MR. J. PEELsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been directed to a report which has been published in the newspapers of the intended amalgamation of the Banks of Bombay and Bengal: and, whether any change is contemplated in the arrangements now existing between the Indian Government and those establishments?
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, in reply, said, his attention had been called to a short paragraph which appeared in the City Article of one of the newspapers some time ago to that effect, but the Government had received no official communication from India on the subject; and 122 he was unable to say whether the Indian Government contemplated any change in the existing arrangements with regard to it.