The Colfax chronicle., 1900-08-04
IN THE TRANsvAAL.
Of the Trouble That Caused
the Present War.

The relations of the English with the
Dutch in South Africa are touched upon
in an article in ST. Nicholas by Klyda
Il. Steege. The Cape settlement re-
manned in possession of the Dutch
until 1795, when, the French revolu-
tionists occupying Holland, the colon
lists hoisted a flag of independence, and
appealed to Great Britain for protec-
ton. The British accordingly took pos
session in the name of the prince of
Orange, who was at that time refu-
gee in London. You must freshen your
memory of European history of that
period, in case you have forgotten 1t, to
understand how matters stood be-
tween the different countries. Then
you will see how it was that when
peace was restored after the Napoleonic
wars, and Holland had been annexed
by France, the latter country ceded to
England the "Batavian Republic"
which included, among other territory,
the Cape Colony.
Under English rule matters improved
for the colonists, and the administra-
ton was, on the whole, satisfactory,
until the government ordered the slaves
to be freed. The Beers, indignant at
the loss of property" for which they
did not consider themselves sufficient
ly compensated, resolved to go beyond
the reach of law and government, and
what you hear spoken of as the great
trek took place in the year 1885. Trek
comes from the Dutch verb trekken, to
draw or drag, and this journey was SO
termed because the people who left
the colony to seek another home far
ther inland travelled in huge ox-carts
or wagons.
The first 200 who left wandered on
until they came to country far from
the sea, where, after many fights with
the Matabele tribes, they held their
own sufficiently to found the Orange
Free State.
The second trekking party, among
whom was the present President Kru-
ger, then ten years of age, went over
into the colony of Natal. There they
failed in finding resting-place, be-
cause they attempted to take land al
ready in British possession. They, too,
had their struggles with natives and
many hardships to encounter, but
finally they crossed the vaal river, and
soon after all the different settlers
united themselves, for mutual protec-
tion, into a republic, under man
named Pretorius as president, and with
Paul Kruger as commandant general
of the army.
1t was not long before they found
themselves unable to prevent trouble
with the natives, and they appealed to
England for protection. They were also
heavily burdened with debt, which
they saw no chance of repaying. So
Great Britain took them in charge,
kept off the natives, and paid their
debts, and at last, at the request of
many of the settlers, the country was
declared to be the possession of the
British empire.
1t probably would not interest you
to hear all the political changes and
discussions which have taken place IL
the country. 1t is enough to say that
the Beers were not satisfied 10 be un-
der English administration, and finally
rebelled against it, with the result that,
after a short war, their country was
given back to them on certain condi-
tions. These conditions not having
been adhered to as England expected
the present war broke out.