§ MR. HUMEsaid: Seeing the noble Lord at the head of the Government in his place, I wish to ask him a question, but I 168 feel considerable difficulty in shaping it in such a way as to obtain sufficient information; but, Sir, after the statements which we have seen in the Gazette of Saturday last, and in the Gazette prior to that, relative to the affairs of India, the state of that country can no longer he a matter of indifference to every man who looks to the future. I should be sorry needlessly to prejudge any man, and particularly one who is not present to answer any statements that might be made; but certain facts which are developed in the despatches which were received throe or four weeks ago, without any relation to the late melancholy transactions that have taken place, authorise me in inquiring whether Her Majesty's Ministers have taken any measures to place the army in India under such command as shall obtain the confidence of the men, and secure all those advantages of art and science which we, as a civilised nation, possess for the purposes of warfare? It appears from the despatches, that in recent events those advantages were not used; and I do hope, therefore, that Her Majesty's Government will state what measures they have taken to ensure better success for the future.
§ LORD J. RUSSELLsaid: There can be no doubt that the state of our military operations in India must be a matter, not certainly of indifference, but of the deepest interest, to every Member of this House. I can, however, only state at present, that Her Majesty's Government, after considering the intelligence which has been received, have humbly offered to Her Majesty that advice which they think best calculated to meet the emergency which at present exists in that part of Her dominions. But I have not as yet received Her Majesty's reply to the advice which I have humbly tendered to Her Majesty; but as soon as that answer is received, and can be with propriety communicated to this House, I will lose no time in laying it before it.