§ MR. TORRENSsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether he proposes to direct the attention of the Government of India to the necessity of closing the Finance and Revenue Accounts on a much earlier date than at present, in order that the Indian Financial Statement may be made soon after the meeting of Parliament; whether he has any objection to have the Finance at 2192 Revenue Accounts to be submitted to the House of Commons so arranged as to exhibit the Military and Naval (if any) Charges and Estimates for the maintenance of our Forces, European and Native, separately in the Presidency of Bengal, the North Western Provinces, the Oude Territory, the Punjaub Territories, the Presidency of Bombay, the Province of Sind, the Nagpore Territory, the Districts of East and West Berar, the Presidency of Madras with Coorg, the Eastern Settlements, and the Pegu at Tenasserim Provinces; and whether he has any objection to insert in the future annual Finance Accounts the total number of British troops, of Native troops, and of Military police, for whom the charges entered in the Accounts have been incurred?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, in reply, that the investigation of the Indian Finance Accounts was submitted to the charge of two gentleman, upon whom devolved the duty of arranging them; and in the majority of cases it was found impossible to submit the financial statement to that House at an earlier period of the Session. He apprehended that the best course he could pursue would be to communicate with Sir Charles Trevelyan, with a view to ascertain what could be done in order to get the accounts at an earlier period than at present. In reply to the second Question of the hon. Gentleman, he thought it would be of no advantage, but that it would be, on the other hand, an evil to attempt to distribute the accounts of each Presidency—as that for instance of Bengal —within its own limits—inasmuch as the accounts of each district would furnish no guide to the general revenue and expenditure of the country. In answer to the third Question, he had only to say he should have not the least objection to state at any time the number of troops for whom the charges in the accounts had been incurred.
§ MR. TORRENSsaid, he wished to explain that his inquiry merely extended to the expenses, and not to the number of the troops employed.