§ *SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is now in a position to give the names of the members of the Royal Commission; of Inquiry into the War, in addition to the name of the chairman already given, as well as the exact terms of reference; and will he state whether the reference ! will admit of inquiry into the circumstances under which the first force of Imperial Yeomanry were replaced by later and less trained levies; and whether, with regard to any inquiries into surrenders generally, and into the records of the inquiries already held in South Africa, which may be thought necessary in the public interest, it will rest with the Commission to decide if portions of the evidence shall be taken with closed doors, with a view to elicit the whole truth.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)In answer to the right hon. Gentleman, I am sorry I cannot give him a complete list of the names of the Royal Commission, but I have approached very nearly to its completion. My noble friend Lord Elgin has agreed to take the chair, and the other Commissioners will include Field-Marshal Sir Henry Norman, Admiral Sir John Hopkins, Lord Esher, (I think I am justified in saying also, although I am not absolutely sure Sir John Jackson, the eminent contractor, and Sir John Edge, member of the Indian Council and the late Chief Justice of the North-West Provinces of India. There is still another name 1120 which I hope to be able to secure, but that, roughly speaking, gives the outline of the Commission the Government desire to see appointed. The reference will probably be in the following terms:—
To inquire into the military preparations for the war in South Africa, and into the supply of men, ammunition, equipment, and transport by sea and land in connection with the campaign, and into the military operations up to the occupation of Pretoria.It will be evident that the reference covers the points raised by the right hon. Gentleman on the first and second paragraphs in the Question; but I may, perhaps, be permitted to add that I think it would be a pity if the Royal Commission were to lose themselves in detail and I fervently trust that they will largely confine their labours to the broader issues involved. But that rests with them. The reference is wide enough to cover all the operations that have taken place in the time.