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Page 5
Both Cecil Rhodes and Dr. Jameson have been bold enough to state this,
cloaking their misdeed under a tale of gaining more lands for their
beloved sovereign, and both have had the courage to say that they only
made one mistake in the Transvaal matter, and that was to fail. Had they
been successful, they would have been forgiven.
The angry feeling between the Boers and the English is daily growing
stronger. It is feared that war cannot be prevented.
President Krueger is preparing for the worst by allying himself with the
Orange Free State, his neighbor on the east.
The treaty has just been made, and is waiting to be ratified by the
Congress of each country. It gives the citizens of both republics the
right of citizenship in either country, and binds each to fight for the
other in case of war.
Mr. Chamberlain, the English Colonial Secretary, is trying his best to
upset this treaty.
He declares that, according to an understanding made between England and
the Transvaal in 1884, the Boers have the right to govern their country as
they please, but they must not enter into any treaties or relations with
other countries, without the consent of England.
Mr. Chamberlain says that Her Majesty the Queen will insist upon the terms
of this treaty being obeyed.
Though England is taking such a very decided stand in the matter, she is
far from feeling at ease as to the result. It seems that Germany is taking
more interest in the affairs of South Africa than is pleasant to England.
It is feared that if war does break out in the Transvaal, Germany will
join with the Boers and the people of the Orange Free State in fighting
England.
Germany already owns a rich province in the neighborhood, and she has for
some time been sending arms and soldiers, able to teach the Boers the art
of war, across the continent, from her province on the West Coast, to the
Transvaal.
She has lately sent three thousand of her soldiers out to South Africa.
* * * * *
While we are on the subject of Africa, we must speak of the expeditions
that are being sent out from France to Abyssinia, with the object of
making commercial treaties with King Menelik.
England is also sending out an envoy to the same country.
The reason for this sudden interest in Abyssinia comes from the great
victory won by the Abyssinians last year, a victory which brought them
into importance as a nation.
In 1896 the Italians, who have colonized a portion of Eastern Africa,
bordering on Abyssinia, invaded their neighbor's country, with the
intention of conquering it and adding it to their own.
The Abyssinians, a race of dark-skinned people whom we have been
accustomed to look upon as savages, met the Italians on the open field of
battle, and, without ambush or any of the usual savage methods of warfare,
defeated them, the Italians leaving twelve thousand killed on the field.
The civilized nations had hardly recovered from their surprise at this
defeat, when they were astounded afresh to find that the savage king
Menelik had no desire to overrun the Italian country and punish the
invaders for their attack, but having put them outside his borders, he
settled quietly down to enjoy the blessings of peace.
The eyes of the world were turned on Abyssinia and its wonderful king, and
the result has been that the various nations interested in Eastern Africa
have decided that the friendship of Menelik is well worth having, and they
are all hastening to make friends with this powerful king.
The French have been especially eager to make an alliance with him, before
any other nations could get ahead of them. Abyssinia is a country rich in
gold and ivory, and the friendship of Menelik is also valuable, because of
the trade that can be done with his country. One expedition has been sent
by the government to make the treaty, and at the same time another has
started under the command of Prince Henry of Orleans.
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