seemed by their measures to be looking to any other force, rather than that of a regular army, the augmentation to which was as yet, by their own account, only 7000 men; while by their general conduct they had brought the country to a state, in which, at the end of nine months, a line of cruizers, or (according to the expression of an old poet, whom he did not dare to quote in the original)" a single plank," was all that protected the country, he would not say, from the "grave," but from evils and dangers, of a magnitude not to be described.

Mr.Windham was replied to by Mr. Yorke (Secretary of State for the Home Department). Mr. Pitt recommended a further application of 500,000l. to the Volunteer Service, in order to render it more efficient, by increasing the number of drills, and attaching a regular field-officer and adjutant to each battalion. Mr. T. Grenville and Mr. Fox concurred with Mr. Windham, and were answered by Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Addington (Chancellor of the Exchequer); after which the several resolutions on the estimates were put, and carried without a division.

DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.

December 12, 1803.

THE Report on the Army Estimates occasioned a debate, in

which the measures of the administration were opposed by Colonel Craufurd, and defended by Mr. Secretary Yorke. On the question being put on the last resolution on the Army Estimates relative to the Volunteers, Mr. Pitt repeated his desire that further aid should be granted to the Volunteer Service. The Chancellor of the Exchequer concurred in the principle of Mr. Pitt's sug gestions, but doubted their practicability.

MR. WINDHAM said, he did not mean to trouble the House at any length, after what he had said on a former occasion; but, as many topics were then omitted, and some important suggestions had since been made, he thought it not unnecessary to say a few words. His Right Honourable Friend under the gallery (Mr. Pitt) had explained and enforced, with his usual ability, the measures which he had wished to see adopted for the improvement of the volunteer system; observing, with too much truth, that his ideas in that respect were diametrically opposite to those of Mr. Windham. He lamented the fact, and and not the less sincerely, because it would happen in consequence, that his ideas must be diametrically opposite to those of his Right Honourable Friend. It

was always painful to him to differ from his Right Honourable Friend, with whom he so generally agreed: and independent of that feeling, there was commonly the further cause of regret, that his opinion, so opposed, had less chance of being received. It was not on that account, however, less necessary, that he should state the grounds, on which his opinion was formed.

His objections certainly did not arise from any general feeling adverse to voluntary service. On the contrary, he had always strongly declared himself in favour of voluntary service, as opposed to that which was compulsory: but voluntary service did not necessarily mean service of volunteer corps, such as they were now constituted. Here and there, perhaps, the cases might concur. One of the corps which he should have looked to, though resembling in some degree those to which he was objecting, was the corps of which his Right Honourable Friend was at the head: and which had contributed probably not a little, to lead him to the ideas which he now entertained respecting volunteer corps in general. This was a corps, formed in peculiar circumstances, and with peculiar advantages, both in respect of its leader, and of the men of whom it was composed. His Right Honourable friend was not to conclude that what could be done by himself, circumstanced too as he was, could be done by every other commander, and with respect to any ordinary corps. His Right Honourable Friend had at once his own personal powers, his general authority in the state, and the authority of his high

provincial office*, now directly applied to its ancient and appropriate functions. He had a people to deal with rendered tractable by a more immediate exposure to the danger, and animated with the idea of something of a peculiar character, and peculiar duties. It was the experience of what might be done in these particular circumstances, which had led his Honourable Friend into ideas erroneous, as he conceived, of this service in general.

For his part, he must confess, that the notions which he entertained, as well as the conclusions which he was led to draw, were altogether different. He must object to the volunteer system; first, as being very ill-adapted to the principal and more immediate purpose, for which it was granted; 2dly, as increasing most materially the difficulties of recruiting the army; 3dly, as being liable to have a most injurious influence on the character and conduct of the army; 4thly, as infringing the just claims, and violating the reasonable feelings, of military men, by confounding those distinctions which they had hitherto enjoyed exclusively, and effecting thereby a general depreciation of military titles and honours; 5thly, as confounding the ranks and gradations of civil life, while it disturbed and deranged the ordinary functions of society; and lastly, as liable to become a source of great future political danger, such as might be apprehended always, from bodies of armed men subject to no military controul,

*NOTE.- Warden of the Cinque Ports.

and whose constitution, as in the present instance, was, in innumerable points, precisely that, which would be most likely to give birth to such danger, and to render it formidable, were it to take place.

A proof of this latter assertion he would give to the House (since he perceived in some parts expressions of incredulity), by producing the constitution of one of the principal corps in this city, which had been recently furnished to him, and which he had in his pocket. It would appear by this, that the corps was governed, not by officers approved and appointed by His Majesty, but by committees and sub-committees, so constructed, as that it must happen continually that questions the most important to the proceedings and well-being of the corps, might be decided by a quorum, in which there should be six privates to one officer. Any thing more completely democratical, or better supplied with all the apparatus usually provided for such purposes, could not have been furnished by any of the dealers in constitutions to be found in the Corresponding Society. It was impossible, therefore, to look at these institutions, however full of zeal and loyalty at present, and to reflect on what they might become hereafter, without a considerable degree of jealousy and uneasiness. One effect of their power was already apparent in the complete conquest which they had obtained over His Majesty's ministers. It was plain, that the Honourable Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not dare to stir a step respecting them, without first asking their leave. It was whimsical to see the embarrassment in which he