§ Sir JOHN JARDINEasked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated cost of the official history of the Russian-Japanese War; and what amount thereof has already been expended?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)It is impossible to give absolutely accurate figures, but the total cost is not expected to exceed £13,000. Up to 31st March, 1910, £5,703 12s. l0d. had been spent.
§ Sir JOHN JARDINEasked the Secretary to the Treasury what has been the cost of producing the official history of the Boer War; and whether any estimate was made beforehand, and if the cost is within the estimate?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe total cost of the Combined History up to 31st March, 1910, was £34,706 18s. l0d. (see for details page 110 of the Civil Services Appropriation Accounts for 1909ߝ10) (H.C. 7 of 1911). 9 The only future expenditure anticipated will be for copies for the public service, taut against this must be set the receipts for royalties and for sales to the public, which have amounted to £600 between 31st March, 1910, and the present date. The total cost is considerably greater than was anticipated when the history was taken in hand in 1900, though no exact estimate of the cost was then framed.
§ Sir JOHN JARDINEMay I ask what was the supposed estimate of the cost of this book, and what is the difference between that supposed estimate and the £31,000 that the thing has cost?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs I have already explained no estimate was taken in 1900— which was when neither I nor anyone on this Bench was responsible.
§ Sir JOHN JARDINEGuess-work!