An important event has occurred in South Africa. The President
of the Transvaal Republic has declared in favour of admitting foreigners to citizenship, and intends to promote a Bill reducing the residence necessary as a qualification for the franchise to two years. In four years, moreover, a foreigner will be eligible to the Second Chamber, and in ten years to one in the First. The effect of this change will be that the English residents, who are already in a majority, will, in a short time, be masters within the Transvaal, and that the federation of all South Africa will be greatly facilitated. President Krugers's motive for this change of front is not yet known ; but it is probable he perceived the reform to be inevitable, and preferred, with great good sense, to carry it constitutionally instead of accepting it as a result of civil war. He also stated that he would assist the Natal Railway in stretching into the Transvaal, which is almost as im- portant a concession as that of the franchise. It abandons the long-cherished design of the Boers to reach the sea at Delagoa Bay, and so liberate themselves from any dependence on British sea-borne commerce. The President has seen how rapidly the English have filled and enriched his State, and prefers its permanent interest to that of the few fanatics who would keep out all intruders, under the impression that South Africa has been given by Heaven to the Dutch, who, there- fore, may treat the black population as they please.
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