§ MR. BENTINCK,in rising to ask when the Estimates would be brought in said, that they had heard a great deal in that House on the subject of high Estimates, and some hon. Gentlemen opposite had addressed a letter to the noble Lord at the head of the Government calling for a reduction of the public expenditure; but he did not think that their notions on that subject had assumed a very practical character. An accusation had been thrown out that the majority of Members who sat on the Conservative side of the House had a direct and personal interest in voting large armaments and heavy taxation. As far as he himself was concerned he, like every other subject of the realm, had a great dislike to any unnecessary amount of taxation, and in saying that he believed that he was expressing the sentiments of the great majority of the Gentlemen on his side of the House. He quite agreed that it was the duty of a Member of the House to defend the interest of his constituents, and protect them from unnecessary taxation; but he apprehended that it would be a very small number in the House or the country who would prefer to sacrifice both the honour and interests of the country to the sordid feeling that would induce them to consider money above everything else, and there were consequently few who were not of opinion that in the present state of Europe it was impossible that there could be any material reduction either of the Army or Navy Estimates. He did not say that a due regard to economy should not be had even while they carried the service out with efficiency; but few would contend that any reduction of those Estimates could be made at present. He thought that the probabilities were that they would have to increase rather than diminish them. That being the condition of the Army and 485 Navy Estimates, the only reduction that could be looted for was in that expenditure which was included in the Miscellaneous Estimates. And here, so far from thinking that those Estimates could not be reduced, he was of opinion that they might be most advantageously reduced, and that the interests of the country would in no wise suffer thereby. He thought, however, that they would agree with him that, practically speaking, the House had had during the last two years no control whatever over those Estimates, inasmuch as they had been brought forward at a late period of the Session, and hurried over at a time when there were but few Members in the House, the majority having become jaded and weary with a six or seven months' attendance. If, therefore, they were to be called upon to exercise an economical superintendence over those Estimates, it was necessary that they should be laid on the table of the House at the earliest possible moment; and not only that, but that Her Majesty's Government should bring them on at an early period of the Session. He hoped, therefore, that the Government would give an assurance of that kind to the House, and that the noble Lord, who had not already spoken on the question of the adjournment, would answer the question.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI understand that the Miscellaneous Estimates are in a state of preparation, and that they will probably be laid on the table in a fortnight, It is quite true, as the hon. Member has stated, that a delay has taken place for years past in discussing these Estimates, owing to circumstances that have been unavoidable. No doubt, these are Estimates that deserve and will receive deliberate attention. But the House will bear in mind that some of the heaviest charges have been put on these Estimates by votes of the House of Commons, who have transferred to the Miscellaneous Estimates charges that were previously defrayed from other sources.