Bismarck daily tribune., 1902-02-05
Reply OF GR[AI BRITAIN
Peace Proposal of the Government of
the Netherlands Unsatisfactory
to Eng and. ,
The British Government Will Deal
Only With the Fighters and Not
With Mediators. 4.
Intervention by Any Foreign Power
in South Africa is Not Agree
able to England.

London, Feb. 5.-The British gov
ernment has replied to DR.. Kuyper, the
Dutch premier, that if the Beers in the
field desire to negotiate for peace ne
gotiations can be entered into, but
only in South Africa The British gov
eminent adheres to it's intention not
to accept the Intervention of any for
eign power. 80.
The text of the reply of Lord Lands
downe, the foreign secretary, to the
communication of DR.. Kuyper, the pre-
mier of The Netherlands, is as fol-
lows:
you were good enough to lay before
me on Jan. 25 a communication from
The Netherlands government in which
it was proposed that, with the object
of bringing the war to an end, his
majesty's government might grant a
safe conduct to the Boer delegates
now in Holland for the purpose of en-
abling them to confer with the Boer
leaders in South Africa. 1t is sug-
,gested that, after conference, the
delegates might return to Europe with
power to conclude a treaty of peace
with this country; and The Neither
lands government intimates that, in
this event, they might, at a later stage,
be instrumental in placing the Boer
plenipotentiaries in relation with plen-
ipotentiaries who might be appointed
by his majesty's government. The
Netherlands government intimates
that if this project commends itself to
his majesty's government they will in
qu1re OF the delegates whether they
are prepared to make the suggested
visit to South Africa 1t may, there
fore, be inferred that the communica-
tion l received was made on the re-
,sponsibility of The Netherlands goY-
ernment alone and without authority
from the Boer delegates or leaGe
His majesty's government have given
it their best consideration and whilst
entirely appreciative of the motives of
humanity which led The Netherlands
government to make this proposal,
they feel they must adhere to the po-
sition adopted and publicly announced
by them some months after the COM
mencement of nostilities by the Beers,
that it is not their intention to accept
Intervention of Any Foreign Power
in the South African war. Should the
Boer delegates themselves desire to
lay request for safe conduct before
his .majesty's government there is no
reason why they should not do so.
But his majesty's government, OBJ
viously, are not in position to ex-
riroia
tion until they have received it and are
aware of the precise nature and
grounds whereupon the request is
made. -
II may therefore point out that it
is not at present clear to his majesty's
government that the delegates retain
any influence over the representatives
of the Beers in 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 a later date than March,
1900. His majestys government, on
the other hand, understood that all the
powers of government, including those
of negotiation, were now completely
vested in Mr.. Steyn, for the Beers of
the Orange River Colony, and Mr..
Schalkburger, for those of the Trans
vaal. If this is so it is evident that
the quickest and most satisfactory
means of arranging settlement would
be by direct communication between
the leaders of the Boer forces in South
Africa and the cOmmander-in-chief of
his majesty's forces, who has already
been instructed to forward immediate.
4 ly any offers he may receive for the
cpnsid deration of his majesty's govern.
ment is.:
In these circumstances, his majes-
tvs government have decided that If
the Boer leaders should desire to enter
into negotiations for the purpose OF
bringing the war to an end, those ne
gotiations must take place, not in Eu.
rope, but in South Africa.
1T 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 returning to Europe
for the purpose Of making known the
results Of their errand, q period of at
least three months would elapse, dur.
ing which hostilities would be pro.
1onged and much human suffering, per.
haps, needlessly occasioned.
LORD SALISBURY TO RETIRE,
! But Not Until Peace in South Africa
5 Is Accomplished.
London, Feb Sit is now said that
the retirement of Lord Salisbury from
Office will be coincident with the end
of the South African war. The st.
James Gazette claims to have the high
est authority for saying "the premier
has fixed the restoration of peace in
South Africa as the appropriate mo-
ment to resign office. II the war is
ended Lord Salisbury will retire at
the conclusion OF the present Darlia-