§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is the intention of the Government to propose any Vote in the present year for raising by loan or otherwise any sum for fortifications beyond 1330 the sums proposed in the Army Estimates now on the Table?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTON—Sir, the House is aware that a Commission of Military Officers was appointed to consider what addition to the defences was necessary to the dockyards and for certain other purposes. The Report of that Commission is still under the consideration of the military authorities, and has not yet in a final state been submitted to Her Majesty's Government. It is needless for me to observe that there are two considerations connected with any arrangements on the subject. The one is, what amount of defensive works would be desirable, supposing the Government have an unlimited command of men to man them; and the other consideration is, what amount of defensive works would be absolutely necessary without taking a larger amount of forces than would leave a sufficient army for operations in the field independently of garrisons. These are questions still under consideration. As soon as the Report of the Commissioners shall be laid before the Government in a final shape it will be their duty to take it into consideration, and to determine what course it would be proper to adopt thereon. Whenever that is done it will be my duty to lay the Report before Parliament, and to inform the House what course Her Majesty's Government may recommend to Parliament to pursue in regard to the matters to which the Report relates.