§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will lay upon the Table a copy of the instructions forwarded by the Government to Lord Kitchener for communication to General Kruitzinger.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)The instructions to Lord Kitchener were contained in a telegram which ran as follows—
Acts of the nature referred to in your telegrams of the 1st August which Kruitzinger threatened, and which have been committed as stated therein, are contrary to the usages of civilised warfare. All persons therefore authorising or committing them should, if captured, immediately be brought to trial, and the penalty of death should be inflicted on them if they are found guilty. This decision may be communicated by General French to the Boer leaders.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONMay I ask whether we can have the message from General Kruitzinger which brought forth this instruction?
§ LORD STANLEYThe only message we have is the one received from Lord Kitchener and published in Lord Kitchener's telegram, in which he gave the facts of the case.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONWhat I mean is the message from Kruitzinger himself.
§ LORD STANLEYI will consider that.