§ MR. DARBY GRIFFITH, seeing the Secretary of State for India in his place, wished to ask. If it is true that Sir William Mansfield is offering a bounty of £9 4s. per man to persons wishing to join the Abyssinian expedition? The reason why he asked the Question was, that the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for India had the other night assured them that the military control of the expedition was left entirely in the hands of Sir Robert Napier, which could not be the case if Sir William Mansfield was at liberty to interfere in it.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI have not been able to consult the official correspondence since the hon. Member gave me private notice of his intention to put the Question; but to the best of my recollection there was nothing in the letters received yesterday which referred officially to this subject. It was, however, stated to me in a private letter that Sir William Mansfield was of opinion that a bounty should be given, but that Sir Robert Napier did not think it necessary.