Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-07-31
BRITISHER AND BOER
highlands First Dealings with the
Dutch In the Transvaal.
1stAbl1AAOsAt Of the ORANGE Rr>>
State and the Colonization OF
Matal-ORi0in Of the Trouble
Causing 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-
NAMED in possession of the Dutch
until 1898, 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 q refu-
gee in London. You must freshep your
memory of European history of that
period, in case you have forgotten it, 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 c~olonists, 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 1888. Trek
comes from the Dutch verb trekken, to
draw or drag, and this journey was 30
termed because the people who left
the colony to seek another home far
ther inland travelled in huge ox-csrts
or wagons.
The first 200 who left wandered on
until they came TO q 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 a 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
they CLOSED the Vaal river, and
soon after oil the different settlers
themselves, for mutual protec-
ton, into . republic, under a man
named P~retorius a. president, ana with
Paul Kruger a. commandant general
of the army.
1t was not long before they found
unable to prevent trouble
the natives, and they appealed to
England for protection. They were also
burdened with a debt, which
hey saw no chance of repaying. So
Great Britain took them in charge,
tept of the natives, and paid their
lebts, and at last, at the request OF
many of the settlezN the country wal
declared to be the possession OF the 4
British empire.
1t probably would not interest you
o hear Ill the political changes and
kscussions which have taken place III
he country. 1t is enough to say that
he Beers were not satisfied 10 be I'M
Ter English administration, and finally
'ebelled against It, with the result that,
'fter q short war, their country was
'iven back To them on certain condi-
ions. These conditions not having
'een adhered to as England expected,
he present war broke out.