§ MR. LABOUCHEREasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the statement in The Weekly Dispatch that the following quantity of spirituous liquors accompanied Sir Peter Lumsden's Mission:—300 dozen of champagne, 150 dozen of claret, 100 dozen of other wines, 100 dozen of brandy, 150 dozen of whiskey, and 400 dozen of beer; and, if so, whether these spirituous liquors were intended for the consumption of Sir Peter Lumsden and his Staff, or to be consumed by Afghans and Turcomans; and, whether Sir Peter Lumsden is receiving, in addition to his pay and allowances as a General, a salary at the rate of £50,000 per annum, as stated in The Weekly Dispatch?
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether he would have any objection to lay upon the Table a statement with reference to Sir Peter Lumsden's mission, showing—(1.) The amount of estimated expenditure for the pay and allowances of (a) Sir Peter Lumsden himself; (b) for the rest of the mission; (2.) The amount of the estimated incidental expenditure?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSThe pay and allowances of Sir Peter Lumsden during 483 his Mission, including his pay and allowances as Major General in the Army, are £3,112 10s. a-year, besides which he continues to draw £1,200 a-year as Member of the Indian Council. The other officers of the Mission received an addition of one-fifth to their Indian pay and allowances. The total cost of the Mission entered in the revised Estimates for 1884–5 is £120,000. In the Budget for 1885–6 further provision is made for £60,000. With regard to the extracts from The Weekly Dispatch, quoted by my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, the only information on the subject that we have is that there was to be sent from India for the use of the Mission 15 dozen of champagne and six dozen of brandy.