The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 39, August 5, 1897: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and GirlsVarious
History
The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 39, August 5, 1897: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls
Various
History, Modern -- 19th century -- Juvenile literature -- Periodicals
They find that Cecil Rhodes seriously embarrassed the home and colonial
governments, by thus breaking the peaceful understanding between the
nations; and further, that he used his high position to provoke a
rebellion, and deliberately deceived the home Government that he might
be able to carry out his own personal plans. The Government in England
is declared to be entirely innocent of any knowledge of the affair, but
two officers of the colonial Government are found guilty.
To the surprise of everybody, the report contains no suggestion for the
punishment of any of the offenders.
In regard to Cecil Rhodes' refusal to produce the telegrams which they
asked for, the committee says that he ought undoubtedly to be
disciplined for his conduct, but that it would take so much time to do
so that it would perhaps be as well to let the matter alone.
This is one report.
The other is much stronger in its tone. It blames everybody concerned,
and says that there is little doubt that the raid was simply a plot
arranged to make wealthy men wealthier.
This report does not agree that the home Government is entirely
blameless. It says that it is a pity that the matter was not more fully
investigated, so that it could be thoroughly ascertained whether the
Government, and especially Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, was in truth ignorant
of the plot.
Both reports agree that the officers who led the raiders imagined that
they were acting under orders from the British Government, and that they
have been punished more heavily than they deserved. The second report
suggests that their commissions should be restored to them.
After the raid was over these soldiers were arrested and sent to
England, where they were tried for invading a friendly country without
proper authority. They were found guilty and sent to Holloway Jail in
London.
When they were convicted they were one and all deprived of their
commissions in the British army. While they were only imprisoned for a
short time, and were not harshly treated in any sense, the fact of being
dismissed from the army was a very serious thing for them.
A commission in the army means the authority by which the officer holds
his rank of Captain or Colonel--or whatever it may be--and is naturally
valued very highly by the holder.
In England, especially, the highest class of young men go into the army
as officers, and to leave the army without wishing to, to have one's
commission taken away from one, is a great disgrace. An officer who
leaves the army at his own wish has all other careers open to him, but
one who is dismissed from the service is disgraced and cannot easily
find fresh employment, and moreover loses all the income and standing
that being an officer in the army had given him.
This is the position of the officers who led the Transvaal raid; they
have been disgraced and deprived of their profession.
If, indeed, they are innocent, it is only right that their commissions
should be restored to them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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