Mr. Chamberlain, questioned on Thursday about the con- ditions on
which Dr. Jameson and his force surrendered to the Boers, gave an admirably clear and impartial reply :— (1) That the commandant of the Boer forces had distinct orders to insist on unconditional surrender ; (2) that, notwith- standing this, one commandant did offer the men their lives if they laid down their arms and promised an indemnity; (3)
that in so doing he exceeded his authority ; (4) that the President states that he knew nothing of the matter ; and (5) that there is no reason at all to question President Kruger's good faith. That, we take it, probably contains the truth so far as we have yet the means of getting at it; but. we regard all this premature Parliamentary discussion of a matter which must be cleared up in the trial, which indeed it would be the deity of Dr. Jameson's advocate to sift to the bottom, with great dislike. Meanwhile, nothing can be wiser or more fair than Mr. Chamberlain's replies to these mistimed and inconvenient interrogatories.
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