1773.

company's books open to every proprietor. Hence there can be now no fecrets. Every thing must be now known to Turks, Jews and Infidels. Thus then it is clear, that the arguments upon which the noble lord laid the greateft ftrefs are not in the prefent cafe applicable. But with refpect to the dispatch which this plan may produce, I think that argument is applicable, and upon that ground, as well as upon others fuggefted by my honourable friend on the other fide of the house, I fhall not oppose the motion.

The motion for the fecret committee paffed without a divifion, and two days after was the time appointed for balloting for them, when the following gentlemen were chosen :

Mr. Harley, Chairman. Ld. Fr. Campbell Mr. Fitzpatrick Lord Palmerston Dr. Burrell

Mr. Rigby

Mr. Stanley Mr. Jenkinfon Mr. Jackfon

Mr. Ryder Mr. Walpole Mr. Eames Mr. Gilbert. Then Lord North made three motions, which were agreed to nem. con. viz. That the committee now chofen, or five of them, have liberty to act and enquire into the prefent ftate of the Eaft-India company's affairs, and to fend for perfons, papers, and records; that they may adjourn from time to time as they think fit, and have liberty to proceed in their enquiry, notwithstanding any adjourn ment of this House; and, that it be an inftruction to the faid committee to take into particular confideration the measure of fending out a commiffion of fupervifion to any part of our territories or refidencies in the Eaft-Indies.

The next debate of importance was on Wednesday, Dec. 2. on the navy eftablishment. The Houfe, in a committee, received a report from the committee of fupply by Mr. Buller, That a number of feamen, not lefs than 20,000, including 4354 marines, be employed for the fervice of the year 1773, at the rate of 41. per month per man, including pay, victualling ordinaries of the navy, and ordnance.

This occafioned a very warm debate and strong oppofition on the part of the country party. They ftated their

13

objections principally on two grounds ; : first, against the number of men to be employed, which they infifted could. not be properly looked on in the light of a peace eftablishment, though the king's fpeech breathed nothing else; and, fecondly, because the manner of voting the four pounds per month per man in the lump was by no means fo fatisfactory as ftating in the particular fervices the feveral parts of that monthly allowance to which they were appropriated.

The other fide chiefly maintained the propriety of the report, upon an ancient ufage of almost ninety years: ftanding; and as to the pretended difference between the king's speech and the grant, they contended, that' when the fleet, which was now in the East Indies, returned home, it. would reduce the number of our naval forces to the strict idea of a peace establishment.

Indeed, the miniftry did not fpeak much in their own defence; and as the best speeches in oppofition to thele arguments were made by Mr. Pultney and Mr. Burke, we shall infert them. Mr. P. argued to the following purpose:

WHEN the public money is to be granted by parliament, every reasonable precaution fhould be used to render the disbursement and application of it as fixed and determinate as pof fible, and to leave as little latitude to the difcretion of the officers of the crown as the nature of things will permit. Ministers, even in these golden: times, are but men; and men, we know, are fallible. When not confined to strict and marked limits they are apt to tranfgrefs. This is the principle upon which our conftitution is founded; and it is a principle common to it with every other well regulated fyftem of government. But, if this appropriation of revenue is ne ceffary in the inferior departments of the public fervice, how much more neceflary muft it be in the most ex. pentive and effential of all? The department I mean is the naval. Soon after the revolution the peace establishment of the British navy was fixed at ten thoufand feamen. But what was the yearly expence of this eftablishment? Somewhat more than eight hundred thousand pounds. At

the

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the conclufion of the laft peace but one the establishment was raised to fixteen thousand men; and the expence encreafed confiderably more than in proportion to the number of men employed. The fame thing happened at the peace of Fontainbleau. Sixteen thousand feamen, including marines, were voted for the various fervices on which a fleet in peaceable times can be employed; and the expence amounted to near a million and a half sterling, a fum almost double of what at an earlier period was deemed fufficient to render us fecure from any fudden danger or invafion. Ten thousand feamen were, after the peace of Utrecht, maintained with eight hundred thousand pounds. Sixteen thousand feamen, and marines, required almost twice that fum in 1766, though the latter, making no inconfiderable corps, are much less expenfive than the former.

When the nation was threatened with a Spanish war, and forty thoufand men were voted, two millions feven hundred thousand pounds were expended, though the men were not raised, and though of thofe raised many were foon difmiffed. Laft year, when five and twenty thousand men were voted, we were promised by the minifter that the expenditure would even fall short of the estimate, and be confined to two millions. I have reafon to think that this promife will turn out to be a courtier's promife, and that instead of being within two millions, it will exceed even the eftimate. What will it be this year? I fear the twenty thousand feamen and marines now proposed will coft us

little less than two millions.

When fuch enormous fums are thus laid out, and when we fee that they are continually upon the encreafe, and that a given number of men become gradually more and more expenfive in the hands of adminiftration, it becomes us as the guardians of the public property to wake, and to enquire whether there is not fome radical error in the plan of naval disbursement. To me it appears that there is a capital mistake in the very manner of voting the naval fupply. In voting a fum not exceeding four pounds a man per month, four diftinct heads of account are confounded in

Jan

one mafs. The wages of feamen, their victuals, the wear and tear of the thipping, and the ordnance, are thrown into one aggregate fum, into one finking fund, which, if not fpeedily disentangled and rectified, will, I fear, with the other millstones which hang about its neck, fink this nation. For what is the effect of this indefinite vote? The fame as if, in exprefs terms, you gave the first lord of the admiralty a general unlimited power to employ the money granted in what manner he pleafes. Hence the account that annually comes before us is fimilar to the vote. It is general, fpecifies no articles, and is in fact no account at all; as there are no particulars which may ferve as clues to lead us to the receipts and payments, to the credits and debts that verify the general or grofs fum arifing upon the final clofe of the account.

Nor is the difficulty of tracing the account up to its various fources the only inconvenience. The admiralty, knowing the impracticability of detecting, according to this plan, any fraud or malverfation, will be the more ready to commit abufes. I am the better juftified in making this obfervation, that abufes now exift in the management of the navy. I have my information from a perfon who has univerfally acknowledged abilities, who has had opportunities of enquiry, and who is not interested in mifreprefentation. He informs me that the guard-fhips were converted into mere jobs, and anfwered no purposes of defence or fecurity, being neither properly manned, nor docked, nor equipped in any other fhape; who will aflure us that this is not now the cafe?

From the fame hand I learn, that according to the peace establishment now to be adopted, more men are demanded than will be neceffary for the fhips propofed to be kept in commiffion, or called forth in an emergency. Seventeen or at moft eighteen thousand feamen will be fufficient for the different services at home, in the Mediterranean, in the Weft and Eaft Indies. What then will become of the furplus men? They will not be upon the mufter, and yet the nation will pay for them. Various are the artifices ufed to make non-effective men

pafs

1773 They ought to fit and ftand by turns, always keeping as nearly in an erect pofture as poffible. Thofe who dictate may do it walking.. It has an excellent effect frequently to read or fpeak aloud: this not only exercises the lungs, but aimoft the whole body. Hence studious people are greatly benefited by delivering difcourfes in pubJic. Such indeed fometimes hurt themfelves by over-acting their part; but this is their own fault. The man who dies a martyr to mere vociferation merits not our fympathy.

The morning has by all medical writers been reckoned the best time for. ftudy. It is fo; but it is alfo the molt proper season for exercife, while the ftomach is empty, and the fpirits refreshed with fleep. Studious people fhould therefore fometimes fpend the morning in walking, riding, or fome manly diverfions without doors. This would make them return to ftudy with greater alacrity, and would be of more service than twice the time after their fpirits are worn out with fatigue. It is not fufficient to take diverfion only when we can think no longer. Every ftudious perfon (hould make it a part of his bufinefs, and fhould let nothing interrupt his hours of recreation more than those of study.

Mufic has a very happy effect in relieving the mind when fatigued with ftudy. It would be well if every tudious perfon were fo far acquainted with that science as to amule himself after fevere thought, by playing fuch airs as have a tendency to raise the fpirits, and infpire chearfulness and good humour.

It is the reproach of learning, that fo many of her votaries, to relieve the mind after study, betake themfelves to the ufe of ftrong liquors. This indeed is a remedy; but it is a defperate one, and always proves deftructive. Would such persons, when their fpirits are low, get on horfeback, and gallop ten or a dozen miles, they would find it a more effectual remedy than any cordial medicine in the apo

17

thecary's fhop, or all the ftrong li quors in the world.

It is much to be regretted that learned men, while in health, pay fo little regard to these things. Nothing is more common than to fee a miferable object over-run with nervous difeafes, bathing, walking, riding, and, in a word, doing every thing for health after it is gone; yet, if any one had recommended these things to him by way of prevention, the advice would, in all probability, have been treated with contempt, or at leaft with neglect. Such is the weakness and folly of mankind, and fuch the want of forefight, even in thofe who ought

to be wifer than others.

With regard to the diet of the studious, we fee no reafon why they thould abitain from any kind of food that is wholefcme, provided they use it in moderation. They ought, however, to be fparing in the ute of every thing that is four, windy, rancid, or hard of digeftion. Their fuppers fhould always be light, and taken toon in the evening. Their drink may be water, fine malt liquor, not too strong, good cyder, wine and water, or, if troubled with acidities, water mixed with a little brandy.

We hall only obferve, with regard to those kinds of exercite which are most proper for the ftudious, that they fhould not be too violent, nor ever carried to the degree of excetlive fatigue. They ought likewife to be frequently varied, fo as to give action to all the different parts of the body; and should, as often as poffels, taken in the open air. In general, riding on horfeback, walking, working in a garden, or playing at fome active diverfions, are the best.

e

We would likewife recommend the use of the cold bath to the ftudious. It will, in fome meafure, fupply the place of exercise, and should not be neglected by perfons of a relaxed habit, expecially in the warm feafon.

The ftudious ought neither to take exercile, nor to itudy, immediately after a full meal..

think that in thefe they have refined

greatly