The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-08
THE TRANSVAAl'S REPLY,
Latest Phases of the Case From Kruser's
Point of View.

London, Sept. 7.-Mr. Chamberlai
remained at the foreign office unit
shortly before midnight last night He
declined to make a statement regard
ing the Transvaal situation, but ex-
pressed a desire to see a copy of the
Following transcript Of the Transvaal
governments reply issued by thu
Transvaal agent in Brussels tonight.
which was forwarded to him by the
associated press.
In reply to the last dispatch of the
British government the Transvaal gov
ernment on Saturday handed to the
British agent in Pretoria a response,
of which the following is the purport:
The government of the South Afr-
can republic regrets that Great Brit
ain is of the opinion that ii is una BILE
to accept the proposals made by the
TransVaal in the dispa tches of August
ID and August u. by which the term
for obtaining the franchise was fixed
at five years and the representation of
the Witwatersrand dispatches was in
cluded. The government regrets this
the more inaSmuch as ii considered
itself able to deduCe from the negotia-
tions previous to its formal proposals
that the latter would be accepted by the
British government. In these condi-
tions the TransVaal considers its pro-
posals are annulled and finds, ii nee
essaTy to submit them to the vOlkSraad
and the people. 1t remains of the opin-
ion that its proposals are very liberal
and more extensive than those present
ed to the British high commissioner at
Bloemfontein. 1t is also of the opn-
ion that the conditions attached to
these proposals are reasonable The
Transvaal never desired Great Britain
to abandon any rights possessed by vir-
tue of the London convention of 1884
or by virtue of international law. The
Transvaal still hopes that these dec
larations will lead to a good under
standing and solution of the exist
ing differences.
With regard to the question Of suzer-
Amy, the Transvaal government refers
to he dispatch of April 16, 1893. and
considers 1t unnecessary to repeat that
dispatch The reply then proceeds to
say
The Transvaal government has al
ready made known to the British agent
it's objections to accepting the proposals
contained in the high commissioners tel
egram of August 2, suggesting the ap-
pointment OF delegates to draw up re-
port on the last electoral law voted by
the volksraad. II the one-sided exam
ination referred to in the last British
dispatch should show that the existing
electoral law can be made more eff
cient the Transvaal government Is
ready to make a proposal to the Volks-
raad with this object 1t is also dis
posed to furnish all the information
possible, but is of the opinion that the
result of such an inquiry, so far as
regards Il useful appreciation Of the
law, will be of little value. NeVerthe-
less, the government is very desirous
of satisfying Great Britain in the mat
ter of electoral law and the representa-
ton of mining districts"
The reply then refers to Mr.. Cham-
berlain's proposals respecting a JOINT
inquiry. and says:
considering that by these proposals
Great Britain does not aim at any inter
ference in the affairs of the Transvaal
and that the action would not be re-
garded as precedent, but has solely for
its object to ascertain whether the
law fulfills its purpose; the
Transvaal government will await the
ulteriOr proposals of Great Britain as
to the eventual constitution of such a
as well as the place and
the time of meeting.
This Transvaal government further
proposes at an early date to send
fresh reply to the letter of July -. and
xpresses satisfaction that Great Brit
ain has declared a readiness to nego-
tiate on the question of court of ar
htration. 1t says it would like to learn,
however, whether the free state
burShers would be admitted to such a
court, and what would be the scope |
Of the courts decisions. it appearing
10 the Transvaal government that the |
restrictions imposed will prevent the |
attainment of the objects aimed at, |
With regard to the ulteriOr conference, |
the Transvaal awaits the communica-
tions of Great Britain The Brussels |
agent of the Transvaal claims that in |
making its recen: proposals the Trans
Vaal government has acted on the ad-
vice of the British agent in Pretoria,
Greene.