§ MR. DARBY GRIFFITHsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, with respect to events now occurring at Herat, any proceeding or operation, Diplomatic or Military, will be undertaken, either by the English or Indian Govern- 1281 ment, which should have a tendency to pledge this Country to any act of hostility against Persia, or to any step for or against any of the other powers of Central Asia, without the full knowledge and consent of Parliament and the Country?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, the only answer I can give the hon. Gentleman is that neither Her Majesty's Government nor the Indian Department have received any information whatever tending to show that any such operations against Herat have been undertaken by the Shah of Persia; and putting all the circumstances together, we are inclined entirely to disbelieve the report.