The Berlin correspondent of the Times is evidently alarmed at
the tone of German opinion about the difficulty in the Transvaal. He quotes paper after paper, one being the Vossische Zeilung, which is Liberal, in which the Government is called upon to oppose, if necessary by force, the British attempt to destroy the "independence" of the Transvaal. He more than hints that this is the view taken in official circles in Berlin, and there is a rumour that a representation in this sense has been made to the British Foreign Office. It is known that an agent from President Kruger is in Berlin, and believed that he has formally appealed to the Imperial Government for protection against British designs. The German idea appears to be that the Transvaal and Orange Free State, pressed by the much-hated British influence, may in the end declare themselves German Colonies. We can hardly believe that in face of the Treaty, under which alone the Boera are masters in the Transvaal, the German states- men will put forward a pretension to which it is impossible for this country to submit. We might almost as well re- monstrate with the German Empire about any action it might please to take in reference to Bavaria. Apart altogether from the fact that we have made no attack upon the Transvaal, and have repudiated Dr. Jameson's unlicensed action, the German Government has no locus Biondi in the matter.
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