The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-07 00:00:00

BILLS OF EXCHANGE BILL.

This bill was alto brought down from the Lords and
read a first time.

THE COURT OP CHANCERY.

Mr. WHITESIDE gave notice that this day fort-
night he should move fora reform in the Court of
Chancery Law.

NEW WRITS.
On the motion of Mr. HAYTER a new writ was or.
dered for the borough of Tiverton in the room of Lord
Palmerston, who since his election has accepted the
office of Prime Minister.
On the motion of Mr. HATTER a new writ was or-
dered for the Southern Division of Wilts, in the room of
the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, who since his election
has accepted. the office of one of her Majesty's principal
Secretaries of State (Rome-office.)

ORDNANCE SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES.

Mr. GLADSTONE proposed that the Speaker do
now leave the chair, in order that the house might go
into committee of supply, for the purpose of giving a
vote on account of the supplementary estimate for the
Ordnance Department, of which his right hon. friend,
the principal Secretary of State, bad duly given notice
yesterday. He might state that the Government were
of opinion that it was the wish of the house
that they should not proceed with any business,
except such as was of absolute necessity for the
public service, until those who had accepted
office or changed office in her Majesty's Government
had had an opportunity of submitting themselves to
their constituents for re-election. So far as the Govern-
ment was concerned, it would not be convenient to-day
to go on with the bills which were already stated on the
votes of the house ; but if the expression of the opinion
in the house should make it -evident that the contrary
was the wish of the house, the Government would be
ready ; but estimating the probable wisleocftleseueeqhonutsley,
tithehadbeen Governmenttho proposedughtnot convenient,tbat
thefirst important busi. and on
mess brought forward should be the Navy Estimates, and
they fixed Friday week for that purpose, more particularly
as his right hon. friend the First Lord of the Admiralty
OD whom it would devolve to propose those estimates,
had been indisposed, and would not be able to be in his
place before that day. With respect to the vote he (Mr.
Gladstone) proposed to take to-Jay, it would only be
necessary for him to remind the houee‘of the restrictions
laid upon the Government by the rules and regulations
of the house, in regard ,to public money. The house
would bear in mind that it was not only necessary that
all money raised for the public service should be raised
by the authority of Parliament—it was not only
necessary that the money should be appro-
priated for the particular service for which it
was asked, but the wisdom of the house had
enforced, as a further restriction, that this money, el.
though legitimately applied, could not be issued without
the authority of the Ways and Means Bill. It had
become necessary for the Government, in consequence of
the expenditure of the Navy and Ordnance departments,
atondp,roinpotshee
first
asuPpPilaTe, t
supplemental
estimate for the present year,
authorise the further expendi-
ture of money for those services, and to issue the money.
He hoped, therefore, that the house would make no
objection, or raise any difficulty in giving the vote he
required ; inasmuch as it was required to meet
the exigencies of the public service, and no doubt the
house would be desirous that no department should be
stopped. (Hear, hear.) The vote would be reported to.
morrow, and in the meanwhile the Government would
examine whether it was possible to meet the necessary
expenditure without troubling the house to meet from
day to day. He hoped it would be distinctly understood
that if he proposed that vete to-day, that it was desirable
no diectaeaie,e eiloulci take pla6e upon the subject of tho
estimates, an opportunity for which would be afforded
to the house when the residue of 'the estimates were
moved on Friday week.
Sir H. WILLO UGHBY had not been aware of
the intention of the Government to ask for
the vote in question until ho saw it upon the
notice paper in his hands. And he should like to
know whether constitutionally it had a right to call
upon the house to vote a large sum of money on ac-
count, when there was no responsible person in office to
answer for its proper and efficient outlay, and moreover
as the notice had come before the house without full
notice. He should also like to know the meaning of
the two supplemental estimates which the Government
proposed. Did they include the army, or were they to
have another estimate for that service ; and further when
they should what were the supplies required for the year
1854-55 ? (Hear, hear.)

Mr. WALPOLE observed that the only object for go-
ing into committee was to take the vote which had already
been passed for the public service, and that being so he
thought there could be no objection to that course. He
'should, however, object to reporting the resolution to-
morrow.

Sir C. WOOD said the resolution would mot
bind any one ; it was only to take a vote on ac-
count, and every item in the estimates could
be fully and fairly discussed when the residue of the vote
was prepared. The resolution of to-day would commit
no one whatever. With regard to what had fallen from
Sir H. Willoughby, he might state that this vote would
require no loam in fresh taxes, as it was simply a vote
On account to meet the demand of the public ser-
vice out of the existing funds in the Treasury. No
public business could be taken until Friday week, when
Government would propose to go on with the Navy
Estimates, which would be laid on the table to-morrow.
Mr. A. STAFFORD said he had received a letter
iss
this morning from Scutari, stating that the difficulties
of that hospital were increasing. The deaths averaged
40 a day, and information bad come down from the
Crimea, directing the authorities of the hospital to be
prepared for the reception of five hundred additional
sick
wounded.
still
most el
He was told
disgraceful,
I also
andt a t
he h
et systemhtere fo
therefore
of
transportand
was e
urged upon the Government the necessity of beitowing
some signal mark of confidence upon Dr. Macgregor;
who had undertaken to reform the transport system.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER pointed
out to the honourable member that there were two
courses open to him, which it would hare been better
for him to have taken rather than make a statement
which the house had just heard. Either he could have
laid his information before the War Department, or he
could have formally called the Government to account
in Parliament for their neglect if they had committed
any error. Neither of these courses had the hon. gen-
tleman taken, but he had preferred to make an ex parte
statement upon his own responsibility, and he could
only state generally that everything had been
and was being done to mitigate the evils at Scutari.
Additional medical assistance was rapidly being sent
out, and he must again express his regret that the hon.
member had not placed his information before the
proper department, instead of disclosing it in his place
in Parliament. He deprecated the appeal which the
hon. member had made on behalf of Dr. Macgregor,
because it assumed the appearance of dictating to the
Governmint. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. A. STANFORD explained that he had come
down expecting 'to find the Secretary at War in his
place, or he, perhaps!, should have taken the course re-
commended by the right hon. gentleman.
Mt. WHITESIDE said the state of things at Scutari
was so horrible that it was preposterous, nay, it was
cruel, to expect members to remain silent upon it, or to
apologise when they ventured to refer to it. He would
not be so mealy-mouthed, and he had no hesitation is
declaring that, after the censure which had been passed
upon the Secretary at War, it Ras the height of impro-
priety to reward him by so shuffling the political cards
as to enable him to step into a higher office. (Hear.)
1 Col. B. KNOX said the CMC was so pressing that it
admitted of no delay. The army in the Crimea was
perishing at the rate of a thousand a week—in fact, it
was now reduced to 11,000 men,' and all this was owing
to the mismanagement of the authorities in the East.
Col. DUNNE said no lecture from the Chancellor of
the Exchequer should deter him from stating the facts
to the house. The army in the Crimea did not number
more than 11,000, of which number not more than