HC Deb 13 February 1880 vol 250 cc590-1
MR. A. MILLS

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any information has been received by the Government respecting the breaches of discipline stated in the public newspapers to have been committed by British Troops in Natal and the Transvaal?

MR. J. HOLMS

also asked, Whether attention has been called to a letter in the "Daily Telegraph" of the 10th inst. signed William Howard Russell, containing grave charges against troops serving in South Africa; and, whether he has taken steps to investigate these charges; and, if so, will he state what these steps are, and when he will be able to communicate the result to the House?

COLONEL STANLEY

In answer to the two Questions which have been addressed to me by hon. Gentlemen, I have to say that Mr. Russell's letter toThe Daily Telegraphof the 10th instant is an amplification of that published on the 21st of November last. When the letter of the 21st of November last appeared a communication was immediately ad- dressed to the General Officer commanding Natal—Sir Garnet Wolseley—on the subject, and a telegraphic reply was received from him on the 8th of January, in which Mr. Russell's statements were stigmatized as "gross exaggerations" and "transparent untruths." Since then Sir Garnet Wolseley has addressed a confirmatory letter to me, dated January 2, acknowledging the receipt of the copy ofThe Daily Telegraphof the 21st of November, and asserting That the statements therein contained grossly exaggerate any act of disorder which may have been committed. He also states that, in order to inform the War Department exactly what truth and what falsehood there is in the statements of the Special Correspondent ofThe Daily Telegraph,he has Desired that the Landdrost and the magistrates in the several districts in the Transvaal and Natal in which Her Majesty's troops have been quartered should report specifically on the various assertions referred to. In answer to a telegram since addressed to him, Sir Garnet Wolseley telegraphs from Pietermaritzburg this morning to say that his report on Mr. Russell's charges was sent to me on the 16th ultimo, and that other reports follow. I suppose, therefore, that I may receive it by next mail; but it has not arrived yet.