Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-26
NEW LINE OF ACTON
To Be Followed by England in Handling tie
Transvaai Question.

London. Sept 25.-The officials Of the
foreign office gave out. this evening.
the text Of the letter of the secretary
Of state for the colonies Mr.. Joseph
Chamberlain. to British high commits
sioner in South Africa, Sir Alfred Mil
ncr. dated Sept. -. The British reply
expressed regret that Her Majesty's
offer No. ) of Sept. $ had been refused
and said:
The object Of Her Majesty's gov
eminent in the recent negotiations has
been stated in a manner which cannot
admit Of misrepresentation, viz, to OBJ
tain such substantial and immediate
representation for the Outlanders as
will enable them to secure for them
selves that fair and just treatment
which was formally promised them in
1881. and which Her Majesty intended
to secure for them when she granted
privileges of self-governmcnt to the
Transvaal. No conditions less com
prehensiVe than those contained in the
telegram of Sept. can be relied on to
effect this object. The refusal of the
South African government to entertain
the offer thus made, coming as it does
after four months of protracted nvgo-
tiations themselves the climax of five
years of extended agitation. makes il
useless to further pursue the discussion
on the lines hitherto followed and the
imperial government is now compelled
TO consider afresh and formulate new
proposals for a final settlement Of the
issues which have been created in
South Africa by the policy constantly
followed for many years by the gov
eminent Of South Africa. They will
communicate the result Of their delib-
crations in q later dispatch"
In a later communication dated Sept.
%, the imperial government takes up
the charge Of breach Of faith insinua-
ted BY Secretary Of State Reitz, Sept
1G, (which" it is pointed out, 1--WE can
not pass over in silence
Mr.. Chamberlain then says: THE
proposals made by the South African
republic in the letters Of Aug. 10 and
20 were not induced by suggestions
given by the British agent from the
state attorney. as claimed, and that. on
the contrary. the state attorney sound
ed the British agent both in writing
and in conversation. as to the condi-
lions under which the imperial gov
eminent NDuiQ waive liz iilN ibttti'ii -
a Joint inquiry and these communica-
/ tions resulted in proposals made by the
! South African government in those let
tors 1t is impossible that the South
! African government could have had
any doubt as to the imperial govern
!ncnt's answer to the conditions named
/ the British agent had foreshadoWed to
4 are my reply was actually the same as
the state attorney and which, there
/ fore. they must have anticipated in
making the proposals-'
THE imperial government also dc
MES that its telegram Of Sept. ) substi-
tuted an entirely new proposal for the
invitation to the joint commission OF
inquiry"
The imperial government then quotes
the dispatch from South Africa of Aug.
10. containing an alternative proposal
identical with that which the imperial
government is said to have suhtsitut-
ed: and the communication then pro
ceeds as follows: The imperial gov
eminent sees no ground for misappre-
/ hension on the part of the South Atrl-
can republic as to its answer regarding
lDon-interference and suzerainty. as the
imperial government has already stat
ed that it would not press for the ap-
pointment of joint commission Of in
curry. in view Of the fact that such an
: inquiry would. in the opinion of the
South African republic. prejudice the
right of full independence repeatedly
recognized by the imperial govern
ment.
! LAS to the use of the English Ian
guage in the Volksraad the imperial
government regards this as reasonable
| and is astonishcd that the government
of the South African republic should
deem it unnecessary and make a point
of denying that the government Oh me
( South African republic ever proposed
liz eana to the british agent