able to his wife, who was hailed with ardour by those of his countrymen, who knew how to appreciate British talents and virtues; England must still regret, that so fair a flower of her own growth is transplanted to a soil which is filled by her enemies.

SIR CHARLES MORICE POLE, BART.

ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE; AND CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE FOR INQUIRING INTO THE ABUSES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, AND OTHER BRANCHES OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

THE 'immensity of our national debt has long been a fruitful source of declamation, and at times. engendered doubts, and even despair. At first, like most other evils, it assumed an aspect which appa rently afforded but little cause for future dread, and foreboded few or none of those dangers that have since been prognosticated. The continental wars that arose out of the establishment of William III. on the English throne, introduced, and indeed seemed to justify, the adoption of the funding system; a new project in finance borrowed immediately from Holland, but originating in Italy. By means of this our progenitors were enabled to draw a bill of exchange upon posterity, which their descendants have duly honoured; and it must be allowed, that the influx of wealth, from a peaceful commerce, has hitherto enabled the nation to bear up against the pressure of accumulating taxes, and in some measure rendered

004

rendered the resources of England equal to all her exigencies.

But at times the increase of fiscal regulations has been so sudden and so enormous, as to overleap the bounds of sober calculation, and in a certain degree embarrass, if not to defeat, the plans of those who have presided in succession at the Exchequer Board. Itisa melancholy consideration, also, that the continual jealousy and rivalship of two neighbouring nations should have produced such mighty evils to both; although it be some consolation, that while the people of France, groaning under the despotism formerly of aking, and now of an emperor, have become impoverished by the struggle, we have experienced a far less degree of hardship. and risen superior to all our misfortunes, by means of that energy which springs out of an happy union of commerce and liberty.

In former times, a campaign either by sea or land was decided by a battle, often incomplete in itself, and for which both partics not unfrequently returned thanks to Heaven. An engagement in Germany, a fight off Cape la Hogue, and the capture of two or three colonies appertaining to the enemy, were the chief, and indeed the only events of a war. Fif teen or twenty millions were then funded, a few trifling taxes were imposed, and half a score of agents and contractors acquired splendid fortunes. In the mean time a salutary dread of future accumulation was deeply impressed on the minds of our ministers; and one of our ablest* historians actually prophesied, that

* Hume.

the

the national debt could never exceed the sum of one hundred millions. He himself, however, lived long enough to be able to falsi y his own prediction; and we find him at length coming boldly forward, and frankly confessing, "that public credit was a plant of a hardier kind than he had imagined."

The contest with America formed a new epoch in the history of finance, and proved a most fruitful source of debt and abuse. The war soon proved unpopular, and the minister was at length abhorred. To obtain support, and multiply adherents, it became necessary to gratify them an enormous expenditure readily afforded the means. Nothing was more easy, at that period, than to purchase the services of numbers by means of a profitable loan, or to enrich a favoured individual all at once through the medium of an advantageous contract. Under the covert of this species of protection, almost every engagement with the public degenerated into a job; inquiry in such circumstances became difficult, and detection was almost impossible.

Towards the conclusion of hostilities, the prime minister of the present day, with all the energy of youth, and all the severity of conscious virtue, stood forward as an advocate for reform, and declaimed, in the name of the nation, against a variety of gross abuses. During the late war, when the expenditure

The sum charged for altering the house of the first Lord of the Treasury, in Downing-street, now inhabited by Mr. Pitt himself, was enormous; and that gentleman animadverted with no small degree of severity, on an extraordinary item, in a bill of one

of

frequently exceeded one million a week, new means, and new facilities of course, presented themselves in every department, to such as were inclined to profit by the opportunity. A distinguished lawyer of the present day, who holds one of the highest juridical employments in this country, while alluding to the frauds practised against the state, expressed a doubt whether it could survive, unless "it were possible for it to renovate under the beaks of vultures;" while a gentleman, who lately acted as a commissioner at one of our great boards, maintained openly in parliament, that such were the peculations practised in the navy, "that out of every three guineas expended in that department, one was lost to the public by peculation !"

*

It appears evident, then, that a strict and rigorous investigation into abuses of every kind, has become eminently necessary. It is scarcely possible to conceive, that a debt of so many hundred millions could have possibly accrued without fraud, and without criminality. Recent circumstances have indeed proved that this is not a conjectural charge; for doubts have been at length clothed with the garb of authority, and suspicions so far realised as to have become the subject of accusation.

To detect public delinquents, to expose their guilt, to make them refund their ill gotten wealth,

of the public offices: it respected the article of whipcord, the expenditure for which might have furnished a ship of the line with a cable!

* Admiral Markham.

and

and to prevent the repetition of similar peculation, was a task reserved for a late administration, and in this point of view, the subject of these memoirs is entitled to no common share of praise.

Sir Charles Morice Pole is a native of Devonshire. The Poles of Wolverton in Hampshire, his paternal ancestors, came originally from the Continent. They formerly resided at Nimeguen, in the province of Guelderland; and repaired, like a number of other respectable families, to this country, soon after that auspicious revolution which seated a stadtholder of Holland on the throne of England. The family name was afterwards changed in consequence of a marriage with Miss Pole, a Lancashire heiress; and that of Morice was conferred, and has since been continued, in memory of an alliance with the daughter of Sir William Morice, Knight, who for some time enjoyed the office of secretary of state during a former reign.

Charles Morice was born at the house of his father, Reginald Pole, Esq. of Stoke Damarell, January 18, 1757; his mother was a Miss Buller, of an opulent Cornish family, which possesses considerable estates, and no small degree of political influence in the duchy, as well as the adjoining county of Devon.

As there were feveral children, it was determined to breed Charles to the sea, and the better to qualify him for that pro ession he was sent to the Royal Academy at Portsmouth. This is a most excellent institution; by means of which young men have not only the operations of a great naval arsenal constantly,