The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-03-27 00:00:00

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pension of this branch of the civil service ; hut
feeling that to be the weakest point of his case,
be had slipt over it with the greatest caution.
• Mr. Pitt's estimate of the whole charge for foreign
missions, Consuls. and all, in 1786, was for the
salaries 70,852/. ; and in 1804, after he had in-
volved the country in the revolutionary war, what
did their Lordships think was the amount at which
he estimated the expense of those missions in the
event of the blessings of peace being again re-
stored ? It was 112,000/. Now. 'akin,: the esti.
mate of 1817, lie found the actual expense to be
174,0001. for the some services for winch Mr.
Pitt, in 1786, before the war, thought 70,852/.. and
in 1804, hi the event of a future peace, 112,000/.
amply sufficient. With respect to the amount of
the ;sessions, it would be said, perhaps (for in speak-
ing prospectively of each other, Ministers were ex-
tremely tender and careful in their exoressions),
that no future Minister would be so extravagant as
not to take/twist of the persona whom he selected
for such appointments out of the list of pensions
created during the war. That was a species
of argument which had often been used before;
but how far had experience proved it to be
founded in reason. as far es the dispositions
of Ministers were concerned ? The pensions
to persons in the diplomatic line, which iu
1786, under Mr. Pitt, amounted only to 8,0001.,
had actually now increased to 32,000/. Some.
thing had been said of the diffemuce of the rates
of exchange ; it was perfectly fair to say. that
although the high price of provisions could at no
period offset the foreign Ministers, yet the fraudu-
lent currency which hid been sanctioued in this
country, to its everlasting disgrace. must necessarily
have affected the income of every man who drew
his resources from this country. However, during
that period an augmentation had been made iii their
salaries, and they riot only now enjoyed the benefit
of that augenestation. but they were wined against
the recurrence of any loss in consequence of the
rate of exchange, for at present they were jostified
in charging the loss they suffered by exchange
upon the notion. By a letter from Mr. Himiltou
to Lord Castlereagh, in 1815, their Lordship.'
would find that had been done, and lie (Lord
Holland) perfectly concurred in the justice and
propriety of indemnifying them against any such
loss, but he complained that they still enjoyed the
same salaries as when they were subject to these
'lessee He now came to that part of the Noble
Earl's speech which related to Russia, arid here he
must say, that lie perfectly agreed with him, that in
consequence of the great change of circumstances
which had taken piece in that country, its vast extent
of territory. and various other reasons, it was per.
fectly reasonable that there should ben British Am-
bassador at that Court. But it did surprise hint to
hear the argument of the Noble Earl (Liverpool)
about Switzerland. He had beaten about the hush
for a considerable time, in order to discover wine
plausible reason for keeping an Ambassador at
Switzerland. and at length he found one; and what
was this ? Why, forsooth, on account of its geo-
graphical situation ; because it was surrounded by
Italy, Germany, and France. But he did not op-
' prebend that Switzerland had shifted . its situation
much since-1793, and yet at that period the sum
of 230/. a year was cousidereel sufficient, while at
present the embassy at Switzerland cost the country
4,900/. a year. In 1793 there was a resident iu
Italy at the expense of 2501. a year. If.you spoke
now-a-days of a resident, the term was unintelligi-
ble; there was no such word in the vocabulary of
diplomatists; since the vulgar notions of republe.
canisin and commonwealths were exploded, and
nothing bat legitimacy talked of, we heard of
nothing but Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers
Plenipotentiary. All these inferior officers in di-
plomacy were abolished, which, during the inju-
dicious government of Walpole, and in wore mo-
dern times. were found sufficient for the credit. the
character, and bower of the country. Up to 1793,
2501. a year was considered an adequate expense,
and that too at a time when the Miiiister had a
much greater charge then at present, in conse-
quence of the conflicting interests of Catholic and
Protestant in a neighbiring territory, which was
considered of great importance in the eyes of the
British Goveremeut and of British travellers,
in consequence of the establishment of the Pro-
testant religion, the interests of which had been
shamefully neglected by English Ministers. 1n
1793 the system was altered, for Mr. Pitt consi-
dered that it would be an advantage that the person
employed there should have a greater command
of money to enable him to carry on the necessary
operations. Accordingly he increased the salary to
1,000/. a year, and when the influence and Uteri,.
say of a Munster at Switzerland was diminished.
then, and not till then, was tine salary increased
With respect to Germany, he did slut think iu
geographical situat o.i had been changed, although
its political ntilirs had undergone some altenition„
But it did appear strange tit him. notwithstanding
the prodigious lase of EnglAiiil to the Howse of
Auviria, that slice that c try had lost the Ne-
therlands. she was a greater charge to England
than before. Theo there str,re but six missions to
Germany, at present there were seven. Arid it
ass too much for the people of England to Ise
obliged to be at all expense Ito every petty P ,
who should chigoe to call lionsell a king. But
he could hot go along with the Noble Lord
who had introduced that question to their no.
lice, in allying there was 11.1 neer% its fur an
Ambassador at the Court ol the Netlfrrlunils.—
That practice had beeo est:0)11-1w' and recovered
by tier greatest men who had gone before us, and
he (Lord Holland) pcilen tly concurred in the pro-
priety of having Mrs A intrissailor in that country.
lie did not sh.ll to examine the details of every
hundred pounds which a mini employed in the
public service might receive, and it was that whirls
excited his indignation against tine ciiiithict of the
Noble lad (Liverpool) and Ine cullerigue., for by
their weisporing, lavtah, and uuli.enunosting ex•
peuditure, they Iwd forced upon Porliament and the
country the 'mauled and wimp nit ditty of ex ii-
mining every abillurg and every penny that was dealt
out to the servosiii of the public. ‘Vltli respect to the
Crum of New, he thought it formed au ear:claim'
to must of the oilwrs. used it wigs isispoootale to
mention the ionise of Sir Charles Swat without
being fowl is his pallor. ' The era -resort of
English travellers rendered it' arerisai Ark the,.
few eientatme 'EllsllBll,ll Ormtlllllll4 sdppirted 1111
suitable splendour; but it did nut Wow that the