HC Deb 24 June 1806 vol 7 cc810-2
Lord Howick

moved the order of the day for the house going into a committee on his majesty's message of the preceding day. The house having accordingly gone into the said committee, the noble lord stated, that one of the principal objects of his majesty's most gracious message was to recommend to that house, and to assist them in the task of providing for seamen wounded in the service, or when from age they should be unquali- fied to make farther exertion for their country, a more adequate allowance than that which they at present had. Gentlemen were not altogether unacquainted, from a perusal of the papers on the table, with what he meant to propose; and the same papers would also go far to establish the points which he should now have to state to the house. The establishment of Chatham chest was some time ago transferred to the chest of Greenwich. Greenwich Hospital itself was exclusively confined to the relief of those wounded in the service. It was his intention now, however, to propose that it be extended to all who were no longer able to serve, and that the allowance should be increased as to both. When he stated that the out-pensions were only 71. and that they had not been increased since the year 1663, when the very great increase in the expence of living since that time was considered, and the very meritorious nature and immense magnitude to this country of the service performed, were taken into consideration, it would not be thought very extraordinary that some addition should now be proposed. The revenue of the hospital at present amounted to the sum of 126,811l. and the actual expenditure to 114,544l. leaving a surplus revenue of 12,267l. He proposed in the slightest cases of injury, and where time service had not been of long duration, to continue the pension as it now stood, at 7l. and to raise it as circumstances might warrant, to the highest sum, being 1s. a day, or 18l. 5s. per annum. This discretion of judging in what cases the highest pension should be given, he proposed to leave in those hands where he thought it might with the greatest safety be entrusted: he meant the lords of the admiralty.—This he estimated at 17,000l. per annum; and to provide for the deficiency he meant to propose to raise 5 per cent on all prize money and bounty for the capture of ships, as it should become due. In the aid of this intention his majesty had been pleased to signify his pleasure to grant a similar allowance out of the droits of the admiralty. The whole prize money so to be made, it was calculated might amount to 1,250,000l. He did not incline, however, to estimate it at more than 1,000,000l. Five per cent. on this sum amounted to 50,000l. One part of this sum applied to the purposes of the chest, and the remaining two-thirds to the purposes of the hospital, was time manner in which he proposed that it should be divided. One-third, therefore, to be applied to the chest was 16,666l. leaving a surplus on the total revenue in the time of war of about 11,000l. In time of peace it was naturally to be seen there must be a great deficiency. The expence, however, would then be greatly less, and in time of war the surplus to be accumulated would in some measure be providing for the defalcation in time of peace. There were certain revenues too, which it was to be expected would very speedily be greatly encreased, in particular from a rise on the rents of certain farms belonging to the hospital, estimated at 4,000l. per annum additional. There would also, it was computed, be at the end of the present war 200,000l. of forfeited prize money, the interest of which would go to keep down any deficiency. In this way he submitted that any deficiency which might arise could not produce any uncommon apprehension in the mind of the house. In time of war it was obvious there must be a considerable surplus, and in time of peace it was to be hoped the deficiency would not be of an alarming magnitude. The chest was founded in the year 1596, but it was not put on any regular establishment till the following, year. Those who received from the hospital were not entitled to get any thing from it. The allowances front the chest were in this manner; for total loss of sight 12l.; for loss of an arm Sl. These he proposed to increase; loss of sight 20l.; loss of an arm 16l,; and so in proportion. This he computed would produce an additional expenditure of 17,000l. a year. The present expenditure of the chest amounted to 46 or 48,000l. a year, and the revenue of it to 63,000l. To provide for the proposed extension there would fall to be added the other two-thirds of the prize money and droits, amounting to 32,000l. leaving a surplus in time of war of 21,000l. though in time of peace there must be a considerable deficiency. He had also to propose a small allowance to the half-pay of masters and of lieutenants. These he did not consider to be acts of liberality, but of strict justice, and they were such as he was convinced the house would not feel inclined to object to. He concluded by moving, that out of all prize money or bounty for the capture of ships of the enemy, the sum of 1l. 13s. 4d. for every 100l. be granted to Greenwich hospital; and that out of all such prize-money; &c. there be granted on each 100l. the sum of 3l. 16s. 8d. to Greenwich chest.—These resolutions were agreed to, and the report ordered to be received the next day.