§ THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGHpresented Petitions of Major General W. P. Beatson, Bengal Army, and Captain F. A. Dickins, Bengal Army, complaining of the Loss of Advantages sustained by reason of the Amalgamation of the British and Indian Armies, and praying for Relief, and asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he has yet been able to come to any conclusion with respect to the suggestions offered by the late Royal Commission for the remedy of the grievances complained of by Indian Officers?
EARL DE GREY AND RIPONsaid, no one knew better than the noble Earl the great importance as well as the great difficulty of this question; and he thought from what had fallen from him he anticipated the answer he was about to give. As a very short time had elapsed since he entered upon the duties of the important office he now filled, he was not yet in a position to state his conclusions as to the course that might be taken upon the Report of the last Commission with respect to Indian officers. He was very well aware of the importance of avoiding unnecessary delay in coming to a conclusion upon this question; at the same time, he was sure the noble Earl and their Lordships would agree with him when he said it was not one to be dealt with hastily or without due consideration. As soon as he should have been able to investigate the facts he would lose no time in communicating to their Lordships the conclusion at which he had arrived.