HC Deb 24 February 1860 vol 156 cc1709-11
MR. CONINGHAM

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India a question with reference to a distinction which appears to exist between Officers in the Queen's and those in the Company's service. The hon. Gentleman said he was induced to put the Question, in consequence of an Officer in the Company's service being indebted to a considerable amount to one of his constituents. He wished to know whether it was one of the peculiar privileges of the Company's service not to pay their just debts. In a similar case, in which an Officer of the Queen's service was concerned, he (Mr. Coningham) had applied to the Horse Guards, and after a correspondence he obtained payment of the debt to another of his constituents. He was sorry to say that the Secretary for India did not seem willing to follow the example set to him at the Horse Guards, and did not seem inclined to interfere for the purpose of compelling payment of a just claim.

SIR CHARLES WOOD

In answer to the Question which has been put to me by my right hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (General Peel) I have to state that one company of Engineers as well as the 3rd Buffs and the 67th Regiment of Foot, have already been despatched from India to China. Two squadrons of the Dragoon Guards, three batteries of Artillery (horsed) and one without horses, together with the 31st, 44th, and 99th Re- giments of Infantry, have in addition been ordered to proceed to that country. That, I believe is the full amount of the European force which is reported as being under orders to proceed to China. Instructions had, however, been sent out to the Governor-General of India to send out two more regiments, as it was understood that the regiments which had been already ordered mustered little more than 800 strong. I have, since the issue of those instructions, ascertained that the regiments which are going to China have been filled up to their full complement of 1,000; and whether under these circumstances the two additional regiments which have been ordered will be despatched, I do not exactly know. But, be that as it may, five regiments of infantry, amounting to about 5,500 men, are under orders for China. I am asked which are the regiments which will go to China; if the two additional regiments go to China, I have been informed at the Horse Guards, that the authorities there have received intimation that the 3rd battalion of the 60th from Madras, and the 1st of the 13th from Calcutta, are about to proceed to China; but there is, I am bound to admit, some discrepancy between that statement and the account which I have received, which is to the effect that the 66th from Madras, and the 56th from Bombay, are the regiments which are to follow those to which I have already alluded. There are, besides, three regiments of Native troops to be sent out, to replace those already in China—that is a mere relief. The Native troops, which are to constitute a portion of the expeditionary force, will consist of five regiments of Irregular Native Infantry, to the amount of 4,000 men; one regiment of cavalry, to the amount of 400 men; and two companies of Madras Sappers numbering 200; in all 4,600. With respect to the number of troops which we are prepared to pay out of the Indian revenue, I can only say that this is a question which it is out of my power to answer, inasmuch as it is one which must be determined by a consideration of the number which it may be found necessary to maintain in that country. As to the force which is to be sent to China, I can only add, that it may be increased beyond the amount already ordered. A further number of regiments are to be kept in reserve in case of any demand from China. [General PEEL: How many regiments are ordered home from India?] One Dragoon regiment has sailed from India, but no other has been ordered home from hence, nor can I say what number of men the Government of India may be able to spare. It must be borne in mind that 11,000 or 12,000 of the local Euro-ropean force have taken their discharge, and I cannot exactly inform my right hon. and gallant Friend what amount of Queen's troops may be deemed necessary to provide for the security of our Indian Empire. With regard to the amount of the Indian depôts in this country, I may observe that there are in those depôts 17,500 men, whose maintenance is charged upon the revenues of India. In answer to the Question put by my hon. friend, the Member for Brighton (Mr. Coningham), I may state that I wrote to the Horse Guards to ascertain what is their mode of action in such cases as my hon. Friend alluded to. I find the rule is this:—Where a demand is made on an officer's pay, it is forwarded ta the officer; but the Department do not think themselves bound to enforce payment. If any transaction is alleged which is discreditable or dishonourable to the officer, it became a totally different matter. Then they did interfere. This also is the course we pursue with respect to officers in the Indian army. As at present advised, I am not prepared to extend our action. We cannot put ourselves in the position of a court of law, and enforce demands made on officers' pay. If there be no imputation on the conduct of an officer, we do not think it desirable to interfere.