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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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and other districts formerly under Bornu desiring British. Mandara wrote expressing great pleasure at surrender of Germans (? at) Mora. Considerable numbers migrated to Nigeria on account of temporary withdrawal of detachment of Konsha.-LUGARD.
7822.
7566/S
(Paraphrase)
No. 8.
GERMAN EAST AFRICA.
THE ADMINISTRATOR TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 12.22 a.m., 10th February 1918.) TELEGRAM.
9th February. With reference to your cypher telegram 8th January, matter is one of great difficulty. It is not, perhaps, realised that the very heavy and continuous demands for labour, for supplies and for live-stock, arising out of military necessities, which have been made upon local natives during the last eighteen months render the present a most inopportune moment to ask them to institute comparisons. does not compensate the natives for these services and the death rate and the sickness Payment rate have been high. There is no doubt that the natives generally disliked German rule, and that they warmly welcomed our arrival, but this attitude must have been modified by the period of hardship which ensued. They have, however, borne the strain well and are on the whole well disposed.
Observation and discreet inquiry show that satisfaction is widespread at the cessation of the savage punishments inflicted by the Germans, at the careful investiga- tion of cases by responsible officers in person, and particularly at the suppression of brutality and extortion by German native police and subordinates. which have been less affected by passage of troops and by lines of communication In those districts British rule is accepted willingly, as the attitude of the natives towards Nauman's irruption and the spontaneous attack on one of his convoys showed. Also my own reception when on tour has been genuinely warm. In other parts the effect of the great hardships which have arisen out of the War will take some time to wear off. am quite opposed to the principle of a plebiscite but, given twelve months of peaceful administration, I have not the slightest doubt that the mass of the people, as opposed to the ex-German minor officials, would infinitely prefer to remain under the protection of the British.-BYATT.
7843.
No. 9.
UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.
THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 8.25 p.m., 12th February 1918.)
(Paraphrase.)
[Copy to Foreign Office, 18th February 1918, L.F.] [Answered by No. 11.] TELEGRAM.
Referring to your despatch of November 28th, No. 659t, my code telegram of to-day contains translation submitted by Ministers of a petition addressed by the Bastards of Rehoboth to His Majesty's Government,
This petition although written in August last has only now been brought to my notice by Ministers. I am forwarding their covering minute by next mail but in view of long delay I think it desirable to telegraph text of petition and to ask, for early reply by telegram.
Ministers suggest that His Majesty's Government should authorise them to reply that during war it is impossible to decide any question relating to future government of the Protectorate or of Bastard Gebiet which forms part of it but that Bastards may rest assured that their interests will be considered fully when the time arrives for a final settlement of these matters, and I concur.-BUXTON.
Not printed; it was in similar terms, mutatis mutandis, to No. 1. † 53883, not printed.
‡ No. 10.
9
No 10.
UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.
THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 8.45 p.m., 12th February 1918.)
[Copy to Foreign Office, 18th February 1918, L.F.]
TELEGRAM.
12th February. "We, the undersigned Chairman and Councillors of the coloured population established at Rehoboth and adjoining land have resolved after serious consideration to lay our requests and petition before the Imperial Government as follows:-
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Firstly; it is our desire to be governed entirely by the Imperial Government. "Secondly; we wish to maintain throughout our whole domain our supreme power and government which we have maintained for so many years.
"Thirdly; we desire to keep our right of land and property in full as recognised by the Government of Germany.
"Fourthly; we wish to point out to His Majesty's Government that it has often been necessary to shed our blood in order to remain in possession and therefore wish that others be not allowed to take our proprietary right from us.
Fifthly; we have done so much work at Rehoboth and on adjoining land, such as building of houses and dams and tilling land, &c., that our new Government will satisfy itself that as a nation we are not retrograding but progressing.
"Sixthly; our painful experiences in the past have taught us the lesson that we must now have confidence in the Government, especially the Imperial Government, for our forefathers have experienced only good under that Government.
"Seventhly; we must also mention that during the declaration of war between the Union of South Africa and German South West Africa we adhered to the oath of allegiance sworn by our forefathers. We did not allow us to be intimidated into taking up arms against the good old Government as was required of us: Wo would have preferred to be oppressed by the mighty Government of Germany to fighting the noble and trustworthy Government.
"Eighthly; we request that we be allowed to keep our arms for protection of our property and be supplied with the necessary amunition, at the same time assuring His Majesty's Government that our coloured race is not rebellious.
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Ninthly; our dominion is very mountainous and sparsely populated and swarms with all kinds of carnivorous animals.
"Tenthly; as the Government of Germany has undoubtedly taken a large portion of our dominion from us we pray His Majesty's Government, to seriously consider this matter and to decide in our advantage. We wish to point out to His Majesty's Government that our nation is flourishing and that the Government of Germany never took any notice of our representations in this matter.
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Eleventhly; we enclose the Treaty between the Government of Germany and ourselves and humbly pray that the rights guaranteed us in this friendly and protecting Treaty be recognised and maintained by the Imperial Government.
"With deepest respect and faith we the undersigned Chairman and Councillors at Rehoboth conclude our petition."
Signed by Cornelius Van Wijk, Captain, and ten other members of Raad at Rehoboth, August 22nd 1917.---Buxton.
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