NEWS FROM AFRICA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 207, 9 February 1915, Page 6

NEWS FROM AFRICA.

CRrsniN'li THE KEIiEI.UOX. DEATH ()!•'(;ENKRAL BEYERS. KOrXDINf! IT COMMANDOES. The 1:1:1 il from South Africa brought news ei the rebellion In 1 —lll December, Tin- raj/,' 11 apers give iiiknutHg detai's of phas-e* of tiiis ininatmo w.;.-, including a. narratiw by i.n eye-v.'itn"S'' of tile iU?aL.I of General ISeyers, till: leader (.1 til.' r< vi.lt, who v.a; d'.'o.vned while irossing tin; Yaal HiVi-r on blil l)( !_'l'.l"l»< V.

The Kimli! r! ■>" lenesponduit of the ('ape Time. v. roll' oil llltii December:— "iii spit,' of tin* official stiit.'iiu-nt by tiic (;<:\■ 111n11•:i(, tiiir.' lias been a gencm! lieaitaiu-y on tlu> part oi the puhiie Inn' is> tiic report of I'.i-ycr's death i 1.:; /ilia:, b:ii to-day 1 had an i:it;rview with an oHic.-r who wa. f present when Sieveis wan drowned, and who took a prominent part in tile operation* wliieh led U;, to the event, lie !'n:'n idled a sketch v. liieli j.ave a good l> r;IV I've view of tiie situation, and there is? abundant evidence that tiie operation; were earned o:it with' groat >l<ill and

were ".:r.:e'i lucre signilicant tian Hie so:r.-. w!:at l a d. official statincnt wo'.ild had cue t;> bel.evc.

•It appiar.', ti.at Beyers was making lii., W'"v lito tii': Transvaal tram the Free State with about 1:11:1. Thest men were lint or ginaily numbers of ti:s force. but 1.a.1" consented to escort h"'' l into tiie Trans', aal on his own ropiest alter lile in.n;.'i unnl which look place on tiie farm Ueitgart. south of iiol.iiaville, on .Monday last.

*•(!» Mon»iav cvci-iu*i m-v/ii readied Ma»|Ua*si that Ileyevs ami 2.") mm were seen at the lar.n miles south c>: Maipassi, an,i Ca.ila'n Cherry. \v th o'O men, left at on •' foreed mareli toutli. News of the i\ I* els' lr.ovtir.int l:a;l also rcaehn! n slorek<v|KT :;t Commando failmr up tlu l river. At this time tlie (love**-nu-iii Iruopri wire s.United as fallows: — Captain t'ys, of Viljoen's corps, was on tlu: Transvaal side of the river ° r * men: Commandant Nan was at Dirp Kuil, a farm about nine miles oast of* Commando I'rij't cu the. muhu side oi' the r:\ci. troops ix pursuit. •'Captain Uys, 011 receiving news of Beyer's movement, immediately sent a message along to Field Cornet Be Xccker (commandant Van Rcnsburg's commando) asking- h'm to push across the river to his support as quickly as possible, while lie a boat, swam his liaises through to the Free tttate side, and left Commando Drift about S o'clock that night for Grayling's Request. A communication was also sent to lilocmhof to Commandant De 1r Rev Kwnrts, ask ng him to scnii SO men in tile fame direction.

- glance at tlje map will show that the funvs wen' intruded to converge on t!ii' rebel land. The movements were well executed. After a hard night ride i —just when the sun rose —Captain 'Kys and Cornet De Xecker eame into touch with the enemy, about three miles from the Vaal. On their approach the rebels galloped furiously oil' in the direction of the river. "Then there followed a smart bit of work on the part of the Government forces, in which the ex-Coitimandaut-fieneral was beaten at. li s own game. Captain l.'ys outflanked hi:n on the right by a rapid and evidently unexposed manoeuvre, while Field-Cornet Du Xeeker outflanked him oil the left. Un tlm opposite side Captain Cherry was rapidly approaching with his thirty men to a ridge commanding the stream. "The situation was a desperate one for Beyer?. He was like a rat in a trap, but his mind ivas quickly made up. lie resolved to cross the river and take his shanee with Cherry's force. His men were ordered to take up a position behind some small bushes, and fire on the advancing party, while lie attempted the crossing. ISosholf, one of his rc-bel companions, assured him that it was of 110 use going across, for they- were surrounded 011 both sides of the stream, •ami capture was inevitable. Beyers made the answer. 'So long is I have life in me, 1 shall fight for it.' These were evidently the last coherent words uttered by him. With great haste he removed his gaiters, spurs, macintosh, and revolvers, bailed on i..s horse and plunged into the river, leading another animal; while one .lohn I'ieterse. who was acting as his guide, pushed ahead of him out into the swiftcunning stream. ''When they were well into the water, Captain t'ys's men opened fire at a distance of about fifty or sixty vara, and little spurts of water around tne 1 horsemen marked where the bullets were falling, lieyers was soon in dillinultios, 'for his horse, instead of going straight across, swung round in the water, and after some, ineffectual attempts to keep it straight, Rovers slipped out of his saddle, turned over 011 his back, and started to swim back to the Free State, side. I'ieterse meanwhile had made good progress, but ■%' hen he saw that Beyers was in difficulties. turned back to his assistance. A bullet then struck him, and the water was instantlv streaked with blood; but he struggled towards Beyers. The effort, however, was too much for him, *nd lie suddenly disappeared. Beyers, H'hq had been swimming 011 his back with considerable, difficulty, was heard to shout something, and a branch was thrust out towards him fneu the bailie, but it was of no avail. lie was then tieard to shout again, and the eager p.vr.s of the watchers on the bank saw him suddenly throw up his hands and *lrop like a stone beneath the muddy Ivaters. That was the end. For at least 611 hour and a half the troops remained on both sides of the river, but nothing was seen of the body. )[v informant 'ias of opinion that it would rise in about, three days. It is not known for tertain whether Beyers was wounded. It is considered probable, although it Was the trouble with his horse that led him to turn back. The river had lorn m Hood, but had gone down eight or ieet. The water was still very muddy, and, strange to say, a lot of dead fish, (some of them very large ones, were stranded on the banks. Whib Beyers *'as struggling to cross the river the rest of the rebels ipiietly surrendered to Field-Cornet Diek Be/.uidenhout. Among them was the l!ov. Mr. Bosholl', Who was acting as a field-cornet. Boshoff's brother, also captured, is said to be a man of considerable education, lie Biilv arrived at Captown from Kurope last month, and it appears that lie has been ill Cermanr recently. At present he is in 'another place.' VTOMAX WTTXKSSES TP.'AGImJY. '•'Curiously enough, the final act in this tragedy was witnessed from heginnimr to end by a woman. The farmhouse where Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs reside :s situated about .">0 yards from the bank of the river on the Transvaal side. Mrs. Jacobs was up eurlv 011 Tuesday morning. She heard the sound of galloping horses, and turned to the bank to see what was happening (here. As she stood overlooking the stream the whole scene enacted before her eyes like a panorama, She heard the sharp crack of the rillcs. saw the two men and their horses struggling in the water, and. to use her own words in describing the shooting, 'The shots in the water

around them were just like someone throwing in liaildfuls of sand.' Beyers' horse, a grey gelding, fell dead when il stopped out of tin: river on the Transvaal side, as il had been shot while crossing." BODY REC!'YE!!E;;'. The body of General Beyers was l'e .■ .vi r-d t.v.'o days later on from tin \'aa! rivet at Yliegckraal, which is no. far from the spot, where bo was seen lo sink. No doubt exists as to the ident Ileal.on of the body A careful examination by a- medic,". l , officer '."-vonlcd t-U' fact ti at there were no wounds on tiie body, and that d-. ail; wa : d::-- to drowaing. ' Commandant \an Kc-nsbiiru'. in ma.';:i rc|>ort on tin- (Vatli of JSoyrrs, tit l -

■ lidiV, aftvr li' Vcr- r.n i Pi"'civr 1.1 l l dashed Into t':c I'ivcr mi hors;-!;;icx. :.rA hni! licni sc|):r.':i'.i'il from tlii'iv tmrsi s ;;ii.l to riliir:i Id t'lc left

i'.eyer.-i. v-'mit about. .'IOO yards nom .hi' shore. out r»r ;i' I)', savin.;, "11; kail nic nicer uie" (1 am iluiu:). lii:n (.11 tin' bank, sbuiili'd to ask w'.irIlii'V lie was wounded, find (Ii■:>i• ra 1 i!ey(t]|{* «f Captain Uys's men, nearest to ers replied: "Ik kan nie nie. Die ias is t'.wsen liivn brine." (I can't swim; tliis Kivalcnat lia!ii|ii'viiij,- my legs.)

The (ire of the rebels was so hot l!mt it was im;-ov«t>le fn riinl;-r any assistance, and Ikil.li Meyers and I'ietrrse disapp; r.vcd nititar the v. atc:\ Crmnien.ting en the death, the -fohaiini'slmra Star said: -"The go-Ides--! of retribution ha-, dogged the footsteps of i v.Commandant Gene;af I-' Hovers alinosl from the moment of rebellion. Ills morif a:: a traitor .-.ad rebel liuy i-e said to ha vr Infill! nii;! rnd:'d in ive-

r.vd.v. I!;- a;ivpted a terrible risk, and committed a grievous wrung, and l>e '.as had to pay the penalty." BOTHA'S OPERATION'S. KEHELS SCI! RENDER QUICK FA'. '"he work of rounding lip the rebels had been proceeiljng very rapidly. Genera.! Ur.ilia had been operating in the > :e. : nity of Reitz. On the nth Decern be;-, •iftir tlie exchange of oniy a few shots, rebels under F.-iuiie m-n; captured by Commandant Manic Botha. Commandant Maude captured about 2j ethers, and Commandant Reitz about lllil more. Colonel Coiiinoindant Dirk Van dc \'enter started from LimEov for Keitz 011 Ist De; ember tu take.part in -lie drive. Owing, however, to the heavy rains, which caused delays and made communication practically impossible, Colonel Van de Venter's column arrived mar Reitz, where Ibe rebel forces were concentrated, considerably ahead of the other columns, which were co-operating. On the 2nd his right ■•.-.ng, whicn consisted of only a lew hundred men. was attacked by an over- - liel'.n'ug iorce of rebels. Two of liis :.un were killed, tv. o wounded, and about 37 captured, including Commandar.d kloppers, oi 1 ustenlmrg. M:iL. of the men were libera ted by file rebels.

but Commandant Kloppers and w:\cral 01' His ollicers weiv retained as prisoners. -As General Uotiia's operations developed, however, it became clear that the rebels wire being m uimcd in on all sales. Commandant Kloppers and Ii is few officers wen; released 011 the night of 4th December. During the nigilt about -illl) rebels came to him, alone as he was, ami surrendered. Commandant Kloppers took their arms from them :.;id gave them each a free pass to tlieir respective magistrates to report themselves. 1 in the attack 011 Colonel Van de Venr's force 011 tlie '2nd, the rebeis :os\ 3!< wounded. The heavy fog 011 the morning of the otli enabled W'cssel sels and ocrfontein, with about 301) men, to break through the lines of Colonel Fouche, Colonel Commandant Louis Smuts and Colonel Commandant Louis Rotlia, in the direction of Jiethleliem. Colonel Foitche succeeded, however, in capturing 70 of these. The total captures and reported as the result of the drive were >S2(). Among -.iio prisoners is a son of VYessel Weasel# and Tlieron, M.P.C. 011 jth December Wessel Weasels, N. W. Scrfontein, iI.E.A., and Van Coller. the three rebel leaders who had escaped the day before, opened negotiations for surrender. General Jiotha, however, demanded unconditional surrender. To this the three rebel leaders replied that they wished to consult other rebel leaders before laying down their arms. They stated that it was a point of honor with them not to leave their friends in the lurch: hence they desired to consult with Re.vers and Kemp. Tlieir request was at once refused, and an unconditional siirreiider, without ."urther delay, was insisted upon. The rebels, seeing that General Botha was not to be shaken from his lirm attitude, decided to abandon their hopeless and futile struggle, and on <Sth December Captain Worlaaiit had an interview with tlieir leaders, Wessel Weasels, Van Sciioor,- Dollne, and Hester, at which the place and time of surrender was settled.

That afternoon Wessel Wessels, Nercoinmandoes, numbering in all about fontein and Van Coller, with their 12(11) men, laid down their arms at Loskop, near the i.angbcrg, ten miles west of Kestell.

Scrfontein then proceeded to Reitz with bis commando, accompanied by Captain Wolfaardt., to report themselves io the local .Magistrate. Wessel Wessels and his commando were taken in charge by Colonel Commandant Louis llotila at Tiger River station (on the Hethclelioin-llarrismith line). The other rebel commandoes, with their officers, likewise returned to their respective districts to report themselves. The leaders were taken into custody. Commandant Bert Wessels also surrendered unconditionally at Odcudaal's Rust, with his handful of followers. IJrewer and all his ollieers surrendered on 10th December. Only one rebel leader in tlie Orange Free State had not surrendered on that date. RE HELLION' ENDED. On Ifltli December General llotha asked the Renter South lAfrican Press Agency to circulate the following statement In the South African Press: -The rebellion is now practically at an end. Tiie principal leaders have disappeared through death or capture. The surrender of tile principal rebel commandants in the Free State, near Hethlehcni, to-day, leaves in the lield only small scattered bauds, whose operations will require measures more of a police than a military character. "This speedy and successful termination to what promised at one time to he a formidable and widespread rebellion, led by some of the best-known South Africans, is due, in tin- Jirsfc place, to the energy and ceaseless cll'orts of our forces in the field; and, in the second place to (lie hearty, unanimous mid unstinted support which all sections of the population gave the Government in this crisis.

'■rtn behalf of myself and my eolloapnos, I wish to i-xjnvss to tlic people of South Africa, an,l to our oilicers and "K'li in the field, the most heartfelt appreciation of their patriotic sacrilices, which have not only crushed tin; rebellion in its initial stages, but have united the various setions of our population as never before, and have converted a firave danger to our I'iiion into a means of cemcntin;,; and cstybli-hin;; it jiiore firmly. "Our sacrifices of blood and treasure, and the losses of the population, have

been considerable, but- .1 believe tliey arc not out of proportion to tlie great resuits already aeiiieved, or wliieli will accrue to South Africa in the coming years. Eor this, anil much more, let us be reverently thankful to Providence, which has once more guided our country tii rough tlie gravest perils, and let that spirit of gratitude drive away from our minds all bitterness caused by til wrongs which have been siili'ered. air tile loss and anguish which have bei i caused by this senseless rebellion. "[ have noticed lately a growing sense of anger and bitterness in the public mind. Hut let lis remember that this lias been a i|utirr<-l in our South African hou-ehold, and that all of us wih have to continue to live together in that household in the future, and while we do ouj- duty in seeing- that never again slia 1 ! there be a recurrence of lilis criminal folly, let us be on our guard against all vengeful policies and language, and cultivate a spirit of tolerance, forbearance, and merciful oblivion of- tlie errors and misdeeds of lhe-e misguided people many oi" whom took mi arms against the State without am' criminal intention, or without any clear perception of the consequences of thoiv action.

"Wliilc- ■ .jn-t anil fair punishment should be liiclcd out, let lis also remember that now. more than ever, it is for the peopl" of South Africa to practise the wise .policy of forgiven and fu "M»rit:; iiil l Kemp, who Were corrupted i v hih: officers of the I iron Defence F'fces. liav<> succeeded in escaping to German South-West Africa, and from there, equipped with fresli arms and nrtillerv. an 1 supported by their German allies, will seek to invade the Union.

"Our next, duty is now to deal with this danger, and to make it impossible for German South-West Afr:ca to be again used in future as a secure nave from which to threaten the peace and liberties of tile Union. f hope and trust the people will deal with this danger as energetically as they have with the interna! rebellion " punishment discussed. Commenting 011 this statement, the Pretoria corresnondent of t:ie Cape Times says:—"Onr-ral ISotlia's forgive and forget manifesto has been keenly discussed here. Justice, and nothing but .justice, is what most loyalists would desire to see meted out to the rebels, but the celerity and completeness with which General Botha has crushed the rebellion is admitted to have earned him the right to largely decide the principles by which the rebels should be judged and punished. "Opinion does insist, however, that a clear and unmistakable distinction shall be established between loyalty and rebellion. It is conceded that there has been a tendency to depart from a calm, judicial attitude towards (lie rebels mid their works in the direction of the bitter llesire for vengeance. That 'was inevitable, as the list of valuable lives sacrificed lengthened, and there is manifest here a genuine and sincere attempt to respond to fieneral P>otha's appeal for a spirit of forebearance tow-ards the misguided. There is. however. 110 inclinat'on to extend this forbearance to the misguiders, no matter who they may be— whether they took the fc-'d or pulled the strings from some secure retreat, whether they am politically important or unimportant. "Dominant loyalist opinion in Pretoria claims that the authors and chief agents of the movement, conspiracy's, and intrigues, which brought this country and people into the greater peril, shall be brought to justice and dealt with justly. "Tlie general disposition in' Pretoria seems to be to trust tlie Government in general, and General Hotlia in particular, to leave the rebels in their hands, to criticise details of their measures as little as is hiimanlv possible, and to endeavor to stifle the feeling and sentiments of a revengeful character. Taking a lin? midway between local extremes of opinion, the course which would most coincide with loyalist wishes would seem to be that a strong commission should lie appointed to investigate the origin, course, and'ramifications of the seditious movement with a view to discovering how far it was due to German agency, to local political intrigue' and jealousy, or to other causes, with a view to unmasking the conspirators who never took the field, and to enable a classification of the sedition-mongers and rebels to. be made."