The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-06-03 00:00:00

Ling the item of 4,0801. for the hoard of Longitude,
a hich was introduced for the first time is this shape
in this year's estimates. Was it to be an anuttal
grime, or was it an incidental particular expense
1V)111 respect to the Naval Asylum, hr thought the
. Government would dal well to reduce all the public
establithinents to a degree commensurate with the
income of the country. He regretted that the
army estimates had not been reduced to a lower
scale, and to something more like a twice establish-
ment; if reduction had not been safficieutly attend-
ed to in the army estimates, it did not therefore
follow that the navy rsllmates blioutd not be re-
duced its low as I/ were convenient and proper.
The present was the time when they should ap-
proximate in the fetes'. sense to a peace estas
blishinesit now that they were about to revert
to ill- solid WOO of ■ metallic currency, they
should conform their offices to that standard. It
was a fact, that ill public income had been at the
anent of the war increased, owing to the depreciation
of money at such a pirlosl. lie hoped that 1101 V the
metallic currency was about to be reverted to, and
money likely to re►ume its value as before the war,
the Covernment would take care that iii all cases of
depths and vacaricieF, the income of the successors
to appointments should be regulated according to the
on amount before money was depreciated, nod
not according to the scale which paper money hail
occiisioued.—(iiear.)—lf this were done well, and
the -uniourit regulated according to that which pre-
ceded 1797, then there would be sio siecxasity of
adding to the burdens of the people by kash taxes
to meet the new.debt ; and lee sincerely hoped that
ParliaLtent would not tolerate the introduction of
any new tax until they saw a sincere disposition in
the`Governmerit to economize in every department
of the public expenditure. lie meant on a future
day to call for a comparative estimate of the salaries
of public officers at the present time, and that iii
1797, with a view of gii ing practical operation to
his plait of reduction. If the expenses of the Civil
List old other heads were modified to this scale, be
would yepeat that no new taxes would become ne-
ce►rary. On the present occasion he felt himself
compelled to move, that the sum of 55,0001. (the
amount to which lie hod referred at the beginning of
his speech) be struck from the present vote.
Mr. CaUltEll assured the lion. Member that
mince the recommendation of the Finance COSH..
mittee last year, and indeed in the previous one, no
expenditure nay entered upon w►thout previous
proper and adequate estimate. The Admiralty had
taken especial care of this. But there were other
works which had been mauy years iu progress—
there was one at Malta, fur installer ; and when the
expense could not be accurately ascertained, and
when its continuance was dependant upon a variety
of considerations, over which the Government had
no control, then the item was marked " uncertain."
It was his decided opluion that the works at Ber-
muda were of the greatest importance. The sums
fur this year's expenditure were less than those of
the preceding year, and conclusive of the desire of
Guverunteut to economise as much as possible.—
The true economy was to be found iii this gradual
awl general reduction. With respect to the
vote for the Board of Longitude, it would be
recollected, thit 10,0001. had beets speciticelly
voted by Act of Parliament for that Board. Ile
earliest's hoped that the sum now voted under this
head would be entirely expended, as nothing could
be more advalitageous to the science than that the
must liberal encouragement should he given fur
Hew and useful improvements. With respect to
the abolition of the Naval Asylum, lie could only
assure the Hon. Member, that the admissions to it
"tee strictly regulated to the wants of those orphans
who were entitled to the companion of their coons
try. and that no economy would be obtained by its
elmlitiosi, for the establishment of that institution
was originally from private benevolence. It was
endowed with 100,000/. by private charity, and
Government subsequently took it under its special
Care mid management. if they were to withdraw
this peutection, they must not only break faith with
the original founders, but also restore to them the
original 100,000/. which had been long since spent
in the progress and enlargement of the Asylum.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw ; but Mr.
Hume did not lima his motion to a division, and
the original Resolution was then put amid carried.
The next Resolution war—

That a sum out exceeding 419,319 f. be granted 4s, de-
&a, the expense of purchasing proviispos fur •roues on gar-
I fuecigst stalwits, &c."

Sir M. W. litint.Ev look that
opportuiiity to flit
some questions respecting the svutks suing on in
some of the public ducks and yards. He would
brunt with tine 'smelts at the Deptford rut!, the
grant fur which, in 1161 S. was 34,466/. The esti-
mate now *coiled for su complete the wink was
47.000/. maim% an excess.. on a cumperisun with
the original estimate %Theo the fist grant was made,
of an* less then 20,0001. He mat desired reply-
ostiuu respecting the works at Woolwich dock-yard.
IBlBlu a sum of 25,01:4. woo granted fir those
suilni—the estimate now called fur was 26,450/.
and it was said 1,00(q. would be wanted to com-
plete them. in Chatham also, it 1818. 40,9401.
. win voted to roof in the Jock, and 5,5001. was now
wanted to complete it. M'itla respect to the works
eaurying oft it Sheerness, not to tuuch upon their po-
licy or iinuolicy, be meaut the works at the dock-
Prolog 433.1300/. hod been the first estimate—lust
year $70,000/. was granted on account, and 555,800/.
I was the estimate How made cut to complete the
works—making a total of more than 7U0,0001. and
at excess of 2.77.000/. over the original estimate.
In Plymouth and other public depots a similar ex-
cess of the first estimate would also be found.
Mr. CROKEL said he could give a satisfaetovy
esptanotimi to the inquiries of the lion. Baronet.
As to the trst, the works slt Deptford, the excess
of expense had arisen from the foundation of the
wharf-wilt of the l'ictoalling Department having
been, in the "roves' Of the work, discovered to be
in a consideridsly worse state thou was at first ima-
gined. It was vine hundreds of years uld, and ou
closer examination, paneling np was deemed kn.
sufficient, us the piles MCIe quite rotten, and it was
obliged to he rebuilt. The augmeutatiosi crib, ets-
pe use of the r Militate at IVool with had been *cession-
•id by the sh•covi ry of 11Ir. Ilrtuir, that, by a rhauge
of the hue of the what I-a all, the enures capriole
.(snwelinser ISO,IIU4J/. r yeti') ut Stlllbtlisg the moil
which us cumulated so the front of the duck might
This was !gilled by olterilig in a
small if grot the Line of the water, au idterativia