THE TRANSVAAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 17

THE TRANSVAAL.

pEOIL .KHODES'S PAET IN THE * PLOT.

ALLEGED DISCOVERY OF MOKE CIPHERS. - Pbetoeia, May i. The Executive are still discussing theqaes,t£on of xednoing the term of imprisonment on members of the Reform Comtnittee. The strangest influences in Africa «re pressing for leniency, and ths present outlook Is' more hopeful. Mays. President Stager's message to the Volkstaaais of a pacific nature. He states that he hoped *oon to meet delegates irom the Or»nge Free State and discuss terms of union with them. Majfi. President Kruger's message to the Yolksraatt inSic&tes that it is intended to bring • clown measures dealing with the education question, but it mnk«B no reference to the grievances ot tine reformers or concessions. Be attributes Dr Jameson"* raid to malevotecoe. The manage announced an intention of establishing two consular agents .in Germany. • The Transvaal t> jverament have published extracts Trom the letter book of Phillips, one ©£ the [prisoners. Writing to Werner,, his . financial agent in London, in July 1894, he says : — ■" Baron Loc"h stated that he would pfirfaioly come ,if Johannesburg possessed SOOO ilfles and ammunition." - .Much drilling |B«tillgoirg on at Pretoria. It ia reported that Sir J. de Wet, tbe BriJifTi Agent, has been recalled. • May 7. ' It is reported that the Executive is delayed tn com!ng to a decision upon the reformer*' sentences by Ghsneral Joubert's .insisting , 'upon unanimity. IiONDON, May 5. Dr- Leydß, the Transvaal agent, has pomplained Sir H Robinson's reports that - 6000 troops ace being massed at Mafeking has caused a fevlfcg of disquiet, enpecisdly »s the offic-rs alleged they were destioßd for the Transvaal. It is hinted that sffidavits have been made ,iby Boer waggoners asserting they were hired to assiUt tn an invasion. Sir J. de Wt>t, .Britibh agent at Pretoria, has confirmed Dr ieyWs onmplaint, and etrggests a joint commission of inquiry. Sir H "Rwbffnaon has given the report n peremptory denial, and ecouts the idea of a .oomraisfdon as preposterous. He says that onlj 1430 troops are proceeding to Marking, anfl balf have not yet arrived. Fivquent assurances that there is no hostile intention towards the Transvaal ars needless. Sir H. Bobinson baa also oabled to Mr Chamberlain stating that he never" 1 had the slightest suspicion or .bint of Dr Jatneetm's raid. - - The Times decoances the conditions of Sir J. tie Wet's suggested commission of inquiry as egregious folly. • Sir A. Fraser, Agent-general for Western Australia, adred Mi- Chambeilaia to inter•cede on beltalf of Walter Davias, ono of the ref'-rmera seuteccad at Prttroria. It is reported Messrs Rhodes and Bait have resigned their positions in the Chartered Company. v >- - The Srasidn'rd Bays that Mr Rhodes of£e», if Mr Oh&tuborlain desireß, to retire from the control of th« Chartered Company and to iettai» to England forthwith ; also to resign his s-eat in the Privy Council. The Cabinet ' is considering whether they shall call upon him to do so. May 6. . The Chartered Company's directors are conßiderißg the propriety of acoepting Mr Rhodes and Beit's resignation. j May 7. - , There is *& strong feeling Among members of the Honee of Commons interested in " Africa, that if Mr Rhodes is suddenly recalled . It will eeriou4y aggravate the troubles. May 8. Mr H**fc-,ley, solicitor, has published a j 1 statement, sA the- request of Dr Jameson, ; exonerating the Chartered Company from complicity in the raid. I The directors of the Chartered Company cabled to Mi- Cecil Rhodes stating that President Kmger's revelations had caused ' «river«al exoloement, in oonsequenoe of (Which they hesitated to accept his resignation. Mr Rhodes replied askmg them to { .defer a final decision in the matter, and the ' dlrtc r ors agreed to do so. ' -' May 9. ' In theilousecf Commons, Sit W.V Harcourt declared that the ciphers recently discovered among the effects of the raiders of the Transvaal proved that the Uitlanders' reforms were merely a stock jobbing dodge which Mr Cecil Rhodes had The power of settlement in ttfl Transvaal and the removal of the racial difficulty were impossible whilst , Buch were controlled by the South African Chartered Company. He demanded the removal of Mr Rhodes and a reforming of - th" Chartered Company's board of directors. ■Mi Chamberlain, in reply, condemned the Ci}<hfeT messages, and, though not of supreme importance compared with the main principles, said it was the Government's policy to renmn paramount and reunite the races. No dcnbfe tbere were faults on both sides, ' and he declared that tbe Boers were con- ' Btantly breaking the convention. It was not, he Baid, the intention of the Govern-ment-to recall Sir Hercules Robinson from iCkpe Colony, bnt the summoning of him to London was only for the pnrpose of consultation. Referring to the" statement 'that Sir J. de Wet, the Britisli Consul at Pretoria, dhad been recalled, he explained that that gentleman had had a long term of office, and by his dose attention to official matters was entitled to a weU- earned rest. Though there was only one opinion as -to Mr Khodes's complicity in the Transvaal raid, it'would be •nnfair to forget his great services to South African .matters.- .He offered no opinion as to the acceptance of Mr Rhodes's resignation/ When the jadiciary had finished, a .■searching inqniry into the Chartered Company would be made by a committee of the Jl7Kse .of Lords and House of Commons. Ibe speeoh was generally well received, , (though the Opposition tire clamorous for Sir M. Robinson's removal. ; Addttimal *}phex»» ,ait 9 astawti irom

White's note hook, show that Ooloifel Rhodes, in November, demanded that the entire Government must be in the hands of Oacll Ruodes, and that" the Rand was arranging a thousand men to assist Dr Jameson's entry pn December 29, s May 11. The Dutch press has adopted a more friendly tone, but the Berlin press denounces Mr Chamberlain for defending Mr Rhodes. Capetown, May 4. Sir H. Robinson is not likely to leave for London until tbe autumn, as feeling at the Cape is opposed to his going. Mr Barnato's mines Are oloeing down. They employed 15,000 blacks and 4000 ', whites. May 9. The House of Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution to the effect fhat it hopes Sir H. Robinson will gpeedily return. . May 10. Sir Hercules Robinson Bails for England on- the.2och icst. May 11. A petition is being signed in Buluwayo asking that Mr Rhodes be retained by the Chartered Company. ' \ Berlin, May 9. An inspired article in a paper here states that President Krnger possesses the pro-. 'Clamation of the Reform Committee, which was in effect that Obarles Letinard was to be President, Lionel Philips Secretary of State, and J . H. Hammond "Attorney -general. It adds thai the revolution "failed owing to disagreement among the. reformers and Mr Rhodes, who was confident of the action being sanctioned, and, if successful, would claim the presidency of the South African States. Hobaet, May 6. The Premier, Sir E. N. O. Braddon, has wired' to Premier Rsid, of New South Wales, urging that a joint cable message be Bent by the colonial Governments to President Kruger, asking that leniency be extended towards ths members of the Reform Committee. , - - % . Sydney, May 7. The Cabinet diecaesefi the proposal of the Premier of Hobart that a joint cable be sent to President Kruger urgir g clemency for the prisoner*?, and. it was decided to take no sctionin the matter.