HC Deb 22 July 1879 vol 248 cc965-6
MR. WHITWELL

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he has noticed, at page 150 in the South African Blue Book just issued, that the High Commissioner (Sir Bartle Frere), addressing the special meeting of the inhabitants of the Transvaal, held at Pretoria on April 23rd last, and, speaking for the British Government, said: "Our first business will be to attack Sikukuni;" adding— I have written to Lord Chelmsford that the favourable season is at hand, and is short, and that we should, therefore, as soon as possible, whenever he can spare them, send up troops in that direction; and, whether the Government, in compliance with that assurance of the High Commissioner, has authorised the departure of troops for the attack on Sikukuni?

SIR MICHAELHICKS-BEACH

No, Sir, I have not authorized such an expedition. In writing to Sir Bartle Frere on the 10th of April, I expressed the hope that the troubles then existing or anticipated by him in various parts of South Africa, including Sikukuni's country, might disappear, either independently or in consequence of that complete settlement of the Zulu difficulty which I trusted to see speedily effected; and I requested him carefully to bear in mind that any wider or larger action of the kind apparently suggested by him, beyond that which might be necessary for the termination of the Zulu question, should be submitted to Her Majesty's Government for their consideration and approval before any steps were taken to carry it into effect. I believe that Lord Chelmsford declined to comply with the request that troops should be sent to the Transvaal for an attack on Sikukuni; but I subsequently called Sir Garnet Wolseley's attention to the views on this subject which I had expressed in my despatch of April 10; and the hon. Member may, perhaps, have noticed, in the telegram from Sir Garnet Wolseley which I read on Friday, that he states that there was no news of importance from the Transvaal, that he had ordered Colonel Lanyon to undertake no offensive operations, to restrict his operations to protection of life and property, and to curtail expenses in every possible way.