HC Deb 28 July 1904 vol 138 cc1463-4
MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he will give the latest information as to the position of the military expedition to Tibet; whether he will state what is the approximate cost of the expedition up to the present date; and whether, having regard to the issues involved in the expedition, the Government still adhere to their decision to charge the whole cost of the hostilities upon the Indian revenue.

† See (4) Debates, cxxxv., 434.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford

The latest information I have received states that Khamba-La was found unoccupied, and that General Macdonald hoped to secure the passage of the Sangpo River, forty-five miles from Lhasa, on the 24th July. As to the cost, I have nothing to add to the information I gave the hon. Member on the 31st May, that the total estimated cost of the Mission to the 31st March last was £308,500, and that the cost since then is estimated at a little over £50,000 a month.† There is no intention to modify the decision as to the incidence of the cost.