78 
first place, to appoint five commis. 
sioners for enquiring into abuses, 
and examining the accounts of go- 
vernment agents in the West Indies, 
three of whom to remain ‘at home, 
and two to go out to the West In- 
dies. ~These two boards were to 
correspond-together, and take mea- 
sures in conjunction, for attaining 
the objects of their commission. 
Ample powers were to be given to 
the commissioners, of summoning 
persons before them, examining 
them upon oath, and calling for all 
papers and documents which they 
judged necessary to have produced. 
They were to investigate the ac- 
counts brought before them, and 
when satisfied of their fairness and 
accuracy, to grant certificates ex- 
pressing their opinion; but the final 
settlement of the accounts was re- 
served to the general board of audi- 
tors. The plan of having two 
boards for the examination of these 
accounts, was sugs rested by the ex- 
perience of the former commission- 
ers, who had been compelled to 
send home one of their number, to 
carry on investigations in London, 
without which they were unable to 
make any progress in the West In- 
dies. 
The general board of auditors 
was, in the next place, new model- 
led, and in many respects materially 
changed. The office of army comp- 
troller, originating in the adminis- 
tration of lord Godolphin, was re- 
tained, but separated from the of- 
fice of auditor of public accounts. 
Thenumber of auditors wasincreased 
to ten, but in proportion as the pre- 
sent accumulation of © accounts 
should be disposed of, the number 
was to be reduced to six, and the 
most effectual provisions were taken, 
to prevent this regulation from be- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1806. 
ing eluded. 
were divided into three boards, one 
for the current accounts, one for 
the accounts under examination, 
and the third for accounts untouch. 
ed, and not even looked into by the 
peasant auditors. Most effectual 
regulations were added, for secur~ 
ing in future that the accounts of 
every year should be regularly au- 
dited in the course of the ensuing 
year, so that no fresh accumulation 
of inaudited accounts should ever 
happen again. The expence of the 
whole establishments was iacreased 
by these innovations from 28,000l. 
to.42,000I. a year, fer the present, 
but the permanent expeuce was 
fixed at only 27,0001. a year, 
The statement to the house of the j 
enormous accumulation of inaudited 
accounts, and the new establish-— 
ment for auditing accounts, to which 
it led, gave great offence to some 
members of the opposition, who 
considered the diselosures and re- 
marks of the chancellor of the ex- 
chequer, as intended to cast -a slur 
and affix a stigma on the character 
of his predecessor. Mr. Rose, who 
had been secretary of the treasury 
under Mr. Pitt, during his first ad- 
ministration, distinguished himself oa 
this occasion, by the violence and 
acrimony, but also by the spirit and 
pertinacity, with which he vindi- 
cated his patron from the unjust im- 
putations, which he alledged, it was 
now attempted to fix on his memo. — 
ry- ‘Though he could not deny the 
fuct, that so many millions of the 
public money were still unaccounted 
for before the proper auditors, he 
maintained that the greater part by 
far of these inaudited accounts, had 
long since been substantially and ef- 
fectuaily examined, and that a great- 
er delusion could not exist, than to 
expect. 
The commissioners | 
y 
