THE EARL OF FIFEI wish to ask the noble Viscount the Secretary of State for India, Whether it be true, as reported from. India, that the Khyber Pass is now held by tribes who are fighting against the Ameer of Afghanistan; and, if that be the case, whether that interferes with the arrangements of the Indian Government for keeping open the Pass?
§ THE SECERTARY OF STATE FOR, INDIA (Viscount Cross)All reports that are received from Afghanistan, unless they are authenticated by positive information from the Viceroy, are to be discounted to a certain extent. Numerous reports have been spread abroad, I think, of a mischievous character, and many of them have turned out to be untrue. With regard to the Question of the noble Earl, I have to say that the Viceroy is in constant communication by telegraph with me, and if anything of importance takes place, he invariably sends me word the moment he hears of it. Up to the present moment I have received nothing whatever from the Viceroy as to the disturbances in the Khyber Pass; but when I saw this subject referred to in the newspapers I thought it so important that I sent a special telegram to the Viceroy regarding it. To that telegram I have not yet received any answer; but I expect one to-morrow, when I may be able to give a reply to the noble Lord's Question.