§ MR. J. H. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy, Burghs)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether a British regiment has received or is about to receive orders to take part in the expedition to Dongola?
§ *MR. BRODRICKNo British regiment has received orders to take part in the advance to Dongola; but the battalions which compose the British force in Egypt are available should the Sirdar require their services. One battalion of the North Stafford Regiment is in camp on the frontier.
§ MR. DALZIELI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can state approximately the monthly cost of the expedition to Dongola, and the total amount of expenditure already incurred in connection with the expedition?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)I find on inquiry that the information asked for is not at present at the disposal of the Government. Inasmuch as the Egyptian Government are responsible for the conduct of the campaign, the details of the expenditure have not hitherto been asked for. Communications are now being made with Lord Cromer on the subject. I may perhaps state, in order to give the necessary qualification to an observation which fell from me on Friday last, that, as was stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon the Second Reading of the Finance Bill, the British Government are lending a certain number of staff officers free of charge to the Egyptian Government, and they are also bearing the cost of the transport of British troops from Cairo to Wady Halfa.