§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACHCan the right hon. Gentleman now give us the promised information respecting the Special Commissioner to the Transvaal, and state whether the instructions to the Special Commissioner and the despatch with respect to Basutoland will be laid upon the Table of the House?
MR. GLADSTONESir, when this subject was last mentioned, I stated that since Her Majesty's Government had adopted the decision to advise the despatch of a Commissioner to South Africa, a circumstance had occurred, the nature of which I would explain to-day. It is this. It was the intention of Her Majesty's Government, as the right hon. Baronet rightly supposes, to despatch a Special Commissioner to South Africa, and his instructions would have been produced. But almost before I spoke last in this House upon the subject, the Government received a telegram from South Africa, which met or anticipated our proposal, I cannot say which. Whether this message was despatched before any news of our proposal, or intimation of it, had gone out to South Africa or not I cannot say. But it contained a proposal on the part of the Transvaal Government to send representatives here—and probably either the President or Vice President of the Transvaal Government—for the purpose of considering this very same subject. Her Majesty's Government, on reviewing the whole matter, were inclined to think that, in view of all the interests concerned, this, probably, would be the more suitable and the more convenient mode of handling the question. They, therefore, have signified, by recent telegram from the Secretary of State to the officer administering the government of the Cape, that he may inform the Transvaal Government—I am giving the substance and not 1427 the precise words of the message—that Her Majesty's Government will be quite satisfied to inquire into the working of the Convention as it has been tested by experience, and to receive a deputation from the Transvaal Government, including the President or the Vice President, in London, at a convenient time for that purpose. I think that is, perhaps, all the information I have now to give the right hon. Gentleman. Of course, no question of instructions arises under these circumstances, it being in the recollection of the House that when the Convention was framed the Government said that, in their opinion, it would require to have a term of working in order to ascertain how far it was satisfactory, and they were now perfectly prepared without any foregone conclusion to consider the various provisions of the Convention in the light of the experience which has been afforded.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACHThe right hon. Gentleman has not told us whether the despatch relating to Basutoland will be produced; but with reference to what he has now said, can the right hon. Gentleman say when the deputation is expected to arrive, and whether he will give the precise terms of the telegram received from the Transvaal Government?
MR. GLADSTONEI did not understand the Basutoland despatch to be included in the Question. There was a previous answer given on that subject, which was, I think, that we were not prepared to produce the despatch at the present time, considering that it involved matters of communication with others who were largely independent of us, and there were matters to be considered in the interest of this country, and we did not think the position of this country would be strengthened by producing that despatch at longth at this moment. I am not aware of any reason at the present moment why the telegram containing the proposal of the Transvaal Government should not be laid on the Table, and—unless I find that there is any reason, which I do not at present anticipate, why it should not be produced—I will produce it.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACHWhen is the deputation expected?
MR. GLADSTONEI cannot say, at the present time, when the deputation will arrive. We have telegraphed out 1428 to South Africa, accepting the proposal, and we shall propose that it be arranged with all possible despatch. We shall be desirous of getting the Commissioners here—not only before the present Session is terminated, but while it is still in full vigour. We shall do our best to that effect, but I cannot say precisely; and indeed I ought to state that, unfortunately, there will be a delay of a few days, owing to some accident to the cable which causes an interruption to the communication with the Cape. It is hoped, however, that this delay will not be more than three days, but we cannot say very positively.