§ QUESTIONS. OBSERVATIONS.
§ LORD BRABOURNEsaid, he wished to ask the noble Earl the Secretary of State for the Colonies a Question, of which he had given him private Notice. He was very anxious to know, before the House rose for the Holidays, Whether his noble Friend had received any further details with respect to what he must once more call the massacre of a detachment of the 94th Regiment, in South Africa, than had been presented to Parliament; and, also, what the powers of the Royal Commission were on this question? He could not understand how any Ministry could have made peace with the enemy without insisting upon, in the first place, inquiry being made into the full circumstances of the slaughter of that detachment, and the infliction of condign punishment upon those who had directed the massacre. He had seen statements made that the amnesty would include the Leaders of the Boers. Now, he wished to know, Whether the Commander of the Boers was to escape, supposing the inquiry proved that the assault upon the 94th partook of the character which he had attributed to it, and was directed by him? Would the Royal Commission have power to inquire into the circumstances of the conflict; and, if it was proved to have been beyond the usages of civilized warfare, would steps be taken to bring the authors of it to justice?
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY,in reply, said, the Royal Commissioners had received instructions to make every effort to bring to justice the persons guilty of the murder of Captain Elliott and Dr. 849 Barber, and also any other persons who had been guilty of similar crimes. As to the affair of Brunker's Spruit, the alleged massacre of the detachment of the 94th Regiment, he had only to repeat the answer which he had already given several times in their Lordships' House—namely, that, as far as he was informed, it was covered by the amnesty.