§ Mr. ONSLOWasked the Secretary of State for India, What is now the estimated cost of the Indian contingent to Egypt; whether the amount incurred by the Indian Government is to be repaid wholly or in part from the revenues of this Country; and. whether Papers would be presented to Parliament containing the correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India (regarding the troops sent from India to Egypt) dating back from the first intimation that in case of necessity Her Majesty's Government proposed to employ Indian troops?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, up to the present time the Indian Government has not been able to furnish me with any further estimate of the cost of the Indian Contingent than that which I gave to the House last August. Now, however, that the whole of the Contingent has been re-embarked and the duration of the operations is known, I expect very shortly to receive a revised and more accurate estimate from the Government of India. Till that is received it is impossible for the Government to make a final proposal for the adoption of the House as to the division of the charge; but there are certain 164 expenses which have been incurred by the Indian Government which it was always intended to repay, and which, in any event, we shall propose to repay from the Revenues of this country. Papers will certainly be presented; but the Correspondence with the Indian Government in regard to the employment of the Indian Contingent is as yet necessarily incomplete, and I do not think it desirable to print it in its present state.
§ MR. ONSLOWasked, if the noble Marquess could state whether the expense would be more or less than what he had estimated—namely, £1,800,000; and, whether Her Majesty's Government proposed, at the present time, to charge any portion of that amount on the Indian Revenue? If that were so, he would, on the first opportunity, move a Resolution deprecating such a course. He also wished to know, whether the Papers would include all the financial arrangements which the Indian Government had concluded?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, I have not received any statement or reply up to the present time as to any change in the financial Estimates of the Indian Government. I cannot state what Papers will be presented until I receive them. I have no reason to suppose that the original Estimate I gave will, in the opinion of the Government of India, be exceeded, or even that it will be reached. As to the proposal whether India shall pay anything or not, I have nothing at the present time to add to the statement I have already made.
§ MR. ONSLOWsubsequently gave Notice that in consequence of the unsatisfactory reply of the noble Marquess he would repeat the Question that day week.