§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTONI beg-to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can inform the House what is the proportion between the numbers of the subjects of Great Britain and of the South African Republic in Swaziland; whether, in case of native or other disturbances, it would be possible to send troops to Swaziland without violating the territory of neutral nationalities; and what is the distance between the boundary of British territory and Swaziland?
§ BARON H. DE WORMSThe correct numbers cannot be stated with precision, as many of the whites interested in Swaziland are not permanently resident there. The permanent residents appear to be chiefly British subjects; but the subjects of the South African Republic and the sympathisers with it, being principally concessionaires and holders of grazing rights, represent, roughly speaking, 3 to 1 of other nationalities. It would be possible to send troops to Swaziland without passing through the territory of more than one independent native chief, Zambana, who desires British protection; but the route would be a bad one. The portion of Zambana's territory which intervenes between the boundary of British territory in Zululand and the boundary of Swaziland is at its narrowest part, perhaps, 10 miles wide; but, as I have indicated, the approach to Swaziland on this side would be circuitous and unhealthy.