New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-17
RHODES WAS RESPONSIBLE.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN LEADER TELLS
OF THE TRANsvAAL RAID.
he SENT DR. JAMESON AND THE TROOPS 10 THE
rroNr1yR-HE WANTED TO HELP THE UT
,.SDrpc TIE
WENT TOO FAR

WENT TOO FAR
london Feb. 16-The Parliamentary Com
ynittee recently appointed by the House Of Com
mons 10 inquire into the causes and circum-
stances Of the troubles In the Transvaal began
its s.ttinss to-day The committee room was
crowded with privileged persons. among whom
vas the Prince OF Wales who showed great in =
teres, in the proceedings.
Cecil Rhodes. formerly Prime Minister OF the
Cape Colony and the active director OF the af
fairs O. the British South Africa Company. was
sworn and took the stand as the first witness
Mr. Rhodes read q long statement detailing the
occurrences in British South Africa and the
Transvaal prior to the raid led by DR.. Jameson
into the Boer territory. and dwet at some length
upon the general feeling Of discomfort which had
arisen as a consequence Of the corrupt manage
ment Of the Transvaal Government and Its re-
,usal 10 concede the rights OF the Uitlanders.
He was in sympathy with the Utlanders In
their grievances. and to assist a movement de-
signed TO obtain for them their constitutional
rights he had placed on the Transvaal frontier.
under the orders Of DR.. Jameson. a force OF
troops with instructions TO act should certain
events arise Mr. Rhodes admitted that he had
not communicated to the directors Of the Char
tered Company a notice OF all his actions. which.
however were made in perfect good faith and
under the influence OF his belief that II was the
intention OF the Transvaal Government to intro
duce into the Boer Republic the influence OF
foreign power Germany.
At this point Sir William Harcourt inter-
rupted Mr.. Rhodes and asked; Was your OBJ
1ect 10 overthrow the Transvaal Government
Mr. Rhodes replied that the overthrow OF the
Government was not his object. but merely 10
bring about a change He admitted the prob
ability Of his having done wrong in placing DR..
Jameson with his on the frontier. but
Jameson's invasion Of the Transvaal he was not
responsible for, as Jameson had gone into the
Boer territory without his (Rhodes) authority.
Witness was asked whether ne had INFORMED
the British High Commissioner In South AFRICA
Sir Hercules Robinson now Lord Rosmead) or
his designs and he replied that he had not
Sir William Harcourt asked why he had not
Informed the British High Commissioner. and
NJ Rhodes answered You had better get the
answer 10 that question from Lord Rosmeao.
Mr. Rhodes would not say that the measures
he had taken had brought about the reVoiutlon
in the Transvaal. He admitted. however tha'
he had supplied some OF the funds used IN pre-
narine and carving out Jamesons raid put ne
could not say who supplied the rest he denied
ma, he had pressed the Johannesbergers into acts
Of Instruction. What pressure there ma! naNe
naen was not from the outside. but from Withl,l
y was Impossible he said. that the present state
~ things in johannesburg and other parts Oh
he Transvaal should continue. Inc peopIe
would not cease their agitation uii'ii ''7S W.
tanned their civil rights. ,. -,
The examination Of Mr.. Rhodes occupied INC
entire sitting and the committee ADJOURNED uii'H
Friday