AA 
for the defence of the country, than 
large ones. It was our continen- 
tal connexions, and not our own 
necessities for self defence, which 
first introduced the idea of standing 
armies into this country. Our an- 
cestors never saw the necessity of 
them, as they did not wish to trou- 
ble themselves about continental 
affairs; and it was remarkable, that 
of all the wars which the country 
had waged for the Jast century, it 
-was precisely those which we had 
began frem the smallest peace 
establishments, that were the most 
successful. After expressing his 
opinion, that France could not con- 
quer us by invasion, he said, there 
was another point in which we 
were perhaps more vulnerable; he 
meant, in our finances. He thought 
jt might be the policy of F rance, to 
drive us by the menace of invasion, 
into an expence, that would pre- 
vent us from freeing ourselves from 
the national debt, which was the 
best ally of France. He thought 
that wise economy was better for 
this country, than high establish- 
ments; but if it were judged neces- 
sary to have 50,000 seamen, he 
did not conceive, that that could be 
a reason for ind increasing our 
military establishments so enor- 
mously: if we rested our security 
on high establishments, he should 
suppose it was not necessary to 
have i in addition, the aid of philip- 
pics, For his part, he saw nothing 
improbable in the supposition, that 
the ruler of France, having gained 
for himself great glory, should now 
wish to turn his attention to the 
jmprovement of his country. 
Mr. Windham considered, that 
from the first day of the French 
revolution, to the present time, Mr, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1805. 
Fox had always been the apologist, 
and often the eulogist of France ; 
that at this very day he looked upon 
the revolution with affection, and 
kept all its enormities out of sight. 
He praised very highly the speech 
of Mr. Sheridan; but declared, 
that if formerly he was alarmed at 
French principles, he had now as 
good grounds to be alarmed at 
French power, 
The chancellor of the exchequer, 
in reply to the argument of Mr. 
Fox, with respect to the financial 
state of the country, said, that its 
revenue was now so flourishing, that 
it could afford the increase pro- 
posed ; and he thought that no 
smaller establishment would be suf 
ficient, when the great power of 
France, and other circumstances, 
which had happened since the treaty 
of Amiens, were taken into consi- 
deration. After some observations 
from sir James Pulteney, the com- 
mittee agreed to the resolutions. 
The next day the debate was re- 
sumed, on the bringing up the re- 
port of the committee. 
The right hon. ‘Thomas Gren- 
ville complained of want of sufficient 
parliamentary information, belove 
this increased establishment was 
proposed, He shewed that upon 
all former occasions, for the last 
century, the sovereign had always 
informed parliament of the circum- 
stances which called for high or low 
establishments; when however 4 
very large establishment was to be 
voted, he could not think of limit- 
ing the use of it, merely to the case 
of an actual invasion of the country. 
Lord Hawkesbury insisted that 
as much information as was neces= 
sary, or usual, had been given to 
parliament,and that ministers called 
for 
