Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 001.djvu/652

658 amendment 45; against it 78; majority 33.

After some further discussion, the House divided upon the question, whether the act should extend to Scotland? Ayes 129—noes 48.

June 27.—The third reading of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill was then moved, which produced a most animated debate, in which several Members who had before voted for the measure took part against it At the close of the debate, a division took place on the third reading. Ayes 195—noes 65.

The House also divided on the question, whether the act for the suspension should expire on the 1st of March, or on the 25th of December, on the motion of Mr. The numbers against Mr C. Wynn's proposition were 152 to 50.

Monday, June 30—The House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, and Sir moved that a sum not exceeding £1,332,311 : 13 : 2, be granted for defraying the expense of the ordinary naval establishment for the period of seven lunar months, commencing in June 1817.

Mr, among other items, moved for a sum not exceeding £40,000, for extraordinary charges of the mint and gold coinage.

£3000 were granted for the Board of Agriculture; £207,000 for disembodying the militia in Great Britain, in the year 1817; and £154,251 for the same purpose in Ireland.

July 3.—Mr first adverted to a statement made on a former night, respecting the distressed state of the inhabitants of Newfoundland, and now moved that the report on the subject be read; and after drawing a very afflicting picture of the present condition of that island, concluded by moving that the House do resolve itself into a Committee, in which he would propose that a bounty of 2s. per quintal be given on all fish imported from Newfoundland. The motion was negatived by 50 against 29.

Monday, July 7.—The English Savings Banks Bill, on the motion of Mr, was read a third time; and after an observation from General , disapproving of the clause which allowed those who had money deposited in such institutions to derive aid from parish funds, was passed.

Mr brought up the report of the Committee on General Education; it contained a description of many enormous abuses attending the management and application of charitable funds.

July 8—Mr presented another report from the Committee appointed to inquire into the police of the metropolis. The present report embraced two subjects—the policy of granting what was called blood-money, or rewards on conviction; and the state of juvenile offenders.

Lord brought in a bill to provide asylums for the Lunatic Poor in Scotland; but observed, that he did not intend to bring idiots within its operation. The bill was read a first time, and ordered to be printed; when the Noble Lord stated, that he did not mean to propose any farther proceeding upon it during this Session.

Wednesday, July 9.—Lord brought up the returns of Lunatics in Scotland, the total number of whom was said to be 4300.

July 11.—Sir presented a petition from John Knight, who had been kept in solitary confinement in Reading gaol for more than seventeen weeks, and was now removed to another prison. The petition was read: it prayed to be brought to trial, or to be transported out of the country. It was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr made his motion, which stood for this day, on the state of the nation. After an animated debate, in which Lord repelled some charges applying to his former conduct in Ireland, a motion for an address to the Prince Regent was put and negatived without a division.

July 12—The having returned from the House of Peers, read to the Members a copy of the Prince Regent's, speech, and the Members forthwith separated.

BRITISH CHRONICLE. JULY. 26. Yesterday morning the jail of Ayr was again broken, and three of the prisoners escaped. They were confined in the very strongest room of the prison, usually called the condemned cell. Nevertheless, by means of a single common mason's iron, they rais- ed up one of the flags of the floor, broke an iron grating on which the stone lay, and also an arch, upon which both were found- ed. Through the opening thus made, the prisoners dropped into the cellar where the fire engines are kept, the lock on the door of which they wrenched oft", and so got to the street. This is the third time within a twelvemonth this prison has been broken. Extraordinary Circumstance.' At the Stafford Assizes, on the 26th instant, tw