Pretoria from Within During the War. By H. J. Batts.
(J. F. Shaw and Co. 3s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Batts, a Baptist Minister, who had been settled for some years in Pretoria, elected to stay in that place after the breaking out of the war. He did well, for he was able to do immediate good service to many who needed it, and he had an opportunity of observing what went on, very much, we take it, to the benefit of the cause of truth. Among the points on which he insists are the boundless personal ambition of Paul Kruger, the culpable blindness of the authorities to what was going on—it must be remembered, of .00tirse, that an Afrikander Ministry was in pewer at the Cape—the mendacity of the Boers, and their ill-treatment of the English prisoners. As to this last, Mr. Batts tells a curious story of how, having gone to Waterval to perform divine service, he noticed a want of beas in the hospital. He sent a memorandum to the Govern-- went. The answer he got was practically this You went to preach, and you had no business to take stock of the hospital accommodation.' On another occasion he was severely reproved for giving the prisoners news of what was going on outside. Under date *of March 27th he records the death of Joubert, and goes on : "I believe I am right in stating that Joubert only realised the fact that he was a tool at the last, and the realisatien of the fact killed him." On May 9th Mr. Batts was present at the last meeting of the Volksraad. It was engaged
about a proposed sale of Government mining rights. The pro- poeal was strongly condemned, and it was shelved, greatly to Kruger'e annoyance. The same day Mr. Batts saw Mr. Mabee' Da.vitt. At first this gentleman encouraged the Boers. Let them inflict a defeat on the British, and there wcald be inter- vention. But it did not take long to bring about a change. One cause seems to have been that his horses were stolen. This is part of what Mr. Batts attributes to him :—" I went down to Kroonstad and saw their positions, which were excellent, and there they thoroughly deceived me. They assured me that they would dispute every inch of ground, and sell their liberties
only with their lives I wrote all this rubbish about the intended brave stand they were going to make to my papers.
I would give .2100 to withdraw what I have written." Every one knows how the Government fled, leaving their officials unpaid. The President when appealed to promised that £25.000 in gold not fully minted should be set aside for them. At the last moment Mr. State-Attorney Smuts carried it off. At Bloem- fontein, on the other hand, the officials were paid three months hz advance.
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