§ * SIR JOHN COLOMB (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what has been the total expenditure, under all heads, by the Mother Country on account of Bechuanaland from the establishment of the British Protectorate down to the passing of the resolution in the Cape Parliament, proposing the incorporation of Bechuanaland with Cape Colony; and whether during that period the taxpayers of Capo Colony have contributed to the cost of administration of Bechuanaland; and whether the attention of the Cape Government has been drawn to the fact that Her Majesty's subjects in British South Africa contribute nothing to the cost of the sea-going fleet for the protection of their commerce in war?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (MR. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.Since the establishment of the protectorate, Parliament has voted slightly over a million in civil grants in aid for that territory, but most of the money has been spent in the protectorate, and rather less than £200,000 in the Crown Colony, which is about to be annexd to the Cape. The taxpayers of the Cape Colony have not contributed directly to the support of the administration, but they have probably 556 done so indirectly in relation to the postal service and other matters. The answer to the second part of the hon. and gallant Member's question is in the negative. ["Hear, hear?"]