works of great magnitude and expence. whereby the port of Bristol is converted into a floating harbour; and many great inconveniences, to which the trade and shipping were before subject, are now effectually remedied; and that looking for. ward to the period when the East India trade should be thrown open to the exertions and industry of all his Majesty's subjects, the Petitioners formed their locks upon a scale calculated for the admission of vessels employed in such trade, and of much larger size than was necessary for the shipping usually frequenting the port; and that, in the completion of a work of so large an extent, the petitioners laid out a sum not less than 600,000l. for which vast expenditure they had no hopes or prospect of ever receiving an adequate return, except from the increase of the trade expected to result from the improvement; and that their expectations in that respect have been hithero entirely disap

are objects of essential importance to the country at this time, when the greatest part of the continent of Europe is barred against British merchants and British manufactures; and that, subsequently to the act of 1793, namely, in 1797, it was deemed expedient to grant to the United States of America, and to such nations of Europe as were in amity with his Majesty, complete freedom of trade to the whole of the East India Company's settlements, from which, and from her intercourse with China, America has not only supplied her own wants, but it is a notorious fact that, from the same source, the British West India colonies have been inundated, and the Mediterranean, and other parts of Europe, have been partially supplied with East India and Chinese products and manufactures; and that the fears which the East India Company express, that a free, open, and unrestrained intercourse between British merchants and the subjects of China, may lead to quarrels, and ulti-pointed, owing principally to the unexmately to the total stoppage of that branch of commerce, are proved to be groundless, by the experience of a long course of years, during which the subjects of the United States of America have enjoyed free intercourse with China without any such consequence having resulted therefrom; and that the port and harbour of Bristol has, at a vast expence, been rendered capable of receiving and keeping afloat ships of very considerable burthen; and the Petitioners think themselves warranted in asserting that the duties of customs and excise are as well secured, and as freely and faithfully paid and collected in that port as they can possibly be in the port of London; and praying, that the House will not consent to renew to the East India Company any of those exclusive commercial privileges which are contained in the 33d of his Majesty, c. 52; but that, from the expiration of that act, the trade to all parts of the East Indies, the Eastern Archipelago, and China, may be as freely and fully open to all persons and ports of the United Kingdom as it at present is exclusively to the E. I. Company, and solely to the port of London."

A Petition of the Directors of the Bristol Dock Company, for and on behalf of the said Company, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That the petitioners, under the authority of an act passed in the 43d year of his present Majesty, have constructed

L

ampled state of affairs on the continent of Europe, whereby some branches of trade heretofore enjoyed by the port of Bristol have been lost, and others materially lessened; and in consequence thereof, the duties made payable by parliament to the petitioners, as a remuneration for their advances, have fallen far short of the intent of the legislature, and are not at this time equal to pay a dividend of two and an half per centum on the total expenditure; and that, in the present general and alarming depression of trade throughout the kingdom, it is peculiarly fortunate for the country that the approaching termination of the East India Company's Charter will afford a resource of a most extensive and ample nature, and perfectly independentof the power or controul of the common enemy, by enabling parliament to throw open to the individual exertions of all his Majesty's subjects a trade hitherto confined to the exclusive enjoyment of a single company; and praying, that the House will refuse to sanction any Bill for the renewal of the East India Company's Charter, and thereby afford to the petitioners and to the country at large that relief which the peculiar circumstances of the times seem imperiously to require."

A Petition of several manufacturers and other inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Bilston, in the county of Stafford, was also presented and read; setting forth,

A Petition of the dock company at

"That, in the 14th year of his present Majesty, an act passed for making a dock, and building a public quay, or wharf, at Kingston-upon-Hull, and for the better securing his Majesty's revenues of customs; and that, soon after the passing of the said act, the petitioners, at great expence, made an extensive dock for the accommodation of shipping, and built a commodious quay, or wharf, along the side thereof accordingly; and that, in pursuance of an act passed in the 42d year of his present Majesty, the petitioners also lately, at an expence of upwards of 220,000l. made another dock at the said port, with an entrance into the same, capable of admitting his Majesty's ships of war of 50 guns, together with other extensive quays and wharfs contiguous thereto; and that, by the terms of the last-mentioned act, the petitioners are required to make another dock, and to provide further accommodation for the trade of the said port, whenever a specified increase of tonnage of the shipping resorting to the same may take place; and that, in addition to the works above enumerated, the petitioners have erected several substantial and convenient warehouses immediately contiguous to the said legal quay, for the reception of goods, wares, and merchandizes imported into, and intended for exportation, from the said port; and that the circumstance of the port of Hull being situate on the river Humber, and communicating, by navigable rivers and canals, with the manufacturing counties of York, Lancaster, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, and Stafford, and with most other parts of the kingdom, would enable the merchants and ship owners of Hull to participate, with peculiar advantage to themselves, and with perfect safety to the revenue in the trade to the East Indies; and praying, that the House will be pleased to adopt such measures as they may deem expedient, to obtain to the port of Hull a participation in the trade to the East Indies, and particularly to the empire of China, on the expiration of the East India Company's Charter.

"That in consequence of the system. which prevails upon nearly the whole of Kingston-upon-Hull, was also presented the continent of Europe of excluding Bri- and read; setting forth, tish produce, and of the unfortunate misunderstanding with the United States of America, which has caused their ports to be closed, the trade and manufactures of the petitioners have undergone a very severe and unprecedented depression; and that when the petitioners observe the inflexible perseverance with which the French ruler pursues his plan of annoying, and, if possible, annihilating the commerce of this country, and likewise the overwhelming influence he has obtained in almost every part of Europe, they cannot but regard as hopeless any prospect of re-admission to the continental markets; and that the petitioners are decidedly averse to any tame and ignominious submission to the enemy by which the honour of the nation might be sullied and its interests compromised, but they feel it a duty to express their full conviction, that unless some modes of commercial relief be adopted, the welfare and independence of the empire will be materially endangered; and it appears to the petitioners that the East Indies would afford an extent of country and population fully equal to the consumption of all the British manufactures that are at present shut out of their usual markets; therefore they cannot but lament the existence of a monopoly which excludes the subjects of this country from their just and natural rights, and which, in common with all other commercial monopolies, is totally inconsistent with the principles of sound justice and policy; and that moreover the petitioners humbly state their firm opinion, that the advantages arising to the East India Company from their exclusive commercial privileges are very trifling, if any; that the mercantile interests of the kingdom at large are thereby exposed to severe and mischievous privations, that at the same time other nations are suffered to engross the benefits of the Eastern trade, and that consequently the abolition of the East India monopoly would be a most desireable measure; and that the petitioners therefore most earnestly implore the House to take into immediate consideration the present distressed state of the trade and manufactures of the country, and to adopt such measures as will be most conducive A Petition of the guild or brotherhood to their relief, by opening the Eastern of masters and pilots, seamen of the Trimarkets to the spirit, enterprize, and inge-nity-house of Kingston-upon-Hull, was nuity of the empire at large." also presented and read; setting forth,

"That, however necessary the mono- | dustry, and capital of private merchants, poly of the East India Company might it would be conducted with a degree of have been at the time it was originally energy and economy which a large public granted, by which that Company became body is incapable of exercising, new chanpossessed of the whole trade of India, nels of commerce would be discovered, China, and other countries comprehended the consumption of our manufactures exin their Charter, it is now become inex- tended, and our shipping increased, to the pedient, as a measure of general national advantage of the parties concerned, and policy, is unjust and extremely prejudicial the permanent augmentation of the wealth, to the interests of all other British mer- power, and resources of the British emchants and ship owners; and that, in case pire; and that the extensive and flourishthe trade to the British dominions in India, ing commerce of the United States of and to the countries eastward of the Cape America with India and the Chinese emof Good Hope, were opened to all the pire, exhibits a proof, that these expectasubjects of Great Britain, immense advan- tions of advantage from the exertions of tages and wealth would be derived there- private individuals are not unfounded; from, the advantages of which are at pre- and they beg leave respectfully to represent actually enjoyed by all other flags sent, that any partial modification of the except the British; and that, as every trade would, in their opinion, fall export of this United Kingdom is equally tremely short of those advantages which entitled to the advantages of foreign trade, would accrue from the total abolition of any regulations which would, in future, the existing monopoly; and they do, confine the trade of the East to the port of therefore, humbly and earnestly depre London, would be unjust, and contrary to cate any continuation of the Company's those wise principles of sound policy by exclusive privilege to the commerce with which this nation is governed, and a vio- China: they conceive that the British lation of the just rights of every other sea character forbids the injurious suspicion port in the kingdom; and that the peti- that their intercourse with the Chinese tioners are fully persuaded, that the expi- would be disturbed by a conduct deficient ration of the charter of the East India in discretion or propriety, whilst the Ame Company, in 1814, affords a promising ricans, and other nations, have maintained and most fortunate opportunity of grant a similar intercourse without interruption: ing to the subjects of this country a relief they also think, that no greater necessity which government has not had in its for monopoly exists with a view to secure power, for many years, and which, if lost, the duties on tea, than those on sugar, will be attended with incalculable disap- rum, or any other highly-taxed article of pointment to the fair hopes and expecta- importation; and the petitioners hope tions of the country; and praying, that and trust that no reason can be found, the House will be pleased to adopt such either in justice or in policy, for the exmeasures, as in their wisdom shall seem clusion of the out-ports from the benefit meet, in opening this most important of the trade with India, and situate as the branch of commerce to all the subjects of town of Hull is, on a great estuary, the the nation, upon the expiration of the Humber communicating by inland navipresent existing Charter of the East India gation with the principal manufacturing Company." districts, and with a large portion of the kingdom, they entertain no doubt that the facilities these circumstances present would enable the petitioners to engage in it with advantage to themselves and to their country; and the petitioners further humbly request, that the House will not impose any restraint on the British merchant respecting the burthen of any vessel to be employed in the trade, but leave the choice to his own judgment and discretion; and that the commercial distresses which the petitioners have, in common with the rest of the kingdom, experienced from the enormous power and influence of the enemy on the continent of Europe,

A Petition of the merchants ship owners and other inhabitants of Kingston-uponHull, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That the approaching expiration of the East India Company's Charter having occupied the attention of the House, the petitioners beg leave respectfully to state their hopes and wishes on that important subject; and that the petitioners are fully persuaded, that if the trade to the British dominions in India, and to the immense and populous countries included in the Charter, were laid open to the skill, in

furnish abundant reasons for applying to the House, with earnestness and with con. fidence, for the purpose of opening new channels of intercourse with those distant regions, where the success of his Majesty's arms, by sea and by land, has established British dominion on a permanent basis, and has secured British commerce against all danger of hostile interference; and praying the House to adopt such measures as to their wisdom shall seem meet, for granting to all his Majesty's subjects, from and after the expiration of the East India Company's Charter, a free trade to and from India and its dependencies, and to and from the empire of China."

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

PETITION OF SAMUEL FLETCHER, BREWER, OF WESTMINSTER.] Sir Francis Burdett presented a Petition from Samuel Fletcher, brewer, maltster, and potter, Thames Bank, Westminster, which was read; setting forth,

ward to support their testimony; in the fifth two more perjuries were intended, but the charge relinquished from the dread of detection; and that the fifth was for the very common misfortune of an accidental leak in a cistern; in their evidence to the sixth and seventh information, not only are there four most gross perjuries proved on the oath of the best witnesses; but, in the nature of things, the facts they swore to are impossible to be true; yet one of the commissioners told the petitioner that the evidence was clear enough to convict him of murder, and, without allowing a reply, proceeded to levy fines for every one of these pretended offences, though no shadow of guilt appeared, to the amount of 1121. 5s. ; a Petition was next morning sent to the Board, praying for a fair trial, or further investigation; this Petition was answered in the evening of the same day, by seizing all the property, a cargo of porter intended for exportation, and all the business was stopped, though there were ten times the "That the petitioner was a brewer, malt- amount of these penalties in other property ster, and potter, at Thames Bank, in the on the premises; to prevent the sale, and liberties of Westminster, in the parish of destruction of the goods, the penalties Saint George Hanover square; and that, were all paid, and costs, reserving the in the spring of 1809, three of the Excise right of appeal on the two last cases, the officers entered, and were, in the absence penalties on them amounting to 1007.; of the petitioner and his workmen, de- and that this court of appeal, which contected in robbing the premises; com- sisted of six commissioners and counsel, plaint was made to the surveyor, who re- and the same attorney who presided at ported them to the Board of Excise, who the Excise office 6th February, met in soon after removed him and appointed Westminster the 23d of May; the three another in his stead; between this new informers were now again brought forofficer, and one of the old offenders, were ward and sworn; the same man who had planned a conspiracy for the ruin of the been concerned in the robbery (a fact he petitioner; no less than seven informations here confessed,) was here also the favourite were invented, and laid, between the 5th and leading evidence; the perjury at the of October and the 29th of November Excise office was confessed, and new ones 1809, the penalties of which amount to committed; but, incredible as it may ap1,000l.: had all these accusations been pear, the party accused, who was allowed true, instead of being most palpably false, a sort of defence in London in February, the actual fraud on the revenue could not was not now, in a court to which he was amount to one single farthing; and that sent to for redress in Westminster in May the petitioner was summoned to, and, on following, suffered to open his mouth in the 26th of February, 1810, without legal reply, or defence, nor yet call a single form, or the benefit of judge, jury, coun- witness in his behalf; it is therefore needsel, or witnesses, tried at the Excise office, less to add, that the original judgment was on the naked testimony of their own offi- confirmed; and the solicitor to the Excise cers, who had made no scruple to rob the now drew from his pocket two long bills, accused in open day; not only these offi- and presented to the appellant's attorney, cers, but the court, acknowledged that no being the entire expence, and that doubled, fraud could be committed or intended by of assembling and holding their court; the first pretended offence; and, in their and that these informers, being thus enevidence on the second and third informa-couraged and paid, they thrice attempted, tions, five wilful perjuries were proved by their own officers, who were brought for

between this time and the latter end of July, to renew their informations and