THE TRANSVAAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11150, 24 August 1899, Page 5

THE TRANSVAAL.

THE COUNTER PROPOSALS.

KRUGER'S CONDITIONAL OFFER.

ACTIVE VOLUNTEERING.

MESSAGE FROM PORTUGAL.

A BRITISH BLUE BOOK.

BOER .JUGGLERY.

PLEA FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT.

"WHOLLY INADMISSIBLE." By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. Pretoria, August 23. It is understood that President Kruger's counter proposal is for a five years' retrospective franchise, with one-fifth of the seats in first Volksraad for uitlander districts. He, however, makes a condition that there shall be "no further interference with the internal affairs of the Transvaal."

Portugal has informed President Kruger that the stoppage of landing of arms was due to Great Britain calling attention to the large imports of anus at Delagoa Bay for the Transvaal, concerning which no satisfactory explanation was apparent. Hence Portugal deems a guarantee essential to the proper observation of article six of the Trans-vaal-Portuguese Treaty.

President Kruger describes the reply as extremely vague.

Mauser rifles and ammunition are being actively distributed at Boksburg and Klorkdorp.

London, August 23. A telegram from Jamaica states that in response to a test call for 300 men, every militiaman in Jamaica volunteered for service in South Africa.

A Blue Book on Transvaal affairs has been issued.

A despatch from Mr. Reitz, the Transvaal Secretary of State, dated May 9, affirms the Transvaal's existing right to absolute self-govern-ment, following its inherent right as a sovereign international State.

Sir Robert Herbert, who was Under - Secretary of State for the Colonies for many years prior to 1892, declares that Great Britain in 1884 never for a moment dreamed of admitting the Transvaal to the position of an equal contracting Power.

Sir A. Milner remarks that Mr. Reitz's jugglery at the Convention was irritating to a plain man.

Mr. Chamberlain, writing on July 13, concurs that the claim put forward by Mr. Reitz is wholly inadmissible, and adds that Great Britain has no intention of continuing the discussion.

The newspapers agree on the need of inquiry, and on the need of guarantees on behalf of the uitlanders being enormously strengthened, also that Great Britain must assert her paramountcy at whatever cost.

KRUGER'S PROPOSALS.

GENERAL DISSATISFACTION. WARLIKE PREPARATIONS. [from our own correspondent.] London, July 14. Before these lines can reach your columns the die will probably have been cast for peace or war. So I shall not waste space in forecasts or in speculations as to probabilities.

But dealing with definite facts and current opinions I may say that the existing situation is very easily summed up. President lunger's latest proposals, filtered down to their ultimate gist, may be stated to differ from Sir Alfred Milner's " irreducible minimum," by substituting seven years for five as the period of qualification for franchise. Now the Ministerial party and press are all but unanimous in proclaiming this proposal inadequate and unsatisfactory, and in demanding that the Government shall insist upon, more favourable concessions to the uitlanders. upon penalty of extreme measures—that is to say, of war. And it is admitted by Ministers that warlike preparations on a laige scale are steadily proceeding in South Africa, where also it is known that the Boers are energetically preparing at the expense of the uitlanders, and with the very strong openly-expressed sympathy of the Dutch South African subjects of Queen Victoria. Further, as the Cape Premier has publicly declared his satisfaction with Kruger's latest offer, and as be notoriously lias the South African majority at his back, the prospects of a war with the Transvaal in such circumstances are by no means pleasing in view of the various potentialities and possibilities involved. It is quite conceivable that- we might find the Dutch colonists arrayed against us, and on the side of their countrymen in the Transvaal. This suggests a racial war, such as cannot be contemplated without a shudder. And now the German Emperor, having made overt advances to France, partly with a view to an invitation to next year's exposition, and partly out of pique for that stupid Cohurg succession business, France is suggesting to Germany the advisableness of a joint interference on behalf of the Transvaal, should England decide to bring direct pressure to bear on the Dutch South African Republic. So far, Germany, or at least the German press, does not seem inclined to respond favourably to this suggestion, nor did France reciprocate very warmly the Kaiser's cordial expression toward the French navy. It happened unluckily for the desired entente that the German Imperial yacht had a flag with the " 1870 " legend on it, an allusion by no means palatable to the French, and so the German gun seems to have missed fire, while such being the case, the German mind was not in a state of preparedness to welcome France's invitation to assist in a Silas-Weg-gian " friendly move" against England. But all this goes to show how exceedingly critical is the whole situation, and how closely we are shaving the edge of a terrible tragedy. All depends upon the discretion and good sense of the Salisbury Government. The least mistake means mischief, probably irremediable.