tenth year of the reign of his late Majesty George the Third, intituled, "An Act to explain and amend an Act made in the thirty-second year of the reign of King George the Second, for improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the City of Glasgow, and for building a Bridge cross the said River from the said City to the Village of Gorbells," the said first recited Act was in part altered and amended; that by a certain Act passed in the 49th year of the reign of his said late Majesty King George the Third, intituled, "An Act for explaining and amending two Acts for improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the City of Glasgow," the said two first recited Acts were altered and amended, and the said Magistrates and Council, and their successors in office, were declared trustees for the purposes of the said Act; that by an Act passed in the sixth year of the reign of His present Majesty, intituled, "An Act for amending three Acts for enlarging the Harbour of Glasgow, and improving the Navigation of the River Clyde to the said City, and for other purposes therein mentioned," it was, amongst other things, enacted, that "the Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council of the City of Glasgow, for the time being, and their successors in office, together with five other persons interested in the trade and navigation of the River and Forth of Clyde, whom the said Magistrates and Council are thereby required to nominate and appoint within six months after the passing of the Act, and thereafter annually, in the course of the month of October, declared Trustees for the purposes of the said Acts;" and it was by the said Acts also enacted, that "from and after the passing of the said Act under recital, all ships, vessels, barges, lighters and boats whatsoever, bonâ fide belonging in property to the Burgesses, resident inhabitants of Dumbarton, shall, with the exception and limitation after mentioned, be exempted from payment of any part of the foresaid Harbour Duties leviable at the harbour of Broomielaw, or at any of the ports, whether above or below the said harbour, at which the said Trustees are entitled to levy any of the Harbour or Quay Duties granted by the said recited Act, saving and excepting always vessels moved by the power of steam, which shall be exempted only in the event of their making a direct voyage from Dumbarton to Glasgow, and from Glasgow to Dumbarton, declaring that the said voyage shall be considered to be a direct one, even although the said steam-vessels should, in the course of the voyage, touch at Greenock or Helensburgh, or at any place, these places and Glasgow, and saving and excepting also vessels which may load coals at Glasgow not bonâ fide for the use and consumption of the inhabitants of Dumbarton within the said burgh;" and it was further enacted, "That all cargoes and goods bonâ fide the property of Burgesses inhabitants of Dumbarton, shall be exempted from all River or Tonnage Duties leviable below and to the westward of the new bridge at Glasgow under the present or the said recited Acts, save and except coals not bonâ fide for the use and consumption of the said Burgesses within the said burgh of Dumbarton; provided always, that the Burgesses inhabitants of the said burgh of Dumbarton, under a penalty of Twenty pounds for each offence, shall at no time, and in no manner, and by no means whatever, cover the vessels and goods belonging to unfreemen and others, under the colour or pretence of being their own in any time coming, and shall, if required, be obliged to prove their property in the said goods and vessels as accords with law, and to make affidavit before any of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace to the truth of their statement, if required, on behalf of the said Trustees;" that a Bill, intituled, "A Bill to enable the Trustees for the improvement of the Navigation of the River Clyde to purchase up certain Exemptions from the Rates payable on the said River, and the Harbour at Glasgow," is now depending in the House, such Bill having been introduced upon the Petition of the said Trustees; that such Bill, as first introduced, contained various clauses for compelling the said Corporation of Dumbarton, and the Burgesses thereof, to sell and convey to the said Trustees all their interests in, or title to, the said right of exemption, and other immunities before mentioned, and for the valuation of such right of exemption, or immunity, by a jury, in case the said Corporation and Burgesses should neglect or refuse to treat or agree for the sale thereof with the said Trustees; that the said Bill, having been read a first and a second time, was referred to a Committee of the House, and, according to the ordinary course of the House, and the Standing Orders thereof, the Petitioners presented a Petition to the House, praying that the said Bill might not pass into a law as it then stood, and that they might be heard, by themselves, their counsel and agents, as well against the Preamble and recitals of the said Bill, as against its clauses, or such of them as affected the interests of the Petitioners; that the House was pleased to refer the said Petition to the said Committee on the said Bill, and to order that the Petitioners might be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents before the said Committee; that the Preamble of the said Bill, after certain introductory or formal recitals or notices of the Act of the Scottish Parliament, made in the ninth Session of the first Parliament of his Majesty King William, and of the several other Acts noticed in this Petition, contains the following allegations as the ground, inducement and consideration for the enactments therein contained: "And whereas, since the exemptions were originally constituted, the trade and intercourse upon the said river, and to the said harbour, have very greatly increased in consequence of the successful operations carried on and still carrying on by the Trustees aforesaid, at great expense, by the Trustees under the said recited Acts as aforesaid, to which expense the parties exempted in no ways contribute;" "And whereas the class of persons claiming such exemption have of late increased, and there is reason to apprehend their further increase, whereby the other traders upon the said river, and the public at large, are and will be injured, inasmuch as the rates and duties granted by the said Acts must be increased or continued upon such other traders and the public, in proportion to the extent to which the said exemption is or may be allowed;" "And whereas it would be for the public advantage, and for the benefit of the traders upon the river, and resorting to the said harbour, if the said exemption were forthwith repealed and done away, compensation and indemnity being made and granted for the same to the body or bodies politic corporate or collegiate, or person or persons entitled thereto, to the extent to which the said exemption at present exists;" "And whereas it is expedient that the said recited Acts should be forthwith altered and amended; but these purposes cannot be obtained without the aid and authority of Parliament;" that the promoters of the Bill appeared by counsel before the said Committee on the 5th day of May instant, and several subsequent days, and various witnesses were produced and examined on their behalf for the purpose of supporting the allegations in the Preamble of the said Bill; that there was no proof given by the promoters of the Bill sufficient to establish the allegations of such Preamble; and the Petitioners having appeared by counsel, and being heard in opposition to the said Preamble, thereupon submitted to the Committee that there was a failure of any such proof, and that the evidence given in support of the Preamble in no manner established the allegations of such Preamble; but the said Committee nevertheless voted that the promoters of the Bill had proved the Preamble of the Bill; against this vote the Petitioners humbly pray, that they may be allowed to appeal, under the Standing Orders of the House; in support of their claim to the House to appeal against this vote, the Petitioners beg leave to refer to the Minutes of the Committee for the evidence given in support of the Preamble, in the fullest confidence that a re-consideration and examination of such evidence will distinctly show, that the evidence adduced on the behalf of the promoters did not prove the allegations contained in the Preamble, and that such evidence wholly failed in proving any necessity for the said Bill with reference to any public interest, or the prosperity or future improvement of the Navigation of the River Clyde, and that the violation of rights, and of the solemn compact assured to the Petitioners under the sanction of Parliament, is therefore wholly uncalled for upon any principle which has hitherto governed the Legislature in any of the cases in which private interests have been compelled to yield to public improvements; that (after the case of the opposers had been closed) on the 10th day of May instant, the said Committee came to the following Resolution: "Resolution 10th May; the Burgesses resident in Dumbarton on the 10th of May 1830, to enjoy, during their lives, the full privilege to which they are at this time legally entitled; no person not entitled to such exemptions to acquire any such rights in future; the sum of to be paid within six months by the River Trust of Glasgow, to the Trust to be appointed by this Act, such sum to be applied by the said Trust to the improvement of the Harbour of Dumbarton, and to the building of a Quay there;" and the said Committee intimated to the parties that the Committee themselves intended to fix the amount of such compensation; that, on the 14th day of May instant, a certain clause marked with the letter D. was read in the said Committee, but the consideration thereof was postponed; which clause is in the following words: Clause D. "And be it further Enacted, That, in addition to the said reservation of the said right of exemption or immunity as aforesaid, to the present resident Burgesses of Dumbarton, during their respective lives, the said Trustees shall, in consideration of the said exemptions thereafter ceasing and being extinguished within six months from the passing of this Act, pay over to the sum of to be applied in the improvement of the Harbour of Dumbarton, by building additional quays, or otherwise, and to be held by the said persons in trust for the said purposes;" that, on the same day it was moved that the blank in Clause D. should be filled up with Sixteen thousand pounds, whereupon it was resolved, that each of the parties should be heard thereon by one of their counsel; that, on the 17th day of May, the Petitioners appeared by counsel, and stated, that it was utterly impossible for them at that time to lay before the Committee evidence to show the specific value of the exemption, which it was the object of the Bill to annul, or to prove the amount of the loss and damage which would arise to the said Petitioners and to the private property of the Petitioners at Dumbarton, and after protesting against the decision of any such questions by the Committee, applied (that in case the Committee were determined, notwithstanding such protest, to decide on the amount of such compensation) for reasonable time to prepare their ease for compensation, and to produce such further evidence as they might think necessary; that the Committee negatived such application, and immediately passed the clause, fixing the amount of compensation at Sixteen thousand pounds, to be applied to the improvement of the Harbour of Dumbarton; that the said Committee also resolved still farther to limit and restrict the exercise of the said rights of exemption during the lives of those parties who were entitled on the 10th day of May last, to exercise the same without giving any compensation to such parties on account of such restriction and limitation of their said rights, and voted the following clauses: "Provided always, and be it Enacted, That, in order that the extent of the said exemption so reserved as aforesaid from the Quay or Harbour Duties granted by the said recited Act payable upon steam vessels and all other descriptions of vessels may be ascertained as exercised or enjoyed on or prior to the said 10th day of May 1830, the owners of the said vessels claiming the said exemptions shall be bound to exhibit the certificate of registry thereof, or other legal evidence, to the said Trustees or their collectors; and the present owners of all such vessels, if at the time resident Burgesses of Dumbarton, and admitted Burgesses prior to the said 10th day of May 1830, shall enjoy exemption from payment of the said Quay or Harbour Duties, to the extent of the tonnage as so ascertained, and exercised or enjoyed upon the said vessels during the year preceding the said date, and to that extent only, whether upon the said vessels, or to an equal extent of tonnage upon other vessels;" Clause, "Provided always, and be it Enacted, That the said exemption so reserved as aforesaid from the river Duties granted by the said recited Acts on Coals conveyed along the Clyde for the use and consumption of the inhabitants of Dumbarton; and the said exemption, so reserved as aforesaid, from the river Duties on goods and other commodities generally passing along the said river, and which belong in property to the resident Burgesses of Dumbarton, shall not be enjoyed by the said Burgesses beyond the extent to which the said exemptions were possessed and enjoyed during the year preceding the said 10th day of May 1830, and that no person or persons claiming the said exemptions shall be entitled to convey along the said river any goods, coal or other commodities, to a greater extent than he or they has or have, during the said year, conveyed along the said river, without paying the Duties granted by the said recited Acts in respect of any such surplus trade;" Clause, "And be it further Enacted, That if any of the said Burgesses, resident inhabitants of Dumbarton, shall wilfully and knowingly avail themselves of the aforesaid rights of exemption hereby reserved to them to the effect of freeing, or attempting to free, any person or persons not bonâ fide entitled to the said exemption or immunity from the payment of the rates and duties payable by virtue of the before-recited Acts, or shall act in any way contrary to, or inconsistent with, or shall evade, or attempt to evade, any of the provisions herein contained, according to the true intent and meaning hereof, such Burgess or Burgesses shall, upon conviction thereof before any competent court, at the instance of the treasurer or collector of the said Trustees, forfeit the rights of exemption hereby continued or reserved to him or them as aforesaid;" Clause, "And be it further Enacted, That the provisions of the before recited Act of the sixth year of the reign of His present Majesty, in so far as the same may grant, or recognize any immunity or exception in favour of Burgesses, resident inhabitants of Dumbarton, who may not be admitted as such previous to the said 10th day of May 1830, shall be, and the same are hereby repealed;" that the Petitioners having appeared by counsel, also protested against the said Resolutions and Votes above set forth, and claimed, that, if the Petitioners were forced to submit to the deprivation, limitation and restriction of the foresaid rights and exemption, the loss and damages arising to the private property of the Petitioners by the operation of the Bill should be compensated, and the amount thereof ascertained in the usual manner of assessment by a jury, and their counsel submitted that this remedy is invariably allowed by Parliament in all cases when private property is made to yield to public utility, but the said Committee passed the said clauses, whereby the said rights of exemption are in part altogether rescinded, without any compensation whatever, and by which their rights, so far as they are not rescinded, are limited and restricted in such a manner as to be almost wholly inoperative; that on the 18th day of May instant, the said Committee having finally passed all the clauses of the said Bill, ordered the report thereof to be made to the House; that the Petitioners are large owners of steam and other vessels, and are also the proprietors of extensive glass works, situate in the said burgh of Dumbarton, on which the prosperity of the town itself, and the employment of the inhabitants thereof (being principally of the manufacturing and working class), mainly depends, the Petitioners, moreover, paying to the Government, towards the revenue, a very large annual sum for duties; that the Petitioners, besides suffering in common with other resident Burgesses, by the proposed restriction, limitation and ultimate extinction of the aforesaid rights of exemption, are in an especial degree affected in carry ing on to advantage their said extensive glass manufactory, and the value of the said works, if the Petitioners are compelled to dispose of the same, will be most materially diminished; that the Petitioners did in the last year import for the use of their works, a large quantity, consisting of many thousand tons of coals; that such coals were imported by the Firth and Clyde Canal, and by an agreement with the proprietors of such Canal were carried at a lower rate, in consequence of the exemption possessed by the Petitioners upon the Clyde, by which river the Petitioners could, if necessary, have imported the same coals; that by the clauses hereinbefore mentioned, the Petitioners are not entitled (not having in the last year actually imported such coals by the River Clyde) to such exemption in future, and that the Petitioners are thus deprived of a valuable private right, without any compensation at all; that the Petitioners were taken by surprise, and were denied by the Committee any sufficient opportunity of preparing themselves to lay before the Committee full evidence of the extent of loss to which they and their property would be subjected, by the operation of the said Bill and Clauses; the Petitioners, therefore, conceiving themselves to be greatly aggrieved by the several Votes, Resolutions and Clauses, as above set forth, submit this their humble Petition to be heard against the same, before a Committee of Appeal, under the rules and regulations of the House; and the Petitioners are ready to enter into a bond or obligation, with two sufficient sureties, to answer all costs, charges and expenses of such appeal, in terms of the orders of the House; the Petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that a Committee of Appeal may be appointed upon the said Votes or Resolutions of the said Committee, and that the Petitioners may be allowed to appeal against such votes, and that they may be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents against the said votes of the said Committee, before the said Committee of Appeal, and that they may have such further or other relief in the premises as to the House may seem meet.

Ordered, That the said Petitions be taken into further consideration upon Friday next.

Ordered, That the said Petitions be printed.

Petition for increase of Duty on Foreign Flour.

A Petition of Manufacturers and Growers of wheat of and near the town and county of the town of Southampton, was presented, and read; praying the House to raise the Duty upon Foreign Flour, after the 1st day of September 1830, from 14s. 10d. per barrel to 20 s. 10d.per barrel, as the Wheat Scale advances from 60s. to 73s. which will protect both the Miller and Farmer, causing Foreign Flour to be entered for consumption gradually, in lieu of many weeks supply being forced upon the markets, which must prevent the Petitioners, who are manufacturers, purchasing wheat without tremendous weekly losses; but, by the House making the alteration, the Petitioners suggest Foreign Flour will not be in the least prohibited, but will afford fair protection to the millers, ensure a steady sale to the growers of wheat, and the community a constant supply of fresh Flour.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Account of Duties on Glass (Ireland) ordered.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of Duties collected from Glass in Ireland for the last ten years; distinguishing the amount in each year, the quantity of Glass on which the Duty was levied, and the rate of Duty under which the same has been collected.

The Lords have agreed to

A Message from the Lords by Mr. Stephen and Mr. Wingfield:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords have agreed to the several Bills following, without any Amendment; viz.

Australian Company Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act to amend an Act for granting certain Powers and Authorities to a Company to be incorporated by Charter, to be called The Australian Agricultural Company, for the cultivation and improvement of Waste Lands in the Colony of New South Wales, and for other purposes relating thereto:

Polloc and Govan Railway Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for making and maintaining a Railway from the Lands of Polloc and Govan, to the River Clyde, at the Harbour of Broomielaw, in the County of Lanark, with a Branch to communicate therefrom:

Clifton Bridge Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for building a Bridge over the River Avon from Clifton, in the County of Gloucester, to the opposite side of the River, in the County of Somerset, and for making convenient Roads and Approaches to communicate therewith: And also,

The Lords have passed Emeris or Alington's Estate Bill.

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act for confirming a partition made by George Marmaduke Alington and Samuel Rowe, Esquires, of Estates in the County of Lincoln, devised, in undivided moieties, by the respective Wills of Sarah Rowe and Elizabeth Rowe, deceased; to which the Lords desire the concurrence of this House: And also,

Humbert's Nat. Bill.

The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act for naturalizing Francis Joseph Humbert; to which the Lords desire the concurrence of this House:-And then the Messengers withdrew.

Address for Copy of Acts of Sederunt.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that He will be graciously pleased to give directions, that there be laid before this House, a Copy of all Acts of Sederunt, or other authorities, under which the fees in Conveyancing, according to the Table of Fees adopted by the Society of Writers to the Signet in Scotland, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on the 27th of April last, have been fixed and sanctioned.

Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Majesty by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.

Address for Statement of Persons convicted of Forgery (Scotland.)

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that He will be graciously pleased to give directions, that there be laid before this House, a Statement of the number of persons convicted of Forgery of all Instruments connected with the Chartered and other Banks of Scotland, whether of Bank Notes or Post Bills, Bills of Exchange, or otherwise, in each year from 1791 to 1829, inclusive; particularizing the capital convictions upon which execution took place, and cases of mitigated punishment.

Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Majesty by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.

Address respecting Sheriff Courts (Scotland.)

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that He will be graciously pleased to give directions, that there be laid before this House, an Account, showing the number of Causes which have been decided in the Court of the Sheriff in each County in Scotland, under the jurisdiction conferred by 6 Geo. 4, c. 24, and 10 Geo. 4, c. 55, during each year, since the passing of the first of the said Statutes, and ending on 1st May 1830.

Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.

Accounts of Small Arms Manufactory (Enfield,) ordered.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Expense incurred in the erection of the Royal Manufactory of Small Arms at Enfield, and for the extension and improvement of the same, from 1st January 1812 to the present time; including all sums paid and payable for the rent of land or purchase of land, or for right of water, and particularizing the same; also, including the cost incurred in turning the River Lea, at Enfield Lock; and also, including the cost of all machinery, and implements of every description, used in such establishment.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Sums paid for Superannuation and Retired Allowances or Pensions to Persons who have been on the said Establishment in each year, from 1st January 1812 to 31st December 1829, and of such as are now in existence.

Petition for mitigating Punishment for Forgery.

A Petition of Inhabitants of Rugby, was presented, and read; praying the House to repeal all such laws as now authorize the infliction of the punishment of death for Forgery, or any offence connected therewith, and to substitute, in lieu thereof, such other punishment as shall to the House seem both fitted for the prevention of such offences, and consistent with justice and mercy.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Stage Coach Proprietors Bill, ordered.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for the more effectual Protection of Mail Contractors and Stage Coach Proprietors, against losses by the undue concealment of the value of Parcels and Packages delivered to them for conveyance or custody: And that Sir Thomas Acland, Mr. Kekewich and Mr. Buck do prepare, and bring it in.

Four perCent. Dissents Bill, passed.

Ordered, That the Order of the day, for the third reading of the ingrossed Bill to authorize the issuing of Exchequer Bills for the Payment of the Proprietors of Four Pounds per Centum Annuities in England and Ireland, who have signified their Dissent, under an Act passed in the present Session for transferring such Annuities into Three Pounds Ten Shillings per Centum Annuities, be now read; and the same being read:-The Bill was read the third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Sir Alexander Grant do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their concurrence.

Report on Bear or Bigg (Ireland) Acts.

Mr. Littleton, by Order, reported from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of the Acts 3 Geo. 4, c. 30, for reducing, during the continuance of the present Duty on Malt, the Duty on Malt made from Bear or Bigg only in Scotland; 4 Geo. 4, c. 94, to grant certain Duties of Excise upon Spirits distilled from Corn or Grain in Scotland and Ireland, and upon Licenses for Stills for making such Spirits; and to provide for the better collecting and securing such Duties, and for the warehousing of such Spirits without payment of Duty; and, 6 Geo. 4, c. 58, for providing equivalent Rates of Excise Duties, Allowances and Drawbacks on Beer and Malt, and on Spirits made in Scotland or Ireland, according to the measure of the new Imperial Standard Gallon, the Resolution which they had directed to be reported to the House; and the same was read, and agreed to by the House; and is as followeth;

Resolved, That in lieu of the higher Duty now payable on Malt made from Bear or Bigg in Ireland, the Duty which shall be charged, raised and levied upon such Malt as shall be made from Bear or Bigg only in Ireland, shall be the sum of Two shillings for and in respect of every Bushel of such Malt.

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the said Resolution: And that Mr. Littleton, Mr. George Dawson and Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer do prepare, and bring it in.

Proceeding on Poor Removal (Irish and Scotish) Bill.

The Order of the day being read, for the second reading of the Bill to alter and amend several Acts relating to the Removal of Vagrant and Poor Persons born in Scotland and Ireland, and chargeable to Parishes in England;

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time;

And notice being taken that Forty Members were not present, the House was told by Mr. Speaker; and Forty Members not being present, and it being then after four of the clock:-The House was adjourned by Mr. Speaker, without a Question first put, till To-morrow.