Page:Rose 1810 Observations respecting the public expenditure and the influence of the Crown.djvu/35

 rate etimate to put it at 3l. per cent.; and as 274,0005000l. has been borrowed ince 1793, for the ervice of Great Britain only excluive of navy and exchequer bills funded, the aving to the public in eventeen years may be computed at 8,220,000l. equal to 483,000l a year.

The immediate aving by Mr. Pitt's meaure of directing the purchaes of proviions, and of tores of various forts, to be made by the Commioners of Victuailing, which had under former governnments been a ource from whence his predeceors had derived great as well as unoberved influence, comes next under our conideration.

The practice had been for the Treaury to give beneficial contracts to perons elected from favor for purchaing all articles of thoe decriptions, and for remitting money to foreign tations; from whence the individuals derived large profits, and the public utained coniderable los. Mr. Pitt therefore, at the very commencement of the lat war, put an end to that ytem entirely, and directed that all proviions for the army hould be procured by the Commiioners of the Victualling; and on the eta-