The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-09
QUITE CALM.
Chamberlain Thinks the Transvaal
Trouble is Over.

London, January 8.-A despatch from
Pretoria dated January g. says that Sir
Hercules Robinson, governor of the Cape
Colony, after consulting with the heads
of the Transvaal governments informed
the people that they would be allowed
twenty-four hours from noon that day to
lay down their arms unconditionally.
A despatch from Cape Town dated
January 4. says that if DR.. Jameson
should be executed hostile feeling would
become SO greatly aroused that the
British government forces would not be
able to prevent race war in South
Africa.
The directors of the British South
African company have held repeated
meetings during the past week and since
| Monday they have met twice daily, but
| they have made no statement to the
press.
It is understood that Mr.. Chamberlain
secretary of state for the colonies, has or
dered the directors to obtain from Cecil
| Rhodes a detailed statement Of his
| knowledge OF DIR. Jameson's movements
prior to the latter's raid on the Trans
vaal, otherwise the charter Of the British
South Africa company would be revoked.
1 l
the days go by without bringing any
statement from Rhodes, whose only
reference to Jameson was made in a
des patch received here on January l, in
which he said that Jameson had acted
without author ity. A despatch to the
Central News from Cape Town, under
date of January 4, says it is reported that
the high court of the Transvaal republic
ordered that DR.. Jameson be shot, but
! that President Kruger refused to sign the
warrant for his execution. This report is
not confirmed
An official despacth from Pretoria says
| that DIR. Jameson will be released and
handed over to Sir Hercules Robinson,
governor of the Cape Colony, on the
| frontier of the Transyaal.
The following statement has been
| issued by the Colonial office: "Governor
| Robinson of the Cape Colony telegraphed
| to Mr.. Chamberlain, secretary of state
| for the Colonies, from Pretoria on Janu-
ary z: Il communicated to r. J. Newton,
secretary of British Bechuanaland, your
telegram of the fifth and received reply
from him that he had been absent from
Bechuanaland nearly a fortnight prior TO
the raid into the Transvaal He arrived
at Mafeking on December 20 and heard
there, after the telegraph line had been
closed, that Dameson's force was leaving.
That night the wires were cut and the
ber 3Oth, was yours directing me to send
DR.. Jameson an order to return. About
one-fifth of Jameson's force started from
| Mafeking and the rest from Pictsani. in
the British South Africa company's new
territory. Jameson left only ten police
ment in the whole Of the Bechuanaland
protectorate and of these four were doing
custom duty. The whole country was
virtually unpoliced there was no repre-
sentative of the British South African
company in Mafeking, and no magistrate
in the whole company's territory. There
was only one representative of the COM
pany in the lower protectorate and he
had joined Jamesen's s forcos."
Governor Robinson adds: "Newton
will come to Pretoria at my invitation to
confer with me in regard to reducing the
protectorate. !"
Governor Robinson telegraphed Mr..
Chamberlain on January q: Johannes
burg surrendered uneonditionally this
afternoon and gave up arms. President
Kruger has intimated his intention to
hand over Jameson and the other
prisoners upon the frontier Of Natal You
may be satisfied that the crisis is over
} and all danger of further hostilities
ended"
Mr.. Chamberlain now considers the
crisis over and will recognize the services
of the staff Of the colonial office during
the period Of the tension by entertaining
them at dinner at the Devonshire club.
A despatch to the Central News from
Cape Town says that the imperial officers
Il with the Black Watch regiment will &c
to Mafeking to supervise the disarma
ment and disbanding of the British Soutf
| A fric fOrQaa