§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has noticed the statement made in South Africa that the cost of the German East Africa Expedition has already exceeded the cost to Britain of the whole Boer War; and whether an estimate of the cost of the Indian and Expeditionary Forces in East Africa up to date can be given?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have not seen the statement referred to. I regret that the preparation of any reliable estimate of the cost of any particular operations in the present War would involve an amount of labour altogether disproportionate to the value of the result and beyond the strength of an already overtaxed Department.