§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSPerhaps it might be convenient to the House, and I am sure the country would like to know, whether the Government have any further explanation to offer, or any further statement to make, in addition to that which we heard in the early part of the evening, as to the Russian advance in Afghanistan; whether they have received any further news from St. Petersburg or from Sir Peter Lumsden?
MR. GLADSTONEI had intended, either on the Motion to report Progress, or on the actual Report of the Resolutions with the Speaker in the Chair, to make a further communication to the House. Since I spoke at the commencement of the evening a telegram has been received from Sir Peter Lumsden, which conveys what I may call a qualification of one of the statements which he had made. The statement I made on the authority of Sir Peter Lumsden was—and it will be emembered by the House that I repeated it twice—thatthe Afghans had not made any advance either before or after the telegram of the 17th of March. But Sir Peter Lumsden states to us in a later telegram that when the Russians immediately threatened an attack on the Afghan position by advancing in force from Imaken to Ak Tapa, the Afghans threw out vedettes to their front and extended their pickets to Pul-i-Khisti, on the left bank of the Khushk, and gradually strengthened it, until, on the 30th the bulk of their force had been transferred across the river. 1287 That is the qualification which he conveys. He goes on to say that, in his opinion, that does not properly constitute an advance, but was the occupation of a more advantageous military position. But I presume he evidently considers that the question might be raised as to what did or did not constitute an advance; and he is desirious that the British Government should be placed in the possession of all the facts. I give the qualification to the House precisely as Sir Peter Lumsden has given it.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Resolutions to be reported To-morrow.
§ Committee to sit again To-morrow.