§ In answer to a question from Lord MONTEAGLE,
§ The EARL of ELLENBOROUGHwas understood to say, that any information which he could afford to their Lordships respecting the state of India he would be most happy to furnish previous to the Bill, for the government of that country coming up to that House from the other branch of the Legislature. All the accounts which were presented to the House, when the last Bill on the same subject was under discussion would be made up to the latest period and laid on their Lordships' table. On the 25th of November, an inquiry was ordered by the India Government into the causes of the mutiny, and the Commissioners were authorized, in the event of their not feeling themselves sufficiently informed, to give an opinion on the matter, to appoint a special commission to pursue the investigation further. He could not say, whether there was any report from the Commission, certainly none had reached England. A mixed Commission for inquiring into the mode of reconstructing the Indian army, to consist of one of Her Majesty's officers, an officer from each of the Presidencies, and several civilians, had been appointed. When that Commission would present its Report, he was wholly unable to state. He believed, however, the probability was that each Member would report his individual opinion, and then noble Lords would have to form their own opinions as best they could from the separate judgments of different authorities. He had always thought that the appointment of large mixed Commissions was a source of much delay in the transactions of public business, and he had no hope that any light would be derived from the labours of the present one.