BOTHA HONOURED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2524, 27 July 1915, Page 5

BOTHA HONOURED

BANQUET AT CAPETOWN WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IF WE HAD LOST TWO GREAT SPEECHES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. July 2}, 9.35 p.m.) Cape Town, July 26. General Smuts (Union Treasurer and" Defence Minister), speaking at-the Citi-- . zens' Banquet, t-o General Botha, said that when the Union's Defence system had developed for' a decade South Af- : rica would possess one of tho finest fighting forces in the world. They had won South-West Africa, -a valuable country, ; which would support a large white population. ' N What We Have We'll Hold. Having done their duty, .they were implying with Imperial wishes, and must now ask themselves: Are we going to "stick to the'country wo so brilliantly conquered?' It seemed as clear '. as noonday that if South-West Africa did not belong to the Union in the future the day would comp when the Union would belong to German SouthWest Africa. If they'wanted a, peac&-ful'-development of South. Africa, let .< them stick to what they had, and make others understand the world over they were determined to hold what' they had. . . It was now the Union's plpiji duty to assist in the European struggle." The Government hoped -that thousands. of volunteers would be forthcoming. / The importance and value of sea power were plainly manifested in the South-West African campaign, as prior to the Falkland Islands battle the German Pacific Squadron, was such a koi ious menace * that it hung" up the campaign for six weeks. _ General Smuts estimated that the re- , belliouand the operations .in Damara- • land had c05t.£16,000,000. The casualty lists an identical number of English and Dutch names. y•! German Vision pf 1916. . ' General Botha, speaking in reply to the toast' of his health, declared that thoSniost interesting discovery made in 1 German South-West" Africa was a,. German map, drawn on t'lie basis of supposed peace through Home-in 1916. It . showed t'ho whole of South Africa south of .-the .Equator as. a' Greater Gorman Empire, with the smallest portion marlco'l as a Bber/reservation. H© had also received information that the German ■ Governor had corresponded with the Kaiser, whoso answer was: "I shall not only recognise South Africa's independ- ■ ence, bnt ever guarantee it ; provided a rebellion is started immediately." ' The Germans in Damaraland, he said, had hung and shot several natives in cold blood. The Germans', attitude towards the natives was a- grave menace to the Union. That was one reason tliey coiild not givo up the country. ' He referred eoitrhusia-stically to the proposed contingent, which showed • that South Africa was prepared to continue to do her duty on the battlefields of Europe) and s'how the world that South Africa stood for freedom and \ justice. , iWheii he saw ( Dutch and. English sitting at one bench, irh'o in South Africa would dare to break the friendship? Too much blood had been already spilt in South, Africa. Ho uttered a warning (against the continuance of bitterness.' . General Botha'added that he now knew that Maritz had communicated with the German Governor as early as 1913, and had received an encouraging reply.. The Kaiser's telegrams follow- ' cd -these negotiations. i -The natives under German rule hailed, the: victory; lis a deliverance. .General |- Botha expressed his profound l disgust jat the German treatment of tho natives, arid; tho little value attached to their lives. . , University Honours. • -The University has conferred the de- ■ s;ree of Doctor of Laws on General Botha and General Smuts and the Hon. -'J. X. Merriman. _ The students gave an uproarious ovation to the recipients. The Duke of Connaught, who is Chancellor of the University, cabled his congratulations.-