§ LORD TRUROrose to ask Her Majesty's Government, Whether application was at any time made by the Civil or Military Authorities at the Cape of Good Hope for additional military forces; and, if so, on what date it was received; whether the same was entertained; and, if so, the date on which the reinforcements were despatched; also the number and description of the forces applied for, the strength of each battery and regiment when embarked, and the number of volunteers taken to complete their complement respectively? The noble Lord said, he trusted the Question would not be considered premature, seeing that at present they had received no details of the disastrous affair, the announcement of which had been communicated to them, or to the various steps which had been taken by the Government. He had put the Question on the Paper with a view of obtaining information which would satisfy the public mind whether the steps taken by the Government antecedent to the present crisis were sufficient, or whether, on the other hand, there had been any omission 1180 which would in any way render the Government responsible for what had happened. He desired, also, that the public might have the means of judging whether the steps which had been taken were taken in such a manner as to be effective and in consonance with the soundest judgment which had been given them. A part of the Correspondence relating to the subject of his Question had already been referred to. That Correspondence showed that no less than three applications were made to the Imperial Government at various times for assistance in the shape of officers, troops, and regiments. He knew it was stated that the Papers would be laid on the Table of the House on Saturday or Monday—they would show, beyond doubt, that the requests made by Sir Bartle Frere and Lord Chelmsford had not been fully complied with—but what was the real position of things with regard to their applications? The first application was made at the desire of Lord Chelmsford through Sir Bartle Frere. It was an application for two special classes of officers, for two regiments of infantry and one of cavalry. ["No!"] The words of the despatch were that the presence of "one regiment of cavalry would be of enormous importance." At first there was a distinct refusal to give any additional support whatever, with the exception of certain officers. He could not see the advantage of sending those officers to drill Native troops, seeing how impossible it was to train them to order within a short space of time, and he looked on their services in that respect as valueless. Then, after having refused all those troops, the Government subsequently, upon a third application, sent two regiments of infantry.
THE EARL OF LONGFORDsaid, he had to apologize for interrupting the noble Lord; but he wished to know whether he was asking his Question or answering it?
§ LORD TRUROsaid, he was making some observations with a view to elicit a reply to his Questions from the noble Earl the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, who, speaking last night, appeared to be under some misconception. His (Lord Truro's) desire was to show that the first intention and policy of the Government was that there should be no attack made on Zululand. They 1181 fused, in the first instance, to give any assistance to the Colony of Natal; but they subsequently complied, and gave two regiments for its protection. But what had they done now? Although they gave a limited amount of troops as compared with the number demanded for the purpose of defending Natal, they changed their policy and waged war against the Zulus, and that without waiting for additional reinforcements. It was said by the noble Earl that they had now sent a more than ample force, probably excessive reinforcements; but that they did after the disaster had occurred—in the first instance, they refused to send any troops whatever. As to the regiments going out, their Lordships knew the condition in which regiments were sometimes sent, and that to make up their full strength they were obliged to have 200 or 300 volunteers from other regiments; who, therefore, would have to fight under officers to whom they were not accustomed. They were, therefore, inefficient for immediate active service, however excellent as soldiers the volunteers might be, as they ought to be known by their officers, and know and have reliance in their officers. He hoped that the noble Earl would give their Lordships some information as to the calibre of the guns which had been and were about to be sent out to South Africa. For his part, he could not help thinking that the public mind would not be satisfied that it was not until repeated applications had been made and pressure had been put upon the Government by able, prudent, and cautious men, that they complied with the demand for reinforcements, and then sent fewer than had been demanded, and that at a time of great emergency, and when there was a possibility of the dire calamity happening which had since taken place.
§ EARL CADOGANsaid, that the noble Lord (Lord Truro), in putting and answering his Questions, had endeavoured to draw him into a discussion on the general merits of the war which was now raging in South Africa. He most respectfully declined to be drawn into any such discussion. He would do his best to answer the noble Lord, although he could not promise that his answer would differ very much from that which he had given on the same subject last night. The noble Lord seemed to think 1182 that he was under a misconception with respect to the Correspondence. Well, he did not like to return the compliment; but the noble Lord had failed to show in what respect he had misconceived it. It was true that in Sir Bartle Frere's despatch, dated the 14th of September, stating that General Thesiger thought two regiments of infantry "necessary," he added that one regiment of cavalry would be of "enormous advantage;" but in a despatch written on the same day by General Thesiger—namely, the 14th of September—and which was not included in the Blue Book, being a despatch to the War Office, which would be in their Lordships' hands immediately, the General detailed the forces he would require, and requested that two regiments of infantry might be sent; but he made no mention of cavalry. It was true that the Government did not at first see fit to send out the reinforcements, but did send the special officers demanded. A further request was made in a Memorandum written by Lord Chelmsford, and dated the 28th of September, which concluded by stating that—
For offensive purposes alone the Natal and Transvaal Colonies require three battalions of infantry in addition to the forces we have already got,and he added that a battalion of the 24th Regiment was already available, and requested that the remaining two should be sent from England. No request was then made for a regiment of cavalry, and the two regiments of infantry were sent out. The noble Lord asked the date at which they were despatched. He was sorry he did not know the exact date, but he thought they were sent the first week in December. The Papers, however, to be furnished by the War Office would answer the noble Lord's Question. With regard to the last part of the Question, he had only to state that if the noble Lord moved for a Return of the nature of one which had already been moved for on the same subject in "another place," there would be no objection to its being granted.
§ LORD TRURO, referring to the question of reinforcements, said, he should have thought that the desire for a cavalry regiment so distinctly and energetically expressed by Sir Bartle Frere in one of his earlier communications 1183 would have been sufficient to have induced the Government to have supplied the want without hesitation.