Evening star., 1914-10-13

entirely of Dutch speaking Afrikand
ers. conuemned the conduct of Col
MarItz In the strongest terms. tele
gram was dispa tched to Premier Boths
unreservedly offering the services o.
tne cape Dutch in any capacity desired
The Dutch paper Ons Land, published
at Cape Town. Indignantly denounces
what 1t terms the treachery Of Col Maritz
and calls on the Dutch throughout South
Africa loyalty to stand at the back of the
government The union governments ac-
'ion Is bound to bring matters to a head
ana TO disclose the true attitude of the
Dutch elements, which. it is contended, is
overwhelmingly loyal to the British en-
pire.
Announced in London.
The official press bureau today issued
the text of a telegram received by the
secretary of the colonies from the gov
ernor general of South Africa, which was
as follows:
Ever since the resignation of Gen.
Beyers as commandan mt general of the cit
1zenS force there have been Indications
that something was wrong with the forces
in the northwest Cape province, which
were placed under command of Lieut. Col.
s. G. MaritZ.
The government at once arranged to
send Col. Conrad Brits to take over
the command from Lieut.. Col. Maritz
On the sth instant Col. Brits sent a
message to Col Maritz to come in and
report to him. To this message Col.
Maritz replied in most insolent man
ner that he was not going to report to
anybody. All he wanted was his dis
cnarge, and Col. Brits must come
hl"seit and take over his command.
Envoy Taken Prisoner.
Col. Brits then sent Maj. Ben Bou-
"er to take over the command On his
arrival at Col. Maritz's camp Mai.
Bouwer was taken prisoner with his
companions. but personally he was
subsequently, released and sent back
with an ultimatum from Col Maritz
10 the Union government to the effect
that unless the government guaranteed
to him before 10 o'clock Sunday morn
ing, the 11th of October, that they
should allow Gems. Hertzog, De Wet,
Beyers. Kemp and Muller to meet him
where he was in order that he might
receive instructions from them, he
would forthwith make an attack on
Col. Brits' force and proceed further
to invade the union.
Maj. Ben Bouwer reported that Col.
Mar1tz was in possession of some guns
belonging to the Germans and that he
held the rank of general commanding
the German troops. He had a force of
Germans under him in addition to his
~" IL Tepel cOFI1dnQ. lie naQ arrested
all those of his officers and men who
were unwilling to join the Germans
and had sent them as prisoners to Ger
man Southwest Africa.
Agreement for Republic.
Maj. Bouwer saw an agreement be-
tween Col Maritz and the Governor of
German Southwest Africa guarantee
ing the independence of the union as a
republic, ceding Walfish bay and Ger
tain portions of the union to Germans,
and undertaking that the Germans
would only invade the union on the in
vitation of Col. Maritz.
Maj. Bouwer was shown numerous
kilograms and hello messages dating
back to the beginning of September.
Col. Maritz boasted that he had ample
guns, rifles, ammunition and money
from the Germans and that he would
overrun the whole of South Africa.
I'm view of this state of affairs the
government is taking the most vigor-
GUS steps to stamp out the rebellion
and to inf1ict copdign punishment on
all rebels and traitors.
proclamation declaring martial
law throughout the union will appear
In gazette extraordinary today,
the 18th of October. 1914
"BUXTON,
Governor General Of South Africa"