§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the official character of the visit of a squadron of armoured cruisers to South Africa; and whether he is able to state to the House the terms of the farewell message of the admiral commanding to the British Colonies of South Africa.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Colonel SEELY,) Liverpool, AbercrombyI am not aware what force my hon. friend attaches to the word "official," but a visit of a squadron of armoured cruisers cannot in any sense be regarded as unofficial. No official report has been received of the farewell remarks alleged to have been made by the rear-admiral commanding the squadron.
§ * MR. R. HARCOURT (Montrose Burghs)May I ask whether it is the case that Sir Percy Scott said that "the kindness and hospitality of the South 391 Africans in height equalled the top of Natal's Cassatogel's Nest, in depth rivalled the deepest mines of the Transvaal, in breadth were as boundless as the rolling plains of Orange River Colony, and in stability were comparable to Cape Colony's majestic Table Mountain" and whether in view of this interesting specimen it is not proposed to lay the message?
§ COLONEL SEELYWe have no official information. If Sir Percy Scott did say that, I do not see that we have any cause to complain.