In the House of Lords, on Friday, in reply to questions from the Marquis of Clanricarde respecting the collection of forces under Sir C. Napier on the frontier of the Punjaub,
The Earl of Ripon said that the rumours which had recently reached this country from India, to the effect that an army of 80,000 men was collecting on the banks of the Sutledge, for the purpose of invading and conquering the Punjaub, greatly exaggerated the truth. The fact was that it was necessary to have a large force concentrated in the north-western provinces, which were there most likely to be suddenly attacked, and in the present distracted state of the Punjaub it would be nothing short of insanity to leave that portion of our India frontier unprotected. There was, however, no desire on the part of the Government, either abroad or at home, to add one inch of territory to our possessions in that quarter, though it was quite possible that we might be called upon to defend ourselves from attack. There was no intention to enlarge our territory further than it now extended beyond the Indus. With respect to the revenues of Scinde and their sufficiency to meet the expenses of the armament required for its subjection, he was not in a position to give the information required by the noble marquis.
Essex Standard, Colchester, Essex, England, July 19, 1844
