VISCOUNT ENFIELD, in rising to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether an eligible site has finally been decided upon for the re-erection of the Wellington Statue at Aldershot; and, when the work in question is likely to be completed? said, that it had been reported that a site had been selected upon Cæsar's Camp, from which the statue would be visible to the whole camp and also from the South-Western Railway. He hoped the noble Viscount would be able to confirm this. There was another Question in connection with the subject which he would like the noble Viscount to answer, and of which he had given him private Notice—Whether it was true that up to the present time £6,000 had been spent in the work, and how much the expense was expected to come to?
LORD DE ROSsaid, he hoped that the noble Viscount would be able to tell them that the statue was to be put up where it would be visible to all the camp. If it were put up upon Caesar's Camp, one of the wishes of the great Duke would be fulfilled—that the statue should be seen from one of the houses, not Apsley House, but Strathfieldsaye.
THE EARL OF LONGFORDsaid, that there had been unsatisfactory delay in this matter. For the last year the delay was endured in silence, because it was understood that the late Government had some intention of placing the statue at Khartoum; but, as that plan was not to be carried out, it was hoped that the statue would at once be erected upon the site selected for it.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Viscount BURY), in reply, said, that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, as President of the Committee, assisted by other Members of it, had chosen a very prominent site for the statue upon a knoll on the North side of the Royal Pavilion at Aldershot. The works were already in progress, the pedestal for the statue being in course of erection; and Messrs. Martin and Wells, the contractors, had promised that the whole work should be completed by the end of August.
VISCOUNT ENFIELDsaid, the noble Viscount had not answered as to how much the works had cost up to the present time, and what would be the total cost when the work was finally completed?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATEPerhaps the noble Viscount will give Notice of the Question.