§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether the numbers of the Foremen, Artificers, Workmen, &c. in the various manufactories of the War Department are not omitted in the Army Estimates for the year 1863–4; and, if so, whether the Secretary of State for War will take care that the omission be supplied in the same form as in the Army Estimate of 1862–3?
SIR GEORGE LEWISreplied, that the Army Estimates of this year had been prepared with considerable care, with the view of laying before the House all the information that was likely to be useful in debate. The details referred to by the hon. Baronet were advisedly omitted, for the reason that the artificers employed by the War Department were, for the most part, paid by the piece, and therefore any statement of the number of persons employed was necessarily founded upon vague and uncertain data. But if the hon. Gentleman wished for the number, he would take care that it should be laid upon the table.