The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-16
If Beers Have Invaded ZuIuland the
Natives VIII BE Assisted i'm De-
Tending Themselves.
MILITARY SCHEME ADOPTED
ONLY "a MEMBERS, MOSTLY IRISH
MEN, VOTED AGAINST 1T.
Speeches by Rosebery, Kimberley and
Salisbury i'm the Lords-NO Anglo
American

LONDON, Feb. 15.-In the House of Com
mons to-day, during the course of a reply
to a question relative to the probable Boer
invasion of Zululand, the secretary Of state
for the colonies, Joseph Chamberlain, said
the government had decided that if the ma
tive territories were invaded by the Beers
the natives will be encouraged and as
sisted in every way in defending them
selves
Mr.. Chamberlain's reply confirmed the
reports of the invasion of Zululand and
showed the movement could not fail to
have a serious effect throughout South At
RIGA, as the alarm of the Zulus was bound
to spread to the Natal natives. The coll
onial secretary also said that the Natal
Ministry had notified the home govern
ment that it could not any longer be re-
sponsible for the peaceful attitude of the
Zulus, as the invasion of their country was
| contrary to a tacit compact that the ma
tives should not be dragged into the war.
Mr.. Balfour, the government leader, deal
ing with the same subject and the posi-
bility of employing Indian troops, said his
former statement to the effect that the
government would not employ natives in
the present war was based on the belief
that by common consent the war would be
| confined to the two European races, add
ing: IF the Beers adopt a course incon-
sistent with that idea, we hold ourselves
| free to reconsider our decision"
The House, having gone into committee
| of supply on the supplementary war esti-
mates, William Redmond, Nationalist
| member for East Clare, strongly objected
Il 70 oddipo a cipCla man RI tho British army
| which. he said, was now engaged in a war
| which is an insult to God, a wal waged by
| Christian England against a Christian peo-
| pie who only desire to retain their own
land" He declared his belief that the
British reverses were due to the fact that
the British cause was unjust.
John Burns, Radical member for Batter
sea, secuted the idea that it was neces-
sary to strengthen the British army in or
der to fight a country whose population
was only equal to that of his own con-
| stituency.
Mr.. Wyndham, parliamentary under sec
rotary for war, answering criticisms, said
it was unnecessary to reply TO NlHlam
Redmond's argument, because the Irish
men at the front were giving the answer
with their lives.
At midnight the closure was enforced and
the division taken. The government mill
tary scheme was adopted by a vote OF 2S9
against "a. the minority consisting chiefly
of Irish members.
DEBATE IN THE LORDS.
In the House of Lords the Earl of Dun
raven raised a question on the government
military proposals., and expressed a doubt
as to whether these were sufficient. The
Earl of Rosebery said he fully recognized
the gravity of the situation. and agreed
with the previous speaker in thinking that
the measures adopted were inadequate in
the circumstances. He also doubted
whether the paper force of 100000 men in
Great Britain to which the secretary OF
state for war had referred, would stand an
analysis For the volunteers Lord. Rosebery
said he had the highest respect; but by no
stretch of the imagination could they be
called soldiers, as 1t was admitted that
they needed months of training annually
to render them efficient.
The crisis in South Africa is urgent"
continued Lord Rosebery, but we must
not keep our eyes upon South Africa
alone. Last December the government
made urgent overtures to the great
powers, Germany and the United states,
for an alliance, but these overtures were
not received with such cordiality as to
encourage the government to pursue them.
1t does not appear that the friendship
of France would bear any great strain,
and as to Russia, events have been re-
Gently witnessed in Persia about which
England formerly would have had some
thing to say, but which she now passes
unnoticed. 1t becomes the government
to take a large grasp of the situation and
TO make adequate proposals. If Great
Britain were TO lose South Africa she
would lose the most important territory
outside the United Kingdom and she would
lose that colonial support which has been
given because the colonies have believed
that they were associatfng themselves
with a powerful empire, and thus the
| emnira would break awdX from lis. III
this be not a life and death crisis. ! do
not know what is
The Earl of Kimberley, the Liberal
| leader, said he felt the danger of the stu
alton equally with Lord Rosebery. AL
though he would not ascribe a direct hos
tile intention of Russia at the present
moment. he said that he could not over
look the fact that there was a movement
of troops in progress, which, if not menac-
ing. showed that possibilities of the future
| were not absent from the Russian mind.
The Marquis of Salisbury, the premier,
in the course of his reply for the govern
ment, said: II cannot enter upon the
springs that guide the Russian govern
ment or the course 1t is likely to take, nor
can / discuss the health of the Ameer of
Afghanistan. AS to whether our forces are
adequate for the work in South Africa
or whether il is true that the government
have always been TO late and have neg
lected opportunities, l would gladly ac-
| cept a challenge. provided the words would
not go beyond this m The present
troubles are not due to the expansion of
| the empire, but to miscalculations made in
! 1881 and in 1884. Our forefathers were not
discouraged by bad beginnings and we
should follow their example and not be
cast down. The government are convinced
now, as they always have been, that the
issue would be brought to a successful
conclusion. / do not think any advantage
is to be obtained from taking a gloomy
view"
I~r- Er,uJ Nav no nofou1ad