§ Mr. Walterbegged again to revert to a subject to which he had alluded a few nights ago. A short time before the recess he saw a statement, that a considerable sum of money, upwards of thirty thousand pounds, had been advanced in part payment of a sum of 270,000l. agreed to be advanced by the Government to the Thames Tunnel Company, and it was said at the time that the Government were entitled by Act of Parliament to make that advance. Now, considering the 270,000l. so agreed to be advanced, to be in some jeopardy, the question he wished to put was this, whether the right hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had any objection to lay before the House all the information which Government had received encouraging it to make the advance, and also what security was proposed to be given for the repayment of it.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerreplied, that the advance had been made upon the strength of certain representations which were last year laid before 1186 the Board of Works. All who had read the Act of Parliament, were aware that the money was advanced on security of the whole of the property of the Company. There would be no objection or difficulty to produce the documents to which the hon. Gentleman had referred.
§ Mr. Walterwas afraid that the security was no other than that of a losing concern.
§ The House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply.