§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is a fact that Her Majesty's Ministers have invited the Russian Government to submit to arbitration the question whether General Komaroff's attack upon the Afghans on 30th March was a breach of the "solemn agreement" of 17th March; whether the Russian Government have accepted this proposal; and, if so, who is to be arbitrator; whether the Russian forces will continue in occupation of the strip of Afghan territory south of the Khoja Saleh—Sarakhs line, which they have seized since the appointment of a joint Boundary Commission by the two Governments; and, how much longer it is expected that the British Commission will have to wait upon the frontier for its Russian colleagues?
MR. GLADSTONEI am not able to enter upon the points presented by the hon. Member in his Question; but I shall have a short statement to make relative to the subject of the Correspondence with Russia when I am free to do so.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEWhen does the right hon. Gentleman propose to make that statement—before proceeding to Business, or after?