HC Deb 15 February 1881 vol 258 cc1739-41
MR. CARINGTON

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether any, and, if so, what stops have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to insure fair and reasonable terms of peace being offered to the Basutos?

MR. GRANT DUFE

I think, Sir, the best answer I can make to the hon. Member's Question will be to put the House in possession of our latest news from the Cape. This is contained in two telegrams from Sir Hercules Robin-son, to which my noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies has sent a reply, which I will also read. The House will see, from the first telegram of Sir Hercules Robinson, that his attempt to put an end to the war by inducing the Basutos to put themselves in his hands has thus far not been successful. On the 23rd of February, Sir Hercules Robinson telegraphed to the Secretary of State as follows:— Cape Town, Feb. 23.—Reply from Lerothodi and other Chiefs in rebellion unsatisfactory; professes gratitude and desire for peace, but practically rejects my offer of friendly intervention by declining to submit to the authority of the law until they are first informed of the nature of the terms and treatment which will be extended to them. I have telegraphed to Chiefs my disappointment at their reply, and stated that I would send it on to Ministers, who would communicate with the Chief Magistrate on the subject of it. I added, I would still use my influence in favour of leniency; but I thought their position would have been stronger and their claim to merciful consideration greater if, instead of seeking to bargain beforehand, they had at once desisted from armed rebellion against the Crown, and placed themselves unreservedly in my hands. The message ends— I will telegraph to you presently course decided on by Ministers. Later, on the same day, Sir Hercules Robinson telegraphed as follows:— Ministers have telegraphed to Chief Magistrate, Basutoland, the following eight conditions which they are prepared to advise in the event of rebels at once submitting to the authority of the law: —

  1. "(1.) Submission to the authority of the law means submission to the Colonial law and Government.
  2. "(2.) Arms to be surrendered immediately.
  3. "(3.) An amnesty will be granted to all who have taken part in the rebellion except Masupha, Lerothodi, and Joel Molappo, who will have to stand their trial, but whose lives will be spared.
  4. "(4.) Basutos will have to pay such tine as Parliament may determine.
  5. "(5.) No portion of Basutoland proper will be taken, except such small allotments as may be required for any magisterial station that Parliament may consider it expedient to establish.
    6. 1741
  6. "(6.) Quthing district, commonly known as Morosi's country, will be dealt with as Parliament shall determine.
  7. "(7.) These terms to he accepted or rejected within 24 hours of their being handed to Lerothodi; they will not be open to discussion with the Government, and, if not accepted absolutely within time mentioned, hostilities will recommence at close of armistice.
  8. "(8.) If these terms not accepted and hostilities recommence, Government will not be bound by present offer.
In a telegram dated the 25th of February, sent to Sir Hercules Robinson, the Secretary of State, in reply to these communications, says: — Her Majesty's Government have learned with much regret, from your telegrams of the 23rd, that your attempt to interfere in order to bring about a settlement of the Basuto War had come to an end, and that your Ministers have made a peremptory and severe demand upon Lerothodi, consisting of eight conditions, the non-acceptance of which absolutely within 24 hours will be followed by the renewal of hostilities.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

said, he should like to ask his right hon. Friend, Whether, when the Basutos were invited to place themselves in the hands of Sir Hercules Robinson, it was as the direct Representative of the British Crown, or as an authority subject to the will of Mr. Sprigg and his Colleagues in the Cape Ministry?

MR. GRANT DUFF

The best answer which I can make to that is to refer my hon. Friend to the Instructions to Sir Hercules Robinson, which have long been in the hands of hon. Members.

MR. RITCHIE

Is the House to understand that the Government, having condemned the terms which have been offered to the Basutos by Sir Hercules Robinson, have not accompanied the condemnation by any suggestion for their modification?

[No reply was given to the Question.]