The herald., 1897-03-27
JAMESON RAID
The Late Leader Takes
the Stand
RHODES NOT RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE INVASION OF THE
TRANSvAAL
Jameson Hoped to Succeed and Knew
That He Would Be Forgiven
for His Act


LONDON, March 26.--At the session
today of the parliamentary committee
inquiring into the Transvaal raid, the
secretary of state for the colonies, Jo-
seph Chamberlain, continued his exam
ination CT w. P. Schreiner, who was at
torney-gersral of Cape Colony at the
time Cecil Rhodes was premier. All the
questions put indicated desire to vim
dicate Mr. Chamberlain's policy in the
Transvaal.
Following Schreirier, DR.. Jameson,
leader of the-British military forces. told
the story of his movements. which has
frequently been rehearsed in print. He
sought to justify his actions by pointing
out the critical condition of the Uit-
landers in the Transvaal prior to the
raid. DR.. Jameson exculpated Rhodes
from the responsibility of having ordered
the final move of the troops across the
border. saying he had managed the step
on his own account.
Jameson's statement continued: I'm
the middle of 1894 Rhodes and John Hays
Hammond (the American engineeD
were with me in Matabeleland, when the
position of the Transvaal government
and the grievances of the Uitlanders
were freely discussed. Mr.. Hammond
asserted that II was impossible for the
economic conditions of the Rand to con-
tinue and that unless a radical change
was made, there would be a risinng of
the people of Johannesburg.
II was much impressed with Ham
mond's representation, and afterward, in
company with Hammond, l went TO
Johannesburg and Pretoria and verified
the accuracy of his views. The result of
those Investigations was that the Char
tered company's police and volunteers
were prepared, so that If a revolution
occurred and help was needed, we should
be in a position to send it.
Subsequently, in 1895. l revisited Jo-
hannesburg and found the people deter
mined to bring matters 30 an issue. In
the course OF my protracted conference,
the leaders informed me regarding
their wishes and plans. The first pro-
pcsal was to act alone, but my troops
were to be in readiness on the border
In case they were required. Later the
leaders concluded that there was 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 effect
ing this would be to have a sufficient foce
at Johannesburg to induce President
Kruger to take a plebiscite of the whole
population, to decide who was TO be
president They therefore invited my
help, and it was arranged to take my
force to johannesburg to maintain or
der and bring pressure to bear upon the
Transvaal while the redress OF the grew
ances was enforced by them.
"Therefore obtair,ed the letter signed
by the leaders with which the commit
tee is familiar, and 1t was agreed that
simultaneously with the rising in Jo-
hannesburg at the end of December l
was to start.
DR.. Jameson, 1t appears. afterward
told Mr.. Rhodes of his arrangements
and the latter agreed to them
The statement then deals with the
preparations to force the frontier, arous-
ing the suspicious of the Beers, and the
communications between Jameson and
the leaders at Johannesburg. the latter
never intimating any intention OF aban-
donfng their determination to appeal TO
arms.
The statement next refers to the re-
port of the grave situation in the mines,
and adds: Under my arrangements
with the Johannesburgers l felt hao
no alternative but to proceed, ana L
started the same day."
1.-The statement concludes: No COM
munication whatever was received from
Rhodes or from any one at Cape Town
directing or authorizing my force to
move to johannesburg. ] acted entirely
on my own Judgment. Major Heaney did
not bring me a message from Rhodes.
The committee put few questions to
Jameson. Replying to Sir Henry Camp
bell Bannerman, Liberal, DIR. Jameson
said he knew he had not done the right
thing. because he had not succeeded; !;
adding that If he had succeeded, he knew
he would have been forgiven. Naugh-
ter)
The committee then adjourned.