Duties.] ON F E E S , G R A T U I T I E S , & c. that a confiderable annual Saving might be effe& ed, by allotting one CounSel only to each Board, and discontinuing the practice of employ- nig the Attorney General, unlefs on extraordinary occafions, in like manner as before the order made in 1803, and as the Solicitor General is. now employed. One Counfel appears to be fully adequate to the ordi- nary Law bufinefs of either Department, affifted in the Law and Equity Courts, and that of Appeals, as has been uniformly the pra& ice, by • fome of the Crown Lawyers. This arrangement, neceffarily reful ting, it would Seem, from the meafure already carried into execution, of fepa- rating- the two Departments, would not, we think, occafion any incon- venience to the Public, as in cafe of the abfence of either Counfel from Dublin, which need rarely happen, the remaining Counfel or fome one of the Crown Lawyers might be confulted and employed, whenever legal advice or affiftance was required. The annual laving that might be thus effected, eftimated 011 an average of the amount of Fees paid for ' Law bufinefs to the Board's CounSel and the Attorney General, in the five years ending 5th January 1808, would be as follows ; viz. One half of the Fees paid to the Board's Counfel, in confequence of one Counfel only beingemployed by each Board - JT. 2,418 Pees paid, to the Attorney General, exceeding in amount . thofe paid to the Solicitor General - - 1,376 Total faving; - £- 3> 7 94 But as the Fees allowed for tranfadting Law bufinefs out of Dublin, are • only paid to the Counfel who is actually fo employed, the fame expence will be incurred, whether the Eftablifhment confift of one or two Counfel; in proportion therefore to the payments made on that account, • contained in t- he above fum of 2,418. ( the amount of which we can- not afcertain, but conceive it to be inconfiderable) a dedudtion muft be made from this part of the calculated faving. Should this arrangement • be - adopted, the emoluments of both Counfel would it is evident be diminifhed, but not we conceive, fo as to occafion any injury to the Public from the want of men of capacity, intelligence and information, - defirous of filling fuch appointments. This will appear when we ftate, . that 011 the avei'age above- mentioned, the Fees paid to one Counfel for •* ranfacting the ordinary Law bufinefs of the Cuftom Department, ^ amounted to £- 944- per annum, and for tranfadting that of the Excife \ to £. 1,473. addition to which each would have his Salary, and the • emoluments arifing from the preparation of Parliamentary Bills. This part of the eftimated faving might alio, we think, be effedted without . impofing any charge on the Public, in order to compenlate thefe Officers for the lofs of emoluments they would thus fuftain, as they cannot be confidered to have any permanent intereft in appointments, from which : they are liable to be removed upon each change of administration. But ; whether the emoluments of the office of Attorney General, are adequate - to Support the rank attached to that fituation, we have not the means . of deciding ; if, however, the order of 1803, was made in conSequence of their being conudered inefficient, the mode adopted of augmenting ' them appears highly objedionable, as it not only afforded a pernicious c. 52. Gg example I l 5 Appendix, N°> 64. & 65. Ibid. 1