NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ANOTHER surprise ; and the most surprising and irri- tating of all. The repeated warnings of the Times' correspondent at Berlin as to the ill-feeling entertained in Germany towards Great Britain, turn out to have been well founded, and the ill-will has found expression through the German Emperor. On hearing of the defeat of Dr. Jameson, William II. called a Council and submitted to them the follow- ing telegram to President Kruger :—" I express to you my sincere congratulations that without appealing to the help of friendly Powers you and your people have succeeded in repelling with your own forces the armed bands which had broken into your country and in maintaining the independence of your country against foreign aggression." This is, of course, a recognition of the independence of the Transvaal, which, as the Emperor well knew, the British Government deny. The Council was not, it is said, unanimous in its approval ; the Chancellor, it is probable from subsequent rumours of his resignation, being the hardest to convince, but the Emperor persisted, and himself ordered the telegram to be sent, and to be inserted in the Official Gazette. It is now known, moreover, that his Majesty had opened negotiations with Portugal for permission to send troops through Delagoa Bay, and had even ordered marines to be landed in that port, when he was stopped by intelligence of the triumph of the Boers. Count Hatzfeldt has, moreover, held long interviews with Lord Salisbury to discuss points raised by his master in relation to the Transvaal. Mr. Kruger has acknowledged the telegram with cordiality, but has carefully styled Dr. Jameson's troopers " freebooters " instead of °' foreign invaders."
