§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTasked the Under Secretary of State for India, If he could state the day on which Lord Salisbury's Despatch of the 28th February 1876 was laid before the Viceroy's Council; the dates at which Sir H. Norman, Sir W. Muir, and Sir A. Hobhouse respectively ceased to be Members of the Viceroy's Council; and, the date of the withdrawal of the native agent from Cabul after the Peshawur Conference? Also, whether the letters of the Nawab Gholam Hussein Khan of September, 1878, have been sent home; and, if not, whether there is any reason why letters now nearly three months old should not be sent home?
§ MR. E. STANHOPEAs to the first Question of the hon. and learned Member, I can only say that we have no official information beyond that contained in the 21st paragraph of the despatch of May 10, 1877. Sir William Muir ceased to be a Member of the Viceroy's Council on or about November 6, 1876; Sir Henry Norman on March 18, 1877; and Sir Arthur Hob-house on the 10th of April, 1877. After the Conferences at Peshawur Atta Ma- 528 homed went to Simla and remained there; but the Agency was not abolished until November 10, 1877. Her Majesty's Government have only in this country telegraphic reports of the letters of the Nawab; but it does not appear likely that there is anything important in the letters beyond what is contained in the telegraphic despatches.