Star.
London, England, 1807-01-24 00:00:00

U
was to terminate in December t Po 6. Of the mem-
bers of that body he was difpofed to fpeak with great
perfonal refine ; they were all men of great inform-
ation and experience, and were able to give very ufe.
ful information. Yet although many advantages
raft arife from the labours of perfuns of fo much
ability, yet in fnme inflances their reports were at-
tended with confiderahle inconvenience. As long As
this eftablifhment was immediately connected with
Government, no detriment arofe. This was the cafe
when the Nobleman at the head of the Admiralty
alto prefided at this Board ; but when it became a
separate body, the difadvantage was obvious. He
would !late a tingle inflame by way of esplanation.
The Commiffioners Reports were printed, and in
tonfequence were expofed to the general infpeftion
both of the public at large, and of the individuals
whofe interells might be immediately concerned in
Inch reports. Occafionally it was reprefented, that
the falaries and emoluments of the fervants engaged
in various departments fhould be augmented. If the
board of Admiralty concurred with the Cornmiffion
of tievition, all was well ; the increafe in the pay was
acceded to ; but if the former differed, in opinion en
filch a fobjed, no alteration was made, and much
diffatisfattion was occafioned, as the fervants fo dif.
aingnifhed deemed the augmentation a kind of right
which was unjualy withheld. At the condemn of
lan year, it was intimated to the Members of the
Board of Revifion or Review, that the term of 1
their public duty wasapproaching to a clofe, on which
a defire was expreffed that they might be continued
in their fituation three or four monthr, or perhaps
liz months, to enable them to complete what was In
progtefs that they conlideted of confequence to the
tervice of the Rate. He (Mr. Grenville) did not,
under thefe circumstances, deem it right to adhere
rigidly to the letter of their appointment, and was
willing to affent to their retaining their functions fix
months longer. On this ground lie ventured to in
clude the ex pence of this ettablithment for that term,
in the prefent vote ; but he thought for a further pe-
riod, it would he both unneccifary and improper.—
Pe Paid he would now endeavour to relieve the Com-
mittee from any fatiguing details, and concluded
with moving, .
." That it it the opinion of this Committee, that the additional
number of iopoo men be employed in hi, Mak_fty's fcrvice at fea,
for the year 1837, including 2.r0 Royal Marines.
Mr. JOHNS'IsONE highly approved of the de-
tailed information the Right Honourable Gentleman
defigned to give to the Houk, and was only lorry that
I he had not commenced filch details with the prefent
I year. He alto hoped, that when thefe minute ac-
. counts were to come forward, they would not be con-'
% fined to the Rflimates, but would be introduced into
The Expenditure. It the Board of Revifion were in.
jurions, he was lorry that they were allowed even a
lix months' exilience.
Mr. ROSE complimented the Right Honourable
Gentleman on his great candour in refpeit to thcfe
accounts. If he was defirous, even at prefent, of ex-
' hibiting the accounts on the new plan, he might do it,
as for feven, eight, or ten years, the arranged heads
bad been prefer ved in the offices, and the correfpon.
ding particulars could be produced. He (Mr. Role)
did not fee any neceffity for altering the form of the
votes ; the accnunts.might be produced in the form
fuggelled, and the votes continue at 71 per month
for each man. Witt) regard to the 600,0001. for
foreign gartiihns, the cnntraft was (dually given to
Memberc of that l-lunfe.—( A cry of" Hear ! hear !"
on the itlatilie.ial Benches] ;—and the delign was,
that only one purchaser fhoul I appear in the market,
fo that the intention was, by avoiding competition, to
promote economy.
Mr. PEKCEVAI. thought h very abfurd to con-
tinue the Board of Naval Revifion fix months longer
under the perfuafion that the Right Hon. Gentle-
man felt ant mit of its inqility, but of its injurious
intetfereace with Governeent.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
contended for the propriety of lengthening the ex
itlence of the Board fix months longer, in order to
give the Members time to mature what they had
already prepared. The Right. Hon. Gentleman (Mr.
Refe) had talked of the correct detail of the diltind
items of account, which was preferved for many
years in the refpc4live offices. What might be there
he did not know ; but of this lie was confide.% that
both his friends near him, and he himfelf, had applied
for filch accounts, and all they could obtain was the
ufual documents laid before Parliament.
Mr. ROSE explained.
Admiral MARKHAM was furprifed at the faci-
lity which was now pretended in procuring loch ac-
counts. In the year 1804. there was great übltruc-
tion in preparing them, and they were not yet reduc-
ed to any methodical arrangement. What was called
Domeiday Book, was ditcontintred in the time of
Lord Barham ; it contained an accontit of repairs of
!hipping in the King's and Merchants' yards, but it
having been withdrawn, he could not obtain the par-
ticulars he defired
Mr. PE RCEVAL and Mr. ROSE feverally ex-
plained.
Mr. GRENVILLE in reply, obferved, that when
be pmpofed the vote of :20.000 men, he did not do,
perhaps, what was molt accurate, yet he adopted the
tthiform pradice of former years. He availed him-
ftLf of the ordinary courfe which he deemed, at that
time, to be mat fatisfaftory to the Houle. Was this
then to be confidered in him an err: in judgment,
elpecially when, at the fame time, he was preparing
the way for accounts more minute and tatisfadory ?
Was tt now to be reprefented as a matter of reproach
so •-.irn ? He would merely afk the quellion ; but
how far it ought to be fa conttrued, he would not
condefcend to examine. Then wi h regard to the
cornmiffion of Naval Revifion, a Right Honourable
'and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Perceval) thought
him (Mr. Grenville) reduced to a fatal dilemma,
when he reprefented the inconvenience attending the
lab airs of that Board, and the vote propofed for the
continuance of their indo ill y fur fix months. It was
'quite clear, that, although there might be a partial
detriment from their exertions, yet a cafe might ex.
111 in which the ad vantage would overbalance the
injury fuitained during a temporary application of
their powers.
Mr. JOHNSTONE laid, that when the vote of an
inereafe in the number offeamen had been propcfed,
Come palpable tealon had been alllgned. Thus in
1798 and in tBol more feamen were voted. At the
former period the reafon given was the accumulation
of the enemy's forces on the coati ; at the latter, the
Northern Confederacy.