THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid he wished to put a question to the noble Earl the Under Secretary for India. A 738 Return had been laid before the House of the Correspondence with the Government of India on the subject of the payment of the Indian troops which had been sent to Suakim, but the Papers had not been circulated among the Members of their Lordships' House. In view of the importance of the subject and the action being taken on the matter in the other House, the point was an important one, and he thought some explanation should be given why the Paper had not been circulated. He was aware, of course, that the noble Earl the Under Secretary was not responsible for the omission, but it was obvious that an important Paper of this kind, upon which, no doubt, a Motion would be founded in the House, should be circulated, and he wished to know why it had not been done. He also wished to ask the noble Earl whether he had any objection to lay before the House the Dispatch or Dispatches from the Government of India in regard to the recent treaty with France in respect to Siam, and also the Correspondence between the Ameer of Afghanistan and the inhabitants of Kafiristan.
*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (The EARL of ONSLOW)said he shared the surprise of the noble Earl that the Paper referred to, which was of great importance in view of the Debate which was to take place in the other House on the matter, had not been circulated. On inquiry he had been informed that the procedure in reference to Papers to be laid on the Table of that House was governed by what took place in the other House, and he had learned with some surprise that the Members of the House of Commons had not received copies of the Paper either. [Laughter.] The Papers could, of course, be obtained at the Printed Paper Office; but, in view of the importance of the subject and the Debate that would be raised upon it, he would take the necessary steps to see that the Papers were circulated among their Lordships. With respect to the other Papers referred to, they had been presented to the House of Commons, and if the noble Earl would move for them in that House they should be printed.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid it was very desirable that Papers of an 739 important character should be circulated as soon as possible, not only on account of the information they contained, but in order to call the attention of their Lordships to the fact that such Papers had been laid on the Table. He moved formally for the production of the the Papers to which he had referred.