62 Commercial Affairs.[July

July roth. The houſe of lords took into conſideration the London Fiour and Bread Company's Bill. An account ot foreign wheat imported’ was preſented from the Cuſtom-houſe, when the houſe reſolved to hear evidence at the bar on. the ſaid bill on Monday next. The‘bill relating to foreign religious orders was preſented to be read a ſecond time, when, after a debate, in which the biſhops of Rocheſter and Wincheſter, and the Lord Chancellor took part, the bill was committed to that day three montns.;

July 11. Sir Francis Burdett made a motion reſpe&ting the priſon in Cold Bath Fields, which was withdrawn, and notice given that it would be brought on another time.

Eommexrcial Affairs.

WEST-INDIA DOCKS. HE céremony of laying the Firſt Stone of the buildings of this magnificeizt Undertaking, was performed on Saturday the 12th inſt.(being the an- niverſary of that day, July 12th, 1799) on which the at of parliament for _ carrying the ſame into-effeê, received the royal aſſent. ou kus The company affembled at the London Tavern, at one o’clock, and moved in the following proceſſion to the Iſle of Dogs: ‘The dire&ors of the Weſt India Dock| The Right Hon. William Pitt, Company, and in thé laſt-of their| The Right Hon. Henry Dundas

carriages The Right Hon. Dudley Ryder- The Chairman and Deputy-chairman| The'Right Hon.‘Thomas Steele i‘The Lord Chancellor The Right Hon. Silveſter Douglas 41 y Earl Spencer Sir Joſeph Banks, Bart. K.B. Lord Hawkeſbury Sir Andrew Snape, Hamond, Bart.

And a numerous traîn of Members of Parliament, including thoſe of the hoùſe of commons for the improvement of the port of London.

Soon after two o’clock, tlie proceſſion arrived at the works, where Lord Carrington and many other diſtinguiſhed perſonages of both ſexes had affem« bled to be preſent at the ceremony, which was conduéted in the following manner:|

The fone had been previouſly prepared to receive two glaſs bottles, ene of which received the ſeveral coins(gold, filver, and copper) of his preſent Majeſty's reign, and in the other, the following inſcription and tranſlation theréof in Latin, were placed:

Of this range of buildings Y Confſtru&ed, together with" the adjacent docks, At the expence of public ſpirited individuals, Under the‘ſan@ion’of a provident Legiſlature, And with the liberal co-operation of the corporate body of the CITY of LONDON,“ For the diſtin& purpoſe Of cornplete SECURITY and ample ACGOMMODATION (hitherto not. afforded) | To the SH1PyYING and PRODUCE of the WEsT INDIES at this | wealthy PORT, D | THE FIRST STONE WAS. LAID, On Saturday the Twelfth Day of July, A. D. 1800, BY THE CONCURRING HANDS OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD LOUGHBOROUGHE, LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF GREAT BRITAIN; THE RIGHT. HONOURABLE WILLIAM PITT,“ FIRST LORD COMMISSIONER OF HIS MAJESTY'S TREASURY» AND CHANCELLOR OF HIS MAJESTY’s EXCHEQUER z GEORGE HIBBERT, EsQ. THE CHAIRMAN.