The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-04-02 00:00:00

THE TRANSVAAL.

DISPERSAL OF THE BOERS,

The Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, in a telegram
from the Boer camp, says :

Late this afternoon Mr. Joubert called his troops
together and addressed them. He said that he was
very glad to inform them that the war had ended,
and that peace was now concluded. He thanked
them for the obedience they had shown him ever
since he had taken command. Their behaviour had
been very good. He had not had to punish any
man and he hoped they would behave as well during
the next six months until the Commission had
finished its labours. He trusted that the unity which
had characterised all their movements since they took
the oath to win back independence in December until
the present would ever continue amongst them. They
had in the past tasted of the bitter fruits of being a
disunited people. Now that was past they must con-
tinue in unity. They had now got what they had
fought for. The Transvaal was to be once more theirs,
but they acknowledged the English Queen. They
would now be happy in their freedom, for they had had
bitter experience of what it was to be under a strange
rule in their land —to be ruled by men wha did
not sympathise with them. He was very glad
to say that their loss had been slight. This
fact alone ought to make them give the thanks
of victory to God, whose power alone had aided
them. That would show them that their own
aotions had not secured the end, because they
had been engaged in a war with a powerful nation like
England. He counselled them not to treat the English
residents in the Transvaal as enemies, but as friends—
as members with themselves of the Transvaal people.
This would be far toe best way to act. He concluded
by saying that they must always be ready to sacrifice
self-interest for the sake of their country ' • for the sake
of freedom ; for the liberty of black and white. The
population of the Transvaal had behaved nobly during
the past few months in this way, and he was led by
this to look forward hopefully should the occasion ever
arise to necessitate calling upon them for further
sacrifices.
Mr. Kruger then spoke saying as Joshua had said
to Israel, he was now able to say to the Boers, " To
your tents." The war was over; they had gained
what they had sought; and, now that peace was
restored, let them rest.
Mr. Pretorius delivered a short address, counselling
patience till the Commission had finished sitting, and
had given its decision on the points reserved.

_
These speeches were well received by the men pre-
sent, who cheered Messrs. Joubert and Smith heartily.

SURRENDER OF A BRITISH GARRISON.

A Renter's telegram dated Newcastle, March 28,
says :—A messenger from Potchefstroom, who has
come through by way of the Free State, brings news
that Potchefstroom surrendered on the same day that
the peace conditions were signed, after some hard
fighting, in which eighteen men of the British garrison
were killed and ninety wounded. The Boers also
captured 3,000 rounds of ammunition and two guns.

The Pall Mall Gazette remarks upon the above :
"The news that Potchefstroom surrendered, after
hard fighting, on the same day that the peace con-
ditions were signed with the Boers will cause general
regret. The defence made by the garrison had been
gallant in the extreme; and not even the Boers would
have grudged them the honours of the position if they
had been able to hold their own till the last. As it is,
an addition has to be made to the bloodshed which
this avoidable war has occasioned, and an addition,
too, it is to be feared, to the bitterness which it leaves
behind it. This surrender only renders it all the more
desirable that Sir Evelyn Wood, whose influence is
equally greshit both with the Boers and the British
troops, should visit the towns of the Transvaal with-
out delay."

Noticing the surrender of Potchefstroom, The rims
in a leader remarks :
-

"It is with grave regret we receive from the Transvaal
news of the surrender of Potchefstroom. It is not only that
Englishmen sympathise with the ill-fortune of a brave gar-
rison, reduced by famine, and not by stress of arms, and
forced into capitulation at the very moment of peace. It is
also because this capitulation reopens a wound of winch
the lapse of several days has done much to allay the smart,
and because it endangers by fresh complications the per-
manency of the peace accorded by us and accepted by
the Boers. The feelings of the English and Dutch
populations throughout South Africa have not yet cooled
down. The two races have seen their respective
champions separated, while both were confident of victory,
by a superior Power, and compelled to shake hands. The
arena is empty, bus the English people in Natal and
elsewhere in South Africa are still declaring their
dissatisfaction with what they regard as a dis-
honourable peace. The circumstances of the sur-
render of Potchefstroom are calculated to strain still
further the tenseness of feeling. On the 21st of
March, while the armistice still lasted, but before the
supplies despatched by Sir E. Wood, according to the terms
of the armistice, had reached them, the garrison could sub-
sist no longer on the food which remained, and surrendered,
though on honourable conditions. Guns and rifles were sur-
rendered, but the ammunition was to be handed over to the
care of President Brand during the war, after which it
would be returned to us. The garrison also gave the usual
udertaking not to serve again during the war. The public
will wait anxiously to hear whether the Boers communicated
the news of the armistice to the besieged. If they did not,
their conduct must be considered a breach of the spirit
of the armistice. If the beleaguered British force had been
aware that eight days' supply of provisions were within a
day's march it is inconsistent with what we know of the
spirit of our countrymen that they should not have held out
for another 24 hours. that there was any actual fighting
on the eve or at the time of the surrender is improbable ;
but if that should turn out to have been the case, the Boers
will have still greater difficulty in absolving themselves from
the charge of bad faith." . . . -

Some "further correspondence" (telegraphic) relating to
the negotiations with the Boers has Ueen issued, and in-
cludes the following despatch from the President of the
Orange Free State to the Secretary of State for the Coloaies,
dated Newcastle, March 25 :—" Whilst highly appreciating
the expression of her Majesty's Government for the desire
I have had to promote peace and goodwill for all South
Africa, I think that the successful termination of the
negotiating is due to the tact and patience of General
Wood and the confidence which he has inspired, and I
am sure that he will be the right man in the right place to
conduct everything to a happy termination. General Wood
has informed me that I would be asked to be present at the
proceedings of the Commission. I must now return to the
Free State, and prepare f3r the coming annual session in
May, and it will be necessary for me first to obtain leave
from the Volksraad to go beyond the boundary of the Free
State. I thank your Lordship most sincerely for the confi-
dence and kind expression of her Majesty's Government."