Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/207

 1899.] The Boer Ultimatum. L 199

territory running up between the Free State and the Transvaal. The reinforcements ordered early in September from India and the Mediterranean were rapidly arriving, but they would only at the best put Natal in a condition for defence. At the end of September, however, after the warlike resolution of the Free State Volksraad, the British Government had authorised the creation of a field force of nearly 50,000, for despatch to South Africa, and preparations with that view at once began on a large scale. It was not, however, till October 7 that a royal proclamation was issued calling out the Army Reserve, and by consequence summoning Parliament for October 17.

Between Pretoria and London there was practically no communication after the despatch of Mr. Chamberlain's "interim" communication. It was understood that the Gov- ernment were considering the nature of their proposals for a new and comprehensive settlement. But no despatch em- bodying them was ever sent. Several telegrams were, however, exchanged between Sir A. Milner, and President Steyn; the latter (Sept. 27) expressed the hope that the British Government would stop further movements of troops, and would state the precise nature of the measures it considered necessary for a permanent settlement. A few days later (Oct. 2) he said that it had been deemed necessary, in order to allay the excitement caused by the reinforcements of troops, to call out the Free State burghers, and repeated his offers to aid in promoting a settlement. Half a dozen further communications passed, in which the responsibility for the existing menacing condition of affairs, and what might follow, was thrown to and fro. In their course, however, Sir A. Milner said (Oct. 4) that he felt sure that "any reasonable proposal from whatever quarter proceeding, would be favourably considered by her Majesty's Government if it offered an immediate termination of the present tension, and a prospect of permanent tranquillity." But President Steyn replied (Oct. 5) that no proposals could be of any service unless assurances were given " that all despatch of troops would cease and that those on the water would not be landed or would remain far from the scene of possible hostilities." Such assurances, of course, could not be given. They were finally demanded, and a good deal more, in terms of extraordinary arrogance in a Pretoria despatch of October 9.

The earlier part of this, the Transvaal ultimatum, was taken up by an elaborate argument directed to show that any intervention on England's part in the interest of the purely political rights of the Outlanders was a straining, and even a breach, of the Convention of 1884. It proceeded to set forth that the Transvaal Government had in a friendly manner discussed questions of Outlander franchise and representation with her Majesty's Government. " On the part of her Majesty's Government, however," continued Dr. Reitz, "the friendly nature of these discussions has assumed a more and more

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