§ MR. ATHERLEY-JONES (Durham, N.W.)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether his attention has been called to a speech of the noble Lord the Member for South Paddington (Lord Randolph Churchill), delivered at the Metropolitan Music Hall last Saturday, in which he stated that so strong was the pressure he put upon the Admiralty that the Admiralty Estimates showed a total reduction of not less than £700,000; whether he has any objection to state in respect of what items or class of expenditure such reduction was made; and, whether such reduction was solely in consequence of the action of the noble Lord, or from any other cause?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)I have read with care the speech of my noble Friend the Member for South. Paddington. In that speech my noble Friend pointed out the benefit which accrues to the National Exchequer if the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the day insists upon the enforcement of economy, and urges upon his Colleagues a reduction of all superfluous or questionable expenditure; and he illustrated his argument by pointing out that the Navy Estimates of this year show a reduction of more than £700,000 compared with the expenditure of the preceding year. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to know the cause and reason of this, if he will do me the honour of reading the Statement which I laid on the Table of the House, together with the explanations accompanying the Vote, he will be in possession of all the reasons.