§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)I beg to ask the 259 First Lord of the Treasury whether an early opportunity will be given to the House of obtaining full information as to the condition of affairs in South Africa.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)I think the question of the right hon. Gentleman is a natural and proper one, but I am not aware that there is any information at our disposal which, in its general outline at all events, the public are not already acquainted with. Of course, all political reconstruction must wait until further progress has been made in military affairs, and as regards military affairs the House knows that the war is no longer a contest between organised military bodies. [Cries of "Oh!"] I do not want to give a controversial tone to my answer, and I will say between large organised bodies. The Boer forces are scattered over the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal Colony and in Cape Colony in small commandos, for the most part of about 100 or 200 men. The largest I have heard of amounts to about 600 men. The majority are of the kind I have indicated. Their total forces are estimated at about 17,000. The operations on which Lord Kitchener is engaged, of course, cannot have any kind of unity such as is given to operations against large organised forces. I do not know that there is any further information with regard to the war which I have to give to the right hon. Gentleman. I ought, perhaps, to add that there is no foundation for the rumours which I see are appearing in the public press as to peace negotiations.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)May I ask whether, in view of the statement of the right hon. Gentleman that the total organised Boer force is 17,000, and having regard to the fact that there are a quarter of a million British troops in South Africa, he will ask Lord Kitchener to settle the war?
§ [No answer was given.]