XXIL 1786. after a short delay moved a resolution, "That it BOOK appeared to the house, that to provide effectually for securing the dock-yards of Portsmouth and Plymouth by a permanent system of fortification was an essential object for the safety of the state, &c. &c." A violent debate arose, in the course of which no member distinguished himself so eminently as Mr. Sheridan, a gentleman who had been for some time gradually rising to a very elevated height of parliamentary reputation; and previous to his introduction into the house of commons the public had long known and admired the brilliant talents of this second Congreve in dramatic literature. Mr. Sheridan stated forcibly the danger to which the constitution would be exposed in consequence of this vast addition to the military power of the crown. "These. strong military holds, maintained by numerous and disciplined garrisons, would afford tenfold the means of curbing and subduing the country as would arise from doubling the present army establishment. Could any one, (he exclaimed) possibly imagine that the system now recommended was to end with Portsmouth and Plymouth, and that the reasonings of the minister would not apply to other parts of the kingdom? No-we were to figure to ourselves the same board of officers, acting under the same instructions, and deliberating with the same DATA, going BOOK a circuit round the coasts of the kingdom. He XXII. 1786. wished to see the estimate for the stationary defence of such places as Chatham, Sheerness, &c. in addition to the two-and-twenty thousand men demanded for Portsmouth and Plymouth. Mr. Sheridan professed, nevertheless, his readiness to abide by the decision of the board of officers, if it could be fairly shewn that, upon a full and unfettered investigation of the subject, they had reported it as their clear and unqualified opinion that the plan proposed by the duke of Richmond was such as it became the wisdom of parliament to adopt. But if the professional abilities of the duke of Richmond were ill-employed in the fabrication of so wild a project, it must be acknowledged they conspicuously appeared in the planning and constructing the report in question. There were certain detached data, like advanced works, to keep the enemy at a distance from the main object in debate. Strong provisions covered the flanks of his assertions. His very queries were in casemates. No impression, therefore, was to be made on this fortress of sophistry by desultory observations; and it was necessary to assail it by regular approaches. Much ingenuity likewise had been shewn in extracting such parts of the report as were deemed most favourable to the proposed system. The minutes which contained the opinion of the naval officers in condemnation of the plan were wholly XXII. 1786. omitted, because they were mixed with matter of BOOK such dangerous import that no chemical process known in the ordnance elaboratory could possibly separate them; while on the contrary every approving opinion, like a light oily fluid, floated at the top, and was capable of being presented to the house pure and untinged by a single particle of the argument and information upon which it was founded." The minister upon this occasion found himself very generally deserted by the country gentlemen or independent interest in the house; and the division was rendered memorable by an exact equality of numbers, both the ayes and the noes amounting to 169. The speaker being of course compelled to give his casting vote, acquired much credit and applause by adding his negative to those who had voted for the rejection of this chimerical, absurd, and extravagant system. It is very remarkable that the minister, notwithstanding this defeat, had the temerity, after an interval of a few weeks, to bring forward the question once more in a new form, by moving, "That an estimate of the expence of such part of the plan of fortification recommended in the late report, as might appear most necessary to be carried into immediate execution, be referred to a committee of supply"--the probable expence of which was estimated at only 400,000l.! This was BOOK received with extreme disapprobation; it was said XXII. to be impossible for parliament to submit to so 1786. open an attack upon their declared sentiments, and they were called upon to resist it in the most peremptory manner. Mr. Pitt, perceiving the sense of the house so manifestly adverse to this attempt, thought proper to withdraw his motion; on which Mr. Fox expressed his earnest hope" that the minister would in future pay more respect to the opinion of the legislature, and not attempt to force an obnoxious measure upon the country." The pertinacity of Mr. Pitt in this business occasioned much speculation: and those who recollected the tenor of his conduct respecting the Westminster return were not backward to throw disgraceful imputations upon his integrity. It was thought by many to be impossible that a man of Mr. Pitt's discernment could be the sincere and cordial advocate of so preposterous a scheme; and it was strongly suspected that the duke of Richmond, in the prosecution of this favorite project, relied upon far other and higher support than that which could be derived from the obscure and ambiguous decision of a board of general officers.* * The fortification projects of the duke of Richmond became, in consequence of this parliamentary investigation of their merits, the theme of the public derision and ridicule; and, according to the observation of that unerring judge of mankind, the duc de la Rochefoucault," ridicule is like a XXII. plan for re the national The grand business of the session, as alluded to BOOK in the speech, was not brought forward till the 1786. month of March, when Mr. Pitt moved for the ap- Mr. Pitt's pointment of a Select Committee, by ballot, to re-deeming port to the house the state of the public revenue debt. and expenditure. The result of their enquiry was in a very high degree pleasing and satisfactory. The amount of the revenue for the current year was estimated by the committee at 15,397,00cl.— the permanent expenditure, including the civil list and the interests payable on the different funds, amounted to 10,554,000l.-the peace establishment, allowing eighteen thousand men for the navy, and the usual complement of seventy regiments for the army, exclusive of life-guards and cavalry, was estimated at 3,924,000l.—in all, 14,478,000l.; of consequence there remained a surplus of more than 900,000l. gangrene, which, when once it fastens upon one part of a cha- With polygon, epaulement, hedge and bank; Oh thou shalt prove, should all thy schemes prevail, |