The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-20 00:00:00

LIEUTENANT•GENERAL OP VIZ ORDNANCE.

Mr. HUME said that in pursuance of the notice he
bad given on this subject, he now rose to perform a most
serious duty. In the perfurmanceof that daty lie shouli
often find it necessary to refer to the Report of theaCom-
missioners of Military Inquiry. As it was proper that
Members should be acquainted with the recommendations
in that Report, he would state shortly the circumstances
under which it was drawn up. By virtue of an Act of
the reign of his late Majesty, Commissioners were ap-
pointed to inquire into the military expenditure of the
country. It was of importance the house should under-
stand, not only the object of the Commission, but also
the length of time and labour bestowed on the subject
by the Commissioners who laid on the table of the house
no less than nineteen Reports on the various matters to
which their attention was given. Such was the result of
the labours of a Commission composed of military men
and others, equally well qualified for such an undertak-
ing. The Hon. Member then enuuners•eal the names of
the persons who formed that Commission. The house
was not aware that the constitution of the Board of Ord-
nance was now as it was formed in the reign of Charles
the Second. There were no less than seven Reports Lid
before the house on the subject of the Ordnance Depart-
ment. The first of them respected the Treasury, the
mismanagement of which was made a subject of cow
plaint. But it was to the Thirteenth Report of Beams
Commissioners that he called the attention of the house.
That Report was on the Board of Ordinance, and was
published in ISII. The Hon. Member then read ex-1
tracts from that Report, in %%Milt the Commissioners
proceeded to state the fortnalon of the floarl, which
consisted of six, for conducting the department of the
Ordnance. The Commissioners examined the duty, the
eatery, and allowance of each officer, and stated that the
salary of each was increased, viz.:—
The salary of the Master-General, f. out £1,500 to £2,"33
That of the Lientenantdfierwril, from 1,100 to 1,591
Of the Surveyor• General, front . - . tiCO to 1,111 l
Of Clerk of the Ordnance, from . . . to 1.141)
Of the Principal Storeke• per, from . 500 1,520
The Commissioners next strnaly examined the nature and
necessity of the duties, and the result was, that as no one
perfornied the duty to which he was appointed, they en-
tered into the question how far salaries should be toad
need. The Surveyor, the Clerk, and Storekeeper per-
formed no duty. They recommended that a regular Board
of four Members should be established, to carry on the
.duty, on the same principle that the business erthe Admi-
ralty was managed, wherein the concerns were allotted to
the different Members. After this recommendation they
proceeded to the other parts of the inquiry, and with a
view of ascertaining how far the Quarter-Master-General
and Lieut.-General of the Ordnance have separate duties
to perform, independent of their duties as members of the
Board. On referring to the original warrant for their
establishment, they tound with regard to the latter, that
the Lieut.-lienerachad to examine several books and war-
rants, and the several musters were made, pursuant to or-
der. Four senior clerks were appointed to act under them,
and not to he coeval in power with the others. The Com-
tni then commenced an inquiry as to the p culiar
du irs which the Lieutenant-tieneral had to execute ; and
in reply to the question put by them, to Mr. Crewe, the
Secretary, that gentleman answered, " That he had no
duties to perform, independent of his duty as a
Member of the Board, except in the case of the absence
of the Master General of the Ordnance." They
then examined two other witnesses, Lind Moira and the
Earl of Chatham, both of whom had been previously
Alava-General of Ordnance. The third question which
they put to Lord Chatham was, " What is your Lord-
ship's opinion us to the utility of the appointment of the
Lieutenant-General?" There appeared, however, to be
on the part of his Lordship, a great difficulty in finding
an answer, or at least an unwillingness in giving it, su
much so, that it was at last brought in by way of post-
script.—(Hear, hear, anal a laugh.) He would quote the
answer fairly, as lie had no wish to conceal any part of
the examination which could be of use to the other side.
Lord Chatham says, " it would be really difficult for
me." He (Mr. Hume) alas inclined to think, that he
hail taken time to consult with the parties concerned as
to a palatable answer. His Lordship continued, 6' it
would be really difficult fur me to conceive on what
doubts of the utility of the office, the question is ground.
ed, more especially after the long series of respectable
names, which have hitherto filled it, and when reference
is made to its original institution, and the several • re-
ports that have been made respecting it down to that
period." He (Mr Hume) could not, however, find, on
referring to the papers on the table, or to any other do
-
aliments, those reports which were declared to be so
favourable. His Lordship weat on " that the lieutenant-
General would have several duties, such as that of at-
tendance and deliberation at the Board." This part
he (Mr. Haute) considered was in direct contra-,
diction to the evidence of Mr. Crewe, the Secretary.—
The Commissioners next proceeded to examine Lord
Moira, and the same nuestion was put to him, what is
your Lordship's opinion of the utility of the ap-
pointment of Lieutenant General of the Ordnance.? The
reply was, " I apprehend that the office was originally
instituted in the contemplation that the Master General,
wlto nos an officer of high military rank, might be sent
' abroad to command the army, and that in such case, or
that of the Master's illness, the Lieutenant General
would be an efficient and ready sobstittre. Beyond
those contingent services, he did not know if any duties
attached to that office with the exception of attendance
as a. member of the Board." The observation of the
Commissioners on this evidence, and the evitance it-
self of Lord Moira, acre extremely valuable, and de-
served paricular attention. They distinctly stated, that
the. Lieutenant General had no duties to perform, except
in the absence of the Master General. However, the
House and the country at large, had lately the opportu-
aity of observing the absence of the late Master General
of the Ordnance, (Lord Chatham) at Walcheren, and
they saw that the duty was done here by the clerks of
the estal&shnirnt. From that instance it might lie in-
ferred, that the Lieut. General might be altogether dis-
pensed with, or rather should be abolished, (hear,
hear, hear,) as it cannot justify a constant charge of
7110 pounds. There was another instance still later,
when the Master-General of the Ordnance was;et Verona,
( he Duke of Wellington) and when the business of the
office was got through, without injury to the public ser-