The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-29

United States Consul. Mscrum. at Pre-
toria. / sent the following despatch same
date. Was asked by the Free state 10 ask
our Government II it would consent for mt
20 arhitrate and 10 see the High Com
missioner and replied there follow de-
spatches sent in cOde).
Il also deemed IL right TO post Consul
Macrum as above. not only for the reason
that the Orange Free State is in his Jufls-
dictiun. but for the further reason that he
had said. in a communication TO me Of the
same date Nothing can be done here for
peace until matters are settled your end.
over Cne thousand men sent to border last
night II anything done must be quickly
done the High Commissioner should DO
something for peace
1t was a question in nv mind if
ought to take any action at all on the
request Of The Orange Free state -Presi-
dent but the High Commissioner. after
ward read 70 ne, that l had acted right
and that he was grateful at my action.
As you also enquired what there was
on file in regard to the departure OF Mr..
Macrum from his post at Pretoria, l have
the honor to inform you that on the eth
Of November Mr.. Macrum telegraphed
requesting leave
" Permission visit America. Absolutely
imperative, private aud official business.
Ameringen fighting Attlebury. American
take charge. Cable quickly
To this I replied;
Your presence Pretoria utmost i'm
portanoe to public interests He then on
the 18th Of November cab.ed: No re-
ply. Department viii approve leave on ex-
PLANTATION. Imperative Cable imme-
diately.
The next day he cabled again: Gable
lot
capable. experienced. Ny presence home
absolutely necessary
"On the 18th he cabled once more:
Three cables requesting leave uaan-
swered. Substitute efficient here but not
at home. Please cable acquiescence quick.
snip sailing soon
In reply TO this on the Goth OF
November / answered: Your presence
Pretoria important to public interests
On the LIST Of December Mr.. Macrum once
more cabled me: No reply. Department
viii approve leave on explanation; i'm
peratiye; cable immediately: and again
on the same date; Can't leave without
permission. VIII forfeit post II depart
ment don't approve on explanation. Please
reply.
Upon this. inferring from these de-
spatcheS that Mr. MacTgm was in a state
Of mind which would make his services in
Pretoria useless, l answered on the I'd Of
December: You may come home Put At
tlebury temporarily in charge. Department
will send a man from here
Soon after this received several news
paper articles and letters from responsible
persons asserting that Attlebury, whom
Mr.. Macrum wished to place temporarily
in charge Of the consulate. was a person
Of disreputable character and a fugitive
from justice. 7 therefore directed Mr. Hol-
lis. Consul a. Lourenco Marques, to pro
iced at once 10 Pretoria and take tempo
-ary charge of the consulate until the ar
rival Of Mr.. a. s. Hay. who had been ap-
pointed Consul. / am. sir. very truly
-Our obedient servant,
JOHN HAY"
Il is understood that the committee has
practically determined TO let the matter
lrop without taking any action whatever.
The attention OF the Assistant Secretary !
II State was called last evening TO the /
statement made by former Consul Macrum 1
Defure the House Committee on Foreign |
Afairs. that in his conversation with DR.. /
Hill, in which the latter informed him I
hat he was not in the consular service, /
iacrum said he would then make no re
,ort on the matters which brought him
lone from Pretoria. DR.. Hill was disin-
lined 10 talk on the subject but in an
wer to a direct question. he said Nj .
iacrum told me that he would return to
at the end OF the week and
make his report"