§ MR. BLACK (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether Lord Roberts's despatch of 14th August, 1900, had been received in this country by 20th September, 1900, and whether the Government was at that date in possession of any further advices from him, telegraphic or otherwise, deal- 468 ing with the probability of the war in South Africa being brought to an early close; and, if any such communications exist, will they be printed as a supplement to the despatches already printed and circulated.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. There was no further correspondence up to the date named except a telegram from Lord Roberts stating he had information that Kruger and Botha had come to the conclusion that further resistance was hopeless.