310 ANNUAL REGISTER, I8I7. 



hand, they are strongly of opinion 

 that it would be inexpedient to 

 place this branch of the i)ublic re- 

 venue under the direction of a 

 board, with a constitution similar 

 to that of other revenue boards, 

 as recommended by the finance 

 committee of 1797, in their se- 

 renth report ; on the other hand, 

 they are by no means prepared to 

 state an opinion, that tiie manage- 

 ment of the revenue of the Post- 

 office, amounting in England to 

 a gross receipt of 2, II 6, 087 Z. 

 and involving an expenditure of 

 593,6'20/. and amounting in Ire- 

 land to a gross receipt of 230,000/. 

 and involving an expenditure of 

 148,000/ , together with the com- 

 plicated concerns by which this 

 department is connected with the 

 convenience of the community, 

 and the commercial interests of 

 the empire, can, witiiout disad- 

 vantage, be permanently confided 

 to one individual. 



Your committee have learnt with 

 satisfaction, that, by the last in- 

 denture of the Mint, the office of 

 Clerk of the Irons has been merg- 

 ed in that of superintendent of 

 the machinery, which is a very 

 necessary and effective office ; and 

 that it is provided by the same 

 indenture, that the office of Comp- 

 troller of the Mint should, at the 

 termination of the present exist- 

 ing interest, be executed in per- 

 son by the present deputy, at the 

 salaiy wliich he now receives, 

 thereby elfecting a saving of the 

 salary and emoluments of the prin- 

 cipal. The office of Warden of 

 the Mint, it is understood, will, 

 in like manner, be discontinued ; 

 as well as every other office in this 

 department which comes within 

 the princi[)le of regulation or abo- 



lition, wliich it is the object of 

 your committee to extend to all 

 offices of this description. 



Clerk of the Parliaments. — 

 Your committee recommend that 

 this office should be abolished, 

 and that the fees, if continued, 

 should be appropriated towards 

 defraying the sessional expenses 

 of the House of Lords. 



Four Clerks of the Signet, and 

 Four Clerks of the Privy Seal. — 

 Your committee are not aware of 

 any detriment which can accrvie 

 to the public service from discon- 

 tinuing these offices, the duty of 

 which is executed by deputy. 



Comptroller - General of Ac- 

 counts, P^xcise, and Inspector- 

 General. — These offices being con- 

 nectcd with the collection and 

 management of the revenue, and 

 having no efficient duties, ought 

 of course to be abolished. 



Register to Commissioner of 

 Excise, Inspector-General of Cof- 

 fee and Tea, &c. and all other 

 offices, whether enumerated in 

 the table to the bill of 1813, 

 or not, the duties of which are 

 connected with the collection and 

 receipt of the public revenue, 

 ought, in the opinion of your 

 committee, to be abolished, so far 

 as the salaries of those offices are 

 payable to individuals who do not 

 execute in person the efficient du- 

 ties of such offices. 



SCOTLAND. 



Keeper of the Great Seal. — 

 Your committee recommend, that 

 this office should be preserved ; 

 but the salary regulated, so as not 

 to exceed 2000/. per annum. 



Keeper of the Privy Seal. — In 

 recommending that this office 

 should be continued, a salary of I 



1000/. i 



