§ THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELDMy Lords, I wish to ask the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a Question respecting a paragraph in the "Times" of this day, with reference to the withdrawal of the British troops from Candahar. I have read the paragraph, which appears to be of an authoritative and authentic character, that it is the intention of the Government to abandon Candahar on the 15th of next month and to hand over the city to the Ameer Abdur Rahman. I wish to know, Whether it be a fact that that is the intention of the Government? I should also like to know if it is so, and provided the information can be given without inconvenience, what are the stipulations on which the agreement with the Ameer is founded; and I should further like to know, whether it is true that the Ameer Abdur Rahman has announced to the Government of India that he will not be prepared on the 15th of April next to occupy the city and territory of Candahar?
§ EARL GRANVILLEMy Lords, in answer to the Question of the noble Earl, of which he gave me private Notice, I have to state that the announcement made in The Times is not official and is not accurate. It is quite true that there have been communications between the Government of India and the Ameer Abdur Rahman as to the time the English troops should be withdrawn from Candahar; but the Government of India has not yet thought fit to announce in detail the result of those communications. We have, however, telegraphed to India to ascertain whether any further information on the subject can be given to Parliament without disadvantage to the Public Service; and I shall be glad to give any further information which may be within my power at the beginning of next week.
§ THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELDAre we to understand from Her Majesty's Government that it is an inaccurate 1350 statement that the Ameer Abdur Rahman has announced that he cannot or will not fulfil the engagement he is supposed to have entered into?
§ EARL GRANVILLEThat is not accurate.