Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-06-11

Peace in South Africa was officially
announced by the London war office Sat
arday. The declaration followed the re-
ceipt of cablegraH from Lord kiteh-
ener at Pretoria, the former capital OF
the South African republic, which relat-
ed that terms of peace had been signed
by all the representatives of the lighting
Beers and by Lords Kitchener and Mill
ner of Great Britain.
Lord Alfred E. Miner is the British
high commissioner in South Africa and
Lord Kitchener is the commander-in-
chief of the British army in the field.
The treaty which they have negotiated is
the result of the conferences that have
been held since April Z, when Acting
President Schalk- Burger and Secretary
of State Retz, for the Transvaal, and
President Steyn for the Orange Free
State, began systematic effort to OBJ
tain plebiscite of the Beers in arms
with reference to eessa ton of the con-
hict.
Exact Terms Are Guarded.
Whether Lord Kitchener cabled also
the terms of the treaty as signed Is IN
known TO the general public in London.
1t is believed. however, that he enlight-
ened the war office to an extent far be-
yond the meager announcement of peace
which the officials condescended to make
known. This opinion is confirmed by the
guarded declarations the officials permit
TO be whispered about in Downing street.
These are TO the effect that Great Brit
ain made numerous concessions, which,
although they destroyed the national in
dividuality of the Beers. yet gave the
burghers many rights for which they
have been fighting since they began 10
harrass the British by their prolonged
guerrilla warfare
Some of the Concessions.
Following are some of the terms that
are said TO be contained in the document
that has been signed
Beers are to he permitted to retain
their rifles to protect them against the
savages and wild beasts of the veldt up
on swearing allegiance to Great Britain.
They will also be allowed a limited
amount of ammunition.
Beers are promised autonomy within
a brief period
Great Britain will rebuild the Boer
farm houses and restock the Boer farms,
allowing the former owners to return to
The peaceful pursuit of agriculture.
Boer prisoners in st. Helena. Ceylon.
the West Indies and other British prisons
are to be repatriated within stated
time provided they take the oath of ale
glance to the British empire.
Great Britain promises to make land
grant to those Beers who prefer to start
anew in some other colony of the empire
than South Africa; Beers who wish to
migrate to another country outside the
British domain will receive grant, prob
ably in money, sufficiently large to enable
them to begin life over again.
Britain Riots n Joy.
King Edward issued this proclamation
of peace at / o'clock Monday morning:
The King has received the welcome
news of the cessation OF hostilities in
South Africa with infinite satisfaction
and his majesty trusts that peace may
speedily be followed by the restoration
of prosperity in his new dominions,. and
that the feelings necessarily engendered
by war will give place to earnest coop
Grafton on the part of his majesty's South
African subjects in promoting the well
fare of their common country"
Great joy was manifested throughout
the United Kingdom because of the end
ing of the war, which has been waged in
cessantly at enormous cost in money and
life since Oct IL, 1899. Nowhere is the
rejoicing greater than in the palace Of
King Edward himself For several
months it has been the leading desire of
his heart and the main object Of his daily
duties to bring the war to an end in I'D
vance of his coronation, which takes
place the Goth of the present month.
Empires Great Gain.
The result of the war adds to the Brit
ish domains 167 ,465 square miles OF ter
ritory, an area equivalent to all the New
England States, New York and Penn.
sylvania. rich in GOLD and diamond mines
and with other natural resources OF enor-
nous value.
Moreover, it adds an important link to
the Cape-to-Cairo chain of possessions,
the possibilities of which in the future
development of the continent of Africa
cannot be estimated by the present gem
Grafton.
Tie newly acquired territory had be-
fore the war a population of 10000.
While this has been considerably reduce
ed. ii is reasonable to expect that peace
will restore prosperity and attract i'm
nj nr-.n +inr