§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. Arthur LEE, Hampshire, Fareham)explained that this Vote was a purely technical matter, affecting the Estimates of the year 1903–4. The matter had had to go before the Public Accounts Committee and be passed by them before it could be submitted to the House, and, as that body had only just reported upon the Estimates of 1903–4, this was the earliest opportunity there had been for bringing up this excess Vote. In the year 1903–4 there was an excess expenditure over the total of the Navy Estimates of £97,900, and an excess receipt of appropriations-in-aid over the Estimates of £115,974. Thus the Admiralty had more than sufficient funds in hand to pay for the excess expenditure, but they were not permitted to transfer surplus receipts to surplus expenditure without the sanction of the House, and consequently a token sum of £100 had been put down for the purpose of obtaining sanction to the transfer.
§ MR. COURTENAY WARNERStaffordshire, Lichfield): The matter has been before the Public Accounts Committee and received their sanction?
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEYes.
§ Vote agreed to.
§ Resolutions to be reported To-morrow; Committee to sit again To-morrow.