§ MR. SCOTT (Lancashire, Leigh)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state to the House what is the total amount of the charge for the Soudan Expedition for the current financial year, what part of this was provided for in the Estimates, and what part remains to be provided for in the Supplementary Estimates?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe total cost to Imperial revenues of the Soudan Expedition is represented as nearly as possible by the sum of £215,000, which appears as a repayment by Egypt in the Supplementary Estimate. No provision for this expenditure was made in the original Estimates for the current year.
§ MR. BARTLEYIs that in addition to the £1,000,000 granted in lieu of the loan last year?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI am speaking of the cost of the Soudan Expedition and of nothing else. Egypt has paid for all the benefit she has derived from transport, coaling, and supplies. The total of that amount is as nearly as possible £215,000.
§ MR. JOHN MORLEY (Montrose)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War to specify the amount in the Supplementary Army Estimates required for the Nile Expedition.
MR, WYNDHAMIf the right honourable Gentleman desires information in addition to that given in reply to Question No. 37, I shall be obliged if he will allow me to answer him when the Supplementary Estimates are introduced.
§ MR. J. MORLEYIs the honourable Gentleman not aware that action might be taken which, if an explanation were now given, would probably not be taken at a later period?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe right honourable Gentleman will see that a short reply could not be given to this Question. On Votes 1 and 7 for pay and clothing there is a saving this year; therefore, the cost which will be incurred on account of Egypt does not and cannot appear in the Supplementary Estimate. The cost which was incurred on account of Egypt for transport, clothing, and stores does appear in the Supplementary Estimate-The total amount we have incurred on account of Egypt for benefits received by Egypt, and not by us, is, as I have said, about £215,000.
§ MR. J. MORLEYMay I point out that in the foot-note to the first page of the Army Estimates it is stated that the excess arises under three bends: —Volunteers, the Nile Expedition, and Crete. Surely there can be no objection now to specify, either in the form of a return or in answer to a Question, how much of that is due to the Nile Expedition.
§ MR. WYNDHAMYes, I can do that. It would not be the whole amount due to the Nile Expedition, but the amount relating to the Nile Expedition which appears in the Supplementary Estimate.