HC Deb 09 February 1882 vol 266 cc245-7
MR. BROADHURST

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, having regard to the fact that Parliament has from time to time passed votes of thanks to generals in the Army for triumphs in war, he will propose a similar vote, or make some other suitable recognition to General Sir Evelyn Wood for the distinguished services which he recently rendered to this Country, in South Africa?

MR. GLADSTONE

I thank my hon. Friend for having postponed this Question from a former occasion. The fact is, that until quite recently—in fact, I may say until this very day—I have not been in a position to give a very full answer to it. My hon. Friend will remember that while the services, both political and military, of Sir Evelyn Wood naturally attracted in this country the greatest degree of attention, yet that there were associated with him in the political portion of those services—difficult and arduous as they were—other gentlemen whom it was the duty of Her Majesty's Government to take into view. As these services were rendered through the medium of a Commission appointed by the Crown, until we had received the Report of that Commission, and the matter had been wound up, the time had not arrived for considering what advice we should tender to the Throne. That Report was only received a short time back; but we lost no time in advising Her Majesty upon the subject. My hon. Friend will not be surprised if I include in my answer the other distinguished persons to whom I have referred. Her Majesty has been greatly pleased to authorize us to offer to Sir Hercules Robinson the honour of the office of Privy Councillor, and Sir Hercules Robinson has accepted the offer. His acceptance has only been received this evening, and I need not say that the actual admission must be postponed for a time. Sir Evelyn Wood received some time ago the offer of the Governorship of Natal; but it did not enter into the views of that gallant officer, whose services and abilities we so warmly acknowledge, to accept that office. He has, however, been made, with the sanction of Her Majesty, a Major General in the Army, and Her Majesty has likewise authorized the grant to him of the Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George. The great services of Sir Henry de Villiers, Chief Justice of the Cape, have also been acknowledged; and Her Majesty has offered to him, and he has accepted, the order of Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George. It was impossible also for us not to take into consideration the friendly actions, rendered in a spirit so manly and so intelligent, of President Brand, of the Orange Free State; and Her Majesty authorized the Government to propose to President Brand that he should receive the honorary distinction of the Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George. We have to-day received President Brand's reply by telegraph. It is to this effect. He expresses his appreciation of the delicate and friendly offer, which he says it would be ungracious in him not to accept in the same spirit. There is, however, a temporary—I hope it can only be a temporary—impediment. On a former occasion, when President Brand, having in another instance made himself legitimately useful to a foreign Government, accepted an honour from the King of Portugal, the Representative Assembly of the Orange Free State passed a Resolution that the President was not, on a future occasion, to receive any foreign decoration without the sanction of the Volksraad. President Brand, therefore, tells us he is not able to give effect to the wish of the Government at once; but that a special Session of the Volksraad will be held next month to consider the matter. Subject to obtaining the leave of the Volksraad, we understand that President Brand desires to accept the offer we have made him.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

May I ask if any honours have been conferred on those officers and men who so gallantly conducted the defence of the British garrisons in the Transvaal?

MR. GLADSTONE

There are certain honours which will, or can be made known by my right hon. Friend (Mr. Childers); but I conceive the Question now put to me to refer to honours for those services which are combined only with political purposes.

MR. CHILDERS

As I did not expect the right hon. Baronet's Question would be put, I shall feel obliged if he will give Notice of it for to-morrow.