The Cambridge modern history. Vol. XII, The latest age / planned by the late Lord Acton ; edited by A.W. Ward, G.W. Prothero, Stanley Leathes.

Date:: 1910

Credit: The Cambridge modern history. Vol. XII, The latest age / planned by the late Lord Acton ; edited by A.W. Ward, G.W. Prothero, Stanley Leathes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$by his unwillingness to accede to the demand for increased naval expenditure, accentuated by the loss of the Victoria, a first-class battleship (ISild). On March 1, 1894, he delivered his last speech in the House ot Commons, taking the opportunity to declare that the question of pre- pondemnce between Lords and Commons must go forward to an issue, and that his Government adopted as their principle the supremacy of the Lower House. He was succeeded as Premier by Lord Rosebery, who took an early opportunity of declaring that the conversion of England as «• ^ri1r<i0ni1Tnant partner” must Precede the concession of Home Rule. ?7i°'lr\’the n6W Cader °f the House’ was> not ^naturally, censed to find his claims to the Premiership ignored, and the Cabinet and hi,thief dbc0“cfF;d disSension between the Prime Minister his chief colleague. But Harcourt’s budget was the chief event of the parliamentary session of 1894. A small additional tax was imposed on spirits and on beer, and the Income Tax was raised; but the main feature was increased taxation on legacies and inheritance imDosed in proportion to the size of the total estate devised. This neVTstem of taxation, which in 1905-6 brought into the exchequer about thirteen million pounds as against seven and a half millions in 1898-4 W produced great social effects. It is not probable that it has on thethole fhaf -t fmrhed tle et accumulati°ns of capital. It does not seem lifetime Bufb T 'T ’“f extent evaded b? donations during estate changed hands several times at short intervals the rh ' ’ lf more than many estates would bear. The decav of’o f ,^ WaS hastened, old ties of landlord and + + ^ °* old families was dissolved, and in many ^ the “d P—^ Were by those who inherited no tr»d V i 1° d landlords was taken occupants. If the object of the't'011^ ,*1 ,]Satlons to the land or its squirearchy, and to brine old ert ^ been ,to dePress the ancient would have l^een ai3T)ropria.te i. i .. , ^ tlie means was the intention of its framere. Thene^tex wtln^h ^ this expedient, and as a financial exnedienT t’ m th^niain, a financial This measure and the consequenttrease iTthe C°11S,derable achievements which this Govprnm f u iln t le. nav^ were the only unpopular Local Veto Rill had to bedropped HarC°Urt,S the House of Lords had nn i ppea. Ihe campaign against dissatisfied and tave no certtn T he.countT The Irish were of the Church in Wales was in/rf ' i /ild ,or tbe disestablishment ca. in, introduced, but aroused no enthusiasm. 4—2$