Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-03 00:00:00

ARMY AND ORDNANCE EXPENDITTRE.

Yesterday were issued, in the form of a return to Par-
liament from the Audit-office, two accounts of the re-
ceipts and expenditure for army, commissariat, militia,
and the ordnance services for the year ended 31st March,
1856. The aggregate amount of the ordinary grants for
army, militia, and commissariat services in 1855-56 was
.e 18,789,532 ; the appropriation in aid, viz., the contri-
bution from the revenues of the Australian colonies in aid
of military expenditure was £37,948 8s 11d, making
tngether £18,827,480 8s lld ; and the total expenditure as
shown by the account was £20,350,580 Ile ltd. It appears
that while there was a saving of £951,797 17s 6d upon
thirteen votes of the year, on eight other votes the expen-
diture exceeded the amount voted by .2,484,898 Os 43 and
deducting £882,493 10 f fit], the saving on embodied militia,
which was not applied to cover the deficiency of other
votes, the nett deficiency of the yew was £2,405,5992s 61
This deficiency was provided for by the transfer of a like
sum ►rom the special vote of £3,1.100,000 granted by par-
liament, to meet any additional expenses arising out of the
Russian war, leaving the £882,498 194 6d unexpended on
the embodied militia to be surrendered to the Exchequer.
The seeond account shows that the amount voted for the
ordnance services was £9,990.165, whereas the expenditure
amounted to £11.993,784 3s 41 leaving, a deficiency of
4e2,003,619 3s 46. The sum'of £2,019,037 123 Id was ex-
pended in eight votes beyond the amounts voted by
Parliament ; but upon two votes, namely, scientific
branch and non-effective services, there was a saving of
£15,418 8s 9d, which reduced the actual deficiency
to £2,003,619 3s 46. This deficiency was made up
by a transfer of a like sum from the L 3,000,060
voted for the additional expenses of the Russian war,
In reference to the above two accounts a cor.
respondence is appended to the first between the
Treasury, the Audit-office, and the War Department
as to the delay which had occurred in furnishing them.
The War-office excused the delay on the ground that the
Russian war had rendered it more than usually laborious
and difficult to make up its returns from its various
department, and while accepting this excuse the lords of
the treasury express a hope that "Lord Paneoure will
take the necessary steps for expediting the completion of
the accounts, so that they may be presented in future
years on the Ist of March, or earlier, if possible.

THE SPCAXERSHIP IN THE NEXT CONGRESS.—The Wash-
ington correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer, in a
letter dated Aug. 11, after speaking of the result of the
recent congressional elections in giving the democrats a
majority in the next House of Representatives, says that it
isnot improbable that differences will arise in the democratic
ranks which will prevent an immediate organization of the
House, and adds :—The election in Tennessee will probably
decide the whole matter. &cold Mr. Etheridge be
re-elected, there would he no difficulty in uniting the
republicans and Americans upon him for the Speakershp,
and it is by no means certain that he could not be elected ;
but I doubt if be is exactly the man for that post. He
has ability enough, but is eccentric, and what would
ordinarily be termed "jolly." Incited, we need not
exo'et to find in either party anything like the cmnterpart
of the last Speaker ; and, if I am riot very much mistaken,
before the session c.loseg Sll parties will unite in regretting
the absence of the Nate iroo m- 1" from the chair hr
so graced and dignified. 31r. Banks was unquestionably,
in all respects, the best Stvaker who ev nr presided over
the House of Representatives;
.
and lir; 13 sari; a g-eaf
deal, for some of our mast emiLNIV, Priell were amo,g his
predecessors.