ate the plan, called for it;
alleging that it did not wholly sanction the measure. On a subsequent
day, Sheridan, in addition to the demand made by Burgoyne, moved "for
a copy of the appointment of the board of naval officers, and of such
parts of their instructions, and of their report, as his majesty's
discretion might deem proper to be made public with perfect consistency
to the safety of the state." In consequence of these demands, Pitt found
himself compelled to produce the papers, and in laying them upon the
table, he introduced the Duke of Richmond's measure in the form of a
general resolution. He moved, that "it appeared to the house, that to
provide for securing the dockyards at Portsmouth and Plymouth, by a
system of fortification, founded on the most economical principles, was
an essential object for the safety of the state; intimately connected
with the general defence of the kingdom; and necessary for enabling the
fleet to act with full vigour and effect for the protection of commerce,
the support of our distant possessions, and the prosecution of offensive
operations in any future war." In his speech Pitt attempted to prove
that the fortification of Portsmouth and Plymouth was a measure of
absolute necessity; that the duke's plan was the best that could be
devised; and that these fortifications would give a greater scope to
the operations of our fleets, and have a direct tendency to diminish the
standing army. The arguments were powerfully controverted by members
in opposition, among the most distinguished of which was Sheridan,
who argued, that the plan was, in itself and its consequences, both
dangerous and unconstitutional, and that the report itself did not
authorise or favour the plan. Sheridan remarked:--"These strongholds
maintained by numerous and disciplined garrisons, will afford tenfold
means of curbing and subduing the country more than would arise from
doubling the present army establishment. Can any one imagine that the
system now recommended will end with Portsmouth and Plymouth? May we not
figure to ourselves the same board of officers, acting under the same
instructions, and deliberating with the same data, while they take a
circuit round the coasts. The reasons which justify this measure in
the present instance, will apply to every port in the kingdom, which is
sufficiently important to require defence. But the whole plan proceeds
on two suppositions extremely improbable; first, that we sha