§ THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGHsaid, the Department of the Colonies having been transferred from the noble Duke (the Duke of Newcastle) who had for a considerable time discharged the duties of Secretary of State with great efficiency and ability, he wished to put some Questions regarding India to the noble Lord opposite, the newly appointed Under Secretary for the Colonial Department (Lord Wodehouse). The first Question he wished to ask related to the seat of Government in India. The most contradictory reports appeared in the public newspapers on the subject. One of those reports declared that the seat of Government was to be removed from Calcutta to the Upper Provinces; whilst another report was that a despatch had been received by the Governor General from the Secretary of State directing that no change should take place. He wished to ask the noble Lord, Whether either of those reports were true; and, if so, which of them?
LORD WODEHOUSEThe answer which I have to give is this—that no opinion had been expressed by the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for India with regard to the removal of the seat of Government. The matter was, no doubt, an important one, but no decision had been come to on the subject.
§ THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGHsaid, it would probably aid the Secretary of State in coming to a decision on the subject, to know that the late Duke of Wel- 1757 lington had more than once expressed to him (the Earl of Ellenborough) his decided opinion that the Government of India, depending for its support upon our maritime power, should be in a position to maintain always certain and free communication with that power; and that the seat of Government in India should be in a place unattackable by land or by sea, as it is now.