The San Francisco call., 1896-01-11
Germany in a Position to Know
That Nations Will Support
the Transvaal.
PREPARING FOR THE WORST.
twenty-five Members of the Reform
Committee Arrested for High
Treason.

LONDON, ENG, Jan. 1O.-The features
to-day of the troubles growing out OF DR..
Jameson's raid into the Transyaal are the
practical refusal of the Uitlanders to sur
render their arms, and the arrest at
Johannesburg OF number OF members OF
the National Reform Committee on
charge of high treason. Among the
prisoners are several of the leading resi-
dents of Johannesburg, including Colonel
Rhodes, brother OF Cecil Rhodes, ex-Prime
Minister Of Cape Colony, who is said to be
i'll at Cape Town. 1t is believed here that
Cecil Rhodes viii bring all his influence,
which is very powerful, to bear to secure
the release of his brother.
There is no single man who has done so
much TO develop South Africa as Mr..
Rhodes, though in carrying out his plans
has made many enemies, but il can
truthfully be said that he is the most
powerful man in that part of the world to-
day.
Behind him is q large majority of Afri-
cans, and though he may have nominally
retired from active participation in poll
ties, the impression prevails that IN any
final settlement of the Transvaal question
he will have to be taken into considera-
ton.
At present nothing is heard of his plans,
even if he has formulated any, but those
who know the man and the power he
wIelds will not believe that the present
trouble will cause him to diverge from the
ambitious path he has for years been hew-
ing for himself He may be for the mo-
ment compelled to abide the issue of the
present troubles, but that he will later
again take hand in shaping the destinies
OF South Africa there can scarcely be a
doubt. He has always been a man of ac-
ton, not words, and his future policy will,
once decided on, probably not be known
until it is put INTO effect.
The arrest of the members of the Ma
tional Reform Committee does not cause
any great anxiety regarding their fate, as
1t is generally believed that in no event
viii any severe punishment be inflicted
upon them.
The report that DR.. Jameson had been
released turns out TO have been premature.
President Kruger, IN reply to the message
OF Queen Victoria, says he intends to turn
DR.. Jameson and the other English pris-
oners who took part in the raid over to the
British Government for punishment, but
dispatch from johannesburg states the
surrender of the prisoners will be made
conditional on the abrogation of the Anglo
Boer convention of 1884, which gives Great
Britain suzerainty over the Transvaal. If
such condition as this is imposed by the
Beers it is quite certain that Great Britain
will never agree to it. The Government is
determined to uphold the convention in
all Its terms, and although the Transvaal
Government may urge that DR.. Jameson's
10 ,.oiJ ;
is pretty safe to say that Great Britain
will never accept this view of the matter
unless she is compelled to do so.
To abrogate the convention now would
be to acknowledge that the reported atti-
tude of Emperor William anent the Trans
vaal IS correct and the temper OF the
English people to-day IS not such as to
allow the Governor to concede this, even
were it disposed to do so. AS a matter of
fact the Government will make not the
slightest concession in the matter to Ger
many, but is prepared or preparing to
maintain what it believes are its rights by
force of arms if necessary.
Never before has the isolation of Great
Britain been so completely driven home
in the minds of the British people. Hitber.
10 they have been accustomed to believing
a war with a foreign power she would find
sympathy, if not actual aid, from some of
the European nations. Now it is known
that in all Europe she has not a single
friend, and many believe her enemies are
only awaiting an opportunity 70 attack
her and deprive her OF some OF her vast
possessions.
dispatch from Berlin to-day, if it is
understanding between the powers as to
the action to be taken by them relative to
England. This dispatch states thatunless
Great Britain accedes to the demands of
the Transvaal, which includes the abroga-
tion of the treaty OF 1884, Germany will
urge President Kruger to appeal to the
European powers to support him in his
demands. This, if it means anything.
means that Germany is in a position to
know the powers would support the Trans
vaal, and the only way in which such sup
port could be given, unless England re-
ceded from her position, would be to
declare war upon Great Britain. That this
will be done few persons believe.
The situation is a complicated one, and
the more it is studied the wider the vista
of its possibilities becomes. But, with the
hands Of all the powers against her, Great
Britain is waiting to see from what direc-
tion the first blow will be delivered. Should
an attack be made upon her she viii be
found not unprepared.
In every direction measures are being
taken TO ward off possible dangers and the
nation is rapidly putting itself in posi-
ton where, if events warrant such u course,
it will itself be able to deal the first blow
The greatest activity is being displayed at
the dockyards where the torpedo-boat de-