HC Deb 28 April 1809 vol 14 cc276-8
Mr. Wardle

, pursuant to notice, moved, That there be laid before the house a Return of all the annual Regimental Accounts now in the War Office, specifying which were separate and which not, and also which had been carried into warrant from the 25th Dec. 1797 to the 25th Dec. 1808, and specifying whether for cavalry, infantry, or militia.—The hon. gent. also proposed to move for an Account of the Deficiencies of the several paymasters within the same period. The reason why he brought forward this motion was, that he might call the attention of the house to the Sixth Report of Military Inquiry, as the papers on the table were not sufficient to place the subject fully in the possession of the house, and that, though the clerks in the War Office had been increased since 1797, from ten to fifty, yet the accounts were as much in arrear as before this increase took place, and the business of the Office seemed rather to be impeded than promoted by this increase.

On the Question being put on the first motion,

The Secretary at War

said, he had no objection to the production of these papers; but as the subject was under the consideration of the Commissioners of Military Inquiry, and the War Office was occupied in forming arrangements pursuant to the suggestions of that Report, and also of the 7th and 8th Reports, he put it to the hon. gent. whether he should not defer his motion for the present, until he should know what arrangements would be adopted, especially as the preparation of these papers might interfere with the time of the clerks, now usefully occupied in the projected arrangements.

Mr. Wardle

had no desire to press his motion, if his majesty's ministers were resolved to oppose it. Why had they not made the arrangements alluded to, in all the period since June last, when the Report was laid before the house? He believed it likely, that no arrangement was in contemplation, till after he had given notice of this motion. But he could assure the house, that unless an entire change of system should take place, much loss would accrue to the public. What cost 50,000l. now, could be done for less than 30,000l. and this he would pledge himself to prove. He could not see why the accounts should not be settled here as well as they were in Ireland. He had been on both establishments, and had suffered, together with his regiment, by the failure of a paymaster, and the arrears of accounts in this country.

The Secretary at War

conceiving himself personally glanced at by the observations of the hon. gent., begged to assure him, that on his coming into office he had seen the necessity of making some arrangement, and had been prevented from undertaking it only by the consideration, that the subject was in the hands of the parliamentary Commissioners of Military Inquiry.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer

submitted to the hon. gent., whether, when he was informed that the subject was in a train of arrangement, it would not be better for him to defer his motion till he should see what would be done with respect to it. Then it would be in his power to bring forward any motion he should think necessary upon the subject.

After a few words from Mr. Homer and Mr. Whitbread, deprecating the postponement of the motion, unless upon an understanding that in the present session of parliament, the arrangement would be communicated to the house, or with a view to give ministers an opportunity of inquiring whether the papers could be produced without inconvenience,

Mr. Wardle

declared that he had not meant any thing personal to the right hon. Secretary at War; neither did he feel any personal hostility to his majesty's ministers; for he could assure them that he did not wish to see any other set of gentlemen in their places. All he had in view in his motion was to shew, that there were faults in the conduct of the Office to which it referred, which faults he wished to have corrected. He would withdraw his motion until some day next week. The motion was thon withdrawn.