The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-22 00:00:00

[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tms DAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at twenty minutes past
12 o'clock, a house not having been formed before.

SUPPLY.
Mr. BRAND brought up the report of the committee o
supply.

In reply to Sir H. -WILLOUGHBY,
Sir U. LEWIS said that the accounts of the militia had
b,_en kept apart from the army estimate, in which they
were not included, but were made up at the War Office.
There could be no objection to give a more detailed report
of those accounts, it required.

The report was then agreed to.
FORTIFICATIONS (PROVISION FOR EX-
PENSES) BILL.
On the motion for the third reading, there was a short
discussion, after which the bill was read a third time ana
passed.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (IRELAND) ACT
AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
COPYHOLD, &e., COMMISSION BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPLEMENTAL (No, 2)
BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
HIGHLAND ROADS AND BItIDGES.
The amendments to this bill were agreed to, and the bill
was ordered for third reading.
WAYS AND MEANS.
A sum of a,569,350 was voted in committee of ways and
means out of consolidated fund for the.pubiic service during
the present year.
MILITIA BALLOTS SUSPENSION BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
The house suspended sitting at one o'clock.
The house resumed at six o'clock, and was
[LEFT SITTING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-YESTERDAY.

SUPPLY.

On the motion for going into committee of supply on the
civil services estimates, clauses 6 and 7,
Mr. A SMITH drew attention to the enormous amount
that was expended in superannuation pensions. From the
return presented to Parliament it appeared that there was
£185,000 applied to this purpose, but in fact the real
amount was £874,000. He contended that a large red dC-
tion might be made in this expenditure by calling into ac-
tive service persons who were qualified for the service, but
who were at present receiving superannuation pensicns.
There were also additions which made the sum £1,262,000.
And when to these were added the charge for non-effec-
tives in the army and navy, it would be found that the total
amounted to L 5,500,000.

Sir H. WILLOUGHBy said that there could ba no
doubt as to the importance of this subject, and he esti-
mated the expenditure at £7,000. He asked the Govern-
ment for information relative to the expenditure in connec-
tion with the China war, and also for specific information
with respect to the state of Indian finance.
Sir G. LEWIS said that the whole system of the
accounts of India bad been made the subject of a new
arrangement this year, but he was unable to state the pre-
cise time when these accounts could be ready for inspection.
Sir F. SMITH called the attention of the Secretary to
the Admiralty to the reply of Rear• Admiral R. S. Robin-
son to question, No. 629, put to him by the commissioners
on the national defences on the 28th day of April; and to
ask him whether any experiments have been made to
ascertain the power of resistance of 51 inches of iron ludo..
by 9 inches of teak to the heav,est guns.
Lord C. PAGET said that experiments such as his hon.
and gallant friend suggested had been made, and he ex-
pected that a report as to the result of their experiments
would shortly be laid on the table. The Admiralty were
nor inattentive to the construction of the iron vessels of war
which was at present going on in France.
BRITISH SUBJECTS IN THE CONFEDERATE