The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

Mr. MONSELL said, in reference to what had fallen
from the gallant member opposite, that the form of the
estimates was precisely the same this year as it had been
in the last—there was no difference whatever. The votes
were differently arranged, and he thought that the ar-
rangement might be very much° amended, and he should
be very glad to attend to any suggestions that might be
offered. As for the particular vote—he must say, in re-
ference to the objection of his hoe, friend, that be could
assure the hoods that the huts sent to the Crimea were
for 60,000 men—that they were asked for in September
and sent in October, in an interval of 14 days— and that
the exertion used did credit to those on whom the duty
devolved. There had been two sort of huts seat out—
one of them the Gloster hut, and the other description
of hut erected under the immediate direction of Sir J.
Burenyee. The Government bad at the time a demand
for 200 mortars and 200,000 shells, and it was the duty of
the Government to supply,this order first, which was of
vitalimportance to thesiegeof Sebastopol. It should be re-
collected that the weight of the hutswas above 100,000 tons,
and it was extremely difficult to find immediate mode of
transport for so large a weight. Witk regard to the huts
at home the necessity was urgent, and there was ne
other way of supplying it. There bad been already a
great outcry throughout the country, and what would
have been said if they had waited till they could have
built huts with bricks and atone? The real evil ley•in
the way in which for many years they had been getting
rid of the acoatnmodation for the troops. (Hear, hear.)
With regard te-barreeke is London, the necessity of re-
moving the Guards from Portman-street was strongly
felt by Lord Ifardinge, who was most anxious to get a
proper site. They had been carefully looking for a site~
but had not as yet been successful. As for the sugges-
tion of the Iron, members with regard to the Knights.
bridge Barracks, he should refer them to the proper au•
tlsortties. In answer to the question of the hon. member
fur Portarlington, as to the works at Waltham Abbey,
the sums charged on that account were for extending the
Government powder mills, and a large part of the money
had been expended in remunerating the River Lea Com-
pany for the water they had taken from the river. The
money had not been paid till the matter had been refer-
red to arbitration. With regard to the question of the
hon. member opposite (Cola Boldere), he begged to say
that the whole sum charged was far carts and waggons.
He had, he believed, gone through all the questions
asked. [Mr. Muotz—The machines ?J The sum of
30,0001. charged for machines was explained in the vote
for the royal gun foendry.
Captain VERNON said he saw a sum down in the
estimates of 672,000/. for the supply of iron ordnance
Act and shell. Fie had last May moved for a return of
the number of Lancaster guns issued for service, the
number which had becerne unserviceable, and the cause
thereof; he had withdrawn his motion at the request of
the Clerk of the Ordnance. Having understood that
the results of the employment of that description of ord-
nance were of a most unsatisfactory character, he wished
t know the results of the experiments carried on with
these guns—whether those experiments were carried on
under the direction of the committee at Woolwich—a
body which had not given much satisfaction to the pub.
lie—and whether it was intended to retain the Lances-
ter gun in the service ?
Mr. MONSELL could assure the hon. and gallant
member that he had been entirely misinformed with re-
gard to the committee at Woolwich nut working well.
It had been greatly improved, men of the highest scien-
tific character had been placed upon it, and since that
period it had given the greatest satisfaction to the pub-
lic. Mr. Lancaster had wished the experiments to be
kept secret ; they had therefore been placed under a
separate committee. The result of those experiments
were of a singular character ; one day the gun was emi-
nently successful, the next day they had accounts of its
having totally failed. As the Government, therefore,
could not tell whether it would ultimately answer, they
could not adopt it as any large portion of the regular
armament, it would only be used for special service.
Col. LINDSA.Y. saw a sum of money down for the
purchase of ground for new barracks at Chelsea, but no-
thing for the barracks themselves. He trusted, as the
question of London barracks accommodation was so im-
portant, the Government would never allow the site of
the present National Gallery to go out of their hands for
any other purpose, such, for instaaoe, as for the erection
of a large hotel, of which he had heard something very
lately.
Mr. MUNT,Z saw t,OOB/. down for machinery for
the gun &dory. They bad no gun factory, and there
was a motion to oppose its erection. If the vote were
passed they would have the machinery and no factory.
Mr. MONSELL—LThe'vote is merely a vote on account.
Mr. WILLIAMS—As there were such large sums
ler machinery, there must be a great consumption of
coals. He, therefore, called the attention of the Go-
vernment to the faot that an efficient system of smoke
consumption had been discovered, which, if adopted,
won't(' be a source of great economy.
Colonel DUNNE thought the vote for machinery
should he postponed also, because if the factory were done
away with, the machinery would be useless. He wished
to raise the question whether it would be worth while for
the Government to manufacture their own ordnance;
he would also remind the Clerk of the Ordnance
that he had not answered his inquiry with respect to the
large item of one million and a quarter for miscellaneous
stores.

Colonel SOMERSET complained of the character of
the buts supplied from the contractors ; they had been
split by the sun even before dolivery. Any one could
see through the sides of almost every hut, He was
speaking then of the first huts supplied. There was a
description of hut supplied afterwards of a much supe-
rior kind. Ile wished to ask what what was the con-
tract price of the Portsmouth huts ?

Mr• MONSELL—The Portsmouth huts were much
the cheapest. He could not answer, however, as to the
precise amount.

The vete was then agreed to.
Oa the motion that a vote of 1,794,7501. be granted
for defraying the charges of buildings and repairs at
home and abroad.
Colonel I)UNNE thought that the house had a right
to demand that a committee should be appointed to in-
quire into the mode by which cannon were manufactured
on the Continent. He denied that English iron ord.
Dance were inferior to those of foreign States ; a the
siege of Sebastopol they had undergone triais which no
foreign ordnance could stand, Only 11 guns had burst
before Sebastopol. If it were thought necessary to have
a better description of gun, let them pay contractors a
higher price than 181. or 201. a ton. They had the
authority of the hon. member for Birmingham (Mr.
Muntz) for the fact that every article manufactured by
the Government cost the country 50 per cent, more than
if it bad been obtained by contract ; that be thought a
sufficient reason for opposing the establishment of an
ordnance factory. There had been much talk lately of
charcoal iron as a material for ordnance, he did not think
it could be obtained. It would never be got from
Nova Scotia. As he had before suggested, it was use-
less wasting money in establishing a Ciovvranaent fac-