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London, England, 1826-02-08 00:00:00

could show, if called upon, that all the allegations contained in this
petition were insane and unworthy.
EXCHEQUER BILLS.
Mr. MABERLY moved for a return of the amount of Each!.
quer Bills paid in annuities for naval and military pensions within
the last three year', and also of the amount, of annuities transferred
by the Bank within the same period. Ile hoped the Right Hon.
Gentleman opposite world endeavour to liquidate this floating
debt ; if this annuity were sold It would add a hundred millions to
our national debt. la ease, then, of any expensive war, or national
misfortune, what must be the condition of the country encumbered
with this dead weight
REGIMENT OF HORSE GUARDS.
Mr. HUME, in rising, pursuant to notice, to comment on the
expenses of one regiment of the Horse Guards, would commence
his statement by observing that he had since found that the same
complaint was applicable to other regiments. lie wished in the
first plate to state his reasons for the terms of his motion. Ile did
nut know why any distinction should exist between the Horse
Guards and other regiments with regard to accounts. The, accounts
of the rest of the army were well kept, but those of the Horse
Guards were involved in mystery, while the expense of these corps
was enormous. When the annual expense of the Home
Guards Was 102,399/., or about 74/. per man, the charges for
the foot regiments amounted to little more then half that
charge per man. With this great difference in the expen-
diture of these troops, it was very improvident that the accounts
of the Horse Guards should be subject to no control or supervision,
since the absence of it was likely to awaken a suspicion that the
money was improperly applied. This inconvenience, which was re-
flected on the army, he hoped the House would take care to prevent.
There were also other irregularities that had taken place in regard
to officers being placed on full pay as supernumeraries. and receiviog
promotion while on the supernumerary list. During the war it was
impossible to come at the numbers reduced to half-pay ; but now
it clearly appeared that the Guard had not suffered the same re-
duction as other regiments. It was to be presumed that the vacant
commissions would hare been filled tip from the officers on the
half-pay. but, in point of fart, those officers had not been hr.:tight
on, while individuals, altogether new to the army, had been intro-
duced at a great es:pense to the country. It appeared that in the
Royal Regiment of Horse Guards two troops were added is 1812;
they were reduced in 11314, but the officers of those troops were al-
lowed to remain on full pay, and no reason had been grated for that
circumstance. Ile ( Mr. Hume) contended that the House ought to be
in possession of information as to the supernumeraries, as well as of
those who had beer. introduced as new men; and thereforeit was that
he hod extended his motion to include the Foot Guards. The first
instance he should mention was that of Lieutenant Knox, of the
3d regiment, who had died ; a gentleman of the name of Bagot
had been appointed to his vacancy, without purchase, instead of an
officer from the supernumerary list, as ought to have been the case,
and at a tinie when there were at least one thousand officers on half.
pay, anxious for service. Gentlemen opposite might consider that
seven or ten shillings a day in such cases was %natter of no cense.
quence ; but when so many thousands of the people were without
bread to eat it behoved the House to look to the expenditure. In
the 2d battalion, a Mr. A. W. Tureens, and in the 3d regiment
Mr. C. B. Berkeley had been appointed in a sundae manner. As
to the accounts of cheae regiments, he I Mr. Hume) considered that
they should be subjected; to the inspection of the Noble Lord (Lord
Palmerston). When the returns were before the House he had
no doubt but the facts would appear as he (Mr. Hume) hail stated
them ; he. therefore, would not say more on the present occasion,
but move for a return of the number of officers retained supernu.
meraries on full pay on the strength of the regiments of Royal Horse
and Foot Guards, belonging to any neop or companies that have
been reduced since 1814, stating how many of each rank now re-
main on full pay and unemployed ; also, for an account of the
amount of pay and allowances that have been issued to the super.
numeral", officers in each regiment of Horse and Foot Guards in
each year since the troops and companies were reduced, and
stating the expense incurred by such supernumerary officers, more
than would have been incurred if they had been put upon half.pay,
as the officers belonging to the other corps were, also for • return
of the number of vacancies that hare token place in the Horse and
Foot Guards by dealt or promotion, since 1814, stating how many
of those vacancies kind been filled up by the supernumerary officers,
or from the half-pay. or by purchase or otherwise.
Lord I'ALMERSTON said that he did not rise to object to the
production of the papers, but to remark that the more convenient
and usual way was for Hon. Members to confine the motion some-
what to the shape of the notice ; in the instance, however, before
the House certainly the motion was of a much more extensive
nature. The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) had complained that
the Horse and Foot Guards were upon a different footing to other
parts of the army, and they certainly were so, rightly or wrongly,
it was not for him (Lord Palmerston) to say. As to the accounts,
though they were not rendered in the same shape as those of other
regiments, still those corps did transmit to him (Lord Palmerston)
such returns as satisfied him and those occupied in their Investiga-
tion, that the money received on account of them was properly
accouoted for, and the officers and men received their pay precisely
in the same manner as the army generally. In regard to the dif-
ference of pay, it went in aid of recruiting and other special ex-
penses, while those of the army generally on the same head were
matter of a specific vote. In 1814 two troops of the Blues were
reduced, and the officers were placed on full pay as vacancies
happened. 'Fite papers would prove that no commission had
been disposed of in that regiment as described by the Honour.
able Gentleman except in one instance, and that institute
he (Lord Palmerason) would state to the House. The Horse
(tootle Blue were considered to have highly distinguished
themselves in the battle of Waterloo, anti on that occasion a
Major of the regiment was killed. In consequence of the meet.
torious conduct of the regiment, it was determined to fill up the
vacant Majority. The senior Captain became Major, and each of
the subalterns took their step, and there remained a Cornetcy to
fill up; and certainly, in that instance, a person not already in
the army was appointed, that person being no other than the
brother of the officer who had no gloriously fallen in the defence of
his country. (Hear, hear.) In respect to the names of the gentle.
men of the Foot Guards meo:ioned by the Hon. Gentleman (Mr.
Hume), they had been Pages of Honor to the King; and it had
always been the ease that gentlemen filling those situations were
entitled, on their retiring, to an Ensigney in the Foot, or Coe.
nem', in the Horn. Guards. He t Lord Palmecston) would not
trouble the House further, but would leave the papers to speak for
themselves.

The motion was then agreed to.
COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY.
On the motion•of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,
the House roolved itself into a Committee of Supply.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then pro forma
moved a resolution for grauting a supply to his Majesty; which
being agreed to, the House resumed, and the Report was ordered
to be brought up to-morrow.
Adjuutned, at a quarter-past fire, to to-morrow.