The Government in England
is declared to be entirely innocent of any knowledge of the affair, but
two officers of the colonial Government are found guilty.
To the surprise of everybody, the report contains no suggestion for the
punishment of any of the offenders.
In regard to Cecil Rhodes' refusal to produce the telegrams which they
asked for, the committee says that he ought undoubtedly to be
disciplined for his conduct, but that it would take so much time to do
so that it would perhaps be as well to let the matter alone.
This is one report.
The other is much stronger in its tone. It blames everybody concerned,
and says that there is little doubt that the raid was simply a plot
arranged to make wealthy men wealthier.
This report does not agree that the home Government is entirely
blameless. It says that it is a pity that the matter was not more fully
investigated, so that it could be thoroughly ascertained whether the
Government, and especially Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, was in truth ignorant
of the plot.
Both reports agree that the officers who led the raiders imagined that
they were acting under orders from the British Government, and that they
have been punished more heavily than they deserved. The second report
suggests that their commissions should be restored to them.
After the raid was over these soldiers were arrested and sent to
England, where they were tried for invading a friendly country without
proper authority.
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