The San Francisco call., 1897-07-27
Report Ofthe Committee
Scored in the House
of Commons.
Chamberlain Makes Speech
in Which He Defends
Cecil Rhodes.
Advises the Avoidance OF Anything
That Would Cause Further Irri-
tatlon Among Beers.

LONDON, Eng, July 26.-ln the House
of Commons to-day Hon. Philip ]. Stan
hope (Radical) moved the adoption OF a
resolution deprecating the inconclusive
action and report Of the committee which
examined into the Tiansyaal raid and the
affairs OF the British South Africa Com
pany. The resolution laid particular
stress upon the failure of the committee
TO recon uend specific steps regarding
Cecil Rhodes, and upon its action in not
reporting 10 the House the refusal o1
Hawksley, Rhodes solicitor. to produce
certain kilograms bearing upon the raid.
The resolution also demanded that Hawks
ley be summoned to the bar and COM
PEELED 10 produce the telegrams.
Labouchere, who was mem Der OF the
,ommittee, lea the attack upon the COM
mittee. Sir Michael Hicks- Beach de-
Tended it.
Vernon Harcourt, Liberal leader, said
the committee had not abandoned the
inquiry. The report submitted was con-
elusive on ali important points in refer
ence TO the raid, but II was too late in the
session for the committee TO enter upon an
investigation of the affairs OF the British
South Africa Company. He reaffirmed
entire confidence in the committee.
Chamber ain, Colonial Secretary. de.
Tended the committee in not insisting
upon the production of kilograms. He
said he regretted that Stanhope had sub
mitted the resolution, as it was calculated
to weaken the committees authority and
cast a slur upon its conclusions, which
nv n h.. CtF
Africa aud a vlndication OF the honor Of
Great Britain. He declared he was not
concerned to defend his personal honor
Rhodes had committed fault as big as 3
statesman could, but had done nothing tC
affect his personal character as a man ot
honor. Chamberlain did not believe the
atrocious charges against Rhodes and DR..
Harris made by Labouchere, who had
abused the privileges of the House. The
Government he added, was not going TO
prosecute Rhodes or remove his name
from the list of Privy Councillors. He had
been made Privy Councillor Tor his serv-
ices, and had done nothing since which
dimmed those services. The Government
must be guided to a considerable extent
by the opinion that prevailed in South
Africa or South Africa might be lost.
The Colonial Secretary then read COM
mun;eation IRON Sir J. Gordon Sprigg,
Prime Minister of Cape Co ony, to the
effect that Rhodes retained his former
popularity and that probably not more
than half the Dutch residents of the Cape
were opposed to him.
Chamberlain said it was not intended to
abolish the British South Africa Company.
Rhodes would in time have autonomy
granted 10 il, and in the meantime such
form of control would be esta blished as
would prevent any abuse. This would
probably be done before Parliament rea~-
sembies. The situation in South Africa
was now bette than a any time since the
raid. The bitterness provoked by the in
vasion of the TransYaal had largely been
removed, and all now necessary 10 re-
establish harmony was the avoidance oi
anything that would cause further irrita-
tion to the Iransyaal. President Kruger s
recent attitude encouraged the hope that
relations between the two Governments
would soon be thoroughly satisfactory.
Stanhope's resolution was then rejected
by a vote of 304 to II