§ VISCOUNT SANDONasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he is now in a position to state what is the number of the population and the extent of the territory of the 1349 Tekke Turcomans recently annexed to the Russian Empire; whether he can give an approximate estimate of the distance of the new frontier of Russia from the boundaries of Afghanistan, and also from Herat; and, whether he will obtain such information from Her Majesty's Embassy at St. Petersburg as will enable him before the end of the Session to place a map in the Library of the House showing the extent of this important extension of the Russian Empire in Central Asia?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEHer Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at St. Petersburg has been informed by the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs that the territory annexed to Russia is the Tekke Oasis, including Askabad, that the boundaries are not yet marked out, but that the delimitation is in course of execution. I am informed that the distance from Askabad to the Afghan Frontier is about 190 miles, and from Askabad to Herat about 310 miles. Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at St. Petersburg will be instructed to send home any map that may be published in Russia showing the boundaries of the annexed territory, and a Copy shall be placed in the Library.
§ VISCOUNT SANDONIs Askabad at the present moment the boundary of Russia?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEWe do not know; but Askabad is the furthest point that has any name on the map.