The new constitution of the War Department was explained by
Mr. Monsell to the House of Commons on moving the Supple- mentary Ordnance Estimates on Thursday evening. The princi-
pal officer under the War Minister will be the Chief of the Civil Staff, and there will be six subordinate departments—that of the Inspector-General of Fortifications, those of the Directors-General of Artillery, of Contracts, of Clothing, and of Stores, and • that of the Accountant-General. In order to insure the efficieney of these branches of the service, the head of each of them will enjoy, in general, the power, of recommending for promotion all clerks, storekeepers, and other subordinates ; and being thus enabled to choose his own assistants, the chief of each department will be held responsible for its successful working. It does not appear from Mr. Monsell's statement whether the office of Secretary at War is still to subsist, and remain united as at present with that of Secretary of State for War. Neither is the future position of the Under-Secretary of State defined, nor that of the Deputy-Se.: oretary at War, nor that of Mr. Monsell himself. Lord Pan- mere told the House of Lords, on the 18th of May, that the Under-Secretary would be retained, and that there would be plenty for him to do ; and he said that the estimates would be moved by the Chief of the Civil Staff,—that is, as it would appear, by Mr. Monsen. In various respects the new arrangements seem incom- plete, and will need further consideration during the recess. But by the return of peace, at any rate, it may be hoped that the War Department will be in full working order. Later in the evening, the Chancellor of the Exchequer explained his financial position, and obtained power to issue F,x4,ner Bills or Bonds to the amount of 7,000,0001. There are now out- standing 17,000,000/. of Exchequer Bills and 6,000,0001. of Ex- chequer Bonds' so that, when the power this week granted shall have been fully exercised, the total Unfunded Debt will stand at 30,000,000/. The additional military estimates this week voted amount to 6,135,0001. In April the estimated revenue and the loan of 16,000,0001. promised together an excess of income over estimated expenditure of 1,240,000/. To this margin has to be added the sum of 7,000,0001. Exchequer Bills and Bonds now granted, and we thus get on the creditor side of the national account 8,240,0001., to set against an estimated additional outlay of 6,135,0001., so that there will remain an unappropriated surplus of 2,105,0001. But it is added, that ways and means bills, issued at the beginning of the financial year, to the amount of 1,700,000/., are still outstanding, and must be provided for out of the revenue of the year ; so that in truth the provision made by taxes, and funded and un- funded loan, only covers the national liabilities as now estimated,_ and any unforeseen expenditure would turn the balance and leave a deficiency in the Exchequer. Mr. Gladstone having exhausted his keen criticisms on the Turkish guarantee, acquiesced in the proposals of Government; but with an assertion of the import- ance of taking care that increased taxation as well as loans be resorted to in framing next year's budget. The additional estimates would probably have risen even higher but that one branch of expenditure has been kept in cheek by the inactivity in which the army has thus far remained. The Chancellor of the Exchequer hopes that the actual disbursements will fall within the extended estimates, and also that no occasion will arise for: any large issue of Exchequer Bills before the 1st of January. In both Houses a good deal of business has been got through without much talking. The Turkish Loan Bill, the Sale of Beer Bill, and the Limited Liability Bill, have gone up to the Peers; and the remaining Civil Servo° Estimates, and the supplementer
Estimates for the Navy and the Transport Service, have been voted by the Commons.
