Star. — London, England, 1805-05-24 00:00:00

A T a GENERAL MEETING of the WEST .I-11, INDIA PLANTPRS and MERCHANPS, held at the London 'Tavern. Bifhopfgate•ilmet,the sad of May, 'Soy, The Right Hon. lord Pt NRHYN, in the Chair: Refolwd uaauimnufly, Thatrhe thanks of thii Meeting be given to his Excellency Brigadier-General Pr: volt. Governor of the Wand of Dominica, for the dininguithed gallantry and high mill t:.ry ulents he difplayed on the aid of February, acit, in the d.&- levee and effectual protedlion of that Colony, againft a numerous, powerful, and unexpected force from France. Ref.dreci unstumoufly, chat the thankirof this Meeting be !riven to the ti-1d tifficers, Captains ' and other Commi ffi oned Officers or the Royal Artillery, the 46th Reximent, the tlt Weft India Regiment, and alto to the Officers of the Colonial Militia. foe the pliant conduct they refpeelively exemplified, and the zealous eo operatinn they afforded on the fame occa6on, and that hi. Excel • lency the Governor he reitutned to communicate the fame. Relolved unanimoufly, that this Meeting. impreffed with the higheft Lae of the important fervice rendered to all the Weft In dia Colonies, by the able refinance made by general Prevoft to the lauding of the enemy, on the zad of February. tifos, do re quell that he will accept from the general body of Welt India Planters and Merchants, a Piece of Plate of the value of Three .Hundred Guineas, with an infcription expreffise of the fenfe of this Ref( lotion. Refelved mianimoully, That his Excellency Genstal Prevait be repelled, in a Etter from the Chairman, to fignity to the Non- Comminioned Officers and Privates of his Majeity's Regular and Militia Force. at Dominica, the high fenfe this Meeting entertains of their fel - vices, in refitting the French force on the lad of Fe bruary, lbs. W I ELIA Ms HOLDEN, See. PARLIAMENTART PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, THURSDAY, MAY 23. On the motion of I.ord BOYLE the Cart and Limerick Rcad Bill was read a third time, Fffed, and ordered to the Lords. Sir G. CORNWALL brought up the Report of the Committee on the Turnpike Road Bill, which was ordered to be taken into further confideration on Tuefday, and the Bill as amended, to be in the mean time pirnted. ISLE OF NAN. Colonel STANLEY prefented at the Bar the Report of the Committee to whom were referred the Petition and Claims of the Duke of Athol, refpeding the We of Man. Mr. CUR WEN did not-wilt at this moment to oppote the re ception of this Report, though he totally objected to its contents ; an his wills was, that the fubjedt Ihould undergo a full difeuitton in a Committee of the whole Houle, and that the whole of the merits of the Noble Duke's claims Itiould be fairly and fully in vritigated He hoped the Houfe, in its attention to the claims of the Duke of Athol, would not be unmindful to the complaints of a numerous and loyal body of his Majefty's fubjeds, though not uprefented in that Houfe ; and as it was the peculiar privilege of Parliament as well to watch over the modes of rang money from the pockets of his Majelly's fubjeds, as to guard with vigi lance its proper difburfement, fo he exulted in this cafe the inha bitants of the Ifle of Man would not be expofed to impala, which it was m t juft they fhould pay,at the mere fiat of the Noble Duke, who claimed the privilege of taxing them juft as he pleated, of his cum mere will and caprice ; nor Coffer the public money to be la. vilhed in the payment of demands, not founded on any jolt or rca tunable title. At lealt he trotted, that before the Houfe would affent to the Report now offered, and founded on tech a various multiplicity of items and documents, they would fully and fairly invetligate the whole. This was not the lira time thole claims of the Noble Duke were brought forward; they had been repeatedly urged, and every time in a new and different Rape from the for mer. They cams now forward upon a footing totally different from that on which they had been Taft fubmitted to his Majefty's Privy Council, who, alter four years deliberation, and alter re ferring the fubjedt for the judicial confederation of his Majefty's Attorney and Solicitor Generals, and receiving the elaborate Re port of aloft Learned Gentlemen upon the fulled, decided that the Duke of Athol had no right to the cLirns he preferred. The Noble Duke claimed, under the appointment of James I. a power which, he thanked GOD, no King of this country ever enjoyed—a power of taxing the people at his mere will. This power the Haute of Keys, in the We of Man, who are the proper Repute-neatly(' of the i nhabitants, denied ; and this was the queftion now at iffue. It was fomewhat extraordinary that though thofe claims had been rejeeted,afur tour years deliberation, by the Privy Council,when a Noble Lord, now in another Houfe (Lord Sidmouth), was at the beaded Adminiftration—an Admi nift rationwhich he hadfupported, which he Ronk' ever retpeet, and which he confidered as a much more vigorous one than that by which it was fuceeeded ; yet by the Privy Council which fucceeded, after a deliberation of feartely as many weeks, with the facility of turning to all the documents, and to the Attorney and Solicitor Generals, for their evidence on the cafe, they decreed that the claims were founded ; and this dm eilion was confirmed by a Committee of this Houk, which bad only fat a few days. In that Committee, of which he was a mem ber, lie oppoied the claims; but finding he flood alone, and was unable to prevail, he ceafed to attend it. What be now wilhed was, fell inveftigation before the whole Houfe, and that the whole ache P.; port and evidence be printed. Lord r.id, that the reafon why the ultimate decifion of the Privy Council was in oppofition to the Brit, was, that a re Iv memorial, Rating new fads, and founded upon new evith nee, had been prehnted by the Noble Duke, to whom it was a part of the jeftice due that the decifion thould nut be delayed, which might be the cafe, if, at this late period of the Seflion, the whole of t horn voluminous doeuments were to be printed, which, he eontei.ded. were in print already ; and that the Honourable Gei.J , :scan had derived his information from a printed copy. He concladed by moving, .` That the Report be taken into confidera- Lion oil Tuefdey next." Mr. CURWkN perfifted in his former objections, and moved an amendment, for poftponing ft till the sth June. 'This produced a defultory difeuffion of eonfiderable length. Mr. I. H. BROWNE,Sir W. BURROUGHS, and Mr. ROSE, fupported the objections and motion of Lord Glenbervie, and thought the printing of the papers unneeeffary, or at loft that the delay of printing, if it Roulet occur, ought not to protratft the confideration beyond Thurl'day next. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was of the tame opinion. Mr. JOHNSTONE and Mr. CREEVEY fupported, the argu ments and objedions of Mr. Curwen. Mr. BANKS was for printing, and would agree to Thud:lay, provided the diteuflion might then be pottponed, if the papers WPM not timely printed. Mr. WINDHAM obterved, that the claim had been now a* yea,ti, In agitation, and therefore the further delay of a few days or weeks, err even to next &Mon of Parliament, could make no great difference. The queftion was at length called for, and the Houfe divided— Ayes, for Thurfday tip—Noes 58 —Majority 6t. ELSTERTH REPORT._ Mr. Setjeant BEdT.—•." 1 rife, Mr. Speaker, to salt the attention of the Houfe to a fubjea, perhaps. one of the molt important to its own privileges that, has ever been agitated within th ef e walls. From the Eleventh Report of the Commillioners of Naval En quiry, it appears, that enormous fume of the public money have been railed by Loans, and difburfed for alledged fervices, by order of his Miledy's Minifters, without the permiflion of this Houfe, and without any account laid before Parliament of fuel' dilburds, menu. Sir, knowing, as we do, the opinion of the public without doors, expreffed from every part of the nation, of the laudable vigilance exerted by the Commillioners of Naval Enquiry, to whom other abufes have been referred for invedigation, and feel ing, as we molt, from record abufes in the expenditure of public money, the neceffity which raids, in times like the prtfent, for exerting, with the utmoft vigi lance, the peculiar privilege which it is.the province anti the duty of this Houle at all times to exercife over the public finances ; yet, in calling tbc attention of the Houle to this fubjeff, I do net mean they fhould pronounce judgment againd the parties im plicated, upon the mere evidence of the Report it fi:lf; for although the fads dated therein may have been proved to the fatisfaaion of your Commif mi.: we have every reafon to rely on their ye am inclined to thipk, tke Houle, before •eds to any rneafures againd the parties im plicated. ought to go into the enquiry t and this will be the objea of the motion which I (hall have the humour of propofing this day. Sir, it cannot be ne c4ary for me to remind the Houle, that it is the bounden duty of Parliament to watch over our Con ttitution, and to take care that no inroads are made upon it by any Milliner, nr any fetofmen; and mote tipecially that part which comes fo peculiarly under the attfpices of the Hottfe of Commons, namely, the fecurity of the public purfe. Sir, it is impoffible for any man to look at the farts [Wed in the Report on your table, ally more than at thofe other faFts of a fitnilar natute, that have come under your conlidera- lion, and not to fee that the groifeff abufes have been committed ; and that fcarcely any law has been pail fed for the fecurity of our Conflitution on thole points, that has not been violated. I know not if it will be difputed, whether money can be raifed and diflvtifed in this kingdom for the fervice of the Crown, without the content of Parliament ; but that large fums of money have been fo raifed and dilburf ed, we have feen from recent and undeniable fans. It, therefore, becomes highly neceffary to afcertain whether loans of money can be raifed from the peo ple by the Minitlers of the Crown, without the con tent of Parliament, confinently with the principles of the Britifh Contlitution ; becaufe fcarcely a Salon ofParliamentpaffes without one or more votes ena- bling the Minilter to raife loans fof the Rate upon Exchequer bills ; and if it be the law of the conflitu• tion that loans cannot be railed upon Exchequer bills, without that permiffion, it certainly cannot be legal to iffue navy bills for the purpofe. But though I may entertain no hopes of fuccefs in the motion which it is my purpofe to offer, it is my duty to bring it for ward, and at leali to Rate to the Houfe what former Parliaments have done in fimilar cafes, and what opinion they entertained of the power of Minifters to toile public loans without their permilEon. It appears by a ref elution of the Houfe, patted on the 7th of June, tigfo, that if any perfon whatfoever should itfue Exchequer Bills,or other Government fecurities for the purpofe of raifing fums of money for the fer vice of the crown, without the confent of Parliament, he fhall he refponfible to Parliament ; and in other refolutions, the fame principle is directed againfl any perfon who (hall purchafe tallies by anticipation.— But, Sir, another principle is, that it mu ft be ()bei m Government cannot raife loans from the public, without the confent of this Houfe: for if this Houk were once to admit fuch a principle, or pals fuch a meafure unnoticed, it would not only furrender the moft valuable of its privileges, but every other pri. vilege it h 3; obtained, with that, would greedily fol low. A learner( Writer upon the Conflitution of this Country (Millar), has laid, that it has In guarded every avenue and paffage, by which the Prerogative ,could invade our righti, that the Crown cannot raife any loan or fupply of public money without the con fent of this Houle, and is, therefore, obliged the more frequently to call meetings of Parliament, be ing unable to levy any money without their interven tion. I (hall quote another instance, which occur red thortly after the Revolution, to prove how jea lous the Parliament was, in thole days, of their pri vileges on this point. The inftance to which I allude, is that of the Bank Aft, which, in exprels terms,' debars the Government from borrowing loans of money, even from the Direaors of the Bank, without the cunfent of Parliament : and is it probable, I elk.' that Government lhould be prohibited from borrow ing money from the Bank, and be left at liberty to retie loans from others ? The fact is, that the re ftriaion in the Bank Aa was made on account of the cone Lion exilling between Government and the Bank, and to guard again.l the probable influence of the former over the latter, and the confequent facility of procuring thence loans of money. But, Sir, it never could have entered into the apprehenfion of the fra mers of that Ad that Minifters might be at liberty to go into the city and (catch from one Ram to ano ther to raife money by the aid of brokers. In fad, the reafon why they confined the reftriaion fo pecu liarly to the Bank was, that they never once furpea ed any other means would be reforted to. My ob jea, therefore, is to thew how fuch evils have been guarded againft by the Conftitution. No Member of this Houfe, who lived within fifty years of the Revolution, coidd have conceived that any Minifter of the Crown, or any Government in this Country, would have ventured to adopt the meafures in this way which we have feen praßifed within the laft few years, and pallid by without any enquiry. Even fince the year t 803, independently of the yea num ber of Navy Bills that have been iffued in the only legal way they ought to have been iffued, namely, for Rotes and actual fervices ; and which becom ing due, inftead of being paid off, were taken up by ;fining other Navy Bills, as has of late been the practice at the Bank, no left a (inn than 4,30000001. have been railed by the Ming of .Navy Bills ; and of this no communication was was ever made to Parliament. It appears, page 5t 3 of this Report, that on the sd Oaober, tBoz, a letter was written by the Secretary of the Treafury to the Comptroller of the Navy, directing him to itfue Navy Bills for the bun of soo,oool. for the purpofe of raif ing that fum. One would imagine, by the frequent and familiar ufe of this kind of tglource, that inflead lof his Majefly trufting to the Houfe as the proper Ichannel for granting fupplies, it was only necefFary to iffue a letter from the Secretary of the Treafury to authorize the railing of enormous (urns upon Navy Bills. But, Sir, my objeaion goes equally to (mall ' firms as well as large ; becaufe if you admit a (mall fum to be thus raifed to-day, a large one will be railed in like manner to-morrow. In the proceff of a little time any furn, however enormous or unnecef fary, may be railed by the Crown, without the con tent of this Houle. In this cafe, Sir, it appears that• the order from the Treafury Wired on the sath of Oc tober ; on the L oth of November the money was railed ; Parliament fat the very next day, yet no communication whatever was made to this Houfe.— It is unnecelfary for me to Rate what would have been the opinion of Parliament in other times upon a proceeding of this fort. It is however clear that the enormous fum I have Rated has been raifed with out any application for the affent of the Houfe of Commons. It is fufficient for me to fay that this fum was railed at periods, during great part of which Par liament was fitting ; and that no communication whatever was made. Now, Sir, if it he not lawful for the GovPrnroP^t to raife money without the con lent of Parliament, will any man fay this tranfac don is legal ? What, I afk, is the pretence to uftify it ? State neceffity will, I allow, at times arife, that may authorize fuch condo& in a Miniller ; but it cannot prevail for two years together, nor fuperfede the duty of communication to Parliament. As the At Rands, it is illegal. AU I afk then is, for the Houfe to go into the enquiry, and let it be for thnfe Gentlemen on the other fide. of the Houle to (hew the exiflence of any State-neceffity, not by thttements here, but by regular evidence before a Committee.— By law the Crown is reilrided foam borrowing mo ney for any purpofe, even for paying debts, without the confent of Parliament ; and here no new circum (lance appears, for which a Minifler could not have been prepared to jußify the meafute upon the ground of exigency. But, Sir, there is another circurnflance of which I complain (till more than that of which I have Rated : for though I feel that, on the part of Minitlers, (landing in the fit uation they do, it was a high violation of the law of the country, as I under- Rand the report and I (hall be glad to find I have alifunderftood it)); from the explanation I (hall this day receive (1 al ude to the manner in which they have paid away the money, and which, in my mind, is Rill more repreben(ible than the mode of railing it) ; it was furely their duty to have fubmitted the whole of the circumflances under which they aded to Parliament, and the proof of necetlity would have obviated all objections to complete indemnifi cation. In page 449 of the Report you find, by the queftion put to Sir Andrea , &nape Hammond and his anfwer thereto, that thofe bills were if fued for the purpofe of railing money, and not for (ores furni(hed, or actual fervices rendered, which would have been the only legal ground ; and in the next Ratement you find them Rated a's bills regularly iffued for (ores received and fervices rendered.— This, Sir, was a moll grofs impofition upon the Houfe ; for, inflead of being ;trued to difcharge debts to come due in the courfe of the current year, they are appropriated to pay the debts of former years ; and thofe are circututlances which, if Parliament had not been impofed on, it would never have fanc tioned or contented to filch a violation of its own privileges. Such a conduit, Sir, I fubmit, was in the higheß degree reprehenfible ; and, it loch attempts to impofe on the Houfe, by the procludion of falfe vouchers or falfe returns, be permitted, the conic quence mull be to darn) , all confidence in the ac counts Rated by Minifters. No tranfadion can be more repugnant to law : pollihly it may be ex• plained away ; but, nntil I have other proofs, I mull agree with the opinion expreffed by the Commiffioners in their Report, that they fee no reafon why there thould have been any departure from the ufual form of proceeding, and refort had to Inch meafures as there ; meafures which, I believe, would never have been difcovered, but would have remained for ever concealed from the Houle, had it not been for the ta lents and vigilance of the Commiffioners of Naval Enquiry. If it was polTsble that any fuch State ne ceffity could exift for two years, what becomes of the boailed statements made during that time to this Houle ? For, infiead of the country being in that mi• ferable Rate of exigency which called for fuch defpe rate expedients, the Right Hon. Gentleman conftant ly Rated, in pompous language, that we had abundant refources to carry on the war in which we were en gaged—whereas, it would now appear, we were in a Rate of poverty. I can fuggeft but one of two rea- Cons that could actuate any Minifier in fuch a cafe ; namely, that either his eftimates mutt have been (holt of the proper amount, or a part of the money voted for naval fervices mull havebeen employed for the purpofes of the army, or fume other fervice ; and this too would be another inilance of violation of the law, which Rridly forbids the application of money voted for one purpofe being appropriated to any other. How has it happened that money was not provided, when the Navy Bills are iffued at three months, and therefore could not come by furprize ? —Sir, I think I have proved, that there is ground to charge his Majefty's Minifters in this cafe with a vio lation of thelaw, a mifapplication of the public mo ney, and a grofs deception upon this Houfe ; and, unkfs the Right Honourable Gentleman can (hew that I have totally millaken that Report, and juftify his own conduct, it mutt be plain that he has vio lated the Conititution. At all events, I have (hewn enough to prove the neceftity of going iato enquiry. —I have to complain, in the next place, of another violation of law, in s taking from under the controul of the Lords of the Admiralty, thofe tranfaCtions, for the fuccefs or failure of which they only are re fponfible, and transferring them to that of the Se cretary of the Lords of the Treafury, who have no more to do with them officially than the Lord Chan cellor. ' Sir, I will lay, that any commands fo given to any Naval Officer, not fandioned by the Fird Lord of the Admiralty, ought not to have been obeyed. It has been fettled by an Odder of Council, as appears on page 499, that all Naval Juries mutt be directed by the Lords of the Admiralty, and any !difference of opinion be ultimately fubjed to the con troul of the Firit Lord ; all Navy Contracts, except for Secret Service, mull be made under his direction. Yon will find, that too,oool. has been railed by Navy Bills, for Secret Service, by the fame illegal mode.— But it mull be obvious, that Navy Bills cannot be legally iffued for Secret Services ; the proper fund provided by law for Secret Services being the Civil Lift, under what is called the Civil Lill Ad. And the Right Hon. Gentleman who introduced that Bill, fo framed it,becaufe he knew no other proper fource, as Minißers were refponfible to Parliament for all films voted them for Ipecific fervice, but not for Se cret Service; and therefore it could not be fupplied from any fund for the appropriation of which Mini Revs are refponfible. What fecurity then has the Houfe'for the difpofal of fuch money ? Not even the oath of the Miniller, as in the cafe of fuch fervice— nothing but a mere affertion ; in which cafe I beg to elk whether Parliament can be Paid to have any con tronl at all ? But if this is the fort of piton by which a Minifter is to cover the expenditure of fuch a turn as 95,0001. in one inflisoce Hated to be paid to a man arhofe name even is not mentioned, and td,ocol. in another, for fervices of too delicate a nature, forfooth., to be difclofed even tothe Commiffioners of Enquiry, I know not to what extent profufion and irrelponti bility may travel fraripaj's. But his Majefty's Mini- Rers, not fatisfied with violating the law, violate even the rules laid down by themfelves. If, however, the Commiffioners of the Navy, and thofe of Naval En quiry, are men not fit to be entrufted with fuch con fidence, they are unworthy of their offices, and ought to be difsniffed. I admire, however, his fatlidious delicacy, %vb . :eh eats di/but-re furls rums s: gs.oecl l one inftance, arid 16,0001. in nuother, ‘;ithutit at tnernoranJum of the mode esrenduttr4, the latter twos out to be the ever monciab): Expedition, known to every varerman ef.ll7e riser long before it was attempted, in vain, to be cattle into circa. Having now, Sir, Hated to the Houle the ground of my mothr. I do not call noon it to pron-urce judgment. We Hand upon a •ffiserane footing from that of a former night, when yria, Sir ; by your decilinn, did lo much honour to yourfclf and the high and important Ration you fill. There mu judgment was warranted Ly tae admiffion of the party acc . nfed ; but here we have no filch ground to gc upon. The Honfe, however, is called upon to in vefligate, and the Right Hon. Gentleman has told us that he will not oppofe any inveltigation, as far as it goes towards his own condi.d ; but eqi,one e i t i s hie pleafure or not, it is not for us to enquire. It is coo' duty to invetligate. We owe it to the country. Hi• Majelly's Minittets may, perhaps, make out a cafe for their own jullificetion, but they are bound to go vern the country, not only wifely and leqly, btu ac cording to law. I have in my hand an old (haute or William 111. which lays it down as an indilpenfalebt maxim, that all Kings and (teens, who affirm , : the Government of this country, mall he bound to adml. nifter it according to the laws of the land, and not by their own will, caprice; or private judgment ; and that no Minitter will be allowed to depart from this law with impunity. Sir, it was objeded in the mo tion of an Honourable Friend of mine (Mr. Fox), for the Emancipation of the Catholics the other night, that it could not be granted, becaufe it was contrary to the eftablithed law of the State, and might endan. ger the Conflitution. I hope, Sir, the fame ferule's tons regard for that Law and ennaitution, will opt.. rate alio in this cafe, and that no Minifler (hall be al lowed to violate either. I (hall now move you, Sir, " That a Seleet Committee of this Heide be ap pointed to take into confider ation the Eleventh Re port of the Commiffioners of Naval Enquiry, and repott their opinions thereon to this bionic." The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEWTER--e " I am no lefs anxious for the enquiry propoted, than the Honourable and Learned Gentleman, who has fo much in detail urged the propriety and nem-airy of the inveßigation ; and I am the more folicitons that it Ihould be purfued, becaufe, with all the attention that Honourable and Learned Gentlemen has paidto the fubjeft, he feems wholly miftaken with regard to its merits, from whence I may fafcly conclude, that others, not poffeffing the fame zeal and abilities, will be expofed at teal to an eqnal degree of mifappre henfion. An additional motive I :eel in facilitating this obleCt, from the convietion I indulge, that the refult of the molt diligent and minute examination, will be petfeelly fatisfaCtory to the public. The only modification I would fuggeft in the condo& of this bulk& is, that the one part thould be referred to a fecret, the other to a fele& Committee—the former might exclufively enquire into matters conneeted with the fecret Service ; the latter all the general tranfac tions to which the Eleventh Report may be confider ed to apply. The divifinn of the Committee will not only be feund expedient, but their fuceeffion in order of time, that the fame perfons who may be ex amined before both Committees, may not have their attendance required in each at the fame time. After the animated addrefs by which the Houle his been juR gratified, it will perhaps be expated that I thould lay a few words in explanation. is The Honourable and Learned Gentleman con friers the iffue of Navy Bills, in the form of renew. ed Bills, to be calculated to overthrow the entire authority of Parliament, to fubvert all principles of public right, and to arike at the vitals of the Brat' Conllitution.' If indeed foci be the awful tendency of fuel' an expedient of finance, it is fomewhat extra ordinary that this has never occurred to the Cornmife (loners of Naval Enquiry—it is a difcnvery for which the Houle is wholly indebted to the ingenuity of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman ; the Commiffioners merely Hate, that the fcheme was adopted with no dire& view, and notice it merely as an official irregu larity. But the Hon. and Learned Gentleman im parts weight and dignity to his argument ; and after having confulted for this purpole the muniments of the Hate, he tells the Houle that, it is the duty of the King to rule according to law, end of his Mini- Hers to support his dominion by a jolt regard to the fame law.' This I believe is a pofition which no Member will be at all inclined to difpnte ; and there fore the difplay of eloquence employed for its eluci dation, might have been, without any disadvantage, referved for another occation, where his aflitlance will be more necellary. But in the energy the Hon. and Learned Gentleman directed to thele conititutional dilquititions. he feems 'to have forgotten what has fre quently paired in Parliament on the futile& of Navy Bills, and of the debt laperinduced by them ; for in far from thcfe laming become matter of complaint, the deficiency has been fupplied under the particule: orders and approbation of the Houle. The praCtice which led to this mode, has alfo efcaped the recollee , Lion of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman. It hed for its °bled, in a time of danger and exigency, to raife money for the public defence on terms mere economical char was berme known ; and lo great was the benefit from this tefoutce, during the IA war, that I may confidently Rate it was a faring of fume millions to the country. But the permanence of this plan, in a great degree, depended upon the poneuality with which the Bills were dilcharged— and the principal fubjed of the difapprobation new exptelfed, arifes from the endeavours applied to pre ferve the publiii credit by this rigid poneluelity. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman fuppofes the Ellimatet of the Navy, in all their details, are laid before the Honfe. The accounts timer mfeves will thew, that the cuftom is only to Rate t e encrally the number of hands requited, the wear and tear, the notes, the extraor dinaries, and feme few other pet tieuiate. Thefe can alone give a look and inaderote . e view, even of the total or aggregate charge ; and the uncertainty v regard to it has been often enhanced by the neceitte under which his Majeity has found hinafelf to increare his means of defence, and by the vatisoion in the prices of Itore', and of the various articles falling under the viduelling department. From fuch CAUICS an excels has often arifen in the naval expenditure. but not without mideevours on my part to prcveit its recurrence. Contilteriely with; this defign the Al• lowance was tailed from 41. to 71. per month, eed the inconverience was in tome degree a-snide.l in the laft year ; but this did not preclude the poffilniey of nonerst 1