The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-04 00:00:00

requesting that the practice should be immediately discon-
tinued, and this they had promised should be done.
THE DEVONPORT ELECTION.
Mr. FERRAND once more called attention to the inter-
ference by Sir Baldwin Walker, whilst Comptroller of the
Navy, and Admiral Robinson, when commander of the
Devonport steam reserve, in the election fur the borough in
the year 1859. The hon. gentleman declared that being a
candidate for the representation of Devonport at that time,
he had been defeated solely throngh the scandalous and dis-
graceful conduct of Sir Baldwin Walker, who had issued a
placard against him, and had used all his influence in the
dockyard to prevent his return. He also complained that
Admiral Robinson had appeared in the uniform of his rank
at the Town Hall on the occasion, and taken an active part
in support of Sir A. Buller, the Whig candidate, by waving
his handkerchief and leading off the cheers. The hon.
member further commented in severe terms upon the treat-
ment which had been experienced by the. late Mr. Augustus
Stafford, when Secretary to the Admiralty under Lord
SomersetDethy' s
andfirst
Sir
Baldwindmeati lvoned,
kaner with havingdhargedthedDonne that
Duke of

which Mr. Stafford had been censured for doing. In the

one case, however, Sir Benjamin Hall, who had brought
the charges against that gentleman, had gone up to the
House of Lords, Sir Baldwin Walker had received a dis-
tinguished command on a foreign station, whilst poor
Augustus Stafford had gone down to the grave a broken•
hearted man.

Sir J. D. HAY said he had received the personal assur-
ance of Admiral Robinson, both orally and in writing, that
there was not one word of truth in the statement that he
was present in full uniform at the election or had taken a
leading part in the proceedings. With regard to the Duke
of Somerset, whatever might have been his conduct at Tot-
nes and elsewhere, he believed that the noble duke had, at
all events, not been actuated ley political motives in his
administration of the navy.
Lord C. PAGET defended the character of Sir Baldwin
Walker from the imputations cast upon it by Mr. Ferrand,
and stated, as the best proof that the gallant admiral was
not influenced by political motives, that under his comp-
trollership dockyard promotions went on in the usual way,
regardless of the manner in which the workmen who were
electors had given their votes. in loud and indignant tones
the noble lord then denounced Mr. Ferrand's unfounded
and slanderous attacks attacks upon Sir Baldwin Walker,
whose word, he exclaimed, he would rather take than the
oath of the hon. member.

Loud cries of " Take down the words," here assailed the
noble lord, and a scene of great agitation ensued, in the
midst of which

Mr. FERRAND moved that the words be taken down,
Lord C. PAGET apologetically observed, that if he had
uttered anything that was unparliamentary, it was only in
defence of one of the most gallant officers in the public
service.
Sir J. PAKINGTON hoped the noble lord would retract
the expression he had used.
Lord C. PAGET was quite ready to do so ; but he would
adopt the strongest language that the usuage of the house
allowed, in order to express his abhorrence of such a gra-
tuitous attack upon an honourable and a gallant man when
absent on a distant service. With regard to Admiral Ro-
binson, it appeared that he had attended the election at
Devonport merely as a spectator, and the whole statement
of the hon. member was incorrect.
Sir J. PAKINGTON observed that it was only duo to
Sir B. Walker to say that over and over again he had
given him the most distinct assurances, as a gentleman and
a man of honour, that he was in no way influenced by poli-
tical motives in anything he had done as Comptroller of the
Navy. As to Admiral Robinson, the question was if he had
appeared on the scene of a contested election at Devonport
in his uniform as captain of the steam reserve at that port;
and the noble lord said that he went there as a spectator
only. He knew the high character of Admiral Robinson,
and was ready to do full justice to it; but he must say he
thought the gallant officer would have acted with sounder
discretion had he abstained from presenting himself in
public on such an occasion.
The discussion was continued by Sir A, Buller and Lord
J. Manners, and brought to a close by Mr. Bernal Osborne
in a display of "fireworks," whichexcited roars of laughter.
Tho motion of Mr. FEREAND was then withdrawn.
Sir H. VERNE Y urged the expediency of carrying into
effect the recommendations contained in the report of the
committee on the proper means for the instruction and em-
ployment of soldiers and their children in trades, and of the
Under Secretary of State in a letter to the quartermaster-
general of May, 1862, relating to the same subject.
The house having gone into committee of supply,
THE ARMY ES I'IMA.TES.
The Marquis of HARTINGTON, in introducing the
army estimates, said that in a few days he should have to
lay on the table a supplemental army estimate for the
year 1863-4. The amount of this would be about
£400,000. But £198,000 of that sum was not an addi-
tional charge—merely a matter of account with the
Indian Government. The remainder of the supplemental
vote was due almost entirely to the war in New Zea-
land. The estimates which he was now introlucing to the
committee amounted to £14,844,888, against an estimate
for 1863.4 of £15,060,237 ; or a reduction of £215,349.
Compared with the estimate for 1862-3, which
amounted to £15,672,730, there was a decrease of £827,849.
In 1861-2 the war ,expenditure reached its highest level,
being £15,883,160. Since then there had been a reduction
of £1,038,112 on the nominal expenditure. The comparison
was still more favourable if they deducted, as they ought to
do, the sums which had to be repaid into the exchequer,
and which now appeared in the army accounts, although
they did not in 1861-2. Allowing for these sums, the net
estimated expenditure for the present year was only
£13,520,000, showing a reduction of 12,362,714 as compared
with 1861-2. From some obs-rvations made by the hon.
member for Inverness (Mr, Baillie) in the early part of the
debate, it seemed that the Government might this year be
thought to have gone too fat in the way of reduction of ex-
penditure. The estimates were, however, based on the ex-
pectation that the country would remain at peace. If hon.
gentlemen opposite entertained a contrary expectation, they
should say so at once, and condemn the policy of the Go-
vernment, which was a peace policy, and not the estimates,
which were based on that policy. Although the estimates
had been materially reduced of late years, the present ex-
penses of the army were still much greater than they were
before the Crimean war. In fact, the increase was some-
thing like 42 millions. The additional expense had no doubt
been caused by the improvements which had been intro-
duced into our military organisation. He did not believe
that the country had grudged the cost; but, on the other
hand, he did not think that it was expected that our mili-
tary expenditure should range permanently at the high
amount which it had reached during the last few years. It
was time now that the country should reap some benefit for
the large expenditure which it had been incurring for so
years ; therefore, he thought he might claim the support of
the committee for the reductions he now proposed. Although
the comparison had been made in several shapes, it might
be not uninteresting to the committee to hear in what man-
ner the excess of this year's estimates over those of 1853-4
had been expended. The sum to be accounted for
was £1,784,000. The sum first to be deducted from that
was repayment to the Indian Government, £070,000, which
made no difference on either side of the accouut. That re-
duced the aura to £3,514,000. In comparison with 1853-4
we had nearly doubled our expenditure upon the militia
force, while our expenditure upon the volunteer force was
entirely new. These sums together amounted to £650,000.
That reduced the sum he had to account for to £3,164,000.
In accounting for that sum he first took £1,000,000 as in-
creased expenditure over 1853. in the article of warlike stores.
A comparison of the estimates would show that that was as
nearly as possible the state of the case. The expenditure
was in consequence of the improved arms which had been
introduced in every branch of the service. Since that time
the Enfield rifle had been placed in the hands of the whole
army, and the expense of keeping the army supplied with
that arm was much higher than it had been with the old
musket. The introduction of arms of precision had also led
to an immensely increased expenditure of ammunition for
practice by regulars, militia, and volunteers, amounting in
all to 400,000 men. Since that time also the artillery had
been armed with the Armstrong gun. That also involved
an immensely increased expenditure of practice ammunition
of a much more expensive kind. Added to that was the fact
that the numerical strength of the army had been largely
increased, so that the expense for the increase in warlike
stores was not to be wondered at. The next item which he
had to deduct was one peculiar to this year, namely, the
sum of £500,000 which New Zealand had cost more than in
1853.4. That left the sum he had toaccount for at£1,554,000.
The remainder was to be accounted for partly by the addi-
tion already mentioned to the numerical strength of the
army of 25,000 to 30,000 men. Exclusieeof Indian depots,
17,000 men and 4,000 more horses were borne on the estab-
lishment of the army than in 1853-4. The pay of those men
and the forage horses would amount to £600,000,
leaving a
thisyear ot £964,000 as compared with
Enin m
excess for
e theess
1853-4. 'Without wearying the committee with too many
details, Le might mention the hems on which that sum had
g
e for the employment
to be expended. First, there were improved rates of good
conduct ay an badges; next a char
of native troops in China,
the expenses of depot battalions,
£75,000; experimental services, £76 000 ;additional quality
and number of articles of clothing supplied. £124,000;
Perhaps he might hero men-
tion that the expenditure represented a real and very awe-
commissariat, £124,000 more..
he cost of
stantial benefit to the soldiers, because in 1853.4 t
his rations was defrayed by a stoppage from his pay made
to cover the cost of the rations. Now the stoppage was uni-
form all over the world, and fixed at did. They had also
established a commissariat corps, which performed the
duties heretofore left to contractors, by which meat of im
proved quality was supplied to the troops at a cheaper rate.
There was also an item of £150,000 increase in rations, fuel
and light. There was an increase for the lodgings of offi-
cers, and allowances to married soldiers, of £70,000. The
next item of increase was in the medical department of the
army, £150,000, and an increase in the educational and re-
ligious vote of £125,000. He was sorry to say also that in
the military prison discipline vote of £25,000. There was
also an increase in the new item for schools of gunnery
musketry instruction amounting to £70,000. These items
together accounted fur the increase in this year's estimates
over those of 1853.4. Hon. members would see that every
item had gone in the direction of improved efficiency of the
troops by better armaments, instruction, and drill, or in