PARLIAMENTARY STATISTICS : SESSION 1854.
The second session of the Parliament of 1852 opened on Tuesday the 31st January, and closes on Saturday the 12th August.
At the opening, hostilities with Russia were impending ; war was actually declared on the 28th March. This stamped the sessional proceedings with peculiar features.
The Military and Naval Estimates presented in February were framed, in the words of Mr. Sidney Herbert, Secretary at War, " in anticipation of coming events." Supplemental Estimates followed the declaration of war ; and Mr. Gladstone, Chancellor of the Exchequer, developed the Ways and Means on three occasions—March 6,. April 11, and May 8.
An important measure for improving the Representation of the People in Parliament was explained and introduced on the 13th February, and with- drawn on the 11th April, for reasons arising out of the occupancy of the public mind with warlike matters.
The subjoined statistics are arranged so as to show at a glance the promi- nent subjects which occupied the attention of the Legislature.
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