§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the Secretary of State for War, whether his attention has been directed to the letter of the special correspondent of the " Daily News," published in the issue of that paper on the 20th instant, in which the destruction of four native villages by Colonel Lowe's command is described; whether, in particular, he has marked the following statement:—
Lord Chelmsford had given orders that no kraals should he burned until the general advance, being anxious to utilise the woodwork of the huts as fuel; hut these kraals were far away from the line of any possible advance, and Colonel Lowe determined to destroy them. Two laconic words from Long to his men, ' set fire,' sufficed to sot them in a blaze, mere flimsy structures of wooden wattle as they were;and, whether the Government will make inquiries as to any order given by Lord Chelmsford for the burning of native villages during the general advance into Zululand such as is here alleged?
§ COLONEL STANLEYSir, my attention was called to the subject by the hon. Member's Question of a few days ago, and I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies on that occasion—namely, that there is no reason to believe that these villages were destroyed from any wantonness, but simply out of military necessity. I have not seen any reason to address specific inquiries to Lord Chelmsford upon the subject.
§ MR. O'DONNELLasked what the right hon. Gentleman meant by military necessity?
§ COLONEL STANLEYSir, one meaning is, that they should not afford cover to the enemy.
§ MR. O'DONNELLOr afford shelter to women and children. He would now ask, Whether his attention has been called to an extract from a letter of a soldier in the 60th Rifles, published in the "Daily News" of Tuesday last, in which it is stated, with reference to the action against the Zulus of April 2nd, on the march to relieve Ekowe—
After the firing was all done, we sent our blacks in amongst them, and they killed all the wounded; and some of them asked our blacks 724 for a drop of water; yes, and they gave them water too—they put their assegais through them and struck them to the ground;whether he has seen the statement published in all the daily papers that Colonel Brabant and the Cape Mounted Yeomanry obtained the surrender of a number of Basutos by throwing dynamite into a cave in which they had taken refuge along with nearly two hundred women and children; and, whether he has any reason to believe these statements are substantially true?
§ COLONEL STANLEYSir, my attention was first called to the first part of the Question when the Paper was put before me this morning, in order that I should answer the Question to-night. I can, however, express no opinion about the matter. With regard to the second part of the Question, I have seen it stated in the daily papers that Colonel Brabant, to obtain the surrender of the Basutos, did use dynamite; but he is not under the orders of my Department. I have, therefore, no information on the subject, nor can I express an opinion on the matter.