In the House of Commons last night the main subject
of discussion was the expenditure on the Navy. When it was proposed to go into Committee of Supply on the Navy Estimates Lord CLARENCE PAGET drew attention to the vast sums spent, in building, altering, realtering, and breaking up ships. He made out that something like 5,000,0001. had been thrown away. He moved that an annual estimate of the pro- posed expenditure on ships should be laid on the table. Sir Jonas PA- KINOTON, Sir FRANCIS BARING," Sir CHARLES WOOD, and others, re- garded the mover's calculations as incorrect, his speech injurious to the public service, and his proposed estimates useless. On a divison the amendment was negatived by 117 to 97; and the House went, at a late hour, into Committee of Supply.
In the Lords; Earl GREY withdrew his notice of motion for the pro- duction of papers relative to Mr. Gladstone's mission to the Ionian Is- lands. He did so in consequence of a letter which he had received from Lord Derby, expressing a strong opinion of the public evil which would result from discussion at the present moment. His own opinion, how- ever, remains unaltered. Lord DERBY thanked the noble Earl for yield- ing to his suggestion, and stated that discussion would revive the recol- lection of facts which would better be buried in oblivion, and would re- flect censure on persons not now in a position to defend themselves. In this opinion he is strongly confirmed by the authority both of Mr. Glad- stone and Sir Henry Storks. The Earl of ST. GERMANS asked whether a proclamation which ap- peared in the Times, signed, "John Alexander the First Prince," and stating the intention of Conan, to mount the throne of the Principalities is genuine ? The Earl of DIALRESBURY knew nothing of the document. Whether genuine or otherwise makes but little matter, since a Congress is to meet next week in Paris to settle all questions connected with the Principalities.
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