§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state what has been the total outlay on the Uganda Railway up to the time of the rail-head reaching Victoria Nyanza; what is the estimated sum required to finish the permanent way and fully equip the line with rolling stock for goods and passenger traffic; what is the estimated amount of the annual charges for working expenses; and the estimated annual loss when interest on capital and working expenses have been charged.
§ LORD CRANBORNEIt is impossible to say what the total outlay on the Uganda Railway had been on the exact date, viz. the 20th of December on which the rails reached the lake but at the end of the year it had reached a total of £4,832,501, 15s. 3d. The managing member of the Uganda Railway Committee has just returned from his inspection, and I hope therefore to be shortly in a position to inform the House of the further expenditure which will be required.
§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEYWill the noble Lord see that we have this information before the Vote is taken?
§ LORD CRANBORNEI will see if it is possible. I can assure the House there is no disposition on the part of the 93 Government to take the House by surprise. We shall take care to give the fullest information in our power.