NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE war news is not of special moment, but the number of captures has been encouragingly large, including Viljoen, a very well known and active leader. It should also be noticed that another Burgher Corps of fifteen hundred men has been raised. This means that we now have close on four thousand Boers fighting on our side to get peace restored and the country settled. It would be difficult to exaggerate the favourable significance of this fact both for the present and the future. Meantime there has been considerable excite- ment caused by the announcement that certain negotiations concerned with peace were going on. It appears that the Dutch Government approached the Government on Saturday last with certain proposals, that these proposals are being considered by the Cabinet, and that an answer will be sent in a few days. Nothing has been officially stated as to the tenor of the Dutch Government's proposals, but it has been freely declared in the Press, and apparently on good authority, that the Dutch Government have asked to be allowed to send a deputation to the Boers in the field, which will explain to them the hopelessness of carrying on the struggle further, and will endeavour to convince them that there is no chance of any European intervention. We may feel sure that our Government will be inclined to take advantage of any genuine opportunity that may seem to promise to put an end to the war; but we trust that before acceding to the request they will give the whole matter the closest consideration, and will take great care lest the announcement of the despatch of a deputa- tion to the Boer leaders should be construed into an act of foreign intervention.
