NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE most important event of the week has been the flight of Mr. Kruger from the Transvaal into Portuguese territory. Mr. Kruger and his suite arrived at Lourenco Marques on Tuesday night in two special trains, which were shunted into a siding near the house of the Transvaal Consul. As Mr. Kruger could not continue to direct operations from neutral territory, he has decided, it is said, to leave for Europe on the German steamer 'Herzog ' a fortnight hence. He will not be able to be seized on the high seas, but even had he been liable to seizure, we doubt if any attempt would have been made to take him. Our Government will be only too glad to be rid of the worries that would have followed his capture. Mr. Kruger, it is humorously announced, has taken six months' leave of absence for reasons of health, and Mr. Schalk Burger will succeed him as acting President. We have stated our view of Mr. Kruger elsewhere, and have tried to estimate his claim to be considered as a South African Hofer. It is, however, a little difficult to do so while one reads telegrams about `Mr. Kruger's private supply of gold being expected to reach Lourenco Marques on Wednes- day night,' or estimates as to the amount of the "enormous supplies" which have been already shipped to Holland. Mr. Kruger cannot fairly be called a bad man, but at the same time he is very far from being the high-sonled, heroic figure he is sometimes represented.
