[PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, MARCH 21, 1898. THE TRANSVAAL SUZERAINTY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9393, 21 March 1898, Page 2

[PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, MARCH 21, 1898.

THE TRANSVAAL SUZERAINTY.

President Kruoer has never stomached that clause in the London Convention which exacted that on all matters of foreign policy the Transvaal Government should be subject to that of Great Britain. The Boers were given permission to govern themselves as they chose, but they were denied the privilege of either interfering with their neighbours, or entering into offensive or defensive alliances with any other Power. This has galled President Kruger very much of late, especially since the Jameson raid, as he has felt the restraint very keenly, and would fain throw off any allegiance however small which the clause in question compels the Boers to render unto Queen Victoria. So strong has this feeling become that a late cable tells us that at a full meeting of the Transvaal Volksraad, held at President Kruger's house, strong opinions were expressed against the British suzerainty, and the Government authorised to take advantage of any complication elsewhere to renounce the suzerainty. By the fact of tha meeting being held in the President's own house it may be taken for granted that those attending it were not anxious that the outside world should know the object of the secret conclave, which the London Times' correspondent evidently discovered, and reported to that journal. In plain words, tho Boers are only waiting until Britain becomes entangled in a great war with one or more of the other European Powers to throw off their obligations under the auzera'nty clause of the London convention. This once done, no time would be lost by the Boers to rid the Transvaal of all Uitlanders obnoxious to the Government, which would mean the evacuation of the goldfields on the Band and the losa of millions of money to British investors. It is hardly likely that the European population of the Rand would go quietly out of it at the bidding of the Boers, or that the British investors would tamely allow them to be driven over the border by President Kruger's forces, which are not numerous. The population of the Transvaal consists of 68 000 Boers and 87,000 Uitlandors, of which latter fully 80 per cent are said to be British subjects. The Government of the country is entirely in the hands of the Boers, as tho Uitlanders have no representation in Parliament, nor any political rights. It is only a question of time, therefore, for the latter to throw off the yoke, and assert their right to take part in the affairs of the Republic, which are now administered by a select few, who have mannged to secure the reins of government and the control of the voting power of the people. In a late speech at Capetown, Mr Cecil Rhodes declared that, in his opinion, the timb could not be far distant when the rule of the Boers in tho Transvaal would be abolished and that of the Uit landers established; which means that Britain would speedily be recognised as having acquired another largo slice of Africa, It was only the timidity of the Uitlanders at the last moment whioh prevented the Jameson raid proving successful in its object, and this the Boers thoroughly understand ; hence their anxiety to get rid of the Uitlanders, who are becoming more numerous and discontented with the present state of things in the Transvaal. The Boers would drive them out of their territory to-morrow if they darod, but are afraid to make the attempt until Britain has her hands full of a great war, at which time the Krugor Cabinet, if still in existence, will order tho expulsion of the Uitlanders from the Transvaal, Bnt the latter will have something to say in the matter, and will, no doubt, get help from their neighbours in the adjoining British territory, where there is a strong anti-Boer feeling, and a desire to include tho Transvaal in the area of Brfcish possessions in Africa. It is, therefore, fatuous ignorance of the factors of the case, which prompts the Boers at the present juncture to even contemplate throwing off their suzerainty obligations to Britain, which would, no doubt, find means of convincing even President Kruger that she is not going to allow a handful of Boers to flout her and unjustly treat her people.