The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-27 00:00:00

NEW WRIT.

Mr. BRAND moved the issue of a new writ for the
borough of Richmond to fill the vacancy caused by the
death of the late J. C. Dundas, Esq.

GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE.

On the order for going into committee of supply,

Mr. WHITE rose to move the following resolutions:—
"That the expenditure of the Government has of late years
been excessive. That it was and is now 'taken in great
measure out of the earnings of the people, and forms in no
small degree a deduction from a scanty store which is
necessary to secure to them a sufficiency, not of the com-
forts of life, but even of the prime necessaries of food, of
clothing, of shelter, and of fuel.' That this house, whilst
mindful of its obligations to maintain the sacurity of the
country at home, and the protection of its interests abroad,
is deeply impressed with the urgent necessity of economy
in every department of the State, and is of opinion that no
Administration is deserving of the confidence of this house
and the country which shall not relieve the present burden
of taxation on the unrepresented and other classes, by
making an early and large reduction of the Government
expenditure." In submitting these resolutions the hon.
gentleman declared that he had no hostile feeling to the
Government, but that he considered the estimates just laid
on the table as dictated by the same prodigal instincts
which had characterised those of its predecessors. He also
reminded the Chancellor of the Exchequer that no one had
professed a greaterdevotedness to the principle of retrench-
ment than he had done, and, app _saling to the newly-elected
members especially, ho called upon them to assist the
economists in the house to keep the right hon. gentleman
to his word.

Mr. BAXTER, in supporting the resolutions, argued
that, as we had passed into a time of non-intervention, and
ran no risk of being involved in a quarrel with any of the
great powers, our warlike expenditure was enormously in
excess of our needs. He blamed the Government for a
want of moral courage in dealing with the services, and,
after canvassing the estimates of the present year, which
he said could only be justified in their amount by the do-
raands of war, contended that no reductions of taxation
could be expected without greater economy.
Mr. MARSH complained of the confused and clumsy
manner in which the Civil Service Estimates were framed,
of which he gave several striking instances.

Sir S. NORTHOOTE made some remarks in vindica-
tion of the economical tendencies of the Opposition, and
pressed upon the house the importance of supporting the
Government in their resistance to motions leading to in-
creased expenditure.

Mr. LAING referred to the history of the last ten years
to prove that the increase in our expenditure had in a great
measure arisen from causes beyond our own control, and
showed that this increase had not been proportionately as
great as in the budgets of France, Holland, and Belgium.
mentionedHe a variety of causes from which greater eco-
nomy might be expected—such as a less officious foreign
policy, a change in our colonial policy, and improved ad-
ministration in the public departments ; and he augured
from the pacific policy of the Emperor of the French that
a general reduction of armaments was possible. in com-
bating the language of Mr. 'White's resolutions, he entered
with great minuteness into the financial history of the last
15 years, with the object of showing that the taxes which
pressed most heavily on the working classes had been se-
lected for reduction or remission, and that the deficiencies
thus created had been supplied by taxes levied on the
middle and upper classes. Alluding to the possibility of a
Reform agitation, ho deprecated any attempt to make poli-
tical capital out of financial grievances, and assured the
working classes that whatever other advantages tho pos-
session of a vote might give them, their interests could not
be more honestly attended to.
Mr. BPLAREN quoted statistics to show that an unfair
amount of taxation was levied from the working classes.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended
the estimates of the Govan-anent, and took credit for a
sensible reduction of from 4,000 to 5,000 men in the ser-
vice of the army for the present year. With regard to the
charge on this account, ho observed that it was eminently
connected with our colonial policy, New Zealand alone
having for years past employed between one-twelfth and
one-tenth of our whole efficient military strength. In the
navy, too, there was a saving of £350,000, although he
granted that that was neutralised and counterbalanced by
an increase of the v)te for works. But to what source
was that increase due ? Let the house read the report of
the committee which sat last year, and they would at once
see that it was due to the recommendations contained in
that report. In saying this, however, ho had no wish to
evade the responsibility that justly rested upon the Govern-
ment. With respect to the motion before the house, he did
not deny that in certain cases great good might b 3 done
by general declarations ; but against the doctrine of Mr.
White ho might quote the example of the late Mr. Hume
and the effects produced by him on the system of expendi-
ture ; and it was tha habit of Mr. Hume to make himself
thoroughly master of the details of the various departments
of expenditure, and deal with the estimates in that way,
instead of making vague and unsupported declarations.
So faras the Government were concerned, the house would
ever find them ready to agree to the freest and openest
discussion and the most searching criticism. He hoped
Mr. White would not consider it necessary to divide the
house, but consent to go into committee of supply,

The motion was then withdrawn.
CONFLICTING JURISDICTIONS OF THE
METROPOLIS.

Lord R. MONTAGU called attention to the inconve-
niences created by the conflicting jurisdictions in the me-
tropolis, particularly in the matters of paving, lighting,
and cleansing the streets, contrasting London in this
respect most unfavourably, not only with Paris, but even
with the smallest corporate towns in the kingdom. As
illustrations be narrated the history of the demolition of
the new street in Southwark, and gave an amusing ac-
count of the miseries of London streets after the last heavy
snowstorm, and he mentioned also the numerous deaths
by accident and the stimulus given to fever by the over-
crowding produced by the system. He ridiculed the absurd
veneration forth() principle of local self-government which
led to this anarchy, and recommended that a general super-
intendence over the metropolis should be committed to the
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be named by the Government.
Sir G. GREY agreed that it would be desirable, though
perhaps not very easy, to reduce the conflictin,;jurisdic-
tions of the metropolis under ono uniform system and
intimated that an opportunity for inquiring into the
subject would be afforded by the committee which Mr.
Ayrton would move for to-night.

THE NAVY ESTIMATES.
The house then went into Committee of Supply, when
Lord C. PAGET moved the Navy Estimates. After

Bun' on some minor changes in the form of the esti-
mate; he stated that the total amount asked for
the year 1866-67 was £10,388,153, and explained
that though the apparent reduction on the esti-
mates of last :year was only about £4,000, the reduction
on the ordinary expenditure was in reality much greater,
as would have been apparent but for the increase of
£350,000 in the vote for the dockyards. This, he reminded
the house, was in obedience to the decision of a committee
of the House of Commons in favour of an immediate con-
struction of the now works which were rendered
necessary by the changes in our navy, and it conse-
quently would appear in the estimates for some years
to come. To show that there was a decrease in
the ordinary items Lord Clarence mentioned that while the
cost of the personnel of the navy for the 11 years ending
with these estimates was £18,000,000 as against £17,000,000
for the materiel, the cost of the materiel this year was only
£2,500,000, against £4,000,000 for the personnel. On the
vote for the men there was an apparent reducticn of
£172,808, but a real reduction of £BO,OOO, the reduction in
the number of men being 1,330. Passing to the vote for
the dockyard; Lord Clarence explained that though the
apparent increase on this vote was £6 1,77 6, the real in-
crease was only about £35,000. He next described what
the Admiralty proposed to do in regard to shipbuilding
this year. On this vote the chief reduction was on con-
tract-built ships—viz., £229,000, and Lord Clarence entered
at some length into the reasons which had led the Admi-
ralty to make this reduction. He stated that by the Ist of
April we should have 30 armour-plated ships afloat, and
that it was intended to commence a double turrotted ship
to carry four 22-ton gun; of 5,092 ton; 1,100 horse-power,
and a speed of 14 knots. It was also intended to build two
largo non-plated vessels of the Amazon class, and a smaller
vessel, which, with the Hercules and another iron-plated
vessel now building, would make 15,000 tons of shipping
proposed to be constructed during the coming year. Ile
mentioned also that, since July, 1859, the Admiralty had
got rid of 320 useless vessels. With regard to the expen-
diture on the dockyard; Lord Clarence said that very little
had been spent on Woolwich and Sheerness, but that con-
siderable progress had been made with the groat works at
Chatham, and it was hoped that equal progress would bo
made at Portsmouth, where it was proposed to provide ad-
ditional facilities for repairing our iron fleet. He described
the new works at Devonport and Bermuda, and mentioned
that the new dock at Malta was progressing fairly. Without
entering into details, ho announced that the Admiralty was
preparing a scheme for retirement, which it was hoped
would create a better flow of promotion, and another for
bettering the condition of the medical officers. He quoted
some gratifying statistics as to the discipline of the navy,
which showed that crime and punishment were greatly on
the decrease, while education was on the increase, and
augured from this that the navy was become more popular.
and that the comforts and interests of the men were fairly
attended to.

Sir J. PAKINGTON concurred in the necessity of pro-
viding larger dock accommodation for the immense ships
that were now being built, and expressed his willingness
to support the vote for this object. He also approved of
the Admiralty's determination to build a dock at Bermuda ;
but thought that both in the case of this and the other
docks the expenditure should not have been spread over so
many years as were mentioned in the estimates. These
works were so necessary that Government should have
determined to proceed with them more expeditiously than
they proposed. The question of turret ships was one re-
garding which he was rather at variance with the Admi-
ralty. Last year tho noble lord had promised that a sea-
going turret-ship was to be built, and on the present
occasion he but repeated this promise. He criticised the
delay that had taken place, and objected to the Govern-
ment proposal to build a ship of this kind of 5,000 tons
tonnage as an experiment. Ho thought turret-ships of much
less tonnage could be built which would be seawcrthy, and
cost less money to the country. He wished to know why
the delay he had referred to had taken place in the building
of these ships ? why the Admiralty had determined to build
one of such large burden as 5,000 tons? and who was to be
the designer of the new vessel ? He contended that Capt.
Coles' experiment had not been fairly tested, and blamed
the Admiralty for their conduct in connection with this
matter. He desired moreover to know whether the tur-
ret-ship which they were promised was to be built under
the superintendence of Captain Coles, or of Mr. Reed, the
chief constructor of the navy, who was the advocate of a
rival system? (Hear, hear.) The committee acceded to
the building of those ships on the condition of their being
vessels of great speed. Now, the Amazon, the first of the
class finished, was a perfect failure, as her utmost speed
was only 12k knots. He was informed that the Pallas was
constructed on such improper principles that she failed
altogether in speed. He feared these failures were duo to
the Admiralty losing the great ship-building ability they
once possessed. He understood the hon. member for
Tavistock (Mr. Samuda) was paying a large sum for the
services of Mr. Oliver Laing, whose services had been lost
to the country by the injudicious course adopted by the
Admiralty some few years ago. The hon. baronet regretted
that the expenditure on the School of Naval Architecture
had been diminished. In conclusion, he referred to the pro-
posed change in the position of the medical officers of the
navy; and expro.ss:•d his satisfaction with any improve-
ment that could b.) made in the position of those officers,
and in the proposed increase in the flow of the promotion
to combatant officers of the navy.
Mr. SAMUDA analysed the constitution of our iron fleet,
contending that we had only ten ships which we could
place in the front line of battle, and censured the vacilla-
tion of the Admiralty in their alternate preference for fully
armed and partially armed vessels. He recommended the
addition of six turret-ships to our navy, of about 3,000
tons each.

The discussion was continued by Mr. U. BAILIE, who
criticised severely the Admiralty's treatment of Captain
Coles, Admiral Walcott, Admiral Erskine,'Aclmiral Sey-
mour, and, on the motion of Sir 31: Pato, the debate on the
Naval Estimates was adjourned until Thursday.
The supplementary Civil Service Votes were agreed to.
The Pensions' Bill passed through committee.
The Jamaica Government Bill passed through com-
mittee.

The remaining orders were disposed of, and the house
adjourned at five minutes past one o'clock.

Napoleon the Great's Correspondence.

The nineteenth volume has just been published.
It fills 634 pages, and contains 751 letters written
or dictated between the 14th of May, 1809, and the
15th of October of the same year. It is surprising,
says the Paris correspondent of the Times, how
many letters a private ;individual will find he has
written during a year on ordinary matters, and
without being conscious of any exertion. But look-
ing at these volumes, and knowing what vast projects
Napoleon was engaged in during the whole period
they embraced, one is astounded how even he could
write or dictate on au average five or six a day. The
first letter in the present volume, dated Schonbrun,
is addressed to the Prince of Neufchatel (Berthier),
Major-General of the army of Germany, and con-
tains detailed instructions for certain military dispo-
sitions to be communicated to the Duke of Istria
(Bessieres). The second is an " order of the day,"
with reference to disorders that took place in the
rear of the army, with instructions to prevent them,
and to punish summarily the men found straggling
under pretence of fatigue, but really for plunder.
The third is an order for the dissolution of " the
militia called the Landwehr." The fourth relates
to the rations to be supplied to the States of the
Confederation occupied by the French army. In
this last no detail is omitted :
" The troops are to have their food in their lodgings, ac-
cording to the old-established usage of Germany; the officer
at the table of his host, as ordered in the preceding cam-
paigns. The sub-officers and soldiers shall receive, inde-
pendently of their rations of bread (24oz.)—at breakfast
soup and the 1-16th of a pint of eau-de-vie ; at dinner, soup,
10oz. of meat, vegetables, and half a pot of beer or wine ;
at supper, vegetables and a half a pot of beer or wine.
Thus the rations of the privatesoldier shall consist of 240 z.
of bread, 4oz. of bread for soup, 16oz. of meat, 2oz. of rice,
or 4oz. of dried vegetables, the 16th of a pint of eau-de-vie,
a pint of beer, or a bottle of wine, according to the place ho
is in."

Then follow a series of instructions to the officers
for the strict carrying out of the order.

The Commissary-General of the King of Bavaria,
in the circle of the Lower Danube, represents that
the Emperor's order to destroy the Faubourg of St.
Nicholas, at Passau, involves the demolition of the
buildings of the Royal Saltworks ; he entreats the
Emperor to spare those buildings, as their destruc-
tion would be a great loss to the Government and
the inhabitants of the town. The Emperor replies
that everything must give way to the safety of the
place. Passau mustbe fortified, not for the moment,
but for good and all, as Bavaria had no place bet-
ter situated. He is, moreover, dissatisfied with the
inhabitants, for of all Bavaria they were the least
opposed to the Austrian; and they did not expel, as
they ought to have done, the bad citizens.
The Emperor closes a day full of matters of the
highest moment with a letter to his private librarian,
M. Barbier, at Paris :

66 Schonbrun, May 14, 1809.

" The Emperorthinks that his library is badly organised.
There are many useless books in it. Of this number are
the following : —Tho Works of Paruy, 5 vols, in 12mo ;
ditto of Bertin, 2 vols, in 12mo ; Theatre of Second-
class authors,' 8 vols, in 12mo ; Discourses on Sallust and
Tacitus,' 4 vols, in 12mo ; The Lives of Celebrated Mari-
ners,' 12 vols, in 12mo ; The Letters of Dupaty on Italy,
3 vols, in 12mo; ' The Three Kingdoms,' by Delille, 2 vols,
in 12mo ; History of Jovianus,' 2 vols, in 12mo ; 'The
Letters of Madame do Sevigne,' 11 vols, in 12mo ; The
Bucelias,' 1 vol, ins 12nao ; fielections from )3uffon,' 1701,