§ MR. YERBURGH (Chester)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can inform the House what general granted the armistice of twenty-four hours to General Cronje, which Lord Roberts on his arrival at Paardeberg, as he states in his despatch of the 28th February, 1900, immediately revoked on the ground that the request for an armistice was obviously only an expedient to gain time for reinforcements to arrive.
§ THE SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe paragraph referred to is a little misleading. The facts are as follows: On the morning of the 19th February a message arrived from General Cronje asking for an armistice for twenty-four hours to enable him to bury his dead and send out his wounded. Lord Kitchener, as chief of the staff, replied to the message in the name of the senior officer at Paardeberg— Lieutenant-General French — who was with the cavalry some little distance off, to the effect that the message was being sent to the Field Marshal commanding, and that, pending his reply, Cronje's laager would not be attacked. Lord 27 Roberts received the message about 10 a.m. the same day, on his arrival at Paardeberg, and gave orders that the armistice could not be granted for the reason given in the despatch.
§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)May I ask the right lion. Gentleman whether when Lord Kitchener replied he was actually in command of the British army on that day at Paardeberg?
§ MR. BRODRICKNo, Sir; the actual control was in the hands of the senior general officer, who, at that moment, by local rank, was not Lord Kitchener. Lord Kitchener was empowered by Lord Roberts to offer advice if he thought it necessary, and, if he offered such advice, no doubt it was taken by the senior officer on the spot.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)What was the strength of Cronje's force as compared with the British?
§ [No answer was given.]