Fighting in South Africa.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 158, 7 January 1896, Page 2

Fighting in South Africa.

DR JAMIESON DEFEATED.

Capetown, January 3.

A public meeting was held in Johannesburg on Saturday night to discuss the situati ;; i';e theatre being packed by an imnr.;. audience. During the proceedings the audience sang the Transvaal Anthem and cheered the British residents who were present and who remained standing while the Anthem was sung.

Australian residents in Johannesburg have formed horse and foot companies. They were present in a body at Saturday night’s meeting, and sang “God Save the Queen.” German residents in Johannesburg are strongly opposed to Kruger’s action. The feeling in Holland is furious. The British and South Africa Chartered Company meets to-day to consider a letter from Mr Chamberlain, couched in imperative terms, demanding the Company to officially repudiate Dr Jamieson’s action.

London, January 3. Sir Jacobus De Witt, British Agent at Pretoria, has left for Johannesburg to intercept Jamieson and order him to retire.

Mr Chamberlain accuses Jamieson of cutting telegraph wives.

Jamieson wrote to Commandant Marico that he had no hostile intentions, but was advancing for the purpose of assisting and obtaining justice and the rights of citizens. Telegrams from Pretoria state that an additional force, 300 strong, has crossed the frontier.

A rising has occurred in Johannesburg, but no details have been received.

There is some excitement in Berlin, and the press angrily urge the Government to intervene.

The English press applaud the action of Mr Chamberlain.

Captain Baden - Powell’s native scouts retired from their position, demanding to be armed with Snider rifles. While retiring they captured an Ashantee spy. Official intelligence has been received that Jamieson has been defeated by the Boers with heavy loss. Sydney, January 4. The delegates who recently visited South Africa on behalf of the Agricultural Department have been interviewed with regard to the position of affairs at Johannesburg. They say that the black labor question is the chief source of the trouble. The black man is not regarded, and does not desire to be regarded as good as the white man, and consequently he affords a fine field for cheap labor. On this point Uitlanders and Boers generally agree, but President Kruger recognises, and with some force, that the extension of the franchise would mean a demand from a certain number of people that the black population be treated as men and brothers. Apart from this question the old-time dislike of Boers to outsiders prevails. Jamieson is one of Mr Cecil Rhodes’ right-hand men, and Mr Rhodes makes it his boast he will have none but the best servants. Dr Jamieson is taking with him on his present expedition an undoubtedly picked force of young Englishmen, who are crack shots, good riders, and thoroughly used to the country. Except a gunner or two for his Maxims he will probably have no regular soldiers. The Boers require guerilla force to oppose them, and trained bushmen are more suited to this kind of warfare than regular soldiers. Jamieson will be opposed by superior numbers well armed and men whose backs none have ever seen.

London, January 4. A private letter from Buluwayo, dated the end of November, mentions that there is some talk of England taking the Transvaal. The Chartered Company’s corps, with ten Maxims, had then gone south under secret orders, and the impression in the country was that the Trausvaal would fall an easy prey. Rhodes protests that he knew noth; g of Jamieson’s contemplated expcd' >». Sir Hercules Rob , the Governor, has ordered every officer with Jamieson’s force to retire.

It is repor d that the Queen has ordered the Duke of Fife to resign from the British South Africa Chartered Company, of which he is vicepresident and director, but the report is officially denied. It -was rumored on the Exchange that Jamieson had reached Johannesburg without figh.ing.

Pketoiua, January 4. Sir Hercules Robinson's messengers overtook Jamieson’s force beyond the Eland River, but the leader disregarded (he messages recalling him, and continued to march on, carrying the British flag. Before Ue Witt, the British Agent, could arrive, lighting had began at Kruger’s Drop on Wednesday afternoon. Jamieson was driven from several positions. The Boers captured 42 prisoners, half of whom were wounded. The prisoners include three officers.

The lighting continued until a large force surrounded Jamieson at Kruger’s Drop, compelling him to surrender. Five were killed.

London, January 4. Mr Chamberlain has directed Sir Hercules Robinson to proceed immediately to Pretoria to secure the generous treatment of prisoners, care for wounded, and try and arrange a peaceful settlement. There is considerable excitement in Johannesburg, though no assistance was extended to Jamieson. A run on the Johannesburg banks has, set in. Kruger has been informed of further projected excursions by the Chartered Company’s troops ; also that the Kaffirs command the Bechuanaland frontier, A large force from Orange Free

State commands the Yaal River, and is ready to assist the Boers. Berlin, January 4.

The German press displays a menacing tone, and asserts that the Transvaal is independent of England. Melbourne, January 4. The key-note of the position in the Transvaal is contained in a speech made by Mr Phillips, President of the Chamber of Mines, which subsequently was issued in the shape of a manifesto. The statements show that the manifesto is a long indictment against the Government. The Volksrand ignored the franchise question, one going so far as to challenge the Uitlanders to fight. The G overnment was curtailing all privileges, and tampering with jistice by subordinating the high court to the executive; yet the Uitlanders could get nothing, even a proper education for their children being refused. The manifesto concludes that all they want is purity of justice administration, and equal share in government. There is no desire to cause an upheaval with attendant bloodshed, but it must, however, be borne in mind that the community is not always to submit to Government, PARTICULARS of the DEFEAT. OVER 70 MEN KILLED. London, January 5. The Times suggests that the fighting between Jamieson and the Boers was an accidental skirmish, and the surrender voluntary, Jamieson being willing to yield when he found the Rand did not require the protection of his police. The British South Africa Chartered Company has cabled dissenting from Jamieson’s invasion. A private telegram from Capetown states that Jamieson will be courtmartialled, and that the other officers will be released. Before the fight took place Kruger issued a manifesto, in which he promised to submit the grievances of Uitlanders to Parliament if properly requested to do so. A thousand volunteers of all nationalities are being organised in Johannesburg to act as special police. German and French residents in the Transvaal have cabled to Berlin and Paris asking for protection. A heavy fall in South African stocks and shares has taken place on the London market.

The agent of the Transvaal Government is on his way to Berlin to request the enlistment of German officers. He will also place orders for machine guns with German firms. The Times’ correspondent wires that at a meeting of 2000 Australians in Johannesburg on Saturday night the proceedings were of an orderly character. It was decided not to take part in the revolution. Pretoria, January 5.

The Reform Report Committee guarantee peace on Kruger promising not to molest or surround them pending Sir H. Robinson’s arrival. De Wet testifies to the great moderation displayed by the Republic. Kruger has promised to grant certain concessions to the Uitlanders. Berlin, January 5. The German cruiser Condor has been ordered to Delagoa, and another warship ordered to rendezvous at Lorenzo Marquez, London, January 5. Sir H. Robinson cabled on Friday stating that only 30 of Jamieson’s party were wounded, including Major Grey and Captain Coventry. Seventy were killed, and they are still finding additional bodies. Five hundred prisoners were taken. The casualties on the Boer side were slight. Jamieson, Willoughby, and Captain White are imprisoned in Johannesburg. The Emperor of Germany’s congratulatory message was prepared after a conference with Prince Hohenlobe and the foreign and naval ministers of Germany. It is regarded as a distinct recognition of thq independence of Transvaal.

Berlin newspapers insist that Jamieson’s action was an act of war, thus justifying disavowal of the suzerain permitting international relations. They ridicule Mr Chamberlain’s assumed ignorance, and urge the Boers to seek vengeance on the captives. The German Government makes no attempt to stem the opinion of the press.

One hundred thousand marks were collected in Hamburg on behalf of the wounded Boers.

The French newspaper Le Temps and Journal de Desbats exult over Jamieson’s defeat, and consider it plain that Mr Chamberlain’s advice lor generous treatment to prisoners is intended as a concession to the Uitlauders.

The European press dwell upon Great Britain’s isolated action, and regard German, French, and Russian idtntical action respecting the Transvaal as a probable forerunner of a tremendous outburst.

The English press protest against the Emperor of Germany’s insulting message, and declare that no European power has a right to intervene. Several newspapers urge that Great Britain should enter into alliances with the other powers, as isolated action is dangerous. Several incidents suggest that Rhodes is complicated in the affair. The newspapers are discussing the advisability of cancelling the charter of the British South African Company.