, 1881-03-16

- fF
of the decisive reply given by the Secretary
of State inNovember 1879. to the memorial
and dispatches forwarded by Sir Bartle
Frere, although a copy Of that reply was
published in their local Gaze tie. SirM Hicks
Beach then told tie memoriallsts that their
opposition to the supremacy Of the Queen
must be based upon a Misrepresentation OF the
circumstances which had long exfstsd 10
South Africa that the power and authority
of England had for many years baen para.
mount there and that neither by the Sand
River Convention of 1852 nor at any other
time did Her Msjesty's Government surrender
the right and duty of requiring that the
Transvaal should be- governed with q view to
the common safety of the European communi-
ties. 1t would not, be said, be possible, and,
il possible, it would be Injurious to the coun.
try, to re-estaolish the form of government
which existed before 1877, and which bad
failed to secure the poaoe of the country
and the security Of its Inhabitants. Still
more recently, it will be remembered Tin J1ne
LAST, Mr.. Gladstone himself, in addressing
two of their number- Kruger and Joubert-
said that, looking to all the circumstances.
both of the Transvaal and of the rest OF South
Africa, the Qneen could not be advised to
rellnquish her sovereignty over the country;
but that, consistently with the maintenance
of that sovereignty, the white inhabitants Of
the Transvaql shonld, without p~rsjudics to the
rest of the population, enjoy the fullest Liberty
to manage their local affairs.n
Besides the proclamation, the TriumvirAte
caused letters to be sent to the Governor Of
Natal, til, Premier OF the Cape Colony, aud
the President of the Free State.
Tho Republican Press of the Orange Free
STATE contains the proclamation aud letters, az
well as lengthy reports of the insurgsnt Beers.
profsssedly written by one of their supporters
with the objsut of explaining the situation.
In one of the reports of the doings at Potohsf.
siroom, Comandant Orouje says -" Gods
blessing has up to this time been with us. We
regret the loss of one citizen. Pieter van Blu.
rem, of Vaal River, killed, and three citlxena
slightly Wounded. The Canrons do little harm,
and cause no fright among our people, but
swakcu their fighting mood and the desire to
get them into our hands; - aud be ADDS, "Ig
ths camp. where there are many womsn and
children, does not surrender soon water being
cut off storming will be attempted. However,
the precaution of our men is equal to the
waller shown by them" Another chronicle
says, . We have hitherto abstsined from inter.
fering with private people or property, aud
shall not do so unless forced by circumstances
No inhabitant Of Heidelberg is interfsrsd
with, and all provisions are paid for by use
while Governor Lyndon has sent 9 troop of sol.
disrs to the farm Wonderboomspoort, the pro-
psrty of Mr.. Erasmus, an hour north of Preto.
ria, letting them take $50 oxen and seven
horses. The Lord help the poor English in
our midst if We ever come to exercise the
right OF retributiOp."
The following authentic accounthof the en-
gagement at :Lang's Neckon Friday % Janu.
airy has been published by the Mercury -
"Major Dlrtnell and the Mounted Police
returned to Newcastle from the camp on Sat-
urday morning. There is NO doubt as to Fri.
days fight being a repulsa of the British FOE
ces. The Beers were strongly intrenchsd Of
and beyond Lang'S Neck, whers they bad
occupied a house and cattle kraal. from which
they were shelled early ia the day. Lang's
Neck is the most difficult point on the road
from Newcastle to the Transvaal. At 3
o'clock the guns and the rocket battery we're
at range. T1e gnns we're then ranged On the
right and the rockets on the left OF the road
to the Neck. The Mack was shslled for one
hour, when there was little sign of the enemy.
The SSH Regiment then advanced to storm,
led by Colonel Deane. They were met by
a destructive FIRE, but held their own gallant
ly. Meanwhile, the Beers emerged from dou.
gas to the right and left, aud poured a heavy
fanking fire into the 5sth Regiment, who now
suffered severely, especially among their Off.
GERS. Their ammunition ran short, aud their
supports failed to reach them. They, til ere.
fore, retired with their guns towards the Damp.
keeping op a bold front the while, and now