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 those who shall hereafter offer themselves.  Nor, in my opinion, ought those who have hitherto been pressed into our fleets to be discouraged from their duty by an exclusion from the same advantage.  For if they were compelled to serve in the fleet, they were compelled when there was not this encouragement for volunteers, which, perhaps, they would have accepted if it had been then proposed, Every man, at least, will allege, that he would have accepted it, and complain he suffers only by the fault of the government; a government which he will not be very zealous to defend, while he is considered with less regard than others, from whom no greater services are expected.

A prospect of new rewards, sir, will add new alacrity to all the forces, and an equal distribution of favour will secure an unshaken and inviolable fidelity.  Nothing but union can produce success, and nothing can secure union but impartiality and justice.