KRUGER TELEGRAM.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13806, 18 January 1909, Page 3

KRUGER TELEGRAM.

..•The'Munich Allgemoine Zeitung," which 110 iv appears as a weekly, . has published ;an • interesting article, described as sent in from diplomatic circles, regarding the beginning of the Boer' war. Concerning the origin of the Kruger telegram, the article says:

"Shortly before the .Jameson nail the late Count Hatzfeldt, then German Ambassador in London, was charged by his Government to ask Mr Chamberlain whether he was aware what was tmnature of the events which Air ithodes and his adherents were preparing in South Africa'. Mr Chamberlain replied to the Ambassador that JUiodes's bellicose . (ruliestorenden) intensions were not unknown to liim, but that lie had. no actiial grounds to justify him, in stating his suspicions in the House of- Commons. -Moreover, Parliament ,in view of jßhodes's great popularity, would .scornfully reject any precautionary measures which the Ciiionial Minister might propose. " Almost simultaneously with the uispatch -to Berlin of Count Hatzfeldt's report of Mr Chamberlain's answer the first news of the Jameson Kaid reached Europe. The important political deliberations between the Emperor William and his principal adviser, to which the other Ministers were also admitted, resulted in the dispatch by the Jmiiperor of his well-known telegram to Mr Kruger, which Mas not, as lnuier- [ to assumed, clone extempore, but with the full assent of the Chancellor."

The telegram, says the. " Allgemeine Zeitung,'' had a three-fold object. Firstly, it 'was intended to satisfy the sense of justice of wide circles in Germany which were up in arms at the violation of international law; secondly, it was to be a kind of test for the attitude of all the otlier Great Powers' in the event of Germany and Great iii-i----taiii coming into collision diplomatically ill South-West Africa ; ana, thirdly, >t might have given the British Government an' opportunity to take official steps against Rhodes and his company. This three-fold' object was fully attained by the telegram, which was, moreover, fully approved also by Prince Bismarck. The "Westminster Gazette," the journal continues, at the time openly admitted that the British Government ought to be grateful to the Emperor for his telegram, wiu-reby he had pulled the Government out of a hole. •

That in other respects, too, Berlin I calculations were correct was proved by the eurcumstance that the Kruger ! telegram met with 110 encouragement from the other Governments. From this time it became clear in Berlin that, particularly in view of the numerical weakness of the German fleet in comparison with the British nothing could he undertaken against England in Africa ,as the intervention of anotner Great Power—for instance, Prance or Italy—on behalf of German interests was not to be counted om. This ; poll- 1 tical.' point of view has Until the prosent day governed Germany's policy in South Africa.I—Renter. 1 —Renter.