Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-12
Reaches Informal Agreement with the Beers
Before Kruger's Ultimatum,
REPORTS HIS NEGOTIATIONS TO MINER
Miner Repudiates Greene's Action and
Gives Him Severe Rebuke.
KRUGER NOW HOLDS EVIDENCE OF THIS
Chamberlain Combines with MiIncr
to Bring On the War and Greene
Returns to England n Dis
grnced Diplomat.

Copyright, 1899, by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, Nov. 11-(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram. with full
sense OF the gravity of the statement
assert upon trustworthy information that
Conyngham Greene the British agent at
Pretoria, had informally come to COM
plete agreement with the Boer government
shortly before the issue of the Boer ulti-
matum on all subjects in dispute and had
so advised British High Commissioner Mil
ner. Miner instantly repudiated Greene's
action and rebuked him for continuing in
formal negotiations, which, he said, could
only lead to compromising entanglements.
Evidence of this is in the hands of Presi-
dent Kruger, who even under tremendous
provocation to publish it has withheld it
because he and his colleagues are satisfied
that Greene acted honestly throughout the
negotiations and that il he had been free
agent the war would have been prevented.
Besides, the agreement Of course was con-
ditional upon the acceptance by the high
commissioner and in such cases 1t is Gus
tomary where a stipulation CT mutual Sc
crecy is made, to keep the communications
strictly confidential. Mr.. Greene's dispatches,
as published even in mutilated form. afford
evidence that he was actuated throughout by
desire to secure peace.
Greene's Statement.
His only statement to the press since his
arrival here, which was treated as a mere
perfunctory declaration, assumes a very
serious import in view of the unimpeach-
able information now given. He said:
81 worked for peace up to the hour left
Pretoria and parted with President Kruger
on cordial terms
!. Major Fred Miner at Capetown and
Colonial Secretary Chamberlain in London
have avowed that they regarded war as in
evitable for weeks before, but Conyngham
Greene, the British agent at Pretoria, the
man on the spot and knowing all the cir
cumstances and the real disposition of the
Boer government, did not abandon hope of
peace up to the hour he was forced to leave
Pretoria by the imperative instructions of
High Commissioner Miner. The truth is
that Mr.. Greene would have been removed
from Pretoria long before, for the Rhodes
party early pronounced him wanting In
frmness and he was an obstacle to the war
policy of Chamberlain and Miner, had not
Mr.. Chamberlain been afraid to make
change at so critical juncture while Mr..
Greene, though offered every inducement,
would not desert his post
Greene Disgraced.
Evidence that Miner and Chamberlain
regarded Greene's conduct with displeasure
during the negotiations are abundant When
ne went down from Pretoria he was hustled
out of Capetown by Miner by the first
homeward steamer. When he arrived here
he found that Mr.. Chamberlain had left
London for his country seat, and this i'm
portant British envoy, coming direct from
the capital of a country with which Great
Britain Is now at war, has not yet been
received by the head of his department, so
that he might convey his views verbally on
the momentous situation. Finding that Mr.
Chamberlain, though within two hours of
London, did not condescend to come up to
see him, or even ask him down to Highbury.
Mr.. Greene called at the foreign office,
where he saw Lord Salisbury, to whom he
complained bitterly OF the open discourtesy
shown him by both Chamberlain and Miner.
He also went, as in duty bound, to the
colonial office, where he was received by
officials OF no account He has been treated
as a diplomatist in disgrace His offense
is that he honestly worked to prevent war.