HC Deb 21 June 1827 vol 17 cc1368-71
Mr. Hume,

in rising, pursuant to notice, to move an address to his majesty, on the subject of Naval Promotions, adverted to the great importance of the subject. He had, on two occasions, called the attention of the House to it; and he had proved by facts, that the government bestowed this patronage through motives of personal favour, or with reference to parliamentary influence. The service of the country did not warrant in any degree the extent of those promotions. Some ex- cuses had been made for them, but nothing that appeared to him to justify the expense incurred. On the 9th of June, 1823, he had moved for the then last list of promotions. Since that time, he was bound to state, that a larger number of old officers had been promoted, than had been known for a considerable time. He would not say that the alteration had grown out of his motion; but he was happy to say, that the evil which had previously existed was much mitigated since that time. He never wished to lower the glory or strength of the navy, by withholding from it any necessary supplies; but he was of opinion, that promotions should only take place with reference to the real wants of the navy, and the ability of the country to bear the expense. In 1822, that House had addressed the Throne, praying his majesty to direct his ministers to approximate the expenditure of the country as nearly as possible to the expenditure of 1792; and to reduce, as far as was practicable, the navy, army, ordnance, and other establishments. His majesty's answer was, that such directions should be given. Now, considering the scale of expense that was still kept up, he must say, that that House had not done its duty, in not insisting on much larger retrenchments. He should at present confine himself to the navy. The hon. gentleman then entered into a detail of the increase of naval officers from 1792 to the present time, which he censured as extravagant and uncalled-for. The half-pay had increased in a proportionate degree. In 1792, it amounted to 170,000l.; in 1816 it had reached nearly 800,000l., and it still continued, with very little difference, at the same amount. Of five thousand five hundred and fifty-eight naval officers, only eight hundred and forty-two were employed. Indeed, they had three or four times the number of officers they could employ, if all the ships in the British navy were employed to-morrow. Besides all this expense, there was a million and a half dead-weight. When they viewed all these burthens, and saw the revenue decreasing, ought not that House to call loudly for retrenchment? He had before stated, that many of these promotions must have arisen from personal favour or parliamentary influence, and the papers on the table fully bore out the fact. He there saw the names of individuals who were raised, last year, to the rank of post captains, some of whom were not born in 1802. They were put over the heads of old and deserving officers, while the half-pay of the latter added to the dead-weight. The hon. member concluded with moving,

1. "That, according to returns made to this House, it appears that on the 1st of January, 1827, there were five thousand five hundred and fifty-eight commissioned officers in the royal navy, from the rank of admiral to that of lieutenant inclusive, of whom only eight hundred and forty-two were employed afloat.

2. "That this House has voted in this session the sum of 718,000l. for half-pay flag-officers, captains, commanders, lieutenants, chaplains, and pursers, of his majesty's fleet, who may be unemployed during the present year, which large amount is exclusive of 579,359l. voted for half-pay, superannuations, and allowances to officers of the royal marines, to masters and other naval and civil officers, widows and orphans; and exclusive of 250,000l. voted for Greenwich hospital, making an aggregate of 1,547,359l. for the ineffective portion of the naval and marine departments of the public service.

3. "That therefore an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, to express the earnest wish of this House, that he will be graciously pleased to take into his consideration the present great number of Officers of the Royal Navy, and having regard to the state of the Finances of the Country, its diminished Revenue, and the heavy load of Taxation on the People, that he will be graciously pleased to direct that no further promotions be made in the navy, except on very extraordinary and urgent occasions, where the particular merit or great length of service of individuals authorize such promotion, as essential to maintain the best interests and high character of the Naval Service of the Country."

Sir G. Cockburn

said, that if the navy was not occasionally supplied with young officers, we should, in the event of a war, be left with a complement of officers, who, from age, would be unable to fight the country's battles. There were two descriptions of promotion; the one was the rewarding existing officers for particular services, and the other the bringing forward of younger men. The objects of the latter promotion were, in great part, the sons of meritorious officers in the army and navy. The desire to obtain promotion was the incentive to gallantry and good conduct. Take away the chance of promotion, and much of the zeal which was at present displayed in the service would disappear with it. He considered the continuance of the system of promotion absolutely necessary: and on that ground he would move the previous question, on the two first branches of the hon. mover's proposition. As to the address, he would allow it to go to the vote.

Sir J. Yorke

said, the question was one which bore materially upon the finances of the country, and he should consider that he was shrinking from the performance of his duty, if he did not state that it was necessary to exercise a considerable degree of caution with respect to promotions. Some check should be put to the immense patronage which was placed at the disposal of the different branches of the public service. If the chancellor of the Exchequer would endeavour to apply some check to that patronage, he would be the strongest minister that had ever conducted the affairs of the nation. If he did not adopt that line of conduct, he would soon sink to the level of the ministers who had preceded him. It might be the means of checking promotion in the navy to have them gazetted. He had proposed that course to the hon. Secretary to the Admiralty (Mr. Croker); but he had objected to it, in that mysterious manner which he sometimes adopted, without, however, giving any reasons for the objection.

After a short conversation, the motion was negatived.