Star.
London, England, 1809-05-11 00:00:00

WAR OFFICE.

Mr. WARDLE rose to move, pursuant to notice, that certain
Papers from the Accrimptant's department of the War Office be
laid'before the House. He said, that since 1797 the number of
Clerks had increased in that Office, in order to expedite the
passing of regimental accounts ; but if he was allowed the means,
he was prepared to shew that instead of being expedited they
were mere delayed than formerly; that the greatest confusion
prevails in the whole of their accounts; that every change in that
department since 1797 has been for the worse, and not for the
better : and that the yearly expence of the War Office is £54,000,
when it might he much better done for £24,000. All this, if
allowed the proper documents, he would prove, at the hazard of
his seat. To his knowledge many Paymasters have been kept
for years without any settlement in their accounts. But he did
not wish to he understood as blaming the present Secretary at
War more than his predecessors in that office ; he merely wished
to war against the present system used in that Office. He could
not see why the War Office accounts should not be as regularly
kept as those of any large mercantile house in the City, whose
accounts are as intricate and as extensive. If there is any diffi-
culty made in producing these papers, he would conclude it must
proceed from the great confusion of the accounts. Of late years,
too, there has been another War Office set on Font in George-
street, where the Clerks live like gentlemen, have their town and
country houses. For what ? Why, for keeping the accounts be-
longing to the Volunteer service. He then moved for a return
of an the annual regimental accounts, specifying those that are
settled from those that are not, and when they were settlA ; and
also those accounts that have been carried into was rant from 1797
to ImoB.

Mr. WHITBREAD and Mr. MOORE both rose to second
the motion.

The SECRETARY at WAR did not rise to ibject to the mo-
tion. It could do no injury, but it could do little good. The
Commission was now sitting on the subject cf thes,i accounts.—
He agreed there must be a radical change in the system. Some
progress was already made in it ; it was a subject fit only for the
Executive Government, and he could not see any use in the mo-
tion. The delay in passing these Accounts, he was extremely
happy in thinking, proceeded from the extreme accuracy of the
Gentlemen by whom they were examined.

Mr. LONG also attributed the delay to the great variety of the
Accounts, every soldier, on account of deductions fur meat, bread,
&c. having a separate account for himself. •

Mr. WINDHAM did not think that necessary. It was to him
no matter of surprise that, as the Army increased, so should the
number of the Clerks in the War Office; nor could that con •
fusion, in the accounts complained of, be corrected by any thing
but ni:::tiplyit•.g the number of hands; and as the Clerks are in-
creaed, the old Office not being able to hold them, they must,
some of t hem, go to the new.
Mr. WHITBREAD approved of the motion of his Honoura-
ble Friend, and complained of the system of recruiting from French
prisoners for the English service. He took that opportuity of giv-
ing notice, that he would, upon a future day, move for a Return
of the 'foreign Officers employed in the British Service, with the
Description of their respective Services, Including the ?laces where
they serve, and the Amounts of their Pay. It had been stated,
that Charmilly had made a regular and exact account of the mo-
nies entrusted to him for foreign service,. He (Mr. Whitbread)
declared himself anxious to see that account.

After a short conversation between Messrs. Thornton, Ba-
thurst, Huskisson, and Peter Moore, the motion was agreed to.

MR. FRERE.

Mr WHITBREAD said, that as he perceived, by last night's
Gazette, that Mr. Adair was appointed Ambassador Extraordi-
nary to Constantinople, and as, of course, Mr. Frere could not
be appointed to that situation ; and as he was also aware that
Lord Wellesley was to supply that Gentleman's place in Spain,
it would be unnecessary for him to make the mutton respecting
Mr.. Adair, of which he had given notice.