§ SIR. J. COLOMB (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will cause a table to be added to the Appendix of the Navy Estimates next year, showing the sums provided for each branch of the Naval Service, viz., executive, engineers, other branches, and Royal Marine Force, so as to furnish information for the Navy corresponding to that given for the Army in Appendix 21, Army Estimates.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareI understand that the statement attached to the Army Estimates, to which the hon, and gallant Gentleman refers, is designed to show the total cost of each arm of the Service, and is practically a redistribution of the Army Estimates. In the case of the Army it is practicable to prepare such a statement without much difficulty, as the Estimates mainly provide for the maintenance of a certain force of officers and men, and are not complicated by the introduction of estimated expenditure of manufacturing establishments. In the case of the Navy Estimates, the preparation of a similar statement would be attended with great difficulties, and would entail considerable clerical labour and additional expense, disproportionate to the value of the information when obtained.