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eſtabliſhment of the Tranſport Board, that ſtores of all other kinds ſhould be provided by them. The economical advantage of this arrangement was felt not only in the ſaving of the profit which the contracters who purchaſed for the public derived from the tranſactions; but a miſchievous competition in the proviſion market was avoided between the Commiſſioners for Victualling who bought for the navy, and the agents of the Contractors who bought for the army. In this inſtance again, it Would be difficult to fix a preciſe ſum as the ſaving to the public; but as We know" that the amount of the ſums paid for army proviſions, &c. by the Commiſſioners of Victualling from 1794 to 1808 was 8,477,000l., we may Venture to conjecture that the contractors would not have derived a leſs proiit than 5l; per cent; on that, tinder the old ſyſtem, equal annually to £28,250; it would probably have been much more. It was not however under the Treaſury only that beneficial Contracts were held; it will be ſeen in the courſe of theſe obſervatibns that members of the Houſe of Commons had contracts alſo with the Navy and Ordnance Boards; one gentleman, a merchant reſident in London, had a contract "for caſting ſuch iron ordnance as ſhould be wanted." Nothing
