§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary for War whether Lord Roberts has made any comments on the operations at the battle of Magersfontein, or offered any criticism on the judgment, system, and administrative capacity of Lord Methuen in the disposition and handling of the troops in that engagement.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMNo, Sir. No comment whatever was made by Lord, Roberts on the Magersfontein operations.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLDoes the hon. Gentleman remember the answer he gave on March 22nd,† that the Magersfontein despatches had been before Lord. Roberts, and that he had revised them?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is not entitled thus to refer to a previous answer.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLNot when, it is contradictory?
§ * MR. SPEAKERNo; it is out of order to refer, for purposes of contrast, to a previous question and answer.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLVery well. Then the hon. Gentleman need not answer me.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMIf I have ever said in this House anything that can be taken to mean that Lord Roberts revised Lord Methuen's despatches, I must have misled the House, but I am not conscious-of having done anything of the sort. The hon. Member may be confusing the fact that I have stated to this House that the first communication from Lord Methuen, forwarded without comment by General Buller, was returned in order that it might be put in the form of a despatch. In the interval when it had been returned. Lord Roberts became Commander-in-Chief, and the amended communication in the form of a despatch was sent without comment by Lord Roberts.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLQuite right. Now I will ask another question, and
† See The Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. lxxxi., page 29.13 that is, why the precedent set in the cases of Generals Buller and Gatacre has not been followed in the case of Lord Methuen.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMIt has been followed exactly.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLNo.