The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-01-19 00:00:00

ODE FOR rne Vill .1114 R. 1807.
P.

When loud and drear the tempests roar,
When high the billowy mnuntains rise,
And headlong 'gainit the rocky sl.ore,
D,iv'n by the blast, the giddy vessel Ls ;
Unguided, by the wild wave: bone,
Ilrr rudder broke, her [lading torn ;
Say, does the seamatk's daring mind
itOM the angry hewn of fats !
Dues lie, to abject fear resln'd,
'I. he impending stroke in silence wait
Nn•—•whi:e he pours the fovea pray'r
In Him whose will Can persists or caa
4 and ititreisid 'mid the sound
and wavii thst rag! around,
that skill and str.-nwh impart,
Tet nervous arm, th' unds,inted heart,
tu,-.ing—ftrm he fronts She threX,ting sturnh
‘.l :Aare', with fearless bre-alis, fell Death's tarrifie foils

sa, though aruutid our see-encircled rei~•t,
•t• tie theatifttt tempest sum to luw
ii,inAy'd du Britain's hardy train
Await, in d tubt, the threat'uing hour ?
L. ! to his sent., with cheering voter,
Albion's !wild Genius calls shawl;
Atom:4 him 'natant 'arida crowd,
v.: Death or V iflory their ehoite
ma eery Pert smouiah•d Europe sees
it'ttatin..'s white lads swelling with the tweet ,
t;iit her imperial ►arks alone
Awe th_ prhii i,x un miry side,
Coll).11,(Ci het via a launches us the tide.
And her in.ligttaiit was awhile
Trceding frou their wonted toll,
'luau (tout me ens act re.stu tier cue,
ti vat hem each deck the bate of War.
eep th' Njulious busmen from the mein.
Wise dare to etku ISCTIbt lieitaiinita's Natal Kelm

A•id see will emulative Beal
thir hods congeirtai arbour Itch ;
The ari,ent read, dot nt yore
Plain .1 mgr on Gable's wanyriiril.'d skate ;
Or Mined by ibanubes d 'Lott dual.
Wittig fluted his corrt nt vneti with Gal:tc blood ;
Orohotte iin later hglit;
Or fir'.l ay Acre. in s'is toe Curratiaii's Knight ;
Or tai.ght tin slavta's h:• dr tne Gaul to (eel,
the' uy ttc tlntu.P. sr ,u, the 'lush Ace!
Nsneut e..ch bread oda heat ierfouhled glow:,
And gleams &Las; indicates on Europe's 'tithes's (wee.
Nut to ambition's specious charm,
Nc.o to ansanguin'd Despots hand,
la conquest boundirl mightier arm
eartlt's proud t) rants can withstand,
The beldam till Is of human Etc.
itais, • tlit low and sinks the 'rust.
Kyr:ties then is Ituruyris elusr,
Fach energy of ono and mind,
AU that from force or skill the warrior drawn,
Yet to th' Almighty Pow'r mired,
Wi.oe nigh behest all Natures movernentloguie.er,
C two balde's and the oceans tides ; '
Brit.l,:, hopes that Helen her vows will hear,
3413.4 rears her shield and points h r spear.

SONS OF THt. CLERcir.

On SAurday List. a very numerous Meeting of
this tame isteilik and excellent Institution was held
at Willis's Great Rooms There were peeseniat•
Thee Ro. al Memnon the Dukes of York, Sens, C.
Wind, Strs.ex, CartibrAge and Gloucester.
He Otsee the Archbeltkip of Canterbury.
The Bishops of Durham, Ely, Oxford. Liaeoln, Wise
chaster, he
Too Earl of Dartmouth.
Lo.de-....Wolowit.by de Broke, and Egenborough.
Scott and Bro .ke Watson.
Mr. Byog, and upwards of one hundred other Clergymen
and Gentlemen of the hest rant and reipeetabtiita.
His Royal II igleteet the Duke of SUSREX M the Vile.
Alter a few minutes pau,e, the Illustrious CHAIR-
MAN addtessed the Society upon the subjedl of their
being called together at this time. Ills Royal
Highness observed, that in consequence of the re-
duced state of the funds of this very Noble Institu
lion, s;rce the year l'los, a consultation had :alien
place between hinitei!, His Royal Highness the
Duke. of Gloucester, the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, and Lord Eldon, the result at which was. a
determination to call the present meeting. f the
purpMe of considering tl.wr bra inea VIM to he
adapted fur the benefit of tne Institmion. For se-
veral years past. all the Royal Brothers (one ex-
cepted. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.)
had been Members of this Society, and ha.l en.lea
voured to c, .tribute their dare to this lau.'able
The mu, ific?nee of H.s Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales, upon such occasions, was too
well known to need ant observation from him ; he,
therefore, shot tly concluded, by moving—,, Chat an
humble petition be present,rd to His Royal
the Prince of ..Vales, requesting His Royal High-
oesi to take upon him the office of Steward of the
tor the present year."
This Mo.ion vca4 rrcooded by his Grace the Arch-
bishop of CANTERBURY, and the Petition being read
by the Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Glasse. i,e popria
forma, It was unanimously adoaei.
'l'he Archbishop .it Ca►Tsa guar then rose. and
after exprestibg the high hot. .nr which the Institu-
tion felt conferred upon them, by the several
branches of the Royal Family who had been mem-
hers of it from its cotnmencement. h;s Grace propos-
red several Resolutions, in substance as follows: bun.-
bly requesting their Royal blighneste. the Dukes of
Sttstez and Gloucester. to wait upon His Royal
Highness the Priuce of Wales, with e, it humble
Petition ; that the Rev. Dr. Waste and Mr. Bacon,
the Secretary and Treasurer of the Society, !'hould
attend at Cat let^n 1-ft ure, to know when it would
be His Royal Highness's pleasuic to be waited upon
51 the P,tition. and cwt.:tut:Mg will: a Resolution
:stive of the gratitude and thanks of the So-
', to the several branches of the Royal Family,
bad so nobly and uniformly given their sup-
to the Institution from its commencement.

Tix•se Resnietions were unanimously agreed to,
soon atter the r,iectinr broke hp.

MILITIRr niakviar.
—...---
wt. TN' HosiONNMILS TN' Coagyf Ohs or INS
VNITLD auiritio>4 07 NNW BSTTAtiI MIN 11111:
LAND, tal Paitti•isZoT atfasiaLso.
The THIRD REPORT of the Cucinisionen appointed
by an Act of the 4.911 t year of the Reign of If piesent
Majevy, elan. 47; intittifed—... An Aet to aluoint COM.
iniflnenee• to inquire and candle into tits Publ.: Expeids-
ture, and the eondeet or Nate Seeinees is the Military
Departments thereto nactitieopedi sod to report such Ohill-
vAtioits is -hall occur to thane for oerreeting or preccitt mg any
abuses and irregularities and for the better cnducting and
managing the boaitteas o
of the said Atrpartnaenti."
OFFICE OF TAT. BUM AOC MASTCR GENERAL.
CTOe VS AND SUPPLIES.
The nest head of our Inquiry into the conduct of
the B irr•ek Department, respells the Stores and
Sepplies provided for the use of Barract s in rsteat
Britain, &c. under the directions of the late and
present Ba-rack Masters Genet al.
We have divided this head of inquiry into,
Ist, The mode in which the articles were pro•
cured, their prices fixed and paid, an .f their quality
and quantity ascertained and ct.eck-d.
2ndly, The mode of distributing them to the
different Barracks, and of controuling and checking
their use and consumption.
The subjett, thus divided, has been separately
coasidered for vie respeatve periods, under both
Barrack Masters •eneral ; and will, therefore, be
separately treated of in our present Report.
he principal Articles of stores and supplies. used
in Barracks. consisting of beds, b,dding, sheets,
blankets, towels. ir"n .ongery, house aid stable
utensils, coals, candles, beer, and forage, were
provided by the late Barrack Master General, under
the authority of his I tier it Service. dated tat Ja-
nuary. 1793. and His Majesty's Warrants of 30 li
May, 1794, And 24th March, 1795 ; hut these, con-
taining only general insiruaions for his conduit,
left it, of course, to kim to decide on the means hest
calculated to procure them on terms the most ad-
v.ntag nus to the public
Prior to the yeas 1795, when the number of Bar-
racks was comparatively small, it appears that
altriough some of the artic.es w-re furnish-d in
London by Messrs. Trotter And C . et %oho-410.4r,',
most of them were purchased in t' e ne,wiboitr-
hood of the different tiairAcks, by the Barrack
Masters. who were A sewed to charge in their ac-
counts five pounds p-r cent. on the prime coat ; And
they were strialy prohibited from deriving 4,1 y pro
fit or emnlument on the articles purchased, beyond
this per .enrage.
It is evident that this mode of procuring the
stores and suppli-s. for the use of Barracks, left a
great opening 1 fir fraud. Fut Although, as iSal.tr,d
rin one of th• examinations, there cool,' Le no del
eieney in the quantity of the stores returned by a
Barrack Master to have h-en purchased by him, be-
cause his account of them could be checked by his
money account, yet in the quality of the articles,
and dice paid tor them, there might be much
abuse ; and at all events the interest 05 the Barrack
Master WAS at variance WWI that of the public. In
Lilt, it is stated in the same examination. that the
condua of some Barrack Masters, in this respect,
I had been made the anhjaa of inquiry ; and one or
two instances are mentioned, in which fraud having
been JeteZted, it was followed by their suspeasion,
or dismissal.
the Barrack Masters ceased, in December, 1794
to preside any articles of stores and supplies. exce,t
in particular pieces ; and they are still permitted t
porcloase corner articles O. small value. if the Barrack
Office is satisfied that hen can be procured as cheap
in the country as they could be sent to the Barracks
from London.
In IWO, the issue of beer to troops in barrette
was d sco tinged. and in !lea thereof one penny pee
diem was paid to each man ; and in November.
WI, the core of supplying forage to Barracks 'wee
.ransferred from the Barrack Oepastinent to Bid
Comm' %sae, General; noth %rich changes we. e
dtresied by the Lords Commissioners of His Ma.
jrsty's Treasury.
At C.* beginning of the year 1796, a very great
alteration took place in the mode of supplying th.-
princyal articles of Rarrack consumption; and this
made was pursued with very little variation, •uring
the remainder of the Lae Barrack Master General's
Administration. a period of nearly ten years
On the 25th December, 1794, Genera; De Lance
addressed a letter to Alexandet Davison, Esq. pro-
posies.; to him to undertake the supply of use ar-
ticies equtred for the use of the Barracks, as an
agent, on a moderate camniii>ion. Mr. Davison's
A swer, wherein he accepts the offer, and specifies
j tie terms, is dated lath January, 1795. These let-
ters, which should, in oar opinion, have been con-
•idered merely as the grouirdwerk of an agree-
ment, to be eimtwards carefully settled, and ap-
proved by the fressury, or Secretary at War, are
the only evidence bee have obtained of the under-
taking. he virtue of whickUr. Davisos supplied the
great article, of Barrack eommeaption, wish the ex-
ception of coals, diving apsriod of between nine and
ten sears.
As these letters contain no irrelevant matter,
they cannot, with propriety. Ise abetraded, and a
full knowledge of their contents being essential to
the right understanding of our further observations,
we insert them here at length.

SIR. Barrack Office, Dec. 29, 1794.
llaving considered the very great extent of the
supplies, from the nature of the present war, ne-
cessary for the troops stationed in Barracks, and the
manner in which the same may be provided, con-
eistentiy with the economy requisitie in all expendi-
tures of the public money., without losing sight of
the necessary attention to the comfort aud conve-
nience of the troops ; and being satisfied, that from
the unexpected calls for large supplies, as well as
from the experierce of the uncertainty arising from
trusting to ICobtraelors for the due ard sufficient
furnishing of such articles as are in use in Barracks ;
1 have thought it would tend to remove all doubts
and difficulties, if a person of extensive knowledge
and experience in mercantile matters, and who had
been in the habit of furnishing similar articles for
Government, would undertake the supply upon a
moderate comatission, su'sjeift to such anspeCtion and
controul as this (Ace shout d think requisite ; I there-
fore request to know, if you will take upon you to
supply such articles as you shall be required to fur-
according to albs following mode aud teems.
Whenever asy articles 'ball be wanted, so order,

. •
• .
writing. to be sent to you from this ()Zee, speci-
fying the nature and extent of the supply; to what
place vs be .tulle; walls*, name oLahe .erson, to
whom it is to be consigne3. This *TO' 'to' be con-
sidered as the necessity welcher to be produced by
you, with your accoerrs, ,t require:a
A bill of parcels to be sent to this office as soon as
the purchase is made, and the receipt of the pees, at
from whom the articles are purchase I, to he pro
duced by you, as the itecessary voucher oil the rat -
dement of your account with this office. Carriti
cates are also to be produced by you, if required.
that the prices charged for the several articles Jo not
exceed the market price at the time the purchase is
nude.
That if any saving can be made by the purchaser,
OT by the mode of issue or delivery of any tu-
ck. that the amount ti erent shall be made a
credit to the public in diminution of the coo: of
such article.
That no money may he u-neeersatily drawn from
the Treasury, you will, whenever a p tyme..t ts to he
made, specify to me the am unt thereof, end hoe to
be applied ; and you will not call upon t a Ofh e
until the same shall be dne, according t•i the cus-
tomary modes of paying for inch articles as are sup.
pled ; at which time cash or 6.11 s will be gireu
to you, as the nature of the circumstances may
require.
"That no loss may arise to the public in any ease
where articles may be shipped for any d.stan• place,
you must, in all cases, insure t. e same, taking care
that the premiums can be proved to be as low as
the general rate of 'new:ince at the time, end by the
most respeelehle Underwriters. As the suppties
for Barracks are called for in the m ,at unexpected
manner, and the service not admitting of delay, you
must, when any order may be given to coiled any
articles, have the same properly stored till disposed
of ; and that no lose may arise tram Any accident
by fire, the same must be insured by you tit the
amount of the value, stating the terms to mc for my
consideration.
When any articles are to be sent from hence, yon
will employ such packer as shall be approved by
me, to whom you will give the most strift direaions
not to allow any article of a bad or insufficier
Tiality to be received ; and in case any such er-
ode shall be sent to any Barrack, the Barrack !stet-
ter, or person appointed to receive and inspect the
same, will have instruetions to return them to you ;
and no charge will be allowed for the original coat,
or any ezpence that may attend the same.
In the course of conduaing the business, there will
b? many circumstances which will require more par-
ticular explanation and arrangement, but which
will of necessity be made the subject of further in-
struaion. lam only to add, that the rate of Corn.
mission must depend upon the nature of the busi-
ness, the expense in conducting the same, and the
extent of the supplies, which, though I may set:le
according to my judgment of the circumstances,
as they appear in the first instance to strike yet
must eventually depend upon what, an a more
bull
deliberation, I may think more adeqoatr to the ser-
vice.
I am so request you will inform me whether you
are willing to undertake the liminess on the terms
above-mentioned; and, as one particular reason for
my adopting this mode is founded cm the eaperi-
erica 1 have had of toe necessity of employing a
person who will give up his ton and attention to
the business, and not subject me to the smallest dis-
appointment, I beg you will inform me wanner
you are assured I Man not meet with disappoi
meets, which, in a case like the supply of Ka lA. ks,
are attended with the most serious cons quences.
I am, acc. (Signed) Or.. Da LANCIIT,
A. DlTilloll, Eq. +1 6
Letter fruit Alexander Davison, Esq. to Mjor-tieneral De
Lowey.
SIR, tiopulAßTeet, Jai. 10,5793.
1 hive received your letter, dated December tfa,
relative to the supplies that may be required for the
service of your department, and desiring to know
if I will take upon me the furnishing thereof.
Being sensible, that this communication is a mark
of your confidence, I beg leave, in answer thereto,
to inform you, that my hoc e is disposed to under-
take the business on the footing which you state, of
en Agent upon Commission.
Considering, that the necessary supplies of the
articles for Barracks will he extensive, and that
the calls for them will be very considerable
and unexpeaed, and toat tire nature of she ser-
vice is such as to render a disappointment of
tie most serious consequtnce, it will be ne-
cessary for me, in order to furnish the same
with all requisite certainty and dispatch. at the same
urns keeping in view the utmost economy in the ex-
penditure, to adopt preparatory measures that will
attach great responsibility to myself ; and it will
be necessary that I receive sufficient authority, in
due time, to secure supplies for the probable exi-
gencies of the Barrack Department, zit re especi-
ally with respe6 to such articles as are liable to
Alliteration in price, in order not to expose the pub-
lic to inconven.ences and circumstances often arising
in a bare or speculative market; and, as those arti-
cles may be requited to be sent to different Barracks,
it will be also regular for use to have a written or-
der (as you mount ) to serve as my voucher for so
disposing of the articles provided, which 1 shall be
ready to produce, if required ; but I must beg leave
to observe, that where any supplies may he calked
for very instantaneously, and that I may have fur-
nished the same upon verbal orders, (as I have often
experienced in business of magnitude at its outset,)
in such ca,e I shall, if no written order is given,
consider myself justified by the statements or returns
that I may subeequeoly make thereof to your ot-
lie?, and by the receipts of the persons to whom the
articles Are consigned, such documents being ,goofs
of the official authority for the measure
I shall always produce to you bills of parcels ;
and, with my accounts, furnish you with receipts
from the persons of whom purchases may have been
made; as also certificates that the prices charged for
the articles do not exceed the sates of the mat ket at
the time of purchase. It will be nigh , however,
that the latter be'ealkd for within a moderate time
from the date thereof ; for you mast be awa- e, that
to obtain such proofs at a very future period, would
be attended with the greatest difficulty, it not an
utter impossi6ility. he demandsisite, . therefore,
hould t
oe
or
such certificates as may he requ s
made to me in due time, though they do not appeot
tote very necessary, except it may be for the in-

. ,
rprmatino of miters, as ^nu Aware, Pretrial%
ny purchase, be made ecquAieted eith the price..
end other eircumst ;flees, to determine yen with
terthe extere MK. VOW. etereof.
Must also remark. that various inconsiderable
articles need It' racks, are not ruled by market
prices, 'Set ft Y v .• • esonest . the few hole,' in
ekorrti sit as they rely rr..te when euctdeele
de-
d• , perticelArly we'rtegard te use, silt or
urnirute. to be ma le of any given pattern. etretigthe
or q •
-.lity, it Any lirnitel time ; tinier tech cite
curnstantes. it would he is vain to establidi 'he cur-
rent price of se-11 art:, a-s; hut 4;ty pi •,of that ten
he olitairied in this instance, I shall be ready p
hring forward. .
reg eel to deisvine fUnds. I shall have it
o ly te 'triply for such heemennst as 1 can ,tree to
be required, os av to answer the payments 1 then ,
have -rake. and r. cov-r me, in Sue time. ag einst
Any eegag onus I. may le- nn ter in the! respect.
I shall deity observe your instruclions as to issue-
ing the temels t of articles in all c sees where t: y
mey 11- sent by sea. welch I entli t dee care e. Te:t
~s lose as the current j 0! insurance devig ~s '
time by teputed ge d eetveiters. of el•I'71
;:1;111 al.vay, endeatreut to Make a prnner choice.
and due intimation thereef shelf sae given to you,
required.
.X 6 the service of your department will not actinic
of any delay in fur:tieing .the supplier. as tensed,
This applies to the Articles prie:iited on commis-
sion for coals, as will be seen hereafter, were wild by
himself to the Barra: k Office. The usual Credit.
the ref ire, on this attic's-, via. a whotetale cite e. if
sol 1 them on the terms of a whol.,sekeie•ler,
eccerding to f.is imiertekieg (to be notice! bye and •
bye,. or a serail ch•eit, if he sold them .it ti e price
the tithe' ;tents were saying at the dm-, •ul have
been given by him to the Barrack Oilier, en tie 're-
qui-itions for money.
Wit do not. however, find that at any time Mr.
DelViOri gave the Barrack Oilier a sties •ment of the
particular engas,,erne '3 he was on ter, from w 'e
the late. Barrack Master General might have iudned
of the propriety of advancing ..IRO cash tit s;C-
cording to the limitations pissellbe 1 in the
alluded to. But it appears that lee made ins r- .• • •
sitions for money on the foundation of a- re. Iss's
prepared by Himself. ,
These estimates were generally given ie
yearly. They begin, for t•teinost p tit, with ste
a sum supposed to be due on the account ere
the half-year preceding. • -
But on reference to some of these accoutre,
(which, from the eircunistence about toabe stated,
could not have been delivered, we presume, nit eller
the estimates had been given in.) we fied these sus
posed balances greatly to ..xeeed those stated in; time 1111
cccounts to he due. Thus, in an estimate delivered •
2thiteDecemberel79B, the balance due VI) hir. 1)4.•
VISO on the 24th of June preceding is stated to re •
about thirty-eight. thousand pounds; on refer-rice,
however, to the account, this balance appear to I e
only severe thousand three hundred and fifty • a
penincis seven shillingi, and, rn tne es,tmete el•
vered 27th April, 1799, the balance •Ine to him of.
24th ce ,censber preceding, is stet .1 to be en eat
twenty.eiyht thousand pounds. The ireffeyeaa's
accneutth however, state ilea wee to be thertiern
thousand six hundred and seieternine potmes.
The setimates teen state the cost _of Me Al-
t el.'s provided and proveteng, And of those which
it i• calculated may be wanted for the periods ter
w tch the estimates are made. He deuces himself
in these estimates with the each and aceetennees
re-
tweed on ace, unt since the preceding esttnia ; tt,A
he does not st.te bow threitah account 5ta.,..1 •-
teem the Barrack Mauer General and Memel r
sweet mo ies have been attn.rly paid y him a' • e
time leer the Articles provided, and tit-Jere!. s • -
lance ot 'cash, oft either side, does rya :paper; a
circumstance fur which Mr. Davison acceunt_ y
saying, t• at sush statement was unnecessary, a t. e
BAI rack Office had at all times the means of ascer-
taining these balances as Well as be tied himself.
Mr. Stanbank, however, says, that t e 011-e had
not the means of knowing what these balances WOrs
till Mr. Davison's half-yearly accounts we. e sent ir,
which was not in general the case until nearly - st
months after the dates to which they were m fee to, ;
but the pi cise periods of their being received at tLe
Offi.:e he cannot now ascertain.
it is obvious Ott this mode of advanc:ng money
to Mr. Devisee, on estimates so incorrectly and
loosely made, and which did not Include a vete-
ment of the balances in Mr. Devison's hands, miehe
give him a command of money, cents ry to tee
landaton centained in Lieutenant G.neral 1:e
Lencey's letter ; and in tact, on an men:Maims i f
those hall-yearly account's, we find that at mar y
periods, very large sums have been prematurely ad-
vanced to Mtn.
This we think will be evident from the paper
given in the Appendix. the new; r of which has
been eetteeted from Mr. leAviecn's hall-yeer.y
accounts.
L'his paper contains six columns :—The second
theses the cost of the stores provistad at the dame .if
the half-yearly Accounts, to be seems In the first co-
lumn. The balances due to Me leasences Oa
face of these accounts, a: the end of each kelt ye ire
are given in the third ; bus it must be temen.bcrei,
mat these include the test of many .iriisies net e.,-
malty paid fur at the de; eof the account T., i• .
lance, when• any is due by hit. 11/Avenel to the -rack NelAstar Cr.•neral, is stated ie c ilamn t tn. T e
dates at which the apparent belAtecei de e• to Mr.
Davison were liquidated, appear it. column fire.—
And the excess of the acceptances in his hands at the
dare of the half-yearly accoiiat, beyond the anheonx
of those balances, in ci.lis:nti Sot. tAn etamin4-
tion of the paper, with these explinetions,
will
thew, that in Mr. halt-yearly acceu .
endang /Rh December. 1793. C.* baiauce in t...
favour was forty-eight thousand seven hundred
pounds, which was really paid is January
following, and that he had acceptances in band,
on the said Ildth Dec-tuber, eaceedine. v
twenty.cne thousand there hundred pounds,
it e
balance before stated; that in the neat Lilt learn
ending 244. of June. 1796, he h 4 l in hand toe' t•
two thousand pound. Acceptances due in Jule a; d
Angst tollowieg, beeund the balance then tweed
to be due to him ; that, in the year 1797, N
t.
I:Jammu had in hand. on the 24th of June. aCc.
ances exceeding. by eight thseusand hew hure•e d
. pounds, all the services perforated in the succees., g

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