60] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



barrack estimates, and after some 

 conversation it was agreed that the 

 articles which related to it should 

 be deferred to that day se'nnight. 



The further consideration of the 

 barracks did not, however, take 

 place till May 1, when Mr. Free- 

 mantle renewed his objections to 

 the estimates. He began with 

 those at Liverpool, where it ap- 

 peared that a purchase had been 

 made of thirty acres of ground, at 

 the expense of 27,000/. situated at 

 St. Domingo, near that town, a fa- 

 vourite spot for the erection of vil- 

 las by the inhabitants, and on 

 which many buildings actually 

 stood. The people of Liverpool 

 had petitioned against the choice 

 of that place, and others might 

 be had equally eligible for the 

 purpose, at a cheaper rate. Tire 

 most serious objections, how- 

 ever, lay against the proposed 

 barracks in Mary-le-bone Park, 

 where 133,500/. was to be ex- 

 pended for the lodgment of 450 

 cavalry; besides which, there were 

 artillery barracks, magazines, and 

 ordnance stores, in contemplation. 

 It was a most serious consideration, 

 whether they would give govern- 

 ment the power to raise a military 

 depot in such a city as London, a 

 sort of praetorian camp that could 

 not but be grating to the feelings 

 of the people, and might eventu- 

 ally be dangerous to their liberties. 

 The honourable gentleman then 

 entered into some particulars of the 

 expense, which he shewed to be 

 enormous, and far beyond all for- 

 mer estimates. He concluded with 

 movi ng thesu bstitution of 437,000/. 

 for the barrack estimat js, instead of 

 524,000/. 



Several other members spoke 

 against the extravagance of the 



barrack system, and the unneces- 

 sary multiplication of these erec- 

 tions. One member hinted that the 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer him- 

 self lamented this waste of the pub- 

 lic money, but that he had not the 

 power of preventing it, and must 

 conform to the wishes in a higher 

 quarter. Another alluded to what 

 was certainly the general opinion, 

 that the barracks at Mary-le- 

 bone were intended as ornaments 

 of the Regent's Park. While the 

 house appeared unfavourable to 

 these schemes. Sir Francis Burdett 

 rose, and spoke with great severity 

 on the conduct of ministers, as in- 

 tending to establish a military des- 

 potism in the country ; on the 

 murders which they had authorised 

 upon the people by means of the sol- 

 diers, and on the unconstitutional 

 employment of military force in 

 quelling riots. Tiiis language gave 

 the Chancellor of the Exchequer 

 the advantage, in his answer, of 

 dilating upon the dangerous nature 

 of such doctrines, and seemed to 

 make a strong impression in some 

 parts of the house. The division, 

 however, sufficiently proved the 

 unpopularity of the plans brought 

 forward, by the comparative small- 

 ness of the ministerial majority. 

 The numbers were, for the amend- 

 ment, 112 ; against it, 134 : majo- 

 rity, 22. 



The effect of this public discus- 

 sion was manifested when the new 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer 

 brought forward his budget. He 

 informed the house that an addi- 

 tional vote of 90,000/. for the bar- 

 rack department had been agreed 

 to, but that the treasury had de- 

 termined to strike off that sum ; 

 which diminution proceeded from 

 a resolution to postpone the exe- 

 cution 



