§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, since the decision of the Government with regard to the Indian currency was made public, there has been a depreciation in the value of securities held in this country amounting to over £130,000,000; whether the supply of gold is insufficient for the monetary requirements of trade; and what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to avert a still more serious financial crisis?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, MidlothianI am not aware of a decline of over £130,000,000 in the value of securities held in this country, nor do I know how I could in the ordinary course become aware of such a fact, which I have no reason to believe to be a fact. I am not aware of the insufficiency of the supply of gold to meet the demands of trade; and therefore I may say, I think, for the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer and myself, that we do not believe in that insufficiency. Under these circumstances, it is not in our power to announce any steps in regard to meeting it.