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to Mr. Gladstone—Dealings with Sekukuni—Complete suppression of the Bapedi rebellion—Mass meeting of the farmers at Wonderfontein—Arrest of Messrs. Pretorius and Bok—Refusal of Mr. Pretorius to accept an office under the British government—Attitude of Mr. Gladstone regarding the annexation of the Transvaal—His return to power as prime minister—His indisposition to restore independence to the Transvaal—Mission of Messrs. Kruger and Joubert to the Cape Colon

British troops in South Africa at the close of 1880—Departure of Sir Garnet Wolseley—Arrival of Sir George Pomeroy Colley—Change of officials in the Transvaal—Speculation in land in the Transvaal—Influx of English and Germans into the towns and villages—Prosecution of the editor of the Volkstem for libel—Interference with a sheriff's sale at Potchefstroom—Mass meeting at Paardekraal—Resolution to restore the republic—Installation of a triumvirate at Heidelberg—Commencement of hostilities at Potchefstroom—Surrender of Major Clark with the garrison of a small fort—Gallant defence of the principal fort at Potchefstroom—Destruction of a British force at Bronkhorst Spruit—Defeat of Sir George Colley at Lang's Nek—Disastrous engagement at Schuins Hoogte—Arrival of British reinforcements—Defeat and death of Sir George Colley at Majuba—Succession of Sir Evelyn Wood to the chief command—Attitude of the right honourable Mr. Gladstone—Difficulties of his position—Exertions of President Brand to bring about peace—Conclusion of an armistice—Surrender of the garrison of the fort at Potchefstroom—Arrangement of terms of peace—Arrival of further British reinforcements—Appointment of royal commissioners—Signing of the convention of Pretoria—Its ratification by the volksraad unwillingly

Attitude of the Englishmen in the Transvaal—Condition of things along the new western border—Discord caused by the new