THE RAID ENQUIRY.

West Coast Times, Issue 10531, 15 July 1897, Page 3

THE RAID ENQUIRY.

[Pee United Press Association]. London, July 14. The report of the Transvaal Raid Enquiry Committee is published. It admits the existence of great discontent at Johannesburg but holds that Cecil Rhodes was not justified in subsidising, organising, and stimulating an armed insurrection against the Transvaal and employing the forces of the South African Chartered Coy. to carry out such an in- \ surrection. The Committee find that i though Dr. Jameson entered the Trans- 1 vaal without Mr Rhodes' direct sanction. t Rhodes' heavy responsibility remains, as he controlled a great combination of interests and used them to support the revolution. He deceived Lord Rosemead, his own ministry at the Cape, and the c directors of the Chartered Coy, while he w led his subordinates to believe thai his sup- < erio.rs approved his plans. The report acquits the majority of the Chartered Coy's directors bat holds that Maguire, Rhodes' agent in London, was aware of Rhodes' Z views, while Alfred Beit prominently shared in the negotiations. Lord Sosemead is exonerated from any guilty knowledge of the intended raid. Sir Graham Bower, Imperial Secretary to the High "^ Commissioner at the Capo, is strongly condemned. The Committee further decided that the Colonial Office officials received no information conveying any warning of the intended incursion. The -1 Committee fully accept Mr Chamberlain's J statement denying any knowledge of the Jti affair and exonerate Colonial Office officials. F. J. Newton,ResidentCommisioner of Bechuanaland,.who,'during the enquiry, admitted being aware of Jameson's intentions, and giving him assistance without informing Lord Rosemead, is censured. Mr Labouchere, in a minority report, -i regrets that the alleged complicity of the J Colonial Office was not probed to the (■ bottom. He condemns the severity of the ° sentences passed upon the officers "who -r took part with Dr Jameson in the invasion, and suggests their commissions be restored.