The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-04
Occupants of Concentration
 Camps Assemble in Open
 Spaces and Chant Psalms, While Women Weep for Joy.
Total Number of Boer Pris- onerS is 25,565, of Whom 783 Are Under 16 and 1925 Are Over 60.

London, June 4.-contrary to GUS tom, the House of Lords will Sold a sitting today to receive a message from King Edward with reference to peace in South Afrlca.l 1t Is expected that this message will announce the conferring of a title upon Lord kitch. ener and the granting to him of re- ward for his services. The money re, ward will probably be 6 100000.
 Pretoria, Transvaal. Monday. June D. The signing of the peace agreement on Saturday night last was carried out with the least possible ceremony.
 Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner and General Dewet and others representing the Orange Free State of the Trans vaal government quietly met In the din- ing room of the residence occupied by the burgher delegates, adjoining Lord Kitcheners house. The document lay on a table ready.
 Amid profound silence the Boer leaders took a pen in order of precedence, and affixed their signatures. thus surrender Ing the independence for which they had so gallantly struggled.
 The document was then entrusted to Colonel Hamilton, Lord Kitchener's mili- tary secretary, and Captain Marker, an aide-de-camp, who left Pretoria tonight to deliver it to King Edward.
 There was great rejoicing in all the concentration camps upon the news that peace had been concluded.
 The occupants assembled in the open spaces and chanted Psalms" the wo- men weeping with joy. Arrangements are being made to send representatives of each unit of the British army in South Africa to participate In the cor onation festivities in London.
 Increase Trade With U. s.
 New York, June 3.-In the opinion of trading company officials and steamship agents here, having business relations with South Africa, the cessation of the Boer war will mean a large increase in trade. The traders have had no reason to complain during the war, however, for they say Great Britain has bought & large part of her food supplies for the army here.
 Until the army Is entirely withdrawn from South Africa, supplies will continue
 
 quantities. In place of hay and grain and canned goods will eventually go lumber, window casing. door frames, harrows, other farming machinery and mining ma chnery-all the supplies necessary to re- construct the country.
 John Hays Hammond, the mining en- gineer says there will be a good demand for mining machinery, but not so much for the mines already opened as for new deep level mines which will be dug It will take, he believes. several years to satisfy the demand.
 Joseph Chamberlain's Influence.
 New York, June 3.-There Is no mis- taking that Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain is now the dominant per- sonality in the unionist party, says a London dispatch to the World. Arthur Ealfour could scarcely conceal his cha grin at the significant ovation given the former when the comm ons listened to the announcement of the Boer surrender.
 Still, on calm reflection. the ministerial opinion as expressed in the lobby was that the Boers had got virtually every thing they demanded, and that the terms accorded them left little ground for ac- claiming a British triumph.
 The reason given for the Boers' sur render of independence Is that they are practically bankrupt and even if they could prolong the war two years more they would still be unable to reconstitute their states from the condition of ruin into which the devastation policy has landed them.
 Great Britain will now provide the funds for this reconstruction and the new sys- tenn must inevitably lead to federal un- ion of the South African states in which the Dutch influence must predominate
 It Is felt too, that all the rebels will be amnestied and that every franchise disqualification cannot be maintained for more than two years.
 Think Independence Granted.
 Jamestown. Island of St. Helena,, June 2.-The news of the peace agreement in South Africa aroused great enthusiasm among the Boer prisoners here and was celebrated with singing Boer and British anthems. The majority of the Bocrs on this island insist that the peace carries independence with 1t.
 Regret the War Is Over.
 Bombay, June 3.-The news of the con- clusion of peace in South Africa was re- ceived with mixed feelings in the Boer prison camps here. A majority of the prisoners rejoiced, but many of them con- sidered the news to be bad, assit meant the loss of all they had been fighting for. "We would have stayed in captivity for years without complaint" said many of the Boers, had such been the judgment of the Burghers."
 London, June 3.-In the House of Com mons the war secretary Mir Frederick, said the total number of Boer prisoners in South Africa and elsewhere was 25565, of which 7S3 were under 16 and 1925 over 60 years of age.
 Boer Delegates Reach Utrecht.
 Utrecht, Holland, June 3.-The Boer delegates in Europe arrived here this af- ternoon. They held prolonged confer ence in the house of MT. Kruger and afterwards another meeting was held in the Hotel Des Pays Bas. None of the delegates was willing to talk with ie- gard to the co ,us:on of peace or oc what had been done at today's meet.