40 
country. If this country was quiet 
and contented at home, he did not 
think it need to be panic struck on 
hearing of half a million of men 
drawn up upon the shores of France. 
Our insular situation was to be esti- 
mated as a powerful defence, but, 
above all, we were to rely on the 
resources of the nation, when satis- 
fied with its government. It was 
by public credit and confidence, 
and not from our population, that 
Great Britain had carried on so 
many wars with advantage and 
glory. He relied also on the great 
number of men trained and disci- 
plined to arms, who are now in the 
country ; he wished, instead of in- 
creasing, to diminish as much 
as possible, the expences of the 
army, by allowing the soldiers 
leave of absence for a considerable 
part of the year, as had always been 
done upon the continent. 
Sir Eyre Coote approved of the 
proposed increase of the military 
establishment, which in times like 
the present was, he coficeived ne- 
cessary, to support the honor and 
dignity of the empire. 
Earl Temple said, that consist- 
ently with the principles he had 
ever acted upon in that house, he 
could by no means oppose the in- 
crease which was now proposed, nor 
should he by any vote of his, either 
damp the spirits of the country, or 
check that spark of spirit which had, 
however tardily, been exhibited by 
his majesty’s government, He gave 
full credit to the able speech which 
had been made by the ‘secretary at 
war; but in that statement there 
was nothing which could enable the 
house to judge whether this was an 
estimate for a peace establishment, 
or for a war establishment, There 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
ject. 
1803. 
was no language of the noble secree 
tary which appeared like telling 
France, as it was the duty of this 
country to do, “ Thus far shalt 
thou go, and no further.” We 
were voting a large: establishment, 
without any information on the sub- 
His lordship then condemned 
the general conduct of administra- 
tion, and particularly their conduct 
with respect to the aflairs of Swit- 
zerland ; and on the whole he con- 
sidered, that his majesty’s ministers 
were not persons fit to be entrusted 
with the government of the country 
in times like the present. 
General Maitland highly approv- 
ed of the very able speech of the 
secretary at war; and thought that 
there was no occasion for any other 
argument to justify the vote, except 
the present situation of Europe. 
Besides the enormous power of 
France, the ruling passion of that 
people is now entirely for military, 
enterprize ; and their government is 
in the hands of a general, who if 
not the first and greatest now alive, 
is certainly the most ambitious and 
enterprizing. He never gave a 
vote in parliament with “oreater 
pleasure than the present. It was 
for an establishment which would 
have all the effect of real economy, 
and a mode of securing to us peace, 
far better than could be effected by 
any seal that was ever put to the 
treaty. 
‘General Tarleton stated, that he 
had uniformly voted against the late 
war, and had done so most con- 
scientiously ; but he should vote 
with pleasure for the increase now 
proposed, as he considered it abso- 
lutely necessary for the honor and 
security of the country—however 
great were the horrors of war, - 
is tae 
