53. Mr. SOMERVILLEalso asked the Prime Minister the exact effect of the pending withdrawal of the British troops from Constantinople on the finances of the country; what provision for the occupation was made in the Estimates and whether, by the withdrawal, any economies, and, if so, what, will be effected?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe additional recurrent cost of maintaining the existing British forces in Constantinople and the adjacent area instead of at their normal stations is estimated at £142,000 per month. This expenditure will be terminated on the withdrawal of the forces. On the other hand, the terminal charges for transport, etc., which will be entailed by the withdrawal of these forces, are estimated to be, approximately, £485,000. At the time when the Estimates for the current year were 1864 drawn up it was not anticipated that it would be necessary to retain for any considerable part of the present financial year the reinforcements dispatched last autumn, with the result that up to date there has been a considerable excess over the Estimate provision, and no savings on the Estimates as a whole can be anticipated as the result of the withdrawal.