DISMISSAL OF THE LATE MR. DALRYMPLE.

HC Deb 29 June 1808 vol 11 cc1102-3

Lord H. Petty

, understanding that no objection would be made to his motion, after paying a high tribute to the science and services of the late Mr. Andrew Dalrymple, who had been offered a pension equal to his salary as Hydrographer to the Admiralty if he would resign, and on his refusal had been peremptorily dismissed his office, which circumstance had accelerated his death, moved for a copy of a Letter of the lords of the admiralty dismissing the late Mr. Andrew Dalrymple from his office of Hydrographer to the Admiralty.

Mr. R. Ward

had no objection whatever to the production of this and every other document connected with the subject, and went along with the noble lord in bearing testimony to the merits and services of the gentleman whose removal was the object of the noble lord's motion. He could- assure that noble lord, that the present Board of Admiralty felt as forcibly as he could, what was due to that gentleman's genius and services. But the real state of the case was, that for several months before his dismissal, the Board of Admiralty could not get him to comply with their most direct orders. If they directed him to supply a particular map or chart to a particular vessel, he replied with written folios, containing reasons for his not complying, which the Board of Admiralty could not countenance, and this he had done latterly in terms so offensive as to call for some decisive measure on their part. He had never heard of any offer of his full salary to that gentleman, but the letter requiring him to retire, without adverting in the slightest degree to his numerous acts of disobedience, was couched in the softest terms, and secured to him the usual portion of salary retained by public officers, on retiring from office.

After a few words from Mr. Horner in praise of Mr. Dalrymple, and from lord H. Petty and Mr. Ward, the motion was suffered to lie over for to-morrow, to give the latter an opportunity of considering how far the circumstances of the case could be brought under the consideration of the house.