HISTORY: OF «EUROPE. 
the last speaker, observed, that 
there were many reasons evidently 
flowing from our insular situation, 
ur commercial prosperity, and 
our great naval force, which pre- 
yented this country from having as 
Jarge a regular establishment as 
‘many others. He agreed with Mr. 
Sheridan, that it would be uncon- 
_Stitutional to raise men by ballot 
‘for the regular army, it was there- 
fore impossible, by bounties, to 
_faise, in a short time, as great a 
number of troops of that descrip- 
‘tion, as the exigency of the times 
might require. 
Mr. Pitt, in a very long and able 
speech, defended the principle of 
the bill, which he considered the 
“most proper expedient, to obtain 
the purposes intended by it. He 
. did not consider this as merely a 
‘defensive measure, but that by en- 
_ abling us to spare a greater number 
of our regulars, it would forward 
the ultimate objects of the war, by 
‘increasing ovr disposeable force. 
‘He declared, however, that, at 
_ the present moment, the defence of 
the country appeared the first and 
Most important operation; when 
_ that should be accomplished, then 
‘it must be considered how we’should 
_ best direct the spirit of the country 
‘ against its implacable enemy. He 
" yet would not say, that a mere de- 
tensive war was to be altogether 
despised ; it was something to be 
_-safe from a power, which had con- 
quered most of the powers of the 
- continent, and there was no reason 
’ to fear, but that a considerable re- 
inforcement might be obtained for 
the regular army, by means of the 
) force now to be raised. ' It appear- 
~ ed to him to be essentially neces- 
sary, that a large force should be 
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raised, as speedily as possible; and 
he did not know any other measure, 
that would be likely to be more et- 
fectual for this purpose. 
Mr. Windham said, that not- 
withstanding the clear statement of 
his friend (Mr. Pitt), he was still 
unconvinced of the propriety of the 
measure. He did not deny, that 
the present measure would procure 
a greater number of men, in a 
shorter period than perhaps any 
other; but he would by no means 
allow, that the value of the men so 
raised, would be in proportion to 
their number. He neither thought 
the men would be equal to soldiers 
raised in the common way, nor 
would they be as well officered. If 
the invasion was to take place at all, 
it would probably take place before 
this force was halfraised, or in any~ 
degree efficient. He thought the 
name of ‘“ Army of Reserve,” was 
ill applied to such a force as 
this, and recommended a Vendean 
rising en masse, as a better mode of 
repelling invasion, than the means 
which the present bill held forth. 
Mr. Pitt, in explanation, said, he 
considered the present plan, merely 
as a foundation for recruiting ; and 
a part of a general system from 
which the most important results 
might hearafter flow. 
Lord Castlereagh, replied to Mr. 
Windham, and defended both the 
militia system, and the measure now 
proposed. He thought it strange, 
that that right hon. gentleman, who 
generally preferred regular troops, 
so decidedly to any others, should 
now recommend a peasantry, arm- 
ed and disciplined, like those in La 
Vendee. 
‘The chancellor of the exchequer 
also, defended the measure. He 
said 
