§ SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether Her Majesty's Government will, in view of the critical position of British Colonists in Mashonaland, send a force of Her Majesty's Indian Army via Beira.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINIf more troops are required for the suppression of the rebellion I am advised that it will be undesirable to employ Indian regiments, as this would be accepted by the natives as a confession of weakness on the part of the whites. General Good-enough and Sir F. Carrington have been informed that Her Majesty's Government are prepared to send any reinforcements which they may consider necessary, but they agree that no more troops are required at present. ["Hear, hear!"] Her Majesty's Government, however, propose to keep the Cape garrison at its full strength, and will supply the places of any troops which have been or may be moved to the front. With this object 265 a battalion of the King's Royal Rifles has been ordered to the Cape from Malta. ["Hear, hear!"]