§ LORD BRABOURNEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he has any official knowledge of a Proclamation recently published by the Dutch Triumvirate in the Transvaal, purporting to give an historical retrospect of events connected with the annexation of the Transvaal, and previous thereto, and justifying the rising of the Boers against Her Majesty's authority; whether it is true that such Proclamation has been communicated to other European Powers; and, whether he will be able to lay an authentic copy of the same upon the Table of the House?
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY,in reply, said, he had received from the Governor of the Cape, by the last mail, what purported to be an authentic copy of the document referred to in his noble Friend's Question. He had no knowledge that the Proclamation had been communicated to the other European Powers, and he had no objection to lay on the Table the copy received at the Colonial Office. He would, at the same time, lay on the Table a copy of a subsequent Proclamation which had been also received.
§ LORD BRABOURNEsaid, he proposed shortly to call attention to the Transvaal, with the view of giving an opportunity for an authoritative statement with regard to those events immediately preceding the annexation.