GENERAL HISTORY. 



[15 



Tlie subject of the nuvy esti- 

 mates was resumed before the 

 committee of supply on March 

 25th. The discussion was begun 

 by Mr. Tierneij, wlio introduced 

 his observations by saying, that 

 an examination of those estimates 

 would furnish a clear exposition 

 of the noble lords economy; and 

 if he did not make out against liis 

 Majesty's ministers one of the 

 strongest cases that had ever been 

 established against any govern- 

 ment, he was utterly mistaken in 

 his anticipations. The estimates 

 had no reference to the naval 

 service as connected witii the de- 

 fence of the country by iiaval offi- 

 cers ; they related only to the civil 

 administration of the navy. They 

 were divided into several heads ; 

 such as the admiralty, the navy- 

 office, the navy-pay-office, the 

 victualling-office, the home-dock- 

 yards, the out-ports, the foreign 

 yards, &c. The light hon. gen- 

 tleman then went through the 

 particulars of these several heads ; 

 and his conclusion was, that the 

 ministers had luade their esti- 

 mates in these depart munts for 

 the first year of peace exceed those 

 of the last year of war by 21,6041.; 

 and giving them credit for the 

 saving of IQOOl. in the admiralty 

 and victualling departments, there 

 remained an excess of more than 

 20,000l. beyond the expenditure 

 of 1814. This was a sufficient 

 ground for putting a negati\e 

 upon the cstinmtes, and sending 

 them back for revision. 



•S'jr G. If'arrenrler, in his speech 

 in reply, assured the House that 

 it was the disposition of the ad- 

 miralty to carry into elfect every 

 retrenchment consistent with the 

 secuiity of the country. Inquiries 



were in progress into every de- 

 partment, and considerable re- 

 ductions might be expected to 

 take place. 



Mr. Croker chiefly bent his ar- 

 gument in the present stage of 

 the discussion against the right 

 hon. gentleman's prima facie 

 ground for sending back the esti- 

 mates, by proving, that in the 

 first year of c\ ery peace upon re- 

 cord, the ordinary estimates of 

 the navy had exceeded those of 

 the last year of war preceding ; 

 the reason of which, he said, was 

 plain ; because the ordinary esti- 

 mates comprised the ci\ il depart- 

 ment of the navy, and as the 

 scattered materials were in time 

 of peace brought back to the offi- 

 ces and dock-yards, the expense 

 of those establishments was con- 

 sequently increased. 



In the conclusion of this day's 

 debate, a motion for adjournment 

 was negatived, antl that for the 

 committee was carried. 



When the committee was re- 

 sumed on the 27th, Sir G. War- 

 render moved a resolution for the 

 grant of a sum not exceeding 1^ 

 million, for delVaying the expenses 

 of navy articles eighteen in num- 

 ber. Mr. Baring and other mem- 

 bers ha\ ing objected to collecting 

 them under one head, it was at 

 length agreed that they should be 

 taken separately ; and the first 

 resolution proposed was for a sum 

 not exceeding 59,7231. for defray- 

 ing the salaries and contingent 

 expences of the admiralty office 

 for the year 1816. 



Mr. Tifirnetj, after refuting the 

 imputation of mistake brought 

 against him by Mr. Croker, by 

 asserting that his meaning had 

 been^ that in the particular offices 



which 



