§ Resolution [March 4] reported.
§ On Motion "That the Resolution be agreed to,"
§ MR. ALDERMAN LUSKsaid, he wished to take the opportunity of impressing on the Government the necessity of having more speedy and satisfactory accounts from India. Merchants, even in such small matters as having ships in India, found no difficulty in communicating with them by telegram and giving directions as to what cargoes they should bring home. He could not, therefore, comprehend the peculiar difficulty of communicating with the Government of India with respect to these great matters of account. The Chancellor of the Exchequer ought really to be able to tell them a little more of this Supplemental Estimate than he had done. Those who had experience in business could not understand the difficulties with which he was beset. There was another point which was not alluded to last night, and which he must impress on the Government. The Foreign Office should not send consuls to places where they were not wanted, and they could not be too careful in their selection of those they did send, for many of them were very peculiar men, and we were responsible for them. He hoped they had now heard the last of the Abyssinian war. It was all very well to talk of the honour and glory of the expedition, and of "the banner of St. George floating on the mountains of Rasselas;" but the tax-payers of this country had in the end to pay rather heavily for all these things.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, said, he was sorry he could not give the hon. Gentleman any further information on this subject than he had 774 stated last evening. He was not Chancellor of the Exchequer for India, and had no official pecuniary relations with India. He had neither been able to extract from the Indian Government any account, nor any account why they did not render one.
§ Resolution agreed to.