§ SIR HENRY FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the report of the speech, contained in The Times of to-day, delivered yesterday in the Viceregal Council by the Viceroy of India, in which the decision of His Majesty's Government with reference to the administration of 1176 the Indian Army, and the despatch of the Secretary of State conveying that decision to the Viceroy, are criticised, I might say severely, ii not offensively; secondly, what is the prerogative which the Viceroy says was conceded to the Government of India three-quarters of a century ago, and which Lord Curzon alleges it to be his bounden duty to sustain; thirdly, whether the Secretary of State will take the earliest opportunity of informing the House of the course which the Government proposes to take with reference to this extraordinary speech.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)I have telegraphed to the Viceroy requesting him to telegraph, for the information of His Majesty's Government, the text of the speech which he delivered in the Legislative Council yesterday. Until I receive it I cannot make any statement of the views of His Majesty's Government upon the subject.
§ SIR HENRY FOWLERThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the third Question.
§ MR. BRODRICKI hope to be able to make some statement early next week.