s, and that he held in his hand two advertisements, one of which
announced the sale of seventeen, and the other of forty-two villages.

BILL RESPECTING THE NEW FOREST AND TIMBER FOR THE NAVY.

In the course of this session Pitt introduced a bill for encouraging the
growth of timber for the navy, and improving the royal revenue
raising out of the New Forest, by the sale of certain parts, and the
enfranchisement of copyholds. This bill passed the commons without
much opposition, but on the second reading in the upper house it was
strenuously opposed by Lord Chancellor Thurlow. His lordship objected
to the principle of the bill as favouring the alienation of the crown
lands, and he asserted that it was essential to the safety of the
constitution that his majesty should have his interests blended with
those of the landed property in the country. Thurlow's arguments seem to
have had great weight, for though the bill was committed by a majority
of forty one against twenty-nine, it was postponed and never afterwards
resumed.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

Parliament was prorogued on the 15th of June, when his majesty expressed
great concern at the commencement of hostilities in Europe, and stated
that his principal care would be to preserve to his people the blessings
of peace. His majesty applauded the measures which had been adopted for
the diminution of taxation, and the additional provision made for the
reduction of the existing national debt; and for the prevention of the
accumulation of debt in future. But no prudential measures could lessen
the existing debt, or prevent its accumulation, for in a few months
England was involved in the most expensive war that had ever called
forth her energies.

CHANGES IN THE MINISTRY.

From the period of the king's malady, and the lord chancellor's
double-dealing in the matter of the Regency Bill, a misunderstanding had
existed between him and Pitt. Lord Thurlow, in fact, was the aggressor,
and the more inclined to continue the quarrel, for on no occasion did
Pitt exhibit his hostility, while my lord chancellor was continually
manifesting it both in the council and in parliament. In private society
also Thurlow was often heard to speak contemptuously of the chancellor
of the exchequer, and no remonstrance on the part of their mutual
friends could check his display of ill-feeling. In parliament, on
some occasions when the assistance of Thurlow was necessary, he
wo