There were native wars in West Africa and Rhodesia, while a railway was
commenced from Mombasa on the coast, inland to the British Protectorate of
Uganda. At the general election in 1900 Lord Salisbury was again returned
to power by a large majority.
Meanwhile, Britain had lost one of its greatest men. Early in the year
1898 it became known that Mr Gladstone was stricken by a mortal disease.
Party feeling was at once laid aside, and the whole nation, as it were,
watched with deepest sympathy by the bedside of the dying statesman. After
a lingering and painful illness, borne with heroic fortitude and gentle
patience, he passed away on the 19th of May. Nine days later he was buried
in Westminster Abbey, the last resting-place of so many of England's
illustrious dead.
The government had to deal with the long and troublesome Boer war in South
Africa, 1899-1901. To save it from trouble at the hands of the natives,
the Transvaal had been annexed by Britain in 1877. In 1880, however, the
Boers rose in revolt, and defeated a number of British troops at Majuba
Hill. After this the country was granted independence in internal affairs.
Owing to the discovery of gold, thousands of settlers were attracted to
the Transvaal, and the injustice done to these Uitlanders, as the
new-comers were called, led in time to serious trouble. The Uitlanders
complained that though they were the majority in the country, and were
made to pay by far the greater part of the taxes, they were denied nearly
all political rights.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153