Knight.

Mrs. Martyr,

Mrs. Clendining,

Mrs. Mountain.

Jeffe, Shelah, The Scene lies at Arklow, in the county of Wicklow. Yemon having difcovered fome gold in the Mountain, fends it to his nurfe, who refides in Dublin, to be fold. The extreme liberality of Yemon excites fufpicion among his neighbours; and Granaghan, particularly, accounts for his riches, as having been clandeftinely obtained. Granaghan is the school-mafter of the parish, and Yemon is alarmed at receiving intimation of his intention to intercept his letters from Dublin. On this fubject he confults his brother Maunus, who is a Defender and public robber. Maunus agrees to surprise the poft-boy, from whom he takes the mail. Yemon recovers the letter sent by his nurfe which relates to the circumftance of the gold. Yemon is feized on fufpicion of being the robber, and confined in the parifh-chapel, from which he is releafed by Maunus, and a gang of Defenders. Mr. Devereux, who is Lord of the Manor, vifits a cottage on the Mountain, where he beholds Jeffe, who has a temporary refidence there for the benefit of the air, and with whom he is enamoured. He affumes the character of a Beggar, and faves her from the attack of Maunus. The innocence of Yemon is established, and his general good character recom

mende

mends him to Devereux. The fecret of the gold mine is difclofed. Yemon is wedded to Shelah, whofe fidelity to wards him remains unfhaken in the moft trying fituation. Devereux matries Jeffe-and the opera concludes with a beautiful and picturefque view of the mountains of Wicklow.

The broad coarfe humour of this auther is wanting in the prefent performance, which may be denominated an Irish paftoral. If it becomes fuccefsful, it will be more owing to the felection and compofition of the airs by Mr. Shield, than to any intrinfic merit of its own.

13] THE SMUGGLERS, a mufical drama, by Mr. Birch, was acted the first time, at Drury Lane, for the benefit of Mr. Bannifter, jun. The characters are as follow:

Captain Pendant, Mr. Aikin,
Valentine,

Shingle,

Sample,

Trim,

Beacon, Edward,

Stella,

Phillis, Margery,

Mr. Dignum,
Mr. Suett,
Mr. Wewitzer,
Mr. Bannifter, jun.
Mr. Phillimore,
Mafter Walsh,
Mifs De Camp,
Mifs Leak,

Mifs Mellon. The plot of this piece is fimple. Pendant and Trim are wrecked on the coaft of Cornwall, and are in danger of being plundered by fmugglers. A portrait difcovers to Stella that he had relieved her father. Trim is united to Phillis, and Valentine to Stella. It is a pleafant and interefting performance, and the mufic, by Mr. Atwood, reflects credit on the compofer.

IN

British Parliament.
(Continued from cur left.)

N the houfe of commons, on Tuefday, March 2, general Tarleton moved, that the fecond reading of the bill for the abolition of the flave trade be put off for three months. On a divifion, the numbers were, for the motion, 31, again't it 64.

On Friday, March 4, Mr. Curwen, in confequence of the notice he gave, rofe to make his motion refpecting the game laws, He was fenfible, he faid,

that every confiderable change would meet with great difficulties; it might be urged against him, that the prefent mo tion went to render the country unplea fant to fportfmen, inafmuch as it would be confidered to diminish the quantity of game. He would be forry that such a measure fhould render the country difagreeable to any gentleman, as it was the intereft of the public that gen tlemen fhould frequently refide there. This meafure would, inftead of dimi nifhing the quantity, tend rather to increafe it, as it would intereft every perfon in the prefervation of the game. He was fully fatisfied that the oppre fion of the game laws was only equalled by their impolicy, and that they did not afford that protection to the object which they intended, viz. the game. He adduced the opinion of justice Blackstone, who held them as inconfistent with the fpirit of the conftitution. By the miferies of a neighbouring country we ought to gain experience, and endeavour to correct laws that bore oppreflively on fuch a majority of the nation. He took a retrospect of all the different acts that, from the origin of thefe laws, were introduced for protecting the game, down to the prefent day, and gave a detailed hiftory of their rife and progrefs. Should the houfe think proper to adopt his propo fition, it would become the intereft of every landholder to protect the game on his own property. By the act of Charles II. any magiftrate might, oR fufpicion of a dog being kept, enter the house of any man, and fearch the fame, on no other grounds than bare fufpicion; and under this act any gamekeeper may take away any dog, net, &c. which he might fuppofe intended for that purpofe. By By the acts of Charles I. and II. the penalty was but 10s. but by the late acts it was made 51. a ium which moft poor men could never pay, and were thus liable to imprifonment for life. He was sure that thofe laws could not be agreeable to any gentleman, and fo very oppreffive were they, that even a dog subjected them to the penalty. So odious were the prefent game laws, that the common people made it a point to extirpate game

at

at all hazards; and by thefe, as much property was neceffary to qualify a man to kill a partridge, as to vote for his reprefentative in parliament. He would now move that the ftat. 23 Charles II. be read, I James I, ch. 13. and the game act of William and Mary, which being accordingly done, he moved, That leave be given to bring in a bill to repeal the faid acts, or fuch parts of them as might appear proper to the house, and to fubftitute others in their flead.'

In the converfation that enfued, the members, in general, feemed to concur in condemning the oppreffive nature of the game laws; but great difficulties occurred with refpect to the proper re medy. Mr. Jenkinfon, to get rid of the fubject, propofed an adjournment. This motion was feconded by general Smith, but negatived by 50 to 27. Mr. Curwen then moved, that the game laws be fubmitted to a committee; which was agreed to.

On Tuesday, March 8, Mr. Ryder brought up the report of the felect committee, and the following refolutions were read:

'That every_miller be required to have a pair of scales and weights in his mill.

That every perfon bringing corn to be ground be authorized to have it weighed in his prefence, and before it is taken away.

That the corn fo ground fhall make up, when weighed, a quantity equal in weight to the grain brought, allowing for the neceffary diminution.

That no miller thall take toll in kind, but that every payment fhall be made in money, except in fuch cafes where the peculiar right of mills have been or may be eftablished by law.

That all millers fhall fet up in confpicuous parts of their mills, in diftinct and legible characters, their rates of price for grinding.

That millers may take toll in kind

in fuch cafes only where the party has not money to pay them; but that fuch toll in kind fhall not exceed a quantity of corn equal in value to the money.

That magiftrates be empowered to enforce the above regulations.'

Mr. Ryder moved, that bills be brought in agreeable to thefe refolu tions; which was agreed to.

On Thursday, March 10, Mr. Grey rofe to make a promised motion on the ftate of the nation. He confined himfelf folely to the enormous expenditure of the war, and to the confequent profufion, wafte, and culpability of adminiftration. In the firft three years of the war, he faid we had incurred a debt of 77,000,000l. whereas in the first fix years of the American war, the whole was little more than 63,000,000l. He concluded a long speech, (in which there were but few points that had not been repeatedly urged before) with moving that a committee be appointed to enquire into the expenditure and general ftate of the nation. The motion was feconded by Mr. Fox, and ably combated by Mr. Jenkinfon, who denied that the prefent war was more expenfive than others. It was not fo, he faid, if the fame allowance for the decreafed value of money, were made in affairs of ftate, which every man made in his own family. Various other confiderations were urged by Mr. Jenkinson, without much novelty in the argument. In conclufion, at a very early hour, Mr. Grey's motion was negatived by 207 to 45.

On Tuesday, March 15, Mr. Wilberforce moved the order of the day for the report of the bill for the abolition of the African flave trade. He was fupported on this beaten topic by Mr. Francis, Mr. Montague, Mr. Fox, ferjeant Adair, and Mr. Pitt; and it was oppofed, on the grounds fo repeatedly urged before, by fir William Young, general Smith, Mr. Dundas, Mr. Rofe, Mr. Dent, and general Tarleton. The latter moved an amendment to the mo tion, That inftead of the word now, there be fubftituted this dy four months.'-On a divifion, the numbers were for the amendment 74, against it, 70. The bill for the abolition of the

trade

trade is, therefore, loft for the prefent. After this, Mr. Manning rofe, and moved the fecond reading of the wet docks bill. He obferved, that the ap. plication of the merchants was not new. The merchants of London had applied for a fimilar meafure as early as the year 1704. That application had been repeated feveral fucceeding years down to the prefent time; and after two years confideration, the prefent plan had been adopted as the most eligible. During this period the corporation of the city of London, as well as every other perfon interested in the measure, had fufficient notice of the intention of the merchants to apply to parliament. If the want of wet docks was found an inconvenience a century ago, how much muft that inconvenience be increafed by the advanced commerce of the city of London?

He went into a detail of the number, of veffels that had entered the port of London fince the first application to parliament on this fubject, in order to Thew that they had regularly increafed, and obferved that the number of fhips that now entered that port could not be accommodated between Londonbridge and Blackwall.

He next took a view of the exports and imports of the city of London, at the following periods, when application had been made to parliament to pafs an act for the better accommodation of the trade of the pool and city-Imports in 1704, 4.314.7931. Exports, 4,812,000l.-In 1713, imports were 4.517.700l. Exports 4.900,000l.-In 1792 and 1793, the imports had been about 12,000,000l. and the exports 14,000,cool. For this vaft increase of commerce, it was to be expected that fome accommodation fhould be provided. The trade of the port of London was equal to three-fifths of the trade of the whole kingdom.

The foreign trade of the city of London had not increased in the fame proportion as that of the other ports of the kingdom, and this was owing to the want of proper accommodation. In proof of this he ftated, that from the year 1751 to 1793, the foreign trade

had increafed at different ports the fol lowing proportion; in London at th rate of four to one, in Bristol fix to one, in Hull feven to one, and in Liverpool twelve to one.

Το

He observed, that the spot chofen for the erection of the wet docks was every way fuitable to the purpose. It was within ten minutes walk of the customhoufe, and confequently was very fa vourable for the collection of the reve nue. Petitions had been prefented in favour of the bill from the Eaft India company, and other great commercial bodies. As to the petitions which were prefented againft it, he would answer, in general, to all of them, that the bill fecured all the rights of the city, and be was certain that no injury could arife to the city from the waters of the Thames being diverted, as was propofed by the plan that had been prefented. fhew, however, the erroneous grounds upon which fuch petitions were often founded, he took a retrospective view of all the petions that had been prefented against the building of Weftminfter bridge. The corporation of London had petitioned againft the bill for erecting that bridge, and had stated that it would tend to deftroy their rights and privileges, and greatly obftruct the trade and navigation of the river below London bridge, and materially affect the interefts of the city and of individuals. Several petitions had been prefented from the borough of Southwark, Shadwell, and from the watermen and lightermen on the river, who complained, that if the bridge was built, they would be obliged to feek their bread in foreign countries. The bridge, however, was built; and it had not yet been difcovered to have done any injury to the parties who petitioned againft it. He concluded by obferving, that if the bill fhould be paffed into a law, it would greatly promote the trade of the city of London; he therefore would move, that the bill be read a fecond time.

Sir William Young feconded the motion.

(To be continued.)

Irish Parliamentary Intelligence.

(Continued from our laft.) HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MR

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1796.

R. McCartney role to prefent a petition from the paper-makers, in oppofition to thole which had been previously prefented from the bookfellers and journeymen printers of the city of Dublin.

The petitions from the booksellers and printers, he faid, were indeed of a very extraordinary nature. The former complained that the protecting duty afforded in the last feffion of parliament to the Irish paper manufacture, was ruinous to their trade, becaufe it affected paper imported into this country; but how was the allegation fupported by fact? The duty did not amount to more than two and a half per cent. and yet the bookfellers, in confequence of it, had raised the price of their books.

The book fellers in the petition, complained that the price of Irish paper too was raifed in confequence of the duty upon paper imported, but he was inftructed to ftate feveral inftances, to fhew that feveral of the petitioners had paid for imported paper, two, three, or four fhillings per rheam, more than they now did for paper of the very fame quality manufactured in Ireland. The bookfellers had alleged too, that the paper manufacturers of Ireland had neither capital nor ability to fupply their demands; but he argued that the protection of the home manufacture was the best way to remedy the defect, and to attract capital to the trade, and thereby extend the manufacture.

Mr. McCartney made feveral fevere remarks upon the perfons who figned the petition.

With refpect to the journeymen printers, whofe petition stated them to be pining in want, he faid the fact was the very reverse, as they were every man in full employment.

He concluded by moving that this petition be now received.

Mr. Grattan had no objection to receiving the petition, at the fame time he could not help obferving that the mode which the hon. gentleman had taken of animadverting on the petitions of the printers and journeymen was rather extraordinary-it was certainly not ufual for gentlemen to attach their obfervations to the perfons and fituation of men who came to that house to petition, but rather to confine their remarks to the fubject matter of the petitions themselves.

With refpect to the allegations of thofe petitions, he would not answer for their truth in every instance, though he certainly was inclined to believe them true; but he would fay in defence of these petitions, that the perfons who had preferred them were ready to come forward and prove them by indifputable evidence; they even folicited an opportunity to do fo, and that fug gefted a better anfwer to the affertions of the hon. gentleman than any he could give. He could not again help remarking on the improHib. Mag. May, 1796.

priety of allufion to the perfonal circumstances of the petitioners; one of thefe mentioned, (Mr. Charnbers) he knew; he knew him to be an honest citizen, and an excellent printer, who had eminently contributed to the improvement and character of the art in this coun ry; whether he had an illicit fondness for French paper or not, was foreign from the fubje&t; it was an affertion, too, which it would be very difficult for the hon. gentleman to prove, and therefore ought not to have been made. Mr. Byrne, who had been mentioned, was a man of very extensive dealing as a bookfeller; had a capital fhop, and did fervice to the literature of the country; he was a man of that clafs whom an Irish house of commons ought neither to difcredit nor difcou rage.

With refpect to the duty itself, he thought it a bad one; the allegations of the petition, if they were true, and the petitioners were ready to prove them, proved that the duty must be bad; but if any argument were wanting to confirm the reafoning of the petitions, the hon. gentleman himself had fuggefted it, for what had he said? that the market not being able to furnish a fupply of paper for the fingle work of re-printing the Journals of that houfe, the printers had been obliged to refort to a contract—that is, the paper manufacturers of Ireland are not able to fupply paper for the demand of the country, and are reforting to partnership with foreigners to affift them, and yet they call for a duty on imported paper in order to fecure a monopoly which they are not able to answer. What did he say befides? that though the tax was in itself but trivial, yet fuch was its nature, that it had already greatly raised the price of the articles which it affectedand thus without adding to the revenue (its produce was about 2401.) fell heavily on the public. Could any arguments against the duty be stated ftronger than those which the hon. gentleman himself fuggefted? Mr. Grattan urged very ftrongly the impolicy of the duty, and requested the chan. of the exchequer to attend to the strong objections which lay against it.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, he had no intereft to anfwer on either fide, it was his wish to encourage one manufacture as well another. That of paper as well as that of bookshe thought the tax ought to be confidered more as a protecting duty, than as an object of re

venue.

A converfation of confiderable length ensued between Mr. Grattan and the chancellor of the exchequer.

It was the wish of Mr. Grattan to press the hearing of evidence in fupport of the petition he had prefented; but this the chancellor of the exchequer thought would answer no purpose but delay, without giving the houfe any information on the principle they did not already poffefs.

After fome further converfation on this subject between Mr. Grattan, chancellor of the exchequer, Mr. Mafon, fir John Blaquiere and Mr. McCartney, the petition of the paper manufacturers and those of the printers and journeymen were referred to the committee of ways and means.

The house having refolved itself into that comИлд mittee