The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-12
BRITISH LAND GRABBERS
High Handed Proceedings of an English
Trading Company in the Transvaal.
Attempt Of Private Spectators to Parcel Out
Mashonaland Among "Treking" Beers
Members Of the yOlksraad Indignant.
SHARKS.

British Spectators Attempt to Steal Ma
shonaland from the Beers of Transvaai.
copyrighted. 1891. by the United PressJ
LONDON. July 1l.-There can be no ques-
tion that during the last few weeks the re-
latIons between the South African Republic
and the British government have been ex-
ceedingly strained, nor can there be any
doubt that the popular feeling among the
burghers OF the Transvaal has been one of
strong and, from their point of view. justi-
fable indignation at the untriendly and
csptious spirit displayed by the British
High Commissioner This unfriendliness
is not a thing of yesterday. In August last
the negotiations about the Swaziland
convention were handled with unnecessary
severity. when the same or better results
could have been obtained by the display of
more generous spirit on the part Of Sir
Henry Locke. The sam cause 10
now assigned for the strained relations
existingat the present moment. The scheme
of a great Boer trek recently formulated
for the purpose of founding Q northern
republic alarmed the British South Afri-
can Chartered Company, and %strenuous eff
forts were at once made by Mr.. Rhodes. not
to stop the trek" altogether, but To make
1t conditional on the acceptance of the au-
thority of the company, almost completely
ignoring the fact that British imperial au-
thority was concerned IN such q movement
and that the British government, which
had declared the territory to be a sphere of
British influence, might have something to
say In the matler. Mr.. Rhodes said: You
shall all come into the country-from the
Zap Colony, from the Free State. from the
Transvaal-so long as you acknowledge the
authority of the company. You shall all
have farms and We will divide mp Mashona-
land in your behalf" By this policy Me.
Rhodes succeeded in dividing the Dutch
population In South Africa against itself.
and instead of five thousand well-armed
men taking part IN the trek" q little over
one hundred crossed the Limpopo and OF
course were driven back by the chartered
company's armed police and soldiers.
Their mission, however. was in q measure
attained, for many of those who had been
brought over by land grants and promises
of Office have become alarmed at the reac-
tion of popular feeling in favor of the
'trekers" ana have returned their gifts to
the chartered company.
The burghers in the Transvaal, and in
facts good many British residents In South
the process by which q company of private
spectators could lay claim to the control
of a company over which British authority
has never been establishes and which has
African Republic for forty years. Now the
imperial question has cropped up' behind
the question of the chartered company's
rights. The high commissioner. seeing
that the claims OF the chartered company
failed to inspire respect, has taken the
ground that the country beyond the Linn.
popo is British territory in order to prevent
another and more formidab BILE trek" 1t is
such declarations as these that have
aroused the strongest indignation of men,
bers of the Volksraad. The fact is they
have left a state of things which contain
all the possibilities OF q destructive war,
and which Is tending to paralyze industry
throughout South Africa.