In our last issue we gave publicity to a circumstantial
account furnished by Reuter's agency of a successful engage- ment fought by Colonel Wilson near Warmbaths. We also quoted the statement, made on the authority of the same agency, that in the course of the action at Vlakfontein the Boers bad shot two prisoners, a lieutenant and a sergeant- major, for refusing to give information as to the working of the captured guns. As a result of inquiries made by the War Office, Lord Kitchener has officially declared that there was no foundation for the report of the engagement at Warm- baths or the alleged shooting of British prisoners. We are exceedingly glad to learn that the rumour, which Reuters representative states he obtained from those wounded at Vlakfontein, turns out to be false. As the matter has been discussed in the House of Commons, where an attempt has been made to hold the censorship responsible, we may observe that the attitude of Mr. Bryn Roberts and other amateurs of veracity argues an entire misapprehension of the prime function of a war censorship, which is to prevent the circula- tion of news calculated to assist the enemy, not to guarantee that camp rumours shall never be mistaken for facts by the correspondents.
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