The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that he should he able to put into very few words all he had to address to the House upon this subject. Carlton-palace was at the present moment in a very dilapidated state. It was, in fact, so far unsafe to inhabit it, that, whenever a large assembly was held in the upper rooms, it became necessary to prop up the lower ones. As the expense attendant upon the necessary repair under circumstances would, of course, be considerable, it was conceived that it might be more convenient to abandon Carlton-house entirely, and make Buckingham-palace the royal residence in future, Now, there was one immediate desideratum which would be attained by this arrangement. On part of the ground which Carlton-house now occupied, a new building for the Royal Academy might be erected; and probably it would also afford one for the intended National Gallery. It would be easy, upon other portions of this site, to erect a series of handsome dwelling-houses, the value of which would cover a considerable part of the expense to be incurred; but, as this must be a matter for profit hereafter, and money was wanted immediately for the repair and fitment of the new residence, it would be requisite for parliament to take measures with respect to that supply. He would therefore move, "That it is expedient to authorize the application of part of the Land Revenue of the Crown for the repair and improvement of Buckingham House."
§ Mr. Ellicetrusted that the new palace, when completed, would do credit to the national taste, and not be such a building as had been erected at Brighton and other places. There was one circumstance to which he decidedly objected, and that was the encumbering the ground upon which Carlton-house and gardens now stood with new houses. We were already out-built all over the west-end of the town; and he deprecated any arrangement which should take away the little space and air that still remained. With reference to the expense, he would just suggest, whether it might not be met 1121 mainly, or entirely, by the sale of some of those ground-rents which the Crown had in such profusion all over the parish of St. James's? He could wish, moreover, that this scheme had been brought forward before the additional buildings were begun at the British Museum.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, it was not intended to cover Carlton-house gardens with buildings, but there were some offices attached to the house, the site of which could not be applied to a better purpose.
The resolution was agreed to.