Hastings District School.

Hastings Standard, Issue 207, 29 December 1896, Page 3

Hastings District School.

The throe following essays were commended by the judge (H. 11. Murdoch) at the recent examination, space not permitting us to publish tic in 1h fore

PR. JAMESON'S RAID IN Till-

TRANSVAAL

St \M>A!:i> VI.--I>EATlti« i Joi.l,

The Transvaal is a large tract of country lying north of the Orange St.-1. ('ape Colony was formerly inhabited by the Dutch, hut during a great war it fell into the hands of the British. The Doers were rough uncouth people, and had always been d to an unsettled kind of t'oveiiiiisent, ai.d when the Dritish wanted to improve it they would not .-or.-ent and moved northward to the Transvaal where they could follow their own form of government. At the head of this government was President Kruger. A short time after the Boers had been at the Transvaal gold was discovered there, and people flocked to the Transvaal from all parts of the world. Tiie population increased so rapidly that in a >hort time the English people far outnumbered the Doer'. They were taxed very heavily, and they did a great deal tow ards improving the country ; they therefore wanted a void in the government. The country was governed by the Volksniad, a number of Dutch people elected by thu Dutch population, and the English had no voice in the election and were not repie-etited in Parliament. The English or as they were called, wire very much dissatisfied. and held meetings to try to get the right of electing members to re - present them. The Inlanders applied to I>r Jameson for help. lie gat bend a small army and went to In lp the English in the Transvaal. The I nlanders, however, had been misinformed as to the time of Pr Jameson's arrival, and were not prepared to meet htm. Dr .Jameson and his followers, after a long and weary march, met the Doers under General Jnbert, at Krugers-doqi. where a short fight took place, which resulted in the defeat of tl.» ritki.ders. Dr Jameson and his troops held out to the l;»-t. although th y were exhausted and weary from want of food and rest : the brave fellows fought bravely until they were completely defeated. Or Jame-i>n and his followers were taken prisoners by the Doers, and given into the hands of the Englidi. They were tried, found guilty, and imprisoned for terms not exceeding two years. Although the judge's looked up to, and hor.ond I'r Jameson for his bravery they were obliged to punish him. as be had broken the law, and if he had not been puni-hed. other people would do the suae thing. Mo>t of the English people honor and respect Dr Jameson, and are trying to secure for him his freedom. If the expedition in the Transvaal had been a success, the English would have had a voice in the government of that country.

ST.\M'AKI> \ I.—Nina C""K. The Transvaal is a Luge tract of country lying to the north of the Orange Free States, in Africa. ("ape Colony was formerly inhabited by the Dutch, but the English mad. war on them, and drove them out of the colony. They therefore travelled north, and settled in what is now known as the Transvaal. The Government of this newly settled State is in the hands of the Voiksraad another name for Parliament—which is composed entirely of Dutch, at the head of which is President Kruger. After the Dutch had been settled somewhat in their new surroundings, gold v..»- discovered in th- Transvaal. This caused a rush from all paits of the world : the English being foremost. The English population was now very great, but still the Dutch would not allow them to have any voice in the Government of the country. Although the English were not represented in Parliament, still they were forced to pay all revenue of the country, and were taxed very highly. The English, or l itlanders, as they were called, bore this trying treatment isjinlence for some time; but at last they rose in rebellion. Not being strong enough to tight the Dutch Company by themselves, they sent for Dr Jamecon to help them, from Matabeleland. He was to meet the rebel company in Johannesburg, and then they intended attacking the town. When Jameson received the summons he started in all haste for Johannesburg, but President Kruger, who had been informed of the intended raid, sent General Joubert out to meet him. They met at Krugersdorp, about ten miles from Johannesburg. ind a sharp fight took place. Dr. Jameson's party fought bravely, but there is little wonder that they were beaten, for they had been in the saddle for twenty-four hours and were tired out even before they met Joubert. It is possible, however. that they would not then have been beaten had not their ammunition given out. Dr. Jameson with his faithful band of followers and the leaders of the plot wero taken prisoners and sent to England. When they arrived there they were tried and found guilty. Dr. Jameson was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, and the other sentences varying but not exceeding two years. Although Dr Jameson hid to be punished, still the British people honored him for his brave deed.

SIEGE OF LONDONDERRY. Stam»aki» IV.—lvy Gallien. In the North of Ireland, there is a pretty little town called Londonderry, situated on the River Foyle. This town was once besieged by an enemy.

re were walls around the city, the v>neiny found it difiicut to conquer it. The people inside the wails hid a few old cannon, and, with tlu-sc, they wen i aide to keep the enemy at hay. The enemy had built a boom .across the river, which consist of logs, sunken boats, and many other things. Mouths passed away. and the people v.\rc nearly starved to de.iiii. 'liny ate cats, dogs, mic . and la rse-flcsh, ai d ".o catch a little fish, in the river, was considered quite a treat. One day to their intense joy, the starving people saw three ships, laden with provisions coming up the river. The Mouutjoy came first, as her captain was an inhabitant of Londonderry, and had begged to take the lead. This ship dashed at the boom, and broke it, but. sq great was the shock, that she was driven on a mud bank and .stuck fast. Fortunately for her, the tide was rising, and very soon the Mountjoy drifted off the bank again. The other two ships got safely in, amid the cannon ball of the enemy, and the jeers and shouts of the people. That night, the people in the city, had a feast, such as they had not had for many months. The enemy, now disheartened by their failure, slunk away in the dark.