The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-27 00:00:00

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[PRIDE SD.

THE COMMISSARIAT ESTIMATE.

The aggregate of the eleven votes to be proposed for
the service of the current year is 644,5731., showing a
net increase of 87,447/ over 557,1261., the amount which
was last year granted. The first seven votes are for

the effective service, and the total cf these is 600,2711.,
which exceeds the sum voted for 1853-4 by 88,3841. ;
while, on the other hand, the four votes for the non-
effective !service amount to 44,3021., and fall below the
estimates of last year by 9371. It may be worth while
to remind those who are inclined to lay too much stress
upon the distinction between these two classes of votes,
that although, for various reasons, it is convenient to take
them separately, yet it would be most absurd to forget
the intimate connection which exists between them. The
pay of a soldier is the annuity which he receives when in
actual service, while his pension and the grants which
may be made to his wido w or children are the supplements
which enable us to keep the pay at its present moderate
amount ; and if at any time it were to be found that
a small increase of pension, certain or contingent, would
enable us to make a great reduction in the rate of
pay, economy might be greatly promoted by an actual
and even a considerable addition to the non-effective
votes. Superannuations and compassionate allowances
admit of the same defence, for, in the strictest sense of
the term, all these items conduce to the effectiveness of
the service, and it is a mere question of arithmetic whe-
ther a present annuity of given amount, or a deferred
annuity of some other amount, is, in a particular case,
the heavier charge upon the national finances. Inde-
pendently of arithmetic, the preferences of those for whose
benefit the pay and pensions are granted will be duly
consulted by those who feel that efficiency is the first
object, and economy only the second ; but regard to the
considerations which have been mentioned will perhaps
check the murmers of those who look upon every vote
for the non-effective services as so much money abso-
lutely thrown away. With this caution, the technical
distinction may conveniently be adopted, and we will
proceed to notice the votes in detail.
I. PAY OF OFFICERS AND CLERKS IN HER MAJESTY'S
FOREIGN GARRISONS AND POSSESSIONS.—The amount
proposed is 42,6881., and the decrease on last year's esti-
mate is 3,9001. Expenses are reduced in Canada, Van
Diemen's Land, the West Indies, and the Cape of Good
Hope district ; while for Malta there is an augmentation
of 1,0001. on last year's vote, which was 1,4741. The dimi-
nution of expense at the important stations which have
been mentioned shows that active steps are being taken
to lighten the burden which the maintenance of troops
in our foreign and colonial possessions has hitherto
entailed upon the country, while the augmentation of
expense at Malta is of course, under present circum-
stances, unavoidable. The total number of stations pro-
vided for by this vote is 23 ; and for "expenses in
effecting reliefs" among them, the charge is 3,0001. in-
stead of 1,500/. so that the actual diminution of ex-
pense at the different localities is 5,4007., which amounts
to more than 10 per cent. on last year's estimate.
2. PAY OF ASSISTANT CLERKS, STOREKEEPERS, AND
OTHER SUBORDINATE PERSONS ; ALLOWANCES ISSUED
IN MONEY AND CONTINGENCIES.—The total amount
for the 23 stations is 44,9131, ; and here again there is a
decrease of 2,632/., although "travelling and contingent
expenses payable in England " are estimated at 1,0001.
instead of 3001. For Canada, the Cape, and the West
Indies, there is a diminution amounting to about 5,000/.
on 23,000/., but for Van Diemen's Land an increase of
more than 1,6001. on 2,5211.
3. PAY AND CONTINGENCIES OF THE COMMISSARIAT
BRANCH OF THE TREASURY.—The proposed vote is
4,9991., and the decrease on that of last year is 2941.
The total number of officers on the establishment is 14,
the principal clerk receiving a salary of 1,0001. per
annum while the juniors begin at 901.
4. LAND AND INLAND WATER TRANSPORT, INCLUDING
THE SUPPLY OF WATER PROVIDED BY THE COMMIS-
SARIAT AT FOREIGN STATIONS.—The amount proposed
to be taken is 44,9131., and the dimunition on last years'
grant (84,536) is no less than 34,873/. For Canada the
sum required is 5,1701., instead of 8,450/. ; for the Cape,
14,8301., instead of 40,0001.: for New South Wales,
4571., instead of 3,576 ; and for the West Indies,
6,500/., instead of 12,100/. ; while for Novia Scotia, it is
4,450/., instead of 2,900/. ; and this is the only increase
deserving of notice. Thc very considerable decrease in
the aggregate of these items affords confirmation of the
remark which we made on the first vote of the series.
5. FREIGHT OF SPECIE, INCLUDING EXPENSES OF
SHIPMENT.—This vote remains at 5,000/., which was
its amount for the preceding year.
6 PROVISIONS ISSUED TO THE ARMY, ORDNANCE, AND
COMMISSARIAT, AT THE SEVERAL STATIONS ABROAD AND,
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, AFTER DEDUCTINT OF STOP-
PAGES ON ACCOUNT OF RATIONS FROM THE PAY OF OFFI-
CERS AND MEN.—We now come to.a large vote, which
has been considerably increased by causes wholly inde-
pendent of political complications. The amount required
for provisions to be supplied during the year 1854-5 is
306,576/. which is more than double the grant of
last year (140,8931.) For almost every station there is
a considerable increase, and for the Mauritius the charge
is raised from 3,0511. to 16,1501. ; while the only impor-
tant reduction is at the Cape, for which 20,4671. is pro-
, posed, instead of 31,1831. The total charge of this sub-
division is 171,576 for foreign stations, to which must
be added 135,000/. as the sum required to meet the ex-
cess in the cost of the rations in the United Kingdom,
above the reduced stoppage of 41d. ; thus making
306,5767., the total which has already been mentioned.
In the estimated charge for forage, which is now 75,070/.,
there is a decrease of 45,0001., accounted for almost en-

tirely by reductions at the Cape. For fuel and light the
proposed vote is 66,3621., which exceeds by 4,0001. that
of last year, Malta and Gibraltar accounting for a large
proportion of this increase. The aggregate of the three
items included in this vote is 448,0081., and the total in-
crease in the estimates of 1853-4 amount to 125,0831.
7. COMMISSARIAT EXPENSES OF THE TROOPS WHEN
ENCAMPED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.—This is a new
vote, and the amount is 5,0001.

We now proceed to the votes for the non-effective ser-
vices ; and first under this head we take---

8. HALF-PAY OF COMMISSARIAT OFFICERS. - The
amount proposed to be taken is 27,0871., and there is a
reduction of 2,4191. on the sum last year granted. The
number of recipients is 127, two commissaries-general
receiving 21. 10s. per diem, but the majority less than
155., and 29 of them only 4s. 11d.

9. PENSIONS TO WIDOWS OF COMMISSARIAT OFFI-
CERS, —The proposed vote is 7,7501., and that of last
year was 7,3601. The number of widows in receipt of
pensions is 143, and the amount assigned to each in no
case exceeds 1201. per annum, and in only 40 instances
exceeds 501.
10. COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCES TO CHILDREN OF
COMMISSARIAT OFFICERS.—The proposed amount is
1,1061., and the decrease on last year's vote amounts to
341.

11. COMPENSATION AND SUPERANNUATION ALLOW-
ANCES FOR THE COMMISSARIAL—The amount which will
be asked is 8,3591., and there is an increase of 1,1261.
over last year's estimate, accounted for by the addition
of seven recipients, one of whom, having served more
than fifty years, retired on full pay. The other allow-
ances are exceedingly small, and the period of service
has been in each case of considerable length.
The Secretary-at-War very appropriately reminded the
House of Commons on Friday evening that the estimates
which he was proposing were peace estimates, although
framed in contemplation of war, and that it would pro-
bably be his duty, at no distant period, to ask for addi-
tional supplies. The same remark applies to the votes
above analysed, which would be considerably less than
those of last year were they not necessarily augmented
to meet the increased price of provisions ; and it would
be folly to suppose that an expensive war in a distant
country can be long maintained without a very consider-
able increase in the charge of this as well as other de-
partments. The nation and its representatives will, we
feel assured, cheerfully respond to these calls on our re-
sources, which it may hereafter be necessary to make
with a view to the vigorous prosecution of the quarrel
into which we have been forced, and which we have
sought to avoid by every means not unworthy of our na-
tional fame, and not inconsistent with the duty which
we owe to a deeply injured ally.

THE DEFENCES OF THE MERSEY.—In its
feet
mthe bat-
tery is constructed on a parallelogram 360 long by
170 feet deep. The three land sides of the battery are
formed on the bastion trace, with embrasure windows
and loopholes for musketry fire—the river front (360
feet) being the battery for ten embrasure guns, and a
tower at each end, armed with one gun in casemate be-
low, and one on the top. Fourteen guns in all will thus be
mounted on dwarf traversing platforms, and it is intended
that.these guns shall be 68-pounders ; those at the Rock
Fort not being half the size—namely, 32-pounders.
In the interior of the fort there will be barracks for the
accommodation of 150 men, and suitable apartments for
twelve officers, There will be two tanks for water, with
filterers 40 feet long, 15 wide, and 10 feet deep. The
mess-rooms, hospital, and other details of the soldiers' re-
quirements, will be furnished on a suitable scale. A bomb-
proof magazine will be constructed, with provision for ar-
tillery and ordnance stores equal to the necessity of the
battery. The roofs throughout the building will be flat,
with brick arches on iron girders, cemented with
asphalte, and will, from the parapets, afford the holders
of the fort a musketry fire on every side. The entrance
to the fortification will be in the centre of the east (or
land-side) curtain, and this will be protected by a ditch
and drawbridge.—Courier.
THE MARVELS OF MELBOURNE.—The subjoined mor-
ceaux from the Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney
Morning Herald is really worth reprinting :—"Buildings
are going up with great rapidity ; many of the massy
blue-stone stores are completed and in full operation.
Mr. Michael Pender, formerly a milkman, has been
offered 00,0001., cash down, for his property in Collins-
street (Criterion Hotel, &c.), and refused it with disdain.
He is said to be worth over a quarter of a million.
Also take this. The premises on which the Argus office
stands are held on lease for 3001. or 4001, a-year. The
Victoria Fire Insurance Company have just erected
three fine stores on the ground adjoining, and the
Argus people have taken one of the three at a rent of
2,500/. a year—the accommodation being equal to about
one-third of what they enjoy for the leash rental."