parts of the value of the produce of that estate annually to the exchequer, until the whole of my debt, and that of Messrs. Fergusson and Murdock, late agents of my office, shall be fully paid. This estate, before the late disturbances, yielded 5,000l. a year, and the works being now re-established, it is expected to yield 6,000l. a year. The value of the crops of the next and following years are to be applied to the discharge of the money borrowed for the expense of re-establishing the estate; and along with the obligations of the executors, I give my personal engagement, that the payment on my account out of this fund shall be thereafter not less than 3,000l. per annum. This I give as a security for the balance of the sum for which I proposed to give security. 11,337 6 0 £52,087 6 0 The whole of the securities referred to in this statement I am already prepared to give, except three of the bonds, to the amount of 14,000l., which are now preparing, and they also will be executed in a few days. My object in proposing to give the bonds above-mentioned, was, to fix periods beyond 'which the debt, so unfortunately incurred, could not remain unpaid. The terms of payment were necessarily determined by a consideration with the friends who granted them, of the time which it might possibly require, from the state of my affairs, to complete the liquidation of the amount of their engagements on the security of those a fairs. My expectation however is, that the greatest part of the debt will be much soner paid. I have already obtained the engagement of a very respectable house in the West-India trade, to advance within one year after peace shall be made, 10,000l. on the consignments from the estate in Grenada, which sum I have engaged shall be immediately applied to the payment of part of those bonds which have the longest term of payment; and there are other very considerable sums which I have reason to believe “I shall be able to raise at ́no great distance of time.-A plan similar to this, as you know, I had made some progress in 4 years ago, but was disabled from carrying it into effect by the disturbances which then broke out in Grenada, and which made it impossible. for me to give the necessary securities to the friends who were to engage for me. I have the honour, &c. John Fordyce. 10th June, 1798. No. II. Copy of Letter to Charles Long, Esq. dated 31st March, 1799.-Sir, I my letter dated 10th June last, I had the ho nour to acquaint you, for the information of the lords of the treasury, that I was then nearly prepared to carry into effect the proposal which I had made to their lordships, respecting the debis due by myself and the agents of my late office of receiver general for Scotland. I am now able to state to you, that I have since completed what I was then preparing to execute, and have, a greeably to the directions from the lords of the treasury, delivered to Messrs. Goodenough and White, as trustees appointed by their lordships, the securities herein-after mentioned. This debt, which as has been often stated, was increased to a great sum by the failure of three different agents, 1 shall divide into 3 parts. The first and greatest part, being 52,0871. 6s. is answerable from my own property only, in consequence of a commission of bankruptcy hav ing, in the affairs of one of those agents, preceded and prevented the effect of the writ of extent which I applied for, and for which the following securities are given :— 1st. The sum due to me as one of the commissioners of the land revenue, for salary, at the rate of 1,500l. a year, from Jan. 1788 to July 1793 ; being 5 years 2dly. The bonds of several gentlemen, of undoubted fortune and responsibility, deposited with Messrs. Goodenough and White for The names of these gentlemen are given in the inclosed paper. 3dly, There has also been deposited with Messrs. Goodenough and White, the obligation of the executors or trustees of the estate of river Antoine in Grenada, to pay not less than three fourth parts of the value of the pre £8,250 0.0 29,500 0 Q great sum of that money contrary to the or- Note of Bonds, referred to in Mr. For- In a letter from those executors, a copy of which has been sent to Messrs. Goodenough and White, shey thus express themselves respecting the value of the last-mentioned security, and the loss occasioned by the late disturbances in Grenada :-"The returns "from the estate of river Antoine for the years 1795, 6, and 7, which have been comaletely lost, would probably have "been worth 20,000l. which, added to the loan you were endeavouring to obtoin, "would have made a great impression on 66 your debt to the public before this time." That estate, which was wasted during those disturbances, being now re-established, is expected from this time to be as productive as it formerly was; and if the present prices of sugar shall continue, all the debts upon it prior to mine will be discharged by the crop of next year. I am also still persisting in my endeavours to obtain a loan upon it, which the continuance of war renders difficult, but which will probably be easily got when peace is made. The returns therefore from the estate will be paid annually, and that loan, when it shall be obtained, to the exchequer, in discharge of the balance before-mentioned of 14,3371. 6s. in the first place; and after that is paid, to the gradual discharge of the bonds for 29,500l. and of" Scotland, to Mr. Long, dated the 10th the debt due, as is after-mentioned, by "June 1798, that one of the bonds offered Messrs. Ferguson and Murdock, as agents as a security for part of the debt due from for my late office, in just proportion to the "him to the crown, is an obigation of the amount of the sums due to them and me "executors of the estate of the river Anfrom that estate; so that though those bonds" toine in Grenada, to pay three-fourth granted by my friends are not payable till "parts of the value of the produce of that 1805, I have reason to expect that a very "estate annually into the exchequer, until considerable part of them will be discharged "the whole of such debt, and that of before that time; and that term of payment "Messrs. Fergusson and Murdock, late is only to be considered as the mode taken agents in his office, have been fully paid; to fix the period beyond which no part of" and that the payment out of that fund, that debt due by me for the security of" after the two years crops which are apwhich those bonds are given, can remain" propriated to the discharge of the money unpaid. The second part of that debt to "borrowed to re-establish the estate, would the public is for 13,4151. 17s. gd. due by not be less than 3,000l. per annum; and Messrs. Douglas and Cockburn, to whom it appearing that no payment has been the money of my office was remitted by my "made into the exchequer out of the prodeputy, in obedience to the directions of" duce of the estate, the board request us the first lord of the treasury, at the time" to transmit them a copy of the bond, if when I discovered that they had detained a "in our possession, or acquaint you with 66 66 whom it is deposited, in order that it may | ner transgressed. In my letter to Mr. Long, be seen whether the same is forfeited, referred to in that which I have now receiv" and whether it may be proper to institute ed from you, and in another to the same any proceedings for the penalty; also de- gentleman, dated 31st March 1799, in which siring to be informed whether any, and the securities given to the trustees for, the what sums had been received from the treasury are more particularly described, I "effects of his late agents which were seiz- mentioned my expectation, that "the river " upon extents, and, came to our hands as "Antoine estate, which had been wasted "trustees for the crown;" We have to ac- during the insurrection, having been res quaint you, for the board's information, that" established, would after that time be as the monies received from the effects of his productive as it formerly was; and that late agents seized upon the extent, which "if the then prices of sugar should concame to our hands as trustees for the crown, "tinue, the debts upon it prior to mine have been from time to time as they were "(being the sums advanced by the conreceived, after deducting the costs and signees) would be discharged by the crops charges incurred in the recovery and receipt "of the subsequent year, in which case, thereof, paid by us into the exchequer on not only would the value of three-fourth account of Mr. Fordyce's debt: that we are parts of the produce be applied to the not in possession of any such bond of the " payment of Messrs. Fergusson's and Murexecutors of the estate of the river Antoine "dock's debt and mine, until their full as is mentioned in your letter, and we do payment, by a loan would probably be not believe that any such ever existed: Mr. "obtained by me upon the estate farther Fordyce has a mortgage upon the equity of" to accelerate the payment of those debts." the redemption of that estate; we therefore-But though the estate has, as we expectimagine that the obligation, if so it can be called, mentioned in your letter, must be some arrangement between him and the prior incumbrancers. We are, &c. (Signed) G. T. Goodenough, Josh. White. No. IV.-Copy of Letter from John Fordyce, Esq. to the Secretary to the Board of Taxes; dated 15th June 1803.Sir, In consequence of your letter, dated 28th ult., written under the direction of the commissioners for the affairs of taxes, desiring me to send a copy of the bond of the executors of the estate of the river Antoine, to pay three-fourth parts of the value of the produce of that estate into the exchequer until the whole of my debt, and that of Messrs. Fergusson and Murdock, late agents for my office, should be fully paid, if that bond be in my possession; or acquaint them with whom it is deposited, in order that it may be seen whether the same is forfeited, and whether it may be proper to institute any proceedings for the penalty, I have the honour to acquaint you, that the obligation granted to the trustees for the treasury by those executors was in the form of a missive, not a bond, and that it never was given to me by the trustees, nor is in my hands; and Mr. C. Fergusson assures me that it is not in his possession. If the obligation, however, which seems to have been mislaid, should not be found, it will make no difference in the security, the executors having no wish or intention to avoid the fulfilment of the conditions in it, which they do not conceive that they have hitherto in any man ed, become as productive as formerly, and the crop of the present year, as we are informed, very far exceeds any one that ever before grew upon it, yet such has been the fall in the price of sugar, and the increase of duties and expenses, that, as I am sure I need not inform yourself or the commis sioners, neither this or any other such estate in Grenada has afforded any clear revenue to the owners; and the consignees declare that their prior claim is not only not dicharged, but not diminished since the date of that letter.-That estate owes me, by accounts proved in the court of chancery, more than 50,000l. which is certainly more than I shall ever recover from it; but it will be unfortunate indeed if it shall not produce 14,3871: 6s. which is the sum for which it is given to the treasury as a security; and I have not, nor can I receive one shilling from it, till the government debt is paid:-The obligations which I came under to the treasury in consequence of the arrangement made for the payment of my debt, I have the satisfaction to know will be punctually paid, if I'âm not interrupted in the liquidation of my af fairs; and I have still reason to believe from Mr. Fergusson that the securities obtained by the writs of extent and otherwise, for the debt due by Fergusson and Murdock, will be sufficient for the discharge of the debt still due by them, No part of that debt, or of the balance due by Douglas and Cockburn, has been received by me.- I have the honour, &c - INDEX TO DEBATES IN THE HOUSE Ballot for a Select Committee on | Irish Union Commissioners, 184 the Tenth Naval Report, 511 Carnatic, Affairs of the, 255 Corn Regulation Bill, 739 India, State of Affairs in, 225 180. Irish Loan, 446 Irish Silver Tokens' Bill, 597. Melville, Lord, Proceedings rela- 134, 150, 171 Naval Commissioners Renewal Naval Enquiry, Vote of Thanks to the Commissioners of, 552 OF COMMONS. Petition from the Navy Board res 623 Popham, Conduct of Sir. Home, Prize Agency Bill, 61 ya; Scott, Mr. Claude, Papers rela- INDEX OF NAMES.-HOUSE OF LORDS. Albemarle, Earl of, 778 Buckinghamshire, Earl of, 195, 744 Camden, Earl, 17, 27, 204, 706 Carisfort, Earl of, 164, 728 Clarence, Duke of, 17, 28, 156 Eldon, Lord, see Lord Chancellor 455,804 Grenville, Lord, 26, 40, 42, 97, Montrose, Duke of, 203, 591 Hawkesbury, Lord, 28, 43, 144, Oxford, Bishop of, 142, 144, 191, 106, 164, 191, 192, 254, 428, Limerick, Earl of, 729 192, 451, 452, 455, 538, 634 Abbot, Rt. Hon. C. see Speaker Alexander, H. 71, 207, 419, 944 207, 618, 619 Bankes, W. 142, 160, 351, 414, 492, 498 Barham, J 222, 350 Foster, J. 6, 14, 15, 34, 36, 60, 68, 71, 129. 130, 446, 599, Fox, C. J. 30, 36, 37, 57, 70, 109, 110, 140, 141, 166, 168, Bastard, J. P. 81, 117, 159, 322, Frankland, W. 136 583, 737 Best, W. D. 371, 394, 414, 443, 445, 446, 506 Bourne, S. 185, 430, 560 Cavendish, Lord G go Peele, Sir P. R. 741 Percival, Hon. S. see Attorney Petty, Lord Henry, 69, 109, 289, 373, 410, 541 Pole, Sir C. 389, 391, 393, 481, Pytches, J. 500 Fuller, J. 82, 363, 421, 524, 583 Pulteney, Sir J. so Grant, Sir W. see Master of the Grant, C 213 Grattan, H. 917, 969 Grenville, T. 320, 411, 500 381, 382, 408, 411, 434, 441, Hamond, A. S. 457, 458, 461, 614, 731, 732, 735, 738. Johnstone, G. 59, 255, 596, 598 Kinnaird, C. 186, 365, 366, 409, Lascelles, H. 524, 525, 741 Latouche, J. 36, 71, 1034 Rose, G. 25, 372, 398, 444, Ryder. R. 553 St. John, Hon. A. 223 Scott, Sir W. 61, 612, 966, 969 Secretary at War, 173, 174, 366, Shaw, G. 1031 395, 406, 420, 431, 432, 435, Smith, W. 439, 741, 950, 951 Speaker, The (Right Hon. C. Abbot) 47, 79, 90, 159, 177, 135, 141, 240, 619, 648 Laurence, F. 95, 241, 391, 440, Thornton, S. 349 Martin, R. 129, 167, 108, 536, Whitbread, S. 255, 321, 328, 619 Master of the Rolls, 25, 309, 408, 409, 499, 517 Metcalfe, Sir T. 246, 509 367, 370, 371, 398, 399, 406, 501, 554, 579, 580, 586, 736 Mildmay, Sir H. 90, 95, 542, 544, Windham, 123, 174, 177, 321, 558, 559 Moore, P. 397, 509, 510, 541 END OF VOL. IV. Cox, So, a d Baylis, Printers, Gr. Queen Str. 352, 412, 435, 498, 526, 534, Wright. A. 433, 434, 443, 559 1 |