Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-15
ENGLAND AND TRANSvAAL.
The Conflicting Statements Of English and
German Ministers Criticized in Commons.

London, Feb. l4.-ln the House OF
Commons, this evening, Sir William Har-
court, leader of the opposition, referred
to the conflicting statements by Baron
Marschall Won Bieberstein, German min
lister of foreign affairs, and Lord Salisbury
prime minister and secretary Of state for
foreign affairs of Great Britain, in regard
to the troubles in South Africa. LORD
Salisbury, he said, alleged that the gov
eminent of the South African republic
made application to the European powers
for support and that the powers denied
that they had received any such appeal.
This question, Sir. William asserted,
affected the whole of the relations of Eng
land In South Africa with Germany. Any
one, he said, who would contribute IL
the cultivation of i'll feeling between Great
Britain and Germany was no friend to
the peace of the world. The fact still re-
NAMED undisclosed, he said, by whose au-
thority DR.. Jameson acted.
In regard to the hitch in the negotia-
tions with the South African republic be
understood that the people of the Trans
vaal wanted to settle their own affairs
In the circumstances he thought that the
intervention of Mr. Chamberlain, unless
conducted in the most delicate manner,
would not improve matters. The best
way out of the difficulty would be to have
President Kruger come to London, and
settle everything at once.
A. J. Balfour, first lord of the treasury.
said Lord Salisbury statement was based
upon positive assurances received from Sir
J. A. DeWett, British agent at Pretoria
which were put in language the only
possible Interpretation of which was an
appeal made by the Transvaal government
for the support of Germany.
Mr.. Balfour defended the course taken
by Mr. Chamberlain in Introducing the
imperial factor into the affair and main
tanned that his action had been approved
by the English and Dutch population of
the Transvaal. That plan or something
like it, he declared, must be adopted if
the Boer government is to be carried on
for any length OF time,
If the English population in the Trans
vaal increased in the time to come. the
Beers could not maintain an uncontrolled
government. He was convinced that if
President Kruger should come to Eng
land, method would be found for a soir-
tion of the difficulty.
Labouchere withdrew the amendment
to the address in reply to the Queen ;
speech offered by him, yesterday, to the
effect that the inquiry into DR. Jameson S
raid into the Transvaal ought to include
an investigation into the financial and
political actions of the British South
Africa Co.
Timothy Harrington. Parnellitc, moved
an amendment to the address in favor Of
the release of Irish political prisoners
Michael Davitt. Anti Parnellte. de-
clared that the punishment inflicted on
these prisoners was brutally excessive and
their treatment was without parallel in
modern history.
Sir Matthew White Ridley, the home
secretary, denied that the Irish political
prisoners were treated differently from
other prisoners. He said that he had not
rested satisfied with the regular medical
reports regarding the condition of the
prisoners. but had sent two special physi
clans to Investigate and report. He ar
rived at the conclusion that their being
imprisoned did not endanger their health
There was no special reason why moro
Indulgence should be- granted these men
tnan to non-political prisoners Their
cases would be considered shortly. and he
would gladly avail himself OF any con-
slderatlons tending to show that there
should be mitigation Of their sentences.