Star.
London, England, 1823-06-20 00:00:00

PETITION FROM MR. BUTT.

Mr. HOBIIOUSE presented a Petition from Mr.
Butt, complaining of hardships experienced in con-
sequence of his action against Sir Nathaniel Conant
for false imprisonment. It stated that Sir N. Conant
was defended by the Treasury, and that the Petitioner
was confined 26 months and 13 days for a debt he
offered to pay.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL denied both these
statements, and vindicated the conduct of the Trea-
sury, which had been suck towards Mr. Butt as to
obtain his thanks.
Mr. DENMAN considered the case one of great
hardsbtp.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL contended there
was nothing oppressive or irregular in the proceedings.
Mr. HOBHOUSE said, the opinion of a Law Of-
ficer of the Crown, in a case where the liberty of the
subject was concerned, he held to be not worth
that—(Here Me Hon. Gentleman snapped his fingers)
—and never had been worth that—(Repeating the
action).—The Petition was ordered to be printed.
IRELAND.

Mr. BROUGHAM said, on Wednesday he shouli
present the Roman Catholic Petition against abuses
in legal proceedings in Ireland; and move on Thurs-
day that it be referred to a Committee.
Mr. HUME said, that as the Petition to which the
Honourable and Learned Gentleman referred was one
of vast importance, he would willingly defer until the
Ist of July his motion which stood for Thursday.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY COURT.

Mr. LENNARD moved, that a Committee be ap-I
poitated to inquire into certain Returns presented to
this House on the 24th of January, for the County
Court of Middlesex ; and to consider whether the fees
received might not be diminished, and •whether the
Clerk of the County should not sit more often in the
County Court.
Mr. CURWEN opposed the appointment of a
Committee.
Mr. BENNET thought that an investigation was
necessary.—The House divided, when there were,
For the Motion - le
Against it 44
-26

Majority
PROMOTIONS IN THE NAVY.
Mr. HUME, addressing the House on the subject of
which he had given notice, said, he thought the con-
duct of the Lords of the Admiralty, since the peace,
was calculated to produce discontent in the Navy, by
promoting Officers not known in the service over the
heads of others greatly their superiors and of longer
experience, a practice than which nothing could be
more galling to Officers, Naval or Military. lie had
much conversation lately with experienced Officers
of the Navy, ou whose information he felt warranted
in saying that the system lately pursued bid fair to de.
stroy the Navy. The Committee of Finance, in
1816, had looked forward with much confidence to
a great reduction under that head of expense. In the
year 1793, the number of Officers, from Admirals to
Lieutenants, was 2063. In 1816, the total number
was 5,568. The Finance Committee had looked for-
ward to a reduction of five per cent. by which, in seven
years, a reduction of one-third would have been ef-
fected. But that expectation had been far from realised,
as 965 promotions had taken place. In th,e space of
seven years 513 persons had been appointed Mid-
shipmen ; 222 Lieutenants had been appointed Com-
manders, and 125 Commanders to be Post Captains.
That was a much greater number than could have
been promoted by the casualties of the service. In
the Navy the patronage was quite unlimited, and for
300 ships, 30Q0 Captains might be appointed. In
the Army the case could not be the same. Making
every allowance the number of Captains should not
be above 244, while the actual number was 829.
The number of Commanders was 667, while 143 were
all that were employed. In the year 1816, the expense
of the Navy was £1,137,000, and in 1823, that sum
had only been reduced to £1,079,000. The annual
expense caused by the new promotions was £77,272.
Many had received two steps of promotion in time of
peace, and been put over the heads of some thousands
of older Officers. The Hon. Gentleman here mentioned
the names of several Officers who had been so pro-
moted. He observed that the present was no party
question, and he apprehended as much opposition
from his own as from the opposite side of the House.
He expressed his sense of the readiness with which the
Lords of the Admiralty had acceded to all his de-
mands for documents, and for the facilities they at-
forded him in the enquiry. The Hon. Gentleman
next referred to tht expense of Half-nay and Pensions,
which in 1816 amounted to £1,137,000, in 18'23 to
£1,079,000; being only a decrease of £58,000 in
seven years. The promotions in that interval had
added to the expense of the country between two and
£300,000. la order to set the matter in the strongest