MR. WILSONsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the sum voted in the present year in aid of the expenses in bringing out General Chesney's work is to be given with the understanding that the work is to be completed; and, also, whether the East India Company have contributed any sum for the same purpose? In putting this question, he wished to observe that £6,000 had already been paid for what was only a more preface, and that but one volume had as yet been published, which contained, not useful matter with regard to the exploration of the East, but was a more history of commerce.
§ MR. G. A. HAMILTONsaid, he could not at present give the hon. Gentleman the assurance he required, because the Government had not yet considered the expediency of publishing the remainder of the work. His own impression was, that three volumes had been published. The arrangement with General Chesney, upon which £4,000 had been voted by that House, and £1,000 by the East India Company, was that, in time first place, the copies of the work were to be at the disposal of the Government; next, that the materials for its completion were also to be at the disposal of the Government; and, thirdly, that General Chesney should, without any charge, edit the remainder, when the Government thought it expedient that it should be completed.
MR. WHITEsaid, he wished to point out that as he had been the first to mention this subject, that two volumes had been published, the first of which contained, he believed, a history of the world, and the other a history of Asia, mixed up with every variety of matter. There were two more volumes yet to be published to complete the work.