The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-24 00:00:00

THE WAR IN ABYSSINIA.

Mr. FAWCETT asked the Secretary of State for India
whether the Estimates ho had received from Bombay of
the sums expended on behalf of the Abyssinian expedition
were sufficiently full and accurate to enable the Govern-
ment correctly to calculate its aggregate cost up to the
present time ?

Sir S. NORTIICOTE said the accounts ho had received
from Bombay were not as full as he could wish, but Gen.
Jameson had gone over them, and, as far as the
office was concerned, it was felt that they had laid an esti-
mate before the Treasury on the subject that could be
relied upon, as far any estimate could, th•it related to the
subject of the war.
____

THE BUDGET.
The house having resolvad itself into a Committee of
Ways and Means,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose to
make his financial statement. He said the interest that
invariably attached to a subject such as that he
was about to bring under the consideration of
the house, had no doubt lessened in consequence
of the partial view that was taken of the finituo!al
condition in November last. He had to inform the
committee that the elasticity of the public resources had
not been equal to that of former years, but, considering
that they had boon suffering from two bad harvests, that
they had not recovered from the commercial pressure of
the year 1866-7, ho did not think there was any reason
for despondency, but that, on the whole, they might con-
gratulate themselves on the condition of the country.
The estimated revenue, according to the calculations of
his right hon. friend, for the year was £69,130,000, to
which ho (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had in
November lest to make an,additiou of £310,000 by an in-
crease of the income-tax of a penny in the pound, or as the
right hoe. gentleman put it, of 2d. fur the half-year. The
two items made a gross total of £69,970,000, but the actual
receipts amounted to £69,600,000, showing a deficiency
of £370,000 below the suns estimated. The sources of
revenue upon which there had been a falling off were the
Excise, the income tax, the Yost-office, and miscellaneous
estimates. Whilst the revenue hat fallen off in the Excise,
which was generally looked upon as showing the condi-
tion of the labouring classes; yet., although there had been
a del:lone), in tthat as regarded England, it was satis-
factory to know that such was not the case as far
as Ireland was concerned—(hear, hear) —which he
took to represent an increased prosperity in the condition
of that part of the United Kingdom. Tho right hon.
gentleman then proceeded to show the amount of in-
crease and decrease under the other heads of revenue for
tho financial year, and said it was very satisfactory to
find there had been an increase in the Customs, which he
did not think it would be too much to attribute to articles
upon which duty was paid, yot which did not pass to
the excise. One of these articles to which he
attributed the increase was the article of tea,
and it would be satisfactory to find that a change
had taken place in the hatsits of the people with
respect to the cup which cheers but net inebriates in pre-
ference to the consumption of ardent spirits, which pro-
duced more profit to the Exchequer than te the parties
who consumed them. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the
dog tax, it had produced very good returns, but it was
proposed to change that tax front the assessed taxes to the
department of the Excise, by which means any article
would have to be kept fur a year before the charge was
made. (Hear, hear.) It appeared to be undesirable te
continue to assess ueoa what had been the case in the
previous year—(hear, hoar)—and the committee might
perhaps at sonic future time consider whether the
principle that was proposed to be applied to
the Dog Tax could not be applied with success
to other matters. Having compared the expenditure of
the country for the year 1367-8 with the year 1865-7, the
right hon. gentleman remarked that be did not consider
the balances stood as high as they should do, but they had
been sufficient to carry them through without having to
ask the Bank for advances. Speaking of the present year,
1868-9, it was true there was au increase in the esti-
mates; the Navy estimates wore, in fact, only increased by
the suns of £lO,OOO. The Army estimates were in excess
of last year by £200,000, which had been explained by
his right honourable friend, and the civil service
estimates —which had increased to the extent of £400,000
—A:170,000 of which must be attributed to the extension of
education and science and art. In taking a view of the
resources of the country to meet the expenditure, he would
advise that the tea duty was to continuo, and that the
income-tax was to remain at 4d. par pound, which it did
at the beginning of the year. With respect to the extra-
ordinary calls upon the resources of the country by the
Abyssinian war, the Government had no reason to
believe that the estimates would be exceeded. (Hear.) It.
had been stated to the house by his right hon. friend that
supposing the war to close by the end of April, the esti-
mate of 31 to 4 millions would be sufficient to meet the
expedition ; but he might say.that the estimate for trans-
port had been very much exceeded. Taking two millions
to pay the expenses doWn to the end of the year 1867,
wo start from the ISt of January, 1368, and we estimate
that the sum required will be £600,000 per month—(oh,
oh)—and we calculate that the expenditure will last
to the end of May, leaving five months to
be paid for at the rate he had mentioned.
We anticipate that Sir R. Napier will be returning from
the country, having been successful in his expedition, by
about April 20 ; and, considering all things, the total
cost of tho expedition would amount to £3,000,000, leaving
£3,000,000 to be provided for. The source from which
that sum was to be drawn was the next thing to be
considered, and the income tax naturally presented
itself, especially as the demand upon it was only
to be of a temporary character. If they were
to add an additional 2d. to that at which it already
stood it would produce £2,800,000, nearly sufficient
to meet the demand, but as there would be some hardship
i,i making the whole of that payable in one year, he
proposed to increase the income tax to 6d. in the ordinary
way, and spreading it over the whole year. la such an
arrangement he proposed to take power te issue £1,000,000
of Exchequer bonds to' be paid next year. That would
enable him to meet the calls that had boon made upon the
resources of the country, and he did not think if his pro-
position was adopted it could be said that they were
throwing the burdens of the present time upon posterity.
The right hon. gentleman concliekd by placing a reso-
lution in the hands of the Chairman, that the tea-duty be
continued at 6d., which under ordinary circumstances
would have expired this year.
tioMn sr. ofCl DriSg.hrt°llNoEn. ogxeuptrieosisneadmapproval of the
Theproposi-
onte resolution
wesoalustaiosureteodto, continueand the duty of 6d. in the pound
up
The Chairman reported progress.
house then adjourned.