§ 45. Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to state the instructions which were given to General Sir Arthur Paget between the 17th and 20th March last, and by whom?
§ Mr. McKENNAAs I have stated before, these instructions were given orally by the Secretary of State to Sir Arthur Paget, and I have nothing to add to the numerous statements which have been made and to the documents which have been laid in this House.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that no statement has yet been made with regard to the instructions given to Sir Arthur Paget between 17th March and 20th March, nor are they in any of the Papers?
§ Mr. McKENNAI think the hon. and gallant Gentleman must have overlooked the fact that the statement has been made, and it is repeated now that the instructions were oral only, and that there were no written instructions. I have also stated, yesterday I think it was, the facts as to the interviews between Sir A. Paget and the Secretary of State on the 18th and the 19th March, and I have nothing to add to the statement which I have made.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to state what were the oral instructions, which have not yet been published?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe oral instructions were the same as the written instructions of the 14th March; there was no variation.
§ Mr. G. FABERWas it at the interview on the 18th March or at the interview on the 19th March that the instructions were given to Sir A. Paget?
§ Mr. McKENNAPartly on one date and partly on the other. As I stated yesterday, on the 18th March the answer was given to Sir A. Paget as to the despatch of ammunition from certain places in Ulster to Dublin. That occurred on the 18th. A general conversation took place, both on. 1789 the 18th and on the 19th, but it did not vary the original instructions.
§ Mr. G. FABERThe instructions as to domiciled officers being allowed to disappear, and so forth—when were they given?
§ Mr. McKENNAThey were given on the 19th.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEDid the instructions suggest that any active operations would have to be initiated by the troops in Ireland?
§ Mr. McKENNANo.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEThen how was it— [HON. MEMBERS: "Order!"]
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWI beg to give notice that having regard to the—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Gentleman can give notice later. He has already exceeded the number of supplementary questions allowed.
§ 46. Mr. GRETTONasked if there is, in addition to the letter of the 14th March already published, another letter in existence to General Sir Arthur Paget, signed by the late Secretary of State for War, giving instructions to General Sir Arthur Paget to take certain action in Ireland, and also a letter from General Sir Arthur Paget objecting to a part of the instructions above referred to?
§ Mr. McKENNANo, Sir.
§ Mr. R. HARCOURTWho invents all these interesting rumours?
§ Mr. GRETTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman make any difference between official and formal communications and unofficial and informal communications?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have not the slightest idea to what correspondence the hon. Gentleman refers in his question. I believe that correspondence to be a pure myth.
§ Mr. GRETTONWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have done so.