§ EARL GRANVILLEMay I ask the noble Earl the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the Government can confirm the news which has appeared in the second editions of today's papers in relation to the war in Zululand?
§ EARL CADOGANMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government have received no official confirmation of the news which appeared in the second editions of this morning's papers. That news, which is from Madeira, has been brought by the Asiatic, an extra steamer of the Union Company's Line, which left Cape Town on the 29th ultimo, two days later than the Dunrobin Castle, which brought the first news of the disaster of the 22nd January. The Asiatic took between 21 and 22 days to reach Madeira. The next regular steamer was to have left Cape Town on the 4th instant. If she had called at St. Vincent, we ought to have had telegrams from thence on the 17th, or, at latest, the 19th instant. As, however, no telegrams have come to hand, she has probably gone direct to Madeira, and we may expect to hear from there about Saturday.