Star.
London, England, 1828-03-13 00:00:00

'several from' the half pay
means, substituting from
ibongVr and -niece efficient
tainly of great advantage
*hilly to improve the
illastdiantitga in a pecunial
she hi recollected, that

•
vete induced to invest cal

mis ions, was to obtain -prom....
who purchased the commission of a half pay os.jor,
subsequently looked out for a Major on full pay to ex.
change with him. Sure he was that this arrangement was
attended with very little, if any loss to the public, and
it had given to every part of his Majesty's service young
and efficient officers. thereby greatly improving the'
state of the army. It was upon this ground that her
had proposed the measure—not certainly conceiving
it would be of pecuniat y advantage, but knowing that
it would give great efficacy to the military portion of
the public service. The Hon. Member for Aberdeen
had frequently complained, that those who had the
pationage of the army did not sufficiently fill up va-
cancies from the half-pay list. Now, there were many
Ensigns and Lieutenants who held their commissions
for 20, 30, or even 40 years; and were such persons fit
to he' brought again into active service? Could there
be any disidvantage in allowing such to retire, and ens
ploying in their stead young and more active men, by
such means not only making the full pay list more
effective, but the half pay list also, from which officers
might subsequently he taken? He did not wish to
bring forward particular names, because 'this was a
question which he wished to be tried upon the general
principle, which principle he was ready at all times to
defend. The Hon. Baronet who seconded the motioq
had alluded so tan cases of officers engaged in civil
capacities under Government, having been allowed to
sell their half pay, and had called upon him (Lord
Palmerston) to give some explanation upon the subject;
with the latter of those cases he (Lord Palmerston) wad
not yet acquainted, as it appeared the occurrence took
place in Ireland ; the fot mer case he would now ex,
plain. It was a general rule with him to object to anal
fficer selling his half pay, whose half pay had been
suspended in consequence of his holding a civil situa-
tion under Government. The case referred to, however,
was that of an officer who had received an assurance
(certainly under an erroneous impression)from a higher
authority, and on the faith of that assurance he had made
certain engagements, which he could not otherwise have
performed. On that ground the sale was allowed ;it
was, however, an exception to a general rule. There
was, indeed, another case, in which the sale was actually
completed before lie (Lord Palmerston) was aware of
the existence of a civil appointment, which deprived
the individual of his half pay. He (Lord Palmerston)
thought that by the arrangement, such as he had ex-
plained it, the public would lose very little, if any thing,
but that if a loss had occurred, a proportionate ad-
vantage had been gained.
Mr. HUME explained.—lf the old officers had been
required to serve, he could easily see why they should
be allowed to retire. They were annuitants, and the
sooner they died off the better-4A laugh).
Lord PALMERSTON said, that the Government
could not deal with its old officers exactly in the man-
ner recommended by the Honourable Member for
Montrose. It could not say to them, " you must either
sell or die;" it could only say, II you must either sell or
stay on the half-pay list."
Sir J. GRAHAM asked whether he was to under-
stand that the practice of selling half•pay by Officers
holding civil employments was at an end, not again to
be revived?

AlOl

Lord PALMERSTON said, he could not answer for
what might be done hereafter. At present there was
no intention of allowing it.
Mr. MABERLY said, that the question was entirely
one of account, and the Finance Committee would be
able to ascertain its aneiits. He could speak to the fact
that the Army had been tendered most tfficient by the
arrangement.
Mr. CALCRAFT said, that the arrangement had
produced the greatest possible benefit. to the service,
and that the Committee was deeply' indebted to the
Duke of York, with whom he understood it to have
originated. He was as anxious to save and economize
as any man, but really the extreme* to which the Hon.
Member for Aberdeen carried his notions of saving
were such as almost to put him out of humour with
economy altogether. If his perverse taste for saving
were to be acted upon, he would beggar and destroy
the service he wi,hed to reform.
After a few farther observations from Mr. Baiting, Mr. CaLl
CRAM Sir H. HAILDINGS, and Sir J. Gaissaat, the Mali= Was pat:
and agreed to.
Mr. HUME then moved for other returns of a similar naturaj
Agreed to.

y te....fi1l their places...:ll this
n: the half pay list effioars
In—a measure which' velltcer•
le to thecorintry. as ter-rang
oitec le:iery . and of he& or 'no
ary '.:lt shonid
.00 o ' t,by which officers
, 'pita' in the purchased corn.
-promotion—:thus, a Captain'