The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-09
BRITISH NOT TO GIVE BATTLE.
CHAMBERLAIN SPEAKS or JANE
SONS RAID.

SONS RAID.
he Declares THAT the Sending of an
UItimatum 10 President kruger
would Have brought on War.
The Government Had No Intention
Of Resorting 10 War in order to
Enforce Internal Reforms in the
TransVaaI.
London. May S-The House Of Com
mons was crowded with members, and
the press and strangers galleries were
filled with visitors to-day upon the oc-
casion Of the presentation OF the colonial
estimates.
Sir William Harcourt. the leader of the
oppos.tion. reminded the government that
an inquiry had been promised with the
object Of ascertaiuing whether the British
south Africa Company was in the hands
OF fit and proper persons 10 Zoe entrusted
with the administration OF the affairs Of
the company's territory. Mr. Harcourt
said that the trial Of the members Of
the johannesburg reform committee in
Pretoria had disclosed important circum-
stances. and the gOvernmet now owed
the country an authoritative statement. In
the prt.ent condition of affairs. he said,
he would cOnfne his remarks 10 the
position Of the chartered company, into
which inquiry was absolutely necessary.
because il affected the relations between
Great Britain and the South African re-
public. and the relations between the
English and the Dutch in South Africa.
In the light Of recent disclosures, the
case Of DR.. jameson had fallen directly
into the background. What the govern
nent had TO consider was the matter
of the instructions under which Or jane
son had acted From the cipher tele5 GUS
which had been interpreted ana puoilsH-
ed. he declared ii was obvious lhat the
whole affair had been conducted between
johannesburg and Cape Town by the per
sOnal and responsible direction OF 'hc
British South Africa Company.
Sir William said that the WhOle story
was an ineNpressibly revolving, Sordlu anu
suualid picture of stock-1obDing Imperial
ism. He admitted that Mr.. Chamberlain
had been surrounded by dlihculJes anu
had shown courage and DECISION worthy
of his position, but the question was
what was the government gong 20 90
Mr.. Chamberlain, the colonial secretary,
said that the deplOrabie result OF Dr.
JamesOn's raid had been TO 1eopardlZc
English predominance IN SouJh AFRICA,
and it had also delayed the concord OF
the two races, which was England main
policy. He was convinced, ne SAID, that
there had been faults on both sides, nut
until they had got to the bottom of the
matter the government could not properly
Judge the merits of the case. There mad
been frequent Boer invasions, he salu,
not merely into the territory OUTSIDE or
the TransVaal but also into British terri
tory. Furthermore, the Beers had shown
a great want of consideration for the
rights Of the Uitlanders.
Mr. Chamberlain further said that har-
monious settlement Of the question OF the
rights of the Uitlanders had long been
Mr. Rhodes dearest object. If he could
raaf1Ns hnrr = NV
Kruger the results would have been bene-
fetal in promoting the federation of the
South African states, wherein the local
rights would have been tully regarded.
Though recent events had sadly inter-
fered with these objects their accom-
plishment still remained the government
chief aim. President Krugers refusal to
come to England at the governments
request to modify the convention of 1884,
had ended the prospects Of private
conference upon the leading difficulties.
What then he asked, ought to be the
right step? 1t had been suggested that
the government ought to have sent an
ultimatum TO President Kruger. This
would certainly have been rejected, and
would have led to war. The government,
he declared, could not think of resorung
10 war in order to enforce internal re-
forms in the Transvaal. This declaration
was received with cries of Hear, Hear.
Mr.. Chamberlain said that he had not
threatened President Kruger at all, but
had claimed the right TO make friendly
representations President Kruger prom
Used to consider these representations and
the government awaited the fulnlment of
his promise. In the meantime, he had ask
ed Sir Hercules Robinson, governor OF the
Cape Colony, to come to England, but the
request for him TO come was not intended
as a recall. In regard to the chartered
company, he said, he did not dispute the
authenticity of the cipher kilograms which
the TransVaal authorities had published,
although there was as yet no legal proofs
that they indicated completely on the part
of the directors of the company. c'Hearr'
HearpD But he continued, as regards the
actual invasion of the Tranvaal there
was reason to believe that Mr.. Rhodes
had expressed his disapproval and had en-
deavored to stop the raid. Did the Oppo-
sition, he asked, demand the punishment
OF Mr.. Rhodes? Whatever may have been
Mr.. Rhodes errors. he had also rendered
great services, which could not be for
gotten. Mr.. Rhodes was now deprived of
the chartered company had shown their
confidence in him by deferring their ac-
ceptance of the resignation.
Considering the disturbed state Of
Rhodesia and the influence of Mr.. Rhodes
in that territory, he did not blame the di-
rectors for their show of confidence.
The government, he said, adhered to
their promise TO make a searching inquiry
into the action of the chartered company,
but he held that such an inquiry must not
be opened until the judicial proceedings
connected with the TransYaal raid We're
ended.
Henry Labouchere, who is a bitter op-
ponent of the British South Africa Com
pany, described the company as gang
of shady financiers, who were running
a gambling concern with the union jack
flying over il. Cecil Rhodes, he said, had
uttered deliberate falsehOods basely de-
ceiving Gov. Robinson, and had, when
prime minister of Cape Colony, disgraced
and dishonored the high tradition that
British ministers did not make money
from their positions. Mr.. Labouchere con-
cluded by declaring that he regretted the
decision of Mr.. Chamberlain, who was
fettered by the cabinet.
The debate was adjourned.