The National Register.
London, England, 1816-04-08 00:00:00

+HE NATIONAL REGISTER.

coneeras of I:is office, which acre far from being of a trilling
nature.
Mr. 11.:Nti tTT wee not aware what occuputions the Right
Hon. Gent. had inked with the duties of this office, for he had
rainy orcupations • but he /nest say, that one hour in the day
as he was informed, was sndieuent to dischatge the duties of
'freseurer of the Navy. With respect to lime other dines in
the naval departments, he should move to reduce them in
rint of emote:neut. But, however, he supposed the Right
Heu. Gent. (amid not object to receive 30001. a sear, and then
proposed that aunt instead of 10001.
Mr. Rant:EVE was in favour of the reduction; not from any
personal feeline towards the Right Hou. Gentleman, but time
a conviction [hid retreuchineut in every possible way was ne-
cessary.
Mr. Rosy Stilted, that the Clerks iu his Office entered at sa-
laries of 781. they were tea years in the office before they rose
to 991. and must be in the office a long life before they obtain-
ed a salary equal to what the lion. Creitt. (Mr. Barclay) gave
his principal clerk.
Mr. 'lnnstesoe paid isms linnonrable testimony to the public
character of Mr. Bose ; wl.l, he said, had always been the
steady friend and protector of the lower classes o people;
and, he believed, a valuable public servant. He wisi.ed teat
the Right Hon. Gent. would complete his character and fame,
by relinquishing now a sum of 10001. a year out of his salary
as an example to others. The fortune of the Right Han. Gent.
could well enable him to do this, and his example might have
great effect on others.
Mr. Ross: was creatly olffiged by the flattering manner in
which the Hon. Gent. had spoken of him; unit he might be in-
duced to follow the Hun. Gentleman's advice ; hut that lie had,
on one occasion, Liven up a salary of 10001. in hopes that others
would have followed his example, but not a single person had
dour so—( //sae, hem.) •
Mr. Love Mr. %misses! and Mr. MARRIOTT Were against
any reduction in the salary of the 'Freasurer of the Navy.
Mr. PRESTON supported the Amendment • and urged the
advantages which would arise from an example set by so old
and honourable a servant of the Public as the Bight Hon.
Gentleman.
Mr. HANKES was against making advance in salaries; the
state of the country would not admit of it ; but he was equally-
averse to reducing the salaries of ()them, vv ho fur 30 years,
had performed the duties of their office in a most efficient
manner.
After a few words from Mr. Forbes, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Mar-
riott, and Mr. Findley, a division took place—For the Amend-
ment 01—For the original motion nti--Mlajority .1,,.
On re-admission into the gallery, we Muni( Capt. PELLEW
speaking. He was calling the attention of the Committee to
the hardships suffered by sailors on foreign stations, owing
to the system which at present existed 01 keeping back their
pay whilst on foreign stations. This measure, he understood,
was intended to prevent desertion, but he was well convinced
that it had a contrary effect, and that the hardships and imposi-
tions to which the men were thus subjected, caused very fre-
quent desertions. He did not blame Ministers fur this system,
it existed long before they came into power, but he did now
recommend to them, as a time of leisure had arrived, that they
would turn their attention to the subject.
Sir G. HOPE was persuaded that the men did not consider
the system which at present evicted as a hardship. The gene-
ral desire of men to aerve abroad was a proof of this, and many
men to his knowledge declare that their desire to go abroad
arose from the very circumstance of having all their pay to re-
ceive on their return. He was so well convinced of the policy
of the present mode of paying the seamen on foreign stations,
that he should oppose any attempt to alter it.
Capt. PELLEW repeated what he had before said. He had
known men when abroad, take up slops, and other articles of
that description, of the Purser on account, for which they had
been charged a pound, and which they immediately sold for
hulf-a-crown, to buy themselves soap and other necessaries;
and thus he had known mere after being abroad 13 or 14 years,
on their return, not have more than three or four years pay to
receive. He should not propose any milieure, lent should sug-
gest that Commissioners slosald be Repoitited to pay the men
whilst on foreign stations.
Mr. Fon BES was in favour of the plan suggested by Captain
Pellew. He could assure Ike Committee that the hardship
sustained by the Officers was even greater than that telt tiy
the common men. He had himself knowll instances in which
the Officers had been under the necessity of paving 25 and 30
per cent. for the discount of tills whilst .111 the India station.
Capt. WALDEGRAVE Wall also of opinion that the present
existing system was one of very great hardship, and one which
called loudly for alteration.
Mr. Rose considered the plan proposed by the Hon. Captain
(Pellew) as impracticable. It could only be done by a regu-
lar establishment oa every station. He was ready to acknow-
ledge with that gallant officer that it would he a very desirable
object to have the men furnished either with pay or necessa-
Admiral MARRWANI was desirous that some plan should be
adopted for paying to seamen and officers part of their pay.
He had known instances in his ship, where officers draw ieg
for 251. in the Mediterranean, had received only Is:. or 151.
Mr.Citimee contended,thaianv change of the present system
would be to the disadvantare •/t' the officers, as, with the ex-
ception of the year 1810, the schange had been always in fa-
vour of the ()Meets of the Navy,
Mr. BARING said, this was surprising ; as, if the lion. Secre-
tary's statement was correct, officers must have conte.ved to
draw en terms much more advantageous than merchants could
do.
Mr. W. Wye vs remarked upon a sem of 17041. for messen-
gers, fire-lighters, porters, &c. Some of these received a
salary of stol. The commissioners had recommended that no
messenger should have more than 1001.
Mr. Banta:nest wished for some further expiatiat'on on the
subject of the Foreign Exchange, which the Hon. Gentleman
said had always been either at par, or fasoetable to this country
whilst, in all the enquiries before the. Bullion Committee, it
was stated that the Eel Mange was against its.
Mr. HASIMERSI.Y and Mr. LYTTLETON, of their own know.
ledge, were able to state, that in the Mediterranean, in 11:109
and 1810, Exchange was front 20 to 25 per cent. against the
officers.
Mr. YORKE defended the statement of Me. Croker.
Sir J. P. Beet:stoup believed the sailors would be very
sorry to be paid almond, and not lime any towie% when they
came home. He hail never Nerd may sailor aesh Mr p.%
I abroad. Such a plan would moiler the men diseontet.t. d.
ming officers might entettain an eptidon that this a veld be
acceptable to the mien, whereas it would render them dis-
satisfied.
Mr. FORDRS, and Sir R. C. Faenueon contended, that the
navy should be put on the Saline footing with the ..tiny, as to the
rates of foreign exchange operating on their pas abroad.
Lord Cess LLISE.AGII Said, regular partile•ters accompanied
the arm abroad; but that was nut we case with the fleet;

APRIL 8.

and theretine if the Home should adopt this plan, they mist
eatabliA uew ()diets.

The question miss theft pat, that a mini of 43,5641. Its. 11(11.
should be grunted, to dethly the expence of salaries and con-
tingencies in the nos e.
Mr. 'AI st-rist moved au amendment on the centingencies, by
!raving out 7.•001. front them. as the Secretary of the Admiralty
had not yet produced the proper accounts on that part of the
estimates.

Ou this Amendment the House divided. For the Amend-
ment, 57; tistaivst it, 133—Majority ge.
The own of 4:1,1951. its. dd, was then voted to defray the
salaries and contingencies in the vietimiling-Alice.
Sir 0. WAR lerNern Then moved a sum of 27,3331. 12s. 241.
for the °thew of Deptford yard; which was agreed to. He
then moved a sum of 32,0001. for the expences of Woolwich
dock-yard.

Mr. Tian NEY contended, that a Cominlssioncr was not want-
ed uow ill that yard, with two boat~' errs s, &r.

Sir O. WAnn►:r:ns.R maintained, that a Commissioner was
necessary to be established in that yarn permanently, in order
to check the ecorm..ittyloss of naval stores.
Admiral Marts-use was of opinion, that this Commissioner
could nut cost the country much less than 20u01. a year, ex-
elusive of his house.
The sum was then voted.--45,0001. was then voted fur Chat-
ham-yard; 25,4021. for Sheerness-card; 60,755 i. for Ports.
moutli-yard; 42,4321. fur Plymourh-yard; 67941. fur the Oat-
ports; 574421. fur the Foreign-yards.
Mr. DARING contended, that there were mote increases in
the salaries of our officers in the foreign dock-yards. The
surveyor of timber fur Nova Scotia was un airless ollire, as
there um always a provincial surveyor in all parts of our
North American possessions.
Sir G. WAu:a►.auan nedcrstnoil that this officer regularly
corresponded with the Navy Office, and was assiduous in pre-
serving the timber tit fur the navy. Nun. Itarimet ilti n
moved a sum of 117,0001. for the of liters of ships in or diva, y.
He then moved 132,6111. fur victualling the ship-keepers and
men of the v easels is ordinary.
Mr. IlAnisio said, that then• was an appart nt excess of
40,0901. on this charge, which certainly terpured explanation.
In 1203 the own were victualled ar. Is. a man; bat by these
estimates they arc charged at is. bd. a man; so that the excess
of this was 40,9561. over that of the i.reveeding year; and vet
provisions of every kind wire NI, touch Chet-apes, that there
should be a di' ll ill utiun of our-hat: instead of au increase of
one-half.

Mr. CRoaER thought this a case requiring explanation, and
capable of being folly explained. The chlorites of the former
years were wrong, and would cot meet with the exigencies of
the service. The Admiralty had now brought the proper es-
timates fully before the House. For t 6 years bertat. MM,
there was nu tlifihrener in the estimate, 13 ills respect; hot
Mr. Pitt then made the estimates be corrected to what they
ought really to he stated at. In 1806, the berbour estimate
was at Is. and Is. 4d. while the sea escheats nas maised to 2s.
4d. per diem. But now the Admiralty had made out a minute
and genuine estimate, such as should have been produced in
1606. At present the sea victualling was L. Lid. and that of
the harbour was Is. 6d. a mall per diem.
After some further observations, the motion was agreed to
The following sums were then voted:-112,149 for harl,our
moorings, Ac.; 36,6801. for repairs of ships;• and 1,170,3411.
for half-pay to officers, widows' pensions, &c.
Capt. PELLEW noticed the distinction between the widows'
pension in the army and navy.
Mr. Cramer( stated, that the widows of naval officers, if
they went on half-pay, obtained their pensious—not so *Wows
of army officers in similar circumstances.
The following sums were then voted:-
72,7001. for the Superannuated List
2,163,513 for repairs of Ships of War
♦79,156, fur provision for Garrisons, &c.
61,303 for Salaries of Transport Office
1,111,011 for Service of Transport Office
112,904 fur Sick and Hurt &sawn
65,820 fur Prisoners of War
2,100 for Superannuated Clerks.
The Report was then received.—Adjourned at Half-past Two.

TUESDAY, APRIL 2.
A petition was presented from the county ofKent, complain-
Ing of the distresses of the Agricultural Interests, and praying
same relief against the oppression of tythes.
Lord Lascelles presented a petition from Leeds, Wakefield,
and Tadcaster, against the imposition of a duty on Rape-seed,
as injurious to the 14 oollen Manufacturer.
Mr. Chaplin moved for lease to tiring in a Bill to amend the
Act passed in the last Session for levying County Rates.—
Leave given. Read a first time.
Sir 3. Shaw presented a petition from the Ward of Cripple-
gate, praying fur retrenchment in the public expenditure, IR
order to give effectual relief. They did not require such re-
trenchment as would tarn out of employ a number of ordinary
clerks, but such as would give permanent relief, and would
only touch the higher departments of the State.