§ MR. STAFFORDsaid, it would be in the recollection of the House that some two months ago the hon. Member for Lin- 1226 lithgowshire, (Mr. G. Dundas) put a question to the Chief Commissioner of Works relating to the overcrowded state of Her Majesty's Drawing Rooms. He asked the right hon. Baronet, or rather, to use a more courtly phrase, he took the pleasure of the right hon. Gentleman as to whether any alterations were to be made at St. James's Palace, in order to obviate the inconveniences of overcrowding in future. The right hon. Baronet, who rose amid loud cries for the Vice Chamberlain, stated that it was his intention to make alterations in St. James's Palace, adding that upon some future occasion he would lay his plans upon the table of the House. Those plans for the alteration, or demolition as it might be, of St. James's Palace had not yet been produced, and he now wished to ask the right hon. Baronet whether he is prepared to lay the plans upon the table, or whether, on further consideration, he is of opinion that no other alterations in the Palace are necessary beyond those which has already been accomplished? He hoped that the right hon. Gentleman would give a pledge to the House that he would not repeat, as soon as the Session was over, his experiment with respect to the neighbouring piece of water, and that, while he delayed laying his plans upon the table, he would not enter into a correspondence with the nimble Secretary of the Treasury, and carry out his contemplated alterations without the sanction of Parliament.
§ SIR BENJAMIN HALLsaid, he had already told the House that no expenditure whatever would be incurred in relation to St. James's Palace without the knowledge and sanction of Parliament. He was happy to say that at the last Drawing Room the accommodations were much better than they had ever been before, and he hoped that it might not be necessary to incur any further expense. At the same time, additional alterations might be requisite; but, in that event, the plans would be laid upon the table, and the approval of Parliament obtained, before any steps were taken to put them into execution.
§ Motion agreed to. House, at rising, to adjourn till Monday next.