Monday night was occupied in Committee of Supply, and was
celebrated as a carnival of obstruction. First there was the debate on the Naval Estimates, Mr. Labouchere moving that progress should be reported before the vote was taken, though Mr. W. H. Smith had explained that it would be quite neces- sary to take a vote of credit for the Civil Service expenses, as well as the Navy vote, that night, in order to satisfy the consti- tutional provision for passing the Appropriation Bill before March 31st. The vote for the victualling and clothing of the Navy was not carried till a qnarter to 5 on Tuesday morning, the numbers in the House having been inadequate to carry the Closure during the night. At that hour reinforcements arrived, and Mr. W. H. Smith at once moved " That the question be now put," which was carried by 207 to 54, and then the Navy vote itself was passed by 210 to 52.
