the reward now proposed is intended to excite men to enter the
service without compulsion; and if this expedient be not approved,
another ought to be suggested: for I hope gentlemen are united in their
endeavours to find out some method of security to the publick, and do
not obstruct the proceedings of the committee, that when the fleets lie
inactive and useless, they may have an opportunity to reproach the
ministry.

Admiral NORRIS spoke next, in substance:--Sir, though it is not
necessary to enter into an accurate examination of the gentleman's
proposal, yet I cannot but observe, that by making it, he discovers
himself unacquainted with the disposition of seamen, among whom nothing
raises so much discontent as the suspicion of partiality. Should one
man, in the same rank, receive larger wages than another, he who thought
himself injured, as he who is paid less will always think, would be so
far from exerting his abilities to attain an equality with his
associate, that he would probably never be prevailed on to lay his hand
upon the tackling, but would sit sullen, or work perversely, though the
ship were labouring in a storm, or sinking in a battle.

Mr. GORE then spoke as follows:--Sir, the danger of introducing
distinctions among men in the same rank, where every man that imagines
his merit neglected, may have an opportunity of resenting the injury,
is, doubtless, such as no prudent commander will venture to incur.

Every man, in this case, becomes the judge of his own merit; and as he
will always discover some reason for the preference of another very
different from superiority of desert, he will, by consequence, be either
enraged or dispirited, will either resolve to desert his commander, or
betray him to the enemies, or not oppose them.

I remember, sir, though imperfectly, a story which I heard in my
travels, of an army in which some troops received a penny a day less
than the rest; a parsimony which cost dear in the day of battle; for the
disgusted troops laid down their arms before the enemy, and suffered
their general to be cut in pieces.

General WADE then spoke to this effect:--Sir, I cannot but concur with
the honourable gentleman in his opinion, that those who are already
engaged in the service, who have borne the fatigues of a long voyage,
and perhaps are, at this hour, exposing their lives in battle to defend
the rights of their country, ought to have the same claim to the reward
proposed, with tho