HC Deb 03 May 1855 vol 138 c31
LORD WILLIAM GRAHAM

said, he begged to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the commissariat supplies for the Sardinian Contingent were to be furnished gratis, or whether the expense would be deducted from the amount of the loan?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, it was originally intended that the Sardinian Contingent should provide themselves with stores, and take charge of their own commissariat. With that view they had loaded two large vessels with provisions to last a considerable time, but one of the vessels had unfortunately been burnt very soon after it left the port, and the loss of the stores it had contained would, he apprehended, render the Sardinian troops dependent upon our commissariat stores for a portion of their supplies. But whatever they derived from our commissariat stores they would pay for, as they would for supplies which they might have procured by other means, and the cost would not be added to the amount of the loan.