§ MR. R. N. FOWLERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the Government have received any recent information in regard to the Diamond Fields of South Africa, and their proposed annexation; and, whether he has any objection to produce 1632 the Correspondence and other Papers on the subject?
§ MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSENSir, I have already informed the House that instructions have been sent out to the Governor of the Cape authorizing him to accept the proffered allegiance of the Chief Waterboer, to whom at least a large portion of the territory of the Diamond Fields belongs. The annexation of his territory has also been authorized, provided the Cape Colony is willing to undertake the responsibility of governing it. Owing to unavoidable causes there has been a delay in the receipt of Sir Henry Barkly's answer to the despatches conveying these instructions. Negotiations are still in progress respecting the disputed territory in the Diamond Fields, and any Correspondence presented upon this subject at the present moment must necessarily be incomplete; but as soon as full information has been received there will not only be no objection, but every readiness on the part of the Government to lay full Papers on the Table of the House.