The Mankato free press., 1902-06-06

London, June Peace has been
declared after nearly two years and
eight months of war which tried the
British empire to its uttermost and
wiped the Beers from the list of ma
Gons.
The war has come to an end with
Lord Kitchener's announcement from
Pretoria that he, Lord Miner and the
Boer delegates had signed terms of
surrender"
This announcement had been antici.
pated for several days and it was def
nitely forecasted in these dispatches;
but its receipt Sunday afternoon took
the nation by surprise, as everybody
had confidently believed that the house
of commons would hear the first news
Monday. The edge of the anticipation
with which Great Britain awaited the
promised statement in the house of
commons from Mr.. Balfour, the gov
ernment leader, was still further
dulled by the following message from
King Edward to his people, which was
issued after midnight:
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 restora-
ton of prosperity in his new domin.
ions and that the feelings necessarily
engendered by war will give place to
earnest cooperation on the part of his
majesty's South African subjects in
promoting the welfare of their COM
mon country"
How greatly King Edwards insis
tence that peace in South Africa be
secured prior to his coronation iniu-
enced the present agreement will prob
ably not be known until the private
memoirs of the present regime are
given to the public.
Kruger Cannot Believe 1t.
According to dispatch to The Daily
Express from Utrecht, Holland, Mr..
Kruger was informed shortly after 9
D. n. that peace had been declared.
He had been asleep. MY Cod" he
said, 1T is impossible" Mr.. Kruger
and his encourage, the dispatch con-
tinues, hope to be permitted to return
to the Transvaal. This, however, is
quite unlikely.
The news which Great Britain was
so anXiously awaiting came character
istically on an entirely pacific and un-
interesting Sunday afternoon, when
London presents a deserted appear
ance.
Very late Saturday night dispatch
was received from Lord Kitchener, in
which he said the Boer delegates were
coming to Pretoria, that they had ac-
cepted Great Britain's terms and that
RI ciOn of
surrender. Mr. Brodrick, the war
secretary, personally communicated
this message to King Edward, who
was at Buckingham palace. But the
government declined to take any
chances and nothing concerning the
receipt of this message was allowed
to leak out. At about 1 o'clock Sun
day afternoon the war Office received
the following dispatch from Lord
Kitchener, dated Pretoria, Saturday,
May 81, 11:15 p. M:
"a document containing terms of
surrender was signed here this even
ing at 1880 o'clock by all the Boer
representatives, as well as by Lord
Milner (the British high commissioner
in South Africa) and myself"
The clerk on duty at the war Office
transmitted this message to Bucking.
ham palace, where King Edward was
lunching. At about o'clock word
was received permitting the
Publication of the Message
and the small notice which was stuck
up outside the war Office consisted OF
q copy of Lord Kitchener's cablegram
A similar notice was put outside of the
colonial office. Beyond these two
skinny bits of paper London knew
nothing of the great event. In the
clubs, the hotels and the newspaper
offices, which were almost all desert
ed, the momentous news was ticked
out on the tape. Then like wildfire
at about 6 o'clock, London awakened
to the fact that the South African wal
was over. The inhabitants of the East
End fiocked to the Mansion House
the Mecca of the boisterously patri
otic, just in time to see the lord mayor
of London, Sir Joseph G. Dimsdale
come to a balcony and announce thai
terms of surrender had been signed il
South Africa. Amid many cheers tn,
lord mayor made a short speech, il
which he expressed his hope that Lon
don would show it's appreciation of th
good news by behaving itself decentl.
and in an orderly manner. Let us,
said the lord mayor in conclusion
''now pray for long and happ,
peace"
At this statement the assemble
crowd yelled Justify, and, at the in
stance of the lord mayor, gave heart
cheers for King Edward, followed b.
others for the men who had died il
South Africa since the war CON
menced.
BY o'clock the news had becom
generally known. A few belated e1
ira editions of newspapers were pee
died about the streets, but before thel
appearance the enterprising hawker'
who for long time past had keI
union Jacks, feathers and horns store
up In
Anticipation of the Present Event,
were much in evidence. The efforts
the hawkers received lucrative r.
wards, with the result that until Ion
after midnight the national flags weI
waved indiscriminately by well-meal
ing roysterers. There was scarcel
an omnibus or a cab which was nc
adorned with the national emblem