§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies a Question of which I have given him private Notice. It is, Whether by any statement made in this House, or by any Papers that can be laid on the Table of the House, the right hon. Gentleman can give any information with respect to the state of affairs in the Transvaal, and as to what may have occurred there during the past few weeks. Perhaps in explanation I may say that we are absolutely without any information on the subject, and pending the arrival of the time when, in the opinion of the Government, it may be possible to raise a discussion on the Transvaal Question, we can only attempt to obtain information by isolated Questions, which is a very unsatisfactory method. The points to which I wish to direct attention are these. As to the case of Potchefstroom—have the guns and rifles been restored; if not, when will they be restored? When will Potchefstroom be re-occupied by British troops? What are the present relations, and what have been the relations during the last few weeks, between the Boers and the English or other loyal subjects of Her Majesty in the Transvaal, and particularly what are the relations now existing between the Boers and the large Native population? I do not doubt that Her Majesty's Government, through Sir Evelyn Wood, are in communication with the officials in the Transvaal who acted on behalf of this country, and, therefore, are able to obtain information on all those points. We have seen this morning most alarming telegrams in the Press on the subject. From my own experience such telegrams are often inaccurate. But it is obvious that if they are inaccurate, full and accurate information ought to be given as soon as possible.
MR. GRANT DUFFSir, I will try to give as full an answer as possible to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman. Some time ago the Boer leaders apologized fully for the breach of faith committed by their subordinate officer at Potchefstroom, agreeing also to the cancelling of the capitulation and the restoration of all the articles taken over as per inventory. They further entirely 1456 acquiesced in our demand to send back the garrison, or a military force equivalent to it. Our contention was thus fully admitted, but certain measures had, as mentioned by the Prime Minister, to be adopted with regard to it, and finally we left the precise time and manner of the sanding back of the garrison, or its equivalent, to Sir Evelyn Wood, and we do not know precisely in what stage the process of its replacement is at this moment. With regard to the guns, Sir Evelyn Wood telegraphed on the 21st that they were promised about the 26th. Turning now to the right hon. Gentleman's two other Questions, communications in the Transvaal, slow and imperfect at the best of times, are now, of course, slower and more imperfect than ever, and, as the right hon. Gentleman and the House know, the telegraph between Pretoria and the frontier has been interrupted. But if these stories which appear in some of the papers about fighting between Boers and Natives, and serious quarrels between Beers and loyalists were not grossly exaggerated, Sir Hercules Robinson and Sir Evelyn Wood, who are much nearer the Transvaal than the place from which many of these reports come, would necessarily know all about them; and the right hon. Gentleman, I am sure, knows Sir Hercules Robinson too well to doubt that so experienced an official, now, I think, in his tenth governorship, would take care to keep the Secretary of State thoroughly informed of what it would be so material for him to know, even if our repeated questions, suggested by inquiries in Parliament, had not specially directed his attention to these subjects. I have told the House from time to time what Sir Hercules Robinson has replied to us. Thus, on the 19th, I mentioned that Major Buller had been sent with Mr. Joubert to part a Native tribe and some Boers in the Keate Award territory, while on the 23rd I mentioned that Major Buller had reported from Potchefstroom that the rumours as to the Boer Commando against Montsoia were much exaggerated, and that no forward movement had been made. We shall hope before long to be in a position to lay some further Papers on the Table, chiefly, of course, telegraphic; and, meantime, if the right hon. Gentleman will communicate with me as to any further points connected with these rumours on which he would 1457 like to be informed, we will telegraph to Sir Hercules Robinson. But knowing, as we all do, on what slender foundation great fabrics of rumour are built, I am sure the right hon. Gentleman would not think it right for us to be always telegraphing to ask Sir Hercules Robinson if this or that sensational story is or is not true. Of course, if the right hon. Gentleman, who has been Secretary of State for the Colonies, suggests a doubt, or a question, the matter at once becomes important, and he may rely upon our doing all we can to obtain for him the fullest information possible.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir, I am sorry to say I cannot accept the answer of the right hon. Gentleman as being by any means satisfactory, and, with the indulgence of the House, I will specify two points in regard to which information is particularly desirable. In this morning's papers there is a long telegram from Natal, in which it is stated that a certain force, the exact companies and regiments of which are defined, is to march for Potchefstroom on a certain day. Has the right hon. Gentleman any information on that subject? The second point is this—There is a most alarming statement in this morning's telegram that all the Natives, whether in the Boer Service or the English Service, have been summoned by their Chiefs to be at their war kraals at a certain date. Is that true, or is it not true? The right hon. Gentleman has asked me for suggestions. What I would venture to suggest is that he should at once telegraph to Sir Hercules Robinson or Sir Evelyn Wood, and ask them to require at once from all the British officials in the different parts of the Transvaal full Reports as to the present state of affairs.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTSir, I also wish to ask whether it is true that the Native loyal Chief Montesui, whose only offence was that he protected loyal subjects against the Boers, had been attacked and defeated, with a loss of 90 men, by the Dutch Commander Kronge, the man who had been guilty of a great breach of faith against ourselves?
MR. GRANT DUFFThe Colonial Office has received no information on any one of these subjects. I need hardly say that I shall at once communicate with Sir Hercules Robinson on 1458 the points referred to by the right hon. Gentleman.
MR. GORSTI beg to ask whether any steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government for the protection of the Natives who are British subjects? I should like to have an answer, if it can be given without detriment to the Public Service.
MR. GRANT DUFFSir, the protection of the Natives and the protection of the British and other loyalist settlers in the Transvaal are matters to which the attention of Sir Hercules Robinson and the other Commissioners has been pointedly drawn. I have no doubt that Sir Hercules Robinson and the other Commissioners are doing their duty.
MR. GORSTHave Sir Hercules Robinson and the other members of the Commission power to take active military measures, if such should become necessary, for the protection of the unhappy Natives?
MR. GRANT DUFFAs I have already intimated, Her Majesty's Government is at this moment responsible for the maintenance of peace in the Transvaal, and will enforce its authority to the best of its ability.