§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information with regard to recent hostilities in Nyassaland between the British and the natives or Arabs; what was the cause of the hostilities; and what is the position in which British traders and missionaries now are in that district; whether Consul Johnson is at present in Nyassaland, or where; and whether communications have been received direct from him?
MR. J. W. LOWTHERThe Foreign Office has no information beyond that already published. A 1063 telegram sent by Mr. Johnson, on 16th February, from Zomba, his headquarters in Nyassaland, and received on the 12th March, speaks of successful operations against the slave traders south of Lake Nyassa. It makes no mention of a reverse. The object of the hostilities was undoubtedly the stoppage of slave caravans and the release of slaves. We have heard nothing tending to cause alarm as to the position of traders and missionaries.