Beschreibung:

Roll of Foreign Accounts. Examined copy, from the roll of foreign accounts of 48 George III [1807-1808], Examined copy, from the roll of foreign accounts of 48 George III [1807-1808], of William Wyndham Grenville and Constantine John [Phipps] Lord Mulgrave joint paymasters-general of his majesty’s guards, garrisons and land forces and treasurers of Chelsea Hospital, 25 December 1787 to 24 December 1788, ink manuscript on seven joined vellum membranes, inscribed at foot, 'examined by Thomas Lowley, Deputy Clerk of the Pipe, 10 July 1811', 1425 x 29 cm (Quantity: 1) This roll deals, at a largely superficial level, with the financing of troops station in North America, the West Indies, East Indies, the plantations, Gibraltar and Ireland. Some specific sums are included, such as the receipt of £300 18s 2d, the proceeds of the sale by public auction in Quebec of the brig Maria. Charges and receipts amounted to £3,377,122 0s 11 1/2d and payments and allowances to £1,772,059 19s 11d, which after further allowances was reduced to a debt of £423,277 2s 2 3/4d. Perhaps the most interesting element of the roll is the list of deputy-paymasters and their stations and the numerous officials, and the salaries which they received. The office of Paymaster of the Forces was established in 1661, and was responsible for part of the financing of the army; it was abolished in 1836. By the 18th century the office had become a political prize and potentially the most lucrative that a parliamentary career could obtain, bearing a yearly salary of £4000. Appointments to the office were therefore made often not due to merit alone, but also to political affiliation. It was occasionally a cabinet-level post in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and many future prime ministers served as paymaster. William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville (1759-1834), prime minister, was born on 24 October 1759 at Wotton House, Buckinghamshire, the fifth of seven children and the youngest son of George Grenville (1712-1770), prime minister, and Elizabeth Wyndham (1720–1769), daughter of Sir William Wyndham. He held the office of joint paymaster-general of the forces from March 1784 to September 1789. Constantine John Phipps, second Baron Mulgrave in the peerage of Ireland and Baron Mulgrave in the peerage of Great Britain (1744-1792), naval officer and politician, was born in London on 30 May 1744, the eldest son of Constantine Phipps (bap. 1722, d. 1775) and his wife, Lepell (1723-1780), daughter of John, first Lord Hervey. For the original roll of which this a copy, see The National Archives, AO 1/94/129.