HC Deb 23 July 1860 vol 160 c12
SIR DE LACY EVANS

said, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether certain Storekeepers have been lately sent out to India by the War Department on such allowances with reference to the duties to be performed that the Council of India recalled them? And whether a remonstrance was recently received from the Bombay Government against costly stores being sent from the War Department to India without requisition?

MR. SIDNEY HERBERT

said, that on the 8th September, 1858, Lord Clyde asked that military storekeepers might be sent out to India from the military store department at home. The authorities assented to the application, and the storekeepers were sent out; but their allowances were considered very heavy, and therefore they were sent home. A letter was received from the Indian Office on the 19th November, 1859, in which reference was made to the issuing of stores by the War Office without the previous sanction of the Secretary of State for India. He immediately wrote to the India Office requesting to be informed what was the nature of the stores in question; and to that letter he had received no answer. He supposed, therefore, that there must be some mistake, for neither stores nor men were sent to India without the sanction of the Secretary of State for India.

MR. BRIGHT

When was the letter sent to the India Office.

MR. SIDNEY HERBERT

On the 28th of November.

MR. BRIGHT

And up to the present moment no reply has been received.

MR. SIDNEY HERBERT

None.

MR. BRIGHT

I wonder what they can be doing at the India Office.