Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-30
SITUATION IN TRANSVAAL English Chancellor of Exchequer
 Wants 100000 Pounds TO INCREASE THE FORGE In that Much Desired Country-LiberaI Leader Harcourt Objects to the Proposed
 Budget-Warm Debate.

the exchequer, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, read the budget statement in the house of commons today. The balance of 1S96-97 shows the exchequer revenue to be f10S, S,950,00 and the expenditures f0l,- 477000 leaving a surplus Of f2,473,0 The chancellor of the excheGuer, who was heartily cheered, added that the na- tional debt had been reduced f7,460,0 GOO during the year and that tine total value of British trade during the last fiscal year was f7SS,000,000, an increase of per cent.
 Regarding affairs in South Africa, the chancellor said: We had to consider very carefully our position as to the paramount power in South Africa and decided to make material increase in the imperial garrison in that colony. These measures are not taken in an ag- gressive spirit. We intend to fulfill our obligations and expect others to do the same, and Tor this purpose we want f200, ,U00.'
 Sir William Vernon Harcourt, the liberal leader, referred to the 100000 st apart in the budget estimates for strengtheainS the British garrison in Soutn Africa arld said this lium was for a war pollcy in South Africa, which the opposition vas determined to resist
 Sir William Vernon Harcourt accuss ed MT. Chamberlain Of trying to raise war cIlQ OI USlIS III all HIS TGSeHl statements "eXasperating language com cluded to excite feeling Of radical hatred in South Africa, which, however, thank God, have failed.'
 Sir William Vernon Harcourt's re- marks were met with cries of "Ohr'
 Continuing he said the policy of the secretary of state for the colonies, in- tended to produce racial war, was de- feated by the good sense and feeling of the people of Cape Colony and h2 point ed to the adoption of the recent concillia- tory motion in the parliament of Cape Colony as being a condemnation of this war policy, adding that he was able to say that the peace policy was supported by the government of Cape Colony.
 The secretary os state for the colonies, MT. Joseph Champerlain, hers entered the house, and amid cheers Sir William Yer non Harcourt said:
 Tn the presence of MT. Chamberlain repeat that 1t was a defeat of an utterly unjustifable attempt to excite i'll feel ing.
 "When we are asked to increase the taxes of Great Britain in order to pro- vide money to promote warlike aggres- give operations in South Africa cOh! Oh.o we oppose most determined re- e.stance. The proposal to apply money fer an unjustifiabis purpose against the will of the people and the government of Cape Colony is one of the most injuri- ous things which the government of the empire ever submitted to the house of commons"
 F MT. Chamberlain said he had not ex- pected to have to reply to such "perni- cious and dangerous language" He chased Sir William Harcourt's utter ances as being "unpatriotic in the high est degree, embarrassing to the govern ment and injurious to the cause of peace"
 Continuing Mr Chamberlain asserted that Sir William Harcourt's statement to the effect that the governments pol icy had been rejected by the Cape gov ernment and people were absolutely in accurate. The policy of the government, he explained had never changed from the first. Only circumstances had changed to some extent. The govern ments policy, MT. Chamberlain added, is to maintain it's obligations, not to en- gage in any aggressive operations nor to attack the independence of a friendly state, but to maintain our own rights and the rights of the nation."
 q had hoped" continued MT. Cham kerlain, that our policy would continue to be non-partisan, but that hope has disappeared in the face of Sir William Harcourt's speech and I now challenge him to raise the issue (cheers and eoun, ter cheers) Are the opposition prepared to take issue with us when we say that while we are prepared to observe our ob- llgatons we intend that obligations to- wards us shall also be maintained? The question between us and the Transvaal Is nct an attack on the London convention upon our part; but breaches of the con- vention upon the part of the Transvaal and we are calling upon them in friendly terms to give us satisfaction
 Sir William Harcourt here interrupted Mir. Chamberlain by remarking: You ara asking for f200,o00.".
 ''What nor sanse," exclaimed MT. Cham berlain, hotly.
 Prolonged cheers greeted the sharp answer of the secretary of state for the colonies, who continues:
 we ask for f200,G00 when everybody knows the Transvaal is asking for a million and hundreds and hundreds of thousands. The Transvaal has been arm ing to an extent unjustifiable to any or dinary policy of defense. We have not but the result has been that the present armaments of the TransvaaI are altogether disproportionate to the defensive resources of Cape Colony. and the Transvaals armamerts after eXpend- ing considerably over million upon them are still going on. Batteries of ar tilery and Maxim guns, millions and millions of cartridges and hundreds of thousands of rifles have been import ed into the Transvaal."
 MT Chamberlain concluded with say ing: "I do not believe there is feeling to repudiate the policy of the govern ment. on the contrary believe the reel ing of every loyal British subject at the Cape to be one of gratitude and satis- faction with her majestys government. I understand that they recognize their position as the representatives of the power in South Africa and are determined in the often used words to maintain the integrity of all our rights under the convention"
 The conclusion of MT. Chamberlain's remarks was the signal for tremendous outburst of cheering upon the part of the 
 Later replying to MT. Thomas Warner, liberal MT. Chamberlain said that the dispatch of a regiment of British in- fantry and brigade of British artillery to Cape Colony was intended as a per moment increase of the Cape garrison.
 MT Balfour, first lord of the treasury and the government leader in the house also depreciated Sir William Earcourt's langua gs and protested that the policy of the government was not provocative,
 Sir William Vernon Harcourt. replying to MT. Balfour, expres~ed his satisfaction at the statement just made by the first lord of the treasury but said that no one could dorbt the existence at the Cape of a very widespread impression that war