§ MR. MACLEAN (Cardiff)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India if the 16,000 men stated to have been withdrawn from the Indian establishment include the native battalions stationed in Mauritius, Central Africa, Uganda, Hong Kong, etc.; if, since these figures were published, material increase has been made in the force under orders for China, and what is now the total strength of that force.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe 16,000 men stated to have been withdrawn from the Indian establishment included the battalions stationed in. the Mauritius, Ceylon, Singapore, and Hong Kong. There are some Indian soldiers in Central Africa and Uganda, but they are not part of the regular Indian establishment. Some addition has been made to the force going to China, but I cannot as yet give the exact numbers.
§ MR. MACLEANHas the number of English officers attached to the infantry battalions been increased?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI cannot say the exact number of officers accompanying the native regiments, but I understand that some addition has been made to the ordinary establishment.