COLONEL ANSONsaid, he would now, with the permission of the House, take certain votes on account for the Ordnance, a list of which he would place in the hands of the Chairman. The House must he aware that it was necessary to provide a certain amount of funds to meet the necessary expenditure of the Ordnance after the expiration of the present financial year. He could only assure the House that the estimates of this department had been prepared with a due regard alike to the exigencies of the public service and to every practical measure of economy; and he, therefore, trusted it would now consent to vote on account a portion of the sums required for the services under the heads which he now proposed to place in the hands of the Chairman.
§ MR. HUMEcould not admit that the Ordnance Estimates had been prepared with a due regard to economy, and considered they required the application of the pruning knife just as much as the estimates for the Navy required reduction.
COLONEL ANSONsaid, it was his opinion that every practicable and wise economy had been adopted in these estimates; and if the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) considered it had not, it only remained for him to prove the truth of his allegation.
§ The following Votes on account were then agreed to:—
§ 350,000l. Ordnance Military Corps. 150,000l. Commissariat. 140,000l. Salaries. 150,000l. Ordnance Establishments. 70,000l. Wages of Artificers. 160,000l. Ordnance Stores. 250,000l. Ordnance and Barrack Works. 45,000l. Scientific Branch. 85,000l. Non-effective Services.
§ Resolutions to be reported on Monday next; Committee to sit again on Monday next.
§ House resumed.
§ The House adjourned at a quarter he-fore One o'clock, till Monday next.