HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



4S 



rior officers ; that the practice of 

 drafting should be absolutely and 

 formally renounced ; that troops 

 should not be sent to the West In- 

 dies, and some other colonies, with- 

 out a more gradual preparation in 

 more congenial climates ; the abo- 

 lition of corporal punishments, un- 

 less for acknowledged and specified 

 crimes; a material change in the 

 construction and conduct of courts 

 martial ; inducements to good sol- 

 diers and non-commissioned officers, 

 other than an increase of pay, 

 such as giving them a right to vote 

 in particular cases, or allowing them 

 to kill game. Having obviated 

 some objections, which he anticipated 

 to the changes he recommended, he 

 concluded with submitting his mo- 

 tion. 



Mr. Canning opposed the motion, 

 observing that the additional forco 

 bill had two objects, one to raise 

 large present force, and the other 

 to become the source of perma- 

 nent supply to the army: and as the 

 latter object, which was the most 

 important, had not been tried, it 

 could not fairly be said that the bill 

 had failed. That it had not com- 

 plete success, in the first object, was 

 not to be wondered at, considering 

 that the country was exhaustetl of 

 men by the army of reserve and the 

 supplementary militia. It had the 

 merit of doing away the bounties, 

 and the competition also, as, since 

 the failure of the parish officers, the 

 men were raised by the regular of- 

 ficers of the crown. The variety of 

 the force complained of was una- 

 voidable, because, in this great com- 

 mercial country, the whole number 

 required could not be procured of 

 that description we were most de- 

 sirous of. Looking to our military 

 fane, more was not io be espcctcd 



from the nature and extent of our 

 population. France, with a popu- 

 lation of 35 millions, had an army 

 not at any time exceeding 5 or 

 600,000 men, while in Great Bri- 

 tain, which contained but 15 mil- 

 lions, the regular force amounted to 

 300,000; besides those towht.mour 

 domestic defence was entrusted, as 

 also 70,000 militia, and 300,000 

 volunteers. As to the suggestions 

 of improvement, made by the right 

 honourable gentleman, his majesty's 

 ministers would no doubt treat thera 

 with respect and attention ; but he 

 did not think he made out a case 

 sufficiently strong to induce the 

 house to go into the committee he 

 requirt;!. 



Sir William Y'oung contended 

 that the failure of raising the mili- 

 tary force voted by parliament for 

 the defence and service of the coun- 

 try, formed a strong and very suf- 

 ficient ground for the present mo- 

 tion. On a division there were for 

 the motion 96, against it 242, majo- 

 rity 146. 



On the 28th there was a very 

 long debate in the house of com- 

 mons, on the second reading of the 

 bill for the abolition of the slave 

 trade, but as the subject, which has, 

 year after year, been so fully and 

 frequently discussed in parliament, 

 was not capable of producing any 

 novelty of argument, it would be 

 unnecessary here to enter into any 

 of the details. General Gascoyne, 

 after observing that there now re- 

 mained no preterico for those 

 charges of cruelty -.I'ul oppression 

 heretofore made at^^/ii->t the trade, 

 and that the abolition of it must inevi- 

 tably tend to the destruction of our 

 colonial system, moved that the bill 

 be read a second time this day si:if 

 months, in which he was supported 



by 



