The evidence as to the corruption of the Boer Government
given in the Belgium Court in the suit concerned with the famous Selati concession is remarkable. Baron Eugene Oppenheim, the original concessionaire, stated in the witness box—we quote the account given in the Morning Post—" I spent personally 600,000 fr. in tips. I demanded a receipt for the sum of £4,000 sent to Eloff. Here is that receipt. I would rather not speak of the sums sent to Mr. Kruger. Several members of the Volksraad received various presents. They voted against me, however.' Altogether apparently £40,000 had to be spent in "palm oil" before the concession could be got through. Possibly President Kruger and his entourage may be able to show that these allegations are false. If not, the less we hear of comparisons between Kruger and Mazzini and the Italian patriots the better.
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