The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1900.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3238, 17 April 1900, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1900.

It would be interesting to learn what are the exact relations existing between Britain and Portugal at the present moment m view of the war with the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. As far as regards Delagoa Bay Portugal has made no compact with Britain, and is supposed to maintain a strict neutrality. The instructions of the Portuguese Government to the local authorities are no doubt that the neutrality shall not be a sham, but there is reason to believe that the local authorities have played into the hands of the Boers, and that contraband of war has repeatedly been allowed to pass inland, and of course has found its way into the Transvaal. British warships have done something towards checking the traffic, but it is well known that their efforts have not been very successful. Both men and material for the Boers have been landed and gone forward to Pretoria by the Delagoa Bay Railway. It is, however, clear that the Portuguese Government are not unfriendly to the British at the present juncture, or

the latter would not be permitted to land troops and munitions of war at Beira, to be thence transported to Rhodesia. It seems that a very considerable British force is being despatched to Beira, but it is not yet known what duty will be allotted to it on its arrival m Rhodesia. The point that we wish to emphasise at present is that the British have permission to use Beira as a place for the debarkation of troops and to march them through Portuguese territory. A day or two ago the cablegrams announced that this concession had been objected to m the French Chamber of Deputies by a member who complained that it was a breach of Portuguese neutrality. He appeared to think that the French Government ought to take the matter up, and make the concession the subject of a protest. This complaint is an indication of French feeling towards Britain, but M. Delcasse, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was not ready to involve his country m a quarrel with Portugal about something which really did not concern France at all. Portugal can be neutral or not just as she pleases, and no other Power has a right to dictate to her, or would think of doing so unless prepared to back up the demand or remonstrance by force of arms. In the present instance if France were to attempt to coerce Portugal, the latter would not be left alone m the struggle. Britain would take up the cudgels on her behalf, and a war with Britain (even with the South African business on her hands) is what France is not prepared to hazard. The Boers have naturally protested against the Beira concession. They are concerned m the preservation of Portuguese neutrality, but nevertheless they would be unwise if they made the Beira concession a ground of quarrel with Portugal, for on the outbreak of hostilities Beira would not be the only point that would give the Boers trouble. The British, as the allies of Portugal, would have Delagoa Bay as a landing place and as a base from which to advance on Pretoria. Seeing what has been accomplished i at Beira we are not without hope that some further arrangement may be made by the British Government with Portugal. It would pay the former to make Portugal a present of several millions sterling to be allowed to establish a base of operations at Delagoa Bay. Such a concession would be a very severe blow to the Boer cause.