Evening star., 1902-03-24
BOERS UNDER TRUCE
suit IN PEACE.
Schalkburger, Reitz and Two Com
mandants Inside British Lines
Views of the Press.

A dispatch from Pretoria yesterday says:
Acting President Schalkburger. F. w.
Reitz, ex-secretary of state of the Trans
vaaI. and Commandants Lucas, Meyer and
| Krogh, with their secretaries and attend
ants. arrived here yesterday. March O. at
| 2:O4 pm, on a special train from Balmoral.
| about fifty miles east Of here. They came
| into Balmoral under a flag Of truce.
Upon arriving here Mr.. Schalkburger and
his party drove Immediately to Lord Kitch-
ener's headquarters. where he had an inter-
| view with the British general. The Beers
afterward proceeded to the railroad station
and entrained at o'clock for Kroonstadt.
whence they will go out under a safe con-
duct.
| For a week past Mr. Schalkburger and his
colleagues have been stationed at Rhenos-
| ter Kop, north of Balmoral. where they
have been closely pressed by British col
umns. Dispatch riders entered Balmoral
Friday night and notified the British of the
| approach of Mr.. Schalkburger and his
party.
1t is reported that the Boer position at
Rhenoster Kop had become almost help
less and that Mr.. Schalkburger once mar
| rowly escaped capture.
BRUSSELS. March 24.-The Petit Bleu.
referring to the arrival at Pretoria of
Messrs. Schalkburger. Reitz and Command
ants Meyer and Krogh, says 1t believes
VI
sponse to fresh British overtures for peace.
made out of gratitude for the release of
General Methuen. and predicts that these
| overtures will lead to no result unless Boer
Independence is conceded.
The news that the wandering Boer govern
ment had entered the British lines is re-
garded as having but one meaning, namely,
that another attempt is being made to ne
gotiate peace. The fact that the censor
passed the news of this movement is ac-
cepted as confirmation of this opinion.
LONDON. March 24.-Nothing is actually
known here Of the intentions of Messrs.
Schalkburger, Reitz Meyer and Krogh. 1t
is possible they have only sought permis-
sion to traverse the British lines in order
to consult with Mr.. Steyn and the Boer
generals, De Wet and Delarey. But what
ever their object the news has been well
coined In London as pointing to the possi-
bility of peace.
Some correspondence which was seized a
short time ago, when Mr.. Steyn narrowly
escaped capture. proved that he and Mr..
Schalkburger were anxious to conclude
peace. No extravagant hopes. however.
are being built on the outcome Of the move
ments Of Mr.. Schalkburger and his COM
paniOns, chiefly because it is feared that
Delarey. in the flush of his recent success.
will refuse to be a party to any negotia-
tions.
The war office has informed a representa-
tive of the Associated Press that 1t has re-
ceived no official information either con-
firming or contradicting the news.
Commandant Krogh is one OF the secre-
taries of the Boer government. He was
formerly the administrator of Swaziland,
and has not been prominent during the war.
The Daily Chronicle, commenting on the
absence of Botha from the deputation. sug-
gests he is standing aside, owing to the
failure OF his overtures of year ago. and
considers that although the conditions Lord
Kitchener then offered to Botha had been
annulied 1t Is highly probable that peace
may still be arranged on similar lines but
that the Beers cannot expect more lenient
terms.
The Daily News remarks that a settle
ment would be possible II the Beers were
treated like civilized combatants, ''but men
do not surrender unconditionaily Just after
taking one Of the enemy's generals and
four Of his guns