The Sun.
London, England, 1814-06-25 00:00:00

ARM Y ESTI M ATES

Mr. BENNETT hoped, that at so late an bow- it
was not the intention of the Noble Lord (Palmer-
ston) to persevere in bringing forward the Army
Estimates.

Lord PALMERSTON saw no occasion for any fur-
ther delay, the more partic'ilarly as there could be
little information afforded to the House on the
subjeCt of any reduction in the expence • during
the present year, three-quarters of the year's ex-
penditure being already incurred, and our armies
not being yet got home. There would besides, be
a further stage for discussing the subject it it
should be thought necessary.
Mr. PoNsoNaY could see no imperious neees,
sity for- proceeding at that hour, the more par-
ticularly as the military. service could not suffer
from postponing the business till there was a fuller
House.

, The CHANCELLOR of the.EXCHgQUER saw great
increased inconvenience to. the House from every
day's ,delay, while, at the same -time, no idea
could at this moment held out to the House as to
what nlight be expected to be the Peace esta-
blishment.

Mr.FasEmANTrA hoped to have heard to-night
what was the probable expectation as to the
amount of the Peace establishment ; but if no in
formation on this head was to he expected, he
agreed. that the postponement of the measure was
theless necessary.

The House having resolved itself into a Corn-
rnittee of Supply, a number of thisaellaneous Irish
Services were voted. After which,

Lord PALM ERSTON brought forward his Army
Estimates. Ile should content himself at present
-with the leading features, reserving the details for
a- future ocosion. Front a general view of the
whole, it would be seen, that, comparing the Es-
timates with those of the last year, there was an
increase of 7,000 men, and 110,0001. of charge.
The increase in charge arose from a variety of
causes,_ among others, front an increase of pay
or allowance to, Non-commissioned Officers, to
the amount of 20,0001. a year. A new -charge of
Cavalry Staff to the amount of 360 men, occa-
sioning- an cxpence of 10,000/, ; a new corps,
called _York Chasseurs; to the , number of 673
men, &c. ; under the head of Staff and Garrisons,
there was an increase this year in the foreign
service to the amount of 56,000/. This, no
doubt, contained no estimate for the army of
Lord Lynedoch, but this would be effectually co-
vered under the saving in Lord Wellington's Staff.
—There was an increase in the present year's
estimates, which he was certain the House would
be happy to encourage, naively, in the pay of
General Officers not having regiments, who were
at present iu the receipt of every possible variety
of pay, from that of a Lieutenant-Colonel to that
of a Captain. This was not consistent with jus,
tice or liberality, and a contrary practice not only
prevailed in every
_other Military Service 'except-
ours, but even in, the Naval Service of this coun-
try such had ceased to he the rule for more than
a century.. His intention was to, place General
Officers on the same footing-„with Flag Officers in
tke Navy. Thus, a Major-General to have the
same pay with'a Bear-Admiral, a Lieutenant-tie-,
neral the same pay with
_a Vice-Admiral ; but a
General to have no higher pay than a Lieutenant-
General. This would amount to about 83,000/.—
Another increase of pay would be to Officers re-
duced to half-pay, who must suffer from the same
Cause which afforded a prospect of-prosperity aLd
congratulation-to-the rest of the country. This he
estimated at front 150,0001. to 160,0001. In the
volunteer service/here would be -a r.duction of
about 150,0001. In the Irish Commissariat a re-
duction of about 70,0001. ; and in the Barrack
Department of Ireland a reduction of ebdut
38,000/. .He then proceeded to state the 'redue-
tiOns •which. had- afreadv taken place, or were im-
mediately to take place-, in Our fores at home,

, .
and the tternit:ng, which Ivo.; now cOu-
fined to the L.ondon districts, The 'HomeStaff
had now sustained A cons;derable rednbti•on,
which would be increased against 'nekt
to thirty-six General Officers. Every proper re-
duction, he pledged himself to the House, should
take place the earliest possible moment it could
be effected.

The first Resolution, namely, That there be
granted for the Land Forces, at 1-3.,ine and
Abroad, the snm of 1,546,000L-Lbeing
PorisoNßv again noticed the, late hour at
which this business had been brought forward.—
As to the duty of the House and the. Country to
make the best. possible provision for the General
Officers of our Army,. and also for those ,Officers
who must necessarily retire bit half-pay, he ew•
tirely concurred with the Noble Le.rd : that duty,
he thought, could only be bounded by our ability.
He would have liked, however, to have heard a
declartition front. the Noble Lord as to what was
likely to he our Peace Establishment. The Noble
Lord had left this matter.too much open to con,:.
jecture when he talked of his disposition to maiie
the Peace Establishment as low as possible. It
ought to be as nearly possible sevhat it had been
previous to the French Revolution ; and, wherever
any deviation'was made from that scale of expen-
diture it was for the Noble Lord, anti those who
acted with hint, to chew .that such deviation was .
necessary. Before the: French Revolution, the
whole stun raised for the expenses of the year,
and to pay the interest :of our debt, was sixtten
a,vear. •?oiv the interest of our debt
triune was upwards of forty ; and he -did
not fiver-rite the whole of our aniiii;il expense by
stating it at six-ty minions. lii such circumstances
it was the lippe-ciois tioly of inisters to reduce
our expense as time:: as possible ;- and he nitist
assume the anloont of our expense previous to
the French Revolution, as the be it criterion by
which to judge what our present expense Ought
to be, till the necessity a an increased expendi-
ture was made Out. •

After some further discussion, in which Mr.
Bankes, Mr. Bennet, Geleral Gascoigne, Sir Eyre
Coote, Lord Newark, General Manners, Sir
Lgerton Bridges,
,Mr. Wynne, Mr. Caleralt, and
Lord Palmerston participa:ed, the Resolution was
agreed to, and the House having resumed;. the
Report was ordered to be received on Monday. • .
Tile other Orders of the Day were then dis-
posed of, and at one o'clock this 'morning the
House adjourned till Monday.