The record-union., 1896-02-24
They Are Now Objects Of Interest in thG
British Isles.
PLYMOUTH, Feb. 23.-The British
What They Have to Say on the Raid OF
the Beers.
wretched Condition of Great Many
of the Inhabitants of Armenia
Starvation Staring Hundreds In the
Face-People Actually Without a
stitch of Clothing.

steamer Harloch Castle, from Port Ma
tai, January 2Sth, arrived here at 800
o'clock this morning, having on board
30o troopers who took part in DR.. jam
eson's raid into the Transvaal, and who
were compelled to surrender to the
Beers. These men were turned over to
the English authorities by the Boer
Government, and the former ordered
that they be brought to England. The
officers of the expedition, including Dr.
Jameson, are on the transport Victoria,
which is expected to arrive some time
during the night.
Among the men on the Harloch Cas-
tie there were six sick Shortly after
half-past II o'clock a tender went
alongside the steamer The troopers
were all mustered on the deck of the
steamer and their transfer to the ten
der was quickly accomplished. 1t was
thought that much enthusiasm would
be displayed on their arrival here, as
there is scarcely doubt that their
raid illegal though it was, caused much
popular admiration in England. The
fact did not bear out expectation. There
was no crowd present to witness their
there was no cheering.
A majority of the troopers were at
tired in the police uniform of the Brit
ish South Africa Company, but a num-
Der of them wore nondescript garments.
Overcoats and other clothing suitable
to this climate were supplied to them,
and they then looked far more COM
Portable than they did in the early
}, arIx Lot
of men. Their ages range from 20 to
80 years. Many of them belong to the
best families in England having gone
to South Africa, where they could do
work, which, had they done it here,
would have caused them to be looked
down upon by their acquaintances.
The reporter of the United Press in
terviewed a number of the men. Their
stories Of the fight which ended in
their surrender at Krugersdorp, varied
widely Some of them stated that when
they surrendered to the Boer forces
their ammunition had been exhausted,
while others declared that there was no
lack of ammunition. They all agreed
that the Beers lost from ITO to 200
men killed, though this has been denied
by the Beers themselves One of the
made against the Beers method of war
fare is that they will not face their foes
in the open, hiding behind trees and
rocks and in gullies and picking off
the enemy without themselves being
seen. If they followed this method
in their attack on Dr. Jameson's forces
and it has been repeatedly stated
that they did--it is hard to understand
how their loss could have as heavy as
the troopers claim.
One of the men, however, said that
he had seen the official Boer return of
the dead, and it showed that 1S2 were
killed.
In one particular all the troopers
were in hearty agreement, and that was
III denunciation of the Uitlanders of
Johannesburg, who they declared had
induced them to enter the Transvaal
and then did not dare to raise a finger
to help them though they (the foreign
residents) had a large and well armed
body of men, who, if they had been sent
to DR.. Jameson's aid, would have put an
entirely different face on the affair.
The men were very bitter in the ex-
pressions against the Johannesburgers
Shortly after the troopers had been
landed they were supplied with rail-
road tickets at the expense of the Gov
ernment, and all were shipped to their
homes.
Many of them are Irishmen and
Scotchmen Some have large interests
in Mashonaland and expect to return
to South Africa when quiet is restored
there. A number of the men said the
gold fields of the Mashonaland Company
would give all the party a bonus of
f100 in London.
A large number of newspaper repre-
sentatives are here Their interest is
centered in DR.. jameson and the other
officers on the Victoria, and every eff
fort will be made to secure interviews
with them. 1t is thought, however,
that the Government has made arrange
ments to prevent these prisoners from
being talked to by the press men.
A majority of the troopers arrived
at the Paddington station this evening
from Plymouth. A moderate-sized
crowd was in the street. but none of
its members, even though they were re-
lations of the men, were allowed to en-
ter the station. Most of the crowd be-
heved that DR.. Jameson and his party
had arrived, and they refused to be
disabused.
When the cabs and carriages con-
yeying the men issued from the station
the crowd cheered Justify. The troopers
enjoyed their reception and waved
their hats in response to the cheers. As
they proceeded eastward their uni
froms attracted attention and large
crowds followed the vehicles cheering
and roaring for DR.. Jameson
There was a big demonstration in
Piccadilly circus, where the crowd was
so dense that the carriages proceeded
with difficulty. There was a great
contrast between the reception accorded
the men in Plymouth and London. The
enthusiasm displayed here showed that
Dr. Jameson is a popular. hero in Lon
don
The transport Victoria anchored in
the sound at midnigha AS soon as it
was learned that she had arrived a
boat that had been chartered by the
press representatives put out to her.
When the press boat attempted to run
alongside the transport she was warned
off, the warning being accompanied by
the information that no communiea-
ton would be allowed with the prison
ers.
Several officers of the Victoria were on
deck. and they were questioned at long
distance regarding DR.. Jameson and
his officers They declined TO give any
information beyond the statement that
all the prisoners were well and that
DR.. Jameson was asleep. 1t is believed
that the present precautions taken will