, forests, and land revenues belonging to the crown, as well
as to sell or alienate fee-farm and other unimprovable rents. This
bill passed the commons, _netn. con._, after the adoption of certain
amendments, moved by Mr. Jollife, to protect title-deeds, and to bind
the commissioners to report their proceedings in parliament. In the
house of lords, however, it met with the stern opposition of Lord
Loughborough, who objected to the bill because it did not agree with
the king's message; because it repealed two old acts, and created a new
power for the sale of those lands, without any exception of the rents
reserved in the former acts, for divers persons, and for other
purposes mentioned in those acts; and because the powers granted to the
commissioners were dangerous to the people and derogatory to the honour
of the crown. Notwithstanding this opposition, the bill was ultimately
carried and received the royal assent.

In the midst of his exertions for financial reform, and before the
Sinking-fund Bill passed into a law, a message was delivered to the
house from the king, by the minister, stating, that it gave him great
concern to inform the commons that it had not been possible to confine
the expenses of the civil list within the annual sum of L850,000, now
applicable to that purpose. This message was the more remarkable as, in
1782, when Pitt was chancellor of the exchequer, the king, in his speech
from the throne, had stated that he had so regulated his establishments,
that his expenses should not in future exceed his income. The sum now
required to free his majesty from debt, contracted partly before and
partly since that period, was L210,000; which sum, after considerable
opposition, in the course of which the necessity of economy was strongly
enforced, was ultimately voted.

DEBATES ON INDIA, ETC.

In consequence of the commutation tax, and the preventive measures taken
against smuggling, the sale of tea at the East India-house had by this
time increased nearly threefold. This enlarged trade, connected with
other circumstances, induced the company to apply to parliament for an
act, empowering them to make an addition to their funds. A petition
to this effect was presented on the 25th of May, and Pitt proposed
and carried a bill, which enabled the company to add L800,000 to their
stock, and also to sell a surplus of L36,000 a year, received from
the exchequer, over and above the annuities which they paid to th