Star.
London, England, 1830-03-09 00:00:00

•

the -attet---ii7g ort—i—mitiereater part orit went io the
support of sinecures. It was pretty generally admitted, on all hands,
that such offices should not be filled up as they fell in ; but, under
this head, no sooner was one governor removed by death than a suc-
cessor was appointed, though it was notorious that the greater part
of them were paid for the government of places which were not in a
state of defence. Ile did not wish to deprive those now in posses-
sion of their offices, especially as they were, many of them, distin-
r.:ished persons; but he would rather sec them provided for by
junsions than by allowances founded upon such a principle.
4r H. HARDINOJ said that the governorships alluded to by
tht hon. member rested upon a peculiar basis, tieing given as re.
wards to old officers for past services. They were in all 17 in rum.
bcr, and were, he would admit, military sinecures, The committee
would please to recollect that there were 13,000 officers on the full
the half-pay. and that the governments in question, none of
ch exceeded GOO/. a-year, constituted the only small means in
tht hands of government, besides the ordinary allowances, for the
to .31..1 of long and meritotious services.
sADI.EIt thought it would be advisable to extend similar
e ds to the officers of the naval service.
31ABERLY thought that though it was notorious that
Etilish officers were worse paid than the officers of any other ser-
and though lie would willingly increase their allowances if it
coald be done without adding to the burdens of the public, the prin-
ciple of sinecure places was one which the committee was bound to

The resolution was then agreed to.
The next resolution was 104,000/. to defray the charge of full pay
for reduced retired officers.—Agreed to.
The next was 720,0001. for the half-pay and military allowances
of his majesty's land forces.
Mr. HUAIE expressed his regret that the principle adopted in
France, and recommended in this country by the great Duke of
Marlborough, was not acted upon by our government. In a letter
quoted the 30th of June, 1715, the Duke of Marlborough addressed
a letter to the Secretary of State, recommending that every commis-
sion, as it became vacant, should be filled up by half-pay Officers,
and that no new appointments should be made to the prejudice of
Officers who had served. (Hear, hear.) If that principle had been
adopted two or three millions would have been saved by this time
to the public. (Hear, hear.) But the same principle had
been recognised by a resolution of the House of Com-
mons on the 12th of December, 1740; but so far was the Go-
vernment from attending to it in the present day, that he much
questioned whether a large proportion of the officers at present in
the service had not been appointed since the peace. He wished to
know from the right hon. Secretary whether any person had retired
upon half-pay since the termination of the war. He also wished to
be informed as to the extent to which the right hon. Secretary had
proceeded in the purchase of the half pay under the regulation so
unfortunately adopted.
Sir H. HARDINGE said that no Officer was put on the half.
pay under the new regulations, who had not served a certain period,
or was not disabled from service. No new Officer had, in fact,
been added to the half-pay-list. As to the number of purchases
which had been made, they amounted, he believed, to about 120
subalterns' commissions. With respect to the principle recom-
mended by the Duke of Marlborough, it was in point of fact Acted
on by the present Government, making allowance for the great dif-
ference between the nature of the service now and in the time of the
Duke of Marlborough. It was to be recollected that England had
but two foreign colonies in the time of the Duke of Marlborough ;
but now our colonial service was most extensive, and was, in nature,
a war service in time of peace. It would be a great hardship to the
Officers employed on foreign stations if all vacancies were to be
filled up by Officers from the half.pay. As to the number of half.
ply Officers reduced, the real saving under that head amounted to
38,0001. though they took credit but for 18,0001. on the face of the
Estimates.

Mr. HUME asked whether any new appointments had been
rude in the regiments of foot guards?
Sir H. HA RDINGE said, the regiments of guards had suffered
more reductions than any regiment of the line ; but ensigns had, no
doubt, been appointed since the peace.
Mr. 310NCIC thought that the principle adopted in the French
army, of allowing half-pay to none but veterans, or those who had
teemed wounds, might be adopted with advantage here. The ge-
reral principle in the French army was quarter-pay. He was glad
to find that widows were not to receive pensions whose husbands had
not served ten years ; and he thought the same rule might be laid
down with regard to the balf-pay of the officers.
Mr. 'HABER LI- reminded his hon. friend that there was no pur-
chase in the French army ; and that, if he looked to our own " Ga-
zette," he would find that 200 commissions had been lately pur-
chased.

After a few words from Sir H. HARDINGE and Mr. HUME, the
resolution was agreed to.
The next resolution was 94,9001. for the half-pay of officers
of the disbanded foreign corps, and pensions to their widows and
children. Agreed to.
The next was 47,9964 to defray the expenses of Chelsea and Kil-
inhain Hospitals.
Dlr. lILTDIE contended that there was a great deal of lavish ex-
penditure in the management of Kilmainham Hospital. He must
say the same of Chelsea Hospital, excepting always the under-
clerks, who were, without exception, the worst paid class of men in
the public service. The Committee of Finance had before them
evidence that there were in Chelsea College from 16 to 18 clerks,
whose salaries ranged from 1401. to 901. a year. This was very low
as compared with the clerks in some other departments.
Mr. CALCHAFT was glad to hear the hon. member for Aber-
deen bear testimony to the small salaries of the clerks in Chelsea
Hospital. He (Mr. Calcraft) had already spoken upon the subject
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but could not get a shilling
out of him.

Lord ALTHORP was not a little surprised to hear the hon.
member for Aberdeen advocating, in these times, an increase of sa-
laries w clerks in public offices. The question was, were the aala-
rim so low that men could not be found to do the bnsiness ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—That was the
question I asked my hon. Mend.
Mr. HU:IIE begged to he understood. He set his face entirely
against any increase of salary. What he meant to recommend was,
nut that the salaries of these clerks should be raised, but that others
should be lowered to their standard.

The vote was then ageeed to.
The next vote was for 1,264,6011. for defraying the charge of out.
pensioners to Chelsea Hospital.
Mr. HUMI could not let this vote, large as It was, pass without
protesting against the frauds which had been practised by soldiers in
the obtaining of pensions. These malpractices were carried to a
great extent in the army, the dates of the enlistment of soldiers
being altered to entitle them to pensions. He was happy to say,
however, that an inquiry had at length taken place into theseabuses,
and much good was expected as to the result. For that inquiry the
country had to thank the right hon. gent. opposite (Sir H. Her-
dinge) ; for had his predecessor (Lord Palmerston) remained in
office, he (Mr. H.) was quite sure no inquiry would ever have taken
place. The present Secretary of War had already laid the country
under great obligation to him by the reforms which he had intro-
duced into the money departments of the army.
Sir HENRY HARDINGE explained that the mal-practices in
question were tha acts of the parties themselves interested, or the
effect of accident. The commanders of regiments were quite blameless.
After some more conversation, the vote was agreed to.
The next vote was for 20,964;1. for defraying the charges of the
royal military asylum.
Sir J. WROTTESLEY complained that more than one-half the
vote for this charity was expended upon the officers alone. This
was a monstrous abuse of the objects of the grant. He was a friend
to the principle of the charity.
Mr. HUME thought it but just to say that there was a reduc-
tion in the expenses of this year as compared with the last, of 4,0001.
Sir HENRY HARDINGE defended the necessity of the Insti-
tution. Since the last year the children had been reduced by 300.
After a few words from Mr. Husta, the vote was agreed to.
The next vote was for 145,2671. to defray the pensions of widows,
orphans, etc. of officers belonging to his Majesty's land forces.
Mr. HUIIE did not see why the country should be put to such
expenses for pensions of this description. In the ordnance and the
navy the case was quite different, and he should like to know from
the right hon. gentlemon (Sir H. Hardinge,) whether any alteration
was contemplated in this instance.
Sir H. HARDINGE said that certain regulations had been
agreed to, by which, for the future, no widow or orphan of an
officer should receive the pension, unleis the officer had served for
ten years, or bad been killed in action. The same principle, also,
would apply if the widow should marry, and in that case the pension
would cease.

Mr. HUME hoped to see these regulations laid on the table, and
should be glad to see the same system adopted in the army as that
which was now pursued in the ordnance and navy.
Sir H. HARDINGE said that the intention of government
was to assimilate the different services. At the same time it
was proper to state that the ordnance and the navy were placed
an a very different footing as far os regarded the payment for away.
Mr. MONCK could not concur in the vote when he comiimidi
the trifling expenses which the French Govermr.ent, and Ando
American government, were put to for pensions of this desalpdsu.
He also thought it was unfair to take a certain portion of the pg
_de
the common soldiers, to provide for pensions for their widows, wire
the same principle was not adopted in the other departments of the
army; the consequence of which was, that the country was bum.
dated with paupers and vagrants belonging to individuals who
belonged to the army.
After a few words from Mr. Hums. Sir Mv.
Moucz, end Lord Howler., the vita was agreed to.
The next vote was for 10,036/. for the compassionate list and
the royal bounty.
In answer to questions froth Mr. STEWART end Mr. HUME,

. *. .

,