THE TRANSVAAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 11

THE TRANSVAAL.

REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE CAPE.

London. April 26

Farther large consignments of military stores and ammunition are being sent to Capetown-.

Eight hundred troops sailed for the Cape on Saturday, and three batteries of field artillery are under orders to embark.

M. Blowitz, the Paris correspondent of The Times, says that Prince Hohenlohe is trying to arrange that Germany, France, and Russia will morally support the Boers in the event of British action against the Transvaal. If they are unable to restrain Great Britain in South Africa an effort will be made to embarrass her in Egypt.

April 37

According to the Bine Book just pubI'shed, Mr Chamberlain forwarded several firm despatches to the Transvaal Government in March. In these despatches he complained that the Tranavaal Executive bad concluded three treaties with other nations without the Queen's assent. The act for the expulsion of alien immigrants from the Transvaal and the stringent press laws which had been passed by tbe Volksraad were breaches of the convention. Tho Transvaal Government, however, did not reply to these despatches.

Capetown, April 27.

The debate on the motion brought forward by Mr P. J. Datoit, president of tbe Afrikander Bund, haa concluded. The motion, which affirms the desirability of all parties displaying moderation, mutual- toleration, and faithful observance of traaties, was adopted, with an amendment; condemning tbe intervention of any foreign Power between the Transvaal and Britain. Mr Cecil Rhodes voted against the motion.

Pbetobia, April 26.

The trial of Lieutenant Eloff for E&ing insultirg language to Queen Victoria has concluded, and reimlted in his acquittal.

In an article in the Johannesburg Stir, by ! Francis J\ Dormer, on the Uitlander puint ox ' view, the writer a^ks " whether it was the inten- ' tion of the convention that resident* in the Transvaal other than Boers should bear practically all the taxatici, and be excluded from having any political rights? Whether they should be denied the right of • carrying arms or sitting on juries? Whether they should be forbidden to assemble: iv public meeting, or associate for the purposes of common interest ? And should be subject to summary expulsion without being allowed an appeal to the courts ? If the convention had not be.en violated, Justice de Villiers might fitly l.c asked to explain why, if he had intended to secure any measiue of protection for aliens, the convention %yas full of such significant omissions." The writer continues : "It is not necessary for right-think-ing Englishmen to give expression to their j feelings of abhorrence and humiliation at • the sill inexplicable Jameson affair, or to repu- i diate the slightest expression of any desire to J plant their foot on the neck of the Dutch, but the ', Pretorian attitude i* so significant that Jfinglish- | men are bound to take serious note of thy situa- ' tion. United South Africa has never been re- '• garded as a question of practical politics during ! our time, but when tha openly-declared aim is '. •South Africa united under a Republican flag i England must assert her natural right of icier- ! ference." ;