The Portland daily press., 1900-03-14
POLITELY DECLINED.
United states Services As Mediator 60
south Africa.

London. March 13-The United States
government at the request of President
Kruger and President Steyn. has offered
to the British government ITS services as
mediator with the view to, bringing about
peace in South Africa.
The representations made Great Britain
were so put that they assumed nothing
Of desire to intervene, but simply trans
mitted the communications made to the
United States by Consul Adolbert S. Hay.
at Pretoria, with the accompanying as
surance that anything the state depart
ment could do in the interests OF peace
would be gladly undertaken.
The well known opposition of the Brit
ish government to any foreign interven-
ton does not appear to have been
aroused.
The offer of mediation springs from
Pretoria, where Mr.. Hay with the other
consuls. subsequent to Presidents Kruger
and Steyn sending their peace cablcgram
to Lord Salisbury, were asked to endeav-
OF to secure the good Offices Of their re-
spective governments, apparently with
the view of bringing outside influence to
bear upon Lord Salisbury's reply to tho
Boer overtures.
These seem to have been fruitless, ex-
cept In the instance of the United States
consul, whose representations to Secre-
tary Hay were forwarded, March IL, to
the. UNITED States embassy in London,
with the instructions outlined above.
These Mr.. White, the charge d. affairs,
personally presented to Lord Salisbury.
who received them cordially but without
committing himself to any definite ex-
preston of opinion.
AS the Boer overtures had already
been answered to the effect that no pro-
positions including the retention of the
republics independence could be consid-
cred, the presentation of the American
offer was already too late, but the prem
Ter, apparently, deemed it a matter of
sufficient Importance to put himself
on ecord with formal reply.
1t is semi.oficially announced from
Berlin that when the Orange Free State
and the Transvaal addressed to a num-
Der of the large and small states re-
quest for friendly mediation, the German
government replied that R would will
ingly participate provided the essential
conditions of such mediation were pres
ent, namely the certainty that both bel
ligerents desired it.
LATE MIN the House Of Loris to-
day the Premier Lord Salisbury read the
British governments reply t. President
Kruger and President Stsyn. The oon-
Guiding sentenc Is as follows:
"Her Majesty's government oan only
answer Jour honors by saying IL Is not
prepared to assent to the Independence of
sither the South African republic or the
Orange free State.
6.15 D. m.-The United States charge
d'affaires, MIR. Henry White. saw Lord
Salisbury at the foreign Office this eve
ming and received formal reply from
the British government declining the
good offices OF the United States In re-
gard to peace. 1t Is understood that the
reasons Of the Premier are identical With
those already cabied to the Associated
Press.
BOERS AT kip DAM.
Cape Town. March II The Canadians
from Victoria west, proceeded to the
Pireska district.
A Kimberley farmer who has just re-
turned thers from a trip to Barley
West. reports that the country Is almost
deserted. He covered . distance of 70
miller.
Beers srs said to be massina a strong
force on tie Vaal rivsr In the neighbor-
hood OF Kip Dam.