iance as this or any other country could boast." In reply, Pitt
said that the Birmingham riots had better be consigned to oblivion,
especially as sufficient had been done for their atonement; and he
broadly hinted that Fox revived the subject for party purposes. He
warmly defended the conduct of the cabinet in the interference between
Turkey and Russia; asserting that the object of it was to prevent the
ruin of the Turkish empire, and to preserve that balance of power in
Europe which was essential to the interests of Great Britain. Pitt
concluded by adverting to the more pleasing topic of financial
improvement; stating that the last year's revenue amounted to
L16,790,000, which, after all the expenditure and the annual million
devoted to the reduction of the national debt, left a surplus of
L900,000; and that, encouraged by this prosperous condition of the
finances, he contemplated taking off some of those taxes which pressed
most heavily upon the poor.

DEBATES ON THE RUSSIAN ARMAMENT.

Papers relative to the apprehended rupture between Great Britain and
Russia were laid before the house on the 6th of February. This gave rise
to several debates, in which the spirit of party was strongly displayed.
On the 13th of February Mr. Grey loudly complained that ministers had
not produced the preliminaries said to have been adjusted between
the Russian and Turkish negociators; and that large sums had been
unnecessarily spent in fitting out the armament. A week later Mr. Grey
moved for a more ample production of papers regarding various portions
of the recent diplomacy of ministers; arguing that the whole of the
correspondence was necessary, if they wished to justify the steps they
had taken. Pitt resisted the demand, conceiving that sufficient had been
disclosed to make the house master of all the essential parts of the
business, and asserting that confidence was due to the administration,
until their capacity or integrity was impeached. The motion was
negatived, but on the 29th of February the subject was revived by Mr.
Whitbread, who moved the following resolutions:--"That no arrangement
respecting Oczakow and its district appears to have been capable of
affecting the political or commercial interests of this country, so
as to justify any hostile interference on the part of Great Britain
between. Russia and the Porte: that the interference for the purpose
of preventing the cession of the said fortress and its district t