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the principal of which would be discharged in the course of the present year. This item, though large, the committee would look upon with satisfaction, when they considered how much the improved state of public credit lessened the charge thus incurred in providing for the ways and means of the year. A proper idea of this might be formed, when it was considered, that what cost the country almost 2,200,000l. for the service of 1816, would in the present year create but a charge of 1,900,000l. upon an amount of principal considerably increased; and when it was further borne in mind, that a few years ago the same operation would have occasioned an expense of 2,500,000l. The sinking fund on the money thus kept floating as unfunded debt would amount to 330,000l. making a total charge on amount

of exchequer bills of 2,230,000l. On winding up the accounts between the English and Irish exchequers an advance had been found necessary in order to clear up all demands on the consolidated fund of Ireland to the 5th of January last, from which period they had started on a new account. This had caused a grant to be called for (in order to make good the permanent charges of Ireland up to that time), of 246,5081. Towards the reduction of the navy and transport debt, a supply was demanded of 1,660,000l. There was thus, it would be seen, a new total of 4,136,5081. to provide for the charges of unfunded debt, or to make good previously existing deficiencies, which formed no part of the supply necessary for the service of the year. The different items and the grand total were as follows:

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He had now to call the attenof the committee to the mannera which he proposed to meet above demands. The first arwhich he should notice was anual duties on malt, sugar,

, and some other articles had been taken at the usual 2 of 300,000l. The comee were aware that those duLes always produced considerably than the sum of 300,000l. ed upon them, and that the 1 was carried into the conated fund.

He next proposed to avail himf of the ways and means for 5 and 1816 exceeding the aant of the supplies which resed to be paid out of them. sum for the former year was 4. and for the latter 45810 These sums formed in the language of the exer, was called surplus of and means. He did not, :wever, mean to take credit for as a genuine surplus, as in they became disposable 7.9 14 consequence of parliament g, since they were granted, za a different provision for at part of the supplies charged han them; whereby they became arable to the service of the resent year, instead of those for

they were originally proFun! The whole, after retaining sent sum to pay the supjases charged on them, amounted to 1,965,5591. arising in great

from the temporary excise Gates, upon which 3,500,000l. had been granted in 1816, but of *uch sum only 1,494,592/. had sera received on the 5th of April ast I here remained, therefore,

be received on that day

2,005,4081., and it was estimated that before the 5th of April 1818 they would produce the further sum of 1,300,000l. for which, therefore, he should take credit as the next item in the ways and means of the present year.

He should in the next place advert to the amount of the consolidated fund remaining at the disposal of parliament on the 5th of April last. In this case also a surplus had been produced by the recent proceedings of parliament. A considerable deficiency had accrued in the produce of the consolidated fund on the 5th of January, but that deficiency having been made good by subsequent votes of the House, and all grants affecting the consolidated fund having been cancelled by act of parliament, its surplus produce on the 5th of April remained disposable for the service of the present year. The sums now remaining in the exchequer of Great Britain and Ireland, and which he should propose to vote on this account, amounted to 1,225,9781.or in round numbers 1,226,000l.

The lottery was taken at 250,000l. and though this might appear a larger sum than that of last year, yet, when the whole account was compared, it would be found that the lottery was reduced 50,000l. instead of being so much higher, as one third of the profit of the lottery had last year been reserved for Ireland, according to the practice which had prevailed ever since the union, whereas this year the whole estimated profit was carried to one account. The whole amount was therefore taken at 300,0001, in 1816, and at only 250,0001. in

the

the principal of which would be discharged in the course of the present year. This item, though large, the committee would look upon with satisfaction, when they considered how much the improved state of public credit lessened the charge thus incurred in providing for the ways and means of the year. A proper idea of this might be formed, when it was considered, that what cost the country almost 2,200,000l. for the service of 1816, would in the present year create but à charge of 1,900,000l. upon an amount of principal considerably increased; and when it was further borne in mind, that a few years ago the same operation would have occasioned an expense of 2,500,000l. The sinking fund on the money thus kept floating as unfunded debt would amount to 330,000l. making a total charge on amount

of exchequer bills of 2,230,000%. On winding up the accounts between the English and Irish exchequers an advance had been found necessary in order to clear up all demands on the consolidated fund of Ireland to the 5th of January last, from which period they had started on a new account. This had caused a grant to be called for (in order to make good the permanent charges of Ireland up to that time), of 246,5081. Towards the reduction of the navy and transport debt, a supply was demanded of 1,660,000l. There was thus, it would be seen, a new total of 4,136,5081. to provide for the charges of unfunded debt, or to make good previously existing deficiencies, which formed no part of the supply necessary for the service of the year. The different items and the grand total were as follows:

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He had now to call the attention of the committee to the manner in which he proposed to meet the above demands. The first article which he should notice was the annual duties on malt, sugar, tobacco, and some other articles which had been taken at the usual amount of 300,000l. The committee were aware that those duties always produced considerably more than the sum of 300,000l. charged upon them, and that the surplus was carried into the consolidated fund.

He next proposed to avail himself of the ways and means for 1815 and 1816 exceeding the amount of the supplies which remained to be paid out of them. The sum for the former year was 15,749. and for the latter 1,849,810l. These sums formed what, in the language of the exchequer, was called surplus of ways and means. He did not, however, mean to take credit for them as a genuine surplus, as in in fact they became disposable only in consequence of parliament having, since they were granted, made a different provision for great part of the supplies charged upon them; whereby they became applicable to the service of the present year, instead of those for which they were originally provided. The whole, after retaining a sufficient sum to pay the supplies charged on them, amounted to 1,865,5591. arising in great part from the temporary excise duties, upon which 3,500,000l. had been granted in 1816, but of which sum only 1,494,5921. had been received on the 5th of April last. There remained, therefore, to be received on that day

2,005,4081., and it was estimated that before the 5th of April 1818 they would produce the further sum of 1,300,000l. for which, therefore, he should take credit as the next item in the ways and means of the present year.

He should in the next place advert to the amount of the consolidated fund remaining at the disposal of parliament on the 5th of April last. In this case also a surplus had been produced by the recent proceedings of parliament. A considerable deficiency had accrued in the produce of the consolidated fund on the 5th of January, but that deficiency having been made good by subsequent votes of the House, and all grants affecting the consolidated fund having been cancelled by act of parliament, its surplus produce on the 5th of April remained disposable for the service of the present year. The sums now remaining in the exchequer of Great Britain and Ireland, and which he should propose to vote on this account, amounted to 1,225,9781. or in round numbers 1,226,000l.

The lottery was taken at 250,000l. and though this might appear a larger sum than that of last year, yet, when the whole account was compared, it would be found that the lottery was reduced 50,000l. instead of being so much higher, as one third of the profit of the lottery had last year been reserved for Ireland, according to the practice which had prevailed ever since the union, whereas this year the whole estimated profit was carried to one account. The whole amount was therefore taken at 300,000l. in 1816, and at only 250,000l. in

the

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The first total of the ways and means which he had stated, namely, the 9,541,537 l. might be regarded as the ready money actually in the exchequer, or which would be received in the course of the year; but that was the whole which the ordinary resources offered for covering the

expenditure. It was therefore clear, that the above balance of 12,600,000l. was necessary to equalize the ways and means and the supply; and he was convinced that that sum could not be raised in a way more advantageous to the country than that which he had proposed. He should, in the

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