§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War what is the name of the escort officer who is presumably the officer responsible for the surprise by the Boers of the British convoy at Koorn Spruit, and why has his name been held back; and why have not his explanations, with the comments of Lord Roberts thereon, been submitted, as in other cases, to the public.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMI must refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave him on Thursday and on Friday last.†
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs the hon. Gentleman aware that—
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The question has been answered, the hon. Gentleman declining to give any further information. Whether the answer is satisfactory to the hon. Member or not, it must be taken as conclusive.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI, of course, do not question your ruling, Sir, but my question has not been answered. If the hon. Gentleman will say he declines to answer the second paragraph, I shall be satisfied.
† See pages 391 and 573 of this volume.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMIf the hon. Member does not understand my answer, I will explain that I said on a previous occasion that the publication of despatches was in the discretion of the Secretary of State, and until a despatch is published I am not prepared to discuss any subject that may be covered by that despatch.