§ MR. R. T. REIDasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether in view of the statements in the public papers that the Boers in Zululand have been communicating with Sir Henry Bulwer for the purpose of order being restored to that Country, he is in a position to state that the time has come (to which he referred in his speech made on the 30th July last) when the British Government can be useful in promoting the peaceful settlement of Zululand; and, whether he can state what steps are being taken in that direction?
MR. GLADSTONEThere has been no such communication down to the present 1386 date between the Boers and Sir Henry Bulwer as would, in our judgment, constitute any ground for intervention in the affairs of Zululand beyond the Reserve; and, although adhering to the declarations we have made, we do not think that the time has come when any intervention of that kind could be usefully attempted. I may say that further Papers will shortly be laid upon the Table, and I believe that they give a clear and accurate account of the state of the facts. In the meantime, I am assured that, according to the best judgment of the Colonial Department, there seems to be no reason to fear any violation of the Reserve territory.