66] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1799. 
ed to be brought in; refpeéting the 
orders of council alluded to in the 
fpeech from the throne. 
The eftimates for the military 
eftablifhments were nearly the fame 
with thofe of the preceding year, and 
were not voted without fome objec- 
tions from the fide of oppofition. 
It was obferved by Sir Grey Coo- 
per, Mr. Mariham, and Mr. Fox, 
that eight years of peace had elap/- 
ed, and that the military eftimates 
were not yet reduced even to the 
peace eitablithment of 1775, though 
the committee of finance, which fat 
im the year 1786, had prefumed upon 
a ftill greater reduction. That there 
was nothing in the atual fituation 
of affairs that called for this extra- 
ordinary military force: but, on the 
contrary, that his Majefty had af- 
fured them of the pacific difpofition 
of all the foreign powers; that our 
antient rival and enemy, in confe- 
quence of her internal difturbances, 
would probably be difabled from 
giving us any moleftation for a long 
courfe of years ; and, laftly, that the 
alliances we had made, and the fub- 
fidiary treaties we had entered into 
on the continent, inafmuch as they 
roultiplied the chances of our being 
involved in war, were proportiona- 
biy mifchievous, if they did not en- 
able us to reduce our expences in 
time of peace. 
To thefe arguments it was an- 
fwered in general by Mr. Grenville 
and Mr. Pitt, that though there was 
no reafon at prefent to apprehend 
that we thould he engaged in hoiti- 
lities with any foreign power; yet 
the uniettled ftate of Europe, and the 
internal Situation. of feveral parts of 
it, made it neceflary for us to keep 
ourfelves in {uch a ftate, as might 
enable us to ac. with vigour and 
effet, if occafion thould require: 
‘That it was a prepoferous economy 
to tempt an attack by our weaknefs, 
and for a miferable prefent faving, 
to hazard a great future expence. 
That our foreign alliances, which 
had been approved of by all parties 
as neceflary for the prefervation of — 
that balance of power in Europe, 
upon which the permanence of its: 
tranquillity depended, could only be © 
rendered effectual for that purpofe, 
by our being able to fupport them 
with an adequate force ; ‘and, laftly, 
that it would be found upon an exa- 
mination of the detail of all our mi- 
litary eftablifhments, that they could 
not with common prudence be re- 
duced to a narrower {eale. 
In the courfe of the debate upon 
this fubje&t, Mr. Fox took occafion 
to remark, that the conduc of the 
French foldiers, during the late com- 
motions, tended greatly to remove 
one of the objections, which he had 
always entertained againft ftanding 
armies. That army, by refufing to — 
obey the diétates of the court, had _ 
fet a glorious example to all the mi- 
litary of Europe, and had fhewn, that 
inen, by becoming foldiers, did not 
ceafe to be citizens. | 
This remark did not pafs without — 
animadverfion at the time it: was - 
made. Colonel Phipps begged leave — 
to enter his proteft againft the com- 
pliment which had been paid tothe © 
profeffion, to which he had the ho- © 
nour to belong, fo far as it was con- 
nected with any approbation of the © 
proceedings of the ‘French army. — 
He covceived, that the conduét of — 
the Britith army in the year 1780, — 
might have furnifned the right ho- — 
nourable gentleman with a much — 
more unexceptionable ground of © 
panegyric. He would there have — 
found the foldiery of this nation not — 
joiningitthor, who were riotoufly 
Giiturbing the public peace ‘and* 
feattering ruin among individus 
