Star.
London, England, 1802-04-14 00:00:00

TIII MILITIA.

The SECILITAIT at WAR rote, purfuant to no-
tice, to fubmit a motion for leave to brinEntl
Bill to explain, amend, and confolidate the
laws relative to the Militia. He Paid he thould
Rate to the Node the outlines of the meafure he
meant to introduce, in order to obviate the poffi.
bility of mitreprefentation, and in the hope of do.
ing away even a probability of oppofition, for he
entertained the ftrongeft confidence that every part
of the fyllem he dF to propoie would be univer-
tally approved of. Upon the conclution of peace
it was the opinion of his Majefty's Minifters, that
no time fhould be loft in calling the attention of
Parliament to our defenfive fyfiem ; they felt that
by a folid well-arranged plan of defence, peace
was molt likely to be rendered permanent. He
agreed with the fentiment of his Right Hon.
Friend, exprefed on a former occafion, that the
bell fecurity for the long continuance of peace
would be that condo& which mould be equally
marked by conciliation and firmnefs—that which
Mould be moll confiftent with the dignified cha.
rafter of the State to purfue, tenacious of our own
interells and confequence, and refpeetful to the in-
terefts and confequence dour neighbours—always
unwilling to offer, ind ready to reprefs, an intuit,
or refill an injury—fuch a condua, and fuck a
degree of capacity, k was ever the Rudy of this
country to preferve ; but it was particularly de-
firable at prefent, when the great acceffion of
power which our neareß and molt formidable
neighbour had made was taken into account.—
When the principles and form of their Govern.
ment, which was efentially military, was confi-
dered, it mull be obvious that it was now more

neceffary than at any former period to dire! our
• moll anxious attention to our Military Power ;for
whatever might be thought of the form of the Go-
vernment alluded to, or of the principles of took
by whom that Government was adminiftered, it
muff be admitted, that among them were to be
found many great warriors—and that our fituation
would be viewed by them with foldiers' eyes—we
Mould be therefore mindful to render that fitiiation
refpe&abk. With refped to the degree of pro.
teeion tile. Empire was to derive from its navy, of
that be trufted there could be little doubt, and
flat under the fuperictendance of ouch men as our
navy now boaßed, certainly, the able*, braveft,
and moll fcientific tea officers that Europe ever
produced, every man mull entertain a confidence
the affairs of that department would be managed fo
as to gixe the reacheit narrikance to our commerce,
at the fore time keeping in view the Rridell tem-
amt.. He was fully perfuaded that the fame dif-
pofit ion ta oda, ity and teconom y which di Ilinguithed
the navy, would be alto found to prevail among
thole who had the diredion of the Ordnance, and

thee the defence of feaports would not fail to
be attended to. As to the Rate of the army, to
that the Hoofs would look with confidence and
pride; for indi4mitsbly in point of seal, bravery,
difcipline, or numbers, the laft war had to boaß a
fupersority•ttstrry that evar preceded it. It was

ansfoling to retie& that our regulars, infantry,
and cavalry, formed a Reidy Sundation upon
which to place a refpedable peace eftablifhment,
but the Houfe mull be aware, that whatever might
be the difpofition or adivity of the illuftriout per-
cottage who commanded the army, it was inspof-
fible for his Royal Highnefs to make any arrange.
meat until the balm& of the Militia fhould be firil
finally fettled—until it fhould be determined what
their number &Quid in future be, and how that
force was to be occafionally made available for the
public defence. It was generally admitted, that
for the protection of this ifland, whatever might
be our well-grounded confidence in the navy, it
was wife, from the vat extent of our fea-coaft to
keep up a hong military force; and as it was im-
poffible, in a manufaduring country like this, to
maintain an adequate regular army, it therefore,
putting conftitutional conliderations entirely out of
the quellion, became neceffary that a confiderable
part of our defenfive force fhould coal of militia,
Inch were the motives which recently caufed fo
important an increafe of that corps, and which now
induced him to propofe a till further augmenta-
tion. In the principles of the projed he fhould
fubmit to the Houfe, there was nothing mate-
rially new, for they were grounded on the 26th
of his prefent Majelly, with the introdudion of
Inch amendments as experience had fuggefted to
be neeeffary, and with the addition of filch pro-
vifions as were found featured among other Bills,
and as hod proved to be falutary. His principal
objeas were the confoliciation of all the Militia
Laws, with Tome alterations, and the increafe of
their numbers' with other arrangements, which he
defcribed. As to the confolidation, he thought it
would be highly ufeful to the fervice, and confi-
derably facilitate the duties of Governors, Ma-
giftrates, and others conneded with the affairs of
the Militia. The Right Hon. Gentleman gave a
Ihort hiflory of the Militia, of the confiderable
number they amounted to in the late war, and the
important fervices they rendered to the empire,
particularly their readinefs to volunteer for Ire-
land, and to recruit the regular army. It was
right in his opinion, and in that of the molt com-
petent judges, now that peace was arrived, to af-
certain what the amount of the Militia ought to
be. Confidering all the circundances of this
country, and making every allowance for our
navy, he hoped no Gentleman would deny that
we ought to be prepared to bring too,ooo men
into the field fhortly after the commencement'
of war : of that number he thought 70,00t0 ought
to be militia—that is to fay, 60,000 for Eng-
land, and Scotland would be capable of pro-
ducing to or ta,ooo ; for in that part of the king-
dom, though the elabliflunent was recent, and at
firl rather unpopular, the people were now fo con-
vinced of its utility, as to be perfectly reconciled
to an augmentation. He therefore calculated, (by
the adoption of his propofal) upon an addition of
ychooo completely trained and difciplined militia
to the regular force of the country, within the Bunt
period of a fortnight. It was defigned that the
fhould be exercifed during peace, a t days each
year, which would produce an expence to the na-
tion of about 240,0001. a year. His Majefly was
to be inveled with the power of calling forth any
proportion of this militia force according to the
occafion—if ao,ooo for England, a Grafter quota
for Scotland ; if the emergency fhould demand the
whole of the militia his Moldy to apply to Par-
liament, according to culom. By this means a
large effective force might be colleded, with left
difficulty and lets inconvenience to the reverel
counties than by a fudden meafure ; for this advan-
tage would refult, that no more would at any time
be railed than circundances required. The Right
Hon. Gentleman had already Rated that the firft
principles of his plan originated in the Ad of the
26th of the King, combined with Tome parts of
later Ads, which were conceived applicable to a
general fyflem. The principal points which this
fylem involved were nine : firl, the propofed
augmentation would make an addition, equal to
one-third, to the quota of the feveral counties, but
before this quota fhould be fettled, it would be N-
I ceffary to afcertain the number of fencibles railed
'in each county, and fo to divide the quota cor-
redly. In the firft inflame the proper returns are
to be made by the Lieutenants of counties to the
Privy Council, according to the At of the 26th
of the King, and at the end of every ten years new
returns arc to be delivered. As to the mode of
enrollment, it was only an improvement of that
adually exiling, namely, that every man &oald
be examined by a properly qualified furgeon, for
it had been too often found hitherto, that men
were fent into quarters who were only fit to occu-
py the wards of an hofpital. This cafe would
therefore be productive of much raving to the
counties and to the nation at large. At the time
of the enrollment, the men were to be thrown in-
to dares : the firlt to confill of young unmarried
men; the feconil, of married men Who have no
children ; the third, of married men having one
child: the fourth, of married men having more
than one child, and alto of men advanced in year*.
The purpofe of this arrangement was, that in cafe
his Majelly fhould only require a fmall number,
fuppofe ao,ooo men, to be embodied, that dal:
would be called upon which was the leaf incum-
bered, and which of courfe would ferve with the
leaf perfonal inconvenience. Solditutes mull be
of the fame county, and if of the fame parifh as the
principal the more eligible. With regard to the
augmentation of regiments, every company was
to have a Captain ; no Field Officer to have a
company. In the regimental la,: no Adjutant,
or Parmafler to be appointed to any corps confin-
ing of lets than three companies ; the obvious ob-
jed of this was to prevent the great accellion of
eepence, for it frequently happened that a corps
of two companies bad as large a fiaff as a regi-
ment of moo men. No Surgeon to be allowed to
any corps of left than three companies ; every fur-
germ to be examined at Surgeon's Hall before he
ball be received into any corps; and be is not to
be allowed to hold any military rank. Non-com
miffioned officers to be in the proportion affigned
by the Ad of the 26th of the King, via. one fer-
jeant, one corporal, and drummer to each com-1
-piny. There perform: to refide, 'during peace,'

wherever the arms of the regiment may be placed.
Dikipline muff depend much on the non commit-
fioned officers being kept in a Rate of order and
regularity, under the fuperintendence of the Adju-
tant. It was but jun to advance the pay of thefe
perfons, as the pay of the army in general had been
railed fince the tan peace ; be therefore propofed
that the pay of the ferjeant Should be is. 6d. per.
day ; that of the corporal is. ad. and the drum-
mer rs. If, however, any of them Should be ab-
fent from their Ration on leave, their pay during
fuch abfence to be reduced to the old flandard, be-
caufe then relieved from duty. As to training and
exercifing, it was intended the whole corps Should
be exercifed for twenty-one days in each year,
which would not be produdive of more expence
than the former arrangement of twenty-eight days
bad been. Some had deemed it advifable to velt
a power in his Majefty to transfer the militia to
any part of the empire, but that recommendation
had been dikountenanced, becaufe it appeared en-
tirely incontinent with the fyftem upon which the
militia was founded; and becaufe it did not ap-
pear necelfary„ for it muff be within the recollec-
tion of every Gentleman that on a recent occafion
the Cervices of the militia of England were fo ho-
nourably offered to fupprek rebellion in Ireland ;
and the militia of Ireland exhibited an equal de-
gree of alacrity and promptitude to ad as became
the charader of foldiers, anxious to defend every
quarter of the empire. As to the mode of railing
the militia within the counties, with other minute
regnlations, they were to be left as they now flood.
Having Shortly recapitulated the principal articles
of his fyftem, he concluded with Rating that if his
Majefty was to call out 20,000 of the Englifh mi•
liva,he was alto to embody 3 or 400ciof the Scotch ;
if 40,000 Englifh, nOOO Scotch ' • and if 60,000
Englifh, 12,000 Scotch r in all, the meafure he
meant to move for leave to introduce, would pro-
duce an available force of 72,000 men. The mo-
tion being put,
Mr. SHIRIDAII rote and exprefed his thanks to
the Right Hon. Gentleman for the very clear and
comprihenfive lineman which he had jun deliver-
ed, and his (Mr. Sheridan's) perk.% approbation
of the principal arrangements the Right Hon. Gen.
deman bad lajd down. It teemed defirable to all
that our national Militia Should be placed on a
permanent footing, continent with ftrid conftitu-
tional principles. He rejoiced in the defcriptlon of
our force, as drawn by the Right Hon. Gentleman,
and applauded the policy of proportioning our
means of defence to the power of our late enemy
[a cry of Hear Hear!] He hoped the fyftem pro-
poled by the Right Hon. Gentleman would fettle
the Militia on a retpeetable kale, and that it would ,
not be capricioully violated, as was the cafe in the ,
late war ; and that the Officers of the Militia Should
not again be converted into Drill Serjeants for the
regular army. Referring to the &cements of an
Honourable Baronet on the other fide Come time'
!ince, as to the Situation of the Surgeons of the
Mili-
tia, and their fair claim to half pay during peace,
he tinned that Hon. Baronet bad not given up
his intention of feeking juftice for that 4nterving
clefs of men. Here the Hon. Member took ova-
fion to allude to a &Ned which he felt was pot
conneaed with the prefent queftion but which too
ftrongly interefted the caufe ofjunice, and even of
humanity, to overlook the opportunity of mention.
mg it. It was a cafe connected with that Navy to
which it was impolfible for the Route or the coon.
try to render fufficient homage, or to thew Suffi-
cient gratitude. It was the cafe of the Lieutenants
of the Navy, a clefs of Officers who, though not
placed in thole diftinguifhed Stations where the
fame of victory attached, yet it mull be admitted
were Sharers of the dangers, and participators of
the glory of all thofe brilliant *dims, which fo
eminently dillinguiffied the late war. Was it ge-
nerally known What was to be the half-pay which
was to fultain thole gallant men at the conclufion
of the war ? He was aware that a propofal to ad-
vance that pay would more properly come from
Minifters, and furely they Should not hefitate to
encounter the unpopularity which might attach to
a deviation from the prefent allowance in favour
of thofe deferving officers, whofe half-pay during
peace amounted only to ed. a year. What a pit-
tance to fupport a Gentleman I Was not the bare
mention of the fad fufficient, without any com-
ment; to intereft the feelings of the Houfe, and to
call forth the gratitude of the country ? Surely it
was incompetent to furniffi any man, under the
prefent eircumnances of the country, with the com-
mon necelfaiies of life. The Houfe would recoi-
led that there were at prefent many rowers in Eu-
rope who were anxious to recruit their Navy, and
who would be happy to engage in their fervice any
Britiffi officers. Much as be admired the gallantry,
and much as be relied on the loyalty of the Gen-
tlemen he alluded to, he Should not think it with
in Gpvernment to leave them in fuch a nate as
muff expofe them to temptation. He threw out
this hint to Minifters, and Sincerely hoped their I
would take it into ferious confideration.

Mr. Forraa rote to aik whether it was the in-
tention of the Right Hon. Secretary to extend the
falutary provifions of the fyliem he had juR ex-
plained, to the militia of Ireland
The SIiCASTART at WAR. replied, that much in-
formation would be neceffary before the arrange.
Client the Right Hont Gentleman alluded to could
be made ; and he apprehended that it would be
impracticable, in the courfe of the preient Scilicet.
He declared his readinefs to give every affiftauce
in his power to accelerate the adoption of a fimilir
plan for the Milt militia.
Mr. PORTZ, Paid, that much confulion would
arife, if this plan was not extended to Ireland be-
fore the Militia should be difembodied.
Mr. Wycomss defcribed the difference between
the Contitution of the Englifh and Irifh Militia,
which rendered the fame fyllem inapplicable to
both countries.

Sir W. EsTOID (aid, that he Rill retained his
former opinion, as to the juR title of the Militia
Surgeons to half pay during peace, and hoped the
Right Hon. Secretary would make fome provifion
for them in the Bill he propofed to introduce.
The Saearraav at Waa differed with the lafi
fpeaker, as to the claims of the Militia Surgeons
to half-pay during peace.

Leave was then given to bring in two Eills to
arrange the Militia Laws in England and Scotland,
which were afterwards brought up, read a firlt,
and ordered to be read a fecond time to•morro«•.
The Right Hon. Gentleman Rated, that he would
move thofe Bills to be committed on Thurfday, in
order to have the blanks filled up. They thould
then be printed, and lie ovet for a fortnight, tlut
they might be fully examined.

SINKING FUNDL

The Order of the Day for the Houfe to refolve
itfelf into a Committee,to confider the Ads cf 1786
and t 792,relative to the Sinking *Funds,being read,
The CHANCELLOR of the ExcHaskyta moved to
defer the Order until to-m=ow, as the papers to
which he referted on a 'former day were not yet
ready for delivery to-morrow ; but even if they
should not be in readinefs to-morrow, he would
move for the Committee, and would take care that
before the Report mould be, taken into confedera-
tion, thofe papers fhould be put into the hands of
every Member.—The motion was agreed to.