The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-31 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Sir DE L. EVANS slid, as the house was about to
adjourn for a fortnight, he could not let Parliament
break up without urging upon the Government the ne-
cessity of doing everrthine in their power to
reinforce the army, partOularly byincreasing the bounty
tile artly were by some such means
raised to a proper standard the war might possibly be
brought to a speedy termination. (Hear, hear.) He saw
by the public prints tha,c,a large steam fleet was about
:a be sent out to the Baltic. Now, if Government would
reduce the number of steamers by supplying their place
with gun-boats drawing small draught of water, the
steamers could be despatched to the Black Sea, where
they were much wanted. (Cheers.) His experience of war
led him to believe that thebest mode of operating against
an enemy was byconcentrating our forces upon one point
rather than by distributing our forces and making
attacks in various localities. He hoped efforts would
be made to bring all our power to bear upon the enemy's
position in the Euxine. (Hear, hear.) While he was
on his legs he might take tha opportunity of adverting
to the debate last night relative to Odessa. It would
have required 200,000 men to do what the hon, member
for Berwick seemed to think ought to have been done
last year—viz.; to occupy Cdessa ; and that circum-
stance probably would explain why such a step was not
taken. It was a mistake to suppose that the posses-
sion .of Odessa had facilitated the operations
of Russia in throwing troops into Sebastopol,
as their forces were brought from an entirely different
direction. However, no time sLoulrl be lost in reinforcing
the army in the Crimea to the fullest possible extent,
while every available steam-ship and gun-boat should be
sent out to the Black Sea to co-operate with the army
against the enemy, and he sincerely hoped this sugges-
tion would not be lost sight of by the Government dur-
ing the recess. (Cheers.)
The subject then dropped.
THE VOTES OF SUPPLY.

Mr. WILLIAMS begged to call the attention of the Go-
vernment to the great inconvenience that had arisen from
the Secretary of the Treasury bringing forward votes of
supply amounting to 2,750,0001. at half-past twelve o'clock,
without proper notice. The grievance was net felt by him
alone, there being other gentlemen who did not expect
that a motion of so much importance would be brought on
at that late hour.

Lord SEYMOUR agreed with the hon. gentleman so
far that he thought it was roost desirable that they should
have the opportunity of discussing these estimates, and
when they were brought on at a late hour they could not
hare an opportunity of considering the form in which they
were arranged, and of discussing them. It was little use
to have items brought forward unless they were in a form
which would enable them to discuss them under their se-
veral heads, and, when necessary, to ask for explanations
concerning them. But when it was said that the Govern-
ment wore in fault, he must take their part, and say that
they had no alternative in this ease. On every night for
bringing forward the estimates so many motions were
made before going into committee, that it was impossible
to get into committee of supply at a reasonable hour to
discuss these questions. It was most desirable that hon.
gentlemen should bring forward general questions on no-
tice of motion, and that when supply came on they should
merely bring forward those motions that had relation to
supply, and were properly applicable to the votes to be
brought forward. (Hear, hear.)
Sir HENRY WILLOUGHBY ibserved that in the case
to which reference had been made the Government had de-
liberately put on the paper two motions before going into
supply, one relating to the Sardinian loan, and the other to
the newspaper stamp. Having called attention to an in-
crease in the inland revenue estimate of 200,0001., he
was informed that it arose from poundage ; but he found
on inquiry that 112,0001. only of it was for poundage,
36,0001. for salaries of officers, 25,0001. for buildings,
15,0001. for offices, and 12,0001. for miscellaneous expense.
Mr. WILSON was glad of the opportunity of explaining
the course that had been pursued by the Government, and
also of complaining of the coursethat had been adopted to-
wards them. Those estimates hoc been on the table for three
weeks, on everynight there was notice of supply, and, more
than that, there was the usual notice of moving particular
estimates. On Friday last he thought to get those estimates
on, but on that night first of all tlnre was a motion on the
question of the adjournment of tin house, which occupied
nearly two hours. Then there was a motion on going into
committee of supply, which occupied the house until twelve
o'clock, and it was obviously inconsistent with the conve-
nience of the house that they should bring on the votes
after that hour. The next night was Monday ; on Monday
also, there was notice of supply, and likewise notice that
those estimates would be taken OA that night ; but the dis-
cussion on the newspaper stamp occupied the house until
nearly twelve o'clock. It was, however, absolutely neces-
sary that the votes should be brought on on Monday night,
though of course it was quite cimpetent for any gentle-
man to get up and object to the proposition for going into
supply on that occasion. If such an objection had been
made, it would be his (Mr. Wilson's) duty to explain that
it was absolutely necessary for thi public service that they
should go into committee, because if they had postponed
the committee to the period he was addressing them,
they could not report until, after Easter, and, conse-
quently, the salaries could not be paid until after the
recess. It was quite true there was no use in having
those estimates if they were not discussed ; it was the inte-
rest of tho Government that they should be discussed, and
they had courted discussion by vo:unteering those esti-
mates. The notices of motion on goi3g into supply had the
effect of enabling private members to discuss some private
measures of their own, and deprive the whole of the house
of the opportunity of discussing these items, though the
discussion of them formed a most iciportant duty of the
House of Commons. Instead of there being ground of
complaint against the Government, le (Mr. Wilson) com-
plained that hon. members supersede) the business of Go-
vernment by bringing forward their notions on going into
supply. In reply to the observation of the hon. baronet,
he begged to state that, in explainingthe increase referred
to by the hon. baronet, he had said it principally arose
from the increase of poundage, an( undoubtedly it did
principally arise from increased poundage. The hon. bait.
knew that the collectors of the assessed taxes and of the
income tax were paid by poundage, aid just in proportion