§ MR. WEBSTER (St. Pancras, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether communication between Cape Colony and Mashonaland is now closed by the Matabele route by Lo Bengula; whether there is any other safe route at present to Forts Victoria and Salisbury viâ Port Beira and the Beira Railway; and whether all postal communication to the British South Africa Company's territory goes by the Beira route, and to what extent that will expedite the transmission of letters to that country?
§ MR. S. BUXTONAccording to all our information, the various land routes into Mashonaland are open. The Beira route is quite safe; but the railway is not yet reported to be open, it being understood that Mr. Rhodes has started for Beira with the object of opening it. It is not believed that the Beira route is much used for postal purposes from the Cape, and, even when the railway is opened, its use would not expedite the transmission of letters.
§ MR. WEBSTERMay I inquire whether the Government have received any further information from Sir Henry Loch with reference to Mashonaland?
§ MR. S. BUXTONPapers received up to a few days ago will, I hope, be distributed on Monday. We have nothing since.