§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the expediency of transferring the functions of First Lord of the Admiralty to a gentleman enjoying the confidence of the Government, together with a seat in this House, so as to avoid the inconvenience occasioned by the absence of the responsible head of a principal spending Department in the discussion of the Estimates?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I understand the Question of the hon. Member substantially to come to this—whether it is possible to make it an absolute rule in the construction of the Administration that the First Lord of the Admiralty should be a Member of this House? Now, that is certainly, on the whole, and as a general rule, desirable; but it is not so far desirable, and has not commonly been judged desirable, to such a degree as to make it right that this should be an absolute rule. Of course, I need not say that an absolute rule of this kind can only be applied to a limited extent in the formation of the Government, because personal qualifications must govern the distribution of offices on the whole; and, therefore, I can only go half-way towards meeting the hon. Member. I am quite sure that there are many who sit in this House and who can recollect—it would not be good manners to refer, in his presence, to the present Secretary—many instances in which the business of the Admiralty has been very efficiently conducted by a Secretary, both on this side of the House as well as on the other.
§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFsaid, that, as his Question was founded upon the dictum of the right hon. Gentleman when in Opposition, he should call attention to the subject and move a Resolution.