The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-15 00:00:00

wholly undefended. If an enemy once mounted the heights
there he could be dislodged with difficulty. It was pro-
posed to erect a citadel at Portland, and with the materials
excavated an admirable breakwater could be formed in the
harbour. With respect to Portsniouth he had to observe,
that there were no defensive arrangements for the entrance
to the harbour at Spithead. Experiments, however, were
now being made to see how far defences could be satisfac-
torily erected in the neighbourhood of Spithead. The next
item had relation to civil buildings, and after referring to an
item of £12,000 for the erection of a substantial magazine
for keeping powder at Woolwich, the right hon. gentleman
referred to the vote for the medical schools at Chatham,
and in doing so said an improved system of medical exami'
nation had been suggested, similar to that in the Indian
service. In vote 14 there was an item of £14,000 for a new
rifle range at Chatham, the Admiralty having taken away
the one they had had hitherto. He had now gone through
those estimates, and had only to say that the items of which
they consisted represedted expenditure which had become
necessary before he came into office. The right hon. gentle-
man concluded by moving a vote of £410,000 for the em-
bodied militia of England and Ireland.
Gen. PEEL said that so far from his having, anything
to complain of in the manner in which he had brought for-
ward these estimates, he had heard his statement with
great satisfaction.
Col. GILPIN bore testimony to the great ability of the
commandant at Aldershot, and the rapidity with which the
militia regiments had been converted into efficient soldiers.
He had no hesitation in saying that a more perfect corps
d' armee was not to be found in Europe than at Aldershot.
He had to complain that the officers received too small an
allowance for the keep of their horses.
• General PEEL said as to the allowance of keep. for
horses, the officers who had stables for them still received
2s. But it had been representen that the allowance for
forage was increased to officers who had no stables, 25 per
cent.,° so that they received 2s. 4d. instead of ls. 6d. for a
single horse.
Colonel GILPIN said he had taken a fair average, and
that was ls. 9d.
Captain L. VERNON rose amid cries of " Divide,
divide," to ask a question. They were about to vote twelve
millions of money for the army, and out of that large sun'
only three went for the fighting men, so that nearly one
twenty-seventh of the sum so voted went to support the
staff, which was enormously expensfve. He hoped th°
right hon. gentleman would take 'that into consideration, ,
and see if it be possible to reduce the expenses of the stag.
(Hear, hear.)
£180,375 to defray the expenses of wages for artificers;
£300,000 for clothing, and othernecessaries ; and
193,106 for provisions, forage, fuel, and light were then
agreed to, and the house resumed.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE (ASSISTANT-JUDGE)
MIDDLESEX BILL.
On the order of the day for going into committee on this
bill,
Mr. CRAUFURD moved that the house resolve itself
into a committee on the bill that day three months. ,
The motion was not seconded, and the house went into
committee.
On clause 1, which provides that the additional £3OO
year be paid out of the county rates,
The Hon. Mr. BYNG moved its rejection. The rate'
were already quite heavy er ough, and if the remuneration
were paid it should be contributed by the Consolidated
Fund.
Sir G. C. LEWIS said that Mr. Bodkin had accept
the office on a promise made by the late Government that 11,
he gave up his private practice he should be paid a salary °f
£1,500 per annum.
Mr. CRAUFURD said that was the reason he oppose'
the bill. The contract had been made without the san°'
tiOn of the house.
The house then divided--
For the clause
Against it
Majority —l34
The clause wag then agreed to.
The remaining clauses having been agreed to, the hasp
resumed.
POOR LAW BOARDS (PAYMENT OF DEBTS) 8114.14
The further proceeding with this bill was postponed
Thursday.
The reniaining-orders having been disposed of, the how
adjourned at ten minutes past two o'clock.