§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, when the military authorities accepted the services of His Highness the late Prince Imperial in South Africa, any instructions were given as to the functions and position of His Highness at the seat of war; whether he has seen a statement in the "Daily News" special correspondence of the 20th instant, that, reconnoitring with a small party eight miles in advance, His Highness was surprised by the enemy while dismounted, and the escort " dispersed at a gallop when a volley was fired;" and, whether he will inquire if the attack upon the Prince's party occurred in the neighbourhood of four large native villages burned by the British troops a few days previously?
§ The following Questions on the subject also stood on the Paper: —
SIR WILLIAM FEASEE,—To ask the Secretary of State for War, Whe- 687 ther he will lay upon the Table of the House a Copy of the Correspondence relating to the late Prince Imperial leaving this country for the seat of war; whether he will state the precise position of the Prince in, or in connection with, Her Majesty's Army; and, whether he will give at once, or so soon as they can be ascertained, the name and rank of the Officer by whom the Prince was put in orders on the 1st of June for the specific duty in the performance of which he lost his life?
SIR HENRY HAYELOCK,—TO ask the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the circumstances attending the lamented death of the late Prince Imperial, Whether he can inform the House what special instructions, if any, were issued by Lord Chelmsford on the occasion of the Prince leaving his head-quarters to join those of Brigadier General Wood; as to the particular duties on which the Prince was, or was not, to be employed; also what instructions were issued to those under whom he was serving as to the precautions to be taken to prevent his incurring unnecessary risk not called for either by his position or the requirements of the Service; and, if he is unable to give the House any information on these subjects, whether he will cause inquiries upon them to be addressed to Lord Chelmsford with a view of eliciting facts with regard to which a deep interest is felt in this House and the Country?
§ MR. P. J. SMYTH,—To ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether a rigid inquiry will be instituted into the circumstances immediately attending the melancholy death of the Prince Imperial?
§ COLONEL STANLEYI will, Sir, with the permission of the hon. Gentleman who has addressed the Question to me, endeavour to answer the Questions of the hon. Members for Kidderminster (Sir William Eraser), Dungarvan (Mr. O'Donnell), Westmeath (Mr. P. J. Smyth), and Sunderland (Sir Henry Havelock), respecting the late Prince Imperial, at the same time. There is no Correspondence to be laid on the Table. The only official letter I can' find is one from Lord Chelmsford, dated the 21st of April, in which he reports, in so many words, that Prince Louis Napoleon having expressed " a desire to accompany my head-quarters into Zululand, I have 688 attached him to my Staff." And here I wish to correct an answer I gave in reply to a Question put to me without Notice by the right hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth (Sir Robert Peel) on Friday, in which I stated that I was not aware that the late Prince was attached to the Staff, but that I knew he was with the head-quarters. Of course, when I answered thus, I meant to say I did not know he was appointed to the Staff. I believed he was attached as an extra aide-de-camp, with free forage and rations, just as any person in his position would probably have who was so attached. The letters read by my illustrious Colleague (the Duke of Cambridge) in " another place," together with the telegrams published, give all the information of which I am personally in possession. I have only to say that a telegram was sent on the 23rd instant to Sir Garnet Wolseley, asking that the fullest information on the subject should be sent without delay, and also an explanation of how the surprise occurred. I am not able to say, in reply to the hon. Member for Dungarvan (Mr. O'Donnell), whether it be true that the attack upon the Prince's party occurred in the neighbourhood of four large Native villages burned by the British troops a few days previously. Perhaps, with your permission, Sir, and that of the House, I may say that some extracts from private letters of Lord Chelmsford to Lady Chelmsford have, with the permission of some of his relatives, been placed in my hands, and I believe also in those of other hon. Members of this House. I believe it is desirable that I should read them, as they throw the fullest light, or rather all the light that is at present attainable, upon this painful subject. The first is dated from Durban, on the 11th of April. It says—
I have placed the Prince Imperial on ray Staff. He is very pleased. He is immensely keen to see some active service. I like him from what I have seen of him very much. I shall treat him in precisely the same way as I should any other of my aides-de-camp, and I am sure it is what he himself would prefer.On April 14, Lord Chelmsford writes—The Prince seems pleased that I asked him to come on my personal Staff. He has quite accepted the position of aide-de-camp. I hope his health will stand it, as it would he a serious responsibility if it broke down. He appears to he a good, keen soldier.689 The next letter is from Pietermaritzburg, on the 20th April, and says—I arrived here on the 17th. The Prince Imperial accompanied me. He had been unfortunately laid up with fever at Durban, and the jolting of the carriage and the heat of the sun rather knocked him up. I am afraid he is not naturally very strong, and I very much doubt if he will be able to stand the long rides we have in store for him if he follows me wherever I go. However, he is bent on it, and has plenty of courage.Lord Chelmsford goes on to say—I am, for the first time since I held this command, going to take a doctor with me, in order that he may look after the Prince. His name is Dr. Scott.He next writes from Colenso, Natal, on the 26th of April—The Prince was not allowed to leave Pieter-maritzburg with me, as he has been suffering from fever. I am expecting him, however, to join me very shortly.And he writes from Dundee on the 30th of April—We arrived here yesterday afternoon, and managed to get our tents pitched before the thunderstorm. The Prince and the doctor caught us up at Ladysmith. The Prince appears quite well. The air is cool and pleasant, and I hope the open air will do him good.From the same place, 17 miles from Utrecht, on the 6th of May, he says—The Prince accompanied me to Kambula, which soon knocked him up, and he had a slight attack of fever.The last letter is written from Utrecht, and is dated the 21st of May. I received it yesterday. It says—The Prince Imperial went on a reconnaissance, and very nearly came to grief. I shall not let him out of my sight again if I can help it.But Lord Chelmsford does not mention with whom he went when the attack took place. This is all the information I can give.' In conclusion, I hope I am not out of Order in pointing out that the relatives of Lord Chelmsford have given us the amplest information which was in their possession.