The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-01
THE TRANsvAA1 CONCESSION
English Story, Of Kruger's shrewd-
80, q, pv.iDaas Transaction.

English Story, OF hruserS ohTe"0-
ness in Business Transaction.
Toronto Globe: An exceedingly cur
lous and interesting story about Presl-
dent Kruger has been related by a res
ident of Toronto who has spent num-
Der of years in South Africa, and is well
acquainted with conditions in that part
of the world. The story was related to
him by one of the principal actors in the
incident, whose name the informant
mentioned, although 1t would not be ju-
dicious to give 1t publicity. 1t Will suf-
fee to say that the name was instantly
recognized as that of person who is
exceedingly well known in connection
with South African affairs 1t may be
added that the story, so far as is known
has not been published.
In 1884 Paul Kruger, JorIssen and
two other delegates from the Transvaal
were in London negotiating with Lord
Derby at the famous London convention
which has been so asslduOusly canvass
ed and quoted of late. No one has ever
accused the burghers Of the Transvaal
of being an especially docile set. and
during the absence of Kruger and his
fellow-leaders one of the not infrequent
civic connections took place at home.
Not particularly important In Itself, II
had the dlsagreeable effect OF stopping
supplies for the country's quartette OF
diplomats and Dom Paul and his
friends found themselves stone-broke,
They could not pay their hotel bill, and
their circumstances were awkward In
every way.
At this juncture the Englishman APP
pcared on the scene. He was staying
in London, was familiar with South At
RIGA and its public men, and knew the
Transvaal delegates well. He became
aware OF the scrape In which they found
themselves. An acute business man,
he saw an opportunity. 1t was before
the days OF the Witwatersrand, and the
TransVaal government was eking out
its insufficient income by grants OF mo-
nopolies and concessions. The English
man had an uncle, Il wealthy Yorkshire
woollen manufacturer. Enllsting his
uncles aid, he made proposition to
Mr. Kruger. The two Englishmen woulti
pay the obnoxious hotel bill. and would
supplement 1t with cash gift Of 9l,0OO.
In return they asked n concession for
the monopoly Of the wool manufacture
ing and the wool washing of the Trans
Vanl, In which. 1t Is to be recollected,
considerable flOcks of sheep are kept by
the Beers. Mr.. Kruger thought 1t over,
and accepted. The hotel bill was wiped
Off the books. The thousand-pOund
check found its resting place. Thus
provided with the sinews of war, kru-
ger and his fellow-delegates continued
the negotiations. The London conVen-
tion was signed.
The Engllshmen went ahead with
their plans. They intended to erect a
mill to manufacture certain wooden
goods that would find local market
and to control the export Of the surplus
wool. They were to get a certain tract
OF land seventy-1ve acres in extent.
The City of johannesburg to-day
stands upon that tract, They bought
their machinery and were ready to ship
It. Just then they mentioned their good
bargain to n friend who was an official
In the colonial office.
"As an oiiicinl." observed that friend,
my mouth is closed. But, speaking MS
a friend-don't ship that machinery I'M
til the concession is ratified by the
Volksraad."
Second thoughts prevailed. The Eng
llshmen waited. The Volksrand met,
and President Kruger submitted the
proposed concession to them. exhibiting
no warmth In its advocacy. The Volks-
Rad threw 1t out summnrlly The
EnglIshmen were glad that they had
not shipped that machinery.
Then the EnElishmen preached to
President Kruger the question Of that
thousand pounds and that hotel bill.
The president was as suave MS Dom
Paul ever is, Those sums, he explained,
were to be charged against the Tepub-
lie. As Stephanus Johannes Paulus
Kruger he had nothing to do with the
matter.
Neither, 1t seems, had the republic.
for the EnglIshmen are still minus their
little Investment.