The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17,

the Customs at 22,350,0001. ; the Excise, 17,450,000/. ;
stamps, 7,550,0001. ; Post-office, 3,000,000/. ; Crown
e°Tuqh' 1,385,000/. ; making a
The extraordinary tlaontadis,o2f 6about
0/6.2;
Bmoio7oeolol7.
liabili-
ties of that year were 3,500,0001,, being 2,000,0001. in
Exchequer Bills and 1,500,000/. for sinking fund.
Deducting that amount from the 62,800,0001. there
would be a net revenue of 59,300,800/. He would
now proceed to the year 1859-60. He estimated the
Customs at a reduced sum, owing to the reduction of
the duties on tea and sugar, and his estimate was as
follows :—Customs, 22,000,000/. ; Excise, 17,700,0001. ;
stamps, 7, 700, 000/. ; land and assessed taxes, 3,150,6001.;
income tax, 7,150,000/. ; postage, 3,000,000/. ; crown
lands, 265,000/. ; miscellaneous, 1,300,000/. ; making a
total of 62,265,000/. Then there would be required, for
the repayment of debt, 3,500,0001., and the net revenue
remaining,
was 58,765,0001. The
pn
preceding the war—was 55,840,000/. According to his
ex ed t u
aifnt e r e
the that
yeard deduction, ucti o,
1853-4—the year immediately
estimate of the revenue and expenditnre of these two
years, after discharging all liabilities, Exchequer Bonds
and sinking fund, there would remain an excess beyond the
expenditure in the last year before the war of about
3,000,000/. The whole of that 3,000,0001. became appli
cable to any increased charge of the army and navy or civil
services which might be requisite, with this single deduction
—viz., the increased interest of the debt which bad been
created during the war. The liabilities were in the nature
of repayment of principal, but there was also an augmen-
tation in the interest of debt which had been incurred
during the war that was necessary for him to account
for. In 1858-9 the addition would be 640,000/. ;in
1859-60, in consequence of the repayment of debt it
would be reduced to 510,0001. Therefore there would he
a margin of 3,000,0001., from which nothing would be
taken except the payment of interest and the increase of
the army, navy, and civil service estimates from the last
year of peace. Now it seemed to him that that was a
sufficient margin for those two years. And observe this,
his estimate of revenue was not a sanguine estimate. He
had not made any large allowances for the possible in-
crease in the indirect taxes, but the committee should bear
in mind that when they removed so large a sum as about
9,000,0001. of direct taxation, they might under ordinary
circumstances reasonably expect that there would be an
increase in indirect taxes. He thought, unless it could be
shown that there was some error in this estimate, that he
had proved there would be sufficient revenue for the
years 1858-9, 1859-60. That, as he understood, was the
point to which the resolution of the right hon. gentleman
was directed, and it seemed to him it would be more con-
venient to discuss the question at present, now that they
were in committee of supply, rather than wait for the
report being brought up,
Kr. GLADSTONE entirely acceded to the propriety
of the resolution, but with regard to the statement of his
right bon, friend, it appeared to him to properly belong
to the speech they had from him on Friday night, and it
was only from the great circuit he had then to make,
and the quantity of matter he hed to lay before the
house, which prevented his laying this estimate before
them when he laid before them tte others. He should
therefore only, so far as he was concerned, say that he
could not as at present advised accept the cheering pros-
pect which his right hon. friend had held out to them.
He should say that the same consideration which in-
duced them to postpone the discussion on Friday night,
would induce them to postpone the discussion to-night.
He would therefore, as they wens to have an opportunity
of discussion, reserve himself.
Sir F. BARING remarked that the charge for col-
lecting the renenue was 4,215, COL, which, with 440,000/.
for the Coastguard service, made an increase of 532, 000/,
He asked, if the charge for collecting the revenue was
increased 532,000/. ?

, .
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
the estimate of the expenditure for the collection of the
revenue in 1857-8 was 4215,000/. Then there was
transferred to it, for the first time this year, the super-
annuation of the revenue department, 475,0001.
Mr. T. M. GIBSON ask)d whether it was intended
to lay on the table any statement of the expenses to be
incurred in the Persian war during the next year ? They
had got the expense to )e incurred up to the Ist of
April, but no estimate of ary further expense. He also
wished to know whether thty were to have any estimate
of the expenditure now going oq with respect to the
China war.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that it was not the intenjon of Government to present
any estimate of the exoenditure in the Persian war
from the Ist of April, inasmuch as at present there
was no data on whbh to found an estimate. At
present negotiations wtre proceeding in Paris, and
her Majesty's.Governmeat had reason to hope that those
negotiations would prov) satisfactory. If that should be
the case there would beno expenditure incurred for the
year beyond that which would be connected with the
expedition. With regatd to China there was no expen-
diture beyond that of tie ordinary expenditure of the
ships at the station.

kr, T. M, GIBSON said expenditure was going on
without the authority of Parliament. He asked whether,
as no estimate could is prepared, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer would not, at least, ask for a vote of credit,
in order that the subjsct might come before them.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that as soon as there was any prospect of an extraordi-
nary expenditure being required it would be the duty of
the Government to come to the house for a vote.
Mr. DISRAELI said that it would be convenient if
they could come to a clear understanding on what day
they were to have a discussion on the whole of the
financial arrangements. If, for example, they could under-
stand that on Friday the Chancellor of the Exchequer
would go into acormnittee of ways and means, he would
if convenient then move his resolution.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
it was not competent to the house to appoint a com-
mittee of ways and means until the report was brought
up ; therefore to-morrow was the earliest day at which
it could be appointed. He should be prepared on Fri-
day, in committee of ways and means, to propose the
resolution on the income tax, and also the resolution on
the tea and sugar duties.

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY supposed that a large
amount of Exchequer Bonds were held by the Commis-
sioners for the Reduction of the National Debt. He
should like to know what amount was so held, and whe-
ther any stock bad been sold to purchase those bonds
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said be
would, in order to prevent any inaccuracy, answer that
question on Friday. He could state in general terms,
that about 2,000,000/, of the bonds were held by the
commissioners.

The resolution was then agreed to, and the house re-
sumed.

CHIEF CONSTABLES BILL.

On the order of the day for the second reading of this
bill.

Colonel BUCK remarked that the mayors of the dif-
ferent boroughs ought to have the right of deliberating
and voting with the magistrates on the appointment of
the chief constables.
Sir G. GREY said that that subject did not come
within the scope of the present bill, which was merely a
measure to facilitate the object of the original act.
The bill was then read a second time,
ROYAL MARINE FORCES BILL.
This bid passed through committee.
HEALTH OF_TOWNS BILL.

On the motion of Mr. COWPER, leave was given to
bring in a bill to confirm certain provisional orders of the
General Board of Health applying the Public Health
Act, 1848, to the districts of Ipswich, Oldbury, Stroud,
Llangollen, and Dukirifield, and to alter the constitu-
tion 'Of the Local Board of Health for the main sewer-
ago district of Wisbech and Walsoken.
PUBLIC MONEYS.
On the motion of Sir F. BARING, the following hon.
members were nominated as a select committee on pub-
.lic moneys :—Sir Francis Baring, Mr. Henley, Mr.
Williams, Mr, Wilson, Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Hankey, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir
Henry Willoughby, Mr. Peacocke, Mr. James M‘Gre-
gor, Lord Stanley, Mr. Cardwell, and Mr. Geo. Alex-
ander Hamilton.

BANK ACTS COMMITTEE.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
that Mr. Wegaelin and Mr. Blackburn be added to this
committee.

Mr. CAYLET objected to the motion, remarking
that the Governor of the Bank of England was not a
proper person to be on the committee, inasmuch as he
would be a witness. He also complained that the com-.
tnittee was unfairly constituted.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that when he first nominated this committee he was re-,
commended to reduce it to the ordinary number of 15,
and be thta stated that he had adopted the number of
22, because that was the .number on the former com-
mittee. With respect to the governor of the bank being
examined as a witness, he could only say that it was not
at all unusual for a member of a committee to be ex-
amined before it. The hon. member (Mr. Cayley) had
a motion on the paper to add three members to that
committee, and the hon. member for Dublin proposed to
add another. 'lf it were the wish of the house to increase
the-number of the committee he should make no objec-
tion.

The motion was then agreed to.
Mr. GROGAN thereupon moved that the committee
consist of twenty-three members, and that Mr. Vance
be added to if.

Mr. CAYLEY moved that the committee consist of
twenty-six members, and that Mr. Laing, Mr. Edward
Ball, and Mr. James M'Gregor be added.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sug-
gested that the number should be twenty.four.
The SPEAKER was about to put the motion, when
Mr. CAYLEY said he must resist it. His objection
was that it was an unfairly constituted committee.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS thought that the committee
was too large.

The motion as proposed by the CHANCELLOR of the
Exof/EVER WAR then agreed to.
FOREIGN LEGIONS.
Colonel DUNNE moved for address for returns of
men enlisted in each of the-afoarmeiingnigalieagnieocinsaffiducreirnag and
indtanil°alill expenses incurred for re•
cembodying, and concentration of each corps;
osi
arming,
late
tntnumberig war; t
equipping,satof stating
cen:
and clothing ; bounty, pay, and cost
of subsistence while serving;
any
tgreaitru toi ems
homes
t discharge,he
num-
ber of each employed on active service during the war,
and the stand allowancea
t
i
o
for n
s
at Whichoreonve theyanc remainderwere quartered ;
of the date of embodiment and of the disbanding of each;
of the quantity of land granted to eaoh officer, non-
commit,sioned officer, and soldier of any foreign legion,
either at the Cape of Good Hope or elsewhere; of the
amount of any gratuity given to each, either for the
erection of houses or in lieu of them, or other purpose ;
of the amount, of any pay or allowance granted to each,
and the services they are expected to perform; and, of ,
the annual expense of arming, clothing, and subsisting
these Soldiers, together with the numbers of each rank
who have been thus located.---Agreed to.
The house adjourned at a quarter pant 7.