§ MR. ALDERMAN W. M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Why the Secretary of State has refused to accept tenders for Bills of Exchange on Bombay to the extent of 7,000,000 rupees, which have been advertised for?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONSir, the India Office advertisement of the 10th of November, 1863, the terms of which are by the advertisements now issued applicable to tenders for bills on India provides that "the Secretary of State will not be bound to accept any tender." On the 2nd inst. tenders were accepted to the amount of 17,50,000 rupees at 1s. 9½.d and 1s. 9⅝d the rupee, all other tenders at lower rates being, in the exercise of the power referred to, rejected. Application was subsequently made that the accepted tenders might be cancelled on the ground that by a clerical error 266 the rates had been wrongly stated, the figure "8" having been substituted for "9," and the Secretary of State, being satisfied of the accuracy of that representation, consented to cancel the tenders.