THE EARL OF MAYOMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government what were the circumstances and the conditions under which the promise of the Prime Minister was made in the House of Commons on August 10, that "Lord Kitchener is anxious to lend any help that his own exigencies permit to the organisation and equipment of the Irish Volunteers," and whether such conditions, if any, have been fulfilled.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, I have consulted my right hon. friend, to whom the noble Earl refers, and it is evident that the noble Earl is under some misapprehension in the matter, because I am informed that no conditions such as he imagines were made. I can, however, say on behalf of my noble and gallant friend the Secretary of State for War that he would very gladly welcome as many recruits as possible from Ireland; that he hopes they will flow in, the more the better; and that he trusts that the arrangements which have been made and are being made to receive these recruits will allow of their being drilled and clothed and 734 turned into efficient soldiers at the earliest possible date.
THE EARL OF MAYOI may say that the words which I quoted in my Question were taken from Hansard. They were the words which the Prime Minister used on August 10.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPThe noble Earl will see that in the words which he has quoted there are no conditions.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before Seven o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Four o'clock.