The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-09-28
PRICE FIVE CENRA

both as regards its spirit and form
TO be SO worded as, relying upon in
timations to this Government, would
satisfy her majestys Government.
This Government saw difficulty as to
the acceptance of these proposals by
the people and Legislature of the
Transvaal, and also contemplated pos
sible dangers connected Herewith, but
risked them on account of sincere
desire to secure peace, and because as
sured by Mr.. Chamberlain that such
proposals would not be deemed a re-
fCsal of his proposals, but would be
settled on their merits
"As regards the Joint Commission,
the Transvaal adheres to the accept
ance of the invitation thereunto given
by Her Majestys Government. and
cannot understand why such commits
sion, which before was deemed neces-
sary to explain the complicated de-
tails of the 7-year law, should now be
deemed unnecessary, and why it
should now, without much inquiry, be
thought possible to declare this law
inadequate.
Further, there must be a misappre-
hensiOn if it be assumed that this
Government was prepared to lay pro-
posals for five years franchise and
a quarter representation of the new
population before the Volksraad for
unconditional acceptance. AS to the
language, this Government never made
any offer such as is referred to, con-
sidering, as it did, such a measure
both unnecessary and undesirable.
THE proposed conference, as op-
posed to the joint commission of in
quiry, this Government is likewise
not unwilling to enter upon, but the
difficulty is that an acceptance there
OF is made dependent upon the accept
ance, on the side of the Transvaal, of
precedent conditions which this Gov
ernment does not feel at liberty to
| submit to the Volksraad, and, more
| over, the subjects to be discussed at
the conference remain underlined.
This Government ardently desires
| and gladly accepts arbitration, as it's
| firm intention is to adhere to the terms
| of the London convention of 1884"
The dispatch concludes by trusting
that the British Government, on re-
| consideration, may not deem it fit to
| make more Onerous or new proposals,
but will "adhere to Great Britain's
l pAOpOodlS lOI JOiul cOumlSSlOn OIL
inquiry, as previously explained by the
Secretary of State for the Colonies to
the Imperial Parliament"
| PRETORIA, Sept. 18.-The Volks-
raad today re-adopted the mining ar
| ticle on the gold law eliminated last
year, empowering the Government to
| confiscate the claims and mines be-
| longing to people convicted of treason
or conspiracy against the State and
| empowering the Government to order
| that the mines be worked and if their
| instruction is disregarded to work
them through their own agents. The
re-adOpted article comes into force
| Immediately.
The Transvaal State Secretary, F.
w. Reitz, in the course of an interview
| today declared that the Government.
| the VOlksraad and the people were
unanimous regarding the attitude
which the Transvaal has assumed and
| that there was no foundation what
ever for the reports of differences.
Mr.. Reitz asserted that the TransvaaPs
| decision was arrived at in conjunction
with the Orange Free State.
LONDON, Sept 19.-The special
dispatches from South Africa confirm
| the report telegraphed yesterday that
| the Beers are massing artillery in pO-
sitions commanding Laings Neck.
Small BOer detachments occupy posi-
| tlOnS above Buffalo river.
The members of the Afrikander
Bund in Cape Town intend to convene
the Bund in congress to consider the
situation.
LONDON, Sept. 19-Mr. Chamber
| lain came TO London from Birming-
ham yesterday afternoon and spent the
evening at the Colonial Office. While
there he received a dispatch from
Lord Salisbury, who is at Hatfield
House, and sent a special messenger
There has been a lively interchange
of dispatches between the Foreign,
War and Colonial offices, but no sum-
mons has yet been issued for a Cabi-
net Council.
Long dispatches were sent last even
ing to the Viceroy of India, Lord Cur
zon, and the British High Commission
er in South Africa, Sir Alfred Miner.
General Sir Garnet Wolseley mar
shall and commander in chief, re-
turned to London yesterday and i'm
mediate1y repaired to the War Office,
where he remained busily employed
the greater part of the day
War risks on consignments to the
Transvaal were quoted at a premium
of 80 per cent yesterday, and all the
markets were very sensitive and ex-
cited.
The Daily Chronicle points out this
morning that the Orange Free State
Continued on Page 2)