§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether it is a fact that orders have been given for surveying a prolongation of the Quetta Railway in the direction of Candahar across the Khora Amran Range, and have such orders been issued with the assent of the Secretary of State;what is the length of the proposed extension from Shebo, and what is its estimated cost;will it pass beyond the limits of British territory;and, if so, has the consent of the Ameer of Afghanistan been obtained to the survey;and, what has been the total cost to the Indian Exchequer since 1884 of the Quetta and Bolan Railways?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)Some inquiry has been made in India as to the engineering questions involved in 361 the extension of the Quetta Railway towards Candahar;hut no formal proposal to carry the line across the Khora Arnran Range has been submitted to the Government of India by the Secretary of State. It is, therefore, impossible to give the detailed information asked for. The actual outlay on the Quetta and Bolan Railways from 1881–5 to the end of the current financial year is put at Rs.3,85,50,000.
§ MR. BUCHANANasked whether it was intended to extend the railway beyond the limits of British territory?
§ SIR JOHN GORSTreplied, that the hon. Member must see that the Question was premature, as nothing had yet been settled. Until it was settled, he could not make any announcement on the subject.