The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-29 00:00:00

ENSUING YEAR.

We continue our extracts from the tracts put forth by
the Financial Reform Association of Liverpool.
One of the improvements in the navy estimates for the
year beginning Ist April, 1849, and ending 31st March,
1850, which will be at once conceded as an improvement,
is that which removes the direct and immediate interest
of the officers of the Royal Marines serving on shore
in the quantity of drink consumed by their men. Ma-
rines, like other soldiers, spend money and time in bar-
rack canteens, if not permitted to go elsewhere, and, if
much restricted to barracks, are more frequently in the
canteen than they would be in any public-house else-
where if allowed liberty to walk out. The visits of
civilians, who treat the.soldiers or marines to liquor in
barracks, the more readily if the latter be much re-
stricted from going out; the earnings of women who
are wives, and become cooks, washerwomen, or laun-
dresses, all has added to the profit if the barrack can-
teens, and the officers'ynki gsvtliPoVhas been spread at
greater or less cost to thejatiggrZir who dined at it as
the profit and rent of tfirgginteens ebbed or flowed. To
have a barrack tap-room that yields profit and high rent
was their immediate interest. This is wisely abolished.
But what is the consequence to the public? That
political sleight-of-hand, which has usually substituted
a greater for a lesser burden on the public purse, when
effecting, or professing to effect, a reform, has done the
same in this instance.

At Woolwich the officers of the marines obtained from
their canteen in aid of their mess 1101. in 1848. This is
now to be paid into the Exchequer, and they are to ob-
tain by vote of Parliament 1541.
At Chatham the canteen rent in aid of their mess was
1191. in 1848.' This is to be paid into the Exchequer, and
they are to have a vote of 1541. instead.
At Pertsmouth the canteen rent in aid of their moss
was 2031 in 1848, whieh is row to be paid into the Ex.
chequeroand p 551. is to .be voted instead.
At Plymouth the canteen rent was 1191. in 1848. This
is to be paid into the Exchequer, and 150/. is to be voted
instead.

The number of marines voted for the year ending 31st
March, 1849, was 5,500 to serve afloat and 8,000 to servo
on shore. The number is to be, for the year beginning
Ist April, 1849, and ending 31st March, 1850, 6,000 to
serve afloat and 6,000 to serve on shore. This gives a
reduction on the whole of 1,500, and on those who spend
their time and money in the canteens on shore a reduction
of 2,000.
Thus, in a year when prices are low, and messing
should be cheap, when the marines on shore are to be
reduced one-fourth, the grant in aid of the officers' mess-
table is augmented more than one -fourth. The only
known reason for this improvident arrangement is,
that the officers of the army having grants of money
voted to them "in aid of regimental messes," the
officers of the marines are to be put upon an equal
footing.
But there is a more serious financial question involved
in the reduction of the naval forces, as proposed in the
new estimates, than that of officers' mess. With the
1,500 marines, there is to be a redaction of 1,500 sea-
men. This measure of relief adds to the in-
cubus of the half-pay list. The proposed reduction of
men in the army leaves the regimental officer
untouched; each regiment, with fewer men, will still
retain its officers, and, to some extent, this is so with
the different battalions of marines; but, in the case of
paying oft' ships in commission, and not commission-
ing others, the men, who aro most likely to fall back
upon poor rates, or whose own resources are the
most slender, are left to provide for themselves ;
while their officers, originally selected because they
were gentlemen born, whose families had wealth or
interest sufficient to secure their selection, are not
to be left to provide for themselves, or to be
provided for by their families, who would, at least, keep
them off the poor rates, the officers are to be provided
for by the public on the half-pay list. Here is the effect:
Year 1848-49—" Half-pay to the officers of the Navy and
Royal Marines," 729.740/. ; year 1849.50—" Half-pay
to the efficers of the Navy and Royal Marines," 732,2521.:
increase of half-pay for the ensuing year, 2,5121. The
increase is small, but the principle it illustrates is vicious.
In like manner, there is to be an increase of " civil
pensions and allowances" in the navy estimates. These
stand thus:—Year 1848-49, 155,0441.; year 1849-50,
161,3571; increase, 6,3131. We shall prubably dis-
cover, during the ensuing year, that this addition
to " civil pensions and allowances " in the naval
department has been caused by the following
operation:—To effect an apparent reduction of
the navy estimates (besides that shown in the dis-
charge of 3,000 seamen and marines of the lowest rank,
and in the discharge of workmen of the lowest rank in
dockyards) the superintendence of the contract packet
service is to be removed from the Admiralty to the Post-
office, which makes a reduction of 611,6624 Were this all
the operation, it would simply be a transfer of taxation to
that amount from one department of government to the
e,e__, -c the burden, which an uneasy iieoe..
struggles under, from one shoulder to the other. But it
is more. It was recommended last year by official per-
sons, examined by the Committee on Navy Estimates,
that a " naval officer of high rank " should be attached to
the Post office, in the event of the packet service being
removed from the Admiralty. This will be a new officer
in the Post-office. All his subordinates will be new officers
and clerks. The necessity for enlarging the building in St.
Martin's-le-Grand, already too small, will become more
urgent when a " naval officer of high rank," his retinue
of officers and clerks, are introduced there. The Post-
office will be enlarged, the new naval department will
draw their salaries, in addition to all salaries pre-
viously paid in the Post-office, and the officers and
clerks in the Admiralty, who have hitherto been cn •
gaged in the packet department, will retire on the " Civil
Pensions and Allowances," which we have just seen
are to be increased in the ensuing year. This is another
specimen of political sleight-of-hand.
The convict service is also to be removed from the
Navy, and charged to some other department. The
changes effect an apparent reduction of 53,9501. in the
Navy Estimates. It is also a hitching of the burden on
the shoulders of the uneasy nation.
The most barefaced of the changes in the New Navy
Estimates is an addition to the expenses of the Admiralty
office:—Year 1848-49, 136,303/.; year 1849.50, 138,214/.;
increase, 1,9111. And this increase is demanded, although
there is to be less work to du; convict service removed
elsewhere, packet service removed elsewhere, and fewer
working sailors, marines, and dockyard artificers to be
employed and paid.
Under this head there is a new item attached to the
office of surveyor of the navy, " Allowance for the sur-
render of his house, required for public purposes, 3001,"
which suggests an inquiry. The allowance of sums
for house-rent, varying from one-sixth to one-third of
the salary, is attached to many of the chief offices in the
Admiralty department, in London, at the dockyards,
and abroad. The surveyor's salary is the handsome sum
of 1,000/. He could hire a house more than equal to
his dignity for 1001. iu some of the squares in London.
Why, then, is he paid 300/. for house rent? Probably,
thee his salary may be 1,300/. per annum, while his in-
come-tax shall only be paid on 1,000/. If this be not the
design, it is the practical result.
The Storekeeper-General has also an allowance of
3001. for house-rent.
The "Comptroller of Steam Machinery and the Packet
Service " has 700/. of salary, and 2501. for house-rent.
The " Chief Engineer and Inspector of Steam Ma •
chinery" has 7001., and 2001. for house-rent. A charge
for " house-rent," and another for the "rent of a stable"
to the Admiral at Malta, is a curious proof of the Ad-
miral's performance of his duty on board his flag-ship.
The ship, according to the traditions of the sea, should
be at once house, horse, and stable.
The office of o Chief Assistant and Draughtsman to
the Surveyor," which had a salary of 6501. a year, is
abolished; and " two Assistant Surveyors" at 800/. each,
are appointed instead. The other additions to the ex-
pense of the Admiralty aro occasioned by increase of
salary to draughtsmen and clerks.
The clerks at the Admiralty (Whitehall branch) go
to their offices at eleven or twelve o'clock in the day, no
special hour being appointed (so the evidence given be-
fore the Committee of 1848 informs us), and they remain
until six and seven o'clock in the evening, or until any
earlier or later hour, as the work to be done may re-
quire. The clerks at the Somerset house branch of the
Adtnirality attend at ten o'clock and work till four, not
longer. If there be extra work to do, they either
remain and do it, or take it home with them to
their lodgings. In either case they receive extra pay.
Some of the witnesses examined stated that there
was too much reason to believe that they did
less than they might do during office hours,
that they might have their work home to get extra
payment for it. Mr. Ward, M.P. for Sheffield, who has
'',ooo/. as first secretary, was asked if he thought an
attendance- from ten to four o'clock sufficient, and he re-
plied that it was deemed a fair attendance in a government
office. The second secretary has 1,500/. a year. In accord-
ance with the recommendation of some previous commit-
tee, he was for several years only paid 1,000/.; but, when
the new Lords of the Treasury came into office under
Lord John Russell, they discovered that no minute had
ever been issued by their predecessors settling that
salary at 1,0001., and, expressing themselves "happy to
have it in their power to restore it to 1,500/.," did so. Of
course Captain Hamilton, the under-secretary, did not
object to take what was offered to him.
The First Lord has 4,500/.; two junior Lords each
1,2001.; and three other Lords each 1,000/. The solicitor
has 1,600/., and 1,0001. for his office and clerks. There
are seven other salaries of 1,0001. each. In the depart-
ment of the secretary, Mr. Ward, there is ono clerk at
1,0001., seven et from 600/. to 850/., twelve at from 3501.
to 5501., and nineteen at from 1001. to 350/.
In the department of the accountant-general, Somer-
set-house branch, where they work (or play) six hours a
day, there are, one at 9001., two at from 600/. to 800/ ,
thirteen at from 500/. to 650 L, forty-eight at from 3004
to 5004, and one hundred and thirty-three at from 901.
to 3001. Salaries of secretary's clerks, year 1848-9,
11,9711.; year 1849-.50, 15,4421.; increase, 471/. Sala-
ries of accountant's clerks, year 1848-9, 49,3401.;
year
1849-50, 51,0334; increase 1,6931.
In the engineer's department (which, considering the
importance to the country, should include the best
available talent) there is the following entry :—First
writer and calculator, 150/. ; second ditto, SO/
These must be practical men, and can only be
found in the workshop, or some other place where