New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-11
THE TRANSVAAL ULTIMATUM.

4 hackneyod prOverb springs 10 mind nj reau-
ing the amazing document sent from Pretoria
to London Whom God would destroy, Tie
first makes mad We would not say that de-
slruction of the TranSvaal is the Divine VIII.
But assurcdly there could be no greater act OF
madness than the dispatch OF such defiance
and virtual declaration of war. The ultima
um-assuming the cabled reports Of il to be cor
roct-comos as all the more unwelcome shock
10 the pcaceful and moral sonsibilities or the
world because II has within the last few days
been growing more and more evident that an
amcahle settlement Of all matters In dispute
between Great Britain and the Transvaal was
easily within reach The utterances or such
men MS Mr. Morley on the ono sGe IN Eng
lond and The Duke OF DevOnshire on the other
have indicated the presence and prevailing force
OF q spirit Of Justice and Cancellation worthy of
triumDh. Nor have similar manifestations or
good will in South Africa been lacking. Jester
dov morning there was cause to reckon peace
decidedly in the ascendant. This morning the
creaking Of the gates Of the Temple Of Janus
may he heard.
The ultimatum amounts IN terms 70 THIS:
Groot Britain is pcrcmptorily ordered to recog-
nize the entire independence OF the Iransvaai'
in external as we'll as internal affairs; to with
drov- all her troops instantly from the Trans
vaa1 frontier. without corresponding with
drowal Of Transvaal troops from the Natal
frontier. 10 Withdraw all reinforcemcnts which
have been sent 10 South Africa in the last four
,,onths and 10 turn away without landing all
troous now on the way 10 any part Of South
Africa And if the British Government does
NOT Weld TO these demands at once. to W.T. by
: o'clock This afternoon the Transvaal will
instantly thereafter declare war and begin
hostne oneratlons. That is the Trarsvaals
message. History bears record Of few more
,oror,n+orv defiant and bcllicose II the re-
norris of II be correct. il means war IN South
Africa nv the time these lines are read by TO-
DAVIS late readers: for o'clock ia the after
noon NJ Nqinba Hill IS 10 o'clock in the morn
ing IN New-York.
II Is 70 he assumed Of course that Great
britain cannot for moment think OF yielding
to tbo Tronsvaal demand. To do SO would be
10 abdicate her rank as paramount Power IN
sorth Africa and dissolve her empire In that
mart OF the world What word may possibly he
spoken 70 avert the Boer menace IS matter OF
mere conjecture. There may be some such.
The Pretoria Government may Itself recover
sanity Of mind and strength Of hand and re
RESPONSIBLE for this war declaring ultmatum
But all that belongs 10 the domain of lingering
hone rather than Of confident expectation Al
This hour there is little 10 look forward TO save
q bloody race war. the extinction Of the two
Boer republics. and after that many years OF
sullen and ranking hatred And 1t VIII all be
because the Pretoria Government chose war
rather than the granting Of equality OF rights
n tho two white races in the Transvaal. such as
has long been enjoyed 10y them in the Cape
Colony That viii beyond question be the
sober Judgment Of the future. The world viii
! look upon the catastrophe Of war IN South
| Africa with indispensable regret and Will re
! card it as n needless and wanton wrong upon
! humanity But IL will not charge responsibility
therefor against the great Power which has
wrought Justice to Boer and BritOn alike in lis
| own domain. and has demanded nothing more
than justice for Briton and Bccr alike in Tie
domain Of its dependent