§ MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)I wish to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in order to avoid misapprehension as to the cost of the war in South Africa, he will lay upon the Table of the House an account of the actual cost of the war to the 31st December last, and his estimate of the cost of the war from that date to the 31st of March, which ends the present financial year, distinguishing between the amount expended in despatching troops to South Africa for the twelve months previous to the Boer ultimatum, and the total amount expended since the war began; also the amount which has been taken from general taxation to defray the cost of the war, and the amount which has been raised by way of loan and added to the National Debt.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhougton)The approximate cost of the war in South Africa on Army, Votes to the 31st December last, is £131,081,000; the estimated cost from 1st January, 1902, to 31st March, 1902, is about £15,000,000. It is impossible to state the actual charge incurred in despatching troops to South Africa for the twelve months prior to the Boer ultimatum, but in its connection I would refer the hon. Member to Parliamentary 1018 Paper C. 9531 of 1899. In reply to the latter part of the Question, I have no figures to give.