§ Mr. Calcraftobserved, that as there were certain confident rumours afloat, that a very considerable Defalcation had been discovered in the accounts of a public officer in the Ordnance Department, he rose to enquire of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether those rumours were founded; and, if so, whether the discovery was accidental; and whether the subject had been referred for further investigation to the Commissioners of Military Inquiry?
The Chancellor of the Exchequeranswered, that a discovery had been made, merely by accident, that drafts had been issued to a considerable and unusual amount upon the Bank of England, by an officer in the Ordnance department. The discovery was made on a Saturday; and it was thought right to send, on the Monday morning, orders to the Bank forbidding the payment of any drafts drawn by that officer. The Board of Ordnance immediately instituted an inquiry on the subject; but no result had as yet taken place, which rendered it necessary, in their opinion, to lay any statement before the House. The officer in question, to say the least of his conduct, had acted in violation of the orders established for the regulation of his department. He had since resigned his situation; and it was found, upon the inquiry which had already been instituted, that the public were not likely to sustain any material loss. The matter was at present under minute investigation by the Board of Ordnance; and the subject would be ultimately referred, without delay, to the Commissioners of Military Inquiry.