Star.
London, England, 1829-11-19 00:00:00

NA VA-CINTELLIGENCE.

MAMA Amex* Tins Mr.—Debit.. I—kkateeford I—Guernsey
and Jersey 2—Flanders I—France I.
The Nancy, Way, from Kiel to London. is on shore near
Wain* Flat, but expected to be got off, aftrr dischatgig.
The fitadt Rotterdam, Poort, from Movie, is supposed to to
arrived off Newhaven—sailed thence 20th July.
The William, Inglis, from Urns, is supposed to be arrived off
the Wight.
DeaL, Nov. 18.—Wind W. S. W.—The Spanish Parke.
Wrighton, for C.adis w run un bo.rd of by the Z .phyr. of liel-
fast, off the South Foreland ; the former has lust bowsprit, fore and
sprit sail yards anchor and cable, and has proceede•l to Hams,; te
harbour. Arrived from London, the President Matson, Moduli,
for St. Michael's.
Poevealount, Nov. 18. —Wind N.E.
PLvasouvai, Nov. 17.—Wind R.N. F. —An ived the Candwich.
King, from St. Lucia, and Star. Wood, from Rtes.
FALMOUTH. Nov. 17.—Wind E. N. Er—Arrived the Solway.
Gbalck, and Elbe. Maugban, from Jamaica; and the Prue Blue,
Cargill, from Riga.
EAST INDIA SHIPPING.
The General Palmer, Thomas, from Madras, off Plymouth.
sailed July 11.
The Fletcher, Foster, from Bombay, has arrived off Hutings,
tailed July 3, and from St. Helena Sept. 15.
The Hippomene, Row, trom Padang, off Portsmouth, sailed
July 27, and from St. Helena Sept. 24.
Arrival at Bombay—The Herefordshire, Hope, and Bucking-
hamshire. Glasspoole, for China, July 2 ;lOW I, Dixon, for London,
July 2.
Saikngs from lladras—The Belle Alliance, Francis, and Clyde,
Munro, for Bengal, on the 7th of July.
Arrivals at Seaga—The John. Freeman, from Madras. on the
2.14 of June; Royal Admiral, Wilson, from ditto, on the 25tb ;
Aurora, Owen, from Bombay.
The Mountaineer, Shoal, from the Cape of Good Hope, off Dart.
mouth sailed 18th Sept.
The Stalk Rotterdam. Poort, from Batavia for Antwerp, at
Newhavas, sailed 20th July.
The Company's ship Buckinghamshire and Herefordshire left
Bombay for Mina oa the 2d July.
STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

Ltenasoot.. Nov. 17.—Our Cotten Market has been this day
very lively ; the sales amount to 3,800 bags, 2,000 of which hale
been taken on speculation, at free prices. A considerable quantity

of Brasil has exchanged hands.
Advices from Glasgow, received in the City this morning, sate
there appears an indication of diminished distress among the work-
ing population, and that tents have been better paid than usual,
with the exception of the bulk of the unfortunate weavers. This
promptitude of payment is ascribed to the public works being all
brisk. _ _

A morning contemporary gives quite a different account of our
internal prosperity. " Twenty seven (!) additional victims—
" says he"—to the " worn-out tale of the distresses of the country"
appeared in Tuesday night's Gasette, being, in four successive pub-
Undone, no less a number tban owe Madrid and twenty-sews
bankrupts!! This Is an appalling picture of the issue if
misgovernment, and would open the eyes of any ministry
not utterly callous to the wretchedness of that commu-
nity, over the interests of which it is its duty to watch.--
But what is the occupation of the Premier and his colleagues
during this tremendous crisis ? While their emancipated friends,
the Papists, are amusing themselves by shooting Protestant Cke.
omen, the hero of Waterloo is shooting pheasants, or swallowing
adulation and thin claret at the Lord Mayor's table. While
merchants and artisans are involved in one common tufo,
and sinking, one by one, Into the vertex of insolvency, the
hopeful rulers of the State are picking their teeth at Guildhall
with as much nentsbalanwe as though there were no such
thing as pauperism in the land or proligacy in the Cabinet.
The Duke of Wellington, in the face of his peers, declared that.
should be accept the premiership, it would be a proof of his insanity
The result has shown the illustrious Duke duly appreciated his us.
dersausding ; for if anything could be more mad than his occupying
the seat of the Immortal Pitt, it has been the manner in which be
has performed the functions of the office thus obtained. The pre-
sent knot of ministers sit on the nation like incubi, and the country
must arouse from its lethargy ere the unnatural burtben can be
shaken off.—Mensing Journal. _

A correspondent of the Marsh's Omelets, on the same subject,
writes thus :—Agricultural produce is rapidly verging towards the
prices of 1883: meat, bacon, butter, cheese, are gradually approach-
ing a point of depression which it may be difficult to limit, but
which must inevitably occasion far-spread ruin amongst farmers,
and the classes immediately connected with them. The rich
cheese of Somerset, which four years ago brought 109 s. per cwt.
can now be bought at prices varying between 455. and 54s ! The
very best Irish butter (Carlow) is scarcely worth 70.. and that
from Waterford not more than 601. It may appear extraordinary
that in our rich county of Berks, Waterford butter iti very eaten.
lively supplied for winter use; yet such is the fact. The decline
in price of this artiele of provision gives a striking illustration of the
progressive fall in prices. At the last four autumn fairs at Reading,
Waterford butter has annually declined from 945. to 84$. 745. and
641. per cwt.—the price at the last fair. Bacon ia selling at 435. to
45.. and of Irish pork an immense quantity is brought to the metro-
polis, which does not fetch more than thirty-four to thirty-six
shillings per hundred weight. Perhaps it might be difficult to as-
certain the actual price obtained by the Irish farmer; but there can
be little doubt that, after deducting all intermediate profits, corn-
Inisdons, and charges, the clear amount is altogether inadequate to
discharge his rest and taxes. So hopeless, indeed, has the receipt
of rents become in Ireland, that a project has been suggested
for taking rents in kind. The difficulties of carrying such
a plan into effect are manifestly insuperable ; but the u-
caeca which the farmers are called upon to make in
forcing off their produce have, nevertheless, led to the extravagant
consideration of accepting produce in satisfaction of rent, and con.
signing it to the London market ! The great cause of depression is
want of consumption ; the mass are destitute of means to purchase
the necessaries of life, in the proportion to witch they have been
accustomed ; end hence an accumulation that reduces prices. Yet
such is the pressure of taxation in this country, as compared with the
generaltaxation of Europe, that even at the present ruinous prices,
foreign produce is sold in our markets with profit, although bur-
theoed with duties on importation. The quantity of dried Ham-
burgh Beef sold in London has for some time been on the increase ;
and in private letters from Petersburgh, an intention has been Lodi.
cated of trying a shipment of that article for London. Wears already
furnished with the Tallow, which is said to be in greater estima-
tion io that part of Runk where it is collected than the Beef.
The project for supplying the London market with bread baked at
Ostend, has long been entertained ; but it is doubtful, whether it
could be successfully accomplished at this season of the year. To
be effective, the supply must be uninterrupted; and assuming the
passage to be made within twenty-four hours ass the average, two
steam-vessels must be constantly employed--sn expense
which would consume a large of profit. Set during the
winter season, there could be little hope of reedit* Linden
daily from Ostend. It is understood that Made and Muscat, both
classed under the same bead, and subject to a comparatively small
duty, are permitted to be imported, with a view of favouring the
shipping interest ; nor was the possibility of importing bread, other
than for shipping, coatemphite& But while such clause exist in
*the Act, it is supposed that bread may be legally imported, on pay-
ment of the prescribed duty.

THE DANISH CLERGY.

The Reformation in Denmark was (as in many other
countries) little more than a transfer of property from Catholic to
Lutheran hands. The change was complete•. for at the present
moment the number of Catholics in all Denmark is not sup•
posed to eaee.d 2,000 ; the number of Jews befog about three
times as many. The num'ier of Mennonites scarcely exceeds 300.
and that of Moravian., or Herrnhuters, is calculated at 400. In
many respects, however, the Lutheran Church has outstripped the
Anglican in its reforms, and there is really a far more liberal
spirit than esists in England, and a far more willing disposition to
accomodate its situation to the knowledge and the &meads of 'the
times. For instance. the D.nisie Bible Society, and the Clergy gene-
rally. have abandoned the famous verse of St. John. apiat.` I. ch. v.
vet. 7 (or have printed it in a differeat type, with a notice that it isnot
found in the early MSS. of the Gospel.) Now every Scripture
critic knows that the verse is an interpolation and a forgery ; yet,
in spite of the most irresistible_ evidence, it is retained in our ver-
sions. The Bishop of Copenhagen told me that be had pointed out
to the British and Foreign Bible Society the incondsteoey of re-
tain in the 4. Book of Truth"—witbout any comment, a verse
iettodnced by Inconsiderateness or falsehood. Luther himself. in
Mete printed the yens in another type, to show his opinion Olt •
sod so it was printed in one, at least of the earliest versions of the
English Bible. I mention :Ms fact as illustrative of a more re-
forming spirit existing in the Lutheran Church than can he found
England. The Lutheran Clergy are poorly paid. The reve-
ngers ed the Metropolitan are less than milloo a year. and he lives
a life of habitual literary labour. You may bad him the live-
long day among his books, when not engaged in his
official duties. With him you may discourse on almost any topic
with advantage, and employ in your colloquies French. English.
German, Italian, or Danish. He spoke to me in terms of surprise
and sorrow on the personal bickerings and disgraceful specimens
of unchristian feeling which have been exhibited in Great Britain.
and especially in Scotland, against the always well•inteadsd.thooth,
perhaps, sometimes not omniscient labours of the Bible Society.
He observed that the worse part of the spirit of Cadvadate—its
hatreds, its persecutions, its to others—still diegraced many
of its professors. The indictment was but too true—and I wished
again and again tkat an opportunity could now and then be found
far red-hot zealots to hear what great and good men afar off, too
far to be Involved in chemists of their prejudices, think of their
sayings and doings.
Ido not mean to say that there is no faqaticism here. There is
much, and it, has made several attempts to cover with opprobrium
those who carry into practice the admirable counsel of the Apostle
—l4 I speak as unto wise men : judge ye what I say." There is, in
a few words. in the bosom of the Lutheran Church. a party re-
sembling that which in the Church of England is known by the
name of the Evangelical. It is well that either party should believe
as they will, or as they can. It is their right and their duty ; but
that they should visit otbe:s with obloquy for not believing as they
do is no part of their right, still less of their duty. In Denmark,
the object seems to be keep peace—and it has bees proposed, I am
told, that all religious polentics shall be discussed in Latin, in order
that the " common people" may not be disturbed by the contro-
versy. This will not answer the end ; when the" common people"
are ripe foe the controversy it is sure to reach them. and the wisest
way is to allow all such mattes to " gee their gang."
The French and German Calvinists have, however. a church
here who choose their own Ministers and eers; and the Mora-
vian: were allowed by a Royal Decree of 17115, " quietly" to carry
on public worship—their Director having the recognised title of
et Agent." The Catholics assemble in the chapel of the Austrian
linabaser. The synagogue of the German Jews was built down
in 1765,anct has not sines been rebuilt. so they assemble in their
private dwellings. They have been often the object of Royal or-
dinsuces, and, from a census odicially published, their numbers are,
k seems, pretty stationary.
Males. Females. Together.
IA 1824
1825
1826
As to the general population of the city, the following facts may
interest the Manchus ens. A ceases is yearly taken, but I have
mill=tables down to 1826 :
were, in 1821, 16,274 families In Copenhagen, consisting
et 51,642 males, and 49,333 females.
Males. Females.
In 1824.. 52,219
less 53,348
1828 54,057
Of the numbers living in 1826, 78,953 were above, and 31,101
under, the age of 15.
Marriages. Births. Deaths. Children.
In 1824 790 3,095 2,580 896
1825 843 2,975 2,657 732
1824 854 2,810 3,283 697
The climate cannot be considered good. The land is tat, there
is a quantity of stagnant water in all directions, and fevers and
agues are exceedingly prevalent. Notwithstanding the poor laws,
there is much intrusive mendicity, and ambulatory paupers with
petitions of all sorts are constantly making their way to your abode.
That they do so, is evidence of the profession being a prosperous
one.

THE LATE EUGENIUS ROCHE, ESQ.
•
From the Courier.
The following has been sent to us by one of the many
ardent friends and admirers of the deceased ; and, as we
believe all that may be said of the good may be said of
him, we give ready insertion to it :
Never was be known by any one who did not esteem, respect,
and. with warm, with font* attachment, love him. If ever It
could be truly said of mortal breast that it streamed with the milk
of human kindness, of his it may most truly. He had, indeed,
a tear for pity, and a band, far as his power, open as day to melt-
ing charity." Never did a more benignant, more affectionate,
a sincerer, purer, more honourable heart, warm with animation.
Ardent, almost romantic, in all the generous sensibillies, be
w a yet free, wholly exempt, from any of the virulence.
or acrimonies of our nature—truly without a taint of malice, ran-
cour, or even a feeling allied to vindictiveness, at least beyond the
fleerieg resentment of the moment When lately assailed by the
violence of party Journals, be knew no enmity. nu exasperation,
even no soreness, beyond what he felt for the feelings of those who
were dearer to him than himself—his family. Judging of others
by himself, he was candid, open, unsuspicious. confiding—indeed,
too confiding for his own interests. Without fear might be have
had the mirror held up to his most inward thought for public
view. Would, alas! for his afflicted, disconsolate family's sake, it
were so with all those in whom be trusted!
Nor were his accomplishments and talents unworthy his din.
positions and sentiments. The gentlest, blandest manners that
ever made individual welcome to the social drcle' united with
the most unstudied, genuineof
polishdemeanour, had rendered
him the beloved man in all the relations of life, as well as
sbewed him ever the easy, perfect gentleman ; while he was,
if possible, even still more mild, more soothing, to his inferiors and
dependent. than to his equals. The most unaffected modesty
threw a further charm around his society ; and, as if to render
him yet more tenderly endeared, that species of apparently childish
simplicity which often accompanies understanding and genius of
the highest order, and certainly accompanied those of a very high
rank in him, conspicuously marked his mind, and gained him the
" heart of hearts" of all his acquakitanee. He was certainly of
the most amiable of human bet:lgo—indeed, "made to be loved."
As a husband, a father, a friend, a companion, a master, or a sum.
her of society, be left few equals, none superior, behind him.
He was, upwards of the last twenty years. attach, d to the pe.
'lndica and diurnal press cf this Nietrop, lis. He became, se hen
v ry young, BM ,r of the" Day," now the " Winning Journal."
as well as of the " National itegistei" (a Sunday Paper), and of
La Belle Assembled' (a monthly periodical.) Ile was after-
wards Editor of the " Morning Poet," then of the " New Times,"
and, finally, of the " Coutier. Some of the mast eloquent and
highly-finished effusions that ever adorned the Newspaper Press
came from his pen. He was the Author of the elegant words to
the " French Melodies," published by Welsh ; of a printed but
not performed, Tragedy on the story of " William Tell;" and
several others ; and of a manwcript Poem of considerable length
and great beauty, as well as of many shorter ones. Chastity,
elegance, and taste, cbaracterisebis writing. ; nor are they mac.
eompanied with frequent flights of high geniis. and touches of sub.
limity.
He was born in Ireland, passed his early boyish years is Franca,
and was at the same school is this country with Sir Thos. Acland,
M.P. for Devonshire, the Right lion. Charles Grant, and many
other eminent charatters.
He has left a widow and nine children, the youngest only eight
months, and the eldest of six boys only 12 years old, without that
provision which his abilities, his assiduity, his integrity. and his total
freedom from any expensive pursnit or habit entitle them to expert.
and which be bad the fairest prospects °freaking for them In • much
shorter space than the ordinary length of human life. Hewes high
in the esteem and respect of many distinguished characters, and of
some of the first personages of the country; but not more so than
he most fully merited. With justice it may be said of him—.
His life was gentle ; and the elements
&mini in him, that astute might stand up
And, say to ail the world, this was a mess.'
In memory by his friends, he Will be.—
,4 Beloved MUM tan charm aid more, •
And mourned till feeling's self be kid."
N0v.15, lOW

i~

.1u77-1-J

'

THE FINANCE. COMMITTEE..

Fr';rn tits Quarterly Review.
WC are now came to the for great heads of current
expenditure, tht Army, Navy, Ordnance, and Miscellaneous Ser-
vices. The charges of these, of Is well known, are not perma-
nently provided for, even under the uniform tenour of peace. The
jealousy of our Constitution allows them to be voted for the cur-
rent year only ; so that, If within twelve months Parliament were
not again summoned, these great establishments would be altoge-
ther brought to a stand, by the sudden failure of their supplies.
While these four heads of expense are the title-deeds of the Com-
mons' Annual Sessions, the secondary advantage is gained, that
they are thus subjected to yearly consideration. For each there is
prepared a separate detailed estimate of the expense proposed to be
incurred during the year ; this estimate is laid before the Home
by a Member of the Government connected with the Department
concerned ; the items are by him severally proposed for its appro-
hation ; the Honourable Member for Aberdeen or for tbingdon
rises as each article is named, examines thn official Mover, often
provokes a debate, and sometimes demands a division. Thus do
the discussion stn these Estimates form an essential part of each
Session's standing business. The Finance Committee has inserted
ln its Repoit a return of the amounts lately expended under these
heads in each year. Since a tabular view presents, in a little space,
arithmetical facts which many pages might fail to convey, we give
the following abstract of the most importsnt particulars :
Estimate of Finance Sums voted Sums voted Sums voted
Committee in 1817. in 1818 1827 1828.
Army 8,500,000 9,061,883 8.194,504 8,049,939
Ordnance 1,150,000 1,245,600 1 649,972 1,597,196

9.650,000 10,218,483 9,844,476 9,647,735•
Navy.. ... . 6,000,000 6,456,809 6,195;850 5,995,965
Vote of Credit 500,000

Total 15,650,000 16,764,292 16,470,526 15,645,110
Miscellaneous 1,700,000 2,206,687 2,275,054 2,184,941

• 17,350,000 18,970,959 18,745,360 17,828,041
Our expenditure. as Is well known, was thoroughly examined
'by. the Finance Committee which sat in 1817. Their estimates,
amounting for the three defensive services, to fifteen, millions and
a half, were exceeded in each of the four succeeding years by m
ore
than a million. In 1822, the voted expenditure fell below h•
termined level ; it was swollen beyond it by the expedition to Por-
tugal, and in last year had returned within a few thbusands to the
original standard. The ordnance was made by the Finance Com•
mittee the subject of a massive Report, but the reductions recom-
mended bore a small proportion to the bulk of the volume. Indeed,
the chief feature-6f retrenchment was •the Lieutenant-Governor's
salary, a proposal in which the House did not see fit to acquiesce ;
and Mr. Hume himself has since made -the candid admission, that
" much time had been expended in examining the Ordnance Es-
timates, and very little progress made to warrant any reduction
whatever." Indeed, the low expenditure of this department arose
in the last year from a peremptory order to reduce, experi-
mentally, 475,000 on the total amount; but the abatement proved
to be a mistaken economy, and has been abandoned. On the
whole, the safety of the Empire is, then, entrusted to one hundred
- ;Ind• thirty thousand men. Now France, we believe, maintains
about two hundred thousand soldiers. The forces of Austria and
Prussia have always been on a much higher footing than ours.
Even the late Xing of Bavaria kept, we know not how, seventy
thousand men under arms. Indeed, Old England,* by nothing
more happily distinguished from her neighbours than by the
silence of the trumpet and drum. At this moment, moreover,
the dee level of our peace establishment is but an object of
speculative research. No man Who looks to the plains of Rou-
melia. or whose vision reaches even to the Palace of Elms
Bourbon, would consent that this country should lose the aid of a
single tight arm.
But although the number of our forces is moderate, indeed, the
charges of the three services are very large amounts. These gross
numbers, however, but ill shew the nature of our defensive expen-
diture. which consists of two very different elements, the effective
payments and the non-effective. They are stated separately, for
the Bra time, we believe, in the following return of the • votes for
the year ending Stb Jan. 1828 :
Effective Estab. Half-pay, &c. Total.
Army .... 45,226,771 .42,967,735 48.194,504
Ordnance.. 1,272,266 377,706 1,649,972
Navy .... 4,578,491 1,547,359 6.125,850

4411,077,528 £4,922,798 £15,970,528
We here see that out of sixteen millions expended within the
year on the three services, about five millions, or nearly one-third,
• were absorbed in payments to persons not engaged in active service.
This latter sum constitutes the bulk of the charge popularly termed
the Dead Weight, which is, we must observe, no further connected
with the advance laieTy made by the Bank to the Government,
than inasmuch as the diminishing amount of this annual loan was
calculated on the decrease erroneously expected to arise in this class
of claimants. That a twenty years' war should have multiplied
the claims of the country's old servants is natural, nor is it sur-
prising if national gratitude has done in some cases More than
enough. Though the sum total be large, it is some comfort to
think that this money is not absorbed by the rich or the idle, but
. is diffused in numberless minute payments amongst persons who
all have claims for past eervice,and most of them no other resource.
for our parts, we never see a veteran's red coat and three.cornered
bat without satisfaction. and we are glad that the stateliest pile in
this kingdom welcomes the mariner on the shore of Gresnwith.n-
Nor has our old enemy's gratitude been much less fruitful than ours..
The beacon. of their capital is the gilded dome of the Invalid's ;
and it should be known that their dead weight at this moment
passes four millions sterling. Indeed a Gallant Admiral bad much
reason in repelling this new term as too cavalier, and in protesting
against the old couplet—
" When sailors are wanting, we'll give them bread and beer,
But when the French are beaten, there's nothing more is fear."
Still, in these matters, it must be always remembered, that if the
claims on Our bounty are strong, our means are limited, and if our
old servants are poor, many of their tax-paying masters are not
.much richer. The Finance Committee have accordingly made this
branch of outgoings the subject of a Special Report, in which they
insert detailed accounts of the whole.
On the half-pay, amounting for the three services, with some
similar allowances., to more than two millions, the Committee re-
port that. they have no suggestion to offer as to the existing rates,
but that they must express the strongest objection to the recent
changes in the regulations under which it is received. Until
the year 1820, ise half.pay.was payable to any officer holding any
office or employment, dell or military, under the Crown;. but in
that year, Parliament, contrary to the wish of the Government, re-
pealed the regulation. 4"This;' says the Report, " was an ill-ad-
vised measure, only to be accounted for by a strong sense of re-
cent services." Its effect his been an Increase of £71,000 In the
joint annual charge of the army and navy.
The next item, a charge for Naval and MilitariOnt-Pendoners,
and for disabled men in the Ordnance, amounts to tbe most se-
rious sum of 11,820 765. During the first years of the century,
threatened invasion fixed public attention on the means of increas-
ing our militarr force. The demand for the militLi clogged the
recruiting of the regular army, and the bounties on enlistment Tom
to a ruinbui height. In 1806, when the death of Mr. Pitt ilidwed
the Whigs a short occupation of office, Mr.• Wyndham, who bad
taken up the question strongly from the benches of the Opposition;
was appointed to the War Department. Enlistment bad hitherto
pledged the recruit without limitation of' time. ; but, in raider, a
discharge was scarcely refused to g 3 or 24 years service, and
good conduct would probably be. crowned with a pension. The
new Secretary's 13111 limited .to
.seven year! the militeri engage- •
ment, and when that bond had been twice renewed, gave the '
mature soldier, for his twentrone years of service, the -legal
claim of a permanent daily shilling. On the latter "part of the ar-
rangement, which has alone been retained, the Committee deliver
. the following judgment :
" It appears, however, to the Committee, that no time °millet°
be lost In reverting to the principle of enlistment which existed In' •
the army before the expensive regulation of 1806 ; Which would-
leave it in the power of the Crown, with the sanction of Parlia-
ment, to regulate from time to time, unfettered by, positive en-
gagements • the scale of pensions to be granted .to soldiers when
discharged after such a period of service as viciuldeve them a jolt
claim upon the liberality of the country."
This recommendation has received the attention of Government
ant the terms of. the contract .will. in future enlistments, be Wholly
revised. But the public faith Is plighted on the present footing to
two large bodies of men. Eighty-two, ybOttSand veterans, at this
moment, receive the promised pension from .Chelsea and Klimaits- •
ham Hospitals ; and since tt.e only drop with their
lives, their country cannot- desire ies-Aessatio9.. thtMeticid
force of the army stands at ninety thousand in theetnes of the
year; Now-t compulsory 'reduction of these*eikn's teversiOns •
would be a breach of engagements ; but the Setretary at War ptb-
poses to offer them the choice of immediate, and therefore, wore
certain advantages. These are free disibarges after fifteen yea's°
of service • and after sixteen, seventeen, er `Teen. itatuitsta
one half, of one, or of two years' pay, as 'We as an allotthetit
ground, to those who ere quartered in Colonies Where therelis land
to be settled. Sir limy Harding, apreared to suppose diet tour
thousand men may accept the proposed terms; and to egisnate 'at
.8500,000 the sweat* unseal saving: Another considerable in-

• These two services bars been added together, became there lbee
been • transfer of expenditure from the Army tot** Otabiance
Department.

gredient of the non-effective charge is, the head of pensions to
Officers' widows On these the Committee reports :
" The old restrictive regulations were all abrogated by the in-
terference of Parliament in the years 1818 and 1819; the effect of
which has been to entail on the public, according to the accounts
of the last year, an additional annual charge, for the three services,
of £74,471."
It Is really curious that the benevolent intervention of the House
of Commons, twice unfortunate in military finance, has not been
more happy in civil departments, u the following Rcport of its
selected members testifies. After premising that, in 1821, the
Treasury hail made a minute that steps ought to be taken with a
view to diminish the allowances of civil superannuation, their Re-
port subjoins these remarkable particulars :
" In the Session of 1822, his Majesty's Ministersbrought in a
Bill, founded on this minute, which was passed into a law. The
two chief objects of that Statute were,-1.
_ To reduce the rates of
the superannuation allowances. 2. To impose upon all persons
entitled to the benefit of the Act,. the obligation of contributing
a yearly sum, hearing reference to the amount of their salaries.
towards a fund, appropriated to defray the charge of • the super-
annuation allowance.. These were salutary regulations, and
having once been es•ablished, the Committee cannot but ex-
press their regret that Parliament was prevailed upon, in oppo-
sition to the declared wishes and disposition of the Govern-
ment, to repeal in the year 1824, the clauses relating to the con-
tribution fund."
But during the last session the Chancellor of the Exchequer made
the following declaration :—" Since the Committee of Finance re-
commended to our consideration a bill upon superannuation. I have
felt it my duty to enter into a strict inquiry on the subject ; and I
have found a considerable saving likely to be the result. lam deeply
impressed with the importance of investigating the Dead Weight,
and I am entwined that it is In that branch that the most important
relief can be afforded to the public." Accordingly, the system of civil
self-insurance has been restored, and thus has official prudence at
last prevailed over parliamentary bounty. These are not the sole
instances in which the Commons have defeated the saving rules of
a Minister ; yet there are blind guide., who impute all our incum-
brances to the want of a democratic Chamber. All history gives
them the lie. The mob of Athens applied to the stage the revenues
which should have defeated• Philip, and death was the doom of the
patriot who attempted to restore their use. It was not until re-
publican • hypocrites had dethroned the King, and unbound the
Lords, that the excise officer stepped over the Englishman's thre4h-
ohl. Indeed, the funding system, as we have seen, took its rise in
republics, and came over in' the ship that brought us the third
William. Even if history were silent, we know that three great
nations of Christendom, England, France, and the Netherlands,
are governed on the representative system, and burtheued with
national debt,. while its three eastern Powers, severally bound by
one man's will, are subject, each of theni, to a very moderate rent
charge. The causes of the distiktion are also well known. The
treasurer of an unlithited Monarch stands alone ce posed to a nation,
and must answer for the discontents which his demands may occa-
sion, while a representative is a comparatively irresponsible body,
whose constituents defray more readily expenses to which the ex-
ercise of their franchises has given a previous sanction. As for the
respective credits of a single and of a mixed Government, Messrs.
Hope or Rothschild's preference for the stock of the latter rests on
the simple mercantile principle,_ that the safety of a bill grows
with the number of its acceptors.
We have now followed the Finance Comniiitee through the
principal elements of our current expenditure, arid there only re-
mains to be considered the charge of our National Debt. These
arithmetical details, which, when they retied private affairs, or
the dealings of a trading company, offer scanty tare to .a liberal
mind, acquire higher interest when the bring of an empire de-
pends upon the just movement of their revolving millions. We
have seen that, since the constitutional era of 1681, six wars
raised the debt to an amount nominally exceeding eight hundred
Millions. But it was the last contest which created the mass of our
debt. This was not waged for the hairbreadth balance of power,
but for our firesides, our Monarchy; and our Church. National'
defence did indeed 'grow into the deliverance of Europe, brat
the treasure wes not unproductively sunk which was beatowed
on the latter contest
.between right and wrong, religion and
atheism, spirit and matter ; and troth that gold, fertilized by
gallant blood, this country has reaped incorruptible honour.
Even now that the heavy costs are reckoned up, if the question
of peace or war could be laid kefore our countrymen anew, we
are persuaded that they would fight the goof fight once again.
Had the war been unjust, impolitic, and inglorious, we should
still have been bound to the costs, unless we had been swilling
to bear such byewordf as attach to the defaulting broker. or to
the fugitive gamester. Least .of all can we, who have carried
off the prize, now speak of drawing the stakes. They, too, who
have entrusted theft means to 6ur honour, are our fellow-subjects,
and consequently do not withhold from equal contribution to the
public necessities, the annual fruits which they receive from our
hands. Moreover, though the aggregate of their rights is exceed.
ingly large, their individual shares are by no means exorbitant.—
There were lately two hundred and eighty-four thousand holders
of the several stocks; and twenty-eight millions sterling of divi-
dends. Now we may fairly reckon for each fundhoider at least
two members of bie family dependent on his resources. On this
calculation the twenty-eight millions will have been divided into
eight hundred and ifty-two thousand average portions of three sod
;thirty poinds each; but, u some who stand in the. above list. of
Auditors may have owned at once two descriptions of stock, and
have been theretcue doubly enumerated, it may be safer to assume
the medium share
.at forty pounds yearly. The stockholder's
claiM on our honesty gives him then only a Moderate command
of necessariesainduimferts, bur its loss would .be heavy indeed,
~`cause in moat.evese that small fortune is all.
Let us now borrow for at. moment the light which the Cem-
entite, has retested ori the retrogi'ade movement of our debt during
the period 'of' peace. 'The following extract from one of their
`-tables shows the:permanent amount of its..annual charge for the
years •1816 anti•lB9.B 3
CHAIM or TSB PUBLIC DM.
..Ingest of the Funded .
Debt, incluaing Ma. Bth Jan. 1816. sth Jan. 1828. Dimioutlo
barman • £118,663,592 25,769,689
' Terminable Annuities, • • .
in equivalent Pape-.
Mal Annuities 1,553,615
Total Interne of Fund-
ed Debt and • Aa.:

1,842,881

unities • .
Total Interest of Fund-
Debts and Annulties 89,917,W7 27,612,570 2,304,637
Interest. of Unfunded
Debt outstanding
enpaotidettfor.... 1,998,937

1,842,an ,

807,814 1,191,123

• .
51.916,144 28,420,384 5,495,760
This reduction of 3i miWdas effected in the `fourteen years of
the peace, the Committee states to be somewhat more than fifteen
per cent. oh the debt contracted. in the preceding war. We were
led to inquire what proportion of this decrease bad been brought
about by the Sinking Fund, and we found in the Report some •
curious calculations by which this question is set at rest. The
diminution of charge was effected ,
'By Reduction'of Interest on Funded Debt now existing 1,604,02.5'
By ditto ditto on Unfunded Debt now existing 498,053

Total Reduction of Charge by Fall of Interest 1409%078
By Annuities expired, land Tax, &c.
By application of Surplus and Bahire

• • X 3,495,760
" Nearly two-thirds, then, of the total diminution have followed
the reduction of interest, one.third has been worked out by the re-
demption of capital. On this point, howevet, the Committee re-
marks—" That the above diminution of the debt has been effected
while it reduction in the rates of taxation, equivalent to a remhsion
at £97,009,000 a year has taken place, and also while advances
Opt of. the public revenue were made for the promoilin of public
works and tie employment of the poor, to the extent of £4,797,443
haTosed the sums repaid."
. This reduction. however, falls far indeed below the promise of
the sinkingluod, which, even on its new basis of 1823, bad been
nominally endowed with five animal millions, as ahq with the
*Flawing interest of the stock, purchased by its Commissioners.
,During the five years since elapsed, twenty-seven millions had been
Pttid osier according to law ; but there had been effected no cur-
responding reduction of 'debt ; and, indeed, in the last two accounts.
our income had scarcely appeared equal to our current expenditure.
The poise, therefore, of these flee years financial balance. became
as object of the Committee's inquiry, and they have stated it for
. each year all fiiii9WB
Expenditure including
Imam
• Charges of Collection. 3orplus.
1843 a158,317.083 -63,434,658 4,882,2 VS

. . - . .
1824 4 • 59,749,975 54,844,449 4,908,524
182.5
)826 ... •: , 54454,856 $5,122,702 • 33141.54*
. 1137; ~Te....., 55,401,611 55,159,125 248,488
' . ova Ant_ 57,512099 52,888,6951 4,633,704. ,
$ -VIVA‘ , 4441.qms eye years which preceded the labouriof tlip •
tsatisittee, had elrtiiinstaaces gradually raised ourhaPendituteil

. .
• Ws Table is the mate as that contained in the Report ; but
the drawbacks. ate. have been subtracted from both income and
eapenditure. Since the same sum is deducted from both sides.
the balance is of course unchanged..
t ‘42,000 advanced per 7 Gto. IV. has been deducted.

while our means varied also at the use rate, but unhappily in
a contrary direction, so that the surplus is at last reduced on the
table to the trifling amount of 5et451,4118. We' have added, how-
ever, from the public accounss, the balance of the put year,
which is most satisfactory; for in that our income increased by
more than two millions, and the same sum was reduced in our
expenditure.