The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-26 00:00:00

tax from 3 to 5 per cent. for a period of two years. This
was estimated to produce 3,500,000 My Noble Friend then
proposed to remit the duty on copper. by which a loss of
revenue was expected to the extent of 40,000/. The esti-
mated income then was 54,710,0001., the expenditure
54,596,4521., leaving a balance of 113,5481. The proposal
we then made was, as I have said, a temporary increase of
taxation for a period of two years, and the reason for pro-
posing that temporary increase was that a great portion of
the expenditure incurred was for temporary purposes. There
was the expenditure for the Kafir war, which was closed,
and the naval excess had occurred in the preceding year, for
which it was necessary to replace in the Exchequer the
moneys which had been withdrawn; and with regard to
a considerable portion of the increased expense, it was occa-
sioned mainly by heavy works in the dockyards, which had
been begun, not by us, but by a preceding Government, but
which certainly it was desirable to carry on, and which I
believe it would be, after all, most desirable to com-
plete with strict economy at an early day. Feeling
this, the Government thought it necessary, with a view
to meet this expenditure, to make heavy demands on the
resources of the country, and for the period of two years
we proposed an increase of the income-tax. That proposal
certainly was not received with any favour by the House. I
am perfectly prepared to admit that the circumstances under
which the country was labouring, the distress through which
they had gone during the six or eight months preceding,
formed a very good reason why they should have been un-
willing at that time to submit to additional taxation. The
circumstances, too, which had occurred on the continent
shortly after that proposal was made, throwing as they did
into the greatest uncertainty the whole prospects of the coun-
try, not only politically, but commercially and financially,
tended to make us more willing at that time to abandon our
proposal for additional taxation, leaving to a future time to
announce what other resource we should adopt. The aban-
donment of that proposal for additional taxation made
it necessary for us to review the whole finances and
taxation of the country, in order that we might take
such an altered course as, in the altered circumstances,
might appear advisable. I now'propose to state to the Com-
mittee what that course was, and the result at which we have
arrived. With the permission of the Committee, I will put
aside all considerations of past expenditure, and deal only
with the income of the year as compared with the expendi-
ture ; for it will be observed that, both with regard to the
expenditure for the Kafir war and the naval excess, they
have been defrayed by moneys in the Exchequer, leaving a
balance of 6,778,3361. in the Exchequer. They were in-
cluded in the expenditure as stated in the balance-sheet of
the sth of April ; and the moneys so advanced must be re-
placed. The first object of the Government was to revise the
expenditure. It must be observed that in the course of the
two or three preceding years there had been no inconsider-
able increase of expenditure—not an increase of expendi-
ture proposed by ourselves, but principally before
we came into office. I find that, in the year
1846, an increase of the estimates and of charge as com-
pared with the preceding year, was no less than
1,610,0001., exclusive of those charges which, to the extent
of 345,500/, were transferred from the county rates and local
taxation to the general revenue, making in all an increased
expenditure of 1,955,5004 in the estimates of 1846 --in round
numbers, nearly 2,000,000/. The Hon. Gentleman the Mem-
ber for the West Riding of Yorkshire, had said very truly
not very long ago that it was not this Government nor any
other Government that was responsible for this increased ex-
penditure. The House of Commons had concurred in its
propriety, and in many instances had pressed that increased
expenditure on the Government. The increased estimate
was passed with little opposition—the country concurred in
it, and the Hon. Gentleman said, very wisely, if blame there
was, all participated in it. Their duty, therefore, was not to
recriminate one on another, but in the present state of the
country to unite, to set their shoulders to the wheel, for the
purpose of reducing expenditure, so far as it can be done
without impairing the efficiency of our establishments. I
think, moreover, that in respect to the object for which the
greatest increase of expenditure had taken place, namely, in
the maintenance of our national defences, the House of
Commons has only carried out what appeared to be the feel-
ing of the country. Last year, and the year before, there
was a very general feeling of alarm throughout the country.
Not only gentlemen in the House, but the public generally,
had a strong feeling of that kind, and in the proposals which
were made in this House for increasing our means of na-
tional defence, both the Government of the day and the
House of Commons itself fairly represented the opinions of
the country. That opinion' no doubt, has since changed. I
myself was never one of the alarmists. I never took a very
desponding view on that subject. But such was the general
opinion ; and it is now desirable that these measures should
be carried only more slowly into execution than was then
thought advisable by the House and the country. With a
view to reduction the first step taken by the Government
was to appoint two Committees to look into the expenses of
the country—one having the miscellaneous estimates, the
other the naval and military estimates, submitted to them.
We have now before us two able reports on these subjects,
from which great information will be derived. As I stated
before, those Committees were not appointed for the purpose
of avoiding responsibility on the part of the Government.
But I do think the revision of our expenditure from time to
time is a matter of the greatest importance, if it were only
to afford to Hon. Members that knowledge which will
enable them without loss of time to master and discuss the
estimates with intelligence and discrimination. Having ap-
pointed these Committees, the Government immediately
gave their earnest attention to the subject, and it was my
duty to call on all the departments and insist that they
should act with the utmost economy. With the greatest
readiness the fullest information was given at the time to
those Committees. In one point, namely, the amount of
force, no reduction was made. That was absolutely neces-
sary, as we thought, for the safety of the country, and the
House of Commons have confirmed that opinion by the
largest majorities in regard to both descriptions of force.
I do not think, from reflection on the circumstances which
have since taken place, that we could have proposed a
reduction on that head. Both with regard to the sister
country and the manufacturing districts there have
been constant demands for military protection, and we
should have been less able to afford that protection to those
parties who had a right to demand it, if we had not
had a force fully as large as the House of Commons
voted on the proposition of the Government. But with
respect to other portions of the expenditure. it is pos-
sible we may be able to make considerable reductions. I
don't wish to deceive the House, however, by saying that I
think it good economy to make all the reductions we pro-
pose, if we could avoid it. On the contrary, lam of opi-
nion that it would be better economy in the end to pro-
ceed at a more rapid rate with the works we have on hand
than to defer the expenditure, and spread it over a longer
period.—(Hear, hear.) But, on the other hand, it is some-
times advisable to defer the expenditure and spread it over a
longer period, in order to bring the yearly outlay within the
means of the country, and therefore we have agreed to do
so in the present instance. In the course we have pursued,
therefore, I wish to state fairly and frankly what my opinion
is. I think we were justified in making the proposals we did by
the soundest principles of finance ; but the House not having
concurred in those proposals, we have endeavoured to meet the
views of the House by reducing to the utmost extent we could
those portions of the expenditure which were at all suscep-
tible of it. The reductions which we have effected are as
follows :—The vote on the navy is 208,0001. less than that
which we originally submitted to Parliament. The vote for
the army P including the old militia and commissariat, is
150,2001. less; the vote for the ordnance 123,000/. less ; the
miscellaneous estimates, 235,0001. less. The proposal to em-
body a further militia force having been given up, there is a
saving on that head of 150,0001. The whole of those re-
ductions amount to 866,200/. But the increased pay of the
pensioners having required a sum of 25,0001., and certain
additions to the miscellaneous estimates a further sum of
13,2001., the actual reductions amount only to 828,0001. This
is the amount of the reductions upon the original estimates
we submitted to Parliament. I now come to the expenditure.
The expenditure for the year is as follows:-31,280,6001. for
the debt, and other charges on the consolidated fund;
7,518,610/. for the navy; 7,012,795/. for the army; 2,801,760/.
for the ordnance; 3,783,5701. for the miscellaneous expendi-
ture; 25,000/. for the pensioners; making in all 52,422,335/.
My Noble Friend in his statement at the beginning of the
session estimated the receipts at 51,210,000/. But an ar-
rangement having been made for carrying on the service of
the present year to pay the appropriations in aid at once into
the Exchequer, instead of allowing them to accumulate,
and adding them to the revenue of the following year, a sum
of 500,0001. becomes available this year, in addition to what
we calculated upon. I have stated before, also owing to
the excellent barley crop of last year, malting has been car-
ried on to a much greater extent than usual, and has conse-
quently helped to increase the excise revenue. This and
other causes have brought an increase of revenue above what
we anticipated of 340,000/. In addition to this, we have
received 80,000/. as the last remnant of the China money,
making altogether 52,130,000/. The deficiency of income'
below the expenditure is therefore 292,335/. This, consider-
ing our prospects at the beginning of the session, is, Ivedno-
tore to think, not unsatisfactory. I stated to the House
early in the present year, that I hoped they would give us
credit for an anxious desire to reduce the expenditure as
much as possible. I stated that it would not be possible to
reduce the expenditure summarily and at once—that I, in_
deed, thought it would be exceedingly bad economy to
so—and that I hoped they would not press us to carry the
reductions further than was really consistent with the best
interests of the country, and with maintaining the efficiency
present
of our establishments. My Noble Friend stated that consi-
derable reductions might be carried into effect next year,
but that he could hold out little hope of much reduction
beoimimngetffteeec,tehdowinevetrh,e year.that
taninthe
I have
entsh yearn thewe
Committee,
have effected reductions to the amount of no less a sum
than 828,0001., which I hope the Committee will accept as
present
is a f
f e stateote
d by
yf
theth e
an earnest of our desire to reduce the expenditure as far
to anticipate what
continent,
sefni bt!
affairse
and,.—
(Haar,otohnesried,
ehirtienagirs.
h)voewrylondu thedifficult
tcrua
dl
tpe
our revenue may be next year; but taking the year as an
ordinarily favourable one, I anticipate that, with the reduc-
tions which we shall be able to carry into effect, the income
will more than equal the expenditure. I have now stated
the ordinary expenditure of the country as compared with its
income for the year. I have now to advert to the extraor-
dinary' expenditure. In the first place, there is a sum of
1,100,0001. for the Kafir war, and 245,4111 for the naval
excess, making, together, 1,345,411/. Then there is a sum
of 262,5451. for Irish distress, and 130,965/. for providing
medical assistance for the destitute emigrants landed in Ca-
nada, making, together, 1,738,921/. The total expenditure
of the year is, therefore, 54,161,2561., and the income being
52,130,0001., the deficiency is 2,031,2561. If I followed the
course which has been followed before, I might propose to the
Committee to charge this deficiency upon the consolidated
fund, leaving the charges to be met at the end of the year
by the balances in the Exchequer; but I do not think
myself justified in doing so. The House has already
making agreed
purpose
sanctioned the advance of considerable sums from that
source. The Committee will remember that some
actuallyto
oftbgoede
been
nhaaiendar
advanced
arga
ane
sncueci
men
dotEhffine3)
gr,
51 a
nooEt und,
omg
01
England
ofdd;
2ti,moooe ,oaoOglo. foitr thees
1.
Scotland, and a further sum of 1,500.00011 for land im-
opfrotvheismseunmt in
therelreland, h
a s
and Scotland 180,000/. ; and for Ireland, 330,000/ ; to-
gether, 510,0001. ; leaving nearly 3,000,600/. still
to be
advanced. It was, of course, impossible to say how much of
this may be demanded in the course of the year, butit may
probably amount to one-third. As the works proceed,
the
charge upon the consolidated fund will necessarily increase,
because while there is great delay at the commencement of
the works, when once they are in progress they will be car-
ried on more rapidly, and the demand for the money to do
so will be proportionately great. There is also a charge upon
the consolidated fund of 70,900/. for New Zealand ; another
charge of 170,000/. for Trinidad and Guiana, and another
of 50,0007. for Tobago; making, with some minor sums, a
total charge on that head say of 300,000/. With respect to
the sums advanced for drainage and the improvement of the
need not say that we have ample security. I have
land, I
the outlay, thereby supplying a source of
eight per cent. on
ties who have borrowed the money.
reason to believe that the average improvemlen.t will be about
increased income to the par
possible
mode respect to
mode of improving that country half so good as that of put
ting it in the power of the proprietors themselves to improve
which their estates are
le and acting as a
situated, by furnishing labour to the people, eo p
their land, and not only so, but putting them in a position of
benefiting the neighbourhood in
benefactor to them in the most wholesome and sound of all