§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give some approximation to the date at which he arrived at the conclusion that, owing to the annexation by proclamation of the Transvaal by the British Government, the South African Chartered Company were relieved from legal obligation to pay the indemnity for the losses sustained by the Jameson raid.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI am not certain whether the question does not imply an inaccuracy. I doubt whether the South African Chartered Company were ever under any legal obligation to pay an indemnity for the losses sus- 403 tained. I only say that as a caveat. My reply to the question on the Paper is that the law officers' opinion on this question is dated the 13th March last.