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at all events we should fecure the advantages of the forces being under officers regularly trained He begged pardon for the trouble he had given the Committee, but he begged to fay one word more. He had given his opinion very much in the rough upon this fubject, but he withed the Houfe to benefit from recolle&ion, and judge of what we can do from what we have done. We knew that we had raised by ballot, without interfering with the agriculture or the industry of the country, 100,000 men. He knew, from the concurring opinion of almoft all militia officers, that we could not hope to have, on the militia plan, officers for more than 70,000 men. He faid he would not go beyond that, without engrafting on the militia officers from the regular force. Some means ought to be applied in aid of the army. If any better mode could be devifed than any which had been yet stated, he fhould be glad of it; he woul engage to give it his fupport. The country must be put in a proper state of military prepa ration; the beft means might, perhaps, not be readily feen -what he looked to was the thing. It must have as much time for its confideration as was abfolutely neceffary to understand it, but no more; for whatever was wanted for the public defence, fome how or other must be obtained

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, he was very glad that the questions put by his right hon. Friend had given Government an opportunity of declaring, that they did not rely, at the prefent crifis, upon the militia confifting of 70.000 men, great part of whom were at prefent in arms; that they did not rely upon the regular force of the country, which was at prefent greater than at any other period, except when an embarkation was about to take place; that they did not rely upon the brave and loyal yeomanry of the country, but that they were prepared to bring forward mcafures for the purpofe of providing a large fubfidiary force, to be officered in the manner pointed out by his right hon. Friend. The right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Win ham) had complained of the Jarge proportion of militia force, but that had been completely anfwered by his right hon. Friend, at least that part of the right hon. Gentleman's argument which related to a fyftem entirely defenfive. In looking to the population of the country, and the means of conflituting a large and effe&ive force, it was not merely an option on the part of Government, whether fuch a force thould be called out; it was not because the right hon. Gentleman or Government might think it poffible to procure a large proportion of regular troops, but they

they must confider how, confiftently with the feelings and opinions of the country, and the avocations of men of bufinefs, the largest and most effe ive force could be provided for defenfive and offenfive operations, it appeared to him, that those means ought to be rcforted to which were calculated to provide fuch a force with the greatett public advantage, and the leaf potible inconvenience. The right hon. Gentleman had adverted to the danger arifing from an invading enemy; that right hon. Gentleman would do him (Mr. Addington) the juftice to recollect that he never under-rated that danger, though he thought at the fame time that it had been greatly over-rated: it was their duty, however, to provide against fuch a danger, and that without delay. He begged leave to refer the right hon. Gentleman to the conduct of Government in the fummer of 1801, and many individuals then in the Houfe, upon whofe justice he confidently relied, would atteft that there was during that period no want of exertion on the part of Government. The country was not generally aware of the extent of the preparations in the French ports at that period, nor of the fteps taken by Government to meet the threatened danger. At the time when the thips which defended our rivers were fent to the Baltic, then was the period of real danger. Government neither flumbered nor flept, but adopted all thofe measures which the exigencies of the moment required, with a fixed determination to call forth all the exertions of the country to repel the danger which then threatened us, but which did not happen. He was therefore intitled to refer to their condut at that period as a pledge of their difpofition. It had been stated, that a pledge ought to be given on the part of Parliament, that it would make fuch provifion as circumftances thould require. He conceived that Parliament had given that pledge; he conceived, that when it carried to the foot of the Throne the addrefs in answer to his Majesty's meffage, though there was no fpecific pledge as to any particular measure, yet that a diftinct and folemn pledge was given on the part of the country, that they would make every exertion which the exigencies of the cafe might require. That thofe exertions mult be great he not only admit.ed, but contended; but he flattered himself, that whenever he fhould appeal to the Houfe either to meet financial difficul ties, or to provide for increafed military exertions, fuch an appeal would not be made in vain. It any obloquy was attached to any fuch measures, he would cheerfully thare it ;

but

44

but he trufted, that on the part of the people there would be, on fuch an occafion, but one fentiment and one opinion.

Mr. l'indham faid, that with refpect to the defponding tone which he was charged with ufing, it was in some meafure founded upon a distrust of thofe who were to lead the exertions of the country.

General Tar eton expreffed his fatisfaction at hearing of the plan, which was in contemplation, for providing a large and effective force for the defence of the country, as well as for offenfive operations, and praised the fpirit and promptitude of the volunteers, as an inftance of which he stated with refpect to the corps which had been offered to be raised by Mr. Bolton in Lancashire, confifting of 600 men, that on Tuefday last, the day on which they were to be enrolled, 500 men immediately came forward to tender their fervices.

General Norton faid a few words, but in a low tone; pro. bably they alluded to fomething faid by

Mr. Windham, who faid in explanation, that if the people were off their guard, they might go down as the Royal George did at Spithead.

General Norton faid, he had no fear the people would be off their guard, and mentioned one or two inftances in which he had witneffed their vigilance on the coaft during the last

war.

Sir James Pulterey faid, he had no doubt of the good will of the people to defend the country, but that is not fufficient against an invading army; a body of people hastily armed and got together, could not be fufficient to ftop the progrefs of a regular difciplined army, and therefore fome fuch plan as that propofed by Minifters was abfolutely neceffary. He was convinced great exertions must be made in order to fecure the country.

The Secretary at War faid, he had omitted to notice one objection of the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Windham) which related to the raifing of men for rank. It was true that a lieutenant to obtain the rank of captain mutt raife thirty men, and an enfign to obtain that of lieutenant, ten, which was a fmaller number than had formerly been the cafe; but the bounty money was to be fixed, and they were not to give more "they were only therefore to make ufe of their persoral exertions, and whatev r influence they could ufe for the good of the fervice. It was confequently a different plan to that which was purfued at the commencement of the last

war.

The

The first refolution was then read and agreed to, as ful lows:

"That it is the opinion of this Houfe that a fum not exceeding 29,3371. be granted to his Majefty, for the pay of fupernumerary officers, from the 25th day of December 1802, to the 25th of December 1803."

266.0041. 145. id. for the in and out-penfioners of Chelfea and Kilmainham hofpitals.

8itol. 8s. 11d, for the Royal Military College.

31,000l. for the Royal Military Afylum at Chelfea. 218,270l. 11s. id. for one regiment of Light Dragoons, and one Weft India regiment retained on the establishment of the army; of an augmentation of dragoons in Great Britain, and to the three regiments of Foot Guards

31,000 for allowance to general and ftaff officers.

35.7511. for the effective captains to the companies of cavalry and infantry, heretofore commanded by colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and majors.

1.747,570l. for the militia embodied in Great Britain and Ireland, and miners of Cornwall and Devon.

38,3451. 128. 7d. for contingencies of ditto.
143,8911. for clothing of ditto.

145,cool. for increafed fubfiftence to innkeepers, and al lowance of beer to non-commiffioned officers and privates of militia, &c.

416,000l. for fupplementary militia.

300,000l. charge of volunteer corps in Great Britain,
58,3331. for barrack department.

Mr. Pole then rofe to move the ordnance estimates, with refpect to which, he said, it was unnecellary for himo fay much. If any explanation was defired with refpect to any of the items, he should be happy to give it. He thould only obferve as to the outstanding claims upon the Board of Ordnance in Ireland, that when that board was diffolved, there were feveral claims of that nature upon it, and that commif fioners were fent from the Board of Ordnance here to examine them, who, after the most minute investigation, reported, that the fum which he should propofe to be voted was due, and which was, by his Majefty's command, car ried to the account of the Board of Ordnance here. He then propofed to vote the following fums, which were severally agreed to.

For

For the fervice of the ordnance of Great

Britain,

For Ireland,

£282,065 10 11 35,000.

For the outstanding claims on the Board of
Ordnance of Ireland,

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38,000 0 O

The report was ordered to be received the next day, and the Committee to fit again on Wednesday following.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer poftponed the Committee on the confolidation bill to Thurfday following.

Mr. Vanfittart poftponed the Committee on fupply, and ways and means, to Wednesday following. The Houfe then adjourned at feven o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7.

FOOTE'S DIVORCE BILL.

Previous to the fecond reading of the bill, intituled, an Act to diffolve the marriage of Edward James Foote, Efq. and Nina Harries his now wife; Mr. Garrow and Mr. Nolan, as counfel for Capt. Foote, proceeded to call the neces fary witneffes to prove the marriage, which took place first in the chapel at the city of Madrid, belonging to his Majefty's Ambalfador, by the chaplain of the Swedish Amballador, who was a priest of the Lutheran church, and which afterwards, in order to obviate any doubt as to the validity of the faid marriage; was again folemnized at the parish church of St. James, Weftminster; to prove the fact of the adulterous converfation and intercourfe of Mrs. Foote with Mr. Owen Jones, and to produce evidence that an action was commenced in the Court of King's Bench against the said Owen Jones, and damages of 5,cool. obtained; and that at a fubfequent period, viz. in Hilary term laft, a fentence of divorce a menfa et thoro was obtained against the said Maria Foote.

All the evidence neceffary to be heard in this ftage of the bill having been gone through, the further hearing was adjourned to Friday following.

CLERGY FARMING AND RESIDENCE BILL.

The order of the day for the fecond reading of this bill having been moved.

Previous to putting the question,

The

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