The Tories think they have at last found a good
case in South Africa, where the Government of the Transvaal, either from weakness or connivance, has allowed its subjects to oppress two Bechnana chiefs in a manner prohibited by the Convention. Lord Cranbrook brought forward the subject on Tuesday in the- Lords, and drew from Lord Derby the important statement that the protection of the Bechuana chiefs would involve a serious- campaign, and a subsequent military occupation. The Govern- ment, therefore, though aware that the Convention had been broken, proposed to compensate the chiefs with money and lands,. instead of going to war. Earl Cairns and Lord Salisbury fol- lowed Lord Derby with speeches of bitter reprobation, Lord Cairns'. in particular being very able, but no Peer ventured to suggest an expedition. The Tory idea was only to show that the Conven- tion was a blunder, to which Lord Granville replied that it might be, but if so, it was a blunder consequent on the original mistake, the annexation of the Transvaal.
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