Star.
London, England, 1821-04-12 00:00:00

. .
kited out; it arrived at an unwholesome season, and
in consequence, it suffered most materially.
Lord PALMERSTON said, he recollected a regi-
Mment was, in 1819, sent out at a season or the year
rlor most desirable; and it afterwardi itiffered most
•seyerely; but it was sent dut tinder unavoidable and
ruing circumstances, and suffered, in consequence
of an unusually unhealthy season.
Sir R. FERGUSON wished to know whether a
"presentation was not at the time made to Govern-
by the West India Merchants of the impropriety
of sending these regiments out at that season ?
Mr.GOULBURN had no recollection of any such
repreeidatiqn beig made.
Mrs HUME sand, he. moved at the time for Re-
turns On this subject, and it was but justice to Go-
rernment to say, that in the whole transaction Go- '
Ornment appeared blameless.
Colonel JOHNSON said, he had frequently seen
Troops embarked on the Continent without Quarter--
Masters-General.
Sir H. VIVI A N said, they ought to have been there.
Colonel JOHNSON named, as instances, the ern- I
barkations at Lisbon, Corunna, and other places in
the PenMstda.
Colonel TRANT said, the gallant Colonel was
mistaken in what he had stated as regarded Lisbon ;
he himself acted as Quarter-Master-General on that
occasion.
Sir L. COLE thought the gallant Officer had se-
lected badly when he mentioned Corunna. Every
person knew the irregularity under which the troops
embarked on that occasion. The Quarter-Masters-
General were, as far as his experience went, on all
occasions most attentive and useful in the discharge
of their duty. _

After some further conversation, the Gallery was
cleared for a division :

For the Amandruent • . - 60
Against it
Majority for the original proposition —44
On the item for £922 for the Quartermaster-Gene-
ral of tiorth Bt itain,
Mr. HUME proposed to reduce the vote to £620.
After some conversation between Lord PALMER-
,TON, Mr. W. SMITH, the LORD ADVOCATE, and others,
Tire Gallery was again cleated for a division:

For the Amendment - - 65
Against it 98
Majority for tke original Motion —35
On the item for granting t5lBO to the Judge Ad-
rocate-General,

Mr. CHETWYND objected to this grant, as most
profligate: it was more than was paid to the highest
Judge in the land, the Chief Justice of the King's
Bench. The Honourable Member then proceeded
to state the items of the principal sums in detail, and
contended that a salary of £2500, a house worth
£5OO, allowance &Eli° for coals and candle, £6OO
for a Deputy Judge Advocate, and £4OO for an hs-
sistant, besides £lOOO for House-keepers and Messen-
gers, was extravagant in the extreme. He was for
paying public servants liberally. He thought the
Officers of State were badly paid, so were the Judges.
He wished to be economical, but at the same time
to be just. He would be liberal to the Judge Advo-
cate. He would move, as an Amendment, that,
instead of the sum proposed, it should be £BlBO.
11r. BECKETT the Judge Advocate) defended
himself from the unjust attack, as he contended it
vas, which had been made upon him by the Hon.
Member, who had misrepresented facts. With re-
gard to the house, which the Hon. Member had de- ,
scribed as worth 5001. a year, it was an unfurnished
house, which he had to furnish for himself, and
which was assigned to him in lieu of apartments at
the Horse Guards . As to the salary of 25001. that
was fixed under the advice of Lord Grenville, instead
of a smaller salary and fees. The office was one of
great responsibility and anxiety, and he had reason
rather to complain of breach of faith on the part of the
Public, as it was contemplavd to keep the salary of
the Judge Advocate equal to the other Judges. The
Judges had all had an increase of salary since, but
the Judge Advocate remained at 25001. ; and to com-
pare it with that of the Chief Justice, whose income
was 18,000/. was a most extraordinary exaggeration.
As to the labours of the office, the Courts-Martial in
1820 were 260 in number, almost three times the
slumber which took place in 1807, when the office
was regulated. With respect to- the Clerks in the
office, there were three, one of whom had been in the
office 50 years, and received £900; the other two
had been each 17 years in the office, and one re-
ceived £250, the other £2OO. On the whole, he con-
tended, the sum proposed was not too much.
Sir RONALD FERGUSON considered the grant
proposed as a profligate one, and especially when it
bas considered who received the salary. He cons%
clered the Deputy Judge Advocate as the person who
tiid the business, and deserved the salary of £2,500,
if any one did.
Mr. W. SMITH also opposed the grant.
Mr. GIPPS was in favour of some reduction, al-
though not to the extent of £2,000.
Mr. CHETWYND said, his observations applied
to the system, and not to the individual. The speech
of his Majesty, at the commencement of the Session,
had led him to hope for Estimates very different
from the present, and he had determined to give Mi-
nisters his support, but the extravagant items before
him had forced him into opposition.
Mr. DENMAN supported the Amendment.
Mr. MARTIN was in favour of the original grant,
as he considered it not more than a fair remuneration
for the labours of the office.
Mr. HUME had no doubt the Honourable Mem-
ber would vote for any sum moved from that side
of the House.
air. MARTIN-141 call the Hon. Gentleman to
•order—(Load cries of Hear, hear !')—l have a pre-
dilection to vote for the sums moved for, as I believe
they are the least that the public service requires.-
1 am no more under the tontroul of those near
me, than the Hon. Member is under that of malice l"
—(_Cries 4of Order ! )
r. W. SMITH rose to Order ; the moment that
*Rives were mentioned, the allusion was disorderly.
Mr. HUME said, that up to 1806, the duty had
been done for £l,OBB, and £340 as an allowance for
a home, in the time of the late Sir C. Morgan.
A Moraza here loudly called out—Q:4/16mi
Mr. HUME had no wish to force the subject upon
the House.
Mr. BENNETT--" Gentlemen should recollect
they ou_ght to listen as well as to vote
Mr. ROBINSON hoped the Hon. Gentleman would