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Writes that he has already sent Canning a message from Lord Granville, that there had been a hitch, but that Talbot would come by the next mail. Encloses some papers from Murray. Vernon Smith is puzzled at the different accounts received from Teheran. Lord Clarendon has telegraphed Lord Stratford that if Herat is occupied, negotiations are to be broken off. Lord Dalhousie is said to be looking better. The 'Feroog' is about to leave with 40 lacs on board. Captain Rennie expects to be at Calcutta in 9 days.

Enclosed: 1. Copy of a letter from W H Sykes and Ross D Mangles to the Governor in Council Bombay, 21 May, transmitting an extract from a Despatch from the Foreign Secretary to Her Majesty's Minister in Persia, and a copy of another Despatch from the same to the same. Secret.

2. Extract of a letter from the Earl of Clarendon to Mr Murray, 15 May, Murray is to withdraw his Mission to Baghdad and have no further communication with the Persian Government. Her Majesty's Consuls will remain at Tapreez and Teheran. Mr Stevens, at Teheran, will be ordered to have no communication with the Persian Government on political matters.

3. Copy of a letter from the Earl of Clarendon to the Honourable E A Murray, 15 May, reproving Murray for his unauthorised message of congratulation to the ruler of Herat on the ruler's obtaining possession of Herat. This message may lead to embarrassment in the relations of the Indian Government with Dost Mahomed Khan. It is very important to British interests that Dost Mahomed Khan should not think the British Government is inclined active1y to thwart any plans he may have to unite Afghanistan under his Government He will not be encouraged in any such schemes, but Her Majesty's Government are not prepared to interfere. Clarendon asks Murray not to interfere at all with the affairs of Afghanistan without previous communication with the Indian Government and he is not to communicate on political questions with the ruler of Herat except on specific instructions. He has already been authorised to obtain information upon certain conditions. Murray is to watch the proceedings of the Persian Government over Herat (if he returns to Teheran) and he will state, if necessary, that Her Majesty's Government hold the Persian Government to their engagement that even if they should send troops into the territory of Herat, such troops should not enter the City of Herat, and he will say that Her Majesty's Government will not view with indifference any attempt on the part of Persia to exercise authority in Herat or any other part of Afghanistan.