The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-07-15 00:00:00

a part of the Militia. Captains 1 bit, however desir- '
able irmay be, dirt aleh individuals should-havo
the allowance. it would necessarily produce an in-
vidioos distin&ion in the service; and, at all events,
it could not be said of these officers, that they em-
barked their fortunes in the Militia service, as was
done in the Line.
Colonel CRAUF!YRD observed, that the dif-
ficulty of finding a sufficient number of qualified
persons to serve in the Militia, arose from the great
augmentation of their -numbers ; but when they
should be reduced to their old establishment, that
difficulty would cease.
The motion was 'then agreed to.
The SECRETARY at WAR next moved the
sufh of 3,8291. 19s. 10d. for the widows of Officers,

L:

and 50,0201.- for out.pensions of Chelsea, from the
23tb of June, 1306, to the 24th of January, 1807 ;
which was agreed to, and the report ordered to be
received tomorrow.
Sir C. POLE moved for leave to bring in a Bill
for the preservation of the public harbours it
United Kingdom. Granted.
MILITIA OFFICERS' PAY BILL. + 7 -
Mr. Secretary WINDHAM moved "that tht
House should go into a Committee on the Mil tits
Officers' Pay Bill;' and, on the question that the
Speaker do leave the Chair,
Sir W. ELFORI) objected to the principle of the
Bill, because it makes a distinction between the
Army and the Militia ;—because there is a principle
introduced in it, which has never been acted upon,
that of a difference of paybetween these two military
bodies, and the abandonment Of a principle which
has always been meted on since. the first establishment
of the Militia, which is, that the pay should always
be the same as the Regular Army. He also objected
to a measure of. such great importance being brought
forward at so late a period of the Session,when those
' Members, who are Militia Officers, were most of
them gone out of town I and they ought to have had
an opportunity of delivering their sentiments, and
voting thereon. The Bill materially altered the re-
lations between the Militia and the Army. which he
was of opinion would create great dissatisfaction in
the Militia, which was, at such a period as the pre-
sent, highly darterous and very impolitic.
Mr YORKE said, he could by Lo means agree
to the Speaker's leaving the Chair. He coincided
in opinion with the lion. Baronet who had just sat
down, as to the effects of this Bitr,•ll OA-ranted to
be passed into- a law. This was one. of the many
measures that thawed the,,way in which the bus:-
sass had been coedited this deselect. This Bill
ought to have been introduced weeks and numbs
ago, and then itsssight h'at'e been properly' &coxed
by those who were mead eineersant wlth the sublia.
He complained of bringing forward,' at so late a
period of the. Session, a 'aeome which went to
atterhasEapie that bad to intigheeri'tettled. The
Right . Gentkman ogporite hketZ Idle' did
ao, y &opined ir ea, part of itril naili-
- torY friar, the Volunteers. tead` be now touttorP4ii
Meer to 43 Ma •olote by the Militia. He colts-
-Aeiralithifteler the'. Right Hon. Gentleman's want
Jim( amities to the afghtnents which dame front Nis
Aida ado House ; but, however. as an individual,
the might be tours a deaf eye to what wet
laid Valet 'Ms aleapitat,',yet., as obe of the -King's
Ministers,
isters, it Was his atuty to !lawn to the arguments
41111 d sentiments 'of independent • gelatinize°, whop
10ey- thitught It necessary for the public service to
'deliver them in that. House. .
4n:l Colonel BASTARD complained of the very
telden and unexpeded manner its which this Bill
ad been introduced. and, therefore. he could not
`loritnt to it. He insisted, that it was a breach of
' Kith of Parliament, a hich stood pledged that
111. pat of the Militia should be the cards as that
'ft the Rlgelar Aret,T. He controded, also, that the
4 Irovision forest by Parliament, is, by this
"Bill, siert- to the Crown; whereas. the Militia
ought, sod was always intended by Parliament, to
be a check upon the Crown. and a check on the
Regular Army. It seemed to hint calculated to bring
the Militia into eh repute, and to get rid of it as fast
as possible.
Earl I'EMPLE defended the principle of the Bill,
mid said, itemed not be brought forward sooner, be•
cause it was to introduce reduaions,which depended
on other regulations that had only been very lately
made. As the law now stands. if the Militiaman
serves seven years.he would be entitled to the increase
of pay given by the new regulations to the regular
army, which was never in the contemplation of any
one, and to avoid that, the Bill was absolutely ne-
' arslarys and had been brought forward as aeon as
possible.
Mr. BANKER °blotted to the late period of the
Session io which the Bill was brought in, and hoped
it would not be conaidered a precedent. Many Gets-
demea who would wish to give their sentiments on
it, are now attending their regiments, and whilst they
are attending their duty to their country, seem to
have deserted their duty in Parliament, by leaving
it-when such a anew, was to be discussed. He
thought, however, the Bill should be allowed to go
into a Committee.
Mr. Secretary WINDHAM differed with the
Hen. Gentlemen who opposed this Bill, in the whole
of their arguments There was, he said, no real affi-
nity between the pay of the militia, and the regular
army. The regular army was, and had always
been, a permanent body, though, by the Mutiny
Bill, raised only for a year; the militia was not a per-
manent body, for, in time of peace, it was only
called sot at certaid periods ; but when the Mt-
Ines was first called out, it became necessary
some certain pay should be fixed, and it was
thought best to fix it the same AS the army.—
It was well known,
__ however, and universally ad-
mitted, that His Majesty may find it necessary to
make alterations and increases in the pay of the
Regular Army, which was liable to be sent to the
most unhealthy climates, and most distant parts (4
the world ; but the Militia, whose services are only
required at home, had no right to exped the same ;
these was another material distindion, the Officers
of the Army are intitkd to half-pay, the Militia
are not.----He did not therefore suppose he was
making any innovation, or that Any Gentleman
could have the smallest objediun to the Bill note
before the House.
Mr, YORKE eiplaised.
Mr. PY:R.C.I VAL insisted. that this Bill would
be a breach of the faith of Parliament, pledged to
the Militias that their, pay should be the tame as