asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether, in consequence of his having decided that Na- tive Indian Regiments in the service of the Queen shall be armed with Martini-Henry rifles, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to recommend that the armies of independent Native Princes shall be similarly armed?

, in reply, said, that the subject was a very large one, and was surrounded with many difficulties. He was not aware that the arming of the regiments of the Native Princes of India with the Martini-Henry rifle had ever been considered by the Government of India.

asked the Secretary of State for India, To be good enough to inform the House if the duties of Lord Granville's Afghan Boundary Commission have been completed; if so, whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to order its withdrawal, and arrange amicably between London and St. Petersburg the existing trivial dispute regarding Zulfikar?

The duties of the Afghan Boundary Commission have not yet been completed. It is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government at the present moment to order its withdrawal; but Sir Joseph Ridgeway and those who are under his command have done, and are still doing, good and useful work. I must altogether take exception to the adjective which the hon. Member (Mr. Gourley) has inserted in the last line of his Question, where he alludes to the dispute regarding Zulfikar as "trivial." I take exception to that adjective; but I may say that Her Majesty's Government are not altogether without some confidence that before long they may be fortunate enough to arrive at a satisfactory settlement of the remaining points of the Boundary question, which have not yet been decided upon.

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, How it happens that on the Commission about to be appointed regarding the Depression of Industry in this country, including, as it is understood, the connection between the depression in Agriculture and the depression in other Trades acting and re-acting upon each other, at present no Member of that Commission has been appointed who is supposed to have any practical knowledge of Agriculture?

Sir, I am not prepared to admit that there is no Member of the Commission who has practical knowledge of agriculture. The Question is, however, one which I cannot answer without Notice. I think my noble Friend (Lord Iddesleigh) is still in communication with one or two Gentlemen upon the subject, and it is possible that the result may be an addition to the Commission of some such Gentlemen as the hon. Member desires.

asked whether it was not by an afterthought that the subject of agriculture had been added to the Commission?

No, Sir; it was by no afterthought at all that the subject referred to is to be considered by the Royal Commission on Depression of Trade. Agriculture, as such, is not included within the scope of the inquiry, though, of course, the obvious connection between trade and agriculture will secure that the depression in agriculture, so far as it is influenced by the depression of trade, shall be considered.

The following List of the Commissioners appeared in The London Gazette, September 1:—

The Earl of IDDESLEIGH (Chairman), The Earl of DUNRAVEN, Right Hon. G. SCLATER-BOOTH, Sir JAMES ALLPORT, Knt., JOHN AURD, Esq., THOMAS BIRTWHISTLE, Esq., LIONEL LEWIS COHEN, Esq., JAMES PORTER CORRY, Esq., DAVID DALE, Esq., CHARLES JAMES DRUMMOND, Esq., WILLIAM FARRER ECROYD, Esq., HENRY HUCKS GIBBS, Esq., WILLIAM HENRY HOULDSWORTH, Esq., WILLIAM LAWIES JACKSON, Esq., GEORGE AULDJO JAMIESON, Esq., NEVILLE LUBBOCK, Esq., PHILIP ALBERT MUNTZ, Esq., ARTHUR O'CINNOR, Esq., ROBERT HARRY INGLIS PALGRAVE, Esq., CHARLES MARK PALMER, Esq., WILLIAN OEARCE, Esq., BONAMY PRICE, Esq., Professor of Political Economy, Oxford University, SAMUEL STOREY, Esq.

HERBERT GEORGE MURRAY, Esq.,

Secretary.

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, if the authorities in Dublin do not object, the Treasury will accede to the recommendations of the Justices of Queen's County, that the extra police shall be withdrawn, and that in the future the county force shall consist of 215 men?

, in reply, said, that he did not think the number of police in any county could be altered separately. It would, however, of course, be his duty to consider any representation that might be made to the Treasury on the subject.

asked whether the House could not proceed with the Infants Bill, as it was down on the Orders of the Day?

, in reply, said, the Orders of the Day had not been reached. There could be no object in entering upon the Orders of the Day with the prospect of immediate interruption.

said—