HC Deb 03 September 1880 vol 256 cc1189-90
SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

I beg to ask the noble Lord the Secretary of State for India a Question as to the very unsatisfactory Papers presented to the House to-day. I wish to know, Whether he is not in possession of any despatches either from General Primrose, General Phayre, General Burrows, or the Commander-in-Chief; also, whether it is not the case that the correspondence on military matters in India is entirely carried on between the Resident Governor-General and the Foreign Secretary at Simla?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I am obliged to the hon. Member for the extreme courtesy he has shown in putting this Question without giving me any Notice whatever. I have not even got a copy of the Papers with me, so that I am not in a position to refer to them; but my impression is that the Papers contain copies of all despatches relating to purely military questions which we have received. If the hon. Member had given me Notice I might have answered his Question more fully. I have been so much occupied for the past week or two that I have not been able carefully to supervise and prepare the Papers with those just presented to Parliament; but I gave instructions that all the information we had which was of a purely military character, and of a character that could be published, should be included in the Return.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

I will repeat my Question to-morrow.

Subsequently,

SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOT

I wish to ask the noble Lord the Secretary of State for India, If he has received any news of General Roberts since his arrival at Candahar?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

Just before I entered the House I received a telegram from the Viceroy. He says— Continuation of telegram this morning. Further telegram from Roberts, 30th, states: Infantry in camp west Candahar; Cavalry south, under walls. It is reported at Quettah that Phayre is 26 miles off Chaman. Halted on the 28th to allow transports to rest. Cavalry brigade under Wilkinson was to advance on the 2nd. Phayre expected to arrive at Candahar with whole force on 5th of September. Musa Khan, we hear, is in Ayoub's camp.