Mr. Alexanderbrought up the report of the Committee of Ways and Means of yesterday.—The resolution for appropriating the surplus of 1,370,674l. of the grants of the navy being read,
Lord Folkestonerepeated the observations which lie had made in the Committee, that instead of a surplus, there was a deficit it in the supplies of last year. He had recurred to the only documents which he could consult on the subject, namely, the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer mi the Budget, and, he contended, that bore him cut in the observation. The war taxes had 959 been estimated at 4,500,000l. for the year, and it appeard by the accounts on the table, that they only produced 1,900,000l. previous to the 5th Jan. to which date, not the 5th of April, the taxes of the year were calculated. He should wish to be informed what had produced the deficiency of near 8,000,000l. from the sum of 12,000,000l. which had been once held out as the amount of the war taxes?
The Chancellor of the Exchequerjustified his statement of yesterday in every particular. He referred to the: documents whence he drew his conclusion, and entered on the different items which were formerly stated. He expressed a sanguine hope, that the produce of some of the taxes, would exceed considerably the sums at which they have been estimated.—The resolution was then put and agreed to.