The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-28 00:00:00

OF THE COUNTRY.

The CFIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in
moving the order of the day, for going into Commit-
tee of Ways and Means, said that he thought it
desirable that he should avail himself of this oppor-
tunity of stating more fully than his Noble Friend
(Lord J. Russell) had been able to do on a previous
occasion, the financial state of the country, and also
the course which it was her Majesty's Ministers in-
tention to pursue with reference thereto. Several Hon.
Gentlemen had complained that they did not fully un-
perstand some portions of the statement of the financial
condition of the country. And as the motion before the
House was one for going into Committee on Ways
and Means, he thought that it would be the most con-
venient course for him then to make his statement on
the subject, rather than leave it till the House had
resolved itself into Committtee. With respect to the
finances of the country, the balance-sheet, as laid be-
fore the House, would show to Honourable
Members, conversant with these matters, what
the state of the finances were. The first
half of that was a comparison of the ordinary
revenue and expenditure of the country.
There was on this occasion an exception to the ordi-
nary rule. It appeared, on the one hand, that there
was an excess of expenditure over increase, in the
year ending the sth of February last, a sum of
2,956,0001. But upon the other hand it would appear
that out of that expenditure a sum 1,525,0001. had been
incurred on account of the distress in Ireland.
Now it was the desire and attention of the Govern-
ment, and of the Ilcuse, that that expenditure
should be provided for out of the 8,000,0001.
loan, and not to be made a charge against the
ordinary revenue of the country. After, there-
fore, making these deductions, the excess
of expenditure over income for the year 1848 would
be about 1,400,0001., and deducting from that sum
amount of the China ransom, amounting to
450,000/., which was received last year, the
real excess of expenditure over income would
be about 900,0001.—(Hear.) It was hardly
possible for him to anticipate the measure of next
year, because, he was sorry to say, the symptoms of
improvement in trade were not so rapid in their pro-
gress as some Hon. Gentlemen anticipated. The
receipts of the present quarter, as compared with the
receipts of the corresponding period last year, exhibited
a falling off amounting to upwards of 400,0001.
His Noble Friend had stated on a former occasion
the various items that would compose the
expenditure of the present year. The charge on
debt would amount to 27,778,0001., and the interest
on Exchequer-bills to 752,0001., and therefore the to-
tal amount of charge in debt for the next financial year
would amount to 28,530,0001. But of course there
were other charges, such as for pensions and
half-pay accounts, but these charges were not
subject to the control of the existing Govern-
ment. The estimates of this year for the
non-effective service amounted to no less a sum
than 3,652,0001., and over that amount of ex-
penditure the House had no controul. When,
therefore, :Honourable Gentlemen spoke of the
enormous sums expended by this country, no doubt
they lost sight of these itmems over which
the Government could exercise no power of
reduction. The estimate for the effective service
of the next year amounted only to 18,153,0001.;
and the real expenditure which the House had to
deal with, instead of being between fifty-two and
fifty-three millions, did not exceed eighteen millions.
His Hon. Friend the Secretary of the Admiralty had
stated how unjust the accusation of the Hon. Member
for Montrose was that a large portion of the increased
expenditure of Government was a wasteful and
profligate expenditure. And he appealed to the lion.
Member (Mr. Hume) whether he thought he was
justified in thus accusing the Government. There was
one branch of the public service, the conveyance of mails
which was not connected with the military or naval
establishments, but was carried on solely for the ac-
commodation of the commercial world and for the benefit
of trade, in which there was a considerable increase of
expense since the time when he first moved the esti-
mates, some economical Members were very apt
to increase the expenses of Government in
various ways, forgetting that there was an un-
fortunate person who held the office of
Chancellor of Exchequer. (Loud laughter.)
The Hon. Member for Montrose should recollect that
the expense of maintaining lighthouses in this coun-
try, which was paid out of the Government revenue,
amounted to no less a sum than 22,000/. per
annum. There was also an increase of 264,0001. per
annum in the expenses of the army which was entirely
unconnected with the increase of the number of men.

\Vith respect to the miscescellaneous services, the
Government were so fully aware of the necessity of
inquiry into the expenditure on this head that they
had announced their intention of appointing a
Committee on that subject. The sources of the
miscellaneous estimates were continually increasing ;
he found that there was a charge for harbours
of refuge 110,0001. on the recommendation of a Select
Committee, 100,000/. to the Caledonian Canal,
27,0001. for public works in Ireland, 150,0001. for
education, 50,0001. for the British Museum,
350,000/. for the expenses of prosecutions thrown
upon this :fund, expenses of the Modei Prison, and
several other prisons, all of which items were im-
posed by the order of the House. The various
items making altogether upwards of 1,000,0001. per
annum chargeable on the miscellaneous estimates A
charge had been made against the Government fot
thecrease in the charges of collecting the revenue. Bu
this increased expense arose almost entirely from the
wishes of the merchants and importers themselves, who
requested an increase in the number of hands at the
various ports for the purpose of assisting
in the duty of clearing the various cargoes. He was as
willing as the most economical Member in the House
to reduce all the items of expenditure to the lowest
possible point. This reduction ought, however,
to be effected in a careful and business-like manner.
It might be possible to reduce tke army and navy,
and even the Miscellaneous Estimates. He did not
think that it would now be expedient to make
any reduction in either the army or navy, and cir-
cumstances which had recently transpired led the
Government to the conclusion that no such reduction
could be made.