§ 8. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for War what places in China, other than His Majesty's Crown Colony of Hong Kong and the city of Shanghai, are occupied by British troops or Indian troops?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Commodore Douglas King)Apart from Hong Kong and Shanghai, the only British or Indian troops stationed n China are the British quota of the international garrisons of the Tientsin Concessions and the Peking legations, and small detachments in the leased territory of Wei-hai-wei and the British Concession at the Shameen.
§ 9 Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Secretary of State for War what is the estimated cost per diem of the British forces at present in China or in Chinese waters?
§ Commodore KINGI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 2nd May to the right hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedg-wood).
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIf I remember rightly, that answer did not give information, on the ground that the actual cost could not be obtained, Surely, the Army has some estimate of the cost involved.
§ Commodore KINGMy recollection of the reply to the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Newcastle-under Lyme is that the figure was placed at about £250,000 per month.
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThat is more than a month ago. Is not the figure increasing?
§ Commodore KINGNo, that is the figure that was given for future months The details of the previous months were given.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs not the cost of living in these parts of the world very much below the cost of living in Britain, and will it not be an economy to keep some of the Army out there?