§ MR. TORRENSsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether Her Majesty's Government have taken into consideration the advantages that might result, politically and financially, from using the route through Egypt for our Troops going to and returning from India; whether any Correspondence on the subject has passed between the Secretary of State and any of the chief Authorities at either of the Presidencies in India on the subject; and, if so, will there be any obtion to lay the Correspondence upon the table?
§ SIR CHARLES WOOD, in reply, said, the attention of the Government had been directed to the subject, and he had been in communication with the Naval and Military Departments as to the best mode of carrying the measure into execution. Of course, there were several material considerations, connected with the matter—financial considerations and others relating to the health of the troops on their passage 4 —which required to be studied. A Committee of that House had investigated the subject some time back, and had reported against it; but circumstances had since considerably changed, and he was inclined to think favourably of the possibility of carrying the suggestion into execution. The attention of the Home Government had been called to the subject by the Government of Bombay; but it would be of no use to lay the Correspondence before the House, as in its present state it would only mislead. He hoped, however, to be able soon to come to a definite conclusion.