§ MR. W. EWARTsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether terms have been made with the Rajah of Sikkim, by which increased 1855 facilities for communication will be opened from India to Thibet?
§ MR. VANSITTARTsaid, that before the right hon. Gentleman answered the question, he wished to ask him whether he will introduce, before or after the Whitsuntide holidays, the Bill relating to India, which has been so long under his consideration?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, in answer to the question of his hon. Friend behind him (Mr. W. Ewart). he had to state that he had no official information upon the subject, but he learned by private letter addressed to the Governor General by Mr. Eden, who had conducted the negotiations at Sikkim, that he had effected an arrangement for opening the communication between the territory of Bengal and Sikkim. No duty was to be imposed on goods passing through our territory into Sikkim, and a low rate of duty would be imposed on all goods passing from Thibet to Sikkim. It seemed that both the merchants of Thibet and the people of Sikhim were very well disposed to avail themselves of the advantage which this road would give them.
With regard to the information asked for by the hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Vansittart), he (Sir Charles Wood) had hoped to have been able to introduce the measure alluded to before Whitsuntide; but the House was so occupied with the discussions on the financial proposals of the Government that he was afraid it would not be in his power to do so.