MR. T. DOLLING BOLTON (Derbyshire, N.E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he could state to the House how many missions Mr. Budge has undertaken to Mesopotamia, and what has been the cost of them; what antiquities he has brought back; from whom did he purchase them; and where is it alleged they were discovered?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMr. Budge has made more than one journey to the East for the British Museum, the costs of which have been defrayed out of a special grant. I hope the hon. Gentleman will not press for particulars on the subject, because I think that the utility of any action Mr. Budge may take in the future will be considerably impaired, to the great detriment of the Museum and of public learning, if his conduct were discussed in the House.
MR. BOLTONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that grave doubts have been thrown on the researches of Mr. Budge, not only by those well qualified to speak on the question in England, but also by learned Societies in Germany and other places abroad.
§ MR. BALFOURI have every confidence in the judgment of the experienced officials of the British Museum in this matter. I am not well acquainted with the controversy to which the hon. Member has referred, but I do not think that any real ground for scepticism exists in the minds of those who are competent to judge.