§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War how many prisoners of war have been confined on board ship at the Cape; what number have died; what number have been ill; and what number are at present confined on board ship.
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM,) Dover3,899 prisoners have been confined on board ship, of whom nine have died. There have also been thirteen deaths among the prisoners not confined on board ship. There have been altogether 120 cases of measles, 75 of enteric, and about 30 of other ailments. There are at present 2,700 prisoners on board ship; 2,000 will be sent to St. Helena forthwith. The remainder will be kept on shore unless further accommodation can be provided in St. Helena.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)May I ask whether the illness among the prisoners and the deaths that have resulted there from are attributable to the fact that these men are confined on board ship? Will you show the same consideration to these prisoners as the Republican Government show for British prisoners at Pretoria?
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI should say that the illness and deaths are not due to their having been on ships, because the number of deaths on shore is far in excess of those on water.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)Have the Government considered the advisability of an exchange of prisoners?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!