252 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



on both sides of the question. — Mr. 

 Curvveii was warmly scToncied on 

 this occasion by Mr. Whitbrcad, 

 Mr. Taylor, Mr. Harrison, and Mr. 

 Fvancie ; but the motion was .ne- 

 gatived, and the following day ap- 

 pointed for a conclusive determina- 

 tion. This was the 30th ofApril. 



Mr. Pitt entered on the subject 

 by representing the inadequacy of 

 the Prussian finances to the prose- 

 cution of the war, unless they were 

 further supported by oi;r own, to 

 which only resort could be made on 

 the present emergency. The main 

 point to be considered was, the 

 proportion of the expence incurred 

 to the succours that were to be 

 furnished : and this, lie asserted, was 

 very equitable. In this country, 

 besides the disbMrsements for arn)S, 

 clothing, and accoutrements, the 

 levy-money amounted to fifteen 

 pounds a man : whereas, ail requi- 

 sites included, we paid only thirteen 

 pounds for a Prussian soldier; which 

 was a more moderate price than 

 that we gave either for the Hatio- 

 verians or the Hessians, or indeed 

 for any continental troops. He then 

 moved, that 5,500,0001. should be 

 voted, to enable tl.e King to fulfil 

 his engagements with Prussia. 



In answer to this motion, Mr. 

 Fox observed, that it appeared from 

 the minister's spetch, that the King 

 of Prussia was no longer to act in 

 the original character of a princi- 

 pal in this war, but as a subsidiarj' 

 ally ; while the real fact was, that 

 he first took up arms in this con- 

 test, and that we were only accessa- 

 ries ; though, by artifice and con- 

 trivance, we had been brought ;o 

 much forward a^ to become the 

 >ery heads of the confederacy. It 

 was hv assumin;,r this imorudent 

 situaticn, that wc vvcrs called upon 



to support all the members. The 

 conduct of Prussia on this occasion, 

 he asserted, was equally perfidious 

 and me.in. ■ Afttr involving this 

 country in a quarrel which, but 

 ftjf the intrigues of that court, 

 would have; bten avoided, it threw 

 the burden upon us, and threatened 

 to abandon the contest, unless we ' 

 supplied the nveans of continuing 

 it. With what face coukl the 

 Prussian ministry require any con- 

 fidence from this country, alter be- 

 traying it into difficulties of their 

 own creating, and leaving us to ex- 

 tricate ourselves without any aid 

 from them,''unless we paid for it ^ 

 Buto.vvhat reason would our own 

 ministry assign for entrusting the, 

 command of mercenaries to their 

 matter, ;tftcr s'ich proofs that no ^ 

 faith cbiild be put in him, and that 

 he was averse to any risk in this 

 expensive and dangerous quarrel ? 

 Nor had ministry displayed much 

 sagacity in trusting to the Dutch 

 themselves for their share of the 

 expence. They were known to 

 be not zealous in the business, and 

 providently determined to limit 

 their concurrence therein 'to a 

 twelvemonth. — He concluded by 

 m.oving, that no larger sum should 

 be voted for the purpose in question 

 than 1 ,500,0001. — Thesearguments 

 were combated by Mr. Wyndbam, 

 who added, that whatever the con- 

 duct of Prussia nilgiit have been, 

 w;inllng men iur the prosecution of 

 the war, we could not procure them 

 ou ifsore advantageous terms ; and 

 ought gladly to secure them. The 

 amendment propofed by M'. Fox 

 was rejected by ] 34 against 33. 



In the House of Lords, a m.es- 

 sacre to li.e siu^e etfM-t was taken 

 into considc-rijiion. Lord ti(tnville 

 obi-rvtd, that when this i:o»i.-\ry 



applied 



