mok, and 1073 mere boys ; leaving Lord Howick protested, however, 28 the produce of their exertions against the charge so frequently re. only 707 men which could possibly peated, that Mr. W. had, at any be considered as a beneficial acquisi. time, declared his confidence or tion to the

army. Let these vain expectation that any extensive and illusive attempts, he said, be addition to the public force was compared, not with the promises, to be expected from the means to but with the advantageous effects of which he bad resorted, suddenly. On the measures of his right honourable the contrary, it had been constantly friend, and the result would meet urged, that all that could be expected the wishes of every friend to the from the measure, was a gradual and military strength of the country. progressive improvement, derived The constant strain on the part of principally from an amelioration of the noble lord, and learned gentle. the condition of the army, under a man who had spoken last, was, conviction in the public mind, of the " Compare what ye bare done, with increased respectability of our mi. what we had promised. We engaged litary establishments. The learned to supply 25 or 26,000 men under gentleman opposite, had said, that the former mode of recruiting.”. by the new measures, pensions, and They might have said, what was the other emoluments, might be obtained fact? 40,000....Of the propriety or by fraud. Was he a lawyer, infairness of this kind of comparison, structed in all the erudition of his be should say nothing. But, at profession; and yet ignorant, that tending to the past inequality be. by the laws of England no man can tween the assurances given and the sustain any demand founded on event, he could not entertain any fraud? Mr. P. had supposed the Tery sanguine hopes of what those case of a man inlisting, to be subject gentlemen would have done, even if to the epilepsy. Did not that learned they had had the most favourable gentleman know, that perjury must opportunity of multiplying both be committed for procuring admis. their promises and exertions....The sion under such circumstances ? honourable and learned gentleman Indeed there were prosecutions had talked much of February, grounded on this violation of moral March, April, and other periods and religious duty.--The resolutions but no comparison could be made mored by Mr. Windham were then' between the different modes of re. agreed to, and reported on Friday cruiting, as the information re. January 23d. Upon the first reso. specting the vew system was limited lution being read, to October. Availing himself, then, Sir James Pulteney observed, that of all the intelligence received on the though Mr. Wiudham-might not have subject, he found the relative effect been very sanguine, as to the number to be as follows: the regular recruit. of men his plau-might raisegaget the ing in 1805, from the 20th of Octo. advocates of the system Wusty po ber to the 15th of the present month doubt, have expected that it woulul (January) produced 1208 men. produce some incroage. Whereas, Under the new measures there were on the contrary, it appeared by tige obtained, in the same interval, 2155, estimates, that it liad occasioned a cht yielding an addition of 947 mer. minution. Powerer bis majestys 2 Vol. XLIX.

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ministers might hope that this mea. quite correct to set down as deserters sure would be ultimately beneficial, all those who received bounty on the he must ask them if they did not con. parish bill. For such fellows never sider that some supply was necessary joined, or meant to join any corps, for the army in the present year, and and therefore could not proper y be whether

any

of their measures had a called deserters, but robbers. And tendency to procure that supply !-- he was not sure, that it wou d be Sir James wished extremely to see quite incorrect to consider those who the training bill carried into effect. held out such temptations to them,

Sir John Doyle having observed as accomplices. A great part of those that government had not been able whom the bill collected, were, in fact, to restore the blessings of peace,

unfit for service; even where they and that the continuation of the war were honest enough to shew a dis. was inevitable; and having stated position to · How

many

of our danger, and pointed out the folly them had he seen to bring a wife and of relying solely on our

naval six children? The old adage says, strength, came to the army, which, that it requires nine tailors to make he said, was inferior only in numeri. a man :' but nineteen of the fellows cal force, to that of the enemy, and he had alluded to, would not make a particularly to the plan of the right soldier....Sir John would by no honourable secretary, for recruiting means be understood to speak it. It had been remarked that the lightly of that meritorious body, the measure of limiting the term of service, volunteers. He admired as much as would have no effect on the minds of any man, that brilliant effusion of soldiers, or those likely to become national spirit and valour, which

Now he held in his hand two burst forth so nobly in the hour of papers that would shew the futility danger; and he had no doubt but of an observation so contrary to the manifestation of that spirit had common reason. The one was the made a very powerful impression on return of a battalion of the army of the enemy. But still he' might be reserve, of which, for the six months allowed, consistently with the reprevious to the new measure, 147 gard he had always entertained for men engaged for general service; those gallant men, to express his dis. whilst 334 engaged in the six months approbation of the system under subsequent to this measure. The which they were originally organized other was a stii} stronger case. For and trained. A great deal of unne. seven months prior to this change, cessary instruction and inappropriate only one man, out of a battalion of discipline was attempted to be com400 men, extended his services.municated to them at the outset. It But in the month, when the right happened to Sir John, in America, honourable secretary's plan was ex. to meet with a circumstance from plained to the battalion, 264 men which he derived much useful infor, immediately turned out: thus polling, mation on this head. About 150 as it were, for his measure by accla. recruits were sent out to the regiment mation. There had been a great dif. of which he was the adjutant. He ference also, as the right honourable immediately proceeded to have them gentleman had observed, in the de. taught secundùm artem ; eyes to stions. But, perhaps it was not the right, toes out, and so on. But

he

$0.

he was interrupted in his course by these in a peace establishment. In the major, who was a very sensible the event of a peace, probably intelligent man, and who told him 50,000 men would be discharged, that he began at the wrong end. Sir and, with the increased allowances, John accordingly changed his an additional expence woull accrue course, and taught his men to ma- of 6 or 700,0001. Mr. Thornton nage the firelock : and this proved to thought that Mr. Windham's mea. be a wise advice, for these recruits, sures for recruiting the army, as a in three weeks after they arrived, general and permanent system, were had to meet the enemy. Now the good; but he doubted their efficacy volunteers ought to have been so in. for immediate defence. He approved structed, for the invasion by the highly of converting the service for enemy was almost daily expected, at life into a service for years. He ap. the very time when a kind of dis. proved also of the Training bill,as tend. cipline was commenced, which they ing to diffuse a military spirit through. could not have learned for six out the country. But, at the same months, and which was unnecessary, time, he thought it was calculated to if they could. The volunteers would do any thing rather than to provide be extreme y useful as auxiliaries to for immediate defence. Much time our army, particularly from the was necessarily spent in prepl. nature of the country, which was on. ring great measures, and carrying closed, and their local knowledge, them into execution, and he was were they merely trained as light anxious for some measure that might troops.

meet the immediate exigencies of the Mr. Johnstone was of opinion, country. that Mr. W.'s plan had completely Lord H. Petty observed, that it failed ; and asked ministers, what had been stated by gentlemen on the

; was to prevent them from recruiting opposite side of the house, that the from the militia ? According to the numbers of men raised according to right honourable secretary's plan, the papers on the table, did not equal the militia were to be reduced to the amount of what his right honour. 40,000 men. From the surplus able friends had stated in their number, therefore, the army might speeches. It was to be recollected, be strongly recruited. Yet this plan, however, that the papers began the casy as it was to be carried into ex. account from March last, and that of ecution, had not been adopted. course, they did not contain a year's Why? The real reason he believed return. But if gentlemen would to be, that ministers were afraid of have the goodness to wait until the offending the militia colonels. month of March next, he was cou.

Mr. Rose found that the amount fident, from the result of the most of the estimates actually minute enquiries he had made in the 475,0001, more than those of 1805. best-informed quarters, that, by This was a sufficient answer to the that time, the numbers would even assertion, that the late ministers exceed those stated in the estimate would have made the estimates of his right honourable friends...lle higher. With respect to the in. challenged gentlemen on the opposite creased allowances in the Chelsea benches, to contradict him, when he hospital, he dreaded the effect of stated to the house, that in the staff

was

а.

at home, there had been a saving of seamen exceeded 126,000 men.

It 43,0001. and in the barrack depart. might appear a question, why, if ment, notwithstanding that there had the numbers had exceeded by more been, last year, a retrenchment to than 6000, the ordinary supply, the amount of 500,0001. there was there should now be a farther dethis year,

farther saving of 50,0001. mand for an additional 10,000 ? And in the commissariat depart. This was accounted for by the variety ment, there were nine places less of increased expenditure in the dethan in the preceding year. He was partment relative to the marinés.--anxious to reform abuses, and to di- According to the present mode of minisb expences where the practices submitting to the house the naval were known to be corrupt, and the supplies, it was impossible that the establishments useless. But to give members could be put in possession grudgingly to the soldier disabled, or of all the information that was neto the veteran worn out in the service cessary to a right judgment of the of the country, was a thought which supplies required. But he had it in be could not bear. And he declared contemplation so to arrange the his opinion that his right honourable statement of the naval estimates in friend, Mr. Windham, was entitled future, as to render them clear and to the thanks of the nation for the intelligible to every gentleman who act, not of generosity, but of might be anxious to examine them humanity and justice, which he had minutely. It was intended that difdone in their name to a most de- ferent articles of expenditure should serving set of men.

be arranged under the following The resolutions were read a second, heads : 1st, Wages to the officers ; time, and agreed to.

2d, seamen ; 3d, marines ; 4th and On the same day, January 23, 5th, pilotage and wages ; 6th, wear the house of commons went into a and tear; which would be a most committee of supply upon the navy important and comprehensive head estimates for the current year. The of expence; 7th, pensions ; 8th, right honourable Mr. Thomas Gren. salaries to the admiralties; 9th, ville, first lord of the admiralty, rebuilding ships in merchants-yards moved for a yote of 10,000 seamen, by contract; 10th, hired armed ships ; in addition to the 120,000 already 11th, the most diíficult branch of all voted. As to the necessity of this others, to detail purchases of stores, additional supply not having been to replenish his majesty's magazines, foreseen when the late grant was an article requiring in itself no less made, the accounts ending the 30th a sum than 3,600,0001.; the 12th, September, took in the estimates but head he should intitle bills of exfor three-fourths of the year, and he change ; 13th, incidental expences ; could not competently decide on the and 14th, and last, the victualling point of what might be necessary, board..--Mr. Grenville illustrated until furnished with the remaining the necessity of such an arrangequarterly account, ending 31st De ment, and concluded with moving cember. It a was a great satisfac. his first resolution, which related to tion to bim to state to the committee, the additional 10,000 seamen. that it appeared by this last quarter's After a short conversation of no cstimates, that the number of British interest or importance, the reso.

a

lutions on the navy estimates, were made in buildings of both houses of agreed to. The other resolutions parliament; 11,8001. to make good were for granting 240,500l. as the vote of last session, for defraying wages for 10,000 seamen for thirteen the expence of certain additions to months ; 247,0001. for victualling the houses of parliament, and also and other necessaries ; 3901. for that of the speaker; 4,9931. for paywear and tear of ships ; 32,5001. ing the expence of military roads in for ordnance; 1,135,4341. for the North-Britain. These resolutions

ordinaries of the navy ; 2,131.9031. were agreed to, and ordered to he for building ships in merchants reported. yards, and other extra expences ;

February 20. The house of com. 1,500,0001. for the hire of transa mons resolved itself into a committee ports; 300,0001. for sick and of supply, on the various accounts wounded seamen ;• 500,0001. for respecting the Irish miscellaneous prisoners of war.

services. Mr. Vansittart moved the follow. Sir John Newport moved, and it ing sums for miscellaneous service was resolved by the committee, that 6,8531. for the superintendance of the several sums in the respective aliens; 12,0001. for defraying the estimates, amounting in all to expences of the public office in 666,0001. be granted for his majesty's Bow-street ; 51,3501. for convicts services, to which they referred at home ; 15,000l. for contingen. for the year ending on the 1st of cies in the offices of the three January 1808. On the resolution secretaries of state ; 12,000l. for that a sum of 5000l. be granted for messengers for the secretaries' offices, the Roman-catholic college at May&c.; 11,600,1751. for foreign and nooth, in addition to the annual sum secret service money; 20,000l. for of 80001. (which additional grant law charges; 30001. for the expence was made for the crection of other of prosecuting those concerned in buildings for the farther accommo. the forgery of coin, &c. ; 11,6001. dation of the students in that semi. for sheriffs of counties, to defray the nary,) a short conversation took extra expence incurred in the con. place; in the course of which, Mr. viction of felons, &c. ; 140,1991. Perceval objected to the proposed for the relief of French, Dutch, and addition, as the commencement of Corsican emigrants, and also Ameri. an increasing expenditure would can loyalists; 1,4321. 135. 6d. to

tend to,

make that institution pay the balance advanced for ditto, rival the university of Dublin, and in 1806 ; 1,3361. for the relief of thereby tend to the establishment of poor dissenting ministers, and the Roman-catholic religion : though French refugees; 1,8281. for the he did not then mean to press his use of a certain class of ministers ; opposition to a division. Sir John 1,9311. for stationery to the court Newport thought the catholics could of exchequer, &c. ; 5,2101. for the not, by being educated abroad, salaries and other expences of cer. be rendered better subjects, and tain offices connected with both that a domestic education for them houses of parliament; 39,7601. to was most desirable. The petition defray the expences of certain im. was solely for the education of the provements made, and still to be catholic clergy, but a lay seminary

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