62 
offenders. They were detected and 
punished most effectually, by a 
commission, issuing out of the board 
of ordnance itself, without resorting 
to novelty, oppression, or expence. 
It was objected, that this bill had 
been framed, with the most pro- 
found ignorance of the fundamental 
laws of the country, inasmuch, as it 
contained within it, a compulsory 
clause to oblige offenders to accuse 
themselves! And indeed this fact 
was so evident, that every lawyer in 
the lower house, gave it his decided 
‘negative; the servants of the state, 
the attorney and solicitor general, 
differed most materially upon its 
construction; and even many of 
the warm friends of the minister, 
and pensioned by. the crown, refu- 
sed their support to the measure, 
upon the ground of its being too 
strong. Under these opinions and 
circumstances, at once discordant 
‘and inauspicious, the bill was pared 
down, the most exceptionable 
clauses were rescinded, various 
amendments made, and it was then 
transmitted to the house’ of peers. 
Tlere the opposition assumed a new 
and singular form: twoof the cabinet 
ministers (one of whom was the 
lord chancellor) declared it to be, 
the most arbitrary and unconstitu- 
tional attempt that had ever been 
made: they struck out several parts, 
including even some of the amend- 
ments made by the commons: era- 
sed the compulsory clause alto- 
gether; reduced the bill with respect 
to its efficiency, to an absolute nul- 
lity; and in thisshape, gave it a 
tardy and ungracious assent. The 
bill having passed both houses in 
this crippled and mutilated form, it 
was evident, that as to any object 
of public utility, it might as well 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
never have been committed; and 
therefore could by no means answer 
the professed intention, of those who 
brought it forward; and that all 
the ends of justice might have 
been obtained without an establish- 
ment, which superadded to pe 
ciency, an heavy increase of the 
public burthen. Other objects, and 
other motives, than those which 
originated in views for the pub- 
lic weal, were now resorted to; and 
the minister and the first lord of the 
admiralty participated the censure. 
It was not overlooked, that in the 
former, whose professed objects 
were ceconomy and disinterested- 
ness, there was on this occasion 
manifested a thorough dereliction 
of both those vaunted qualities, Ten 
or twelve thousand spounds yearly, 
from the public purse, distributed 
through the medium of this com- 
mission, to his particular friends 
and connexions, abundantly proved 
his slender claim to either; while to 
the latter, who was ostensibly the 
great promoter of the bill, many 
attributed the wish of establishing 
delinquency, and affixing criminality 
on the navy board; an object, 
which was supposed to have arisen 
froma desire to displace the excellent 
and amiable character at the head 
of it, and place therein a follower 
of his own: one in which he had 
hitherto failed; and that vexation at 
the disappointment, had originated 
this, as. it proved, very obnoxious 
measure, Others however con- 
ceived it to arise from purer motives ; 
they believed that the first lord of 
the admiralty had already too 
much upon his hands, (when it was 
considered, how trifling was the 
assistance he derived,) owing to the 
want of experience and knowledge, 
frogy 
