§ MR. LITTLE (Whitehaven)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether, before the Indian Financial Statement is made to the House, he will place upon the Table copies of the Despatches, Minutes, and official Papers which contain or explain the reasons why the Indian Government has conducted military operations beyond the political frontiers of British India on the western and northern side; and whether he can state to the House the cost per annum of such of those operations as are in contravention of the Act of 1858?
* THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOB INDIA (Mr. G. RUSSELL,) North Beds.The Secretary of State is not aware that any recent operations have been undertaken in contravention of the Act of 1858. The Tapers relating to the two expeditions of 1891 were presented to Parliament in Return C [6526] of that year, and those relating to the Hunza Expedition were presented in Return C [6621] of 1892. The Secretary of State will have no objection to laying on the Table Papers connected with the recent fighting at Chilas if my hon. and learned Friend wishes to move for them.