§ MAJOR JAMESON (Clare, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies—(1) whether he requested the High Commissioner at the Cape of Good Hope to inform the President of the Transvaal that the Imperial Government had decided to send out reinforcements to the Cape; and (2), if such is the case, will he state what precedent there is for the Imperial Government informing a Foreign Power of their intentions?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOB THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.The answer to the first Question is in the affirmative. I believe there are precedents, but I have not had time to verify them. There have been of late so many instances in which even official statements have been magnified or distorted in South Africa, that Her Majesty's Government thought it expedient, in order to present misapprehension, to publish at Cape Town the exact nature of the movement which they had decided to carry out, and at the same time to inform the President of the South African Republic of their intentions. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ *SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)Have the Boer Government informed Her Majesty's Government of the massing of a considerable Boer force near Mafeking; and, if so, have they given any explanation with regard to it?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That does not arise out of this Question.
§ *SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI understood the hon. Member to ask whether Her Majesty's Government——["Order, order!"]
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member for Clare asked the Question on the Paper. The Question of the hon. Member does not arise nut of the Question on the Paper.
§ *SIR K. ASHMEAD - BARTLETTVery well, Sir, I will give notice for to- morrow.