Star.
London, England, 1806-04-26 00:00:00

Ablc Seamen
Onlisary Seamen

Total a 88966
Or fay 300,0001. per annum. Bat as the efttmate for
the prefent year is only made out from May next, I
have only now to move for the grant of 193,1681.
To the principle of this arrangement I have no
fear of any oppoiltion, and if in the details any
thing obje&ionable lhould occur, I ball be very wil-
ling to attend to the fuggeflicn of any Gentleman.
The plan of providing for thofe who are able to
ferve being gone through, we naturally torn our at-
tention to thofe who are difabled by age,' infirmity,
or wounds, from any longer ferving their country.
For fuch perfons Greenwich Chet and Greenwich
Hofpital already furnifb tome provifion. As to the
Hcfpital, that inliitution has quite•fufficient funds to
edgier its objea, and any further allowansp to the
feamen who (OAR on it would be rather liable to
abefe. But, as to the Chen, its funds would be in.
(efficient for the.purpofe. Thofe in view require an
addition of from 14 to ao,oool. Out of this fum I
would have allowed to out-penfioners a certain addi
tion each, to be regulated according to their Cervices
and their prefent fituation. From 7f. a year, it amid
rife in gradation till it reached is. per day. For this
fum I mean no addition to the public burthens. I
propofe it to be provided by a mestere which will
require a Bill to be brought in, namely, by a grant of
is. in the pound from all prim-money t and, in ad.
dition to this, I have no doubt of his Majeßy's con-
fent *to let apart, for the fame purpofe, all droiu of the
Admiralty. His Majefty's uniform folicitude for the
tomfocts and rewards of the Navy warrant a confi-
dence in his acquielceme upon this tubjed.
It will be teen that I have altogether omitted any
allufion to the Marines, not however from any dif-
polition to overlook their jet claims. But this de-
fetiption of force having Co much analogy to the re-
gular army, I thought tt better to poßpone any refer
ence to their cafe, until the quellion refmaing the
pay of the atmy ball be determined. I have now
nothing more to add than to allure the Houfe, that
in the preparation of the arrangement I have detail-
ed, my anxious endeavour has been to reconcile all
fides. 1 flatter myfelf that the outline will not be
ungracioufly received by any one. If, however, any
difference of opinion fhoold strifz upon the detail part,
on which I may perhaps have deviated from the
principle, which, I troll, is unexceptionable, I hope
that the whole may be confidered on its own merits.
My with is, that no comparifons may be made. They
mull tend to excite the moll invidious feelings, pot-
libly other milehievous aids, while they can ferve
no porpofe of legitimate argument. The army and
navy are both the means of our fafety, and entitled
to our warmeß gratitude. The condition of both is
deferring our mot diligent attention. But then they
Rand upon different grounds. No comparifon can
be fairly inßituted between the Rate and pretenfioos
of both. What may be a boon for the one, it may
be impoffible to give to the other. I, therefore, hope
the two cafes may not be confounded, and that in
difculling this fubjeft, Gentlemen will avoid any re.
lerence to extraneous topics, but decide upon it from
a fair view of its own jullice and expediency.
The motion for the grant of 193,11681. with which
the Right Hon. Gentleman concluded, being read
by the Chairman,
in reply to a queflion from an Hon. Member,
Lord HOWICK dated, tli.tt the propofed addition
to the number of petty officers, would amount to
about ten in each /hip of the line.
Mr. FRANCIS role to put a general queftion,
which would apply to the whole of his Noble friend's
meafure—namely, whether the pay of the navy,
when fettled in Q2een Anne's reign, was not fo fet-
tled with the prize money in contemplation ? As to his
Noble Frieud's requek that no comparifon thould be
inflituted in this difcullion between the cafe of the
navy, and that of the army, he rather apprehended
that if there fhould be any inequality in the propofed
addition of pay in the two branches of fervice, on-
pie:brit comparifons would be made elfewhere, how.
ever ftudioufly any allufion to the fubjcth might be
avoided in that Hoole. _ _

Lewd GARLIES, on the prt of the Navy, ex-
pelled his obligation to the Noble I,qt d, for the fo-
licitode be had mudded fo foon after his introduc-
tion to office, to better the condi.iun of the Officers.
With every fenfe, however, of the debt due to the
Noble Lipid, he mull fay, that although he fully ap-
proved of the principle of the nitafure, he very much
dilapproved of its application. He did not complain
i of the addition propofed to the pay of the Petty and
Warrant Officers. He, on the contrary, wither] it
1 had been more, as thefe officers formed the very foul
of the navy. If an addition had been made to the
Ipay of the Firtl Lieutenants or men of war, it would
I have been, in his opinion, exceedingly agreeable to
I the fervice, and the Turn neceiTor y 6r filch an increofe
could not be material, as there were only from too
to 1 so (hips of that dcfcri:uiot. in commiffion. The
officers to whom this iacreale would apply were really
cleferving of (nine confideratian for their inerealed
ferrite and refponfibility, beirg nest in command to
the Captains, although they had no more pay than
Ithe youngeft Lieutenant. To the petty officers and
warrant offices he afro thought that time fly •lier ad•
dation ought to have been granted. If the means of
that addition were even taken from the propcned aug-
mentation of the pay of fcamcn, he was fury it would

. .
excite no murmurs Om this, to be lure, *al only a
(peculation), and the difference would only ter ve as
an additional Itimulos to the reamers to leek by gond
behaviour for the offices thus improved in revenue.
The Warrant Officers, whole rank was fomewhar on
AS level with that of Quarter Mailers and Serjeant
Majors in the Army, ought to be allowed at the rate
of 51. a month i and petty Officers, whole rank is
equal to that of Setjeants and Corporals, ought to be
allowed 31. a month. Pennons, the Noble Lord
conceived, ought to be allowed to the Widows and
Children of Seamen who died in the fervice. A Noble
Lord (Melville) who, although now under the JR:
pleafure of that Hunfe, was a great praiticat Stater-
man, had it, he knew, in contemplation to adopt this
plan of penfloning the poor widows, and alto to make
many of the arrangements now propoted by the No-
ble Lord over the way. Having alluded to that Noble
Lord (Melville), he begged leave to fay, that more
*was done for the Briti(h Navy by that Noble Lord
and his fucceflor who immediately followed him, and
the glory of the country was carried to a higher emi-
nence by them than by any two petrol): to be found in
our naval annals. The Noble Lord particularly
applauded Lord Melville's plan of building (hips in
the merchants' yards.
The Refolution was agreed tn, the Houfe returned,
and the report ordered to be brought up on Monday.
SLAV! TRIMS ISSTILICTION mt.
On the motion for the further confideration of the
Report of the Slave Trade Rearielion Bill.
Mr. ROSE wiffied that the dircuffion of this fubjeet
fhould be poftponed till Toefday, in order that it
might be fully conlldered. 1
Mr. Secretary FOX could not conceive why the
confideration of the Report (hould be delayed. The
Right Hon. Gentleman had formerly an opportunity I
of confidering this fubjed fully before, for a Bill of
the fame nature had been propofed tome years ago..
He would have an opportunity of objetling to tie
principle on the third reading.
Mr. ROSE then Rated his objeaions to the Bill
• to be founded upon the injury which it would do
to our thanufaCtures, our (hipping intereft, and to
: the Esft India Trade. The exports annually, to
Africa are upwards of 2,000,000 Iterling,which would'
be completely put an end to if this Bill palled. All
• that would 4 obtained in -return- was the tabled of
humanity. rt therefore became necelTary for the
i Houfe to paufe before they ,confented to the further
progrefs of the Bill. The Right Honourable Gen-1
demon Hated a eircumftance which came within his'
' knowledge, and which tended to (hew the fuperior 1
advantages accruing to the Americans from the 1
• trade, which. be contended, would now be min-
: lively du own into tbetr hand.. A (hip from Carolina
: to the Havannab, freighted with haves :oft in' its
paffage not lets than 152 fiaves, and yet made a prml
&able voyage.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL obferved, that
the Right Honourable Gentleman's °bier:rations, as
they went to the principle of the Bill, might as well
• have been made on the third reading.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT conceived the Bin to be
: eligible in the higheft degree. The trade, which
was one of blood, was not for the benefit of the
country folely, bat, in many inftances, for that of
• the enemy.
I General TARLETON confidered the Bill as' an
attack upon the Navigation of the country. The
African trade furnithed fearoen for the Britifh navy,
and was in fait the principal fupport of LiverpOol.
As Reprefentritive of that great commercial town,'
he (hould give the Bill his decided negative. it would
have the 'Eat of virtually abolifhing the flalin trade,
and transfer it to America.
Alderman PRINCEP had fame objeitions to the
Bill, but not founded on the fame principles as thole
of the Honourable Gentleman who fpoke lA. He ad-
verted to the articles of Capitulation of the Colonies
of Tobago and Cayenne. It was there agreed that
the former (hould continue under the fame regulations
which it had while it belonged to the Britilla, before
it was taken by the French, and then it was upon the
fame footing with the other &ha Viands. With
regard to the latter, it was agreed that it Ibould be
regulated in the fame way as our other Welt India
Colonies. He merely willed for an anfwer to there
objeetions to fatisfy his contlituents.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL obferved, that
the HonoUrable Gentleman teemed to mifconceive
the objeet of the Bill. The defign was to prevent
the colonies from being in a better fituation when
delivered up, as they might be at the conclufion of
peace, than they were before. The Bill gave his
Majeily the power of altering, modifying or annulling
altogether the Order of Council, as he fianuld fee fit.
General GASCOIGNE would only fay a few
words, as the capitulations which formed the great
foundation on which the arguments for or againft
this Bill thould reit, were not yet before the Houfe.
At the fame time he admitted the firength of the
other grounds on which it was oppofeil. He afked
whether the Annual Bill was to come forward ? If it
was, the fubjeet might be dirculted generally. When
•the capitulations were produced, he would (hew that
this Bill was a grofs violation of them, more particu-
larly as he would be enabled to prove tome private
underflanding between the captors and the captured.
Such a Bill, therefote, would be of the moll injurious
cossfequences to us in any future war.
Sir W. YOUNG Paid a few words; after which
the report was agreed to, received, and the Bill or-
dered to be read a third time on Tuefday.
General GASCOIGNE hoped that it was under.
flood that counfel might be heard on the 3d reading.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL replied that a
motion to that purpofe migl t be made, but that
there was no engagement that they Ihould be heard.