COLONEL STANLEYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether there was any further information which he could give the House in connection with the melancholy intelligence received that morning from the Transvaal; and whether, owing to the lamented death of Sir George Colley, the command will devolve upon Sir Evelyn Wood?
MR. GUILDERSWe received at a very early hour this morning the melancholy intelligence of Sir George Colley's death, and it is in shape almost an exact repetition of the statement contained in the telegrams already sent to the newspapers, and which all hon. 1864 Members saw this morning No further intelligence has been received from Sir Evelyn Wood, or any officer in Natal. On the subject of the second Question of the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, I have to say that Sir Evelyn Wood has succeeded, by virtue of his rank, to the command in Natal held by the late Sir George Colley. But I think the right hon. and gallant Gentleman wishes me to give, if I can do so, any further information as to the intentions of the Government with respect to the present state of affairs in that country; but, with his leave and with the leave of the House, I would ask him to repeat this Question to-morrow, as at this moment, although I have been engaged throughout the whole of the day in taking the initiatory steps as to certain other arrangements, I am not quite in a position to state them definitely to the House.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHasked, Whether Sir Evelyn Wood had succeeded Sir George Colley as High Commissioner for the Eastern part of South Africa?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir George Colley is succeeded by Sir Evelyn Wood as Governor of Natal, and also, I think, as High Commissioner for the Eastern part of South Africa. But Sir Evelyn Wood has certainly succeeded as Governor.