§ MR. M'COANasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether there are, in the archives of the India Office (or of the Foreign Office), as stated in a morning newspaper of Saturday, any Minutes of conversation held with the Russian Ambassador in 1876, in which a partition of Turkey was proposed, as also an arrangement for the settlement of a new Russo-Indian frontier, involving the absorption of Afghanistan; and, if such Minutes do exist, whether he will lay Copies of them upon the Table of the House?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, this Question has been substantially answered by my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in "another place." I ought, perhaps, to repeat the protest made by my noble Friend against Questions of the kind being put, inasmuch as the answers to them may involve statements which would not be for the public advantage. My noble Friend, however, in this instance, thought it desirable to state, in order to avoid misconception—and I therefore have no objection to repeat the statement—that there are no Minutes of this description, so far as we are aware, either at the India or the Foreign Offices.