1

no fund incorporated fince 1758, can leffen the finking fund, when he has actually had a demonftration in his hands, from the papers prefented to the house,that the whole amount of the

new duties appropriated in 1762, fall fhort of the charges of that year by above 200,000/. Out of the four funds incorporated, three have leffened the finking fund, and the fourth encreafes it; this laft circumstance, the Remarker is very careful to take notice of, and informs us that the fund of 1761, adds at least, 26,000/. per annum, to the finking fund; but at the fame time, fays not a word of the deficiency of the other three, to the amount of 223,000l.

Having convicted an error of 197,000l. in the Remarker's eltimate

of the finking fund, I fhall proceed to C
point out another of 133,000l. which he
has made by allowing 110,000l. only,
as the intereft of 6.000,000l. of out-
franding debt; whereas the author of
the Budget has allowed 41. per cent.
upon the whole fum, amounting to
240,000l. which is 130,000l. more than
the Remarkers allowance. I think if D
I can fucceed in fhewing that the Re-
marker has understated this article by
fo much, and confequently, that this
farther fum ought to be deducted, I
fhall then have fully proved, that his
eltimate is erroneous, in as much as
it differs from the eftimate in the
Budget.

The argument relating to this outftand.ng debt of 6,000,000l. ftands thus. In the first place it is contended, that near 1,000,000l. of this debt will hardly ever be demanded, and therefore is to be confidered as merely nominal. To this I reply, that the outstanding debt was ftate last year by the minister himself at 6,000,000l. and therefore, was taken without further enquiry upon his credit, and is certainly fo much now.

In the fecond place it is argued, that great part of this debt confits of nonintereft bills, navy bills under fix months, and other articles not bear ing interett; but I reply to all this very shortly, that it does not fignify a ftraw to my argument whether any part of it stands at prevent out at in. terett or no; for my affertion is this, that whatever the outstanding debt be, it is to be estimated at least as a preffuse upon the public, equivalent to

the annual intereft which would be paid for money to clear it off; and upon this plain reason, that prompt

E

F

payment is the only true economy. If a nation gets the character of being bad pay malters, it must be with them as every day's experience fhews to be the cafe in private life, the tradefman

will make his bill accordingly; and he will extort 10 per cent. or 20 per cent. upon every contract; while the ftinjey minifter is amufing himself with a filly tale of faving four. Why are these things to be palliated and plaiftered, and white washed? For

God's fake let us fpeak of things as they are. A debt is a debt, and if the minifter would but look it in the face like a man, it would be the way to make the lightest of the evil that can be. You cannot leffen, but may increase the mischief by delay; and this is

is precifely the prefent cafe; for the money might have been taken up twa years ago to pay off this debt upon better terms than at present by 10 per cent; but all the procrastination in the world won't make a debt any thing but a debt, nor yet make 6,000,ocol. to be lefs than 6,000,000l ; nor 6,000,000l. to be worth lefs than 240,000l. a year.

See what miferable fhifts people are driven to when they try to make less of a thing than it really is. Is it not a mighty matter to boast of, that part of the navy debt confits of feamens wages which bear no interelt, nor is to be paid till God knows when, perhaps never? No matter what diftress falls in the interim upon the poor feaman, let him fell his pay to the broker or ufurer for half price; or if he be killed, let the widow and orphan recover it when they can. The publick, however, faves 4 per cent. all this while! Now this is is a true fpecimen of modern economy; to count the private feaman's dittrels as the publi's gain!

They boaft of faving the first half year's intereft upon the navy bills, though every bill that comes out is iffued at 5 per cent. difconut. Now I fhould be glad to know by what rule in Wingate's arithmetic they collect this curious piece of ceconomy, to pay G five pounds down, for the fake of faving 40 fhillings. I think to a plain man it must appear, that paying 51. per cent. per half year, to fave zl. in tereft, is much the fame thing as giv ing at the rate of 10 per cent. per ann. buh-money, to conceal a debt that might be provided for at four.

H

I think I have now very fairly prov ed that the charge is not at all over

rated

rated by fetting down 240,000l. for the intereft of the outstanding debt, nor indeed (hould I aggravate beyond the truth, were I to affirm, that that part of the outstanding debt, which apparently carries no intereft at all, does yet behind the curtain in effect prefs upon the public, at the rate of 10 per cent.

ment would not come to less than 3,500,000l. if things were ill provided for, though I think even that will be difficult; but I go to the real state of things, and not to that lamentable fysAtem which looks no farther than the drawing up an advertisement for the Gazetteer, or dispersing hand bills of the furprifing feats performed, as it were by fleight of hand, by this ingenious and wonderful adminiftration.

I have now reconciled the Remarker's estimate of the finking fund with that in the Budget, and I think there can be no fairer method of proceed- B ing in the world. I have taken his own figures, I have pointed out the errors, convicted, and corrected them, and the iffue of the whole matter is this, That the Remarker's estimate when corrected is 1,273,000

The estimate in the Budget 1,271,000
-So much for the finking fund.

The next article to be examined, is the amount of the peace establishment. The Remarker has stated this at 2,900,000l. and fays that any one may be convinced of this, who will but examine the fupplies of 1764. In the Budget the avowed peace esta. blishment is called 3,500.000l. Let us go to the actual state of the eltablishment, and fee what is really the truth.

The articles of the peace-establish ment,

Navy
Army †

Militia

Ordnance

Sundry services

Total

1,643,000

1,427,000

80,000

228,000

80,000

3,458,000

C

D

I think I have now fully proved thefe two points, That the Remarker has over rated the produce of the finking fund by 330,000l. and that he' has under-rated the peace-establishment by 600,000l. The refult of all which is, that the furplus of the finking fund for the payment of the outftanding debt of 10,000,000l. is only, 346,000l. a year; and if the landed man is to have no refpite, nor the stock holder any fteady property till that be effected, they have a gloomy profpect before them indeed!

The writer of this tract, which, in little more than three days, paffed thro three editions, has with infinite labour and accuracy, detected and corrected the many errors in the Remarks on the Budget; and in hig way has fhewn that the fo much boatted of fmuggling cutters, is, in fact a dead weight added to the national expence of 150l. without any confiderE able increafe to the revenue.

befides incidental expences.
I did not expect to have fo plain a
point called in question as the a- F
mount of the peace establishment, ef
pecially under the eye of that very mi-
nifter who firit proclaimed the large-
nefs of it; or eife, I could easily have
fpecified the articles in the Budget;
but before I leave this head, I mult
once more repeat, that I have set the
annual encreafe of the navy debt, G
100,000l. below the minifter's own
eftimate; and have only charged
the building and repairs of the navy
according to his deficient provision
for this article, which he has left in
arrear 56,000l. for the last year, and
108,000l. for the prefent year. I have
never yet faid that the peace eftablish-

16,000 feamen, ordinary, hofpitals, repairs, annual increase of navy debt."

† Guards, garrisons, Chelses, half-pay, &c.

H

One would think, fays he, that minifters confider it as a very politic meafure, and one that will ferve a a double turn, to keep a debt of 10 000,000l. hovering over our heads, to remind us, that the glories of war are not without allay, and to became hereafter a tumbling block, in the way of any future administration, upon whom the odious task may fall, of laying taxes to discharge it; and it is to this under-plot, between minifters that are, and minifters that may be, that the land holder and the flockholder are to be made the victims.

To amuse their country with idle ftories of improving the revenue twenty thousand here, and twenty thousand there, even if all their pretences were true, is not to the point that pinches ; fecurity is what we call for the ministry profeffedly delay giving fecurity to the whole, even in contempt of danger; the property and trade of millions, is to stand or fall according as the wind blows, or as the packet brings advice, that fome foreign court is thought to fmile cr

frowa

frown upon our minifter; then comes an article in the Gazetteer, about fanggling cutters, and the duty upon tea, as if fuch idle tales would compofe the alarms of land, trade, and fonds, whofe all is at stake.

The grievances on the Clergy, which will arife from ONE alteration in the Marriage Act, as already agreed to in a certain Auguft Affembly.

of falfe names, and at the fame time will be fuch an intolerable grievance on the clergy, because the most innocent and circumfpect minifter cannot poffibly avoid it, that it requires fome A remedy to be provided against it, while there is yet a time to do it. Let us trace this impofition minutely.

HE alteration in question is as Tfollows: By the act, as it stands at prefent, Every marriage celebrated B without either licence obtained or banns published, is null and void to all intents and purposes: and the minifter performing fuch irregular marriage is deemed guilty of felony. But it has been lately agreed to alter this claufe, from a motive charitable enough, namely, that it is hard the iffue of fuch irregular marriages, fhould be bastardized. It is therefore now agreed, that Every fuch irregular marriage shall be good and valid to all intents and purposes; but that the minifter performing fuch marriage, fall be deemed guilty of felony. In defence of this alteration it has been D urged, that there is no neceffity to baltardize the iffue; it is fufficient to punish the officiating minitter. All this, like many other projects, appears at firit fight very fpecious and plaufible; yet if we examine closely the confequences, we thall find that it will prove a most intolerable grievance on the clergy, and at the fame time entirely difappoint the whole intention of the act, which is, to prevent clandefme marriages. The only difference will be this, that whereas before the late act, clandeftine marriages were celebrated by licence, fo now they F will just as easily be celebrated by banns.

That clause in the act, as it ftands at prefent, That an irregular marriage is null and void, has been hitherto a faffi ient check upon the contracting parties from impofing upon the mi- G riter with falfe names. But the cafe will be quite altered as foon as an ir regular marriage fhall be declared walid; for a perfect liberty will be then given to the contracting parties to try every fcheme which craft can invent to impofe upon the minifter. They will fay, if we do but get mared, the marriage is valid, and what is it to us whether the minifter fuffers for it or not? How many schemes may be invented it is not ealy to conceive: but one is fo obvious, by means

H

Suppo'e Mary Smith is a minor, and apparent heirefs to a large fortune, and that John Bland, her father's footman, has privately obtained her confent to marry him, in case it can be legally performed. In order to this John hires a lodging for himself in St Giles's parish, while Mary Smith lives with her parents in St James's: Jobn carries to the minifters of both parish es written notice to publish banns of marriage between John Bland of St Giles's and Mary Cecil of St James, mentioning that the faid Mary Cecil lodges with Mrs S. in Piccadilly. The minifter of St James's, in order to be fecure that the faid Mary Cecil is an inhabitant of his parish, goes perfonally to her lodging, and on enquiry finds that fuch a perfon lodges there, John having before hand provided a maid fervant of his acquaintance to affume that name there. When the banns have been published three several Sundays, John demands from the minister of St James's a certificate of the fame, which cannot be refused, there having been no objection made

thereto. With this certificate on a day appointed privately, he repairs to St Giles's, where Mary Smith, his mas-, ter's daughter, meets him; he prefents the certificate and Mary Smith to the minister of St Giles's, as being his intended bride, and the identical. Mary Cecil mentioned in the banns. The minifter knowing none of the parties perfonally, afks the woman her name the aufwers. Mary Cecil. He asks again, whether he is the perfon mentioned in the banns? the anfwers, Yes. In order to have every fecurity, he defires her to write her name; the accordingly writes on a piece of paper Mary Cecil. Every thing being now legally performed according to act of parliament, the minifter can have no objection, and is even obliged by his office to marry thefe two perfons. In the marriage service they are called upon only by their chriftian names, John and Mary, and to thefe alone they make answer ; and thefe are the true and real names of thefe two perfons, who are thereby legally pronounced to be manand wife

gether,

D

To discover Poifon in Muscles.

PUT a the v centre a filling into the vessel with therein while they are over the fire; and when they are removed, take out the billing, and if it continues of a bright colour, there is no poison; but if it is tinged of a black or dark hue, it is a demonftration that Copperas is the cause thereof, and of the muscles G being bred on a Copperas-bed; and therefore, fuch mnfcles are poisoned, and unfit for ufe.

By this eafy experiment, the dif mal effects of eating poifoned muscles may be prevented; fwelled head and G cles, and death itself. eyes, death's heads, miferable specta

N. B. The rows of these muscles are moft poisonous.

Extracts from the Letters lately published with a View to the enfuing Election of Eaft-India Directors for the Year enfuing; when the Friends of Mr Sullivan are determined to fupport the Interest of that Gentleman, and of those Directors whofe Return they defired laft Year. (See Vol. xxxiv. p. 287.)

HE great intereft that is now making

THE

A

B

the perfon next the chair was not equal to the ftation of governor; yet Mr Vanfitiart, a young gentleman from another fettlement, was put over the heads of Mr Sumner and the reft of the council at Bengall with privileges of independency which no governor ever had though the gentlemen thus injuriously dealt with were confeffedly equal in point of capacity for any government; that in the fame irregular manner Mr Watfon was made Commodore of the company's fhips of war at Bombay over the heads of all the captains on that fervice, on which many of the old officers refigned their commiffione ;-that Mr Pack from being a chaplain only, and in no flation in the company's fervice, was made governornor of fort St George, a meafure equally ridiculous, with making a bishop generalliffimo of all his majefty's forces in Great Britain, in contempt of the regular and mititary officers in the army;-that Mr Spencer of Bombay was ordered to take the government of Bengal over the heads of the council there till the general court reversed that order, and did juftice to Mr Sumner's right and merit ;-That Mr Vanfittart on being made governor, was made independant of the council there;-had a grant made him of 2 on goods imported, the fame on goods exported; and 24 for money employed in buying goods with cafh fent from Calcutta; perquitites amountDing to 40,000l. a year; a fufpicious fum net likely to be given to one man alone that was to have no fharer in it ;-that Mr Carnac was ordered to be difmiffed in the very heat of the war, though confeffedly the beft officer in the company's fervice, because he prefumed to blame the refolution of dethroning Jaffier, and fetting Coffim in his ftead; that this revolution was the effect of an enormous fum, and the question is, who got it?-That the reduction of the company's capital was made under the fame direction at a time when it is owned the company's revenus in land amounted to 700,oool. a-year, independant of their trade; and when the troops in the company's fervice might have been maintained for 400,ocol. fo that 300,000l. would have afforded a dividend of 10 per cent, instead of reducing it to fix.

for the direction of the Eaft India company, is, perhaps, of more importance to the proprietors of stock than they themselves are apprized of, or than the contending parties on either fide care to avow. If a bye-ftander may be permitted to offer his conjectures, the defence of certain late measures is meditating on the one fide, while the other fide is yet in doubt whether thofe meafures are impeachable or not; this in all probability the tranfaction of next year will bring to light. It has been faid by an anonymous writer on this occafion, Fbat so total and fudden a fluctu ation of council muft "neceffarily take place should the prefent attempts in favour of Mr Sullivan fucceed, as mußt counter aft and destroy the meafares enter'd into and approved last year by a great majority, at the very time they are carrying into execution. In anfwer to which Mr Sullivan has thought it of confequence to him to declare, That no part of bis conduct, fince those measures were refolved on by a general court, bas kad any fuch tendency; notwithstanding which it has been alledged, that be did oppofe the meafures neceifary for carrying into execution the refolution of the general court refpecting the dispatch of his lordship; that he refused to fign the general letter for that purpose ; and that he has not figned one general letter to Bengal fince Lord Clive's departure: And for the truth of this alertion, the writer appeals to all the gentlemen in the prefent direction. The merits alledged in favour E of Mr Sulivan are ability and honesty, more particularly neceflary at this time to prevent the property of the company from being at the mercy of a fet of fictitious and nominal proprietors; ambitious and covetous fervants; and blundering partial directors;-to restore the company to its ancient gainful commercial principles;-to check the illegal and exorbitant power of the company's fervants abroad; and to prevent another tenth of their whole capital from being granted away to the next officer, who, enriched by plunder, and fupported by power, fhall demand 300,000l. payable in England for a frivolous claim extorted by violence in India ;-add to this, that to the ability of this gentleman the G company owe their exiflence; particularly by an amendment of the parliamentary articles of peace, without which the French power would have remained fuperior to ours in that remote country.

The charges against Mr S are, that though it had always been confidered as the right of the fervants of the company in India to rife by degrees from inferior to fuperior Rations; that is, from writers to factors, from that to fenior merchan's, from that to be of the council, and from that to be governors acersing to their feniority, except on extraor dinary occafions, where the directors thought

F

These are ftated as queries to which no anfwer has yet appeared.

Of the PLATE.

HE plate inferted in this month con

THE

tains an accurate and correct map of the roads from London to Bristol, being 114 miles measured from the Royal Exchange; alfo two roads to Bath, (being 107 miles) The fift commencing at Beckington (column four) 82 miles from London, and fo on through the Devizes; the other commencing at Chippenbam (column 5) 94 miles from London-To this map there is alfo added a map of the road from Briftol to Bath, (13 measured miles) also Hanother map of the road from Brifted through Gloucefter to Worcester, being upwards of 61 miles.

N. B. Thefe fer of Maps will be continued alternately, till the principal Reads thro' England are exbibited,