The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-03-24
VISITED PRETORIA
Several Prominent Beers Went There
Under a Flag Of Truce.
THE OBJECT NOT KNOWN
II Is Believed that They Wanted 10
See Lord Kitchener.
MAY HAVE MADE PEACE 0VERTURES
Whatever Their Object, the News Was
Welcomed in London.
COMMENT OF A FRENCH NEWSPAPER
II Says that the Beers Visit Was at
the Instance OF the British Who
Want Peace.
MAY HAVE MADE PEACE OVERTURES
Whatever Their Object, the News Was
Welcomed in London.
COMMENT OF A FRENCH NEWSPAPER

Pretoria, March 23.-Actng President
sehalkbcrger OF the wrcitz. ex-secretary of
state OF the Transvaal, and Commandments
Lucas Meyer aud Krogh, with their secrc'
tares and attendants. arrived here yester-
day, March -. at 2;oi p, m. on special
train from Balmoral about ffty miles east
Of here. Thcy came into Balmoral under
a flag al trncc.
Upon arriving here Mr.. Schalkberger and
his party drove Immediately 10 Lord Kitch.
encr's headquarters, whore he had anSan-
teryiow with the British general Tho
Beers afterward proceeded to the railroad
station aud at O'Clock took the train FOE
Krooudstadt. whence they Will 30 out I'M
der Il safe conduct
For week past Mr.. Schalkberger and
his colleagues have been stationed at
Rhenoster Kop, north Of Balmoral, where
they have been closely pressed by British
columns Dispatch riders entered Bal
moral Friday night and notified the British
" the approach Of MIR. schalkherseF ana
bis party.
II is reported that the Bocr position at
Rhenostcr Kop had become almost hope
less and that Mr. Schslkhcrger once mar
rowly escaped capture.
London, March 2i-rhe ncws that the
wandering Boer government officials had
| catered the British lines Is regarded as
! having but one meaning, namely that an
| other attempt Is being made TO negotiate
peace and that they Intend TO see Lord
| Kitchener. The fact that the censor passed
! the news OF this movement Is accepted
AS confirmation OF this opinion. Nothing
is actually known here of the intentions
| OF Mcssrs Schalkhurgcr, Retz, Meyer and
Krogh. II Is possible they have only sought
| perntssion TO traverse the British lines
in order 10 consult with Mr. Steyn and
other Bocr generals, newet and Delar' Rcy.
! But whatever their object. the news has
! been welcomed In London as pointing to
the possibility Of peace.
some correspondence which was seized
q short time ago, when Mr.. Steyn mar
rowly escaped capture, proved that he and
MIR Schalkburger we're anxious 10 con-
rlude peace No cxtrayagant hopes, how
over. are hclng built on the outcome OF the
movements Of Mr.. Schalkburger and his
COMPANIONS. chiefly because 1t Is feared
that Dclar Rcy, In the flush OF his recent
ucccss win refuse to he party to any
negotiations.
The war office has Informed n repre-
sentative of the Associated Press that 1t
has received no official Information either
confirming or con,radicting tho news.
Commandant Krogh is one Of the secre-
tarics Of the Boer government. He was
| formerly the administrator of Swaziland
aud has not been prominent during the
war.
ENGLISH PREss COMMENT.
London, March "a Few Of the papers
here comment on The nows from Pretoria
These take It for granted that Mr. schalk-
berger aud his companions are on mis-.
sion Of peace and again engaged in dis
cussior OF possible peace terms, expressing
The hope that the overtures will have
successful outcome. The presence OF Lucas
Meyer is regarded as significant as he Is
an intimate friend of Louis Botha.
| The Daily Chronicle, commenting on the
absence of Botha from the delegation, sug.
! gests he Is standing aside owing to the
! failure Of his oyertures of a year ago, and
| considers that. although the conditions
Lord Kitchener then offered TO Botha had
been annulled, II IS highly probable that
| peace may stiu he arranged on similar
lines, hut that the Beers can not expect
more lenient terms
The Daily News remarks that settle
uent would he possible II the Beers were
treated like civilized combattants. "hut
men do not surrender Internationally Just
after taking one Of the enemy's generals
and four Of his guns
FRENCH NEWSPAPERS COMMENT.
ferring to the arrival OF Messrs Schalk
burger. Reitz and commandants Meyer and
Krogh. says It believes that Mr.. schalk-
burgers move is In response to fresh Brit
ish oyertures for peace, made out Of graft
tude for the release Of General Methuen.
and predicts that these overtures win lead
to no result unless Boer independence Is
conceded.