Star.
London, England, 1822-03-21 00:00:00

be granttzd for the use of Troops on board the transports or hi
garrison.
Mr. HUIIITs wished to have the sum far each specified.
The Resolution was agreed to.
The sum of £2211,000 was then voted to defray the expense
of the Transport Service.
ARMY ESTIMATES.
Lord PALMERSTON rose to move the remainder
of the Army Estimates. It was his intention to have
commenced with the Paymaster-General's depart-
ment; but as his Right Hon. Friend (Sir C. Long)
was not present, he would move the vote relative to
the War Office, which was next in order. He had
made a very considerable reduction in the office since
last year—a reduction to the amount of about 80001.
This saving was effected by the removal of 16 per-
sons. On the first view the saving did not appear so
large as it really was. This was caused by the cir-
cumstance of the sum of 9001. for fees having been
counted twice in the estimates of last year, and, in
consequence, the reduction appeared to be less than
he had stated, to that extent. There was, however,
n diminution to the amount which he had stated.—
He had reduced one salary of 1,200!. one of 10031.
two of 8001. two of 7001. two of 5001. two of 400/.
and several others of smaller amount. Comparing
the present estimate with that of 1814, there was a
diminution of 18,0001. There was still, it was true, a
considerable number of persons in the office who
were employed on the arrear accounts, and whenever
tho,e accounts were brought to a close, a still greater
reduction would take place. He might as well state
to the Committee, that in pursuance of directions
which had been received from the Treasury, a new
scale of salaries had been adopted, which, when brought
into perfect operation, would ensure a saving, as com-
pared with the last .year, of from 18,0001. to 19,0001.
—The difference between the new scale, and that at
present acted on, would not strike persons at first, as
likely to produce any great saving; but it would, in
tact, produce most beneficial consequences. The scale
by v,hich salaries were now regulated in the War
Office, was on the same footing with that which pre-
vailed in all the other public offices. Individuals
dated their period of service, as entitling them to an
increase of salary, from the time at which they first
entered the Office. But, by the new scale, the in-
crease of salary would depend on their standing in
the particular C:2Si to which they immediately be-
longe,l. This would retard, in a very considerable
degree, the period at which any individual could ar-
rive at a great amount of salary. According to this
sca!e, nu person could attain a salary of 8004 a year
until he had been 45 years in the Office. Supposing
him to go on receiving an increase of salary every
year, and having arrived at the maximum of one
class, to proceed to the next, it would take him forty-
five years of service before he could arrive at a salary
of 8001. per annum. His Lordship concluded by
raoving for the sum of 43,185/. to defray the expenses
of the Secretary at War's department for 1822.
Mr. IIUME remarked, that he could only make
out a reduction of 7,0001. in this establishment, at the
same time that he observed there were additional pen-
sions to the amount of 4,950/. When the Noble Lord
spoke of a reduction of 18,0001. since the year 1814,
be ought to state tcrthe Committee the number of
pensions recently granted,wl) ich amounted to 17,9101.
The superannuation system was carried, in the office
of the Secretary at War, to a greater extent than it
bad reached in any office under Government. In
1798 the whole establishment stood the country in
16,0001. whereas it was now upwards of 43,0001.—
With respect to the arrear accounts, he was quite
satisfied that the establishment of clerks which was
kept up to inspect them was of no utility whatever.
These accounts had been left in a state of confusion,
until all who could give any information about them
were dead and gone : and yet the department for in-
specting such accounts had cost the Public from 130
to 140,0001. in the course of the last twenty years.—
He was prepared to spew that no office under Go-
vernment required a different arrangement more de-
cidedly than that of the Noble Lord. No person,
however, could interfere with the Noble Lord in
checking or controuling the system. There was one
singularity in the office to which he would call the
attention of the Committee. There was a Secretary
at War with 2,4801. a-year, and a Deputy who re-
ceived 2,500 i. a-year ! Why had the Deputy more
than the principal? The first clerk received 1,4001.1
a-year, although in 1796 his salary was but 7221. The
Coin nil isioners of Military Inquiry, when examining
the state of the War Office, deliberately gave their opi-
nion, "that the additions to the salaries of the prin-
cipal clerks were made under particular circumstances,
and were, in general, to be considered as temporary."
It was quite evident that these very high salaries
were intended as a reward for great etertions in the
time of war, and they ought therefore to cease when
hostile operations were no longer carried on. He
had expected that the Noble Lord would lay before
the House the scale to which he had alluded, of the
merits of which they could not judge until they had
an opportunity of examining it.- 1-le would now ad.
vert to some circumstances connected with the ex-
travagance of the office. Mr. Brown had been al-
lowed to act as Commissary for a short time, and
from that department he had retired with 2761. a-year.
He bad 1,2001. a-year as clerk ; but all that was not
enough ; 3001. a-year were added as cies k to the
fund for Chaplains, &c. It was extraordinary, too,
that each of those der ks had 74 15s. sd. allowed him
for newspapers. Mr. Richard Brown was thus in re-
ceipt of 1,9261. a-year altogether. If he was incor.
re,:t in any of these statements, the Noble Lord was
to blame, for detailed accounts ought to have been
laid befoie the House. He did not admit that the
House was to look only at the aggregate amount of
money. There was a Mr. Edward Marshall, who'
had 7001. a-year, and received besides 150/. for pre-
paring Estimates to be laid before the House. Now
he was overpaid as clerk, if he was able to spare time
to make up the Estimates. A Mr. Wilkinson had
been eighteen years in the office, and received 4501.
a-year. For assisting in making up the Estimates
he received 1001. for regulatinis the Army List 1001.
and for preparing Lists of Militia and Yeomanry 1001.
He had, besides, some other employment connected
with the Army List, and appeared altogether in six
different capacities. This plan was all of the Noble
Lord's creation. A Mr. Merry had been eleven years
• clerk, with a salary of 250/. he was, besides, Pri-
vate Secretary to the Assistant-Secretary. The whole
city of the department might be done by fifteen pert
• .its, and for 15,0001. Contingencies were stated at
1.,24'4. Last year the Noble Lord had stated that