§ *LORD BRASSEYsaid, he desired to ask the noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs a question of which he had given him private notice. It related to the situation in Uganda. There had been a good deal of discussion on the subject, but he thought several points were still far from clear. He was sure the House and the country would be glad to have a statement front the Minister most directly concerned. Before putting the question, he wished to say, as an act of simple justice to the East Africa Company, with which he was originally connected, that their object throughout in all they had undertaken had been primarily to suppress the Slave Trade and to promote civilisation within the territory assigned to British influence in East Africa. He asked the noble Lord what steps Her Majesty's Ministers proposed to take to secure the peace of the country within the sphere of British influence in East Africa after the retirement of the British East Africa Company?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Earl of ROSEBERY)My Lords, I have no difficulty whatever in answering the very simple question put to me by my noble Friend. Sir Gerald Portal has proceeded to Uganda to stake a Report, in his capacity as Commissioner, for the district within the sphere of British influence in East Africa, on the best method of dealing with that country. He has, under that Commission, which will be found in the African Paper No. IV. of last year, ample authority to do all that may be required in the condition of things which the question of my noble Friend has indicated. Perhaps it may make the matter clearer if I read the actual passage from the Instructions to which I have referred. The paragraph begins by speaking of what will be the duty of Sir Gerald Portal within the territories which are under the administration of the Company; and it proceeds— 506
Outside those territories"—and that will be the position of Uganda after the 31st March next—"your position will be independent; in that portion of your district you should endeavour, as far as your opportunities go, to make British influence felt by the natives, to maintain peace and order, to develop legitimate trade, to secure the safe circulation of trailers and travellers, and, generally, without undue interference with tribal government and native habits and customs, to pave the way for conferring on the natives the benefits of civilisation, which, on the suppression of the evils of the Slave Trade, should accompany the revival of prosperity.Further, I may add that under Paragraph 8 of the instructions for his present Mission, which I trust will be in your Lordships' hands this evening, he has a free hand to act as he thinks proper. It will be seen, therefore, that in his capacity as Commissioner he has ample authority, and he has also an ample staff to support that authority.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYWould the noble Lord tell us the number of that staff—whether he knows what force is with Sir Gerald Portal?
THE EARL OF ROSEBERYHe has about 230 Zanzibari troops; but under his Instructions he has full power to take over any forces belonging to the Company, and therefore he has a perfectly free hand in that matter. I think, as the noble Marquess has raised the point, it may be as well to say that in sending this Mission we were well aware that we were sending a Commissioner into the heart of Africa without any specific means of communication with him except of a precarious kind by messengers, who may take three months to reach hint. We therefore felt it our duty—and I am sure your Lordships will agree that we were right—to give him as free a hand as possible to do what he thought fit under his commission as British Commissioner, pending the composition and preparation of his Report.