§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if, early next Session, he will appoint a Commission or a Committee to 213 consider and report upon the question of our Naval Expenditure; and whether it would not be possible to obtain greater results from the amount now expended?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEWith regard to the last part of the question of my hon. Friend, it is a rather large demand to make upon me to state in answer to a question whether it is or is not possible for the country to get more for its money—that is, for the £35,000,000, or I know not how many, spent on the Army and Navy. Any opinion on that subject to be of any value ought to be the result of long inquiry, and I should be sorry to give an opinion without that information. With regard to the former part of the question, the circumstances are these—certain administrative subjects connected with the Navy and the Army have recently been referred to a Royal Commission which has made its Report, and as regards these administrative matters I do not suppose my hon. Friend wishes that they should be referred to a, new Royal Commission. I understand that, my hon. Friend refers to the provision made for the scale of expenditure. I do not think that is a matter which ever has been referred to a Royal Commission. It would be, pro tanto, taking the matter which essentially belongs to it a way from the hands of Parliament. But with regard to Committees of this House it is very different. They have repeatedly sat upon Army and Navy Expenditure. A Committee sat on this expenditure so very recently as five years ago, and made its Report, and I would observe that I do not think it is desirable that this Committee which is suggested should be appointed. I think the inquiry of my hon. Friend would be more appropriate to the approaching Session.
§ MR. MACFARLANEHas any Commission ever been appointed for the purpose of taking evidence with regard to the expenditure in the dockyards and naval construction?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEUndoubtedly.