§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the further consideration of the Resolution of Supply, which had been postponed from the 2nd inst.
§ Mr. Brighttook that opportunity of asking the right hon. Gentleman whether it was his intention to propose the consolidation of the Assessed Taxes Acts, and when he should be ready to bring it forward.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, he was so much occupied in the consolidation of the Stamp Acts that he had not had time to pay attention to the other subject, and could not at that moment say when he should be ready with it.
§ Mr. Brightasked whether the right hon. Gentleman intended to bring on the subject in the present session.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerreplied, that he was prepared to do so, but at present he could not fix the time.
§ Mr. C. Calvertasked, whether the right hon. Gentleman intended to renew the Assessed Taxes Composition Act. If he did, it was time that those concerned 1411 should be informed on the subject, that they might know what to do, as the Act would expire in October.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that the House and the Country would obtain a full explanation of what was intended on the subject in a few days.
§ The Resolutions were then read, and several of them agreed to.
§ On the question that a sum, not exceeding 85,025l. be granted for the expenses of Salaries, &c., to the Civil Establishments of the Ordnance in the Tower and Pall-mall,
§ Mr. Humeobserved, that as the House had decided against the recommendation of the Finance Committee, and had negatived the reduction of the office of Lieutenant-general of the Ordnance, it was hopeless now to have any reduction in this department. But there was an understanding that if the Lieutenant-general were continued, the salary of the Master-general, which was now almost a sinecure, should be reduced from 3,000l. a-year, its present amount, to 1,500l., which was the salary attached to it in 1801. Unless some reductions were made in those estimates, what credit could be given to Ministers for a desire to reduce the burthens of the country? The services included in the present vote of 85,025l., cost the country, in 1796, only 17,000l. It was, however, now a hopeless matter to expect much reduction by Ministers, and all he prayed for was, that there might be a falling-off in the revenue next year to the amount of 3,000,000l., for only something of that kind would force Ministers to reduce the expenditure.
§ Colonel Sibthorphoped the falling-off in the revenue would be double the sum mentioned by the hon. member for Mont-rose, for that alone would oblige Government to reduction. He had had several anonymous communications lately, pointing out various instances of extravagant application of the public money; and though he would not use them, for he was unwilling to encourage any such communications, thinking they came from those who, if what they stated were true, ought not to be afraid or ashamed to avow themselves, yet he believed much of the information conveyed by them to be correct. He hoped, therefore, the hon. member for Montrose would continue his very useful exertions to promote economy, and he should be happy to give him his best sup- 1412 port on every such occasion. The country already owed him great thanks for what he had done, and he felt bound thus publicly to return him his thanks for the course he had pursued, which he hoped he would continue.
§ Mr. Trantcould not approve of that kind of economy recommended by the hon. member for Montrose, of going back to the system of 1792, which he so often recommended. Let it he recollected, that we formerly carried on war by our money, and employing foreign troops to fight for us, and the consequence was, that war was much more expensive, and less efficiently conducted: but when we began to take the matter into our own hands, we went on much better. The Ordnance Department was now in a much more efficient state, and though he saw a formidable, and perhaps, not a very constitutional, array of seven or eight officers opposite connected with it; yet he would rather see the department in its present effective state, than go back to the former practice of carrying on the war rather by the employment of others than by our own forces.
§ The Motion was then agreed to,—as were the other Resolutions.
§ Sir A. Grantbrought up the Report of the last Committee of Supply.
§ The Resolutions for the grant of 8,933l. for the Storekeepers' Establishments at Woolwich and 17,432l. for other stations in England, were agreed to.
§ On the Resolution for granting the sum of 28,645l. for Storekeepers' Establishments abroad and in Ireland,
§ Mr. Hume, adverting to what fell from the hon. member for Dover, said, he did not expect his support in any useful object,—and he should never seek it. He would take this opportunity of asking whether the Government were still going on manufacturing and selling powder. He thought the practice of manufacturing our own gunpowder, was a very extravagant mode of supplying the public service with that article, which might be much more cheaply supplied by others.
§ Mr. Percevalsaid, that Government was at present manufacturing only a small quantity of powder, and was not selling any.
§ Mr. Humemust repeat, that we were paying three times more for the article by Government taking the manufacture on itself, than it might be obtained for from private manufacturers. We had now a 1413 supply for twenty-five years on hand, and that was quite sufficient.
Sir J. Wrotlesleyconcurred with the hon. Member, that the system of manufacturing by Government was any thing but one of economy. He had heard that some arms, which were made for the East India Company at our manufactory at Enfield, might have been obtained much cheaper at Birmingham; and that, accordingly, the Company refused the contract.
§ Mr. Percevalsaid, that Government offered to make some arms for the Company, but the contract was refused, though without reference to the price or the pattern.—The Resolution agreed to.