The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-03-24 00:00:00

- - -
Kent or Seise: districts, although of the ssemolt
importance. On the Home Staff there had been
hardly any retrenchment, aithoogh this was the
department most objectionable. Officers, were
often put on the Staff who were completely in-
efficient, •nd held the station as sinecures. It
•was often supposed, that instead of selecting Ge-
nerals for districts, the districts were appointed
for the convenience of favourite Generals, whose
head-tlurrters were at the places they wished to
live at.

Mr. CALCRAFT thought that on the home
district there sbould have been a saving much mere
considerable than in the redaction of one Major.
General, He was afraid that the Right Honour.
able Gentleman (Mr. Perceval) found something
in that Staff which he had not power to remove.
Mr. WARDLE said, that in considering this
expenditure, he by no means meant to blame par.
ticularly the present Administration, as the. Fame
profusion prevailed under the last, and he was
afraid would continue as long as a system of cor.
ruptlost was acted upon. When the enormous es.
•timates for barracks had been formerly voted
,(which had altogether cost the country near 13
,'asilliens) it was said that they would cause a dimi-
nution in the expense of the Staff. This diminu-
tion, however, had not taken piece. It was also
said that the Barrack establishment would provide
for many half-pay Officers, but instead of that,
the dppoikments were given to the favourite ter.
vents of those in power. He didetiot conceive the
present was a fair estimate, as it slid not notice
either the Volunteer Staff or the Ordnance Staff.
The Staff expence for the home service was now
nearly as great as when we had a great part of
our population under arms, and our armies at
home. The House seemed now aware el what AC
had been calleel a Jacobin last year for stating,
that every economy should be practised, that slid
not interfere with the efficiency of the army. He
should ask, why these very lucrative situations
were to be heaped on one individual (General
Brownrigg). lie was Quarter-Nlaster.General,
for.which he received above 41. a day; he had a
.regiment of two battalions, the 9th foot, which
'was at least 16001. per annum, and then he was
put upon the staff, at an expellee of about 1300 t.
a year more. The Adjutant-General was also
put upon the staff. lie conceived that both these
men had sufficient appointments without gutting
their appointments•on the staff as a sinecure. lie
said there was atfiarge of about 41. for each re-1
cruit t ► the smelting staff. This charge appeared
to him unreasonable. He conceived the estimates
much higher than there, was occasion for.
Gen. HOPE stated the length of service of the
lalarter-Master-General and of the Adjutant-
General ; and that there had been a promise to
them of being pet on the Stair if any other Gene-
ra's were added to it.
General TAR LETON expressetl his opinion
that no diminution ought to take place in the ca-
valry, which he thonght was among our best
means of defence.

Mr. P. IzIOORE defended the late Achninistea.
whose system of economy went on the gelled
scale of con6uing the expenditure of the country
within its income. : • •
An Amendment was moved to take off from the
estimate proposed the sum of 88861., being then'_
pence of the two Generals on the home Staff, who
were conceived to be quite unnecessary.
The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER
.hoped the Committee would not supdose• that the
present A.dininistrstion had been more.,pircrfuse in
this respect that, those who preceded. them, "and
, saw no reasonable objection to the'estiniate before
the Committee.
Mr. WHITBREAD animadverted upon the
practice of the Right Hon. Gen'tleman, when he
could derive no arg*ment from his own deeds, in
referring to the deeds of his predecessors in office.
Bet all that the Right Hon. Gentleman hail said,
as to the comparative number of General Offifers
at the various periods to which he referred, had
nothing to do with the question, which was simply
whether two full Generals were necessary to be
employed in the Home District. He was .y ready
as the. Right Hon. Gentleman to agree to any
thing that might contribute to do honour to his
Majesty; but he must contend that it was nut
necessary that the Officer employed. to bear the
gold stick, should be a full General, or of high
rank, or, even an Officer on the Staff. He was
convinced too, that if the matter were to be re.
presented to his Majesty, he would not -consent to
the appointment of an Officer of either description
with the additional pay. There were no full
Generals on the Staff in the year 1.806. Neither
the Duke of Cambridge nor Lord Heathfielei had
any duties to perform, entitling them to their re-
spective salaries of 40001. per annum ; so that, 'in
fact, they enjoyed sinecerei 'to, thc _sursoorte of
10,0001, a-ydii. The Iloti. Gentleman also ob-
jected to the placing of the Adjutant and Quarter.
Masters. General upon the Staff, with an augment-
ation'of pay from 5001. to 16001. per annum ;
and upon all the grounds he had stated, was in.
dined to-vote for the Amendment.
Sir G. WARRENDER explained.
Mr. lIVSKISSON begged to recal the recollec-
tion of the House to the relative situation of the
country itulBos, when the whole military force of
France was upon the coast, and In 1806, when it
was withdsawn to a 'distance of 4 or 500 miles from
the coast. The Honourable Gentleman then went
into a defence of hi; own consistency. The in..
fluence of the Crown, so much talked of, he
contended was counterbalanced by the popular in.
fluence arising from the increase of nealth, and
the general diffusion of knowledge.
Sir. T. TURTON and Mr. Hosaissow severally
explained.
Captain PARKER Thought his Majesty's
Ministers right id whartijey meant to do as to the
Staff of theA ruiy. Yt waV,his inteotiou, on a future
day, to bring under the consideration of the
House, a question respecting the condition and pay
of the Officers of the Navy. •
After a brief reply from Lard Pafauttsroloj.te.
division took place, • • .
t! •
For the Amendment - - 61
Fur the origioal Estimate 99
Majority 38
. • Adjourned at One o'clock.
•