EMIGRATION TO SOUTH AFRICA. 233 



about suzerainty, conventions, and paramountcy is 

 absurd, and a mere waste of time. Mental 

 ophthalmia is prevalent enough in South Africa, 

 but, after all, the complaint is not so eternally 

 endemic as to obscure the vision of intelligent 

 Colonists, who are rapidly losing faith in 

 palliatives, and demand a cure. Let it not be 

 supposed that I advocate a warlike solution of 

 the Transvaal question, which indeed might be 

 necessary but certainly regrettable. 



Paul Kruger is puffed up with the ideas of assist- 

 ance from Germany, but although the Kaiser is 

 a very amusing and accomplished young gentle- 

 man, he would not count for much as a meddler 

 in South African affairs, even could he be unwise 

 enough to run the risk of active interference. It 

 is safe to assert and prove that ever since the 

 Transvaal retrocession the attitude of its rulers 

 has been one of undiluted hostility to England, 

 augmenting day by day in proportion to the 

 impunity extended, till it has now reached a point 

 which, as regards the interests of commerce, is 

 fast becoming unendurable. In addition to this, 

 on every possible occasion insults such as no other 

 country than England would for a moment have 



