§ MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the Government has any confirmatory intelligence to impart to the House in reference to the numbers of killed and wounded on both sides in the battle before Suakin the day before yesterday; and, if the information already imparted to the country by the Government is accurate, whether they will take any steps to prevent a further battue of the Arabs on the system of scientific slaughter which had been adopted?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)No; I am not aware that any further intelligence has been received. I am not aware whether the Secretary of State for War is present or not; but if there had been any further telegram I think I should have seen it.
§ MR. CREMERThe right hon. Gentleman has omitted to answer the last part of the Question—namely, whether they will ascertain that the number of killed and wounded on each side was in the proportions stated in the newspapers—namely, 12 on the side of the British and Egyptians, and 1,000 on the side of the Arabs; and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government propose to take any further steps to prevent a future battue of the same character?
§ MR. GOSCHENI think the House must feel that the language which the hon. Member has used is not such as really deserves reply, so far as the Go- 1009 vernment is concerned. Such insults upon the troops of Her Majesty, I think, should not be uttered. With regard to the special question which the hon. Member puts—and is perfectly entitled to put—I may say that I have no doubt whatever that the Reports which were sent to us, and which have been communicated to the House, told the full truth. There is no more to be told, either upon the one side or on the other. The first estimates which may have been made by some of the correspondents for the newspapers were arrived at within an hour or two hours after the battle, but, since, the dead have been buried, and there would have been every opportunity of correcting the number of the casualties on either side had there been any great error in them. I have no doubt that the Reports which we have received are correct.