COLONEL DUNNEsaid, he rose in accordance with the notice he had given to ask a question of the Secretary of State for India as to the amount of prize-money which will be granted to the different corps of the Indian Army employed in suppressing the mutiny of the Native Troops in that country, and to call attention to the General Order of the Governor in Council on the subject, as to what is to be considered prize. He need hardly recall to their minds the fact that the operations in India were not carried on by one army, but by several columns. There was the column which attacked Delhi; the column which advanced to Lucknow; the column, under Lord Clyde, which relieved Lucknow; the column from Bombay, and the column from Madras, composed chiefly of Madras troops—infantiT, cavalry, and batteries—with Her Majesty's 50th and 43rd Regiments. In each case victory attended their efforts, and on taking different places they seized the treasure found on them as lawful captors. He was perfectly aware that ail prize-money was merely a concession of the value by Her Majesty, and that the captors had no legal title to the treasure which they had taken. But at the beginning of the mutiny the Governor General issued an order in which he promised to recommend for Her Majesty's approval that all property of mutineers should be given to the troops as prize. The division from Madras, which operated in Bundelcund, distinguished themselves. They assisted essentially the advance of Sir Hugh Rose, and they greatly contributed to the subjection of a large tract of country. Their operations were continued during the greater portion of 1858 and 1859, and they suffered as much as the other columns from exposure to the climate. A battle was fought in Bandar by 600 of the column against 8,000 of the rebels, in which they covered the British name with honour and distinction. Eight hundred mutineers were slain and nine guns captured, and the result was that a state of tranquillity was 1532 brought about in a large portion of the country. The column was then directed to advance against the Rajah of a neighbouring State who sided with our enemies. The chief made preparations for defence, but on the advance of the British column retired, and was afterwards made prisoner. His capital town was captured, and the question was whether the treasure found there was properly prize. The chief had a sum of £320,000 in the Indian funds, which the Government seized, and they also derived a revenue of £80,000 a year from the seizure of his estates. The troops by whom this capture had been made were, therefore, entitled to some consideration. He contended that this must be considered as prize-money taken in war, and as coming under the order of the Governor General, who announced that the property of any rebel would be held to be a fair prize, and would be distributed as such among the soldiers. In addition to the question whether particular property was to be divided as prize, he wished to know also whether money in respect of the capture of the Alumbagh, Delhi, and other places was to be thrown into a common fund, or whether each column was to divide the prize of its own captures? Perhaps, therefore, the Secretary of State for India would state—first, the amount of prize-money which would be granted to the different corps of the Indian army employed in suppressing the mutiny of the Native troops in that country; and, secondly, whether the division would be made upon the principle adopted in the Russian war, which gave greater advantage to the lower ranks of the army than the mode which bad been previously acted on?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he would give as complete an answer as he could to the question, but he was not sure that it would prove satisfactory to his hon. and gallant Friend. His hon. and gallant Friend had stated quite correctly that prize money was the gift of the Crown. What was to be considered prize money in India was decided by the Government there. They reported to the India Office here, that office reported to the Treasury, and the Treasury, who were the advisers of the Crown in the matter took Her Majesty's pleasure, and distributed the sum so reported. The first case reported was the prize-money of Delhi. The Treasury proposed a scale of distribution different from that heretofore adopted in India. That new scale, which was sanctioned in the 1533 Russian war, was much more favourable to the private soldier than the old, and it received the approval of the India Office. Objections, however, were taken to it, and the result was that a Commission was appointed to consider the scale of distribution. The matter was still under the consideration of the Commission, and he could not, therefore, answer the question put to him. As to the prize-money of Delhi, it was to be given to the troops that captured it; but with regard to the rest, he had heard that a representation had come home that it was so difficult to say what troops had contributed more or less to the capture of any particular place, that it might be fairer to throw the prize-money into one common fund, and distribute it among the troops who contributed to the capture. He believed that this point also was under the consideration of the Commission. With respect to the property of the native chief to whom the hon. and gallant Gentleman had referred, he bad not received any report from the Indian Government as yet of anything captured from any such chief which was considered prize-money.