§ SIR WILLIAM PALLISERasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether the framers of the estimate of the cost of occupying Candahar are advocates of a retirement from that place; whether he is aware that the cost of occupation has been estimated by other competent authorities at a very moderate sum; whether he would call upon the Go- 1231 vernor General in Council for a Report on the number of troops required for the occupation of Candahar and the protection of the line of communications, and on the annual cost thereof, under the assumption that the Railway to Candahar has been completed; whether the Members of Her Majesty's Government were aware of the contents of the Cabul Correspondence at the time they first expressed themselves in favour of a retirement from Candahar; and, whether, in the event of it being proved that the retention of Candahar would materially add to the stability of the Indian Empire and to the sense of security there, Her Majesty's Government would be willing to review the whole question by the fresh light which, in these circumstances, would be thrown upon it?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, it is quite true that the estimate to which the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers has been prepared by an officer who is opposed to the retention of Candahar. It is also true that other high authorities have stated that, in their opinion, the cost of the occupation would amount to a much smaller sum. But I am not aware that any of those opinions are based upon any detailed statement or detailed consideration of the cost that would be involved. I promised that Papers on the subject would be laid on the Table as soon as possible; and I would ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman to wait until he sees the documents on which the estimates are framed. I do not think any advantage would be derived from calling upon the Governor General in Council for a Report of the number of troops required for the occupation of Candahar. Such a Report or estimate must be, to a very great extent, founded on the basis of conjecture; and the hon. and gallant Gentleman will see that the estimate, to which reference has already been made, is founded on the basis of the actual number of troops at present on the station at Candahar and the line of communications, which has been settled and determined on by the Government of India itself. I have already stated that Her Majesty's Government were fully aware of the contents of the Cabul Correspondence when they arrived at the decision to retire from Candahar; and, in reply to the last part of the Question, I need hardly say that in the event of it 1232 being proved to the satisfaction of the Government that "the retention of Candahar would materially add to the stability of the Indian Empire" they would be quite ready to re-consider their decision. I cannot, however, hold out any hope to the hon. and gallant Member that any such thing is likely to be proved to the satisfaction of Her Majesty's Government.