§ MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether all letters and other documents passing in the mails to and from South Africa, and all telegraphic messages sent to or from that country, are subject to military censorship in South Africa; who is the chief official of the censorship department; who are his principal assistants, and in what ports or places do they perform their functions; and are the mail steamers arriving at or leaving British South African ports boarded by military officials for the purpose of examining and searching passengers and their luggage.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordAll private letters and telegrams passing into and out of South Africa are subject 372 to censorship. The chief censor is Major Trench, R. A.; the names of his present assistants have not been communicated to us. Major Trench is at Army head-quarters; other censors are at the coast towns and all important inland places. Mail steamers are boarded by the staff of the Embarkation Staff Officer. It is not known how far they examine passengers' luggage, but we have had no complaints.