§ MR. GREGORYasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the proceeds of private debts (£11,915) due to the Ex-Princes of Kirwee (as well as the proceeds (£276,000) of their loan deposits) have been omitted from the Return No. 213, of Session 1876; and, whether those proceeds of private debts, as well as an allowance for interest on about £150,000 of admitted booty retained in specie by the Indian Government from 1858 till 1862, ought not to be included in a further Return, so as to fulfil the Order of the House dated 22nd July 1874?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSIn the strict letter of the Order, the amount of the private debts recovered at Benares might have been included in the Return. But as this Return was called for with the object of showing the actual amount of the Banda and Kirwee Prize its inclusion must have been misleading, for the Lords of the Treasury had already decided that the sum was not prize. Full information on this point is contained in the Return 264 of the 18th of July, 1871. With respect to the interest there can be no question. The specie consisted of coin not current, and quite useless as money. No interest, therefore, accrued on it, and there was nothing to include under this head in a Return of the proceeds of property which passed into the hands of the authorities.