Hutchinson gazette., 1899-09-28

AVDN lOMlg h'llNNihbNi W. ~ -
ported from Pretoria that Command
ant General Joubert reckons on 49,
Transvual troops, 10000 from the
Orange Free State, 5000 from Cape
Colony, 1000 from Natal, and 5000
Hollanders, Germans and other yolunN
teers.
Trenches, earthworks and sandbag
defenses are being erected In all the
available approaches TO the capital.
London, September 26,-A special
dispatch from Pretoria says the mem'
bers OF the yolksraad, believing that
the British notes are intended to gain
time for the concentration of troops,
urge the government to adjourn the
raad Immediately and to send Great
Britain note declaring that further
mobilization will be regarded US an
unfriendly act.
The next big news will be the de-
cision arrived ut by the rand OF the
Orange Free State, whose secret de-
liberation is expected to close tomor-
row, and il viii come as u great sur
prise II the raad does not decide to
link arms with the Transyual,
Neither the iingoes nor the anti
war party are very proud OF yester-
days affair on Trafalgar square, which
proved nothing except that a mob is
always lingo"
The officials of the foreign office
this evening gave out the text of the
letter of the secretary Of state for the
colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain, to the
British High Commissioner in South
Africa, Sir Alfred Miner, dated Sep
tember 22. The British reply ex-
presses regret that her majesty's offer
No. 8, of September s, had been re-
fused, and says:
"rhe object her majesty's govern
ment had in view in the recent nego-
tiations has been stated in n manner
which can not admit of misapprehen-
sion, viz: to obtain such substantial
and immediate representation for the
outlanders as will enable them to Sc
cure for themselves that fair and just
treatment which was formally prom
ised them in 1881, and which her
majesty intended to secure for them
when she granted privileges Of self
government to the Transvnnl. No con-
ditions less comprehensive than those
contained in the telegram Of Septem-
ber can be relied on to effect this
object.
"The refusal Of the South African
government to entertain the offer thus
made, coming as II does after four
months Of protrNcted negotiations,
makes II useless to further pursue the
discussion on the lines hitherto fol-
lowed, and the imperial government is
now compelled to consider the situa-
ton afresh and formulate it's own
proposals for final settlement Of the
issues which have been created in
South Africa by the policy constantly
followed for many years by the gov
ernment of South Africa. They will
communicate the result Of their delib-
erations in later dispatch"
In later communication, dated Sep
tember 22, the imperial government
takes up the charge of breach of faith
insinuated by Secretary Of State Reitz
September 1O, (which we cannot pass
over in silence Mr.. Chamberlain
then says:
"The proposal made by the South
African republic in its letters of
August 10 and 20 were not induced by
suggestions given by the British agent
from the state attorney, as claimed.
On the contrary, the state attorney
sounded the British agent, both in
writing and in conversation, as to the
on which the imperial gov
ernment would waive the invitation to
a joint inquiry, the result of these
communications was the proposal
made by the South African govern
ment in these letters.
ut is impossible that the South Af-
rican government could have any
doubt as to the imperial governments
answer to the conditions named, and
my reply was actually the same as
the British agent had foreshadowed
to the state attorney, and which,
therefore, the South African govern.
ment must have anticipated in maxi
Ing the proposals"
The imperial government also de-
MES that its telegram of September
substituted an entirely new proposal
for the invitation to the joint com
of inquiry.
The imperial government then
quotes the dispatch from South At
rica Of August 10 containing an alter,
native proposal identical with that
which the imperial government is said
to have substituted, and the communi-
cation then proceeds as follows:
THE imperial government sees no
ground for misapprehension on the
part OF South African republic as TO
ItS answer regarding non-interfer-
ence and suzerainty, as the imperial
had already stated that it
would not press for the appointment
'f a joint commission of inquiry, in
view Of the fact that such an inquiry
would, in the opinion of the govern.