Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/191

 1899.] The " Qualified Acceptance " Despatch. [183

ernment will agree that the present intervention shall not form a precedent for future similar action, and that in the future no interference in the internal affairs of the republic will take place, (b) That her Majesty's Government will not further insist on the assertion of the suzerainty, the controversy on the subject being allowed tacitly to drop, (c) That arbitration (from which foreign element, other than Orange Free State, is to be excluded) will be conceded as soon as the franchise scheme has become law."

In Dr. Reitz's supplementary note, dated August 21, the conditional character of the concessions was further developed and emphasised as follows : " The proposals of this Government regarding questions of franchise and representation contained in that despatch must be regarded as expressly conditional on her Majesty's Government consenting to the points set forth in paragraph 5 of the despatch, viz.— (a) In future not to interfere in internal affairs of the South African Republic, (b) Not to insist further on its assertion of existence of suzerainty, (c) To agree to arbitration."

Mr. Chamberlain's reply, addressed to Sir A. Milner, bore date August 28. In this despatch, which he subsequently de- scribed as amounting to a " qualified acceptance " of the preced- ing Boer proposal, the Colonial Secretary said : " Her Majesty's Government assume that the adoption in principle of the franchise proposals made by you at Bloemfontein will not be hampered by any conditions which would impair their effect, and that by proposed increase of seats for the goldfields and by other provisions the South African Republic Government intend to grant immediate and substantial representation of the Outlanders. . . . They will be ready to agree that the British Agent, assisted by such other persons as you may appoint, shall make the investigation necessary to satisfy them that the result desired will be achieved and, failing this, to enable them to make those suggestions which the Government of the South African Republic state that they will be prepared to take into consideration. ..." They also " hope that the Government of the South African Republic will wait to receive their suggestions founded on the report of the British Agent's investigation before submitting a new franchise law to the Volksraad and the burghers.

" With regard to the conditions of the Government of the South African Republic," Mr. Chamberlain proceeded, " First, as regards intervention ; her Majesty's Government hope that the fulfilment of the promises made and the just treatment of the Outlanders in future will render unnecessary any further intervention on their behalf ; but her Majesty's Government cannot, of course, debar themselves from their rights under the Conventions, nor divest themselves of the ordinary obligations of a civilised Power to protect its subjects in a foreign country from injustice. Secondly, with regard to suzerainty, he

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