The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-19 00:00:00

ESTIMATES.

On the motion for the adjournment of the house till
Monday,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that in
rising on that motion he wished to make a few observations
with reference to the motions on the paper brought forward
when such adjournment was moved. Out of eight ques-
tions seven of them were on subjects that might legiti-
mately be brought before the house, but one of them was
relative to a matter that should not have been introduced at
that time. The terms of the motion were the following :
"To call the attention of the house to the organisation of
the Danubian Provinces, in as far as it is affecttd by the
election of Alexander John Sourza to be Hospodar of
Wallachia, he having been previously elected Hospo-
dar of Moldavia." That motion referred to a most
important subject, which it would be most incon-
venient to consider in the house at that time. He
would not then enlarge on the question, as at the
present moment the conference at Paris on the subject -was
about to be revived. It would not be desirable to bring it
forward on that occasion; and, when brought forward, it
should be in a more formal manner.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he concurred with the
right hon. gentleman (the Chanchellor of the 'Ex-
chequer), that the question contained in the motion
should not have been raised on the motion for the adjourn-
ment of the house. He would take that opportunity of
asking the Secretary of State for the War Department
whether he was serious in the intention which he had ex-
pressed of going into the war estimates on Monday next.
It was the usual praetice that the navy estimates should be
taken first.
Sir De L. EVANS hoped that in bringing forward these
estimates the hon. and gallant Secretary would make some
general statement on the subject.
General PEEL said that he merely proposed to get the
power to raise the necessary number of soldiers for the
public service, without asking for any money, and if op-
posed to the wishes of the house he would withdraw it for
the present.
Mr. STAPLETON, in withdrawing the motion alluded
to, gave notice that he would bring the subject forward
again.

THE NAVIGATION LAWS.
Mr. HUTT called the attention of the house to a letter
dated Foreign-office, 10th Nov., 1858, signed G. Hammond,
purporting to be a communication from the Earl of Malmes-
bury to the Chamber of Commerce of Greenock, on the
subject of the Navigation Laws.
LETTERS TO THE COLONIES.
Mr. A. STEUART asked the Secretary to the Treasury
whether any complaints had reached him regarding the
non-delivery of letters posted in this country for the colo-
nies ; and if so, whether he could suggest any remedy, by
rendering it optional to pre-pay wholly or in part, or other-
wise?

Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that there )
certainlyte had
been some complaints with respect t(
delivery of letters posted in this country for Australia-
...- a number of which, it was stated, d not
reached their destination. The Government had made
inquiries, but could not ascertain the cause of the non-
delivery. In cases where the letters had been prepaid in
money probably the postmasters had appropriated the
money, and the only remedy he could suggest was that
letters should be prepaid in stamps.
• THE -FOREIGN OFFICE.
Sir BENJAMIN HALL asked the First Commissioner
of Works to state the reasons which induced him to adopt
the plan for the re-construction of the Foreign Office
to which the third premium was adjudged, and
to reject those plans to which the first and
_second
premiums were awarded ; also, whether he would have
any objection to place in cne of the committee rooms the
three sets of plans as they were exhibited in Westminster.
hall, in order that the members of the House of Commons
might have the opportunity of seeing them before any
further steps were taken in relation to the design to which
the third premium was given.
Lord T. MANNERS vindicated the course pursued
by the select committee in the adoption alluded
to. If honourable members wished to re-examine
the three original designs he had no objection to their being
Placed in a committee-room for that purpose. He asked
the house to give the'Executive fair play, and not interfere
thein matter at the present time.
After a few words from Sir B. HALL,
I'MVIS defended the late Government, who had
brought in a bill on the subject, which had been thrown out
by the opposition
Mr. T received from the present Government.
a previous
occaadiotnhat in the observation he had made on
,t,:he only question, he thought, be-
fore the house was the respective merits of Gothic and
Italian architecture. thought the noble lord pro-
posed to commit himself u
had no idea, in throwing an expenditure of which he
tern the estimate to the
tenders of builders of which no practical knowledge.
He thought that the house 434 have an opportunity of
judging for themselves, and repeated his objections to if*
incongruity of the style selected by the noble lord for the
new offices.

Mr. CONINGHAM opposed the adoption of
architecture in the proposed building. the Gothic
Lord PALMER TON said, that under 1.11 the re
ei
stances the late Government could not be accused of into,_
sistenCY-
in respect to this question, and the present -
Go-
vernment ought not to have made their se-
led:ion from those who had not obtained the
first prize. He agreed with the honourable member for
Bath, that before they incurred the expense of designs and
estimates, they should have an opportunity of de-
ciding on the style of architecture to be adopted.
He was strongly, opposed to the Gothic style for the
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