§ SIR R. TEMPLEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the reports are true that 209 Colonel Yanoff with a Russian force has advanced into the Pamirs on the strategic line leading towards the North Indian frontier?
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTMay I also ask whether he has observed the statement in The Times and Standard of 20th July, that Colonel Yanoff, who commanded the Russian invading force in 1891, started from Marghilan in June of this year with 500 Russian Infantry, two sotnias of Cossacks, and mountain artillery, in order to permanently occupy and construct fortified stations at Sariz, Sarduir, and Sarhad, three principal points on the road to India viâ the Pamirs; whether Sarhad commands the Baraghil Pass in the Hindu Kush; what progress has been made towards establishing the Pamir Delimitation Commission; and whether the Russian Government now claim a frontier considerably in advance even of the claims they made in 1891?
§ SIR E. GREYHer Majesty's Government have received assurances from the Russian Government as late as the 19th instant that, the rumours of armed Russian Expeditious to the Pamirs are false. During the progress of the negotiations it is not advisable to make any statement as to the Commission or claims of Russia.
MR. CURZONArising out of the answer just given, may I ask whether, in view of the fact that on two previous occasions in 1891 and 1892 Russian expeditious were despatched to the Pamirs in spite of very definite assurances given to the contrary, and in view also of the fact, that the very circumstantial details given in the letters to which my hon. Friend has referred were written not in Europe, but from Tashkend, the hon. Baronet will consider the advisability of addressing some inquiries to St. Petersburg, not by way of throwing any doubt on the action of the Russian Government, but as to whether those reliefs are intended solely for the Russian posts already established; or whether it is contemplated to construct other fortified posts in other parts of the country?
§ SIR E. GREYA question was put the other day by the hon. Member fertile Newton Division, which I think must have been founded on the same rumour of an expedition under Colonel Yanoff. In consequence of that particular rumour 210 reference was made to the Russian Government within the last few days, and their answer was that all the rumours of the kind were false, and that the troops composing the expedition were not under the command of Colonel Yanoff, but of an officer of inferior position. That answer was received as late as the 19th of this month.
* MR. CURZONMy point is this—Will the hon. Baronet take steps to ascertain whether the troops are going to relieve others at, existing posts, or to establish new posts?
§ * SIR E. GREYWe have been assured that they are merely sent to relieve troops which have wintered in Marghilan, and which will not be allowed to go out in parties larger than twos and threes.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTCan the hon. Baronet answer the last paragraph of my question as to the progress made towards establishing the Delimitation Commission?
§ SIR E. GREYNegotiations are still proceeding. There has been no interruption.