the various steps he took. In the course of his letter, referring to events before the Raid he said :— "For months rumours and reports of a disquieting nature were freely circulated, and very tall talk was indulged in as to the course of action the leaders in the ferment intended taking, but no one outside expected or anticipated any such serious steps or violent action having for an object the overthrow of the local Government."] 16. Suicide of a Reform prisoner.-Mr. Gray, one of the Reformers in Pretoria prison, commits suicide in a fit of extreme mental depression. [The prison at Pretoria, where the Reformers were serving their sentence, was a loathsome place, the conduct of their gaolers was brutal, and at times the prisoners were kept alive only by means of food that was smuggled in by their wives or friends.] - 30. Release of prisoners.-Following on strong agitation throughout South Africa, and after much bargaining with the prisoners, President Kruger agrees to release 56 of the members of the Reform Committee still in Pretoria gaol on their paying the fines of £2,000 each, and giving a written pledge to abstain from "meddling" with Transvaal politics for three years, on pain of banishment. The four leaders, and also two other prisoners, Mr. W. Sampson and Mr. W. D. Davies, who refused to sign petition for release (on the ground that when Johannesburg laid down arms there was a guarantee given that Reformers should not be molested), are kept in gaol. - JUNE 11. Mr. Kruger makes a bargain.-Continued agitation throughout South Africa leads to a deputation of all Mayors of boroughs in Cape Colony and Natal (nearly 200) proceeding to Pretoria to wait on Mr. Kruger, to present a petition in favour of the four Reform leaders. Mr. Kruger, after much further bargaining with the prisoners as to the sum they should pay, and without seeing deputation, now releases the four leaders on their paying fines of £25,000 each, with banishment for 15 years, such banishment, however, to be held in abeyance if written promise given not to meddle in politics for that period. Mr. Phillips, Mr. Farrar, and Mr. Hammond sign agreement to that effect. Col. Rhodes prefers the banishment, and is escorted across the border, proceeding thence to Mashonaland. [Total amount of fines paid by the Reform prisoners, £212,000. For release of last two prisoners, see 1897, June 22.] 15. Dr. Jameson committed.-Dr. Jameson and the five other officers are committed for trial. [See July 20-28.] - 26.-The British South Africa Company accept the resignation of Mr. Rhodes and Mr. Alfred Beit as directors. [For re-election of Mr. Rhodes, see 1898, April 21.] 29. The Administration of Amatongaland. Order in Council empowering the Governor of Zululand, as Special Commissioner of Amatongaland, to appoint there a subordinate Executive, and to legislate by proclamation, due regard being had in civil matters to native law and custom. [See 1897, Nov. 22.] - JULY. A Peerage for Sir H. Robinson.-The Queen confers a Peerage on the High Commissioner, Sir Hercules Robinson, who becomes Lord Rosmead. - 20-28. Trial of the raiders.-Trial before Lord Chief Justice Russell, Mr. Baron Pollock, and Mr. Justice Hawkins, of Dr. Jameson, Major Sir John Willoughby, Col. the Hon. H. F. White, Col. Raleigh Grey, Major the Hon. Robert White, and Major the Hon. C. J. Coventry for offences under the Foreign Enlistment Act. Sentences: Dr. Jameson, 15 months; Willoughby, 10 months; Robert White, 7 months; Hy. White, Grey, and Coventry, 5 months, all without hard labour. [By the clemency of the Queen they were all treated as first-class misdemeanants. Major Coventry was released August 22, and Dr. Jameson Dec. 2, each on account of ill-health.] AUG.-Mr. Conyngham Greene appointed British Agent at Pretoria. [He arrived there Dec. 1.] The - OCT. The population of Johannesburg. Johannesburg Sanitary Board's census shows a total population of 107,078 within a three-mile radius, including 50,907 Europeans. 3. Education in the Transvaal.-A letter published in the Times from John Robinson, director-general of the Johannesburg Educational Council, gives the following particulars (inter alia) as to the education grievance: Actual sum expended on Uitlander schools in 1894, £650, or Is. 10d. a head, out of a total spent on education of £63,000, the expenditure per Dutch child being £8 6s. id. Johannesburg Council of Education has sought establishment of schools where Dutch and English children might sit side by side, but the Pretoria authorities refuse to meet Uitlanders in a conciliatory spirit. Johannesburg people pay £7 per head per annum for the education of Dutch children, and from £5 to £15 for their own. Hundreds of the latter are growing up in ignorance. 14. Aliens Expulsion and new Press Laws.-The Transvaal Official Gazette publishes the text of the Aliens Expulsion Act, which, passed by the Volksraad on Sept. 29, empowers the President to give to any foreigner whom the Government may consider dangerous to peace and order 14 days' notice to quit the State (subject only to right of appeal to the High Court on the ground of being a burgher), or to reside in a certain quarter. [Mr. Chamberlain represented that the law would be inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the London Convention, and would constitute a breach thereof. It was modified 1898, July 15, which see.] Also a new Press Law, providing that all personal and political articles in the journals published in the Republic shall be signed by the writers, and authorising the President to suppress any newspaper which may, in his opinion, contain matter dangerous to the peace of the Republic. - Nov. 26. Aliens Immigration Law.-The Transvaal Raad passes the Aliens Immigration Law. It provides that all aliens admitted to the State must have passports showing they are able to support themselves, and they must also secure from a field-cornet a travelling or residential pass which will be available for three months, but may be renewed. Aliens who wish to reside per manently in the country can have an annual pass, provided they satisfy the field-cornet by affidavit that they wish to remain obedient to the laws of the State." New law to come into force Jan. 1, 1897. [For repeal, see 1897, May 6.] DEC. Transvaal War expenditure.-Reported that during 1896 the Transvaal Republic has spent over £700,000 in the purchase of cannon, Maxim guns, rifles, ammunition, etc. [For three years after the Jameson Raid the war expenditure in the Transvaal averaged three-quarters of a million sterling per annum. The greater part of the money was spent on the construction of a chain of forts guarding Pretoria and dominating Johannesburg, these forts being further supplied with guns and ammunition of the latest type.] 1897. JAN.-FEB. The Kotze episode.-Controversy between the Transvaal High Court and the Executive and Volksraad in regard to the case of Brown v. the State. A prospector who tendered money for a licence respecting a gold claim on land proclaimed by President Kruger as available for gold fields was told, after some delay, that the proclamation had been withdrawn, such withdrawal being confirmed by a resolution of the Volksraad, which practically absolved the Government from liability in regard to the matter at issue. Thus deprived of his right, the claimant brought an action against the State. Chief Justice Kotze decided in the High Court that such a right, being protected by the Constitution, could not be set aside by either the act of the Executive or the resolution of the Volksraad. [A law was passed by the Volksraad on Feb. 25 overruling |