§ The House then resolved itself into Committee of Supply.
COLONEL ANSONsaid, that in asking the House for a vote for the excess of expenditure in the Ordnance Department since the year 1846, he wished to make a short explanation of the circumstances under which the vote was applied for. Previously to 1846, the ordnance accounts were not made up every year, but the balance in hand was carried to the credit of the department, and appropriated to the payment of services previously estimated but not brought into charge. Under this system no balance-sheet was presented to Parliament, but there was constantly a running account. A great change had been made by the alteration of the system adopted in 1846, by which Parliament obtained the supervision of the financial affairs of the department—a change beneficial in every respect—at the same time it became necessary to make up the accounts, in consequence of the change of system, and the result showed an excess to the amount of the vote which he had to put into the Chairman's hands—namely, 97,984l. 13s. 1d. But this was not an excess on the actual yearly expenditure—on the contrary, if deducted from the sum which had been surrendered to the Exchequer, the result would show a saving on the grants of Parliament of 34,000l. He concluded by moving that a sum not exceeding 97,984l. 13s. 1d. should be grant- 1364 ed to defray the excess of Ordnance Expenditure beyond the grants for the year ending March, 1846.
§ MR. HUMEconsidered this case as an exception to the general rule. He hoped that this way of voting money would not be drawn into a precedent of bringing forward money votes after Twelve o'clock; but he would not oppose the grant.
§ Vote agreed to. Resolution to be reported To-morrow.
§ The House adjourned at half after Twelve o'clock.