text: 5 000 000 in the last two years: _is there a prospect of reduced expenditure?_ Without entering into details but looking at your extended empire at the demands which are made for the protection of your commerce and the general state of the world and calling to mind the intelligence which has lately reached us " [from Affghanistan ] "can you anticipate for the year after the next the possibility consistent with the honour and safety of this country of greatly reducing the public expenses? I am forced to say I cannot calculate on that