Star.
London, England, 1807-07-03 00:00:00

afcertained this,ahe Right Honourable Gentleman
next fent for the perfon accuftomed to cinath the Ile
teran Battalions, telling him that his with was not to
change any aradefman, if they could continpc to
ferve the public on newly the fame terms with others,
He (hewed to this Gentleman (Mr. Dickie) the fuit
of clothes, finnifhed by the perfon to whom he (Mr.
Rote) had applied, Whofe name was Courtney, and
afked if he (Mr. Dickie) was willing to ferve Govern
-ment agreeably to that pattern, for il. 35 ? Mr.
Dickie replied he could not, and that if he (Mr.
Rule) could get any perlen to contra& with him on
fuch terms, it would be wrong in him not to dole
with the offer. After the pattern fujts had been ap-
proved of, Mr. Rote did give Mr. Courtnay the or-
ders, and tome of the battalions were ferved by him.
When he wished, however, to deliver to the •Noble
Lord oppofite (Lord Temple) 2000 Cults which had
been prepared, they were refuted to be accepted of,
on the ground that they were. of bad quality. of bad
workman(hip, and too fcanty. In the mean time the
Noble Lord again applied to a Mr. Box, who
was one of the numerous fleeping partners of this
Mr. Dickie, (a laugh) and received an eßimate
from him, not indeed as he had formerly charged,
amounting to 11. 7s. 91. but to 11. 4s. 9d. being,
however, is. 6.1. per fuit more than thufe fur-
nithed by Mr. Conrtnay. The difference' to the
country between the 11. 7s. 9.1. and the 11. 3s. would
amount to nearly too,cool. per annum', and even be-
tween the 11. 4s. 9d. and the IL 3s. it was obvious
mull be coutiderable. It appeared from the minutes
in the office, that this change had been made in
confequence of complaints that the clothing was of
bad quality, bad workmanthip, &c. and that letters
had accordingly been written to the commanding
officers of the different battalions who had been ferv-
ed by Mr. Courtnay, inquiring if the fad was Co
anfwers to this inquiry had not been produced ;
and it was of the fuppreffion of them that Mr. Rote
complained. He proceeded to read tilde letters, as
they were to be found in the office, and need, that
fo far from fupporting the truth of the complaints
made againtt the quality of the cloth and workman-
(hip furnished by Mr. Courtney, they uniformly prov
ed his articles to be better, in-there retpee., than
they had teen for feveral years. The only fault they
had, was that they were fmall, and under the gene
neral fize—a fault which was immediately remedied.
So, therefore, the minute in confequence of which
the contract with Mr. Courtnay was fet afide,.and
that with Mr. Box entered into, was fupported by
evidence, and proceeded on a falfe allegrion. This
might, in his opinion, become no improper fubje& of
inquiry for the Committee of Finance, or the Corn.
miffioners of Military Inquiry. All, however, that he
now withed to move for was that the letters from the
commanders of the battalions as to the quality of the
deaths furniffied fhould be laid before the Houfe.—
He had delayed his motion for tome days at the de-
fire of the Noble Lord, who wished to look into the
evidence. Mr. Box, he underftood, was no army
clothier.
Lord TEMPLE Paid, Yes.
Mr. ROSE Paid, he believed lie was for the
Buckinghamfhite Militie, and that he was a fleeping
partner of Mr. Dickie's. He concluded by moving
for copies of all minutes, letters, &c. relative -to the
cloathing of the veteran battalions between. the years
1804 and 1837.
Earl TEMPLE rote to vindicate himfelf and his
colleagues from all improper motives in the tranfac-
ring of this contract. The fa& was, that repeated
complaints had been made from vatious regiments
of the badnefs of theclothing fupplied by the former
contractor, and the new bargain was made at what
might be called a fair price, takiwinto confiders
lion always, that contracts had tw(faults, either that
of being ton low, or too high priced. It 'Very often
happened, that thofe who contraCled to fupply articles
at a low price, proved unable to fupply the contra&
properly. The fa& was, that he was in potted-ion of a
great many letters from different commanding offi-
, ccrs, complaitrit,g of the unfitnefs of the clAthing ;
and when the contractor was informed of there com-
plaints, his anfwer was, that he had loft a great deal
of money by the contra& and could not afford to
give a better article, and would not change fuch
coats as were too (Mort or too fmall. Betides, the
contract now complained of had not been concluded
without the advice and opinion of perfons (killed in
the b tfo.efc.
Mr. LONG admitted that applications had been
made to him, but the mode was now changed, being
by advertifement for eftimates. If the Noble Lord
had been at all hurt by the agitating of the prefent
queftion, he could nrt help thinking he had !timid(
alone to blame, in carrying away in his pocket fuch
evidence as teemed to fupport the Rep which he had
taken, and leaving behind him in the office only fuch
evidence as went o condemn him.
Lord HOWICK could inform the Houle, that it
came within his k.nwledge while at the head of the
Admiralty, that complaints were made refpeeting
the badneti of the clothing of the marines ;-and' he
funneled this fame Mr. Courtnay was impli'citied.—
He had taken thefe complaints out of the office along
with him, for the purpofe of making the neceffary
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought it extremely natural in the Noble Lord
(Howick) to take the grounds of complaint out of
the office with him ; but he thought it very extraor-
dinary, that the Noble Lord fhould have left letters
behind him, which completely negatived there com-
plaints ; for it would be found that the higheft fejt-
faCtion was expreffed by almoft every officer in the fer-
vice with the contract, as Applied at the cheaper rate.
Mr. WINDHAM thought, that though the Right
Hon. Gentleman might be jultified in bringing •for-
ward the meafure, he could not be juftified in not now
proceeding with it.
Mr. JOHNSTONE approved of the mode in which
the bulinefs had been brought forward.
Mr. WILBERFORCE wilted to know if the
Noble Lord meant to fay that the fubftance of the
letters were contained in the minutes, or only that
they were referred to in them ?
Lord H. PETTY deprecated the principle of
agreeing to a contra& at a cheap rate, without inquiry
into the means the contractor had of fulfilling it.
General TA RLETON begged the Houfe to con•
fider its own dignity. If this practice of recrimina-
tion—(Hear! hear!)—was to be perpetually !clotted
to— it when a charge was made against one party,
it'was anfwercd by a counter complain., these would