§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Count Adalbert Sternberg, who fought against the British troops at Paardeberg, and is the author of an article in the Gaulois, entitled "The World and England," was taken prisoner with General Cronje; and why he was released and allowed to come to this country.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI have no official knowledge of this matter. I have, however, ground for believing that this nobleman fell into the hands of our forces some two or three days before General Cronje's surrender, and that he was liberated on producing papers in proper order and on giving an explanation of his presence in the theatre of war which at the time seemed satisfactory.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)Is it a fact that this officer has been 1255 allowed to go to London, instead of being sent to St. Helena, because he is a German and the German Emperor interceded for him?
§ [The question was not answered.]
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Is it the case that this gentleman concealed the fact that he was a combatant and represented himself as a newspaper correspondent?
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI believe that that was the explanation he gave at the time. It then seemed satisfactory.