Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-02-08
WOULD TREAT WITH B0ERS
rs THE REPLY OF LANsDowNp
England Ready to Negotiate wa,
the BOers Who Are Now i'm -.
Ffeld-outside Powers Are Given
Notice Not to Interfere, as 1t Doa.
Not Concern Them.

London, Feb. 6.--The text of the ronl,,
of Lord Lansdowne, the British foro;on
secretary, to the communication of In
kuyper, the premier of the Netherlands
is as follows:
The Foreign Office, Jan. 20, l9O2.-Sir.
You were good enough to lay before mo
January 20 a communication from tbo
Netherlands government, in which If w,s
proposed, with view to bringing the war
to an end, his majesty's government might
grant safe conduct to the Boer dele.
gates now in Holland for the purpose of
| enabling them to confer with the goor
leaders in South Africa. 1t is suggested
that after conference the delegates migbt
return to Europe with power to conclude
treaty OF peace with this country, and
the Netherlands government intimates thar
III this event they might at later staqa
be instrumental in placing the Boer plen.
potentiaries in relation with plenipoteDtiar.
les who might be appointed by his ma.
Jestys government. The Netherlands gov.
eminent intimates that if this project com
meAds itself to his majesty's government
they will inquire of the delegates whether
they are prepared to make the suggested
visit to South Africa.
1T may, therefore, be inferred that the
communication l received was made ON the
responsibility of the Netherlands govern.
ment alone and without authority of the
Boer delegates or leaders. His maiestys
government has given it their best consld.
Grafton, and While entirely appreciative of
the motives of humanity which led the
Netherlands government to make this pro.
posal, they teel that they must adhere to
the position adopted and publicly an.
nounced by them some months after the
commencement OF hostilities by the Beers,
that it was not their intention to accent
the intervention of any foreign power in
the South African war.
Should the Boer delegates themselves
desire to lay request for safe conduct
before his majestys government there is
no reason why they should not do 50.
But his majesty's government obviously is
not IN position to express an opinion on
such an application until they have re.
oeived it and are aware of the precise ma.
ture and grounds whereon the request is
made.
L may, therefore, point out that it is
not at present clear to his majestys gov
eminent that the delegates retain any in.
fiuence over the representatives of the
Beers III South Africa or have any voice
in their councils. They are stated by the
Netherlands government to have no such
letters of credence or instruction of later
date than March, 1900. His majesty gov
eminent, on the other hand. understood
that all the powers of government includ
ing those OF negotiations, were now com
pletely vested in Mr.. Steyn for the Beers
of the Orange River Colony and Mr..
Schalkberger for those of the Transyaal.
IF this is so it is evident that the
quickest and most satisfactory means Of
arranging set,4ement would be by direct
communication between the leaders of the
Beers III South Africa and the commander
in chief of his majestys forces, who has
already been instructed to forward inn
mediately any offers he may receive for
the consideration of his majesty's govern
ment.
"In this connection his majesty's gov
eminent has decided that if the Boer lead
ers should desire to enter negotiations for
the purpose of bringing the war to an end,
those negotiations must take place, not in
Europe, but in South Africa.
ut should, moreover be borne in mind
that if the Boer leaders are to occupy
time in visiting South Africa in consulting
with Boer leaders in the field and in re-
turning to Europe for the purpose of max
ing known the results of their errand
period of at least three months would
elapse, during which hostilities would be
prolonged and much human suffering, per-
haps needlessly, occasioned. 1 have, etc.,
"LANSDOW NE"