The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-02-06
BRITAIN'S REPLY
PEACE PROPOSAL OF THE METH.
ERLANDs GOVERNMENT is
UNSATISFACTORY.
DEAL ONLY WITH FIGHTERS

DEAL ONLY WITH FIGHTERS
If Beers In the Field Desire to Negoti.
ate for Peace They May communi.
cate Directly With the British Com.
| mander-in-chief in South Africa.
Intervention by Any Foregn Power
Not Agreeable to Great Britain.
London, Feb. 5.-The British gov.
eminent 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. -'<"' - ''~sp.is:ssa
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. rs 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. It is sug.
gested that, after a 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 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
quire of the delegates whether they
| are prepared to make the suggested
visit to South Africa. It may, there.
fore, be inferred that the communica.
ton I received was made on the re-
sponsibility of The Netherlands gov.
eminent alone and without authority
from the Boer delegates or leaders.
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 1t is not their intention to accept
Intervention Of Any Foreign Power
in the South African war. Should the
Boer delegates themselves desire to
lay q request for safe conduct before
his majesty's government there is no
reason why they should not do SO.
But his maJesty's government, oh.
press an opinion on any such applica-
ton until they have received it and are
aware OF the precise nature and
grounds whereupon the request is
made.
81 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 OF
instruction Of 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. II 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.
ly any offers he may receive for the
consideration of his majesty's govern.
ment.
"In these circumstances, his males
| tvs government have decided that II
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 II 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, a period Of at
least three months would elapse, dur
ing which hostilities would be pro
longed and much human suffering. per
haps, needlessly occasioned.
LORD SALISBURY TO RETIRE
MT Mot lfnfif peaea In Soufh Afric,