§ On the motion of Mr. Tennyson, the House went into a Committee of Supply. In the Committee, on the motion of Mr. Tennyson, the following sums were voted without opposition; 5,210l. to defray the expense of pay and allowances to seventy six master gunners at the garrisons and batteries in Great Britain, Guernsey, Jersey, and in Ireland, for the year 1831: 81,328l. to defray the expense of the royal engineers, sappers and miners: 278,436l. to defray the expense of the royal regiment of artillery: 36,216l. to defray the expense of the royal horse artillery and 1726 riding house troop: 1,223l. to defray the expense of the Director-general of the artillery and field-train department: 9,218 to defray the expense of the medical establishment for the military department of the Ordnance: 3,402l. to defray the expense of the establishment of the professors, masters, &c. of the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich: 64,200l. to defray the expense of the superintendence and management of ordnance and barrack works and repairs: 391,965l. to defray the expense of ordnance and barrack works and repairs in the Store-keeper's departments; but, after deducting 296,182l. for rents, sale of old stores, and unexpended sums of former grants, 95,783l.: and 64,389l. to defray the expense of Barrack-masters' expenditure, &c. in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Colonies. On the vote for granting 146,219l. to defray the expense of military and civil contingencies, stores, &c. being moved,
Mr. Humesaid, that, for the first and only time in his life, he perfectly acquiesced in the estimate of the year for this service, for it was all in vain now, after what had occurred last night, to expect that any thing would be conducted in the way of business, satisfactorily by a House constituted as it was proved to be, by the two trials of strength between the two great parties in that House, which had been run neck and neck on each occasion. It was, therefore, to be hoped this state of things would be put an end to by a prompt dissolution, and they would all be sent back to their constituents, when, no doubt, a Parliament would be returned which might effect something for the public good, and not take up important public measures in the light of party questions.
§ Colonel Trench,alluding to the savings which had been alleged to have been made in this department by the present Ministers since their accession to power, believed they could not be fairly taken at more than 4,000l. or 5,000l. sterling, whilst the hon. Member had been silent on the very important saving which had been accomplished in this department last year by his predecessor, amounting to above 47,000l.
§ Mr. Tennysonsaid, he was in hopes he should be able to propose a reduction in next year's estimates larger than that which he felt authorised in proposing on this occasion. He believed the saving this year would be found to be fall 5,000l.
§ Sir Henry Hardinge,from intimate acquaintance with the subject, would take upon himself to correct the statement made by the hon. Member, and state his opinion that the real saving to the public in this year's estimates would not be found to exceed 3,000l. He should not oppose the vote.
§ Vote agreed to. The following sums were also voted; 27,974l. to defray the expense of services performed by the office of Ordnance, and not provided, for by Parliament, in the year 1830: 69,930l. to defray the charge of the military store branch for Great Britain, Ireland and the Colonies: 1,600l. to defray the expense of Exchequer fees: 297,116l. to defray the charge of the military superannuated and half-pay retired General Officers, &c.: 60,116l. to defray the charge of superannuated civil servants: 535l. to pay Exchequer fees on the superannuated allowance.
§ House resumed.