3 NOVEMBER 1832, Page 40

elje Oftlitancr.

TnE Ordnance Estimate is full and complete, but nearly unintel- ligible. We mention it not merely to account for an obscurity which we fear will be found in the following. Tables, but because this is considered the Nite of Government departments, not only by official people themselves, but even by the Finance Committee ; who repre- sent the checks to be more efficient, and the business to be conducted altogether upon a better principle, in the Ordnance than in any other department. We are not in a state to offer an opinion on the subject. Judging from what is before us, wc should say that if these desirable results are accomplished, it can only be by a most complex procedure, and a great misapplication of what mechanists call power. This im- pression is confirmed by Mr. ABBOTT'S Report on the Ordnance Accounts. He states, that they have been considerably pruned under the Duke of WELLINGTON'S management, but without much benefit. They are still, he reports, exceedingly complex, their peculiar terms are unintelligible, and the general nomenclature of book-keeping misap- plied. Many useless checks exist, and much needless correspondence and reporting is carried on. The Barrack Branch was formerly a very good system of account; but some official improver has been at work, and it is now inferior to what it was formerly. The duties of the ordnance are numerous and complicated. It not only has the entire management of the Artillery, Engineers, Rze., but it tilso manufactures the greater portion of the articles which the Mili- tary branch of service it superintends requires. It is charged with the construction of a variety of Public Works, and superintends the erection and perpetual repairs of the Ordnance Stations and the Mili- tary Barracks. The business of the latter is conducted by a subordi- nate department, called the Barrack Branch. Like the other great departments of Defence, the Ordnance is sub- divided into " Civil" and " Military." Under the former head, are included the personal expenses of the Stations and Barracks ; though these are rather of an epiceene kind, partaking both of the civil and military character. The expenditure of the Ordnance is again subdi- vided into Ordinary and Extraordinary. The former appears a per- manent charge—such as Salaries ; the latter a fluctuating one—such as " Works." The object of this classification, pushed to the extent to which it is carried, we do not clearly perceive. It is one great source of the complexity which we are afraid will characterize the Tables. .

The following Summary presents a succinct view of these compli- cated accounts drawn to a focus. It will be seen, that of one million and a quarter of money, little more than half a million is expended on the Military branch. Of the remaining three quarters of a upwards of 400,000/. is spent, as it appears, upon the works and repairs of the Stations and Barracks. This certainly appears enormous ; and, without any reference to some suggestions we shall presently throw Out, it would seem that these Extraordinarp charges afford room for Amine extraordinary retrenchment.

SUMMARY I. Ordinary. Extraardinaries, Total. ORDNANCE.

Civil Departments 130,152 253,809 883,981 Barracks 37.735 235,999 973.734 Military 412,352 174,546 586,893 £580,239 664,354 1,244,593 .Paid By a Vote £1,013,839 Rents, Sided Old Stores, and Unexpended Sums of Former Grants 230,754 £1,244,593

The subjoined Table exhibits the different items of which each great total in the first Summary consists.

SUMMARY II.

ORDNANCE!.

Establishments at Pall Mall, the Tower, and Ordinary. Extrnordioaries. Total.

Tooley Street 66,504 12.662 79,166 Establishments at Woolwich 9,199 47,670 56,869 Establishments at Dahlia 11,135 10,3:33 21,468 Acadenikal Estal Ii-ltment at Woolwich 800

800 Stations in Great Britain 15,139 72,838 87,377 Stations in Ireland 2,539 9,019 11,557 Stations in the Colonies 24,836 101,968 126,724 Total of Ordnance Civil Expenditure.. £130,152 253,809 383,961 BARRACKS.

91,077 107,978 In Great Britain 16,901

Ill Ireland

10.013 60,267 70,280 In the Colonies 10,821 84,655 95,476 Total of Barracks £37,735 235,999 273,734 MILITARY. £5.983

5,288 GlintlerS Engineers 59.755

52,755 Sappers and Miners 28,780

28,790 Artillery, viz.

Foot £978.964

Horse 36,105

314,369

314,369 Field Train 1,266

1,266 Medical Establishment 9,891

9,894 Miscut•Litxemes.

Civil and Military Contingencies - 174,546 174,546 • Total of Ordnance Military Expenditure 174,546 £419,359 586,898 CIVIL DEPARTMENTS OF THE ORDNANCE.

We present the Ordnance details at length, although we shall not dis- cuss them. Our proposal is of a radical nature.

In every military establishment save that of England, the " Army" and the" Ordnance" are under one head. We propose that England should no longer be an exception-that these two departments of the same ser- vice should henceforth be consolidated. This consolidation not only gives strength and unity to the service, but is productive of economy, by centralizing business, simplifying machinery, and diminishing those sources of charge, the heads and quasi-heads of offices. The plan we are now suggesting, we believe, has been repeatedly suggested, and was once Seriously contemplated, but, the quarrel between CANNING and WELLINGTON put an end to it. For how much longer will the " dif- ferences" between individuals be allowed to retard the public benefit?

The retrenchment that is capable of being effected in the Ordnance, it is not altogether very easy to say. A large amount seems open to reduction in the " Barracks ;" a still larger in the " Stations," which appear very much more numerous than is necessary both abroad and at home. If this department contracted for its Stores, &c., instead of making them, a saving would certainly follow ; and one Civil establish- ment under a better system would displace the four now kept up at Pall Mall, the Tower, Tooley Street, and Dublin. Looking at all these circumstances, 350,0001. is not perhaps too much to reckon upon, without reducing the Military branch. This is, however, capable of a reduction of 40,0001. or 50,0001., in the same way as the Army, i. e., without impairing the efficiency of the force. In the Artillery, there are 2 Captains, 2 First Lieutenants, and 1 Second Lieutenant to each company, though the Line has never even during war had more than one Captain to a company; and there are other unnecessary expenses. The Finance Committee intimated the propriety of a reduction in the number of men; referring to 1792, when the cost of the Military branch of the Ordnance was nearly three times less than at present. As an Artillery-man, however, requires much longer training than a soldier of the Line, any alterations in this force should not be made without due consideration and inquiry,-unless we determine to follow the "wisdom of our ancestors," and rely upon our Navy. In this case, much larger reductions might be made than any we have ventured to recommend.

The following is the Ordnance Estimate of the comparative cost in- curred for

Great Britain. Ireland. Colonic..

Ordnance £513,394 .... £144,667 .... £292,328 Barracks 116,2 .... 73,863 .... 104,055

£629,680 £918,530 £396,363 ESTABLISHMENTS AT PALL MALL, THE TOWER, AND TOOLEY STREET.-OandrAav.

Voted in 1038-3.

1 Master-General

£3,000 1 Secretary to ditto 1,000

1 Surveyor-General

1,200

1 Clerk of the Ordnance

1,200

1 Principal Storekeeper

1.200 1 Treasurer 1,000 1 Secretary to the Board 1,400

X 10,800

52,662

7 Persons, averaging, per annum, £1,498

Per Annum.

7 Chief Clerks from .£ 750 to £1,100 2 Assistant ditto at 700 and 800 42 Senior Clerks from 300 to 550 126 Junior Clerks . 90 .. 300

177 Persons, averaging, per annum, £297

Voted in 1£22.4. 24 Doorkeepers, Messengers, &c from £ 65' to £120 - £2,285

7 Other Persons .. 60 .. 450 - 1,257 1 Master Furbisher in Small Gan Department,Tower.£210 1 Clerk to ditto 90

2 Persons 300

Total Ordinary £66,504 ESTABLISHMENTS AT WOOLWICH.-Onnixany.

Royal Laboratory, 9 Persons from 90 to £350 - £2,014 Inspector of Artillery's Department, - 8 Persons 90 .. 400 - 1,633 Royal Carriage Department,

7 Persons . 180 .. 400 - 1,743 Royal Military Repository, 1 Superintendent . - • • -- - 200 Storekeeper's Department, 19 Persons .. 70 .. 740 3,604

Total Ordinary 9,199

It is difficult from a Government Return to reach the exact emolu- ments of any individual. Thus, the " Director of Laboratory" is full Colonel of Horse Artillery, with allowances for 4 horses. His As- sistant, full Colonel of Foot Artillery, with allowances. Both of these gentlemen have also large Government houses.

ESTABLISHMENT AT DUBLIN.-Ortnixany.

1 Storekeeper £750

13 Clerks in Storekeeper's Office, from £85 to £ 500 per Annum 1,823 Total of Storekeeper's Office £2,573 I Clerk of Survey 650 7 Clerks in Survey Office 1,457

Total of Clerk of Survey Office 2,107

5 Clerks in Account Offiett - 993 4 Clerks in Treasurer's Office 1,433

5 Clerks in Commanding Eitgint_atr's Office 931

1 Clerk to the respective Officers 540

8 Clerks to ditto 1,682 2,222

40 Persons - .£ 10,249 1 - Assistant Firemaster in Laboratory Department. 150

1 Clerk to ditto 173

2 Persons 323 1 - Master Furbisher in Small Gun Department - 124

1 Counsel • 93

7 Messengers, Sze 346

Total Ordinary £ 11,135 WORKS AND REPAIRS, AND STOREKEEPER'S DEPARTMENTS- E XTRAORDLNARIES.

Voted for 11134-3.

Fall Mat, Re. Woolwich. Dublin. Total.

X X X X Command and Pay of Royal Engineers .... 617 863 1,480 Pay of Clerks of Works, Overseers, Fore-

men. Sze. 664 2,460 652 3,776

Works and Repairs 4,087 10,745 3,760 18,592 Storekeeper's Expenditure for Artificers, Labourers, and Contingencies 7,911 33,848 5,058 46,817 Total Extraordinaries 12.662 47,670 10,333 70,665

Ordinaries from former Accounts 06,504 9,199 11,135 86,838 Total 179,166 £56,869 £21,468 £157,603

ACADEMICAL ESTABLISHMENT AT WOOLWICH.

Per Annum.

1 Lieutenant-Governor £400 1 Inspector 261

1 Professor of Fortifications 250

1 Professor of Mathematics 435 I First Mathematical Master 403

1 Second ditto 373 1 Third ditto 373 1 Assistant ditto 91

1 Assistant in Fortification

1 Assistant In Military Plan-drawing and Perspective 321

91 150 1 French Master 126 1 Drawing Master 123

1 Clerk

119 1 Modeller

14 - Persons. £3,512

Additional Pay to Officers of the Royal Regiment of Artil-

lery for attending the Company of Gentlemen Cadets.. 353 Deduct 3,565 Stuns to be received for the Instruction of Gentlemen Cadets. 3,065 £800 OUT STATIONS.-Onorxxxx.

Great Britain. Ireland. Colonies. Total.

No. No. No. No. Out Stations 33 .... 8 .... 35 .... 76 • - - - -

Per Annum. Persons. Persons. Persons. Persons! Storekeepers, from. £250 to 750 15 £6,553 3 £1,150 19 £8,215 3715.918 Deputy ?Ito 330 to 389 17 3,919 3 712 23 6,490 45 11,121 Clerks 80 to 200 30 4,387 5 677 62 8,291 97 13,355 MasterWorker at Waltham Abbey 1 . 180 .. .... .. 1 150 Do. Furbisher at Hampton Court 1 60 . - . ••• 1 60 Ditto ditto Windsor 1 40 .. .... .. 1 40 Extra Pay to Civil Officers and Clerks in the West Indies, Coast of Africa, and Ceylon, on account of the price of Provisions, &c. in " " • • 1,840 .. 1,840

those climates 65 X15,139 11 £2,539 106 X24,836 182 X42,514 - • STATIONS. •

The following Tables exhibit the cost of each Station in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Colonies, the total charges of which have been shown in the preceding accounts. The first column shows the number of persons (Storekeepers, Deputy Storekeepers, and Clerks)

GREAT BRITAIN, Sce. (" OUT STATIONS AT lIns: E.") No. GrdatatT. Extraorainaric- Total.

Alderney 1 4150 ,X200 X350 Chatham 6 1,601 7,216 8.517 Chester 1 300 927 1,927 Carlisle 1 200 249 449 Dover 3 750 4,052 4,802 Enfield 3 686 1,370 2,056 Edinburgh 3 695 2,5113 3,253 .Fort George, N.11 1 200 .391 591 Fort William, N.H.. 1 130 52 182 Fort Augustus - 126 126 Gravesend 2 421 1,559 1,980 Gnernsey 2 319 1,896 2,215 Hall 2 402 1,520 1,922 Harwich 9 430 2,457 2,887 Hyde Park 1 200 139 339 Jersey 1 222 1,893 2,115 Keyham Point 2 430 1,982 2,412 Marchwooll 1 300 765 1,065 Portsmouth 7 1.873 13.872 15,750 Plymouth 6 1,773 6,524 8,297 Purfieet 3 899 2.979 3,878 Priddy's Hard 2 587 3,517 4,104 Pendennis Castle 2 406 409 815 Scilly Island - 93 93 Stirling Castle 1 130 273 403 Sheerness - 1,726 1,726

Sussex Coast

- 1,184 1,184 Tipner Point 1 250 565 815 Tynemonth Castle 1 200 271 471 Upnor Castle 1 183 751 934 Waltham Abbey 3 786 7,453 8,239 Weedon 9 514 3,194 3,703 Yarmouth - 67 67 Hampton Court-Master Furbisher

1 60.

- 60 Windsor ditto 1 40 - 40

- - £72,233 £87.377

64 £15,139

IRELAND (" OLIT STATIONS "):

- 2 480 1,921 2,401 Athlone

Ballincollig.

- 112 112 Carrickfergus 1 262 233 495 Charlemont 2 517 1,336 1,853 Cork Harbour 4 830 2,931 3,761 Duncannon Fort 1 250 420 670 Enniskillen, Londonderry District 1 200 1,360 1,560 Limerick

705 705

-- - £9,018 X11.557

11 £2,539 COLONIES (STATIONS ABROAD). 2 396 795 1,191

Antigua . .

Barbadoes

3,349 4,732 Bahamas 61,384 2 4 653 1,110 Bermuda 3 718 11,897 12,615 Berbice 2 376 502 878

/ QMuebec

Canada ' ontreal Kingston 5 1,182 3 614 3 570 19,453 22,043 Isle aux Noix 1 229

Cape of {Cape Town

Good Simon's Town 6 1,354} I 230 3,547 5,361 Hope Graham's Town 1 230

Colom bo 6 1,253

Ceylon { Trincomalee 2 454} 2,877 4,589 POiut de Galle - -

Demerara 2 459 2,065 2,524 Dominica 2 380 638 1,018 Gibraltar. 8 1,753 6.926 8.679

839 1.235

Grenada

Jamaica

1 1,,21

2,654 3,912 Corfu

Ionian

{Santa Manna

Islands Man"' 1 Zante

7781

1 272 1 250J'

1,071 2,371 Malta - • • 8 1,783 7,004 8,787 Mauritius 6 1,363 3,283 10,646 Newfoundland 2 420 1,828 2,248 1 Halifax Nova New Brunswick

scot, Prince Edward's Island

5 1,096

3 Eg

1 21,308 23,334 Annapolis 1 190

St. Lucia 2 482 1,072 1,554 Sierra Leone

2 353

240 593 St. Christopher 2 364 807 1.171 St. Vincent 2 426 814 1,240 Tobago 2 356 529 885 Trinidad 2 426 1,732 2,158 TalraPay granted to Civil Officers Clerks serving in mid

the West Indies and Coast Africa at Ceylon, in of and

consequence of the price of Provisions, Se., in those

Climates ; being an addition of one-fourth of thetr Minimum Salaries 1.840

1,840

- ---- 4101,888 £126,724

106 424,836 BARRACKS.-ORDINARY.

Great Britain. Ireland. Colonies. Total. No. No. No. No. Barracks 153 92 .... not 245 given, at home.

Per Day. Persons- . Person- s. Person- s. Person- s.

Barrack Masters from 5s. to 15s 63 411,610 45 47,649 41 47,308 149 426,567

Clerks 2 181 .. . 2 181 Barrack Sergeants and Labourers 159 5,110 92 2,364 78 3,513 329 10,987 Total Ordinary .... 224 - X16,901 137 X- 10,013 119 X- 10,821 480C37.735

Superintendence. Pay and Command of Royal Engineers Pay of Clerks of the Works, Over- seers, Foremen, Ste.

Works and Repairs Storekeeper's Expenditure for Artificer% Laboureis, .tt:c Total of Extraordinaries Ordinary as shown in the preceding ac- count Total for Stations DEPARTMENT.

Great Britain. Ireland. Colonies. Tend.

43,671 777 8,183 12,631 7.599 1,396 7,147 16,142 30,214 4,531 62,006 96,801 30,754 9,264 24,552 57,570 X 72,233 9,018 101,888 183,144 15,139 2,539 24,826 42,514 -- --

X 87,377 925,653 11,557 126,724 WORKS AND REPAIRS, AND STOREKEEPER'S

EXTRAORDINARIES.

employed at the Station.

BUILDING AND REPAIR OF BARRACKS, BARRACKMASTERS' EXPENDITURE, &c.-EXTRAORDINARIES.

giueers 1,027 Pay of Clerks of the Works, Overseers Foremen, &c 3,915 Building and Repairs 61,0:10 Barrack Masters' Expenditure 23,590 Allowances to Barrack Masters aud Ser geants, and Miscellaneous Charges 1,606 Total for Extraordinaries 491077 Ordinary as showu in the preceding account 16,901 Total Amount for Barracks.- . 4107,978 BARRACKS.

The expense of the Barracks in each district in Great Britain, Ire- land, and the Colonies, is shown in the following account. The num- ber of Barracks to the districts of Great Britain and Ireland is sdso- given ; that for the Colonies is not stated in the Estimate,-though it would appear that some districts contain more than one. The classes of persons employed, and the various items of which the expenditure is made up, will be seen in the two preceding Tables.

No. of Extmordi- Barracks. Persons. Ordinary. naries. Total.

GREAT BRITAIN.

Alderney

4 1 29 173 202 Chatham District

8

17 1,219 5,964 7,183 Dover District

12 15 1.060 5,006 6.066 Eastern District

5 8 701 1,818 2,519 Guernsey

6 317 1,194 1,511 Jersey

8 4 273 1,438 1,716 London District

16 22 1,937 25,783 27,720 Northern I •I•emporary, 8 1 District I Permanent, 15 1 • " 23 33 2,722 13,667 16,389 Portsmouth District

20 29 2,203 10,111 12,314 Plymouth District

21 27 1,844 7.703 9,547 Sheerness

1 2 174 791 965 Scotland

22 37 2,731 7.267 9,998 Woolwich District

1 12 703 5,388 6,091 Weedon District

5 11 9c3 4,152 5,135

629 622

153 224 '416,901 491,077 4107,973 IRELAND.

49,132 410,943 413,125 Athlone District

22 32 Cork District

20 32 2,100 13,640 15,740 Charlemout District

9 12 920 3,481 4,401 Dublin District

17 27 1,965 17,818 19.783 Duucannon Fort District

6

7

659 2,892 3,551 Londonderry District ..... ....

11 14 935 5,028 5,063 Limerick District.

7

13 _ 1,252 6,465 7,717

92 137 £10,013 £60,267 £10,280

COLONIES.

Antigua Barbadocs Bahamas Bermuda Berbice Quebec Montreal District Canada .{ .. hingston Isle aux Noix Cape of Good Hope Demerara Dominica Gibraltar Grenada Jamaica Ionian Islands Malta Mauritius Newfoundland Halifax Nova New Brunswick Scotia Prince Edward's Island { Annapolis St. Lucia St. Christopher St. Vincent Sierra Leone Tobago Trinidad No. of Persons.

3 4 3 2 3 4 12 10 2 12 7 3 8 2 2 1

7

4 3

7

4 .. - 1

3

2 3 2 .2 3 119 Ordinary.

X 281 412 247 229 284 412 1,055 869

} 1831 983 403 275 677 229 229 46 696 549 262 677 2-4 - 18 274 229 274 247 238 274

Extraor- ffinaries.

X 1,218 2,795 1,067 2,839 2,423

12.333 9,687 11,193 1,834 8,650 2,660 3,377 1,430 3,475 232 2,701 6 78 ,5 2.428 1,601 1,371 620 1,865 2.278 484,655 Total.

X 1,499 3,207 1,314 3,068 2,707

14,852 10,675 11,596 2,109 9,327 2,889 3,606 1,476. 4,161 781 2,963.

7,5 47

2,702 1,830 1,645. 867 2,103 2,552.

£10,521 495.475.

MILITARY.-ORDINARY.

Daily Pay and InereaseofPay after Periods of Service. Clothing.

GUNNERS.

76 Master Gunners at the several Garrisons and Batteries in Great Britain, Guernsey, X and Ireland 4,200 .... .. 1,033 ..

ENGINEERS.

250 Officers of the Corps of Royal Engineers 51,656 .... 1 Inspector-General of Furl cations 912 1 Brigade Major 252 452,568

SAPPE- RS AND MINERS.

3 Officers.

849 Non -commissioned Officers - and Privates. 852 Men in the Corps of Royal

- Sappers and Miners 22,433 .... 2,J, .. 710 386 .. 26,332

423,780 6 Officers.

129 Non commissioned Officers - and Privates.

135 Men of the Royal Staff Corps. For the Instruction of Sappers and Miners, and of Junior Officers in the Corps of Royal Engineers, before they join their stations 2,448 Great Britain.

Superintendence-

Command and Extra Pay of Royal En- Ireland. Colonies. Total.

675 9,589 11,291 5.004 7,279 16,098 32,541 55.550 149,130 20,561 12,237 56,388 1.486

3,092 60,267 84,655 235,999 10,013 10,821 37,735 _ 70,280 95,476 273,734 Allow- ances.

Agency. Total: 5▪ 0 .. 45,298 187 .. 51,843 912 £187 4:52,755 Doily Pay and A RTILLERY. locreusecIruy

after periods of

Allow-

449

Officers. service.

Clothing. users. Agency. Total.

6,164 Non- commissioned Officers and Privates.

6,613 Men in the Royal Regiment

of Artillery (Foot) consist-

X X X X X

lug of 9 Battalions 252,037 .... 15,418 .. 4,332 .. 2,431 .. 274,218 6 Officers.

80 Cadets.

-

85 Men in the Company of Gen-

tlemen Cadets

4,046 46 Officers.

£278,264 570 Non - commissioned Officers

- and Privates.

616 Men in the Royal Horse Ar•

tillery,consisting of? Troops

31,899 .... 1,914 .. 609 .. 272 .. 31,694 2 Officers.

20 Non • commissioned Officers

- and Private.

22 Men in Riding,house Troop 1.173 .... 76 .. 147 .. 15 .. 1.111

£33,072 £1,994

£756 £287

£36,105

- -

Director-General of Artillery and Field Train Department £1,266

Per Day.

1 Director-General 40s.

1 Assistant-Commissary 10s.

1 Clerk of Stores 7s.

1 Conductor of Stores 6s.

1 Ditto 4$.

ORDINARY MEDICAL EsTAIILISIIMENT.

1 Director-General per day £3 0 0 1 Assistant Inspector 1 1 0 13 Regimental Surgeons front 13s. to 1 2 0

" 1 Apothecary 0 18 10 22 Assistant Surgeons from 7s. lid. to 0 10 0 38 - Persons.

MISCELLANE0US ENTRAORDINARIES,

Consisting of Civil and NI Wt. ry Contingencies of various descrip- tions, including Stores, Expenses of Surveys ; anti on Marches, Ad- ditional Allowances to ()Ricers autl Men, Implements, Machines,

Freight and Carriage, Ztaz £9,891 £174,546