SIR FRANCIS BARINGsaid, he wished to hear something from the Government respecting the sum that had been voted for the Naval Reserve. In the Estimates laid upon the table a sum was included for the purpose of forming a Naval Reserve. But two days ago, in answer to a question that had been put by a gallant Officer, they were told that the Admiralty had abandoned that scheme, and would not carry it into effect. There was a sum of 38,000l. specially voted for the purpose of that Naval Reserve, and he would wish to know what course the Government intended to take with regard to that sum of 38,000l. Was it intended to use that sum to keep up a larger force than had been voted? That was a question proper to be ascertained; for if the sum that had been voted was not 401 sufficient, the Government should apply to the House, and let the necessary sum be voted. Looking to the amount of the force now employed, he was very much afraid that it would exceed the Vote, and that the Estimates, as framed by himself, would not be sufficient for the public service if they went on to the extent they wore now going on. There had been an Estimate with respect to the amount of expenditure and the Vote of men, made up by the Accountant General, upon whose character every one who knew him would place the greatest reliance-—and there was found to be a considerable surplus of the amount voted, after expending the amount necessary for the Vote of men—but he was now surprised to find that there was no surplus at all, and he understood that the entire amount of the Vote was expended. If that expenditure were to go on, there must be a considerable deficiency at the end of the year, and he should be glad to have a statement from the Government on the subject, if such statement could be made without inconvenience to the public service.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, there would be no inconvenience to the public service in replying to the right hon. Gentleman with as much frankness as he had used in putting the question. He perfectly agreed in the opinion expressed by the right hon. Gentleman with respect to the Accountant General, who was as highly appreciated by the present as by the late Government, and it was under his advice and guidance they had acted. There was no foundation whatever for the idea—as far as he had heard, and of course he would have heard it if there was —that the rate of expenditure had exceeded that which it ought to be, according to the Estimates which Her Majesty's Government had adopted. He had no reason for believing that the Estimates which they had adopted from their predecessors would be at all exceeded, so far as he could judge from the rate of expenditure now adopted. As to the question of the Naval Reserve, it was not proceeded with by the present Administration, for certain reasons which swayed them; but it was not desirable at present to enter into any debate on the question. The answer that they had not exceeded the Estimates was an answer also to the observation of the right hon. Gentleman with respect to the transfer of the sum of 38,000l. If the Government had even required assistance, they never could think of applying the sum voted for an- 402 other object when they did not think it necessary to accomplish the object for which it was voted; therefore the 38,000#. remained untouched. Although the Estimate framed by the late Administration, and adopted by the present, was an Estimate, in their opinion, framed upon a sound principle, and though the force supplied by that Estimate and by the Vote of the House was perfectly sufficient for all purposes of defence, yet there had been recently new demands rising up, in consequence of the extraordinary discoveries in a distant Colony, and it was very difficult, indeed, for the Admiralty to answer these demands. If, on further consideration, they should find it their duty to ask for some slight increase of the force, they would lay the circumstances before the House without the slightest reserve, and ask their opinion; and he was confident, when they heard the details, they would not, perhaps, differ from the opinion which the Government had adopted. This demand, however, had nothing to do with any general increase of expenditure, or any deficiency in the Estimate which the Government had adopted. It arose entirely from the urgent and earnest demand that had been made upon the Admiralty, in consequence of the transactions that had occurred in the Pacific, and especially connected with the gold discoveries in that quarter of the globe.
SIR FRANCIS BARINGsaid, the right hon. Gentleman had not answerered the most particular part of his question, and probably the hon. Secretary of the Admiralty would answer it, namely, had the Vote for last year been exceeded?
§ MR. STAFFORDNo.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERthought he had distinctly stated that the rate of expenditure did not exceed the Estimate.
§ Question again proposed.