Evening star., 1897-03-26
DR.. jameson. Statement.

The next witness was DR. Leander s.
Jameson, the leader of the TransyaaI raid.
He read statement, in the course of
which he referred to many talks with Mr..
Rhodes at the end of 1897 on the subject
of the federation of South Africa and the
obstacles presented by the attitude of the
Transvaal. The statement continued:
In the middle of 1891 Mr. Rhodes and
Mr.. Hays Hammond uhe American en-
gineer) were with me in Matabeleland
when the position Of the fransvaal and the
grievances of the Uitlarders were freely
discussed. Mr. Hammond asserted that it
was impossible for the economic conditions
OF the Rand to continue and that unless a
radical change was made there would be a
rising of the people of johannesburg.
Il was much impressed with Mr. Ham
monds representations, and afterward, in
company with Mr.. Hammond, / went to
Johannesburg and Pretoria and verified the
accuracy of his views.
The result of these Investigations was
that the chartered company's police and
volunteers were prepared. SO that il a
revolt occurred and help was needed We
should be in position to send it.
Subsequently. IN 1885 l revisited Jo-
hannesburg and found the people deter
mined to bring matters to issue. In
the course OF protrdcted conference the
leaders Informed me regarding their wish
and plans. The first proposal was to
act alone but my troop were to be in readi-
ness On the border IN case tney were re-
qIired Later the leaders concluded that
there no hope of success without the
help of an armed force. and they decided
that the only way to obtain reforms was
to change the administration of the Trans
Vaal and that the safest mode of effecting
this would be to have a sufficient force at
Johannesburg to induce President Kruger
to take a plebescite OF the whole popula-
ton, to decide who was to be president.
They therefore invited my help, and it was
tn ia force Johannes
burg to maintain order and bring pres
sure to bear upon the Transvaal while the
redress OF the grievances was enforced by
the people.
Il therefore obtained the letter signed by
the four leaders, with which the commit
tee is familiar, and 1t was agreed that 81
multaneously with the rising in Johannes
burg, at the end Of December, l was to
start.
Dr. Jameson. it appears. afterward told
Mr.. Rhodes of these arrangements, and
the latter agreed to them.
the statement then deals with the prep
aTations to force the frontier, arous!ng the
suspicious of the Beers. and the commun,-
cations between DR.. Jameson and the
leaders at johannesburg. the latter never
intimating any intention of abandoning
their determination to appeal to arms.
The statement next refers to the report
Of the grave situation In the mines, and
adds:
Under my arrangements with the ID
hanEesburPers. l felt l had alterna ii We
but to proceed, and l started the same
day"
The statement concludes: NO commune
cation whatever was received from Mr.
Rhodes or from any one at Cape Town
directing authorizing my force to move
to Johann esburg. l acted entirely upon my
own judgment. Maj. Heany did not bring
me message from Rhodes
The committee put few questions to DR.
Jameson. Replying to Sir Henry Campbell
Bsnnerman. liberal. DIR. Jameson said he
knew he had not done the right thing, be-
cause he had not succeeded. adding that if
he had succeeded, he knew he would have
been forgiven. Laughter.)
The committee then adjourned