§ MR. NORMAN (Wolverhampton, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of Lord Kitchener's request at different times that caution should be exercised in reference to the publication of despatches, he will inquire into the circumstances under which the War Office published, on 3rd March, an official announcement that Lord Methuen had started with column from Vryburg towards Lichten-burg to try and intercept enemy, during which march he was attacked by General Delarey.
§ MR. BRODRICKLord Kitchener communicated the intelligence mentioned in the usual weekly budget of information which is transmitted by telegraph en clair. There was therefore no reason for withholding this particular information from the public.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYHas the right hon. Gentleman seen the allegation made that the news which was only communicated to this House on Monday afternoon leaked out in Paris in the morning?
§ MR. BRODRICKI am not aware that that was the case. As far as I am 1257 concerned, the only copies which were made of the telegram were carefully safeguarded, and were communicated to nobody.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIt has been stated in all the London Press.
§ MR. NORMANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that three clear days elapsed between the publication of the route and object of the march and the attack on the column?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe greatest care will be taken in all these cases. When Lord Kitchener transmits a telegram en clair, which has, of course, to be handled by various telegraph clerks both in South Africa and in this country, it may be taken for granted that the movements contained in it are not such as he desires to keep strictly private.