Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-19
TROUBLES OF THE TRANsvAAL.
Disputes With Great Hritaln for
Half Century.
baltimore Amerlcan.)


century 1t was on the Cape Of Good
Hope that the white man made his first
settlement In South Africa. The Dutch,
under the auspices Of the Dutch East
India Company, went there in the seven
teenth century. They were followed by
Huguenot refugees In search of the re-
ligious freedom denied them in France
These two races lived amicably together
Intermarriages merged them into one
blood. That the Beers, or Dutch Afrikan-
ders Of to-day, are mixed race is evil
denced by the very names OF their prom
inent representatives. Kruger, the Presl-
dent, for example, has a name OF Holland
origin. Joubert, the Vce-President and
the commandant-general of the army,
has a French patronymic. The first Brit
ish settlers arrived toward the close Of
the eighteenth century. Trouble at once
began TO arise. These troubles eliminated
in the conquest of the territory by the
British. In 1914 Holland formally coded
it to Great Britain. Cape Colony, as 1t
was now named, has ever since remained
q dependency of the Crown.
The new administration was little to the
liking of the descendants of the original
settlers Under Holland they had enjoy
ed a measure Of ef-government. Under
Great Britain they felt themselves aliens.
The crisis of discomfort arrived with the
emancipation Of their slaves, in 1884 Not
only was the emancipation itself against
their wishes, but the nominal compensa-
ton offered them took the form OF or
ders on London, which they were forced
TO cash on the spot at ruinous discounts.
Many of the farmers were practically
impoverished. In rage and disgust, large
number Of the Beers began 10 go north
and east into the wilderness. This exo-
dus Is known as the great trek Of 1870.
Trek is Dutch for track, or, rather, for
the verb which survives in our vernacu-
lar speech as to make tracks. The trek
kers founded the two Colonies of orange
and Natal. whose northern boundaries
were the Vaal river. They were sun
claimed as British subjects by the Gov
ernor Of the Colony. In 1913 this claim
was enforced by conquest once more
large number Of the Beers jumped INTO
their wagons and trekked across the
yaal in search of independence.
Thus the Transyaal state was founded
and maintained a precarious existence py
whip and rifle In the teeth of constantly
encroaching hordes Of hostile savage
tribes But 20 where they would, the
Boers found the British power and iniiu-
ence were sure TO follow. Nor were they
altogether unwelcome at first Without
the aid Of British arms, 1T Is more than
doubtful whether the white settlements
could have maintained themselves against
the Zulus on their east, and MataDeles on
their west, and the Kaftirs In their very
midst. In 1877. however, British annex
alton proved the price Of British protec-
ton The Beers protested In vain. IL was
nor until 1881 that they deserted to arms.
at
brought the British Government to terms.
MEANING OF SUZERAINTY.
BY a convention signed at Pretoria In
1881, Mr.. Gladstone's government restored
independence to the Transvaal, now
known officially as the South African re-
public. Independence was subject, how
ever. to the suzerainty OF Great Britain.
There was no mistaking the meaning OF
the word suzerainty, as defined IN this
1t was expressly stipulated
that the English crown should appoint a
British resident, with veto power over
the internal policy OF the republic toward
the Kafiirs; that 1t should control ana
Conduct its entire foreign policy and re-
serve the right OF moving troops over IT'S
territory I'm time of war. To the Beers,
however. the reservation was gan ana
As they chafed more ana
more under what seemed TO the Colonial
Office a mere shadow of authority, Glad
stone cheerfully proposed revision OF
the convention.
Thus came the conference which LED 10
the second, or London, convention In 1884.
Though held in the metropolis OF Great
Britain itself the British public thought
little. and cared less, about the matter.
The Beers got pretty much what they
wanted. out Of Difference to Boer sensi-
tiyeness the word "suzerainty," express
ly used in the convention OF 1881, was
omitted in the new one, and the title or
British resident was changed 10 dlpio-
matte agent, with a restriction OF MS
functions 10 purely consular duties. Com
pete independence was granted IN DO
nestle affairs. The western boundaries
of the State we're mutually determined
upon.
Though the word suzerainty was drop
ned. the thing itself was asserted III one
clause, which ran as follows: lhe
south African republic will conclude no
treaty or engagement with any State or
nation other than the Orange Free state,
nor with any native tribe 10 the eastward
or westward OF the republic, until the
same has been approved by her Majesty,
the Queen"
AS the other clauses were concessions |
TO Boer feelings, so this was a conces- |
sion TO John Bulls Some years passed |
before IL was looked upon as of any |
vital importance. The Beers have argued
that the Colonial Office winked at some
minor violations Of its spirit, but this
is denied by British authorities. Only
when the Beers showed a disposition 10
encroach beyond the boundary limitations
of the convention was il aroused,
and even then 10 tardy action. The
Government had its heart set
upon two great aims. One was TO shut
off Cape Colony from the north; the
other 10 establish "A seaport Of its own.
THE RUSH FOR GOLD.
In short. the British took so little in
terest in the matter that Ii is not impos-
sibe the Beers might stealthily and grad
ually have succeeded in their double aim,
despite the vigilance of Cecil Rhodes ana
Sir Hercules Robinson. The discovery OF
gold in the Witwatersrand range OF hills
changed everything. To be sure. the nrSt
mines exploited in 1885, at Barberton. col
lapsed after the preliminary rush, but the
unique conglomerate deposits in the To-
caity where the present city OF johannes
burg sprang up, almost In night. gave
assurance 10 the world that one OF the
greatest centres of gold-mining known 10
all history had been found
The world was quick 10 respond. Vast
muItitudes Of foreigners. chiefly English,
but numbering also Americans Germans,
French. and Austrians, streamed into
that region. The Beers classed them As
Uitlanders or foreigners To-day johann
nesburg, which Is practically an English
city. numbers over 10000 souls. Pretoria.