GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALEOURasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the application for the consider- 1316 able additions to the garrison of India in the form of extra batteries, regiments, and battalions, in excess of the numbers in the Estimates of the current year, was concurred in by the Council of India; and, whether India is to bear the cost of this increase in the European force, as also for the cost of the Native troops specially raised for the frontier operations?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, I understand that telegrams passed in October last between the Viceroy and the Secretary of State for India on the subject of retaining in India certain batteries of Royal Artillery which would in the ordinary course have come home in the winter. It was decided that two batteries should be so detained, and that three garrison batteries be sent out instead of two horse batteries which otherwise would have gone. These telegrams, I am informed, were submitted in the usual course for the information of the Council; but the proposals were not formally laid before the Council for approval. I am not aware whether any distinction will be made between one class of expenditure and another.