Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/388

 380] FOEEIGN HISTOEY. [lew.

the note of May 9, in which the status of a sovereign inter- national State was claimed ; therefore no proposal conditional on that view could be accepted. Her Majesty's Government pressed for an immediate and definite reply, in order to relieve the strain which had already caused so much injury to the interests of South Africa. If acceded to, the British Govern- ment would make immediate arrangements for a conference between Sir A. Milner and President Kruger to settle all details of the proposed tribunal of arbitration, but if the reply of the Government of the South African Eepublic should be negative or inconclusive, "I am to state/' said Mr. Chamberlain, "her Majesty's Government reserves the right to reconsider the situation de novo, and to formulate their own proposals for final settlement."

On October 9 the Transvaal issued an ultimatum to the British Government, demanding that all pending disputes should be settled by arbitration ; that all troops on the borders should be instantly withdrawn ; that all reinforcements which had arrived in South Africa since June 1 should be removed ; and that her Majesty's troops on the high seas should not be landed in any part of South Africa. An answer was to be given not later than 5 p.m. on October 11, in default of which, or not being satisfactory, the Transvaal would regard it as a formal declaration of war. The British reply, through Sir A. Milner, was sent at 10*45 p.m. on October 10, in the following words : " Her Majesty's Government have received with great regret the peremptory demands of the South African Eepublic, conveyed in your telegram of October 9. You will inform the Government of the South African Eepublic, in reply, that the conditions demanded by the Government of the South African Eepublic are such as her Majesty's Government deem it im- possible to discuss."

A week before, the Boers had seized over half a million of gold belonging to British owners as it was leaving the country by train to Cape Town.

On October 12 Mr. Greene, the British Agent, left Pretoria, and the Boer commandoes, under the guidance of General Joubert, the next day invaded Northern Natal, through Laing's Nek. The Free State forces advanced through the Drakensberg, Tintwa and Van Eeenan Passes to join them.

Meantime some efforts had been made to defend British territory in South Africa. Troops were promptly sent from India. Sir W. Penn Symons, with a small force, was in Northern Natal, and Lieut.-General Sir George White arrived at Durban early in October to take over command. An army service corps was despatched, and transport after transport left England carrying soldiers to the front.

At Kimberley Colonel Kekewich was stationed with 700 regulars and about 1,500 volunteers, and at Mafeking Colonel Baden-Powell had about 1,500 men. At Ladysmith, in Natal,