PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2205, 4 June 1896, Page 51

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

" Dr Jameson's ISaUI." Perhaps it is rather late in the day to take up this topic, but I have been led to do so for a couple of reasons. My first reason is that some time ago one of my correspondents asked me to recommend him a book that gave an impartial view of the position in South Africa ; and I write, secondly, because what I have written abont the Boers has been more from the position of an Englishman than from that of a Boer. | My bookseller happened to open up a case of new books from Home yesterday just before I paid him one of my— rather many from my purse point of view — visits. One of the books— and he only had two— was called "Dr Jameson's Eaid," and it gives a perhaps fairer outline of recent events, their causes and results, than any other up-to-date book I know of. BOERS' INJUSTICES. In the first place, we must remember that the Oape was annexed through no fault of the Boers. They took no active part against us, so gave no reason for annexation. In 1795 the French overran. Holland, and the Prince of Holland, then an exile in Britain, authorised a British naval squadron to occupy Oape Colony and protect it against a Fcench invasion. It was restored to the Dutch by the Peace of Amiens in 1803, but in the continuation war with France was again taken in 1806, and has ever since remained a British possession. When Sir David Baird hoisted the British flag on the castle the back country knew little or nothing abont it; so, as I have said, the Boers became British through no fault or wish of their own. In 1833 the British Parliament abolished slavery in tbe British colonies, and paid slaveholders £20,000,000. But the abolition of slavery did not extend to Oape Colony until 1835. No compensation was paid j there, however, and many of the farmers were completely ruined, and in their bitterness of heart they determined to seek new homes beyond British government and British law. The result was the exodus in 1836 known as THE GBEAT TEEK, when the despised, slowly-movirjg Dutch farmers, armed only with flintlocks, after suffering cruel reverses and the bloodiest treachery, met and conquered the whole Zulu army, then iv the height of its strength and military discipline. On December 16, 1838, less than 500 Boers, protected by the larger formation,- faced 12,000 Zulus, and surrounded themselves with a rampart of 3000 slain enemies. The river running by ran crimson, and is called the Blood River to this day ; and to this hour the Boers meet annually to celebrate Dingaan's Day, and return thanks for their crowning mercy. And so in this way the Orange Free State. and the Transvaal were settled. No thanks to Britishers— rather the reverse. Then oame the formation of tbe South African Company, which prevented further treks, and the invasion of the Band by the nationalities of the world, the Biitish being the principal offenders. THE ANNEXATION, however, occurred before the last two events, and it seems to me that the British were justified ; but the Boers were badly treated by the British officials and military martinets. Boer grievances were ignored, and promises made before annexation were not fulfilled. The result was an unfortunate war, miserably mismanaged, and resulting in humiliating defeat and the Boers' independence. j So the Boera have little to thank ns for except that we prevented the country from falling into barbarism— or think we did— before the annexation. If we did, and I think we did, that may be taken to balance the- grievance ; but the Boers could not forget, and naturally conservative in character, their experiences with the British made them still more conservative when Johannesburg sprang up.

They are the old typs squatter, and the energetic, money-makiug millionaires are men they fear, so they have done what they could to preserve their power, an 3 have retained aa much as possible the government in their own hands.

A week or two ago I gave the Outlanders' demands, and they seemed fair enough, and are fair enough, for on the face of it for 600 to rule perhaps 70,000 is unreasonable. But there is a "but." According to a British resident in tbe Transvaal, before the Jameson raid for 11 months there hadn't been a meeting advocating political freedom, though the government bristles with injustices of all • kinds. There have been agitations, and Dr 11 Jim's " raid was the outcome of agitations. But the leaders were arrogant, insolent, and contemptuous, and were men at the wrong end of the ladder. They were, and are, nearly, all of them millionaires who have amassed their not-too-honestly-gotten gains under the existing conditions of govern' ment, and have tried to bring about a crisis because, to use a betting term, "it suits their book." They have got all they can from the Government, and now that they find that certain burdens relating to the gold-mining industries are becoming unbearable and making mining unprofitable, they are making use of the cause of the many to advance the ends of the few. And it is this that made Dr Jameson's Incursion fizzle out. The millionaires couldn't carry the rest of the Outlanders along with them. THE HAID. When the startling news was first flashed I had tho impression, and no doubt most of my readers had too, that the Jameson expedition was some lightning-conceived plan to seize Johannesburg and by a Surprise to capture the city without bloodshed, and -when in possession to demand, with a certainty of being favourably listened to, political equality.- But it seems that the company was massing troops for weeks, and that the coming invasion was the talk of the Band. In the book I have mentioned letters are quoted from to show that suoh was the case. Some time ago, you may remember, I quoted from Olive Schreiner's letter in a Johannesburg paper, and he? opinion there 1 expressed was to the effect that the Baud

and Kimbarley millionaires were caballing to control the industries and Governments of South Africa.

It seems to me that Dr Jameson's raid failed not because the grievances were not real, but because the men leading the agitation were working for personal aggrandisements, and were therefore not trusted by the great majority. Whether Jameson was a dupe of the scheming few, or whether he honeßtly thought that a deacent on Johannesburg would prevent violence and save life, I cannot say. • -. . -