§ MR. HUMEwished to put a question to the First Lord of the Treasury. It had been stated that of late years the defences 3 of the country had been neglected, and that men of high character and reputation had made representations on the subject, not only to the present but to preceding Governments, which it was said had been disregarded. He wished to know, therefore, whether, if he moved to-morrow for a copy of any representations or statements as to the defences of the country which had been laid before Her Majesty's Advisers, there would be any objection to the Motion on the part of the Government? He considered, that if such representations had been made, the House ought to be in possession of them before they were asked to grant supplies for additional armaments.
§ LORD J. RUSSELLI do not think there are any documents of an official nature of the purport referred to by the hon. Member which can be laid before this House. I stated, on a former occasion, when I asked the hon. Member for Middlesex (Mr. Osborne) to postpone a Motion of which he had given notice on the subject, that I would take an early opportunity of informing the House what had been done by former Governments and by the present Government in the way of naval and military defences; and I shall take the opportunity of giving that information when I lay the financial statement before the House.