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N° VI March 15. The Commons, in a grand Committee on Ways and Means to raife the Supply, refolv'd, That the Duties on Malt, Mum, Cyder, and Perry, be farther continu'd from the 23d of fune 1717, to the 24 of June 1718; which Refolution being the next Day (March 16) reported, was agreed to by the Houfe, and a Bill order'd to be brought in upon it. The fame Day the Houfe, in a grand Committee, made fome Progrefs in the Bill for punishing Mutiny and Defertion, and having gone through it on the 18th, Mr. Pulteney reported it the next Day; but the Confideration of the Report was adjourn'd to the Day following.

March 19. The Serjeant at Ams of the House of Commons having clear'd the Houfe and the Speaker's Chamber of Strangers, and lock'd the Chamber-Door, the Commons went into a Committee of the whole Houfe, to confider of the State of the Nation, in Relation to the national Debts, and after having fpent fome Hours on that Affair, adjourn d the farther Confideration of it to the zzd.

March 20. It was order'd, ft, That it be an Inftrution to the Committee of the whole Houfe, to whom the Bill for granting an Aid to his Malefty by a Land-Tax in Great Britain, for the Service of the Year 1717, was committed, That they have Power to receive a Claufe or Claufes, for authorizing the Commiffioners to be nam'd in the Bill, to call the Collectors of the Land-Taxes to Accompt for fuch Moneys as they have detain'd in their Hands to the End the fame may be apply'd in Eafe to fuch Parishes or Divifions where Deficiencies have been occafion'd thereby zdly, That they have Power to receive a Claufe for transferring to the faid Act, the Deficiency of the Loans and Intereft upon the 4th 2 Shilling Aid: And 3dly, That they have Power to receive a Claufe of Credit.

March 2: The Commons, in a Committee of the whole Houfe, came to the following Refolutions. I. That all the publick Funds redeemable by Law, that do now exceed five per Cent, per Annum, be redeem'd according to the refpective Provifoes or Claufes of Redemption, contain'd in the Acts of Parliament for that Purpose; or (with Confent of the Proprietors) be converted into an Intereft or Annuity, not exceeding 51.per Cent, per Annum, redeemable by Parliament. II. That

H. That his Majefty be enabled to borrow of any Perfon or Perfons, Bodies Politick or Corporate, fuch Sum or Sums of Money, as fhall be requifite to redeem the faid redeemable Funds, at any Rate not exceeding 51. per Cent. per Annum, and to fecure the fame upon the Funds fo to be redeem'd. III. That the Annuity of 1065011. 13s. 5 d. per Annum, payaEle to the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, out of the Houfe-Money, by Virtue of feveral Acts of Parliament in that Behalf, for the prin cipal Sum of 17750271. 17 s. 10 d. by them advanc'd, be redeem'd, or (by Confent of the faid Governor. and Company) converted into an Intereft or Annuity, not to exceed 5. per Cent. per Annum, redeemable by Farliament. IV. That fo much of the Fund, commonly call'd the Aggregate Fund, fettled by an Act of Parliament in the first Year of the Reign of his prefent Majefty, as is applicable to the Intereft, Circulation, Exchanging, or Cancelling the prefent Exchequer-Bills, be alfo redeem'd. V. That his Majefty be enabled to authorize the High Treafurer, or, the Commiffioners of the Treafury for the Time be-, ing, to treat and agree with any Perfon or Perfous, Bodies Politick or Corporate, for circulating fuch a Number of Exchequer-Bills, at a Rate not exceeding 41. 10s. per Cent. per Annum, for Intereft, Exchanging, and Circulation, as may be charg'd and fecur'd upon that part of the faid aggregate Fund fo to be re deem'd. VI. That the Annuities of 600000l. and 8000l. per Annum, payable to the Governor and Company of Merchants of Great Britain trading to the South-Sea, be alfo redeem'd. VII. That the Annuities payable by an Act of Parliament of the twelfth Year of the Reign of King William, (of glorious Memory) to certain Patentees therein nam'd, their Heirs and Affigns, out of the weekly Sum of 3700l. charg'd on the Excife, be alfo redeem'd. VIII. That the feveral Terms of Years remaining in the Duties appropriated by the two Lottery-Acts, made and pafs'd in the ninth Year of the Reign of her late Majefty Queen Anne, (of bleffed Memory) and by the two Lottery-Acts made and pass'd in the tenth Year of her faid late Majefty's Reign, be made perpetual, IX. That the faid, Duties comprehended in the faid four Lottery-Acts, be made one general Fund for the Future. X. That the Proprietors of the Orders

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grounded on the faid Lottery-Acts, do, within a limited Time, make their Elections, either to accept Annuities after the Rate of 51. per Cent. per Annum, redeemable by Parliament, out of fuch general Fund or be paid fo much as remains due to them on their Orders refpectively. XI. That in all Cafes where the Proprietors fhall chufe to have their Principal, the 57. per Cent. per Aunum fav'd thereby, be made another Fund towards anfwering fuch Sums of Money as fhall be advanc'd (towards difcharging the said Principal) by Loans, or other Securities, as fhall be thought proper. XII. That His Majefty be enabled to give Power for receiving voluntary Subfcriptions from any Perfon or Perfons entitled to any of the Annuities iffuing out of the publick Funds, for the Refidue of the refpective Terms of 99, 96, 89, or 32 Years, tormerly purchas'd therein, (not being fubject to Redemption) who thall be willing to accept, in lieu thereof, perpetual Annuities redeemable by Parliament, and to allow for the remaining Terms in the faid Annuities, which were purchas'd for 99, 96, or 89, Years, (at the Election of the refpective Subfcribers) either fo much as the fame Annuities fhall amount to at 19 Years Purchase, to be made good by new Annuities of 41. per Cent. per Annum, redeemable by Parliament; or 17 Years and a half Purchase to be made good by new Annuities of 51. per Cent. per Annum, to be redeemable in like Manner; and to allow for the remaining Terms in the faid Annuities, which were purchas'd for 32 Years, (ar the Election of the refpective Subfcribers) either fo much as the fame Annuities fhall amount to at 14 Years and a half's Purchase, to be made good by new Annuities of 41. per Cent. per Annum, redeemable by Parliament, or 13 Years and a half's Purchase, to be made good by Annuities of 51. per Cent. per Annum, redeemable in like Manner; and that the faid new Annuities fhall be fettled and fecur'd accordingly. XIII. That all Savings that fhall arife upon any of the prefent Funds, by the propos'd Redemptions or Reductions, be referv'd and apply'd, after all Deficiencies that may happen upon any of the faid Funds are made good, towards difcharging and reducing the national Debt. XIV. That all the faid Duties now in being, or to be continu'd, fhall immediately ceafe and determine, after the faid national

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