§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he will caused to be prepared, by competent and impartial authorities, general estimates of the cost of completing the Railway to Candahar, and the annual cost of occupying Candahar with a British force after the completion of the Railway; and, whether he will state on similar authority the composition and amount of the force required for such occupation of Candahar, in addition to the Army of India otherwise necessary?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI do not believe that any complete or detailed Estimate of the cost of completing the railway to Candahar has been made, or possibly can be made at present, because a very large part of that railway has not yet been surveyed. As far as I am aware, the actual line to be followed has not been decided upon. The cost, however, of the whole length of the line from the Indus to Candahar is roughly estimated at £10,000 a-mile; but I have very considerable doubts whether it will not be found to exceed that sum. In reply to the last part of the Question, I may say that I think it useless to attempt to frame conjectural Estimates of the composition and amount of the force required for the occupation of Candahar. As I have already stated, the amount of the force actually required at the present moment has been fixed on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, and in deference to his strong opinion that it is not more than adequate for the purpose of the occupation, and for the security of the force itself. Some details respecting the Estimate provided by the Commander-in-Chief will be found in the Papers that will be laid on the Table of the House.