HC Deb 05 March 1830 vol 22 cc1315-6
Mr. Hume

, adverting to what had just passed in the House as to the state of the Shipping interest, observed, that he hoped, if the subject should be brought forward, the great charges to which vessels were subjected for lights and pilotage, which he understood were very heavy, and of course proportionately diminished their profits, would be taken into consideration. There was another charge to which part of our shipping was subjected, and on which he had a motion to submit to the House,—he meant the charge for Mediterranean Passes. This, he understood, was about 5l. for each vessel; and he was informed that the produce of that charge amounted to from 3,000l. to 5,000l. a year. This money was received by the Admiralty, and he did not know whether it were brought into the public account, or how it was applied. He would therefore move for "An Account of the number of ships which paid for Mediterranean Passes; of the amount received for those Passes in the years 1828 and 1829, and its application."

Mr. Croker

did not object to the production of the account; some ships, he observed, took out Passes without proceeding to the Mediterranean; the number of Passes, therefore, would not show the actual number of vessels going to the Mediterranean.—Motion agreed to.

Mr. Hume

said, that what he had stated the other night, with respect to the army pay and allowances in the present year and in 1792, had been controverted by the right hon. Gentleman (Sir H. Hardinge). He, however, was confident that the accounts would show his statement to be correct, and he would therefore move for "A Return of the rate of pay and allowances to officers and men in the Army in the years 1792 and 1829, and for similar returns as to the Navy and Ordnance."

Sir H. Hardinge

would not object to the production of the returns, and he would make them as exact as was possible; but he was sure that the correctness of what he said on the subject would be borne out; and from whatever source the hon. Member had got his information, he would find that he was mistaken.

The Motions were agreed to.