by which the door was closed against all hopes of pacification, the
majority approved of what had been done, and it was determined to
prosecute the war with vigour.

On the 17th of February a debate took place on a royal message, in which
his majesty, after stating that he was concerting such engagements with
the Emperor of Germany, the Elector of Bavaria, and other powers of the
empire as might be conducive to the advantage of the common cause in the
course of the ensuing campaign, informed the house that he was desirous
of authorising his minister to make provisionally such advances of money
as might be necessary for this purpose. Pitt declared that L500,000
was all that he required at the commencement; and after some little
opposition, his motion for the grant was carried by a large majority.
Ministers were also equally well supported in a proposal, made by
opposition, for an inquiry into the causes of the disgraces which had
attended the British arms in Holland: it was quashed at once.

The total supplies voted for this year was L47,900,739. The income-tax
was continued; and there was a loan of L21,000,000, including a vote of
credit. For two months 120,000 seamen and 90,000 soldiers were granted,
exclusive of subsidiaries; but for the rest of the year 10,000 were
deducted from each number. On the annual motion for renewing the act for
suspending the _Habeas Corpus_ bill, there was a stormy debate; but
the measure was carried with the usual majorities. An attempt made by
a maniac named Hadfield to shoot the king in Drury-lane theatre, led to
the insertion of two additional clauses in the insanity bill, by which
the privilege of bail to alleged lunatics was abridged, and the personal
safety of the sovereign thereby consulted. Subsequently a committee of
each house was appointed to consider of the most effectual means for
remedying the distress which prevailed at this time, from a scarcity
of corn; and a bill was brought in and passed, prohibiting the sale of
bread which had not been baked twenty-four hours, it being generally
admitted that stale bread satisfied the appetite sooner than new bread.
The Archbishop of Canterbury recommended a series of resolutions in
the upper house, and a voluntary association, by which each of their
lordships should bind himself to lessen the consumption of bread and
flour in his family, by using such articles as might be conveniently
substituted in the place thereof. These resolutio