HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



89 



lag, *' That the sum of 1,250,000/., 

 Irish currency, be raised by way 

 of annuities for the service of Ire- 

 land." 



. Sir John Newport wished that 

 Mr. Foster's taxes might prove 

 more productive than he could 

 conceive them hkely to be. He 

 had one thing to impress upon the 

 minds of the committee, which 

 was, that it was perfectly imma- 

 terial what portion of gross reve- 

 nue was to be raised upon the 

 people, and paid to the treasury, 

 if the expences of the different 

 boards were allowed to go on in- 

 creasing, as they had done hither- 

 to. What follows calls loudly for 

 serious attention. — Sir John New- 

 port observed, that the incidental 

 expences of the board of excise, 

 in 1806, amounted to 13,000/.; in 

 1807, to 36,400/; and in 1808, 

 to 104',000/. ; of which last sura 

 there was no less than 29,000/. 

 paid to one individual for printing 

 and stationery. This was only 

 aggravating the burthens of the 

 people, without raising any addi- 

 tional public revenue. The gross 

 produce of the stamp duties had 

 increased by 66,000/. ; but there 

 was a defalcation of no less than 

 44',000/. for increased expences. 

 In the post office, too, the ex- 

 pences were on the increase to 

 such a degree, as to suggest the 

 idea, that the nominal addition to 

 the revenue was intended for the 

 purpose of creating jobs, and add- 

 ing to the burthens, rather than 

 for the good of the public. It 

 was lamentable to look at the 

 funded debt of Ireland. This 

 debt had increased in the propor- 

 tion of 15 to 4, while the revenue 

 liad increased only in the propor- 



tion of 15 to 8|. If the debt of 

 Ireland was raised, like the debt 

 of England, within the country. 

 Sir John Newport really thought 

 that a great part of that debt would 

 be done away. 



Mr. Foster, with regard to the 

 post office accounts, said, that they 

 never had been settled, since post 

 offices were established. And, as 

 to the expence of the stationery 

 and printing alluded to, it was oc- 

 sioned by the division of the 

 board of excise into two, by which 

 a completely new collection of 

 books had become necessary. — • 

 That the expense should increase, 

 it was natural to suppose, as there 

 were fourteencommissioners instead 

 of seven. The new arrangement 

 of the post office must also have 

 occasioned considerable additions 

 to the incidental expences, but 

 the public would soon be able to 

 reap the benefit of them. 



Mr. ParneU observed, that the 

 nett addition to the revenue by 

 the post office had been stated at 

 68,000/. But he had found, on 

 inquiry, that the postage of one 

 board, amounted to 13,000/. Now, 

 if each l^oard increased their ex- 

 penses in a like proportion, the 

 aggregate expence would amount 

 to 39,000/. leaving the 29,000, 

 to be received by the public. He 

 could not help thinking, that the 

 great principle of the revenue of 

 Ireland was overlooked in the de- 

 sire of extensive patronage, by 

 the appointment of officers, so as 

 to deprive the Irish treasury board 

 of its power, and placing it in the 

 hands of the secretary of the Lord 

 Lieutenant. He was satisfied, that 

 until an alteration in this particu- 

 lar took place, aiul the treasury 



board 



