The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-26 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

The House after this went into Committee of
Supply, and was occupied for some time on the Navy
Estimates. On the vote for victualling and clothing
there was along discussion, commenced by Mr. Shaw-
Lefevre, who took exception to certain portions of the
Admiralty Memorandum which he thought unfair to
Lord Northbrook's Board, while expressing general
approval of the future programme of the Ad-
miralty. He was in favour of a Committee of
Designs, and, dealing with the subject of dockyard
administration, he advocated numerous reforms, and
insisted that no system would be efficient which did
not provide for the whcle civil control being placed
under one head.

Captain Colomb adversely criticised the present
Admiralty administration, which, he maintained, re-
quired strengthening by the addition of practical naval
men, and emphasised the necessity of a larger expen-
diture and the improvement of the Intelligence De-
partment.
Mr. Puleston protested against the general decrease
of dockyard wages, while salaries at the Admiralty
were increased.

Lord G. Hamilton, replying to Mr. Shaw-Lefevre,
agreed that divided responsibility was undesirable
whether at the Admiralty or in the dockyards, but
gave an emphatic denial to his contention that
the Memorandum contained inaccuracies or had
been conceived from a partisan point of view. His
policy with regard to the construction of vessels,
he maintained, compared hvourably with that of Lord
Northbrook, upon which he commented at some length,
and argued that everything was being done by the
preient Board to secure efficiency. Referring to
Captain Colomb's complaint as to the want of efficient
organisation at the Admiralty, he was in favour of
giving to each individual lord as much authority as
possible, and remarked that considerable improvement
in the efficiency of the Intelligence Department had
been already effected.
Mr. C. Wilson advocated a more rapid system of
shipbuilding, and objected to the extravagant sums
proposed to be paid for the hire of mercantile vessels.
Colonel Hughes-Hallett asked for further informa.
tion as t 3 the communication of confidential designs
to foreign Governments; and after some remarks from
Sir G. Balfour, Mr. Jennings, who took a gloomy view
of the state of the Navy, spoke in favour of retrench.
ment of Admiralty expenditure.
Admiral Mayne objected to tbe construction of ships
being begun in one yard and finished in another, and
deprecated a parsimonious policy during a period of
trade depression, which, he contended, would lead to
fitful extravagance • and Sir W. Crossman urged the
importance of transferring the defence of the coaling
stations from the War Office to the Admiralty.
Lord 0. Beresford, dealing briefly with the numerous
questions which had been raised during the debate,
bore testimony to the value of an efficient Intelligence
Department, and enlarged upon the advantage which
would be derived from the employment of mercantile
ships in time of war. He also explained that he had
net put his name to the Estimates because they had
not been put before him until the laat moment, when
he had no time to examine them.

Sir ,f. Commerell made some remarks OD naval dis-
cipline and the building and repair of vessels; Mr:
Sutherland, who spoke in an approving tone of the re.
forms whieh have recently been effected at the
Admiralty, dwelt upon the extreme necessity of an
efficient civil control; and Captain Price renewed his
appeal to the Government to grant commissions to
deserving seamen.
Mr. Duff and Mr. Msson made some observations,
after which Lord G. Hamilton appealed to the Com-
mittee to agree to the vote, as it was necersary that a
vote on account of the Civil Service Estimates should
be paned. Mr. Fowler doubted this necessity; bat
Mr. W. H. Smith insisted that it was absolutely neces.
sary that the vote of credit should be included in the
Appropriation Bill, which must be passed before March
31. _ _ _

A prolonged discussion ensued, and in the course of
It the Government offered to withdraw the vote; but
this was not acceded to, and at a quarter past one
o'clock Mr. Labonchere moved that progress be re-
ported. This was opposed by the Government, Rnd on
a division the motion was negatived by 196 to 71.
After further obstructive discussion, another motion
that progress be reported was moved by Dr. Cameron,
but the Chancellor of the Exchequer declined to give
way.

In the HOUSE or LORDS, March 22, the Church
Patronage Bill, and the Pharmacy Bill were considered
as amended, and the Ohurch Sites Compulsory Powers
Repeal Bill was after some discussion rejected.

A 21 HOURS' SITTING IN THE COMMONS.

The sitting of the HOUSE OF Comm°Ns, which com-
menced on Monday, was not brought to a close until
past one o'clock on Tuesday afternoon but before the
adjournment the Government succeeded in attaining
the object which they claimed was indispensable, of
getting the vote on account for the Civil Service Esti-
mAtes passed at that sitting. _ _ _