, at such a time, the
regulations of our army shall be changed to save, upon the highest
computation, only thirty thousand pounds, is the present question.

On such a question, sir, I cannot observe, without astonishment, any man
deliberating for a single moment. To suspend our opinion in this case,
would be to balance our lives, our liberties, our patrimonies, and our
posterity, against thirty thousand pounds.

The effects of our present method, sir, are well known to ourselves, our
confederates, our enemies, to every man that has heard the name of
Blenheim and Ramillies; the consequences of the establishment, now
contended for, our most experienced commanders own themselves unable to
foresee, and I am far from believing that theoretical disquisitions can
enable any man to make great discoveries in military affairs.

Our own inexperience of the method which is so warmly recommended, is
not the strongest objection to it, though even this ought, in my
opinion, to restrain us from trying it at this hazardous conjuncture.
But since arguments, merely negative, may be thought over-balanced by
the prospect of saving money, I shall lay before the house, what effects
the want of officers has produced, with regard to those nations whose
poverty has laid them under a necessity of parsimonious establishments.

When the Germans were defeated by the French, in the late war, I was at
the Sardinian court, where the battle was, as it may easily be supposed,
the reigning subject of conversation, and where they did not want
opportunities of informing themselves minutely of all the circumstances
which contributed to the event; it was there, sir, universally
determined, that the Germans lost the day merely for want of officers.

It was observed also, sir, that some troops, which were once courted and
feared by all the neighbouring potentates, had lost their reputation in
later times, of which no reason could be alleged, but that they had
lessened the number of their officers; such is the change in the model
of the Walloons, and such is the consequence produced by it.

I am very far, sir, from thinking, that reason is not to be consulted in
military operations, as in other affairs, and have no less satisfaction
than the learned gentleman who spoke last but one, in clear and
demonstrative deductions; but in this question, reason itself informs
me, that regard ought only to be had to experience, and that authority
unsupported by practice