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any fault or imperfection were to be pointed out in the system recommended by Mr. Windham, and adopted by parliament, it would be, that the encouragement held out to the military profession, was still insufficient, and inadequate to the expectations, which men of the same rank in life with the soldiery, may look forward to, with reasonable confidence, in other occupations. We particularly allude to the smallness of the pensions allotted to soldiers disabled by their wounds, or having completed their periods of service. We think also, that hono

establishments, as if our rulers had been desirous of indulging a speculative curiosity to contemplate their subject under every aspect it could assume, or had been unable to judge, without inspection, of the species of military force, best adapted for the defence of their country and annoyance of its enemies. It is the merit of Mr. Windham, to whom this departement of the public service was committed by the new administration, that, abandoning the complex plans and visionary speculations of his immediate predecessors, without recurring to the severe and odious system of the former minis-rary distictions might have been in. try, he trusted to the simple and troduced, with peculiar effect, obvious expedient of bettering the among the inducements to enter a condition and prospects of the sol- profession, where a sense of honour diery, for the future increase and ought to be the predominant feeling. supply of the army; on the sound But, whatever defects may exist in and universally acknowledged prin- the details and subordinate proviciple, that, wherever men are want- sions of Mr. Windham's system, ed for any occupation in society, we are convinced that the principle they may be obtained for that ser- of it is sound, and that he, who shall vice, by holding out to them a suita- depart from it, will render a mateble encouragement; and in no other rial disservice to his country.* way, except by compulsion. If The army of reserve bill, the first

measure

* On a subject of this nature no argument is so conclusive as the evidence of facts. We therefore subjoin the following statements, from the adjutant general's returns of the number of recruits raised half yearly (exclusive of foreign and colonial corps) during the years 1805, 1806, and 1807.

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It is to be observed, that of the number of men raised by ordinary recruiting in the first half of 1805, there were 3089 raised by officers recruiting for rank in the cavalry. It is also to be recollected, that after midstinmer, 1807, the operation of Mr. Windham's system was disturbed by the new ballot for the militia. The first half of 1807 is therefore the period by which we are to judge of its effects, after it began to be understood by the country; and from the preceding returns, it appears, that the number of recruits raised during that period, by Mr. Wind

ham's

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measure taken for encreasing the amy, after the commencement of the present war, was avowedly a temporary expedient, and, though unjust in its principle, and partial and equal in its application, as all levies by ballot must necessarily be, except in cases of clear and urgent esity, and for purposes of selfdefence, it had in a considerable degree attained its object. It had added, in less than ten months, more than 40,000 men to our army, and though the troops levied under bis act, were bound to serve only in Great Britain, Ireland, and the adjacent islands, it indirectly increased the amount of our disposable force, by enabling us, if necessary, to send abroad a greater portion of our regular army, on any ervice, for which it might be required. But, the injustice of employing the odious and oppressive operation of the ballot for producing tais effect, appeared from the single fact, that, of 40,000 men obtained by the army of reserve bill, there were only 2,000 of those who were drawn, that served in person, and consequently 38,000 were substi

tutes, procured by private indivi-
duals, through the means of high
bounties and voluntary enlistment.
But, if 38.000 substitutes could be
procured for money by private in-
dividuals, the same number of re-
cruits might have been obtained by
government, and, consequently, the
ballot, which is only to be justified
on the ground of urgent necessity,
might have been dispensed with,
without the loss of a single man to
the army. Not only was the ope-
ration of this bill partial and unjust,
because, instead of raising men at
the expence of the community, out
of the general revenue of the state,
it compelled private individuals, of
a certain age, on whom the lot hap-
pened to fall, to find substitutes at
their own expence and out of their
private funds; but, in consequence
of the competition of so many eager
and unpractised recruiting officers,
as it was sure to produce, the boun.
ties for enlistment rose so high, that,
after destroying the ordinary re-
cruiting for the regular army, the
operation of the bill was suspended
by its authors, while the number of
men to be raised by it was still in-

ham's plan, was greater than the number raised in the first half of 1805, by the
urdinary recruiting, the recruiting to rank, and the additional force bill, taken

together.

The superiority of Mr. Windham's plan will be rendered still more apparent by
bewing the progressive rise in the rate of recruiting, during the year of its undis-
turbed operation, that is, from the 1st. of July, 1806 to the 1st. of July 1807.
Rate of Recruiting for the Year

From 1st. July to 1st. of October 1806

1st. October 1806 to 1st. January 1807
1st. January to 1st. April 1807
1st. April to 1st July 1807

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- 21,000

- 24,000

It is no less true that desertion from the army became less frequent during its operation. In the second half of 1805, desertions from the army of Great Britain and Ireland were in the proportion of one to 157. During the year when Mr. Windham's plan was undisturbed, they were reduced to the proportion of one to 263: but as soon as the succeeding ministry began to tamper with his system, desertions became more numerous again, and in the second half of 1207, rose to the proportion of one to 227.

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complete. Before this measure was adopted, bounties had risen in some parts of the country to 50l. and 601. and substitutes could not be procured at any price. The desertion of recruits had increased to an alarming degree, in consequence of the temptation of high bounties, on re-enlisting successively in different corps. The character of the army was therefore degraded by a measure, which added, at such exorbitant expence, to its numbers.

It must be confessed, that, after the pernicious influence of the army of reserve bill, he, who attempted to establish a better system for recruiting the army, had serious difficulties to overcome, nor could he expect, whatever measures he adopted, that their effect would be at first considerable. Of militia, supplementary militia, army of reserve and troops of the line, more than 140,000 men had been raised in the short space of 18 months, so that the country was, in a great measure, drained of that description of persons, who form the great body of our soldiery; and, as it was essentially necessary, that the excessive bounties should be diminished, to which the army of reserve bill had given rise, it was not to be expected, for some time at least, that recruiting, in any form, would be attended with success. Mr. Pitt's additional force bill professed, however, to have the twofold object, of raising immediately for the army of reserve and militia, a sufficient number of men to complete these corps; and of providing for the army, in future, a permanent sup. ply of recruits to the number of 9,000 annually. In the attainment of the first of these objects it confessedly failed. How far it had

answered, or, when repealed, how far it was likely to answer the second purpose, is a subject to which we shall afterwards revert ; nor shall we, at present, make any observations on the principles or provisions of the bill. It will be sufficient to remind our readers, that the recruiting service was, ander this act, entrusted to the parish officers, who were prohibited from giving a higher bounty than three fourths of the bounty allowed for recruits in regiments of the line, and in case their efforts, thus limited and restricted, should prove unsuccessful, the parishes were to be fined 201, for every man deficient. Great opposition had been made to this bill, when brought into parliament, and, the following year, an unsuc cessful attempt had been made in both houses to procure its repeal. It had been passed into a law about a year and a half, when parliament assembled in January 1806.

On the first day of the session Mr. Sheridan gave notice of his intention to move for the repeal of the additional force bill, but without fixing any particular day for his motion; on which lord Castlereagh observed, that some alterations were intended to be made in the bill, which might possibly obviate the honourable member's objec tions. Mr. Sheridan replied, that no alteration could possibly render it fit to be continued any longer.

Next day (January 22) a petition from the county of Berks for the repeal of the same bill was presented by Mr. Charles Dundas one of the members for that county, in which it was stated that "eleven men only had been raised in the said county by the overseers, and the enormous sum of 6,620. had been imposed on the

county

county for penalties." This petition followed (February 18) by another from the parish of St. Maryla bonne in the county of Middlesex, setting forth," that the number of men required to be raised in the said parish, under the provision of the said act, amounted to 925; that it had been found impossible to raise a single man in the manner and upon the terms prescribed by the act; that the parish had in consequence been assessed in the enormous sum of 4,5001. of which 2.0001. had been already paid to the treasurer of the county of Middlesex; and concluding with a prayer, that the said act may be repealed, as it had failed in its intended object in every respect."

The change of ministry, which followed within a few days after Mr. Sheridan's notice, rendered it unnecessary for that gentleman to bring forward his motion, as the subject naturally devolved on Mr. Windham, secretary of state for the war department, whose attention was known to have been long di rected, in a particular manner, to the military branch of the public service.

Mr. Windham did not resume his seat in the house of commons, after he received the seals of secretary of state, till the 24th of February, and ten days having afterwards elapsed, without any motion from him on the military establishments of the country, the new opposition be came impatient of further delay, and on the 5th of March, Mr. Long asked Mr. Windham, whom he saw in his place, at what time he intended to propose to the house his plan, respecting the arrangement of the military establishment. He (Mr. Long) disclaimed any inten

tion to produce inconvenience, or to embarrass the government by this question, but he felt it of high ima portance that any alteration intended to be made, should be known as soon as possible. Mr. Windham declared himself ready to give every satisfaction in his power, relative to the point alluded to. "The right honourable gentleman had, however, in asking the question, desired to know, when he meant to bring forward his plan? He did not un derstand what was meant by the words his plan.' He had never talked of any plan, nor had he ever heard that any member had done so for him." He added, that as soon as the business of the military establishment for the present year, which had already engaged the serious, minute, and attentive consideration of ministers, should be brought to a state of sufficient maturity, both their duty and inclination would lead them to lay it as speedily as possible, before the house. To a question from Mr. Canning, relative to the additional force bill, Mr. Windham replied, "that in the plan of defence now in contemplation, that bill certainly would not have a place."

Two days afterwards (March 7), in a committee of the house on the army estimates, general Tarleton expressed his surprize that the new ministers had not yet brought for. ward their plans for the defence of the country. "After all the activity which the secretary for the war department had displayed in his speeches, and all the plans which he had given grounds to expect, nothing had yet been produced." Mr. Windham replied, that the rapidity and decision recommended by the honourable general, might

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be proper in the field but not in the cabinet. All delay must be viewed as relative to the object to be accomplished. He objected to gentlemen calling for plans from him, as the frequenters of the theatre called for an entertainment. He did not feel disposed to indulge them, and their impatience should never provoke him to lay any thing before the house that seemed to himself immature."

ceding conversation took place, they contrived to produce a debate on the subject, on a motion for the second reading of a report of the committee of supply on the ordnance estimates. General Tarleton began by stating, that the additional force bill had become highly productive, having furnished in the last week 353 men. After some comments on the hostility which the secretary for the war department Mr. Windham having sponta- had shewn towards that respectable neously announced, on the 14th of body of men, the volunteers, he March, that he hoped in the course wished to know the determination of the following week, to be able to of government with regard to them. fix a day, for laying before the "It was now near the end of March, house the measures which his ma- and our military preparations were jesty's ministers meant to propose standing still. The ordnance estifor the defence of the country; ge- mates before the house were those neral Tarleton took occasion, on which had been formed by the late the 20th of March, to ask him, ministry, unaltered and unimwhether, according to the half no- proved." After some remarks on tice he had then given, he meant to a continental confederacy, and the bring forward the subject on the probabilities of invasion, the hoMonday following. Mr. Windham nourable general concluded by sugreplied, "that he saw no necessity gesting, that Woolwich should not for hurrying measures of such vast be the sole depositary of our means importance and delicacy, requiring of defence, and that government the maturest deliberation; that it should establish some great depôt, appeared to him, that the object of more in the center of the kingdom the greatest importance was, to give than the one forming at Wedenbeck. the fullest consideration to any changes that were to be proposed, and that he saw no other inconve. nience that could result from the unavoidable delay, than that it would disappoint the curiosity and anxious expectation of a number of persons."

So eager were the opposition to provoke discussion on the military plans of the ministry, that in the interval between the 14th of March, when Mr. Windham announced his intention of bringing the subject speedily before the house, and tho 20th of that month, when the pre

Mr. Calcraft, secretary to the board of ordnance, having confined himself in his reply to general Tarleton's speech, to those parts of it which related to the ordnance, lord Castlereagh rose, and, after a variety of observations and questions with regard to the measures that were meant to be taken for the defence of Ireland, and of the east coast of England, objects which, he said, the late ministers had in contemplation when they went out of office, and, after animadverting on the dread and discouragement with which the volunteers must look to

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