The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-05-01 00:00:00

with horror at the pri ple, was to go on from time
to time in this frexplicable state, anti) the Govern-
ment could select a fit moment to Garry their point,
which, thank God ! they were trot so certain of doing
now, notwithstanding the high tone usually taken
btu the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Castlereagh).
The 'real fact was, that the whole principle of the
Right Hominrable Gentleman's plot) was the most
mischievous conceit that ever entered into the head
of any Chancellor of the Exchequer.—(Hear,
mid a laugh.)—WWll he at once have the candour
to avow what the principle is which he means to
carry into effect early next Session ?—(Hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER MOW
not help stating, that this was the first time any
Member was called upon to eider into immediate
explanation upon a measure which, for the moment,
he had declared his intention of relinquishing. He
wished to be undersiood as postponing the question
for future consideration, snit not abandoning it.
He was willing to admit, that many of the argu-
ments of the Gentlemen at the meeting yesterday
went agsiiist the principle of the 11i11.—(Sir M.
W. Kaki here said," Ai 1!")—Mony of them cer-
tainly did, mud justified the necessity of postponing
the sohjtct, either to admit of certain modifications,
or to allow time for a further consideration of the
principle among those who conceived their interests
would be affected by it.
The qiieetion was then put, and the order was
discharged for the first reading of the Country
Banks Bill on Monday next.

ARTILL'ERY DRIVERS CORPS.
Mr. BEfINCTT rose to move, that an humble
Address be wesetited to his Royal Highness the
Prince ReNenr, its behalf of the Officers of the
Artillery Drivers Corps, and praying that his
Royal Highness would Ire pleased to direct the
payirirut of 3.5691 to tn.ike tip the difference be-
tween the half awl the full pay of these Officers,
end assuring his. R.lyel flightiest that the House
would stake good the same. The non. Gentle.
man re-stated the reasons he had urged on a for-
mer night, to shrew the justice mid necessity of pine-
iug the Officer's of the Artillery bitters Corps on
something like a par with those en other branches of
the military service. As the Oftcers to whOse case
he alluded were now placed, they hall only their
half-pay, notwithstanding their king tiervite, and
the wounds they might have received, while from
the nature of the existing regulations, they could
not, like other Officers, avail thentselves of au op.
portunity of getting employment ill other branches
of the service. The case alluded to on a former
tritht by the Wight Hon. Gentlemen opposite. of
the two b.-minims of Irish Artillery, was not a case
in point, for the Officers of these battalions had
the option of retiring on full pity, or of going into
the Royal Artillery. He was sure the House would
not countenance the 11F01/011st. that those Officer.
who spent their youth and health in the service of
the country were to be abarieloned at the close of
the war, and put on a worse footing than oilier.
who had seen but comparatively I ttle service. The
Hon. Gentleman concluded by snoring his Address.
Mr. %ter, denied that ally promise had been
made from competent authority, such as that al-
luded to by the Hon. °codeine'', and read extracts
from the commissions of the Officers Of the Arid.
lery Drivers Corps, to awe, the miture of their
duty, and that they were to receive orders from the
Officers of the Artillery. There was a distinct line
of demarcation drawn between these two branches
of themiltery service; and the general rule which
made one. subordinate to the other, could not be
broken ifs upon in individual instances, however
painful a refusal might be to those whose services
were confessedly meritorious. If this motion were
carried, it would, by infringing the general rule,.
create insurmountable discatiteut in the army,
to the iisjsry of the public service. It was, how.
ever, a pleasing part of his duty to state, that
the Master-General of the Ordnance was dew-
tts of giving every possible assistance to the
Officers ef the Artillery Drivers Corps, and had
obtained the consent of Caeverisment to their being
relieved how taking that part ed. the oath which
rendered it imperative upon them to relinquish
their hall-pay on getting any other employment.
They would now be allowed to receive their half:-
pay distinct from Hoy other emplinnieut they may
have all OppOrtlillily of enternig into in the public
service.—( I leur, hear.)
Mr. I.TTTELTON was extremely glad to hear of
this latter ilidulience; but he still thought that the
affidavit these Officers were compelled to take was a
heavy grievance, for their hall-pay was intended as
a rentefieration fur past service. and lie saw uo rea-
son why their receiving it should disentitle them to
hold other commissions in 111, Nlajtsty's service.
Mr. Watto and Mr. LYTTELTON mutually ex-
planted.
Mr. BENSON said, there was nothing in the com-
missions of three officers, nothing in their comenu-
Illeiltlolll with the Oriliissice, that the services of
this corps would be absolutely annihilated. Ile
held in his bend a letter how the late Duke of
It clonowl to au officer me the establishment, in
which the following pass ige occurred :—" It was
certainly not meant that you should not rise to
higher situations in the service." Tills held out a
sort of hove of their anal eeeee g rink. There
was 'seething in it to skew that on a peace their set-
vices should he absolutely nimilidated, Nod all pros-
pect taken away of their touring into the army or
artillery.
Mr. CALCRAFT thought it was the duty of the
House to support Miiiisters whet) they made reduc-
tions ill compliance with die spirit manifested by
it, though those reductions might press heavily un
individuals. In his opinion, these officers had no
claim—the precedent stated by the Right Hon.
Gentleman opposite (Mr. Ward) had entirely over-
whelmed the arguments in their favour—and he-
sides,
it 'limners-4 that their case had received ell
counderetuni due to it—arid that the Master-Ge-
neral of the Ordnance (Lord atulgrave) had re-
moved from them a disability not taken away from
ally other part of the service. 'Elie great distiuc-
I between the services seemed not to be attended
to. In the army commissions were purchased—in
this service not, He 111 IWI' die Hon. Gentleman
who had brought forward the !notion, would not
see a necessit) of procrethie; any further
.with ;
hut if he did, he would most cordially support the
negative stile of the question.
Mr. BEN NETT said, that a precedent might pos-
sibly be produced of a certain regulation not prestos