§ MR. CHARLES LEWISasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, on Her Majesty's Government giving authority to Sir E. Wood to negotiate for prolongation of the armistice with the Boers, he had any instructions to make it a part of the arrangement for such prolongation that the troops of the enemy should be withdrawn from Natal?
MR. GLADSTONESir, the case stands thus: The armistice, as it was originally framed, was to expire last night, the 13th, at midnight. On Saturday, the 12th, the Cabinet made a communication to Sir Evelyn Wood, which he was requested to send on to the leaders of the Boers, and which required an answer from the Boers. We could not reasonably expect that that answer could possibly have been received by him in the course of yesterday; and, having previously authorized him to prolong the armistice if necessary, we, on Saturday, instructed him to prolong it, if it were desired by the Boers, for the purpose of giving time for an answer within the limit which we named, which was the 18th—next Friday, but not beyond that, and, perhaps, an earlier day. Under these circumstances we did not instruct Sir Evelyn Wood to make any change in the conditions of the armistice, which would have led to further delay, and been the subject of further communications. I may as well take this opportunity of referring to a Question which was put to me on Friday last with regard to the original armistice. We have telegraphed to Sir Evelyn Wood upon that subject, and have received an 906 answer as respects the communications between Mr. Brand and Sir Evelyn Wood in regard to the original armistice. I have already referred to them in this House, and can revert to them if it should be desired. But Sir Evelyn Wood now gives us information with regard to the communications between President Brand and Joubert, and between Joubert and himself, and he states that—"On the 3rd of March, Brand appealed to Joubert to meet me," for the purpose of making an arrangement for the conclusion of an armistice, "and on the 4th of March, Joubert sent me Brand's message asking how far I would co-operate." That is the important part of the communication made by Sir Evelyn Wood—"how far I would co-operate." Sir Evelyn Wood adds—it is written—"so he wishes;" but we read it "as he wishes to stop his patrols on the 5th of March, I offered to meet him on the 6th."
§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked, Whether the armistice had been prolonged?
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he had no information on the point, but would probably have in the course of a day or two.