§ QUESTION.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHPerhaps the House will permit me to read telegrams received from South Africa.
From Sir Bartle Frere, Pretoria, April 11.—Arrived here all well last evening. After friendly visit to Boer camp, I am to meet committee again to-morrow a few miles out of town. With exception of small, very violent minority. the leaders appear generally open to reason. I hope there will be no disturbance of public peace.Government House, Cape Town, April 15.—All is perfectly quiet in Kaffraria and on the Eastern Border generally. In Basutoland dis- 1594 turbances are confined to the tribe of Morosi, whose stronghold is invested by Colonial Forces. News from Northern Border also satisfactory. No special news from Natal. Lord Chelmsford and staff at Durban, leaving shortly for Maritzburg.
§ MR. JOHN BRIGHTMr. Speaker, I wish to give Notice that on Monday I shall put a Question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the South African Question; and I propose to put it to him because it has reference to the policy of the Government, and not to any Departmental detail. The Question I propose to ask the right hon. Gentleman is this—If, in reference to a statement of the Colonial Secretary that the disaster at Isandlana must be retrieved, and to the statement of the Government in Despatches now upon the Table of the House, that no annexation of Zulu territory is contemplated, he will inform the House if any instructions have been sent to Sir Bartle Frere as to conditions of peace; and, whether the time has not now come, after successes over and the slaughter of some thousands of the Zulu forces, when a pacification may be hoped for by the offer of some reasonable terms of peace to the Zulu King? That is the Question which I wish to put to the right hon. Gentleman; and I am more wishful to put it to him, because I understand that the right hon. Gentleman or the Colonial Secretary has said, on another occasion, that Sir Bartle Frere was restricted—in point of fact, that he was not at liberty to make any conditions or to do anything with regard to peace without strict instructions from home. I think, therefore, I may fairly ask what is intended to be done, or if anything has been done?
§ MR. MITCHELL HENRYAs regards the answer given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Kendal (Mr. Whitwell). I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman, Whether the Estimate of £1,500,000 for the Zulu War includes any part of the re-inforcements, and also the transports recently sent out from this country?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUEROh, yes; a very considerable proportion. In fact, the sum was taken in order to provide for the expense of sending out these Forces; and it is expected that it will cover all those expenses up to the 31st of March.