§ MR. MACFARLANEasked the Secretary of State for India, If it is true, as reported in the newspapers, that emissaries have arrived at Candahar upon a mission from Ayoob Khan, and have been received with honour by the British authorities in that city; if there is any reason for supposing that Abdur Rahman will resent the opening of negotiations with his rival; and, if before those emissaries were honourably received, Ayoob Khan had satisfied the 545 British authorities that he was not implicated in the murder of Lieutenant Maclean?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONIt is true, Sir, that Envoys have been sent by Ayoob Khan to Candahar on a mission to the British authorities. They have been received with courtesy; but I am not aware that anything that can be described as negotiation has taken place with them. I have already stated that I do not think it would be for the advantage of the Public Service that I should enter into details as to such negotiations. Ayoob Khan has sent more than one communication to the Government of India protesting his innocence in the matter of the murder of Lieutenant Maclean, and his absolute ignorance of it till his arrival at Herat; but I am unable to say whether these protestations have been considered satisfactory by the Indian Government.