BARRACKS. Till the middle of the year 1792, when there was a prospect of a war with revolu tionary France, and the British ministry were ap prehensive of disturbance' in this country, bar racks were neither very numerous, nor were they un der the control and management of a separate and peculiar Board. Till that time, they were built un der the authority and directions of the Board of Ord nance, by whom they were supplied with bedding and the necessary utensils. Any extra articles that were requisite were supplied by the secretary at war. In 1792, orders were given by the ministry to build cavalry barracks with the utmost despatch, and the deputy-adjutant-general was directed to superintend the building and fitting them up. In January 1793, be was appointed superintendent-general of bar racks ; and, on the 1st of May that year, the King's warrant was issued for their regulation. Greater powers were given to the superintendant-general in the year 1794; but as these seemed to interfere with the duties and powers of the Board of Ordnance, a new warrant was issued in the year 1795, defining and limiting the respective duties and powers of the Board of Ordnance, and the superintendant-general, or barrack-master-general, as he was now. called. In the year 1796, the barrack-office establishment consisted of a barrack-master-general, with two clerks ; a deputy-barrack-master-general ;, an assist ant-barrack-master-general, with three clerks ; an accountant, with five clerks ; an assistant-barrack . master-general for the general inspection of bar racks, and six other assistant-barrack-masters-gene ral for the particular inspection of barracks in differ ent districts ; five clerks for general business; one assistant-barrack-master-general for the building branch ; one checking clerk, and seven other clerks; two architects and surveyors; one assiatant-barrack master-general in North Britain ; with two. assistants and clerks ; one treasurer ; and three other assistant barrack-masters-general for general duties, and visit ing barracks. The salaries and extra pay of these
officers amounted, in 1796, to L.9524, 178. 2d. The establishment was afterwards considerably increamed, in proportion as the number of barracks throughout the kingdom increased, and by the creation of some new officers, among whom was a law clerk. In 1806, the salaries amounted to L.19,359, 4s. 10d.
. During this year, the commissioners of military in quiry began their duties; andtheir first reports were on the subject of the barrack establishment : In the ar rangement of this establishment, and in the mode in which its duties• were performed, particularly with respect to the supplies of coals, &c. to the different barracks, and the contracts for building them, they pointed out many things that were highly objection able ; and concluded their reports by recommend ing that the offices of barrack-master-general, and de puty-barrack-master-general ,should be totally abolish ed, and that the superintendence of the barrack es. tablislunent should be vested in commissioners. This suggestion, and some others relative to the mode of transacting the business of the department, and pre venting useless and extravagant expenditure, have been followed ; and the barrack establishment is now under the direction of four commissioners, one of The annual expence, during the last war, varied from L. 250,000 to L. 500,000 ; in the year 1814, it was L. 809,826. The peace estimate for 1816 is L.178,500. In Ireland, where barracks are more numerous, the expence, in 1814, was L. 360,515, and the peace estimate for 1816 is L. 218,000.