The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-02-05
PEACE WITHOUT DISHON0R.
EnuIand is Now Anxious to End
the War Without Further HUI
initiation.

ment leader, A. j. Balfour, announced
in the House of Commons today tnat
no oyertures for peace had been re-
ceiyed from anyone authorized to
sneak in behalf of the Boers. A com,
munication was, however, recelvea e
late on Saturday last from the Dutch
Government, which was now unoe5
consideration. Mr.. Ba!four hopeo3
shortly to lay the communication ana
the reply to it before the house;
The Government of Holland has offered
in the most friendly terms to help IL
bringing about peace in South Afslca.
Tn = communication to the British
Government the Dutch Government
SUGGESTS that it might be permitted to
acf as a sort of diplomatic agent for
the Boer delegates. The Government,
however, expressly disavows any at,
$empt at intervention and does not
mention any terms.
1t was learned by representative
Of the Associated Press that the Brit
ish Government infers that 1T Woulo
not have been approached unless gne
Dutch authorities were convinced thaG
the Boer delegates now in Europe we're
willing to accept the cardinal polnts
of the British peace terms, SO ire
ouently announced in Parliament.
Lord Lansdowne, the foreign secre-
tary. replied in friendly terms to the
Netherlands proposal, but instituted
inouiries in order to ascertain the ex-
tent of the powers delegated by Mr.
Kruger and the other Boer representa-
tiyes in Europe to act in behalf OF the
Beers in the field. Great doubt is ex-
pressed at the foreign Office here as to
whether any negotiations earned Q On
by the Boer delegates through the
Dutch Government or other channels
will prove efectual. If satisfactory
guarantees in this respect can be Sc
cured negotiations will be begun I'M
mediately. This doubt in regard to
the authority of Mr.. Kruger and 9th
.ers to speak for the fighting burghers
is perceptible in the statement OF Mr.
Balfour made in the House OF Com
,ons todav 50 .zg 81. -sisasssaagzss
The announcement of Mr.. Balfour
caused a SENSATION in the lobbles OF
Parliament. Lord Rosebery is gener-
ally credited with having brought
aOOuC DQlS uOYSluOA0 O4A oAS R~AS
the Dutch Governmnt.
tits recalled that the Dutch premier,
DR.. Kuyper, in an interview publish
ed about Christmas time, was repre-
sented to have urged the impossi bill
ity of Hollands intervening in South
Africa unless he had reason to think
that both parties wished it. Conse-
ouently it is regarded as certain that
the present movement was inspired by
the Boer delegates.
The Petit Bleu, of Brussels, the
organ of the Krugerites, hatly denled
last night that the Boer delegates had
charged anyone to make peace propo-
sails, and professed to be in entire
ignorance of the Dutch communlca-
tion.
The Daily News this morning claims
credit for the initiation Of the peace
movement. The paper says that, after
Rosebery's speech at Chesterfield, 1t
sent DR.. Bisschop, who is neither
Briton nor Boer, on mission to the
Continent to invite the Boer delegatez
to consideration Of the basis Of nego-
tiations which Lord Rosebery suggest
ed.
The Daily News declines to reveal
the outcome of the conference, but
practically avows that the Boer dele
gates still insist upon independence.
Editorially the Daily News draws
the inference that the Government has
already replied and has rejected the
Dutch overtures as unauthorized, as
otherwise Mr.. Balfour would not have
been in position to promise the pa
peys on the subject, this promise show
ing that no further negotiations were
on foot.
This was the impression in the lob
bies as result of the announcement OF
the Government leader and semi-offi-
cial statements in Government pa
pers this morning state that the out
look for peace is not hopeful.
Those acquainted with Boer senti--
ments assert that Messrs. Fischer and
Wolmarans and Gems. Schalkburgher
and Botha are willing to recognize
British annexation, while Mr.. Kruger
and Dr.. Leyds, Gen. DeWet and
President Steyn still insist upon inde-
pendence. Therefore at present it is
considered hopeless to arrive at any
agreed basis of negotiations.