The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-03-28

ed Sir George Colley at Majuba Hill in
1881, and acted as President of the Repub-
lie in 1sS3-s4 during Kruger's absence in
Europe.
General Joubert was always in favor of
the use of force instead of diplomacy and
President Kruger, on several occasions,
had great difficulty in repressing his hot
headed colleague, notably in 1879 when
Joubert with Kruger and Pretorius, was
planning the rebellion to overthrow
British rule in the Transvaa1 The re-
suit was Majuba Hill and the practical
independence of the Transvaal, though the
suxerainty of Great Britain was main
tanned.
1t was Joubert who organized the army
of the South African Republic, later on,
dividing the country into seventeen mill
tary departments and each of these de-
partments into smaller divisions, with
commandants, field cornets and lieuten-
ants of various ranks in charge. Accord
ing to the Generals plans every man be-
came a trained soldier without leaving his
farm and had his equipment ready at
home. To such a point of perfection was
the system carried that when the present
war was declared Joubert, it is claimed,
had only to send seventeen dispatches,
and. within forty-eight hours, the Boer
nation was under arms.
Tt was also thanks to General Joubert
that the South African Republics succeed
ed in amassing the immense stores of war
munitions and provisions which have
stood them in such good stead during the
conflict now in progress.
When the Jameson raiders were locked
up in Pretoria jail, Joubert was strongly
in favor of their immediate execution, and
it is said that not even the suggestion of
another Boer leader that the ears of the
raiders be cut off was sufficiently harsh
measure to please him. Joubert claimed
that they deserved death and that they
ought to be shot as a warning to others.
1t was not until Joubert and Kruger had
been closeted together for a whole night
that the wiser counsels of Dom Paul pre-
vailed.
In spite of these characteristics, Joubert,
one some occasions. showed considerable
regard for the usages of civilization.
When the Beers raided British territory,
Bechuanaland, in 1884, Joubert was prob
ably the only prominent Boer who re-
fused to support the movement and his
opposition resulted in the withdrawal of
the Beers from the territory seized, as he
threatened to resign unless he had his
way, sayng:-
81 positively refuse to hold office under
a government that deliberately breaks its
covenants, and we have made covenants
with England"
Although Joubert was known as 'tSlim
Peter" he was nearly six feet in height
and of stout build, his nickname being
given him on account of his shrewd mill
tary tactics.
In November last it was reported that
General Joubert had been killed in action
and later reports said he was danger
ously wounded and had to use a cart in
order to follow the operations in the
| field.
The circumstances of the death of Cen
| erai Joubert are not explained in the de-
spatch from Lorenzo Marques, which re-
calls the fact that, as cabled to The AS
sociated Press yesterday, Mr.. William
Cox, newspaper correspondent who was
recently released from Imprisonment at
Pretoria and who has arrived at Durham,
said General Joubert was apparently sus-
| pected of half-heartedness, and Mr.. Cox
gathered that his life would be in danger
at the hands of the burghers if Pretoria
was besieged. -
The wife of General Joubert, who was
Miss Fraser, has been devoted to him
throughout the campaign, frequently
sharing his dangers in the field.
In connection with the announcement of
the death of General Joubert it is in
teresting to note that Sir George White,
the British General who commanded the
garrison which defended Ladysmith in a
speech at Cape Town yesterday evening,
declared that Joubert was a soldier and a
gentleman and brave and honorable op-
| ponent.