§ MR. LAMBERT (Devonshire, S. Molton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether Sir Redvers Buller has been ordered not to publish a copy of the message which he sent to Sir George White on the 16th December, 1899, alleged to contain an order to him to surrender Ladysmith; and, if so, whether there is any precedent for so limiting the discretion of a Commander-in-Chief.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)I must refer the hon. Member to the answer I made to the hon. and learned Member for South Donegal on 20th January.† As regards the last paragraph in the Question, officers are in no case permitted to publish confidential telegrams.
§ MR. LAMBERTHas this Question ever been put before?
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I am able to state that I never asked such a question.
§ MR. BRODRICKI am afraid the hon. Member does not always remember the Questions he asks.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLOh, I do.
§ MR. LAMBERTAm I to understand that Sir Redvers Buller has been ordered not to publish a copy of this message?
§ MR. BRODRICKCertainly, Sir. Sir Redvers Buller, like all other officers, has been ordered by the Commander-in-Chief to publish no confidential telegrams.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLThen he ought to have disobeyed.