§ Lord Henry Pettymoved, that the house should go into a committee of supply, and that there should be instructions to the committee, to make compensation to the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry, and to make some allowance to the Commissioners of Military Enquiry; and that the Veterinary College petition, and Bell Rock report, should be referred to the committee. Ordered.—In the committee, lord Henry Petty stated, that the first resolution which he should have to propose was, one respecting an increased allowance to the princess Sophia of Gloucester, founded on the particular circumstances of her case. The other princesses bad not lost their parents, and had the benefit of survivorships; which was not the case with her. Instead, therefore, of 4,000l. annually, which had been voted before, he would now move, that an allowance of 5,000l. a year, should be made to the princess Sophia of Gloucester, in lieu of 4,000l. which had been charged on the aggregate fund; and, also, an additional allowance of 2,000l. to commence from the death of her mother, the duchess of Gloucester. Agreed to.—The next resolution which he had to propose was, a compensation to the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry, who had drawn near to the close of their labours. This, no doubt, would be granted, with plea 1018 sure, by every member of the house. He, therefore, moved, that the sum of 26,500l. should be granted to the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry, as a recompense for the diligence and ability with which they had discharged the trust reposed in them by parliament; and that this sum should be paid without any fee or deduction whatever. Ordered.—He next moved, that 10,500l. should be granted, on account, to the Commissioners of Military Enquiry; and that this should be paid without any fee or deduction.
§ Mr. Paullagreed most cordially in the grant that had been made to the Naval Commissioners; but, as to the present resolution, he thought that we ought to see a little more of the labours of the military commissioners, before such a sum was voted for them; as yet, they had done nothing to deserve it; but, he would not insist on the objection, if the noble lord was resolved to carry his motion.
§ Lord Henry Pettysaid, that the sum was different from that granted to the Naval Commissioners, and the sum was only granted on account. He agreed, that we had not equal experience of their services, nor could we as yet; but, as nobody could say that they had not done their duty satisfactorily, it was reasonable to grant this suns on account. Besides, the hon. gent. seemed to have forgot, that they had already presented a laborious report to the house, stating a particular abuse; and he was happy to have it to state to the house, and the public, that, in consequence of the discovery which they had made, and the steps taken upon it, government was in possession of security for the balance due to the public.
§ Mr. Windhamsaid, that the principle upon which the hon. gentleman's argument seemed. to proceed was, "no abuse, no pay." Were the commissioners to be paid, only in case they discovered abuses? It was rather to be wished, that they should have nothing to discover in this way.
§ Mr. Huskissonstated, that commissioners had applied to the, late government, and that it had been deemed expedient to make them some allowance on account. In commissions of long continuance, this would be, in general, absolutely necessary.
§ Mr. S. Lefevresupported the resolution, from the knowledge that he himself had of some of the commissioners, and his observations of the diligence with which they did their duty. He suggested to the 1019 noble lord, whether some allowance should not be made to a meritorious set of commissioners, he meant those for investigating the claims on the New Forest?
§ Lord Henry Pettysaid, that this had not, as yet, particularly engaged the attention of government; but, that the suggestion would be attended to.
§ Mr. TyrwhittJones considered this was rather an unprecedented mode of granting compensation. He thought that it ought pot to be established as a precedent, that allowances should be given on account; otherwise, account would go on on account; and this was the mode in which the 450 millions of unaudited accounts had been raised.
§ Mr. Paullstated, that no compensation had been made, by the late government, to the commissioners of naval enquiry; and, be thought, no allowance ought to be made to the present commissioners, till their labours drew to a period.
§ Mr. Windhamobserved, that it might be a commission that could not go on without some allowance in the mean time; and it, in every case, we were to wait till the close of their labours, we could not know what bad effects this might have on such labours.
§ Mr. Burtonobserved that, after the two first years of the labours of that deserving set of commissioners, Which had been appointed, some time ago, to investigate the public accounts,compensation had been annually allowed them, for the services of the preceding year. This was a precedent for money on account, though the other mode was the more common. The resolution was then agreed to—Mr. Windham proposed, that 1,500l. should be granted to the Veterinary College. Ordered.—Sir John Sinclair stated, that the commissioners of the Northern light-houses had a fund of 30,000l. which they could not immediately use, but which they would pledge to the public, as security for the sum necessary to erect a light-house on the Bell Rock. He, therefore, moved, that 25,000l. be granted to these commissioners, for the above purpose, and on the above security. Ordered. Report the next day.—The house then went into a committee on the Bell Rock report; where the sum of 25,000l. was voted. Report the next day.