§ MR. W. B. BEACHasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is correct that the "Nemesis," a troop ship engaged by the Government to take the 7th Hussars to South Africa, and which started with half the Regiment on the 28th of February, was in such bad repair, and her engines were so defective, that a large number of horses died during the voyage?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, it is the case that 39 horses out of 224 died on board the Nemesis on the way out. The vessel was 49 days on the voyage to the Cape, which was about 10 days longer than she ought to have taken. The delay between England and St. Vincent was caused by unusually heavy weather; but after leaving the latter port, she put 25 into St. Helena under circumstances which have not been satisfactorily explained. On reaching the Cape the troops and horses were transferred to another transport for conveyance to Durban, and an inquiry into the circumstances was ordered on the spot, the report of which has not yet been received. The Nemesis was classed 100 Al at Lloyd's, practically the highest classification she could have, and held a Board of Trade certificate dated the 21st of February last. Her hull, engines, and boilers were also thoroughly surveyed by the officers of the Transport Department before she was engaged, and were found in every respect in good order. I am sure that the House will remember that this is the only thing resembling a misadventure in the operations of the Transport Department connected with South Africa. That Department has conveyed 12,000 men, 2,400 horses, and 7,500 tons of stores 8,000 miles across the ocean, for the most part in the depth of a winter of no ordinary severity.