§ Sir Henry Parnellthen brought forward the Army Estimates. As they were the same, with one exception, as the House had passed the last Session, he should not make any statement concerning them. With respect to that exception, the vote for the Volunteer and Yeomanry Corps, which was then postponed, he should be ready to give any explanation required.
After a few words from Sir Henry Hardinge, expressing a determination to offer no opposition to the votes, but a wish to obtain some information concerning the number of officers on half-pay, which he considered essential to the public service, the number of 88,496 men were voted for the service of the year.
Several items were agreed to without remark. On the vote for the Military Asylum,
§ Captain Bolderowished for further time to consider the Estimates. He had received them only that morning, at eleven o'clock, and had not had time to make himself master of them. He begged for time [no, no!].
§ Lord Althorpobserved, that the present Estimates were all discussed last Session, and in passing them the House would only follow the precedent of 1807. At that time the Estimates had been voted previous to the dissolution, and the same estimates were afterwards brought forward.
Mr. R. Gordonobserved, there was also a similar precedent in 1804. Nevertheless, he thought the new Members might with propriety complain.
§ Lord Althorpobserved, that there were new Members in both the Parliaments of 1804 and 1807.
§ Vote agreed to.