New Light on the Commons Debate of 1763 on the American Army

Abstract

T HE British decision of I763 to maintain large peacetime army in North America has long been point of discussion and controversy among historians of the American Revolution.' Yet little attention has been paid to the debate of March 4, I763, when the Committee of Supply of the House of Commons took into consideration the annual army estimates.2 New information is provided by two hitherto unpublished reports of this debate. Both were made by members of Parliament who were supporters of the ministry of Lord Bute. One was sent to Bute by Charles Jenkinson, his private secretary, who drew an official salary as Treasurer of the Ordnance.4 The other was taken down by Sir Roger Newdigate, an archtypal High Tory country gentleman.5 America was merely one of the topics touched upon in the wide-ranging debate, and only the parts of the two reports relating to America are reproduced here. Although brief, they provide both the official public reason why such an unexpectedly large army was retained in North America and some new information on the attitudes of prominent British politicians. Opening the debate, Secretary at War Welbore Ellis informed the House that France's decision to maintain over twenty thousand men in arms in the West Indies was sufficient reason for Britain to keep a great force in North America. Ellis then attempted to make the decision ac-