§ MR. O'DONNELLI wish to put a Question to the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Colonies of which I have given him private Notice. I desire to ask him, Whether he has received any official corroboration of the statement in the "Standard" of yesterday, that the Zulus have burned the grass in their country, thus rendering the advance of the Cavalry impossible. Also, if he has received any official corroboration of a statement in the correspondence of the "Times," that a portion of the Cavalry—the Dragoons—has been sent into the Transvaal for the purpose of overawing the Boers.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHA moment ago, I received from the doorkeeper the Notice of the hon. Member's Question. I submit that that is not a sufficient Notice of a Question to be asked in this House. I have not seen 1364 the statements in the morning newspapers to which the hon. Member refers. I had other business to attend to which prevented me from reading the papers. My right hon. and gallant Friend the Secretary of State for War informs me that he believes Dragoons have been sent to Standerton, but I do not know for what reason. As to the other matter to which the hon. Member refers, I cannot give any information.