§ Mr. F. W. VERNEY (for Mr. Mackarness)asked the Under-Secretary for India whether the Secretary of State received on the 6th of this month a despatch from the Viceroy saying that the Indian leaders of public opinion in Bengal were denouncing outrages and that the outrages were not instigated by any political party of the least importance; that there was no widespread movement of a seditious nature; and that the general state of the country was not dangerous; and, if so, whether he has any other information as to the condition of affairs in India which makes it necessary to prolong the imprisonment of the nine British subjects who were deported without charge or trial in December last?
§ Mr. BUCHANANA communication somewhat in the sense indicated was received on 6th March, and was referred to by the Secretary of State in the House of Lords on the 11th. I have said on several occasions that the Secretary of State considers it undesirable to make any statement as to the grounds on which the persons referred to are in detention, and he is unable to say anything as to the duration of their detention. It hardly follows from the fact that their detention was attended by an improved situation, that this improvement is a reason for immediate relaxation of one of the causes of it.