The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1900-03-30
Continued from LIST page.)


which the Beers will exact.
The Boer authorities are striving to
maintain what they consider strictly
correct attitude in their occasional
communications with the British Gov
eminent and it's representatives The
first thing done whenever British pris-
oners have arrived at Pretoria has been
to make careful lists of names, ranks
and condition and to telegraph the
same to Sir Alfred Miner at Cape
Town. The High Commissioner has
scrupulously reciprocated this service.
In recent telegraphic correspondence
with the Government at London, how
ever, an interesting complication arose.
The Transvaal authorities cabled to
Lord Salisbury protesting against the
embargo laid by the British Govern
ment upon food stuffs destined to the
South African Republic through a neu-
trail port. State Secretary Reitz in
forms me that he recently received
reply stating the embargo no longer
existed. But the dispatch was signed
chamberlain" Mr.. Reitz tnereupon
cabled to Lord Salisbury that the
Transvaal could hold no communica-
ton with the Colonial Secretary of a
Government with which it was at war
and inquired if he, as the head of the
British Government, confirmed the pre-
vious message. Mr.. Reitz states that
an affirmative reply was received. 1t
is said that difficulties are still made
| by British naval vessels with regard TO
| the landing of food at Delagoa Bay for
| the Transvaal, and it is said to be the
| intention of the Boer authorities, in
case of shortage of supplies, to expel
all foreigners from the country and to
put the British prisoners upon diet
of mealies.
1t should be explained, by the way
that the Beers make sharp division
of their prisoners of war into two
classes. They have no animosity
against British regulars or against
home volunteers and Australian and
Canadian troops. They have been doing
merely their duty, and the Beers treat
them with kindness and consideration.
Against the Natal and Cape colonists,
however, they are very bitter and they
do not hesitate to show their feelings.
Prisoners of this class, whenever iden-
titled, are separated from the others
and sent to the ordinary Jail, where
they are treated like common criminals.
/ have just come back from visit to
the Waterfall, the new military prison
camp some miles outside Pretoria on
the Petersburg Railway. The camp
was occupied by about 1900 soldiers.
1t is beautiful spot. The country
round about is as green and beautiful
as Kentish valley. The mems quar-
tiers consist of series of long galvan-
lied iron sheds. In them the soldiers
have made themselves perfectly COM
Portable and seem to have settled
down ito a regular garrison existence.
The large Enclosure is surrounded by a
barbed-wire ENHANCEMENT. Each cor
ner is protected by stockades, ON
which marine guns are mounted.
Each stockade is in electric communi-
cation with the others, and the whole
camp seems ito form AN absolutely Sc
cure detention ground for the prison
ers.
I found the camp in perfect sani'
tary condition. The men, generally
speaking, had their clothing clean ant
carefully kept, but here and there one
saw an example of the mtidy man
who DIS ito be found in every army.
Games of all sorts were going, and 6
perfectly good understanding seemed
to exist between the guards and the
men.
The prisoners were being fed upon
the English army rations captured a
Dundee. But they were allowed tt
purchase any amount of vegetables ant
fruit, which are just now most plen,
tiful. A number of men had been sup
piled by the Transvaal Government
with boots and clothing, although th.
Beers are running very short of these
two articles.
l spoke Ito a number of men who
were walking about with the guards
and asked them If they were being
treated all right. They all answered