§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Spion Kop despatches were published with the sanction and on the advice of the Cabinet in its collective capacity, and the despatches with reference to the first day's fighting at Paardeberg and the capture of the convoy at Koorn Spruit were withheld from publication at the discretion of the Cabinet in its collective capacity; and can he offer any explanation of the publication of the Spion Kop despatches, and the non-publication of the Paardeberg and Koorn Spruit despatches.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)The first part of the question deals with a matter I am not in the habit of answering questions about, and in reply to the second paragraph I have no ex- 926 planation to offer as to the publication or non-publication of any despatch.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that two members of the Cabinet have stated that the Spion Kop despatches would be published—
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!