The record-union., 1896-01-23
THE STORY OF TRANsvAAL OUT.
LINED.

An official Of the English Government
having said that there are two sides to
the Transvaal trouble, and the English
side of the question has civilization,
humanity, representation and equities
that strongly address themselves to the
sentiment of justice, makes another
brief review of the history Of the Trans
vaal interesting.
Holland ceded her possessions at the
Cape Of Good Hope to England in 1915.
A large number of the Hollandese in
that colony were unwilling to come
under British rule, sold out their pos
sessions and moved north into what is
now known as the Orange Free State.
Some of them pushed westward to the
Natal Coast. now a British colony. Here
the two settlements remained until 1S42,
when the English assailed them and
drove those at Natal into the interior.
The descendants Of the Dutch thus
far from the aggressive English that
there would be no likelihood of their
being followed. While the body of them
remained in the Orange Free State a
large group crossed the vaal River and
located in the territory which we now
know as Transvaal, otherwise the
South African Republic.
They prospered greatly. followed pas
4,,o1 v,,,v.e,i+e, % o,7 foy ,,ay,xy xrao &c xxyora
not there trespassed upon by English
arms. In the meantime the English
had their contest with the Zulus and
conquered them, resulting in protec-
torate being established over Zulu
land. Tt is to be drawn from the rec
ord Of activities that the English were
not satisfied with the peace and content
Of the Beers in Transvaal, but no good
opportunity offered for disturbing them
until after the Zulu war. It was then
complained that the Beers had not
been friendly TO the English in that
contest and had not exerted their In
huence for civilization and against saw
agery. The Beers on their side re-
piled that they had all they could dc
to maintain decent relations with and
keep down the savage tribes to the
north and east, and that they must pur-
sue the policy of conserving peace to
the fullest extent, and of protecting
their own borders without becoming
involved with English trouble. They
had, as early as 1888, had a taste OF
war with the Zulus, and desired no
more Of It than was actually unavOid-
able.
It Is here to be remarked that from
the earliest movement of the Beers
north, to the coast and again to the
east, the English had ldenied their
right to set up independent govern
ments fn South Africa In 1S40 Gov
ernor Napier had issued a proclama-
Eion denouncing Boer republics as with
out authority, even when located be-
ycnd the limits of the British possess
ions. This led to an expedition against
those ON the coast in 1912 and theil
being driven out and their final settle
1nent in the Transvaal district, as al
ready recited.
In 1S4S the English proclaimed that
they had annexed the Orange Free State
to the Cape Colony. This led to a wal
in that State, the defeat of the Boer
and their fight into Transvaal, leaving
behind some 1900 of their people. who
though whipped, maintained their hos
tility to the English. AS the result O.
the Caffre war of 1850. however, tht
Orange State was relinquished to tht
Beers in 1854 and the Orange River re
public formally recognized as a fre,
and independent nation. This actor
greatly encouraged the Beers in Trans
vaal, who set up more cordial relation!
with their Brethren in Orange.
AS stated. England had. however
never recognized the Transvaalians a.
independent, and the war with Ceta
wayo confirming the English in theil
opinion that for mutual protection {
confederation of all South African
States was essential. bent their energies
to bring it about. Transvaal resolutel.
refused to take part in the movement
This made the relations between TIT
English and the Beers more strained
and led Shepstone, April i, 1877, to de
clare Transvaal annexed to England
na the result OF q convention he hal