POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY MORNING.
At the meeting of the House of Commons last night, Mr. DUCANE stood forward and announced the line that the Conservatives would take on the Budget. He said that on going into Committee of Supply on Monday he should move the following amendment. "That this House, recognising the necessity of providing for the increased expenditure of the coming financial year, is of opinion that it is not expe-
dient to add to the deficiency by diminishing the ordinary revenue, and is not prepared to disappoint the just expectations of the country by largely increasing the Income-tax." In reply to Mr. BENTE/CR, Lord Pammrtsrox said that the Govern- ment have not deemed it their duty to provide by any understanding with France for the failure of their just expectation that the House will sanction the treaty. Then came some skirmishing about the treaty. Mr. STIRLING put a long question having reference to the treaty with France, and asking for such explanations as would have led to a debate. Lord JOHN Rus- SELL declined to enter on the discussion then, but promised to be in his place on Monday.
Mr. DISRAELI inquired how the Government intended to bring the treaty of commerce with France under the notice of the House, so that it might have a full and constitutional consideration.
Mr. Honsmax described the conclusion of the treaty as a stretch of the Royal prerogative.
Lord PALMERSTON said the only question was as to the order in which their proceedings should be governed. If the Government had brought
the treaty forward before the details of the proposed commercial changes
bad been discussed, they would have been met by the objection that they were asking something unreasonable. They intended to take the sense
of Parliament on the matters depending upon the treaty, and it would also be their duty to give the House an opportunity of stating their opinion, ay or no, upon that treaty.
The House went into Committee of Supply, and Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT proceeded with the Army Estimates, which he said had been properly
described as " enormous " ; indeed, they were the largest which had been presented to Parliament in modern times. In amount they were 1,982,0001. in excess of those of last year, and amongst the chief causes of the increase was the heavy outlay for rifled canon, which alone amounted to nearly one million sterling. The force of all ranks which it was proposed should be voted was 143,362, being an apparent increase of upwards of 20,000 men, but in reality of but 6456 owing to " transfera " from India to China and other operations. Objections had been raised to the maintenance of so large a force of regulars, and to the proposition to disband so many regiments of Militia, but in his opinion the Militia should be regarded as a reserve force; upon which to draw, and he dis- sented from the doctrine that the Militia regiments might all be embodied in turn. Mr. Herbert entered fully into details, and proceeded to submit the votes to the committee.
In the House of Lords, the Marquis of NORKANBY asked whether the Government had received any further communications recently in refer- ence to the annexation of Savoy and Nice to France. Earl GRANVILLE stated in reply that her Majesty's Government had received from the Government of France a communication to the effect that if Central Italy were annexed to Sardinia, it would be deemed ne- cessary to annex some portion of Savoy to France ; but that no arrange- ments for an annexation would be entered upon without consulting the other great poweis and without obtaining the consent of the people of Savoy. In Committee on the Endowed Schools Bill a clause was agreed to re- quiring trustees to admit the children of Dissenters into all schools not expressly founded for the benefit of the Church of England. Lord CHELMSFORD succeeded in striking out clause 7, whichrendered dissenters eligible is act as Trustees of all endowed schools, where the endowment did not expressly require the trustees to be members of the Church of England The bill passed through committee.
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