§ MR. NORWOODasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the attention of the Indian Government has been called to the necessity for dredging Aden Harbour; and, if so, what steps are being taken to carry it out; and, whether it is true that the official account of receipts and expenditure of the Aden Port Fund for the year 1883–4, as published in The Bombay Gazette, shows a considerable amount at the credit of the Fund, and a large surplus for the year; and, if so, whether the Government will devote the said amount at credit and the annual surplus, after paying the expenses of the Port, to the dredging of the harbour?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSThe question of deepening the Harbour of Aden by means of dredging has for some time 1625 engaged the attention of the Secretary of State and of the Governments of Bombay and India; and a dredger has been at work since January, 1883. The accounts of the Port Fund to the end of the official year, 1883–4, show an accumulated balance of Rs. 2,04,728. The balance of the year ending March, 1884, amounted to Rs. 62,532. The question of the creation of a Port Trust to carry out the improvements of the Harbour of Aden is now under consideration.