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diff --git a/24951-h/24951-h.htm b/24951-h/24951-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a773492 --- /dev/null +++ b/24951-h/24951-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7000 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The War in South Africa, by Arthur Conan Doyle</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .noin {text-indent: 0em;} + body > p {text-indent: 1em;} + h3 {text-align: center; clear: both; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic;} + h3.pg {text-align: center; clear: both; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal;} + h1 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-weight: normal; line-height: 2em;} + h1.pg {text-align: center; clear: both; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em;} + h2 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-weight: normal;} + hr {width: 65%; margin: 2em auto; clear: both;} + table {margin: 1.5em auto;} + .td1 {text-align: left; padding-right: 6em; padding-left: 1em;} + .td2 {text-align: right;} + .td3 {text-align: right; padding-right: 1em;} + .td4 {text-align: left; padding-right: 10em;} + .td5 {text-align: center; border-right: black solid 1px;} + .tde {text-align: left; border-right: black solid 1px; padding: 1px .5em; border-left: black solid 1px;} + .tda {text-align: left; border-left: black solid 1px; padding: 1px .5em;} + .tdcd {text-align: left; border-left: black solid 1px; padding-left: 2em;} + .tdce {text-align: left; border-left: black solid 1px; padding-left: 2em; border-right: black solid 1px;} + .tdb {text-align: center; border-left: black solid 1px; padding: 1px .5em;} + .tdc {text-align: right; border-left: black solid 1px; padding: 1px .5em;} + .tdd {text-align: right; padding: 1px .5em 1px 0;} + .tr1 td {border-top: black solid 1px; border-bottom: black solid 1px; border-left: black solid 1px; vertical-align: middle; padding: .5em;} + .tr2 td {vertical-align: top;} + .tr3 td {border-bottom: black solid 1px; vertical-align: top; padding-bottom: .5em;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .pagenum {position: absolute; right: 1%; font-size: small; font-style: normal; text-align: right; text-indent: 0em;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .smcapl {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + .poem {margin: 0 auto; text-align: left; width: 19em;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: .75em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + a:link {text-decoration:none;} + a:visited {text-decoration:none;} + .hd1 {font-size: 85%;} + .m0 {margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;} + .mt {margin-top: 2em;} + .mb {margin-bottom: 2em;} + .hd2 {text-align: center; font-size: large; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 3em;} + .hd3 {text-align: center; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em; font-size: small; word-spacing: .5em;} + .hd4 {text-align: center; font-size: small; margin-top: 5em; margin-bottom: .5em; line-height: 1.6em;} + .hd5 {text-align: center; font-size: small; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + .sgn {margin-left: 2em;} + .p1 {position: absolute; left: 10%;} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, The War in South Africa, by Arthur Conan Doyle</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The War in South Africa</p> +<p> Its Cause and Conduct</p> +<p>Author: Arthur Conan Doyle</p> +<p>Release Date: March 29, 2008 [eBook #24951]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3 class="pg">E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Stephen Blundell,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="m0"><h1><big>THE WAR<br /> +<span class="hd1">IN SOUTH AFRICA</span></big></h1> + +<p class="hd2"><i>ITS CAUSE AND CONDUCT</i></p> + +<p class="hd3">BY</p> + +<h2 class="m0">A. CONAN DOYLE</h2> + +<p class="hd3">AUTHOR OF 'THE GREAT BOER WAR'</p> + +<p class="hd4">PUBLISHED BY<br /> +SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON, S.W.</p> + +<p class="hd5">All Copies for the Colonies and India supplied by<br /> +G. BELL & SONS, London and Bombay</p> + +<p class="hd5">1902<br /><br /> +[All rights reserved]</p></div> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">For</span> some reason, which may be either arrogance or apathy, the +British are very slow to state their case to the world. At present +the reasons for our actions and the methods which we have used +are set forth in many Blue-books, tracts, and leaflets, but have never, +so far as I know, been collected into one small volume. In view of +the persistent slanders to which our politicians and our soldiers +have been equally exposed, it becomes a duty which we owe to our +national honour to lay the facts before the world. I wish someone +more competent, and with some official authority, had undertaken +the task, which I have tried to do as best I might from an +independent standpoint.</p> + +<p>There was never a war in history in which the right was +absolutely on one side, or in which no incidents of the campaign +were open to criticism. I do not pretend that it was so here. +But I do not think that any unprejudiced man can read the facts +without acknowledging that the British Government has done +its best to avoid war, and the British Army to wage it with +humanity.</p> + +<p>To my publisher and to myself this work has been its own +reward. In this way we hope to put the price within the reach +of all, and yet leave a profit for the vendor. Our further ambition +is, however, to translate it into all European tongues, and to send<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span> +a free copy to every deputy and every newspaper on the Continent +and in America. For this work money will be needed—a +considerable sum. We propose to make an appeal to the public +for these funds. Any sums which are sent to me or to my +publisher will be devoted to this work. There cannot be too +much, for the more we get the more we shall do.</p> + +<p>I may add that I have not burdened my pages with continual +references. My quotations are reliable and can always, if necessary, +be substantiated.</p> + +<div class="m0"><p class="td3">A. CONAN DOYLE.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Undershaw, Hindhead:</span><br /> +<i><span class="sgn">January, 1902.</span></i></p></div> + +<hr /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="center"><small>CHAP.</small></td><td class="td2" colspan="2"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">I.</td><td class="td1">THE BOER PEOPLE</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">II.</td><td class="td1">THE CAUSE OF QUARREL</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">III.</td><td class="td1">THE NEGOTIATIONS</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">IV.</td><td class="td1">SOME POINTS EXAMINED</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">V.</td><td class="td1">THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">VI.</td><td class="td1">THE FARM-BURNING</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">VII.</td><td class="td1">THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">VIII.</td><td class="td1">THE BRITISH SOLDIER IN SOUTH AFRICA</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">IX.</td><td class="td1">FURTHER CHARGES AGAINST BRITISH TROOPS</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">X.</td><td class="td1">THE OTHER SIDE OF THE QUESTION</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">XI.</td><td class="td1">CONCLUSIONS</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> +<h1 class="mb">THE WAR:<br /> +<span class="hd1">ITS CAUSE AND CONDUCT</span></h1> + +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h2><small>THE BOER PEOPLE</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">It</span> is impossible to appreciate the South African problem and +the causes which have led up to the present war between the +British Empire and the Boer republics without some knowledge, +however superficial, of the past history of South Africa. To tell +the tale one must go back to the beginning, for there has been +complete continuity of history in South Africa, and every stage +has depended upon that which has preceded it. No one can know +or appreciate the Boer who does not know his past, for he is what +his past has made him.</p> + +<p>It was about the time when Oliver Cromwell was at his zenith—in +1652, to be pedantically accurate—that the Dutch made their +first lodgment at the Cape of Good Hope. The Portuguese had +been there before them, but, repelled by the evil weather, and +lured forward by rumours of gold, they had passed the true +seat of empire, and had voyaged farther, to settle along the +eastern coast. But the Dutchmen at the Cape prospered and +grew stronger in that robust climate. They did not penetrate +far inland, for they were few in number, and all they wanted was +to be found close at hand. But they built themselves houses, +and they supplied the Dutch East India Company with food and +water, gradually budding off little townlets, Wynberg, Stellenbosch, +and pushing their settlements up the long slopes which +lead to that great central plateau which extends for 1,500 miles +from the edge of the Karoo to the Valley of the Zambesi.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> + +<p>For a hundred more years the history of the colony was a +record of the gradual spreading of the Africanders over the huge +expanse of veldt which lay to the north of them. Cattle-raising +became an industry, but in a country where six acres can hardly +support a sheep, large farms are necessary for even small herds. +Six thousand acres was the usual size, and 5<i>l.</i> a year the rent +payable to Government. The diseases which follow the white +man had in Africa, as in America and Australia, been fatal to the +natives, and an epidemic of smallpox cleared the country for the +new-comers. Farther and farther north they pushed, founding +little towns here and there, such as Graaf-Reinet and Swellendam, +where a Dutch Reformed Church and a store for the sale of the +bare necessaries of life formed a nucleus for a few scattered +dwellings. Already the settlers were showing that independence +of control and that detachment from Europe which has been their +most prominent characteristic. Even the mild sway of the Dutch +Company had caused them to revolt. The local rising, however, +was hardly noticed in the universal cataclysm which followed the +French Revolution. After twenty years, during which the world +was shaken by the Titanic struggle in the final counting up of +the game and paying of the stakes, the Cape Colony was added in +1814 to the British Empire.</p> + +<p>In all the vast collection of British States there is probably not +one the title-deeds to which are more incontestable than to this. +Britain had it by two rights, the right of conquest and the +right of purchase. In 1806 troops landed, defeated the local forces, +and took possession of Cape Town. In 1814 Britain paid the large +sum of six million pounds to the Stadtholder for the transference +of this and some South American land. It was a bargain +which was probably made rapidly and carelessly in that general +redistribution which was going on. As a house of call upon the +way to India the place was seen to be of value, but the country +itself was looked upon as unprofitable and desert. What would +Castlereagh or Liverpool have thought could they have seen the +items which they were buying for six million pounds? The +inventory would have been a mixed one of good and of evil: nine +fierce Kaffir wars, the greatest diamond mines in the world, the +wealthiest gold mines, two costly and humiliating campaigns with +men whom we respected even when we fought with them, and +now at last, we hope, a South Africa of peace and prosperity, with +equal rights and equal duties for all men.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> + +<p>The title-deeds to the estate are, as I have said, good ones, +but there is one singular and ominous flaw in their provisions. +The ocean has marked three boundaries to it, but the fourth is +undefined. There is no word of the 'hinterland,' for neither the +term nor the idea had then been thought of. Had Great Britain +bought those vast regions which extended beyond the settlements? +Or were the discontented Dutch at liberty to pass onwards and +found fresh nations to bar the path of the Anglo-Celtic colonists? +In that question lay the germ of all the trouble to come. An +American would realise the point at issue if he could conceive +that after the founding of the United States the Dutch inhabitants +of the State of New York had trekked to the westward and +established fresh communities under a new flag. Then, when the +American population overtook these western States, they would +be face to face with the problem which this country has had to +solve. If they found these new States fiercely anti-American and +extremely unprogressive, they would experience that aggravation +of their difficulties with which British statesmen have had to deal.</p> + +<p>At the time of their transference to the British flag the +colonists—Dutch, French, and German—numbered some thirty +thousand. They were slaveholders, and the slaves were about as +numerous as themselves. The prospect of complete amalgamation +between the British and the original settlers would have +seemed to be a good one, since they were of much the same +stock, and their creeds could only be distinguished by their +varying degrees of bigotry and intolerance. Five thousand +British emigrants were landed in 1820, settling on the Eastern +borders of the colony, and from that time onwards there was a +slow but steady influx of English-speaking colonists. The Government +had the historical faults and the historical virtues of British +rule. It was mild, clean, honest, tactless, and inconsistent. On +the whole, it might have done very well had it been content to +leave things as it found them. But to change the habits of the +most conservative of Teutonic races was a dangerous venture, and +one which has led to a long series of complications, making up +the troubled history of South Africa.</p> + +<p>The Imperial Government has always taken an honourable +and philanthropic view of the rights of the native and the claim +which he has to the protection of the law. We hold, and rightly, +that British justice, if not blind, should at least be colour-blind. +The view is irreproachable in theory and incontestable in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +argument, but it is apt to be irritating when urged by a Boston +moralist or a London philanthropist upon men whose whole society +has been built upon the assumption that the black is the inferior +race. Such a people like to find the higher morality for themselves, +not to have it imposed upon them by those who live under +entirely different conditions.</p> + +<p>The British Government in South Africa has always played +the unpopular part of the friend and protector of the native +servants. It was upon this very point that the first friction +appeared between the old settlers and the new administration. A +rising with bloodshed followed the arrest of a Dutch farmer who +had maltreated his slave. It was suppressed, and five of the +participants were hanged. This punishment was unduly severe +and exceedingly injudicious. A brave race can forget the victims +of the field of battle, but never those of the scaffold. The +making of political martyrs is the last insanity of statesmanship. +However, the thing was done, and it is typical of the enduring +resentment which was left behind that when, after the Jameson +Raid, it seemed that the leaders of that ill-fated venture might be +hanged, the beam was actually brought from a farmhouse at +Cookhouse Drift to Pretoria, that the Englishmen might die as +the Dutchmen had died in 1816. Slagter's Nek marked the +dividing of the ways between the British Government and the +Africanders.</p> + +<p>And the separation soon became more marked. With vicarious +generosity, the English Government gave very lenient terms to +the Kaffir tribes who in 1834 had raided the border farmers. +And then, finally, in this same year there came the emancipation +of the slaves throughout the British Empire, which fanned all +smouldering discontents into an active flame.</p> + +<p>It must be confessed that on this occasion the British philanthropist +was willing to pay for what he thought was right. It +was a noble national action, and one the morality of which was +in advance of its time, that the British Parliament should vote +the enormous sum of twenty million pounds to pay compensation +to the slaveholders, and so to remove an evil with which the +mother country had no immediate connection. It was as well +that the thing should have been done when it was, for had we +waited till the colonies affected had governments of their own it +could never have been done by constitutional methods. With +many a grumble the good British householder drew his purse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +from his fob, and paid for what he thought to be right. If +any special grace attends the virtuous action which brings +nothing but tribulation in this world, then we may hope for it +over this emancipation. We spent our money, we ruined our +West Indian colonies, and we started a disaffection in South +Africa, the end of which we have not seen.</p> + +<p>But the details of the measure were less honourable than the +principle. It was carried out suddenly, so that the country had +no time to adjust itself to the new conditions. Three million +pounds were ear-marked for South Africa, which gives a price +per slave of from 60<i>l.</i> to 70<i>l.</i>, a sum considerably below +the current local rates. Finally, the compensation was made +payable in London, so that the farmers sold their claims at +reduced prices to middlemen. Indignation meetings were held +in every little townlet and cattle-camp on the Karoo. The old +Dutch spirit was up—the spirit of the men who cut the dykes. +Rebellion was useless. But a vast untenanted land stretched to +the north of them. The nomad life was congenial to them, and +in their huge ox-drawn wagons—like those bullock-carts in which +some of their old kinsmen came to Gaul—they had vehicles and +homes and forts all in one. One by one they were loaded up, the +huge teams were inspanned, the women were seated inside, the +men with their long-barrelled guns walked alongside, and the +great exodus was begun. Their herds and flocks accompanied +the migration, and the children helped to round them in and +drive them. One tattered little boy of ten cracked his sjambok +whip behind the bullocks. He was a small item in that singular +crowd, but he was of interest to us, for his name was Paul +Stephanus Kruger.</p> + +<p>It was a strange exodus, only comparable in modern times to +the sallying forth of the Mormons from Nauvoo upon their search +for the promised land of Utah. The country was known and +sparsely settled as far north as the Orange River, but beyond +there was a great region which had never been penetrated save +by some daring hunter or adventurous pioneer. It chanced—if +there be indeed such an element as chance in the graver affairs of +man—that a Zulu conqueror had swept over this land and left it +untenanted, save by the dwarf bushmen, the hideous aborigines, +lowest of the human race. There were fine grazing and good +soil for the emigrants. They travelled in small detached parties, +but their total numbers were considerable, from six to ten thousand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +according to their historian, or nearly a quarter of the whole +population of the colony. Some of the early bands perished +miserably. A large number made a trysting-place at a high peak +to the east of Bloemfontein, in what was lately the Orange Free +State. One party of the emigrants was cut off by the formidable +Matabeli, a branch of the great Zulu nation.</p> + +<p>The final victory of the 'voortrekkers' cleared all the country +between the Orange River and the Limpopo, the sites of what have +been known as the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. In the +meantime another body of the emigrants had descended into +Natal, and had defeated Dingaan, the great Chief of the Zulus.</p> + +<p>And now at the end of their great journey, after overcoming +the difficulties of distance, of nature, and of savage enemies, the +Boers saw at the end of their travels the very thing which they +desired least—that which they had come so far to avoid—the flag +of Great Britain. The Boers had occupied Natal from within, +but England had previously done the same by sea, and a small +colony of Englishmen had settled at Port Natal, now known as +Durban. The home Government, however, had acted in a +vacillating way, and it was only the conquest of Natal by the +Boers which caused them to claim it as a British colony. At the +same time they asserted the unwelcome doctrine that a British +subject could not at will throw off his allegiance, and that, go +where they might, the wandering farmers were still only the +pioneers of British colonies. To emphasise the fact three +companies of soldiers were sent in 1842 to what is now Durban—the +usual Corporal's guard with which Great Britain starts a +new empire. This handful of men was waylaid by the Boers and +cut up, as their successors have been so often since. The +survivors, however, fortified themselves, and held a defensive +position—as also their successors have done so many times since—until +reinforcements arrived and the farmers dispersed. Natal +from this time onward became a British colony, and the majority +of the Boers trekked north and east with bitter hearts to tell +their wrongs to their brethren of the Orange Free State and of +the Transvaal.</p> + +<p>Had they any wrongs to tell? It is difficult to reach that +height of philosophic detachment which enables the historian to +deal absolutely impartially where his own country is a party to +the quarrel. But at least we may allow that there is a case for +our adversary. Our annexation of Natal had been by no means<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +definite, and it was they and not we who first broke that bloodthirsty +Zulu power which threw its shadow across the country. +It was hard after such trials and such exploits to turn their back +upon the fertile land which they had conquered, and to return to +the bare pastures of the upland veldt. They carried out of Natal +a heavy sense of injury, which has helped to poison our relations +with them ever since. It was, in a way, a momentous episode, +this little skirmish of soldiers and emigrants, for it was the +heading off of the Boer from the sea and the confinement of his +ambition to the land. Had it gone the other way, a new and +possibly formidable flag would have been added to the maritime +nations.</p> + +<p>The emigrants who had settled in the huge tract of country +between the Orange River in the south and the Limpopo in the +north had been recruited by new-comers from the Cape Colony +until they numbered some fifteen thousand souls. This population +was scattered over a space as large as Germany, and larger +than Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. Their form of +government was individualistic and democratic to the last degree +compatible with any sort of cohesion. Their wars with the +Kaffirs and their fear and dislike of the British Government +appear to have been the only ties which held them together. +They divided and subdivided within their own borders, like a +germinating egg. The Transvaal was full of lusty little high-mettled +communities, who quarrelled among themselves as +fiercely as they had done with the authorities at the Cape. +Lydenburg, Zoutpansberg, and Potchefstroom were on the point +of turning their rifles against each other. In the south, between +the Orange River and the Vaal, there was no form of government +at all, but a welter of Dutch farmers, Basutos, Hottentots, and +half-breeds living in a chronic state of turbulence, recognising +neither the British authority to the south of them nor the Transvaal +republics to the north. The chaos became at last unendurable, +and in 1848 a garrison was placed in Bloemfontein and the +district incorporated in the British Empire. The emigrants +made a futile resistance at Boomplaats, and after a single defeat +allowed themselves to be drawn into the settled order of civilised +rule.</p> + +<p>At this period the Transvaal, where most of the Boers had +settled, desired a formal acknowledgment of their independence, +which the British authorities determined once and for all to give<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +them. The great barren country, which produced little save +marksmen, had no attractions for a Colonial Office which was +bent upon the limitation of its liabilities. A Convention was +concluded between the two parties, known as the Sand River +Convention, which is one of the fixed points in South African +history. By it the British Government guaranteed to the Boer +farmers the right to manage their own affairs, and to govern +themselves by their own laws without any interference upon the +part of the British. It stipulated that there should be no +slavery, and with that single reservation washed its hands finally, +as it imagined, of the whole question. So the Transvaal Republic +came formally into existence.</p> + +<p>In the very year after the Sand River Convention, a second +republic, the Orange Free State, was created by the deliberate +withdrawal of Great Britain from the territory which she had for +eight years occupied. The Eastern Question was already becoming +acute, and the cloud of a great war was drifting up, visible to +all men. British statesmen felt that their commitments were +very heavy in every part of the world, and the South African +annexations had always been a doubtful value and an undoubted +trouble. Against the will of a large part of the inhabitants, +whether a majority or not it is impossible to say, we withdrew our +troops as amicably as the Romans withdrew from Britain, and the +new republic was left with absolute and unfettered independence. +On a petition being presented against the withdrawal, the Home +Government actually voted 48,000<i>l.</i> to compensate those who +had suffered from the change. Whatever historical grievance the +Transvaal may have against Great Britain, we can at least, save +perhaps in one matter, claim to have a very clear conscience concerning +our dealings with the Orange Free State. Thus in 1852 +and in 1854 were born those sturdy States who have been able for +a time to hold at bay the united forces of the Empire.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Cape Colony, in spite of these secessions, had +prospered exceedingly, and her population—British, German, and +Dutch—had grown by 1870 to over two hundred thousand souls, the +Dutch still slightly predominating. According to the liberal colonial +policy of Great Britain, the time had come to cut the cord and let +the young nation conduct its own affairs. In 1872 complete +self-government was given to it, the Governor, as the representative of +the Queen, retaining a nominal unexercised veto upon legislation. +According to this system the Dutch majority of the colony could,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +and did, put their own representatives into power and run the +government upon Dutch lines. Already Dutch law had been +restored, and Dutch put on the same footing as English as the +official language of the country. The extreme liberality of such +measures, and the uncompromising way in which they have been +carried out, however distasteful the legislation might seem to +English ideas, are among the chief reasons which made the illiberal +treatment of British settlers in the Transvaal so keenly resented +at the Cape. A Dutch Government was ruling the British in a +British colony, at a moment when the Boers would not give an +Englishman a vote upon a municipal council in a city which he +had built himself.</p> + +<p>For twenty-five years after the Sand River Convention the +burghers of the Transvaal Republic had pursued a strenuous +and violent existence, fighting incessantly with the natives and +sometimes with each other, with an occasional fling at the little +Dutch republic to the south. Disorganisation ensued. The +burghers would not pay taxes and the treasury was empty. One +fierce Kaffir tribe threatened them from the north, and the Zulus +on the east. It is an exaggeration to pretend that British intervention +saved the Boers, for no one can read their military history +without seeing that they were a match for Zulus and Sekukuni +combined. But certainly a formidable invasion was pending, and +the scattered farmhouses were as open to the Kaffirs as our +farmers' homesteads were in the American colonies when the +Indians were on the war-path. Sir Theophilus Shepstone, the +British Commissioner, after an inquiry of three months, solved +all questions by the formal annexation of the country. The fact +that he took possession of it with a force of some twenty-five men +showed the honesty of his belief that no armed resistance was to +be feared. This, then, in 1877, was a complete reversal of the +Sand River Convention and the opening of a new chapter in the +history of South Africa.</p> + +<p>There did not appear to be any strong feeling at the time +against the annexation. The people were depressed with their +troubles and weary of contention. Burgers, the President, put in +a formal protest, and took up his abode in Cape Colony, where he +had a pension from the British Government. A memorial against +the measure received the signatures of a majority of the Boer +inhabitants, but there was a fair minority who took the other view. +Kruger himself accepted a paid office under Government. There<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +was every sign that the people, if judiciously handled, would settle +down under the British flag.</p> + +<p>But the Empire has always had poor luck in South Africa, +and never worse than on that occasion. Through no bad faith, +but simply through preoccupation and delay, the promises made +were not instantly fulfilled. If the Transvaalers had waited, they +would have had their Volksraad and all that they wanted. But +the British Government had some other local matters to set right, +the rooting out of Sekukuni and the breaking of the Zulus, before +they would fulfil their pledges. The delay was keenly resented. +And we were unfortunate in our choice of Governor. The burghers +are a homely folk, and they like an occasional cup of coffee with +the anxious man who tries to rule them. The 300<i>l.</i> a year of +coffee-money allowed by the Transvaal to its President is by no +means a mere form. A wise administrator would fall into the +social and democratic habits of the people. Sir Theophilus Shepstone +did so. Sir Owen Lanyon did not. There was no Volksraad +and no coffee, and the popular discontent grew rapidly. In three +years the British had broken up the two savage hordes which had +been threatening the land. The finances, too, had been restored. +The reasons which had made so many burghers favour the +annexation were weakened by the very power which had every +interest in preserving them.</p> + +<p>It cannot be too often pointed out that in this annexation, the +starting-point of our troubles, Great Britain, however mistaken +she may have been, had no possible selfish interest in view. +There were no Rand mines in those days, nor was there anything +in the country to tempt the most covetous. An empty treasury +and two expensive native wars were the reversion which we took +over. It was honestly considered that the country was in too +distracted a state to govern itself, and had, by its weakness, +become a scandal and a danger to its neighbours and to itself. +There was nothing sordid in the British action, though it may +have been premature and injudicious. There is some reason to +think that if it had been delayed it would eventually have been +done on the petition of the majority of the inhabitants.</p> + +<p>In December 1880 the Boers rose. Every farmhouse sent out +its riflemen, and the trysting-place was the outside of the nearest +British fort. All through the country small detachments were +surrounded and besieged by the farmers. Standerton, Pretoria, +Potchefstroom, Lydenburg, Wakkerstroom, Rustenburg, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +Marabastad were all invested and all held out until the end of +the war. In the open country the troops were less fortunate. +At Bronkhorst Spruit a small British force was taken by surprise +and shot down without harm to their antagonists. The surgeon +who treated them has left it on record that the average number +of wounds was five per man. At Laing's Nek an inferior force of +British endeavoured to rush a hill which was held by Boer riflemen. +Half of the men were killed and wounded. Ingogo may +be called a drawn battle, though the British loss was more heavy +than that of the enemy. Finally came the defeat of Majuba Hill, +where 400 infantry upon a mountain were defeated and driven +off by a swarm of sharpshooters who advanced under the cover of +boulders. Of all these actions there was not one which was more +than a skirmish, and had they been followed by a final British +victory they would now be hardly remembered. It is the fact +that they were skirmishes which succeeded in their object which +has given them an importance which is exaggerated.</p> + +<p>The defeat at Majuba Hill was followed by the complete surrender +of the Gladstonian Government, an act which was either +the most pusillanimous or the most magnanimous in recent history. +It is hard for the big man to draw away from the small before +blows are struck, but when the big man has been knocked down +three times it is harder still. An overwhelming British force was +in the field, and the General declared that he held the enemy in +the hollow of his hand. British military calculations have been +falsified before now by these farmers, and it may be that the task +of Wood and Roberts would have been harder than they imagined; +but on paper, at least, it looked as if the enemy could be crushed +without difficulty. So the public thought, and yet they consented +to the upraised sword being stayed. With them, as apart +from the politicians, the motive was undoubtedly a moral and +Christian one. They considered that the annexation of the +Transvaal had evidently been an injustice, that the farmers had a +right to the freedom for which they fought, and that it was an +unworthy thing for a great nation to continue an unjust war for +the sake of a military revenge. Such was the motive of the +British public when it acquiesced in the action of the Government. +It was the height of idealism, and the result has not been +such as to encourage its repetition.</p> + +<p>An armistice was concluded on March 5, 1881, which led up +to a peace on the 23rd of the same month. The Government,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +after yielding to force what it had repeatedly refused to friendly +representations, made a clumsy compromise in their settlement. +A policy of idealism and Christian morality should have been +thorough if it were to be tried at all. It was obvious that if the +annexation were unjust, then the Transvaal should have reverted +to the condition in which it was before the annexation, as defined +by the Sand River Convention. But the Government for some +reason would not go so far as this. They niggled and quibbled +and bargained until the State was left as a curious hybrid thing +such as the world has never seen. It was a republic which was +part of the system of a monarchy, dealt with by the Colonial +Office, and included under the heading of 'Colonies' in the news +columns of the 'Times.' It was autonomous, and yet subject to +some vague suzerainty, the limits of which no one has ever been +able to define. Altogether, in its provisions and in its omissions, +the Convention of Pretoria appears to prove that our political +affairs were as badly conducted as our military in this unfortunate +year of 1881.</p> + +<p>It was evident from the first that so illogical and contentious +an agreement could not possibly prove to be a final settlement, +and indeed the ink of the signatures was hardly dry before an +agitation was on foot for its revision. The Boers considered, and +with justice, that if they were to be left as undisputed victors in +the war then they should have the full fruits of victory. On the +other hand, the English-speaking colonies had their allegiance +tested to the uttermost. The proud Anglo-Celtic stock is not +accustomed to be humbled, and yet they found themselves through +the action of the home Government converted into members of a +beaten race. It was very well for the citizen of London to console +his wounded pride by the thought that he had done a magnanimous +action, but it was different with the British colonist of +Durban or Cape Town who, by no act of his own, and without +any voice in the settlement, found himself humiliated before +his Dutch neighbour. An ugly feeling of resentment was left +behind, which might perhaps have passed away had the Transvaal +accepted the settlement in the spirit in which it was meant, but +which grew more and more dangerous, as during eighteen years +our people saw, or thought that they saw, that one concession led +always to a fresh demand, and that the Dutch republics aimed not +merely at equality, but at dominance in South Africa. Professor +Bryce, a friendly critic, after a personal examination of the country<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +and the question, has left it upon record that the Boers saw +neither generosity nor humanity in our conduct, but only fear. +An outspoken race, they conveyed their feelings to their neighbours. +Can it be wondered at that South Africa has been in a +ferment ever since, and that the British Africander has yearned +with an intensity of feeling unknown in England for the hour of +revenge?</p> + +<p>The Government of the Transvaal after the war was left in +the hands of a triumvirate, but after one year Kruger became +President, an office which he continued to hold for eighteen +years. His career as ruler vindicates the wisdom of that wise but +unwritten provision of the American Constitution by which there is +a limit to the tenure of this office. Continued rule for half a +generation must turn a man into an autocrat. The old President +has said himself, in his homely but shrewd way, that when one +gets a good ox to lead the team it is a pity to change him. If a +good ox, however, is left to choose his own direction without +guidance, he may draw his wagon into trouble.</p> + +<p>During three years the little State showed signs of a tumultuous +activity. Considering that it was larger than France and that the +population could not have been more than fifty thousand, one would +have thought that they might have found room without any +inconvenient crowding. But the burghers passed beyond their +borders in every direction. The President cried aloud that he +had been shut up in a kraal, and he proceeded to find ways out +of it. A great trek was projected for the north, but fortunately +it miscarried. To the east they raided Zululand, and succeeded, +in defiance of the British settlement of that country, in tearing +away one-third of it and adding it to the Transvaal. To the west, +with no regard to the three-year-old treaty, they invaded Bechuanaland, +and set up the two new republics of Goshen and Stellaland. +So outrageous were these proceedings that Great Britain +was forced to fit out in 1884 a new expedition under Sir Charles +Warren for the purpose of turning these freebooters out of the +country. It may be asked, Why should these men be called freebooters +if the founders of Rhodesia were pioneers? The answer +is that the Transvaal was limited by treaty to certain boundaries +which these men transgressed, while no pledges were broken +when the British power expanded to the north. The upshot of +these trespasses was the scene upon which every drama of South +Africa rings down. Once more the purse was drawn from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +pocket of the unhappy taxpayer, and a million or so was paid out +to defray the expenses of the police force necessary to keep these +treaty-breakers in order. Let this be borne in mind when we +assess the moral and material damage done to the Transvaal by +the Jameson Raid.</p> + +<p>In 1884 a deputation from the Transvaal visited England, and +at their solicitation the clumsy Treaty of Pretoria was altered into +the still more clumsy Convention of London. The changes in the +provisions were all in favour of the Boers, and a second successful +war could hardly have given them more than Lord Derby handed +them in time of peace. Their style was altered from the Transvaal +to the South African Republic, a change which was ominously +suggestive of expansion in the future. The control of Great +Britain over their foreign policy was also relaxed, though a power +of veto was retained. But the most important thing of all, and +the fruitful cause of future trouble, lay in an omission. A suzerainty +is a vague term, but in politics, as in theology, the more +nebulous a thing is the more does it excite the imagination and +the passions of men. This suzerainty was declared in the preamble +of the first treaty, and no mention of it was made in the +second. Was it thereby abrogated or was it not? The British +contention is that only the articles were changed, and that the +preamble continued to hold good for both treaties. They point +out that not only the suzerainty, but also the independence, of +the Transvaal is proclaimed in that preamble, and that if one +lapses the other must do so also. On the other hand, the Boers +point to the fact that there is actually a preamble to the second +convention, which would seem, therefore, to take the place of the +first. As a matter of fact, the discussion is a barren one, since +both parties agree that Great Britain retained certain rights over +the making of treaties by the Republic, which rights place her in +a different position to an entirely independent state. Whether +this difference amounts to a suzerainty or not is a subject for +the academic discussion of international jurists. What is of +importance is the fact, not the word.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h2><small>THE CAUSE OF QUARREL</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">Gold</span> had been known to exist in the Transvaal before, but it was +only in 1886 that it was realised that the deposits which lie some +thirty miles south of the capital are of a very extraordinary and +valuable nature. The proportion of gold in the quartz is not +particularly high, nor are the veins of a remarkable thickness, but +the peculiarity of the Rand mines lies in the fact that throughout +this 'banket' formation the metal is so uniformly distributed +that the enterprise can claim a certainty which is not usually +associated with the industry. It is quarrying rather than mining. +Add to this that the reefs which were originally worked as outcrops +have now been traced to enormous depths, and present the +same features as those at the surface. A conservative estimate of +the value of the gold has placed it at seven hundred millions of +pounds.</p> + +<p>Such a discovery produced the inevitable effect. A great +number of adventurers flocked into the country, some desirable +and some very much the reverse. There were circumstances, +however, which kept away the rowdy and desperado element who +usually make for a newly-opened goldfield. It was not a class of +mining which encouraged the individual adventurer. It was a +field for elaborate machinery, which could only be provided by +capital. Managers, engineers, miners, technical experts, and the +tradesmen and middlemen who live upon them, these were +the Uitlanders, drawn from all races under the sun, but with +the Anglo-Celtic vastly predominant. The best engineers were +American, the best miners were Cornish, the best managers were +English, the money to run the mines was largely subscribed in +England. As time went on, however, the German and French +interests became more extensive, until their joint holdings are +now probably as heavy as those of the British. Soon the population +of the mining centres became about as numerous as that of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +the whole Boer community, and consisted mainly of men in the +prime of life—men, too, of exceptional intelligence and energy.</p> + +<p>The situation was an extraordinary one. I have already attempted +to bring the problem home to an American by suggesting +that the Dutch of New York had trekked west and founded an +anti-American and highly unprogressive State. To carry out the +analogy we will now suppose that that State was California, that +the gold of that State attracted a large inrush of American +citizens, that these citizens were heavily taxed and badly used, +and that they deafened Washington with their outcry about their +injuries. That would be a fair parallel to the relations between +the Transvaal, the Uitlanders, and the British Government.</p> + +<p>That these Uitlanders had very real and pressing grievances +no one could possibly deny. To recount them all would be a +formidable task, for their whole lives were darkened by injustice. +There was not a wrong which had driven the Boer from Cape +Colony which he did not now practise himself upon others—and +a wrong may be excusable in 1835 which is monstrous in 1895. +The primitive virtue which had characterised the farmers broke +down in the face of temptation. The country Boers were little +affected, some of them not at all, but the Pretoria Government +became a most corrupt oligarchy, venal and incompetent +to the last degree. Officials and imported Hollanders handled +the stream of gold which came in from the mines, while the +unfortunate Uitlander who paid nine-tenths of the taxation was +fleeced at every turn, and met with laughter and taunts when he +endeavoured to win the franchise by which he might peaceably +set right the wrongs from which he suffered. He was not an +unreasonable person. On the contrary, he was patient to the +verge of meekness, as capital is likely to be when it is surrounded +by rifles. But his situation was intolerable, and after successive +attempts at peaceful agitation, and numerous humble petitions to +the Volksraad, he began at last to realise that he would never +obtain redress unless he could find some way of winning it for +himself.</p> + +<p>Without attempting to enumerate all the wrongs which +embittered the Uitlanders, the more serious of them may be +summed up in this way:</p> + +<p>1. That they were heavily taxed and provided about seven-eighths +of the revenue of the country. The revenue of the South +African Republic—which had been 154,000<i>l.</i> in 1886, when the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +goldfields were opened—had grown in 1899 to four million +pounds, and the country through the industry of the new-comers +had changed from one of the poorest to the richest in the whole +world (per head of population).</p> + +<p>2. That in spite of this prosperity which they had brought, +they were left without a vote, and could by no means influence +the disposal of the great sums which they were providing. +Such a case of taxation without representation has never been +known.</p> + +<p>3. That they had no voice in the choice or payment of +officials. Men of the worst private character might be placed +with complete authority over valuable interests. The total official +salaries had risen in 1899 to a sum sufficient to pay 40<i>l.</i> per head +to the entire male Boer population.</p> + +<p>4. That they had no control over education. Mr. John +Robinson, the Director-General of the Johannesburg Educational +Council, has reckoned the sum spent on the Uitlander schools as +650<i>l.</i> out of 63,000<i>l.</i> allotted for education, making 1<i>s.</i> 10<i>d.</i> per +head per annum on Uitlander children, and 8<i>l.</i> 6<i>s.</i> per head +on Boer children—the Uitlander, as always, paying seven-eighths +of the original sum.</p> + +<p>5. No power of municipal government. Watercarts instead +of pipes, filthy buckets instead of drains, a corrupt and violent +police, a high death-rate in what should be a health resort—all +this in a city which they had built themselves.</p> + +<p>6. Despotic government in the matter of the Press and of the +right of public meeting.</p> + +<p>7. Disability from service upon a jury.</p> + +<p>8. Continual harassing of the mining interest by vexatious +legislation. Under this head come many grievances, some special +to the mines and some affecting all Uitlanders. The dynamite +monopoly, by which the miners had to pay 600,000<i>l.</i> extra per +annum in order to get a worse quality of dynamite; the liquor +laws, by which the Kaffirs were allowed to be habitually drunk; +the incompetence and extortions of the State-owned railway; the +granting of concessions for numerous articles of ordinary consumption +to individuals, by which high prices were maintained; the +surrounding of Johannesburg by tolls from which the town had +no profit—these were among the economical grievances, some +large, some petty, which ramified through every transaction of +life. These are the wrongs which Mr. W. T. Stead has described<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +as 'the twopenny-halfpenny grievances of a handful of Englishmen.'</p> + +<p>The manner in which the blood was sucked from the Uitlanders, +and the rapid spread of wealth among the Boer officials, may be +gathered from the list of the salaries of the State servants from +the opening of the mines to the outbreak of the war:</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table class="hd1" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="td4"> </td><td class="center">£</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1886</td><td class="td2">51,831</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1887</td><td class="td2">99,083</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1888</td><td class="td2">164,466</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1889</td><td class="td2">249,641</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1890</td><td class="td2">324,520</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1891</td><td class="td2">332,888</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1892</td><td class="td2">323,608</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1893</td><td class="td2">361,275</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1894</td><td class="td2">419,775</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1895</td><td class="td2">570,047</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1896</td><td class="td2">813,029</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1897</td><td class="td2">996,959</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1898</td><td class="td2">1,080,382</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">1899</td><td class="td2">1,216,394</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p class="noin">which shows, as Mr. FitzPatrick has pointed out, that the salary +list had become twenty-four times what it was when the Uitlanders +arrived, and five times as much as the total revenue was then.</p> + +<p>But outside and beyond all the definite wrongs from which +they suffered, there was a constant irritation to freeborn and progressive +men, accustomed to liberal institutions, that they should +be despotically ruled by a body of men some of whom were +ignorant bigots, some of them buffoons, and nearly all of them +openly and shamelessly corrupt. Out of twenty-five members of +the First Volksraad twenty-one were, in the case of the Selati Railway +Company, publicly and circumstantially accused of bribery, +with full details of the bribes received, their date, and who paid +them. The black-list includes the present vice-president, Schalk +Burger; the vice-president of that date; Eloff, the son-in-law of +Kruger; and the secretary of the Volksraad. Apparently every +man of the executive and the legislature had his price.</p> + +<p>A corrupt assembly is an evil master, but when it is narrow-minded +and bigoted as well, it becomes indeed intolerable. The +following tit-bits from the debates in the two Raads show the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +intelligence and spirit of the men who were ruling over one of +the most progressive communities in the world:</p> + +<p>'Pillar-boxes in Pretoria were opposed on the grounds that they +were extravagant and effeminate. Deputy Taljaard said that he +could not see why people wanted to be always writing letters; he +wrote none himself. In the days of his youth he had written a +letter and had not been afraid to travel fifty miles and more on +horseback and by wagon to post it—and now people complained if +they had to go one mile.'</p> + +<p>A debate on the possibility of decreasing the plague of locusts +led to the following enlightened discussion:</p> + +<p>'<i>July 21.</i>—Mr. Roos said locusts were a plague, as in the days +of King Pharaoh, sent by God, and the country would assuredly +be loaded with shame and obloquy if it tried to raise its hand +against the mighty hand of the Almighty.</p> + +<p>'Messrs. Declerq and Steenkamp spoke in the same strain, +quoting largely from the Scriptures.</p> + +<p>'The Chairman related a true story of a man whose farm was +always spared by the locusts, until one day he caused some to be +killed. His farm was then devastated.</p> + +<p>'Mr. Stoop conjured the members not to constitute themselves +terrestrial gods and oppose the Almighty.</p> + +<p>'Mr. Lucas Meyer raised a storm by ridiculing the arguments +of the former speakers, and comparing the locusts to beasts of +prey which they destroyed.</p> + +<p>'Mr. Labuschagne was violent. He said the locusts were quite +different from beasts of prey. They were a special plague sent +by God for their sinfulness.'</p> + +<p>In a further debate:</p> + +<p>'Mr. Jan de Beer complained of the lack of uniformity in +neckties. Some wore a Tom Thumb variety, and others wore +scarves. This was a state of things to be deplored, and he considered +that the Raad should put its foot down and define the size +and shape of neckties.'</p> + +<p>The following note of a debate gives some idea of how far the +legislators were qualified to deal with commercial questions:</p> + +<p>'<i>May 8.</i>—On the application of the Sheba G. M. Co. for permission +to erect an aërial tram from the mine to the mill,</p> + +<p>'Mr. Grobelaar asked whether an aërial tram was a balloon or +whether it could fly through the air.</p> + +<p>'The only objection that the Chairman had to urge against<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +granting the tram was that the Company had an English name, +and that with so many Dutch ones available.</p> + +<p>'Mr. Taljaard objected to the word "participeeren" (participate) +as not being Dutch, and to him unintelligible: "I can't +believe the word is Dutch; why have I never come across it in +the Bible if it is?"</p> + +<p>'<i>June 18.</i>—On the application for a concession to treat +tailings,</p> + +<p>'Mr. Taljaard wished to know if the words "pyrites" and +"concentrates" could not be translated into the Dutch language. +He could not understand what it meant. He had gone to night-school +as long as he had been in Pretoria, and even now he could +not explain everything to his burghers. He thought it a shame +that big hills should be made on ground under which there might +be rich reefs, and which in future might be required for a market +or outspan. He would support the recommendation on condition +that the name of the quartz should be translated into Dutch, as +there might be more in this than some of them imagined.'</p> + +<p>Such debates as these may be amusing at a distance, but they +are less entertaining when they come from an autocrat who has +complete power over the conditions of your life.</p> + +<p>From the fact that they were a community extremely preoccupied +by their own business, it followed that the Uitlanders +were not ardent politicians, and that they desired to have a share +in the government of the State for the purpose of making the +conditions of their own industry and of their own daily lives more +endurable. How far there was need of such an interference may +be judged by any fair-minded man who reads the list of their +complaints. A superficial view may recognise the Boers as the +champions of liberty, but a deeper insight must see that they (as +represented by their elected rulers) have in truth stood for all +that history has shown to be odious in the form of exclusiveness +and oppression. Their conception of liberty has been a narrow +and selfish one, and they have consistently inflicted upon others +far heavier wrongs than those against which they had themselves +rebelled.</p> + +<p>As the mines increased in importance and the miners in +numbers, it was found that these political disabilities affected +some of that cosmopolitan crowd far more than others, in proportion +to the amount of freedom to which their home institutions +had made them accustomed. The Continental Uitlanders were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +more patient of that which was unendurable to the American and +the Briton. The Americans, however, were in so great a minority +that it was upon the British that the brunt of the struggle for +freedom fell. Apart from the fact that the British were more +numerous than all the other Uitlanders combined, there were +special reasons why they should feel their humiliating position +more than the members of any other race. In the first place, +many of the British were British South Africans, who knew that +in the neighbouring countries which gave them birth the most +liberal possible institutions had been given to the kinsmen of +these very Boers who were refusing them the management of +their own drains and water-supply. And again, every Briton +knew that Great Britain claimed to be the paramount Power in +South Africa, and so he felt as if his own land, to which he might +have looked for protection, was conniving at and acquiescing in +his ill-treatment. As citizens of the paramount Power, it was +peculiarly galling that they should be held in political subjection. +The British, therefore, were the most persistent and energetic of +the agitators.</p> + +<p>But it is a poor cause which cannot bear to fairly state and +honestly consider the case of its opponents. The Boers had +made, as has been briefly shown, great efforts to establish a +country of their own. They had travelled far, worked hard, and +fought bravely. After all their efforts they were fated to see an +influx of strangers into their country, some of them men of +questionable character, who threatened to outnumber the original +inhabitants. If the franchise were granted to these, there could +be no doubt that, though at first the Boers might control a +majority of the votes, it was only a question of time before the +new-comers would dominate the Raad and elect their own +President, who might adopt a policy abhorrent to the original +owners of the land. Were the Boers to lose by the ballot-box the +victory which they had won by their rifles? Was it fair to +expect it? These new-comers came for gold. They got their +gold. Their companies paid a hundred per cent. Was not that +enough to satisfy them? If they did not like the country, why +did they not leave it? No one compelled them to stay there. +But if they stayed, let them be thankful that they were tolerated +at all, and not presume to interfere with the laws of those by +whose courtesy they were allowed to enter the country.</p> + +<p>That is a fair statement of the Boer position, and at first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +sight an impartial man might say that there was a good deal to +say for it; but a closer examination would show that, though +it might be tenable in theory, it is unjust and impossible in +practice.</p> + +<p>In the present crowded state of the world a policy of Thibet +may be carried out in some obscure corner, but it cannot be done +in a great tract of country which lies right across the main line +of industrial progress. The position is too absolutely artificial. +A handful of people by the right of conquest take possession of +an enormous country over which they are dotted at such intervals +that it is their boast that one farmhouse cannot see the smoke of +another, and yet, though their numbers are so disproportionate to +the area which they cover, they refuse to admit any other people +upon equal terms, but claim to be a privileged class who shall +dominate the new-comers completely. They are outnumbered in +their own land by immigrants who are far more highly educated +and progressive, and yet they hold them down in a way which +exists nowhere else upon earth. What is their right? The right +of conquest. Then the same right may be justly invoked to +reverse so intolerable a situation. This they would themselves +acknowledge. 'Come on and fight! Come on!' cried a member +of the Volksraad when the franchise petition of the Uitlanders +was presented. 'Protest! Protest! What is the good of +protesting?' said Kruger to Mr. W. Y. Campbell; 'you have +not got the guns, I have.' There was always the final court +of appeal. Judge Creusot and Judge Mauser were always +behind the President.</p> + +<p>Again, the argument of the Boers would be more valid had +they received no benefit from these immigrants. If they had +ignored them they might fairly have stated that they did not +desire their presence. But even while they protested they grew +rich at the Uitlanders' expense. They could not have it both +ways. It would be consistent to discourage him and not profit +by him, or to make him comfortable and build the State upon +his money; but to ill-treat him and at the same time grow +strong by his taxation must surely be an injustice.</p> + +<p>And again, the whole argument is based upon the narrow +racial supposition that every naturalised citizen not of Boer +extraction must necessarily be unpatriotic. This is not borne +out by the examples of history. The new-comer soon becomes as +proud of his country and as jealous of her liberty as the old.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +Had President Kruger given the franchise generously to the +Uitlander, his pyramid would have been firm upon its base and +not balanced upon its apex. It is true that the corrupt oligarchy +would have vanished, and the spirit of a broader, more tolerant +freedom influenced the counsels of the State. But the republic +would have become stronger and more permanent with a population +who, if they differed in details, were united in essentials. +Whether such a solution would have been to the advantage of +British interests in South Africa is quite another question. In +more ways than one President Kruger has been a good friend to +the Empire.</p> + +<p>At the time of the Convention of Pretoria (1881) the rights of +burghership might be obtained by one year's residence. In 1882 +it was raised to five years, the reasonable limit which obtains +both in Great Britain and in the United States. Had it remained +so, it is safe to say that there would never have been +either an Uitlander question or a war. Grievances would have +been righted from the inside without external interference.</p> + +<p>In 1890 the inrush of outsiders alarmed the Boers, and the +franchise was raised so as to be only attainable by those who had +lived fourteen years in the country. The Uitlanders, who were +increasing rapidly in numbers and were suffering from the +formidable list of grievances already enumerated, perceived that +their wrongs were so numerous that it was hopeless to have them +set right seriatim, and that only by obtaining the leverage of the +franchise could they hope to move the heavy burden which +weighed them down. In 1893 a petition of 13,000 Uitlanders, +couched in most respectful terms, was submitted to the Raad, +but met with contemptuous neglect. Undeterred, however, by +this failure, the National Reform Union, an association which +was not one of capitalists, came back to the attack in 1894. They +drew up a petition which was signed by 35,000 adult male +Uitlanders, as great a number probably as the total Boer male +population of the country. A small liberal body in the Raad +supported this memorial and endeavoured in vain to obtain some +justice for the new-comers. Mr. Jeppe was the mouthpiece of +this select band. 'They own half the soil, they pay at least three-quarters +of the taxes,' said he. 'They are men who in capital, +energy, and education are at least our equals. What will become +of us or our children on that day when we may find ourselves +in a minority of one in twenty without a single friend among<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +the other nineteen, among those who will then tell us that they +wished to be brothers, but that we by our own act have made +them strangers to the republic?' Such reasonable and liberal +sentiments were combated by members who asserted that the +signatures could not belong to law-abiding citizens, since they +were actually agitating against the law of the franchise, and +others whose intolerance was expressed by the defiance of the +member already quoted, who challenged the Uitlanders to come +out and fight. The champions of exclusiveness and racial hatred +won the day. The memorial was rejected by sixteen votes to +eight, and the franchise law was, on the initiative of the President, +actually made more stringent than ever, being framed in +such a way that during the fourteen years of probation the +applicant should give up his previous nationality, so that for that +period he would belong to no country at all. No hopes +were held out that any possible attitude upon the part of the +Uitlanders would soften the determination of the President and +his burghers. One who remonstrated was led outside the State +buildings by the President, who pointed up at the national flag. +'You see that flag?' said he. 'If I grant the franchise, I may +as well pull it down.' His animosity against the immigrants was +bitter. 'Burghers, friends, thieves, murderers, new-comers, and +others,' is the conciliatory opening of one of his public addresses. +Though Johannesburg is only thirty-two miles from Pretoria, and +though the State of which he was the head depended for its +revenue upon the goldfields, he paid it only three visits in nine +years.</p> + +<p>This settled animosity was deplorable, but not unnatural. A +man imbued with the idea of a chosen people, and unread in any +book save the one which cultivates this very idea, could not be +expected to have learned the historical lessons of the advantages +which a State reaps from a liberal policy. To him it was as if +the Ammonites and Moabites had demanded admission into the +twelve tribes. He mistook an agitation against the exclusive +policy of the State for one against the existence of the State itself. +A wide franchise would have made his republic firm-based and +permanent. It was a minority of the Uitlanders who had any +desire to come into the British system. They were a cosmopolitan +crowd, only united by the bond of a common injustice. +The majority of the British immigrants had no desire to subvert +the State. But when every other method had failed, and their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +petition for the rights of freemen had been flung back at them, it +was natural that their eyes should turn to that flag which waved +to the north, the west, and the south of them—the flag which +means purity of government with equal rights and equal duties +for all men. Constitutional agitation was laid aside, arms were +smuggled in, and everything prepared for an organised rising.</p> + +<p>It had been arranged that the town was to rise upon a certain +night, that Pretoria should be attacked, the fort seized, and the +rifles and ammunition, used to arm the Uitlanders. It was a +feasible device, though it must seem to us, who have had such +an experience of the military virtues of the burghers, a very +desperate one. But it is conceivable that the rebels might have +held Johannesburg until the universal sympathy which their +cause excited throughout South Africa would have caused Great +Britain to intervene. Unfortunately they had complicated +matters by asking for outside help. Mr. Cecil Rhodes was +Premier of the Cape, a man of immense energy, and one who had +rendered great services to the empire. The motives of his action +are obscure—certainly, we may say that they were not sordid, +for he has always been a man whose thoughts were large and +whose habits were simple. But whatever they may have been—whether +an ill-regulated desire to consolidate South Africa under +British rule, or a burning sympathy with the Uitlanders in their +fight against injustice—it is certain that he allowed his lieutenant, +Dr. Jameson, to assemble the mounted police of the Chartered +Company, of which Rhodes was founder and director, for the +purpose of co-operating with the rebels at Johannesburg. Moreover, +when the revolt at Johannesburg was postponed, on account +of a disagreement as to which flag they were to rise under, it +appears that Jameson (with or without the orders of Rhodes) +forced the hand of the conspirators by invading the country with +a force absurdly inadequate to the work which he had taken in +hand. Five hundred policemen and two field-guns made up the +forlorn hope who started from near Mafeking and crossed the +Transvaal border upon December 29, 1895. On January 2 they +were surrounded by the Boers amid the broken country near +Dornkop, and after losing many of their number killed and +wounded, without food and with spent horses, they were compelled +to lay down their arms. Six burghers lost their lives in +the skirmish.</p> + +<p>Determined attempts have been made to connect the British<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +Government with this fiasco, and to pretend that the Colonial +Secretary and other statesmen were cognisant of it. Such an +impression has been fostered by the apparent reluctance of the +Commission of Inquiry to push their researches to the uttermost. +It is much to be regretted that every possible telegram and letter +should not have been called for upon that occasion; but the idea +that this was not done for fear that Mr. Chamberlain and the +British Government would be implicated, becomes absurd in the +presence of the fact that the Commission included among its members +Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman and Sir William Harcourt. +Is it conceivable that these gentlemen held their hands for fear +of damaging the Government, or that Mr. Chamberlain could +afterwards have the effrontery to publicly and solemnly deny all +knowledge of the business in the presence of gentlemen who had +connived at the suppression of the proofs that he <i>did</i> know? +Such a supposition is ridiculous, and yet it is involved in the +theory that the Commission refrained from pushing their examination +because they were afraid of showing their country to have +been in the wrong.</p> + +<p>Again, even the most embittered enemy of Mr. Chamberlain +must admit that he is a clear-headed man, a man of resolution, +and a man with some sense of proportion as to the means which +should be used for an end. Is such a man, knowing the military +record of the burghers, the sort of man to connive at the invasion +of their country by 500 policemen and two guns? Would he +be likely, even if he approved of the general aim, to sanction +such a harebrained piece of folly? And, having sanctioned it, +would he be so weak of purpose as to take energetic steps, the +instant that he heard of the invasion, to undo that which he +is supposed himself to have done, and to cause the failure of +his own scheme? Why should he on such a supposition send +energetic messages to Johannesburg forbidding the British to +co-operate with the raiders? The whole accusation is so absurd +that it is only the mania of party spite or of national hatred +which could induce anyone to believe it.</p> + +<p>Again, supposing for an instant that the British Government +knew anything about the coming raid, what is the first and most +obvious thing which they would have done? Whether Jameson +got safely to Johannesburg or not there was evidently a probability +of a great race-struggle in South Africa. Would they not then, +on some pretext or another, have increased the strength of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +British force in the country, which was so weak that it was powerless +to influence the course of events? It is certain that this is +so. But nothing of the kind was done.</p> + +<p>Mr. Chamberlain's own denial is clear and emphatic:</p> + +<p>'I desire to say in the most explicit manner that I had not +then, and that I never had, any knowledge, or until, I think it +was the day before the actual raid took place, the slightest suspicion +of anything in the nature of a hostile or armed invasion +of the Transvaal.'—(British South Africa Committee, 1897. Q. +6223.)</p> + +<p>The Earl of Selborne, Under-Secretary of State for the +Colonies, was no less explicit:</p> + +<p>'Neither then nor at any subsequent period prior to the raid +did we know of what is now called "Jameson's plan," nor that the +revolution at Johannesburg was being largely controlled and +financed from Cape Colony and Rhodesia.... Sir Hercules +Robinson had no suspicion of what was impending, nor apparently +President Kruger, nor Mr. Hofmeyr, nor any public man in South +Africa, except those who were preparing the plan. At any rate +the fact remains that from no quarter did the Colonial Office +receive any warning. I submit, therefore, it would have been a +most extraordinary thing if any suspicion had occurred to us.'</p> + +<p>The finding of the Committee—a Committee composed of men +of all parties, some of whom, as we know, were yearning 'to give +Joe a fall'—was unanimous in condemning the raid and equally +unanimous in exonerating the Government from any knowledge of +it. Their Report said:</p> + +<p>'Your Committee fully accept the statements of the Secretary +of State for the Colonies, and of the Under-Secretary, and entirely +exonerate the officials of the Colonial Office of having been +in any sense cognisant of the plans which led up to the incursion +of Dr. Jameson's force into the South African Republic....</p> + +<p>'Neither the Secretary of State for the Colonies, nor any of +the officials of the Colonial Office received any information which +made them, or should have made them, or any of them, aware of +the plot during its development.'</p> + +<p>And yet to this day it is one of the articles of faith of a few +crack-brained fanatics in this country, and of many ill-informed +and prejudiced editors upon the Continent, that the British +Government was responsible for the raid.</p> + +<p>The Uitlanders have been severely criticised for not having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +sent out a force to help Jameson in his difficulties, but it is +impossible to see how they could have acted in any other manner. +They had done all they could to prevent Jameson coming to their +relief, and now it was rather unreasonable to suppose that they +should relieve their reliever. Indeed, they had an entirely exaggerated +idea of the strength of the force which he was bringing, +and received the news of his capture with incredulity. When it +became confirmed they rose, but in a half-hearted fashion which +was not due to want of courage, but to the difficulties of their +position. On the one hand the British Government disowned +Jameson entirely, and did all it could to discourage the rising; on +the other, the President had the raiders in his keeping at Pretoria, +and let it be understood that their fate depended upon the +behaviour of the Uitlanders. They were led to believe that Jameson +would be shot unless they laid down their arms, though, as a +matter of fact, Jameson and his people had surrendered upon a +promise of quarter. So skilfully did Kruger use his hostages +that he succeeded, with the help of the British Commissioner, in +getting the thousands of excited Johannesburgers to lay down their +arms without bloodshed. Completely out-manœuvred by the +astute old President, the leaders of the reform movement used all +their influence in the direction of peace, thinking that a general +amnesty would follow; but the moment that they and their +people were helpless the detectives and armed burghers occupied +the town, and sixty of their number were hurried to Pretoria +Gaol.</p> + +<p>To the raiders themselves the President behaved with +generosity. Perhaps he could not find it in his heart to be +harsh to the men who had managed to put him in the right and +won for him the sympathy of the world. His own illiberal and +oppressive treatment of the new-comers was forgotten in the face +of this illegal inroad of filibusters. The true issues were so +obscured by this intrusion that it has taken years to clear them, +and perhaps they will never be wholly cleared. It was forgotten +that it was the bad government of the country which was the real +cause of the unfortunate raid. From then onwards the government +might grow worse and worse, but it was always possible to +point to the raid as justifying everything. Were the Uitlanders +to have the franchise? How could they expect it after the raid? +Would Britain object to the enormous importation of arms and +obvious preparations for war? They were only precautions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +against a second raid. For years the raid stood in the way, not +only of all progress, but of all remonstrance. Through an action +over which they had no control, and which they had done their +best to prevent, the British Government was left with a bad case +and a weakened moral authority.</p> + +<p>The raiders were sent home, where the rank and file were +very properly released, and the chief officers were condemned to +terms of imprisonment which certainly did not err upon the side +of severity. In the meantime, both President Kruger and his +burghers had shown a greater severity to the political prisoners +from Johannesburg than to the armed followers of Jameson. The +nationality of these prisoners is interesting and suggestive. There +were twenty-three Englishmen, sixteen South Africans, nine +Scotchmen, six Americans, two Welshmen, one Irishman, one +Australian, one Hollander, one Bavarian, one Canadian, one +Swiss, and one Turk. The list is sufficient comment upon the +assertion that only the British Uitlanders made serious complaints +of subjection and injustice. The prisoners were arrested +in January, but the trial did not take place until the end of +April. All were found guilty of high treason. Mr. Lionel +Phillips, Colonel Rhodes (brother of Mr. Cecil Rhodes), George +Farrar, and Mr. Hammond, the American engineer, were condemned +to death, a sentence which was afterwards commuted to +the payment of an enormous fine. The other prisoners were +condemned to two years' imprisonment, with a fine of 2,000<i>l.</i> +each. The imprisonment was of the most arduous and trying +sort, and was embittered by the harshness of the gaoler, Du +Plessis. One of the unfortunate men cut his throat, and several +fell seriously ill, the diet and the sanitary conditions being equally +unhealthy. At last, at the end of May, all the prisoners but +six were released. Four of the six soon followed, two stalwarts, +Sampson and Davies, refusing to sign any petition and remaining +in prison until they were set free in 1897. Altogether the Transvaal +Government received in fines from the reform prisoners the +enormous sum of 212,000<i>l.</i> A certain comic relief was immediately +afterwards given to so grave an episode by the presentation +of a bill to Great Britain for 1,677,938<i>l.</i> 3<i>s.</i> 3<i>d.</i>—the greater +part of which was under the heading of moral and intellectual +damage. It is to be feared that even the 3<i>s.</i> 3<i>d.</i> remains still +unpaid.</p> + +<p>The raid was past and the reform movement was past, but the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +causes which produced them both remained. It is hardly conceivable +that a statesman who loved his country would have +refrained from making some effort to remove a state of things +which had already caused such grave dangers, and which must +obviously become more serious with every year that passed. But +Paul Kruger had hardened his heart, and was not to be moved. +The grievances of the Uitlanders became heavier than ever. The +one power in the land to which they had been able to appeal +for some sort of redress amid their troubles was the law courts. +Now it was decreed that the courts should be dependent on the +Volksraad. The Chief Justice protested against such a degradation +of his high office, and he was dismissed in consequence +without a pension. The judge who had condemned the reformers +was chosen to fill the vacancy, and the protection of a fixed law +was withdrawn from the Uitlanders.</p> + +<p>A commission appointed by the State was sent to examine +into the condition of the mining industry and the grievances from +which the new-comers suffered. The chairman was Mr. Schalk +Burger, one of the most liberal of the Boers, and the proceedings +were thorough and impartial. The result was a report which +amply vindicated the reformers, and suggested remedies which +would have gone a long way towards satisfying the Uitlanders. +With such enlightened legislation their motives for seeking the +franchise would have been less pressing. But the President and +his Raad would have none of the recommendations of the commission. +The rugged old autocrat declared that Schalk Burger was +a traitor to his country for having signed such a document, and a +new reactionary committee was chosen to report upon the report. +Words and papers were the only outcome of the affair. No +amelioration came to the new-comers. But at least they had again +put their case publicly upon record, and it had been endorsed by +the most respected of the burghers. Gradually in the press of +the English-speaking countries the raid was ceasing to obscure +the issue. More and more clearly it was coming out that no +permanent settlement was possible where half the population +was oppressed by the other half. They had tried peaceful +means and failed. They had tried warlike means and failed. +What was there left for them to do? Their own country, +the paramount power of South Africa, had never helped them. +Perhaps if it were directly appealed to it might do so. It could +not, if only for the sake of its own imperial prestige, leave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +its children for ever in a state of subjection. The small spark +which caused a final explosion came from the shooting of a +British subject named Edgar by a Boer policeman, Jones, in +Johannesburg. The action of the policeman was upheld by the +authorities, and the British felt that their lives were no longer +safe in the presence of an armed overbearing police. At +another time the incident might have been of no great importance, +but at that moment it seemed to be taken as the crowning +example of the injustice under which the miners suffered. A +meeting of protest called by the British residents was broken up by +gangs of workmen under Boer officials. Driven to desperation the +Uitlanders determined upon a petition to Queen Victoria, and in +doing so they brought their grievances out of the limits of a local +controversy into the broader field of international politics. Great +Britain must either protect them or acknowledge that their protection +was beyond her power. A direct petition to the Queen +praying for protection was signed in April 1899 by 21,000 +Uitlanders.</p> + +<p>The lines which this historical petition took may be judged +from the following excerpt:</p> + +<p>'The condition of Your Majesty's subjects in this State has +indeed become well-nigh intolerable.</p> + +<p>'The acknowledged and admitted grievances of which Your +Majesty's subjects complained prior to 1895, not only are not redressed, +but exist to-day in an aggravated form. They are still +deprived of all political rights, they are denied any voice in the +government of the country, they are taxed far above the requirements +of the country, the revenue of which is misapplied and +devoted to objects which keep alive a continuous and well-founded +feeling of irritation, without in any way advancing the general +interest of the State. Maladministration and peculation of public +moneys go hand-in-hand, without any vigorous measures being +adopted to put a stop to the scandal. The education of Uitlander +children is made subject to impossible conditions. The police +afford no adequate protection to the lives and property of the +inhabitants of Johannesburg; they are rather a source of danger +to the peace and safety of the Uitlander population.</p> + +<p>'A further grievance has become prominent since the beginning +of the year. The power vested in the Government by means +of the Public Meetings Act has been a menace to Your Majesty's +subjects since the enactment of the Act in 1894. This power has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +now been applied in order to deliver a blow that strikes at the +inherent and inalienable birthright of every British subject—namely, +his right to petition his Sovereign. Straining to the +utmost the language and intention of the law, the Government +have arrested two British subjects who assisted in presenting a +petition to Your Majesty on behalf of four thousand fellow-subjects. +Not content with this, the Government, when Your +Majesty's loyal subjects again attempted to lay their grievances +before Your Majesty, permitted their meeting to be broken up, +and the objects of it to be defeated, by a body of Boers, organised +by Government officials and acting under the protection of the +police. By reason, therefore, of the direct, as well as the indirect, +act of the Government, Your Majesty's loyal subjects have been +prevented from publicly ventilating their grievances, and from +laying them before Your Majesty.</p> + +<p>'Wherefore Your Majesty's humble petitioners humbly beseech +Your Most Gracious Majesty to extend Your Majesty's protection +to Your Majesty's loyal subjects resident in this State, and to +cause an inquiry to be made into grievances and complaints +enumerated and set forth in this humble petition, and to direct +Your Majesty's representative in South Africa to take measures +which will insure the speedy reform of the abuses complained of, +and to obtain substantial guarantees from the Government of this +State for a recognition of their rights as British subjects.'</p> + +<p>From the date of this direct petition from our ill-used people +to their Sovereign events moved inevitably towards one end. +Sometimes the surface was troubled and sometimes smooth, but +the stream always ran swiftly and the roar of the fall sounded +ever louder in the ears.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h2><small>THE NEGOTIATIONS</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">The</span> British Government and the British people do not desire any +direct authority in South Africa. Their one supreme interest is +that the various States there should live in concord and prosperity, +and that there should be no need for the presence of a British +redcoat within the whole great peninsula. Our foreign critics, +with their misapprehension of the British colonial system, can +never realise that whether the four-coloured flag of the Transvaal +or the Union Jack of a self-governing colony waved over the gold +mines would not make the difference of one shilling to the +revenue of Great Britain. The Transvaal as a British province +would have its own legislature, its own revenue, its own expenditure, +and its own tariff against the mother country, as well as +against the rest of the world, and Britain be none the richer for +the change. This is so obvious to a Briton that he has ceased to +insist upon it, and it is for that reason perhaps that it is so +universally misunderstood abroad. On the other hand, while she +is no gainer by the change, most of the expense of it in blood +and in money falls upon the home country. On the face of it, +therefore, Great Britain had every reason to avoid so formidable a +task as the conquest of the South African Republic. At the best +she had nothing to gain, and at the worst she had an immense +deal to lose. There was no room for ambition or aggression. It +was a case of shirking or fulfilling a most arduous duty.</p> + +<p>There could be no question of a plot for the annexation of the +Transvaal. In a free country the Government cannot move in +advance of public opinion, and public opinion is influenced by and +reflected in the newspapers. One may examine the files of the +press during all the months of negotiations and never find one +reputable opinion in favour of such a course, nor did one in society +ever meet an advocate of such a measure. But a great wrong +was being done, and all that was asked was the minimum change<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +which would set it right, and restore equality between the white +races in Africa. 'Let Kruger only be liberal in the extension of +the franchise,' said the paper which is most representative of the +sanest British opinion, 'and he will find that the power of the +republic will become not weaker, but infinitely more secure. Let +him once give the majority of the resident males of full age the +full vote, and he will have given the republic a stability and power +which nothing else can. If he rejects all pleas of this kind, and +persists in his present policy, he may possibly stave off the evil +day, and preserve his cherished oligarchy for another few years; +but the end will be the same.' The extract reflects the tone of all +the British press with the exception of one or two papers which +considered that even the persistent ill-usage of our people, and +the fact that we were peculiarly responsible for them in this +State, did not justify us in interfering in the internal affairs of +the republic. It cannot be denied that the Jameson Raid had +weakened the force of those who wished to interfere energetically +on behalf of British subjects. There was a vague but widespread +feeling that perhaps the capitalists were engineering the situation +for their own ends. It is difficult to imagine how a state of unrest +and insecurity, to say nothing of a state of war, can ever be +to the advantage of capital, and surely it is obvious that if some +arch-schemer were using the grievances of the Uitlanders for his +own ends the best way to checkmate him would be to remove +those grievances. The suspicion, however, did exist among +those who like to ignore the obvious and magnify the remote, and +throughout the negotiations the hand of Great Britain was +weakened, as her adversary had doubtless calculated that it would +be, by an earnest but fussy and faddy minority.</p> + +<p>It was in April 1899 that the British Uitlanders sent their +petition praying for protection to their native country. Since the +April previous a correspondence had been going on between +Dr. Leyds, Secretary of State for the South African Republic, and +Mr. Chamberlain, Colonial Secretary, upon the existence or non-existence +of the suzerainty. On the one hand, it was contended +that the substitution of a second convention had entirely annulled +the first; on the other, that the preamble of the first applied also +to the second. If the Transvaal contention were correct it is +clear that Great Britain had been tricked and jockeyed into such +a position, since she had received no <i>quid pro quo</i> in the second +convention, and even the most careless of Colonial Secretaries<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +could hardly have been expected to give away a very substantial +something for nothing. But the contention throws us back upon +the academic question of what a suzerainty is. The Transvaal +admitted a power of veto over their foreign policy, and this admission +in itself, unless they openly tore up the convention, must +deprive them of the position of a sovereign State.</p> + +<p>But now to this debate, which had so little of urgency in it +that seven months intervened between statement and reply, there +came the bitterly vital question of the wrongs and appeal of the +Uitlanders. Sir Alfred Milner, the British Commissioner in +South Africa, a man of liberal politics who had been appointed by +a Conservative Government, commanded the respect and confidence +of all parties. His record was that of an able, clear-headed man, +too just to be either guilty of or tolerant of injustice. To him the +matter was referred, and a conference was arranged between +President Kruger and him at Bloemfontein, the capital of the +Orange Free State. They met on May 31, 1899.</p> + +<p>There were three different classes of subject which had to be +discussed at the Conference. One included all those alleged +breaches of the Convention of London which had caused so much +friction between the two Governments, and which had thrice in +eighteen years brought the States to the verge of war. Among +these subjects would be the Boer annexations of native territory, +such interference with trade as the stopping of the Drifts, the +question of suzerainty, and the possibility of arbitration. The +second class of questions would deal with the grievances of the +Uitlanders, which presented a problem which had in no way been +provided for in the Conventions. The third class contained the +question of the ill-treatment of British Indians, and other causes +of quarrel. Sir Alfred Milner was faced with the alternative +either to argue over each of these questions in turn—an endless +and unprofitable business—or to put forward some one test-question +which would strike at the root of the matter and prove +whether a real attempt would be made by the Boer Government +to relieve the tension. The question which he selected was that +of the franchise for the Uitlanders, for it was evident that if they +obtained not a fair share—such a request was never made—but +any appreciable share in the government of the country, they +would in time be able to relieve their own grievances and so +spare the British Government the heavy task of acting as their +champions. But the Conference was quickly wrecked upon this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +question. Milner contended for a five-years' retroactive franchise, +with provisions to secure adequate representation for the mining +districts. Kruger offered a seven-years' franchise, coupled with +numerous conditions which whittled down its value very much; +promised five members out of thirty-one to represent half the +male adult population; and added a provision that all differences +should be subject to arbitration by foreign powers—a +condition which is incompatible with any claim to suzerainty. +This offer dropped the term for the franchise from fourteen years +to seven, but it retained a number of conditions which might +make it illusory, while demanding in exchange a most important +concession from the British Government. The proposals of each +were impossible to the other, and early in June Sir Alfred Milner +was back in Cape Town and President Kruger in Pretoria, with +nothing settled except the extreme difficulty of a settlement.</p> + +<p>On June 12 Sir Alfred Milner received a deputation at Cape +Town and reviewed the situation. 'The principle of equality of +races was,' he said, 'essential for South Africa. The one State +where inequality existed kept all the others in a fever. Our +policy was one not of aggression, but of singular patience, which +could not, however, lapse into indifference.' Two days later +Kruger addressed the Raad. 'The other side had not conceded +one tittle, and I could not give more. God has always stood +by us. I do not want war, but I will not give more away. +Although our independence has once been taken away, God had +restored it.' He spoke with sincerity no doubt, but it is hard to +hear God invoked with such confidence for the system which +encouraged the liquor traffic to the natives, and bred the most +corrupt set of officials that the modern world has seen.</p> + +<p>A despatch from Sir Alfred Milner, giving his views upon the +situation, made the British public recognise, as nothing else had +done, how serious the position was, and how essential it was that +an earnest national effort should be made to set it right. In it +he said:</p> + +<p>'The case for intervention is overwhelming. The only +attempted answer is that things will right themselves if left +alone. But, in fact, the policy of leaving things alone has been +tried for years, and it has led to their going from bad to worse. +It is not true that this is owing to the raid. They were going +from bad to worse before the raid. We were on the verge of war +before the raid, and the Transvaal was on the verge of revolution.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +The effect of the raid has been to give the policy of leaving things +alone a new lease of life, and with the old consequences.</p> + +<p>'The spectacle of thousands of British subjects kept permanently +in the position of helots, constantly chafing under +undoubted grievances, and calling vainly to her Majesty's +Government for redress, does steadily undermine the influence +and reputation of Great Britain within the Queen's dominions. +A section of the press, not in the Transvaal only, preaches openly +and constantly the doctrine of a republic embracing all South +Africa, and supports it by menacing references to the armaments +of the Transvaal, its alliance with the Orange Free State, and the +active sympathy which, in case of war, it would receive from a +section of her Majesty's subjects. I regret to say that this +doctrine, supported as it is by a ceaseless stream of malignant +lies about the intentions of her Majesty's Government, is producing +a great effect on a large number of our Dutch fellow-colonists. +Language is frequently used which seems to imply +that the Dutch have some superior right, even in this colony, to +their fellow-citizens of British birth. Thousands of men peaceably +disposed, and if left alone perfectly satisfied with their +position as British subjects, are being drawn into disaffection, +and there is a corresponding exasperation upon the part of the +British.</p> + +<p>'I can see nothing which will put a stop to this mischievous +propaganda but some striking proof of the intention of her +Majesty's Government not to be ousted from its position in South +Africa.'</p> + +<p>Such were the grave and measured words with which the +British pro-consul warned his countrymen of what was to come. +He saw the stormcloud piling in the north, but even his eyes had +not yet discerned how near and how terrible was the tempest.</p> + +<p>Throughout the end of June and the early part of July much +was hoped from the mediation of the heads of the Afrikander +Bond, the political union of the Dutch Cape colonists. On the +one hand, they were the kinsmen of the Boers; on the other, +they were British subjects, and were enjoying the blessings of +those liberal institutions which we were anxious to see extended +to the Transvaal. 'Only treat our folk as we treat yours!' +Our whole contention was compressed into that prayer. But +nothing came of the mission, though a scheme endorsed by +Mr. Hofmeyr and Mr. Herholdt, of the Bond, with Mr. Fischer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +of the Free State, was introduced into the Raad and applauded +by Mr. Schreiner, the Africander Premier of Cape Colony. In its +original form the provisions were obscure and complicated, the +franchise varying from nine years to seven under different conditions. +In debate, however, the terms were amended until the +time was reduced to seven years, and the proposed representation +of the Goldfields placed at five. The concession was not a great +one, nor could the representation, five out of thirty-one, be considered +a generous provision for half the adult male population; +but the reduction of the years of residence was eagerly hailed in +England as a sign that a compromise might be effected. A sigh +of relief went up from the country. 'If,' said the Colonial +Secretary, 'this report is confirmed, this important change in the +proposals of President Kruger, coupled with previous amendments, +leads Government to hope that the new law may prove to +be the basis of a settlement on the lines laid down by Sir Alfred +Milner in the Bloemfontein Conference.' He added that there +were some vexatious conditions attached, but concluded, 'Her +Majesty's Government feel assured that the President, having +accepted the principle for which they have contended, will be +prepared to reconsider any detail of his scheme which can be +shown to be a possible hindrance to the full accomplishment of +the object in view, and that he will not allow them to be nullified +or reduced in value by any subsequent alterations of the law or +acts of administration.' At the same time, the 'Times' declared +the crisis to be at an end: 'If the Dutch statesmen of the Cape +have induced their brethren in the Transvaal to carry such a Bill, +they will have deserved the lasting gratitude, not only of their +own countrymen and of the English colonists in South Africa, +but of the British Empire and of the civilised world.' The reception +of the idea that the crisis was at an end is surely a conclusive +proof how little it was desired in England that that crisis should +lead to war.</p> + +<p>But this fair prospect was soon destined to be overcast. Questions +of detail arose which, when closely examined, proved to be +matters of very essential importance. The Uitlanders and British +South Africans, who had experienced in the past how illusory the +promises of the President might be, insisted upon guarantees. The +seven years offered were two years more than that which Sir Alfred +Milner had declared to be an irreducible minimum. The difference +of two years would not have hindered their acceptance, even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +at the expense of some humiliation to our representative. But +there were conditions which excited distrust when drawn up by so +wily a diplomatist. One was that the alien who aspired to burghership +had to produce a certificate of continuous registration for +a certain time. But the law of registration had fallen into disuse +in the Transvaal, and consequently this provision might render +the whole Bill valueless. Since it was carefully retained, it was +certainly meant for use. The door had been opened, but a stone +was placed to block it. Again, the continued burghership of the +new-comers was made to depend upon the resolution of the first +Raad, so that should the mining members propose any measure of +reform, not only their Bill but they also might be swept out of +the house by a Boer majority. What could an Opposition do if a +vote of the Government might at any moment unseat them all? +It was clear that a measure which contained such provisions must +be very carefully sifted before a British Government could accept +it as a final settlement and a complete concession of justice to +its subjects. On the other hand, it naturally felt loth to refuse +those clauses which offered some prospect of an amelioration in +their condition. It took the course, therefore, of suggesting that +each Government should appoint delegates to form a joint commission +which should inquire into the working of the proposed +Bill before it was put into a final form. The proposal was submitted +to the Raad on August 7, with the addition that when +this was done Sir Alfred Milner was prepared to discuss anything +else, including arbitration without the interference of foreign +powers.</p> + +<p>The suggestion of this joint commission has been criticised +as an unwarrantable intrusion into the internal affairs of another +country. But then the whole question from the beginning was +about the internal affairs of another country, since there could be +no rest in South Africa so long as one race tried to dominate the +other. It is futile to suggest analogies, and to imagine what +France would do if Germany were to interfere in a question of +French franchise. Supposing that France contained nearly as many +Germans as Frenchmen, and that they were ill-treated, Germany +would interfere quickly enough and continue to do so until some +fair <i>modus vivendi</i> was established. The fact is that the case of +the Transvaal stands alone, that such a condition of things has +never been known, and that no previous precedent can apply to it, +save the general rule that white men who are heavily taxed must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +have some representation. Sentiment may incline to the smaller +nation, but reason and justice are all on the side of Britain.</p> + +<p>A long delay followed upon the proposal of the Secretary of +the Colonies. No reply was forthcoming from Pretoria. But on +all sides there came evidence that those preparations for war +which had been quietly going on even before the Jameson Raid +were now being hurriedly perfected. For so small a State enormous +sums were being spent upon military equipment. Cases of rifles +and boxes of cartridges streamed into the arsenal, not only from +Delagoa Bay, but even, to the indignation of the English colonists, +through Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Huge packing-cases, +marked 'Agricultural Instruments' and 'Mining Machinery,' +arrived from Germany and France, to find their places in the forts +of Johannesburg or Pretoria. As early as May the Orange Free +State President, who was looked upon by the simple and trustful +British as the honest broker who was about to arrange a peace, +was writing to Grobler, the Transvaal official, claiming his share +of the twenty-five million cartridges which had then been imported. +This was the man who was posing as mediator between the two +parties a fortnight later at Bloemfontein.</p> + +<p>For three years the Transvaal had been arming to the teeth. +So many modern magazine-rifles had been imported that there +were enough to furnish five to every male burgher in the country. +The importation of ammunition was on the same gigantic scale. +For what were these formidable preparations? Evidently for a +war with Great Britain, and not for a defensive war. It is not in +a defensive war that a State provides sufficient rifles to arm +every man of Dutch blood in the whole of South Africa. No +British reinforcements had been sent during the years that +the Transvaal was obviously preparing for a struggle. In that +one eloquent fact lies a complete proof as to which side forced +on a war, and which side desired to avoid one. For three weeks +and more, during which Mr. Kruger was silent, these preparations +went on more energetically and more openly.</p> + +<p>But beyond them, and of infinitely more importance, there +was one fact which dominated the situation and retarded the +crisis. A burgher cannot go to war without his horse, his horse +cannot move without grass, grass will not come until after rain, +and it was still some weeks before the rain would be due. Negotiations, +then, must not be unduly hurried while the veldt was a +bare russet-coloured dust-swept plain. Mr. Chamberlain and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +British public waited week after week for an answer. But there +was a limit to their patience, and it was reached on August 26, +when the Colonial Secretary showed, with a plainness of speech +which is as unusual as it is welcome in diplomacy, that the question +could not be hung up for ever. 'The sands are running down in +the glass,' said he. 'If they run out we shall not hold ourselves +limited by that which we have already offered, but, having taken +the matter in hand, we will not let it go until we have secured +conditions which once for all shall establish which is the paramount +power in South Africa, and shall secure for our fellow-subjects +there those equal rights and equal privileges which were +promised them by President Kruger when the independence of +the Transvaal was granted by the Queen, and which is the least +that in justice ought to be accorded them.' Lord Salisbury, a +short time before, had been equally emphatic: 'No one in this +country wishes to disturb the conventions so long as it is recognised +that while they guarantee the independence of the Transvaal on +the one side, they guarantee equal political and civil rights for +settlers of all nationalities upon the other. But these conventions +are not like the laws of the Medes and the Persians. They are +mortal, they can be destroyed ... and once destroyed they can +never be reconstructed in the same shape.' The long-enduring +patience of Great Britain was beginning to show signs of giving +way.</p> + +<p>Pressure was in the meanwhile being put upon the old President +and upon his advisers, if he can be said ever to have had any +advisers, in order to induce him to accept the British offer of a +joint committee of inquiry. Sir Henry de Villiers, representing +the highest Africander opinion of the Cape, wrote strongly pleading +the cause of peace, and urging Mr. Fischer of the Free State +to endeavour to give a more friendly tone to the negotiations. +'Try to induce President Kruger to meet Mr. Chamberlain in a +friendly way, and remove all the causes of unrest which have +disturbed this unhappy country for so many years.' Similar +advice came from Europe. The Dutch minister telegraphed as +follows:</p> + +<p>'<i>August 4, 1899.</i>—Communicate confidentially to the President +that, having heard from the Transvaal Minister the English proposal +of the International Commission, I recommend the President, +in the interest of the country, not peremptorily to refuse that +proposition.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> + +<p>'<i>August 15, 1899.</i>—Please communicate confidentially to the +President that the German Government entirely shares my opinion +expressed in my despatch of August 4, not to refuse the English +proposal. The German Government is, like myself, convinced +that every approach to one of the Great Powers in this very +critical moment will be without any results whatever, and very +dangerous for the Republic.'</p> + +<p>But neither his Africander brothers nor his friends abroad +could turn the old man one inch from the road upon which he +had set his foot. The fact is, that he knew well that his franchise +proposals would not bear examination; that, in the words of an +eminent lawyer, they 'might as well have been seventy years as +seven,' so complicated and impossible were the conditions. For +a long time he was silent, and when he at last spoke it was to +open a new phase of the negotiations. His ammunition was not +all to hand yet, his rifles had not all been distributed, the grass +had not appeared upon the veldt. The game must be kept +going for a couple of months. 'You are such past-masters +in the art of gaining time!' said Mr. Labouchere to Mr. +Montague White. The President proceeded to prove it.</p> + +<p>His new suggestions were put forward on August 12. In +them the Joint Commission was put aside, and the proposal +was made that the Boer Government should accede to the +franchise proposals of Sir Alfred Milner on condition that the +British Government withdrew or dropped her claim to a suzerainty, +agreed to arbitration by a British and South African +tribunal, and promised never again to interfere in the internal +affairs of the Republic. To this Great Britain answered that she +would agree to such arbitration; that she hoped never again to +have occasion to interfere for the protection of her own subjects, +but that with the grant of the franchise all occasion for such +interference would pass away; and, finally, that she would never +consent to abandon her position as suzerain power. Mr. Chamberlain's +despatch ended by reminding the Government of the +Transvaal that there were other matters of dispute open between +the two Governments apart from the franchise, and that it would +be as well to have them settled at the same time. By these he +meant such questions as the position of the native races and the +treatment of Anglo-Indians.</p> + +<p>For a moment there seemed now to be a fair prospect of peace. +There was no very great gap between the two parties, and had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +the negotiations been really <i>bonâ fide</i> it seems incredible that it +could not be bridged. But the Transvaal was secure now of the +alliance of the Orange Free State; it believed that the Colony +was ripe for rebellion; and it knew that with 60,000 cavalry and +100 guns it was infinitely the strongest military power in Africa. +One cannot read the negotiations without being convinced that +they were never meant to succeed, and the party which did not +mean them to succeed was the party which prepared all the time +for war. De Villiers, a friendly critic, says of the Transvaal +Government: 'Throughout the negotiations they have always +been wriggling to prevent a clear and precise decision.' Surely +the sequel showed clearly enough why this was so. Their military +hand was stronger than their political one, and it was with +that that they desired to play the game. It would not do, therefore, +to get the negotiations into such a stage that a peaceful +solution should become inevitable. What was the use of all those +rifles and cannon if the pen were after all to effect a compromise? +'The only thing that we are afraid of,' wrote young Blignant, +'is that Chamberlain with his admitted fitfulness of temper +should cheat us out of our war and, consequently, the opportunity +of annexing the Cape Colony and Natal, and forming the Republican +United States of South Africa'—a legitimate national +ambition perhaps, but not compatible with <i>bonâ-fide</i> peaceful +negotiations.</p> + +<p>It was time, then, to give a less promising turn to the situation. +On September 2 the answer of the Transvaal Government was +returned. It was short and uncompromising. They withdrew +their offer of the franchise. They reasserted the non-existence of +the suzerainty. The negotiations were at a deadlock. It was +difficult to see how they could be reopened. In view of the +arming of the burghers, the small garrison of Natal had been +taking up positions to cover the frontier. The Transvaal asked +for an explanation of their presence. Sir Alfred Milner answered +that they were guarding British interests, and preparing against +contingencies. The roar of the fall was sounding loud and near.</p> + +<p>On September 8 there was held a Cabinet Council—one of the +most important in recent years. The military situation was +pressing. The handful of troops in Africa could not be left at +the mercy of the large and formidable force which the Boers +could at any time hurl against them. On the other hand, it was +very necessary not to appear to threaten or to appeal to force.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +For this reason reinforcements were sent upon such a scale as to +make it evident that they were sent for defensive, and not for +offensive, purposes. Five thousand men were sent from India to +Natal, and the Cape garrisons were strengthened from England.</p> + +<p>At the same time that they took these defensive measures, a +message was sent to Pretoria, which even the opponents of the +Government have acknowledged to be temperate, and offering +the basis for a peaceful settlement. It begins by repudiating +emphatically the claim of the Transvaal to be a sovereign international +State in the same sense in which the Orange Free State +is one. Any proposal made conditional upon such an acknowledgment +could not be entertained. The status of the Transvaal was +settled by certain conventions agreed to by both Governments, +and nothing had occurred to cause us to acquiesce in a radical +change in it.</p> + +<p>The British Government, however, was prepared to accept +the five years' franchise as stated in the note of August 19, +assuming at the same time that in the Raad each member might +use his own language.</p> + +<p>'Acceptance of these terms by the South African Republic +would at once remove tension between the two Governments, and +would in all probability render unnecessary any future intervention +to secure redress for grievances which the Uitlanders themselves +would be able to bring to the notice of the Executive Council and +the Volksraad.</p> + +<p>'Her Majesty's Government are increasingly impressed with +the danger of further delay in relieving the strain which has +already caused so much injury to the interests of South Africa, +and they earnestly press for an immediate and definite reply to +the present proposal. If it is acceded to they will be ready to +make immediate arrangements ... to settle all details of the +proposed tribunal of arbitration.... If, however, as they most +anxiously hope will not be the case, the reply of the South African +Republic should be negative or inconclusive, I am to state that +Her Majesty's Government must reserve to themselves the right +to reconsider the situation <i>de novo</i>, and to formulate their own +proposals for a final settlement.'</p> + +<p>This despatch was so moderate in form and so courteous in +tone that press and politicians of every shade of opinion were +united in approving it, and hoping for a corresponding reply +which would relax the tension between the two nations. Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +Morley, Mr. Leonard Courtney, the 'Daily Chronicle'—all the +most strenuous opponents of the Government policy—were satisfied +that it was a message of peace. But nothing at that time, save +a complete and abject surrender upon the part of the British, +could have satisfied the Boers, who had the most exaggerated +ideas of their own military prowess and no very high opinion of +our own. The continental conception of the British wolf and the +Transvaal lamb would have raised a laugh in Pretoria, where the +outcome of the war was looked upon as a foregone conclusion. +The burghers were in no humour for concessions. They knew +their own power, and they concluded with justice that they were +for the time far the strongest military power in South Africa. +'We have beaten England before, but it is nothing to the licking +that we shall give her now!' said one prominent citizen. 'Reitz +seemed to treat the whole matter as a big joke,' remarked +de Villiers. 'Is it really necessary for you to go,' said the Chief +Justice of the Transvaal to an English clergyman. 'The war will +be over in a fortnight. We shall take Kimberley and Mafeking +and give the English such a beating in Natal that they will sue +for peace.' Such were the extravagant ideas which caused them +to push aside the olive-branch of peace.</p> + +<p>On September 18 the official reply of the Boer Government +to the message sent from the Cabinet Council was published in +London. In manner it was unbending and unconciliatory; in +substance, it was a complete rejection of all the British demands. +It refused to recommend or propose to the Raad the five-years' +franchise and the other provisions which had been defined as the +minimum which the Home Government could accept as a fair +measure of justice towards the Uitlanders. The suggestion that +the debates of the Raad should be bilingual, as they are in the +Cape Colony and in Canada, was absolutely waved aside. The +British Government had stated in their last despatch that if the +reply should be negative or inconclusive they reserved to themselves +the right to 'reconsider the situation <i>de novo</i>, and to +formulate their own proposals for a final settlement.' The reply +had been both negative and inconclusive, and on September 22 +a council met to determine what the next message should be. +It was short and firm, but so planned as not to shut the door +upon peace. Its purport was that the British Government +expressed deep regret at the rejection of the moderate proposals +which had been submitted in their last despatch, and that now,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +in accordance with their promise, they would shortly put forward +their own plans for a settlement. The message was not an ultimatum, +but it foreshadowed an ultimatum in the future.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, upon September 21, the Raad of the Orange +Free State had met, and it became more and more evident that +this republic, with whom we had no possible quarrel, but, on the +contrary, for whom we had a great deal of friendship and admiration, +intended to throw in its weight against Great Britain. Some +time before, an offensive and defensive alliance had been concluded +between the two States, which must, until the secret +history of these events comes to be written, appear to have been +a singularly rash and unprofitable bargain for the smaller one. +She had nothing to fear from Great Britain, since she had been +voluntarily turned into an independent republic by her, and had +lived in peace with her for forty years. Her laws were as liberal +as our own. But by this suicidal treaty she agreed to share the +fortunes of a State which was deliberately courting war by its +persistently unfriendly attitude, and whose reactionary and +narrow legislation would, one might imagine, have alienated the +sympathy of her progressive neighbour. The trend of events was +seen clearly in the days of President Brand, who was a sane and +experienced politician. 'President Brand,' says Paul Botha +(himself a voortrekker and a Boer of the Boers), 'saw clearly +what our policy ought to have been. He always avoided offending +the Transvaal, but he loved the Orange Free State and its +independence for its own sake and not as an appendage to the +Transvaal. And in order to maintain its character he always +strove for the friendship of England.</p> + +<p>'President Brand realised that closer union with the turbulent +and misguided Transvaal, led by Kruger's challenging policy, +would inevitably result in a disastrous war with England.</p> + +<p>'I [Paul Botha] felt this as strongly, and never ceased fighting +against closer union. I remember once stating these arguments +in the Volksraad, and wound up my speech by saying, "May +Heaven grant that I am wrong in what I fear, because, if I am +right, then woe, woe to the Orange Free State."'</p> + +<p>It is evident that if the Free State rushed headlong to utter +destruction it was not for want of wise voices which tried to guide +her to some safer path. But there seems to have been a complete +hallucination as to the comparative strength of the two opponents, +and as to the probable future of South Africa. Under no possible<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +future could the Free State be better off than it was already, a +perfectly free and independent republic; and yet the country was +carried away by race-prejudice spread broadcast from a subsidised +press and an unchristian pulpit. 'When I come to think of the +abuse the pulpit made of its influence,' says Paul Botha, 'I feel +as if I cannot find words strong enough to express my indignation. +God's word was prostituted. A religious people's religion was used +to urge them to their destruction. A minister of God told me +himself, with a wink, that he had to preach anti-English because +otherwise he would lose favour with those in power.' Such were +the influences which induced the Free State to make an insane +treaty, compelling it to wantonly take up arms against a State +which had never injured it and which bore it nothing but good +will.</p> + +<p>The tone of President Steyn at the meeting of the Raad, and +the support which he received from the majority of his burghers, +showed unmistakably that the two republics would act as one. +In his opening speech Steyn declared uncompromisingly against +the British contention, and declared that his State was bound to +the Transvaal by everything which was near and dear. Among +the obvious military precautions which could no longer be +neglected by the British Government, was the sending of some +small force to protect the long and exposed line of railway which +lies just outside the Transvaal border from Kimberley to Rhodesia. +Sir Alfred Milner communicated with President Steyn as to this +movement of troops, pointing out that it was in no way directed +against the Free State. Sir Alfred Milner added that the +Imperial Government was still hopeful of a friendly settlement +with the Transvaal, but if this hope were disappointed they +looked to the Orange Free State to preserve strict neutrality and +to prevent military intervention by any of its citizens. They +undertook that in that case the integrity of the Free State +frontier would be strictly preserved. Finally, he stated that there +was absolutely no cause to disturb the good relations between +the Free State and Great Britain, since we were animated by the +most friendly intentions towards them. To this the President +returned a somewhat ungracious answer, to the effect that he +disapproved of our action towards the Transvaal, and that he +regretted the movement of troops, which would be considered a +menace by the burghers. A subsequent resolution of the Free +State Raad, ending with the words, 'Come what may, the Free<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +State will honestly and faithfully fulfil its obligations towards the +Transvaal by virtue of the political alliance existing between the +two republics,' showed how impossible it was that this country, +formed by ourselves, and without a shadow of a cause of quarrel +with us, could be saved from being drawn into the whirlpool.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, military preparations were being made upon +both sides, moderate in the case of the British and considerable +in that of the Boers.</p> + +<p>On August 15, at a time when the negotiations had already +assumed a very serious phase, after the failure of the Bloemfontein +Conference and the despatch of Sir Alfred Milner, the British +forces in South Africa were absolutely and absurdly inadequate +for the purpose of the defence of our own frontier. Surely such +a fact must open the eyes of those who, in spite of all the evidence, +persist that the war was forced on by the British. A +statesman who forces on a war usually prepares for a war, and +this is exactly what Mr. Kruger did and the British authorities +did not. The overbearing suzerain power had at that date, +scattered over a huge frontier, two cavalry regiments, three field +batteries, and six and a half infantry battalions—say six thousand +men. The innocent pastoral States could put in the field more +than fifty thousand mounted riflemen, whose mobility doubled +their numbers, and a most excellent artillery, including the +heaviest guns which have ever been seen upon a battlefield. At +this time it is most certain that the Boers could have made their +way easily either to Durban or to Cape Town. The British force, +condemned to act upon the defensive, could have been masked +and afterwards destroyed, while the main body of the invaders +would have encountered nothing but an irregular local resistance, +which would have been neutralised by the apathy or hostility of +the Dutch colonists. It is extraordinary that our authorities +seem never to have contemplated the possibility of the Boers +taking the initiative, or to have understood that in that case our +belated reinforcements would certainly have had to land under +the fire of the republican guns. They ran a great military risk +by their inaction, but at least they made it clear to all who are +not wilfully blind how far from the thoughts or wishes of the +British Government it has always been that the matter should +be decided by force.</p> + +<p>In answer to the remonstrances of the Colonial Prime Minister +the garrison of Natal was gradually increased, partly by troops<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +from Europe, and partly by the despatch of 5,000 British troops +from India. Their arrival late in September raised the number +of troops in South Africa to 22,000, a force which was inadequate +to a contest in the open field with the numerous, mobile, and +gallant enemy to whom they were to be opposed, but which proved +to be strong enough to stave off that overwhelming disaster +which, with our fuller knowledge, we can now see to have been +impending.</p> + +<p>In the weeks which followed the despatch of the Cabinet +message of September 8, the military situation had ceased to be +desperate, but was still precarious. Twenty-two thousand regular +troops were on the spot who might hope to be reinforced by some +ten thousand Colonials, but these forces had to cover a great frontier, +the attitude of Cape Colony was by no means whole-hearted +and might become hostile, while the black population might conceivably +throw in its weight against us. Only half the regulars +could be spared to defend Natal, and no reinforcements could +reach them in less than a month from the outbreak of hostilities. +If Mr. Chamberlain was really playing a game of bluff, it must be +confessed that he was bluffing from a very weak hand.</p> + +<p>For purposes of comparison we may give some idea of the +forces which Mr. Kruger and Mr. Steyn could put in the field. +The general press estimate of the forces of the two republics +varied from 25,000 to 35,000 men. Mr. J. B. Robinson, a personal +friend of President Kruger's and a man who had spent +much of his life among the Boers, considered the latter estimate +to be too high. The calculation had no assured basis to start +from. A very scattered and isolated population, among whom +large families were the rule, is a most difficult thing to estimate. +Some reckoned from the supposed natural increase during eighteen +years, but the figure given at that date was itself an assumption. +Others took their calculation from the number of voters in the +last presidential election; but no one could tell how many abstentions +there had been, and the fighting age is five years earlier +than the voting age in the republics. We recognise now that all +calculations were far below the true figure. It is probable, however, +that the information of the British Intelligence Department +was not far wrong. No branch of the British Service has come +better out of a very severe ordeal than this one, and its report +before the war is so accurate, alike in facts and in forecast, as to +be quite prophetic.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> + +<p>According to this the fighting strength of the Transvaal +alone was 32,000 men, and of the Orange Free State 22,000. +With mercenaries and rebels from the colonies they would amount +to 60,000, while a considerable rising of the Cape Dutch would +bring them up to 100,000. Our actual male prisoners now amount +to 42,000, and we can account for 10,000 casualties, so that, +allowing another 10,000 for the burghers at large, the Boer force, +excluding a great number of Cape rebels, would reach 62,000. +Of the quality of this large force there is no need to speak. The +men were brave, hardy, and fired with a strange religious enthusiasm. +They were all of the seventeenth century, except their +rifles. Mounted upon their hardy little ponies, they possessed +a mobility which practically doubled their numbers and made it +an impossibility ever to outflank them. As marksmen they are +supreme. Add to this that they had the advantage of acting +upon internal lines with shorter and safer communications, and +one gathers how formidable a task lay before the soldiers of the +Empire. When we turn from such an enumeration of their +strength to contemplate the 12,000 men, split into two detachments, +who awaited them in Natal, we may recognise that, far +from bewailing our disasters, we should rather congratulate ourselves +upon our escape from losing that great province which, +situated as it is between Britain, India, and Australia, must be +regarded as the very keystone of the imperial arch.</p> + +<p>But again one must ask whether in the face of these figures +it is still possible to maintain that Great Britain was deliberately +attempting to overthrow by force the independence of the +republics.</p> + +<p>There was a lull in the political exchanges after the receipt of +the Transvaal despatch of September 16, which rejected the +British proposals of September 8. In Africa all hope or fear of +peace had ended. The Raads had been dissolved and the old President's +last words had been that war was certain, with a stern +invocation of the Lord as the final arbiter. Britain was ready +less obtrusively, but no less heartily, to refer the quarrel to the +same dread judge.</p> + +<p>On October 2 President Steyn informed Sir Alfred Milner that +he had deemed it necessary to call out the Free State burghers—that +is, to mobilise his forces. Sir A. Milner wrote regretting +these preparations, and declaring that he did not yet despair of +peace, for he was sure that any reasonable proposal would be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +favourably considered by her Majesty's Government. Steyn's +reply was that there was no use in negotiating unless the stream +of British reinforcements ceased coming into South Africa. As +our forces were still in a great minority, it was impossible to stop +the reinforcements, so the correspondence led to nothing. On +October 7 the army reserves for the First Army Corps were called +out in Great Britain, and other signs shown that it had been determined +to send a considerable force to South Africa. Parliament +was also summoned, that the formal national assent might be +gained for those grave measures which were evidently pending.</p> + +<p>It has been stated that it was the action of the British in +calling out the reserves which caused the ultimatum from the +Boers and so precipitated the war. Such a contention is absurd, +for it puts the cart before the horse. The Transvaal commandos +had mobilised upon September 27, and those of the Free State on +October 2. The railways had been taken over, the exodus from +Johannesburg had begun, and an actual act of war had been committed +by the stopping of a train and the confiscation of the gold +which was in it. The British action was subsequent to all this, +and could not have been the cause of it. But no Government +could see such portents and delay any longer to take those military +preparations which were called for by the critical situation. As a +matter of fact, the Boer ultimatum was prepared before the date +of the calling out of the reserves, and was only delivered later +because the final details for war were not quite ready.</p> + +<p>It was on October 9 that the somewhat leisurely proceedings +of the British Colonial Office were brought to a head by the arrival +of an unexpected and audacious ultimatum from the Boer Government. +In contests of wit, as of arms, it must be confessed that +the laugh has up to now been usually upon the side of our simple +and pastoral South African neighbours. The present instance +was no exception to the rule. The document was very firm and +explicit, but the terms in which it was drawn were so impossible +that it was evidently framed with the deliberate purpose of forcing +an immediate war. It demanded that the troops upon the +borders of the republic should be instantly withdrawn, that all +reinforcements which had arrived within the last year should leave +South Africa, and that those who were now upon the sea should +be sent back without being landed. Failing a satisfactory answer +within forty-eight hours, 'The Transvaal Government will with +great regret be compelled to regard the action of her Majesty's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +Government as a formal declaration of war, for the consequences +of which it will not hold itself responsible.' The audacious +message was received throughout the empire with a mixture of +derision and anger. The answer was despatched next day through +Sir Alfred Milner.</p> + +<p>'<i>October 10.</i>—Her Majesty's Government have received with +great regret the peremptory demands of the Government of the South +African Republic, conveyed in your telegram of the 9th October. +You will inform the Government of the South African Republic +in reply that the conditions demanded by the Government of the +South African Republic are such as her Majesty's Government +deem it impossible to discuss.'</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h2><small>SOME POINTS EXAMINED</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">Such</span> is a general sketch of the trend of the negotiations and of +the events which led up to the war. Under their different headings +I will now examine in as short a space as possible the +criticisms to which the British Government has been subjected. +Various damaging theories and alternate lines of action have been +suggested, each of which may be shortly discussed.</p> + +<p>1. <i>That Mr. Chamberlain was personally concerned in the +raid and that out of revenge for that failure, or because he was in +the power of Mr. Rhodes, he forced on the war.</i>—The theory that +Mr. Chamberlain was in the confidence of the raiders, has been +already examined and shown to be untenable. That he knew +that an insurrection might probably result from the despair of +the Uitlanders is very probable. It was his business to know +what was going on so far as he could, and there is no reason why +his private sympathies, like those of every other Englishman, +should not be with his own ill-used people. But that he contemplated +an invasion of the Transvaal by a handful of policemen +is absurd. If he did, why should he instantly take the strongest +steps to render the invasion abortive? What could he possibly +do to make things miscarry which he did not do? And if he +were conscious of being in the power of Mr. Rhodes, how would +he dare to oppose with such vigour that gentleman's pet scheme? +The very facts and the very telegrams upon which critics +rely to prove Mr. Chamberlain's complicity will really, when +looked at with unprejudiced eyes, most clearly show his entire +independence. Thus when Rhodes, or Harris in Rhodes's name, +telegraphs, 'Inform Chamberlain that I shall get through all +right if he will support me, but he must not send cable like he +sent to the High Commissioner,' and again, 'Unless you can +make Chamberlain instruct the High Commissioner to proceed +at once to Johannesburg the whole position is lost,' is it not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +perfectly obvious that there has been no understanding of any +sort, and that the conspirators are attempting to force the +Colonial Secretary's hand? Again, critics make much of the +fact that shortly before the raid Mr. Chamberlain sold to the +Chartered Company the strip of land from which the raid started, +and that he made a hard bargain, exacting as much as 200,000<i>l.</i> +for it. Surely the perversion of an argument could hardly go +further, for if Mr. Chamberlain were in their confidence and in +favour of their plan it is certain that he would have given them +easy and not difficult terms for the land for which they asked. +The supposition that Mr. Chamberlain was the tool of Rhodes in +declaring war, presupposes that Mr. Chamberlain could impose +his will without question upon a Cabinet which contained Lord +Salisbury, Lord Lansdowne, Arthur Balfour, Hicks-Beach, and the +other ministers. Such a supposition is too monstrous to discuss.</p> + +<p>2. <i>That it is a capitalists' war, engineered by company +promoters and Jews.</i>—After the Jameson Raid a large body of +the public held this view, and it was this which to a great extent +tied the hands of the Government, and stopped them from taking +that strong line which might have prevented the accumulation of +those huge armaments which could only be intended for use against +ourselves. It took years to finally dissipate the idea, but how +thoroughly it has been dissipated in the public mind is best shown +by the patient fortitude with which our people have borne the +long and weary struggle in which few families in the land have +not lost either a friend or a relative. The complaisance of the +British public towards capitalists goes no further than giving +them their strict legal rights—and certainly does not extend to +pouring out money and blood like water for their support. Such +a supposition is absurd, nor can any reason be given why a body +of high-minded and honourable British gentlemen like the +Cabinet should sacrifice their country for the sake of a number +of cosmopolitan financiers, most of whom are German Jews. The +tax which will eventually be placed upon the Transvaal mining +industry, in order to help to pay for the war, will in itself prove +that the capitalists have no great voice in the councils of the +nation. We know now that the leading capitalists in Johannesburg +were the very men who most strenuously resisted an agitation +which might lead to war. This seems natural enough when one +considers how much capitalists had at stake, and how much to lose +by war. The agitation for the franchise and other rights was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +<i>bonâ-fide</i> liberal agitation, started by poor men, employés and +miners, who intended to live in the country, not in Park Lane. +The capitalists were the very last to be drawn into it. When I +say capitalists I mean the capitalists with British sympathies, for +there is indeed much to be said in favour of the war being a +capitalists' war, in that it was largely caused by the anti-British +attitude and advice of the South African Netherlands Company, +the Dynamite Monopoly, and other leeches which drained the +country. To them a free and honest government meant ruin, +and they strained every nerve, even to paying bogus English +agitators, in order to hinder the cause of reform. Their attitude +undoubtedly had something to do with stiffening the backs of +the Boers and so preventing concessions.</p> + +<p>3. <i>That Britain wanted the gold mines.</i>—No possible accusation +is more popular or more widely believed upon the Continent, +and yet none could be more ridiculous when it is examined. The +gold mines are private companies, with shares held by private +shareholders, German and French, as well as British. Whether the +British or the Boer flag flew over the country would not alienate a +single share from any holder, nor would the wealth of Britain be in +any way greater. She will be the poorer by the vast expense of the +war, and it is unlikely that more than one-third of this expenditure +can be covered by taxation of the profits of the gold mines. Apart +from this limited contribution towards the war, how is Britain +the richer because her flag flies over the Rand? The Transvaal +will be a self-governing colony, like all other British colonies, +with its own finance minister, its own budget, its own taxes, even +its own power of imposing duties upon British merchandise. +They will pay a British governor 10,000<i>l.</i>, and he will be expected +to spend 15,000<i>l.</i> <i>We</i> know all this because it is part of our +British system, but it is not familiar to those nations who look +upon colonies as sources of direct revenue to the mother country. +It is the most general, and at the same time the most untenable, +of all Continental comments upon the war. The second Transvaal +war was the logical sequel of the first, and the first was +fought before gold was discovered in the country.</p> + +<p>4. <i>That it was a monarchy against a republic.</i>—This +argument undoubtedly had weight with those true republics like +the United States, France, and Switzerland, where people who +were ignorant of the facts were led away by mere names. As a +matter of fact Great Britain and the British colonies are among<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +the most democratic communities in the world. They preserve, +partly from sentiment, partly for political convenience, a hereditary +chief, but the will of the people is decisive upon all questions, +and every man by his vote helps to mould the destiny of the +State. There is practically universal suffrage, and the highest +offices of the State are within reach of any citizen who is +competent to attain them. On the other hand, the Transvaal is +an oligarchy, not a democracy, where half the inhabitants claim +to be upon an entirely different footing from the other half. This +rule represents the ascendency of one race over the other, such an +ascendency as existed in Ireland in the eighteenth century. +Technically the one country is a republic and the other a +monarchy, but in truth the empire stood for liberty and the +republic for tyranny, race ascendency, corruption, taxation without +representation, and all that is most opposed to the broader +conception of freedom.</p> + +<p>5. <i>That it was a strong nation attacking a weak one.</i>—That +appeal to sentiment and to the sporting instincts of the +human race must always be a powerful one. But in this instance +it is entirely misapplied. The preparation for war, the ultimatum, +the invasion, and the first shedding of blood, all came from the +nation which the result has shown to be the weaker. The reason +why this smaller nation attacked so audaciously was that they knew +perfectly well that they were at the time far the stronger power in +South Africa, and all their information led them to believe that +they would continue to be so even when Britain had put forth +all her strength. It certainly seemed that they were justified +in this belief. The chief military critics of the Continent had +declared that 100,000 men was the outside figure which Britain +could place in the field. Against these they knew that without any +rising of their kinsmen in the Cape they could place fifty or sixty +thousand men, and their military history had unfortunately led +them to believe that such a force of Boers, operating under their +own conditions with their own horses in their own country, was +far superior to this number of British soldiers. They knew how +excellent was their artillery, and how complete their preparations. +A dozen extracts could be given to show how confident they were +of success, from Blignant's letter with his fears that Chamberlain +would do them out of the war, to Esselen's boast that he would +not wash until he reached the sea. What they did not foresee, +and what put out their plans, was that indignant wave of public<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +opinion throughout the British Empire which increased threefold—as +it would, if necessary, have increased tenfold—the strength of the +army and so enabled it to beat down the Boer resistance. When +war was declared, and for a very long time afterwards, it was the +Boers who were the strong power and the British who were the +weak one, and any sympathy given on the other understanding +was sympathy misapplied. From that time onwards the war had +to take its course, and the British had no choice but to push it to +its end.</p> + +<p>6. <i>That the British refused to arbitrate.</i>—This has been +repeated <i>ad nauseam</i>, but the allegation will not bear investigation. +There are some subjects which can be settled by arbitration, +and all those Great Britain freely consented to treat in this +fashion, before a tribunal which should be limited to Great +Britain and South Africa. Such a tribunal would by no means +be necessarily drawn from judges who were committed to one +side or the other. There were many men whose moderation +and discretion both sides would admit. Such a man, for example, +was Rose Innes amongst the British, and de Villiers among +those who had Africander sympathies. Both the Transvaal +and the British Governments agreed that such a tribunal +was competent, but they disagreed upon the point that the +British Government desired to reserve some subjects from this +arbitration.</p> + +<p>The desire upon the part of Great Britain to exclude outsiders +from the arbitration tribunal was due to the fact that to admit +them was to give away the case before going into Court. The +Transvaal claimed to be a sovereign international state. Great +Britain denied it. If the Transvaal could appeal to arbitration as +a peer among peers in a court of nations, she became <i>ipso facto</i> +an international state. Therefore Great Britain refused such a +court.</p> + +<p>But why not refer all subjects to such a South African court +as was finally accepted by both sides? The answer is that it is +a monstrous hypocrisy to carry cases into an arbitration court, +when you know beforehand that by their very nature they cannot +possibly be settled by such a court. To quote Milner's words, +'It is, of course, absurd to suggest that the question whether the +South African Republic does or does not treat British residents in +that country with justice, and the British Government with the +consideration and respect due to any friendly, not to say suzerain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +power, is a question capable of being referred to arbitration. +You cannot arbitrate on broad questions of policy any more +than on questions of national honour.' On this point of the +limitation of arbitration the Transvaal leaders appear to have +been as unanimous as the British, so that it is untrue to lay the +blame of the restriction upon one side only. Mr. Reitz, in his +scheme of arbitration formulated upon June 9, has the express +clause 'That each side shall have the right to reserve and exclude +points which appear to it to be too important to be submitted to +arbitration.' To this the British Government agreed, making the +further very great concession that an Orange Free Stater should not +be regarded as a foreigner. The matter was in this state when +the Transvaal sent its ultimatum. Up to the firing of the first +shot the British Government still offered the only form of +arbitration which was possible without giving away the question +at issue. It was the Transvaal which, after agreeing to such a +Court, turned suddenly to the arbitrament of the Mauser and the +Creusot.</p> + +<p>7. <i>That the war was to avenge Majuba.</i>—There can be no +doubt that our defeat in this skirmish had left considerable heart-burnings +which were not allayed by the subsequent attitude of +the Boers and their assumption, testified to by Bryce and other +friendly observers, that what we did after the action was due not +to a magnanimous desire to repair a wrong but to craven fear. +From the outset of the war there was a strong desire on the part +of the soldiers to avenge Majuba, which was fully gratified when, +upon the anniversary of that day, Cronje and his 4,000 brave +companions had to raise the white flag. But that a desire to +avenge Majuba swayed the policy of the country cannot be upheld +in view of the fact that eighteen years had elapsed; that during +that time the Boers had again and again broken the conventions +by extending their boundaries; that three times matters were +in such a position that war might have resulted and yet that +peace was successfully maintained. War might very easily have +been forced upon the Boers during the years before they turned +their country into an arsenal, when it would have been absolutely +impossible for them to have sustained a long campaign. That it +was not done and that the British Government remained patient +until it received the outrageous ultimatum, is a proof that Majuba +may have rankled in our memory but was not allowed to influence +our policy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + +<p>8. <i>What proof is there that the Boers ever had any aggressive +designs upon the British?</i>—It would be a misuse of terms to call +the general Boer designs against the British a conspiracy, for it +was openly advocated in the press, preached from the pulpit, and +preached upon the platform, that the Dutch should predominate +in South Africa, and that the portion of it which remained under +the British flag should be absorbed by that which was outside it. +So widespread and deep-seated was this ambition, that it was +evident that Great Britain must, sooner or later, either yield +to it or else sustain her position by force of arms. She was prepared +to give Dutch citizens within her borders the vote, the +power of making their own laws, complete religious and political +freedom, and everything which their British comrades could have, +without any distinction whatever; but when it came to hauling +down the flag, it was certainly time that a stand should be made.</p> + +<p>How this came about cannot be expressed more clearly than +in the words of Paul Botha, who, as I have already said, was a +voortrekker like Kruger himself, and a Boer of the Boers, save +that he seems to have been a man with wider and more liberal +views than his fellows. He was member for Kroonstadt in the +Free State Raad.</p> + +<p>'I am convinced,' he says, 'that Kruger's influence completely +changed the character of the Afrikander Bond—an organisation +which I believe Hofmeyr started at the Cape with the legitimate +purpose of securing certain political privileges, but which, under +Kruger's henchmen—Sauer, Merriman, Te Water, and others—raised +unrest in the Cape Colony.</p> + +<p>'This successful anti-British policy of Kruger created a +number of imitators—Steyn, Fischer, Esselen, Smuts, and +numerous other young educated Africanders of the Transvaal, +Orange Free State, and the Cape Colony, who, misled by his +successes, ambitiously hoped by the same means to raise themselves +to the same pinnacle.</p> + +<p>'Krugerism under them developed into a reign of terror. If +you were anti-Kruger you were stigmatised as "Engelschgezind," +and a traitor to your people, unworthy of a hearing. I have +suffered bitterly from this taunt, especially under Steyn's <i>régime</i>. +The more hostile you were to England the greater patriot you +were accounted.</p> + +<p>'This gang, which I wish to be clearly understood was spread +over the whole of South Africa, the Transvaal, the Orange Free<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +State, and the Cape Colony, used the Bond, the press, and the +pulpit to further its schemes.</p> + +<p>'Reitz, whom I believe to have been an honest enthusiast, set +himself up as second sponsor to the Bond and voiced the doctrine +of this gang: "Africa for the Africanders. Sweep the English +into the sea." With an alluring cry like this, it will be readily +understood how easy it was to inflame the imagination of the +illiterate and uneducated Boer, and to work upon his vanity and +prejudices. That pernicious rag, Carl Borckenhagen's "Bloemfontein +Express," enormously contributed to spreading this +doctrine in the Orange Free State. I myself firmly believe that +the "Express" was subsidised by Kruger. It was no mystery to +me from where Borckenhagen, a full-blooded German, got his +ardent Free State patriotism.</p> + +<p>'In the Transvaal this was done by the "Volksstem," written +by a Hollander and subsidised by Kruger; by the "Rand Post," +also written by a Hollander, also subsidised by Paul Kruger; and +in the Cape Colony by the "Patriot," which was started by +intriguers and rebels to their own Government, at the Paarl—a +hot-bed of false Africanderism. "Ons Land" may be an honest +paper, but by fostering impossible ideas it has done us incalculable +harm. It grieves me to think that my poor people, +through want of education, had to swallow this poison undiluted.</p> + +<p>'Is it possible to imagine that Steyn, Fischer, and the other +educated men of the Free State did not know that, following +Kruger's hostile policy of eliminating the preponderating Power in +South Africa, meant that that Power would be forced either to +fight in self-preservation or to disappear ignominiously? For I +maintain that there were only two courses open to England in +answer to Kruger's challenging policy—to fight or to retire from +South Africa. It was only possible for men suffering from +tremendously swollen heads, such as our leaders were suffering +from, not to see the obvious or to doubt the issue.'</p> + +<p>So much for a Boer's straightforward account of the forces at +work, and the influences which were at the back of those forces. +It sums the situation up tersely, but the situation itself was +evident and dominated Cape politics. The ambitions of Africanderdom +were discussed in the broad light of day in the editorial, +in the sermon, in the speech, though the details by which those +ambitions were to be carried out were only whispered on the +Dutch stoeps.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + +<p>Here are the opinions of Reitz, the man who more than all +others, save his master, has the blood of the fallen upon his conscience. +It is taken from the 'Reminiscences' of Mr. Theophilus +Schreiner, the brother of the ex-Prime Minister of the Cape:</p> + +<p>'I met Mr. Reitz, then a judge of the Orange Free State, in +Bloemfontein between seventeen and eighteen years ago, shortly +after the retrocession of the Transvaal, and when he was busy +establishing the Afrikander Bond. It must be patent to everyone +that at that time, at all events, England and its Government +had no intention of taking away the independence of the Transvaal, +for she had just "magnanimously" granted the same; no intention +of making war on the republics, for she had just made peace; +no intention to seize the Rand gold fields, for they were not yet +discovered. At that time, then, I met Mr. Reitz, and he did his +best to get me to become a member of his Afrikander Bond, but, +after studying its constitution and programme, I refused to do so, +whereupon the following colloquy in substance took place between +us, which has been indelibly imprinted on my mind ever since:</p> + +<p>'<i>Reitz</i>: Why do you refuse? Is the object of getting the +people to take an interest in political matters not a good one?</p> + +<p>'<i>Myself</i>: Yes, it is; but I seem to see plainly here between +the lines of this constitution much more ultimately aimed at than +that.</p> + +<p>'<i>Reitz</i>: What?</p> + +<p>'<i>Myself</i>: I see quite clearly that the ultimate object aimed at +is the overthrow of the British power and the expulsion of the +British flag from South Africa.</p> + +<p>'<i>Reitz</i> (<i>with his pleasant conscious smile, as of one whose +secret thought and purpose had been discovered, and who was not +altogether displeased that such was the case</i>): Well, what if it +is so?</p> + +<p>'<i>Myself</i>: You don't suppose, do you, that that flag is going +to disappear from South Africa without a tremendous struggle +and fight?</p> + +<p>'<i>Reitz</i> (<i>with the same pleasant self-conscious, self-satisfied, +and yet semi-apologetic smile</i>): Well, I suppose not; but even so, +what of that?</p> + +<p>'<i>Myself</i>: Only this, that when that struggle takes place you +and I will be on opposite sides; and what is more, the God who +was on the side of the Transvaal in the late war, because it had +right on its side, will be on the side of England, because He must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +view with abhorrence any plotting and scheming to overthrow +her power and position in South Africa, which have been ordained +by Him.</p> + +<p>'<i>Reitz</i>: We'll see.</p> + +<p>'Thus the conversation ended, but during the seventeen years +that have elapsed I have watched the propaganda for the overthrow +of British power in South Africa being ceaselessly spread by every +possible means—the press, the pulpit, the platform, the schools, +the colleges, the Legislature—until it has culminated in the +present war, of which Mr. Reitz and his co-workers are the origin +and the cause. Believe me, the day on which F. W. Reitz sat +down to pen his ultimatum to Great Britain was the proudest +and happiest moment of his life, and one which had for long +years been looked forward to by him with eager longing and +expectation.'</p> + +<p>Compare with these utterances of a Dutch politician of the +Cape, and of a Dutch politician of the Orange Free State, the +following passage from a speech delivered by Kruger at Bloemfontein +in the year 1887, long before Jameson raids or franchise +agitations:</p> + +<p>'I think it too soon to speak of a United South Africa under +one flag. Which flag was it to be? The Queen of England would +object to having her flag hauled down, and we, the burghers of +the Transvaal, object to hauling ours down. What is to be done? +We are now small and of little importance, but we are growing, +and are preparing the way to take our place among the great +nations of the world.'</p> + +<p>'The dream of our life,' said another, 'is a union of the States +of South Africa, and this has to come from within, not from +without. When that is accomplished, South Africa will be great.'</p> + +<p>Always the same theory from all quarters of Dutch thought, +to be followed by many signs that the idea was being prepared +for in practice. I repeat, that the fairest and most unbiassed +historian cannot dismiss the movement as a myth.</p> + +<p>And to this one may retort, Why should they not do so? +Why should they not have their own views as to the future of +South Africa? Why should they not endeavour to have one +universal flag and one common speech? Why should they not +win over our colonists, if they can, and push us into the sea? I +see no reason why they should not. Let them try if they will. +And let us try to prevent them. But let us have an end of talk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +about British aggression, of capitalist designs upon the gold fields, +of the wrongs of a pastoral people, and all the other veils which +have been used to cover the issue. Let those who talk about +British designs upon the republics turn their attention for a +moment to the evidence which there is for republican designs +upon the colonies. Let them reflect that in the British system all +white men are equal, and that in the Boer one race has persecuted +the other; and let them consider under which the truest +freedom lies, which stands for universal liberty, and which for +reaction and racial hatred. Let them ponder and answer all +this before they determine where their sympathies lie.</p> + +<p>Long before the war, when the British public and the British +Government also had every confidence that the solution would +be found in peace, every burgher had been provided with his +rifle, his ammunition, and his instructions as to the part which +he was to play in that war which they looked upon as certain. +A huge conspiracy as to the future, which might be verbally +discussed but which must not be written, seems to have prevailed +among the farmers. Curious evidence of it came into my own +hands in this fashion. After a small action at which I was +present I entered a deserted Boer farmhouse which had been part +of the enemy's position, and, desiring to carry away some souvenir +which should be of no value, I took some papers which appeared +to be children's writing-exercises. They were so, but among +them were one or two letters, one of which I append in all its +frankness and simplicity. The date is some fourteen weeks <i>before</i> +the declaration of war, when the British were anxious for and +confident in a peaceful solution:</p> + +<div class="mt"><p class="td3">'Paradÿs, June 25, 1899.</p></div> + +<p>'<span class="smcap">My dear Henry</span>,—I taking my pen up to write you these +few lines. That we all are in good health, hoping to hear the +same from you all. And the letter of the 18th is handed to me. +And I feel very much obliged that I hear you are all in good +health.... Here by us are the fields very dry, and the dams +just by dry also. <i>Dear Henry, the war are by us very much. +How is it there by you. News is very scarce to write, but much +to speak by ourselves.</i> I must now close with my letter because +I see that you will be tired out to read it. With best love to you +and your family so I remain your faithfully friend,</p> + +<div class="mb"><p class="td3">'<span class="smcap">Pieter Wiese</span>.'</p></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span>Here is, in itself, as it seems to me, evidence of that great +conspiracy, not of ambitions (for there was no reason why they +should not be openly discussed), but of weapons and of dates for +using them, which was going on all the time behind that cloud +of suspicious negotiations with which the Boer Governments veiled +their resolution to attack the British. A small straw, no doubt, +but the result has shown how deep and dangerous was the current +which it indicates. Here is a letter from one of the Snymans to +his brother at a later period, but still a month before the war. He +is talking of Kruger:</p> + +<p>'The old chap was nearly raving about it, and said that the +burghers wanted to tie his hands, and so, brother, the thing is +simply war and nothing else. He said we had gone too far, and +help from oversea was positively promised, only unanimity of +opinion must reign here or we could neither expect nor obtain +assistance. Brother, the old man and his Hollander dogs talk +very easily about the thing; but what shall we do, because if one +speaks against it one is simply a rebel? So I remain dumb.</p> + +<p>'On the stoep it is nothing but war, but in the Raad everything +is peace and Queen. Those are the politics they talk. I +have nothing more to say here, but I can tell you a good deal. +Brother, old Reitz says Chamberlain will have a great surprise one +of these days, and the burghers must sleep with one eye open.</p> + +<p>'It is rumoured here that our military officers work day and +night to send old Victoria an ultimatum before she is ready.'</p> + +<p>'On the stoep it is nothing but war, but in the Raad everything +is peace.' No wonder the British overtures were in vain.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h2><small>THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">This</span> is not an attempt to write the history of the war, which I +have done elsewhere, but only to touch upon those various points +upon which attempts have been made to mislead continental and +American opinion. I will endeavour to treat each of these +subjects in turn, not in the spirit of a lawyer preparing a brief, +but with an honest endeavour to depict the matter as it is, even +when I venture to differ from the action either of the British +Government or of the generals in the field. In this chapter I +will deal with the question of making peace, and examine how +far the British are to blame for not having brought those negotiations +which have twice been opened to a successful conclusion.</p> + +<p>The outset of the war saw the Boers aggressive and victorious. +They flocked into British territory, drove the small forces opposed +to them into entrenched positions, and held them there at Ladysmith, +Kimberley, and Mafeking. At the same time they drove +back at Colenso and at Magersfontein the forces which were sent +to relieve these places. During this long period of their predominance +from October 1899 to February 1900, there was no +word of peace. On the contrary, every yard of British territory +which was occupied was instantly annexed either by the Transvaal +or by the Orange Free State. This is admitted and beyond +dispute. What becomes then of the theory of a defensive war, +and what can they urge against the justice which awarded the +same fate to the land of the Boers when it in turn was occupied +by us? The Boers did not use their temporary victory in any +moderate spirit. At the end of January 1900, Dr. Leyds, while +on his visit to Berlin, said:</p> + +<p>'I believe that England will have to give us back a good part +of the territory formerly snatched away from us.... The Boers +will probably demand the cession of the strip of coast between +Durban and Delagoa Bay, with the harbours of Lucia and Kosi.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +The Orange Free State and the Transvaal are to be united and +to form one State, together with parts of Natal and the northern +districts of Cape Colony.'—(<i>Daily News</i> Berlin correspondent, +February 1, March 16, 1900.)</p> + +<p>They were to go to the sea, and nothing but going to the sea +would satisfy them. The war would end when their flag flew +over Cape Town. But there came a turn of the tide. The +resistance of the garrisons, the tenacity of the relieving forces, +and the genius of Lord Roberts altered the whole situation. The +Boers were driven back to the first of their capitals. Then for +the first time there came from them those proposals for peace, +which were never heard when the game was going in their favour. +Here is President Kruger's telegram:</p> + +<div class="mt"><p class="center">'THE PRESIDENTS OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE AND OF THE<br /> +SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY.</p> + +<p class="td3">'Bloemfontein: March 5, 1900.</p></div> + +<p>'The blood and the tears of the thousands who have suffered +by this war, and the prospect of all the moral and economic ruin +with which South Africa is now threatened, make it necessary for +both belligerents to ask themselves dispassionately, and as in the +sight of the Triune God, for what they are fighting, and whether +the aim of each justifies all this appalling misery and devastation.</p> + +<p>'With this object, and in view of the assertions of various +British statesmen to the effect that this war was begun and is +being carried on with the set purpose of undermining Her +Majesty's authority in South Africa, and of setting up an +Administration over all South Africa independent of Her +Majesty's Government, we consider it our duty solemnly to declare +that this war was undertaken solely as a defensive measure to +safeguard the threatened independence of the South African +Republic, and is only continued in order to secure and safeguard +the incontestable independence of both Republics as Sovereign +International States, and to obtain the assurance that those of +Her Majesty's subjects who have taken part with us in this war +shall suffer no harm whatsoever in person or property.</p> + +<p>'On these conditions, but on these conditions alone, are we +now, as in the past, desirous of seeing peace re-established in +South Africa, and of putting an end to the evils now reigning +over South Africa; while, if Her Majesty's Government is determined +to destroy the independence of the Republics, there is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +nothing left to us and to our people but to persevere to the end +in the course already begun, in spite of the overwhelming pre-eminence +of the British Empire, confident that that God who +lighted the unextinguishable fire of the love of freedom in the +hearts of ourselves and of our fathers will not forsake us, but will +accomplish His work in us and in our descendants.</p> + +<p class="mb">'We hesitated to make this declaration earlier to Your +Excellency, as we feared that as long as the advantage was always +on our side, and as long as our forces held defensive positions +far in Her Majesty's colonies, such a declaration might hurt the +feelings of honour of the British people; but now that the prestige +of the British Empire may be considered to be assured by the +capture of one of our forces by Her Majesty's troops, and that we +are thereby forced to evacuate other positions which our forces +had occupied, that difficulty is over, and we can no longer hesitate +clearly to inform your Government and people in the sight of the +whole civilised world why we are fighting, and on what conditions +we are ready to restore peace.'</p> + +<p>Here is Lord Salisbury's reply:</p> + +<div class="m0"><p class="td3">'Foreign Office: March 11, 1900.</p></div> + +<p>'I have the honour to acknowledge Your Honours' telegram +dated the 5th of March from Bloemfontein, of which the purport +is principally to demand that Her Majesty's Government shall +recognise the "incontestable independence" of the South African +Republic and Orange Free State "as Sovereign International +States," and to offer, on those terms, to bring the war to a +conclusion.</p> + +<p>'In the beginning of October last peace existed between Her +Majesty and the two Republics under the Conventions which then +were in existence. A discussion had been proceeding for some +months between Her Majesty's Government and the South African +Republic, of which the object was to obtain redress for certain +very serious grievances under which British residents in the South +African Republic were suffering. In the course of those negotiations +the South African Republic had, to the knowledge of Her +Majesty's Government, made considerable armaments, and the +latter had, consequently, taken steps to provide corresponding +reinforcements to the British garrisons of Cape Town and Natal. +No infringement of the rights guaranteed by the Conventions had +up to that point taken place on the British side. Suddenly, at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +two days' notice, the South African Republic, after issuing an +insulting ultimatum, declared war upon Her Majesty, and the +Orange Free State, with whom there had not even been any +discussion, took a similar step. Her Majesty's dominions were +immediately invaded by the two Republics, siege was laid to +three towns within the British frontier, a large portion of the two +colonies was overrun, with great destruction to property and life, +and the Republics claimed to treat the inhabitants of extensive +portions of Her Majesty's dominions as if those dominions had +been annexed to one or other of them. In anticipation of these +operations, the South African Republic had been accumulating +for many years past military stores on an enormous scale, which +by their character could only have been intended for use against +Great Britain.</p> + +<p>'Your Honours make some observations of a negative character +upon the object with which these preparations were made. I do +not think it necessary to discuss the question you have raised. +But the result of these preparations, carried on with great secrecy, +has been that the British Empire has been compelled to confront +an invasion which has entailed upon the Empire a costly war and +the loss of thousands of precious lives. This great calamity has +been the penalty which Great Britain has suffered for having in +recent years acquiesced in the existence of the two Republics.</p> + +<p>'In view of the use to which the two Republics have put the +position which was given to them, and the calamities which their +unprovoked attack has inflicted upon Her Majesty's dominions, +Her Majesty's Government can only answer Your Honours' telegram +by saying that they are not prepared to assent to the +independence either of the South African Republic or of the +Orange Free State.'</p> + +<p>Is there any sane man of any nation who can contend that +a British statesman could possibly have taken any other view? +From the firing of the first shot the irresistible logic of events +showed that either the Republics must dominate Africa or they +must cease to exist. For the sparing of the Orange Free State +there might, I think, be a fair argument, but they had put themselves +out of court by annexing every foot of British territory +which they could lay their hands upon. For the sparing of the +Transvaal there could be no possible reason. Had that State +been reconstituted we should instantly have been faced once more +with the Franchise question, the Uitlander question, the corrupt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +oligarchy, the anti-British conspiracy, and everything which we +had spent so much blood and money to set right. The desperate +situation from which the British power was only just emerging was +so fresh in our minds that we could not feel justified in leaving +the possibility—indeed the certainty—of its recurrence to our +children. Remember, you who judge us, that we had done all +this before. Once before within our own memories we had +patched up an inconclusive peace, and left these people the +power to hurt us. And what had come of it? Eternal trouble +ending in a great war which strained the resources of the Empire. +Could we be asked to do the same again? Would any nation on +earth have done the same again? From the day of the signing +of peace we should know that we had an implacable and formidable +foe to the north of us, nursing his wrath and preparing his +strength for the day when he might strike us at an advantage. +Our colonies would lie ever in the shadow of its menace. Who +can blame us for deciding that the job should be done now in +such a way that it should never, so far as we could help it, need +to be done once more?</p> + +<p>Such was the end of the first negotiations for peace. The +war was resumed, and in time the second capital of the Boers was +taken and President Kruger withdrew to Europe, leaving South +Africa in the welter to which he had reduced it. Then, for the +second time, negotiations for peace were opened on the initiative +of General Botha, which led to a meeting upon February 28, 1901, +between Kitchener and Botha. Kitchener had already explained +that for the reasons given above the restoration of independence +was impossible, and the negotiations were carried through on that +understanding. Here is Lord Kitchener's own account of the +interview and of the points at issue:</p> + +<div class="mt"> +<p class="td3"><span class="p1">[<i>Telegram.</i>]</span>'Pretoria: March 1, 1901, 2.20 <span class="smcapl">P.M.</span></p></div> + +<p>'<i>28th February.</i>—I have had a long interview with Botha, who +showed very good feeling and seemed anxious to bring about +peace. He asked for information on a number of subjects which +he said that he should submit to his Government and people, and +if they agreed he should visit Orange River Colony and get +them to agree. They should all then hand in their arms +and finish the war. He told me that they could go on for +some time, and that he was not sure of being able to bring about +peace without independence. He tried very hard for some kind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +of independence, but I declined to discuss such a point, and said +that a modified form of independence would be most dangerous and +likely to lead to war in the future. Subject was then dropped, and—</p> + +<p>'Firstly.—The nature of future government of Colonies asked +about. He wanted more details than were given by Colonial +Secretary, and I said that, subject to correction from home, +I understood that when hostilities ceased military guard would +be replaced by Crown Colony administration, consisting of +nominated Executive, with elected assembly to advise administration, +to be followed after a period by representative government. +He would have liked representative government at once, but +seemed satisfied with above.</p> + +<p>'Secondly.—Whether a Boer would be able to have a rifle to +protect him from native? I said I thought he would be by a +licence and on registration.</p> + +<p>'Thirdly.—He asked whether Dutch language would be +allowed? I said that English and Dutch would, I thought, have +equal rights. He expressed hope that officials dealing with +farmers would know Dutch.</p> + +<p>'Fourthly.—The Kaffir question. This turned at once on +franchise of Kaffirs, and a solution seemed to be that franchise +should not be given to Kaffirs until after representative government +was granted to Colonies. Orange Free State laws for +Kaffirs were considered good.</p> + +<p>'Fifthly.—That Dutch Church property should remain untouched.</p> + +<p>'Sixthly.—Public trusts and orphan funds to be left intact. +He asked whether British Government, in taking over the assets +of Republics, would also take over legal debts. This he made +rather a strong point of, and he intended it to include debts +legally contracted since the war began. He referred to notes +issued amounting to less than a million.</p> + +<p>'Seventhly.—He asked if any war tax would be imposed on +farmers? I said I thought not.</p> + +<p>'Eighthly.—When would prisoners of war return?</p> + +<p>'Ninthly.—He referred to pecuniary assistance to repair +burnt farms, and enable farmers to start afresh. I said I thought +some assistance would be given.</p> + +<p>'Tenthly.—Amnesty to all at end of war. We spoke of +Colonials who joined Republics, and he seemed not adverse to +their being disfranchised.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> + +<p class="mb">'I arranged with him that I should write and let him know the +view of the Government on these points. All I said during the +interview was qualified by being subject to confirmation from +home. He was anxious to get an answer soon.'</p> + +<p>There followed some correspondence between Lord Kitchener, +Sir Alfred Milner, and Mr. Chamberlain upon the exact terms +which could be given to Botha. They ended in the following +offer, which was submitted to him upon March 7. That, in consideration +of a complete military surrender,</p> + +<p>'1. There should be a complete amnesty for all <i>bonâ fide</i> acts +of war for all burghers of the Republics. In the case of Colonial +rebels, if they returned to their Colonies some inquiry must be +held on their conduct.</p> + +<p>'2. All prisoners to be at once sent back.</p> + +<p>'3. Crown Colony government to be given as soon as possible; +this in turn to change to representative government, as in all +other free British possessions. The courts of law to be independent +of the government.</p> + +<p>'4. The Dutch and English languages to be put upon an +equality.</p> + +<p>'5. That the Government should help to replace the farmers +on their farms, to restore their buildings, should pledge itself not +to specially tax them, and should pay as an act of grace one million +pounds to meet the debt incurred by the Republican governments +to their own people during the war.</p> + +<p>'6. That the burghers be allowed sporting fire-arms.</p> + +<p>'7. That the Kaffirs should have the protection of the law, +but should not have the vote.</p> + +<p>'In conclusion,' says Lord Kitchener, 'I must inform your +honour that if the terms are not accepted after a reasonable delay +for consideration, they must be regarded as cancelled.'</p> + +<p>But the wise and chivalrous Botha was overruled by +the men around him, many of whom had little to lose by a +continuance of the struggle. It was evident that he did not +himself consider independence vital, since he had gravely discussed +terms which were based upon loss of independence. But other +influences had been brought to bear upon him, and this was his +reply—a reply which has already cost the lives of so many of each +side:</p> + +<p>'I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of Your Excellency's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +letter stating what steps Your Excellency's Government is prepared +to take in the event of a general and total cessation of +hostilities. I have advised my Government of Your Excellency's +said letter; but, after the mutual exchange of views at our +interview at Middelburg on 28th February last, it will certainly +not surprise Your Excellency to know that I do not feel disposed +to recommend that the terms of the said letter shall have the +earnest consideration of my Government. I may add also that +my Government and my chief officers here entirely agree to my +views.'</p> + +<p>It will be observed that in this reply Botha bases his refusal +upon his own views as expressed in the original interview with +Kitchener; and we have his own authority, therefore, to show that +they were not determined by any changes which Chamberlain +may have made in the terms—a favourite charge of that gentleman's +enemies.</p> + +<p>It is impossible to say how, short of independence, Great +Britain could have improved upon these terms, and it has already +been shown that to offer independence would mean having to +fight the war over again. It has been suggested that Great +Britain might have offered a definite date upon which representative +institutions should come in force, but such a promise must +be disingenuous, for it must evidently depend not upon a date, +but upon the state of the country. The offers of loans to the +farmers towards the stocking and rebuilding the farms were surely +generous to our defeated foes, and, indeed, it is clear now that in +some respects our generosity went too far, and that the interests +of the Empire would have suffered severely had these terms been +accepted. To have given more would certainly seem not to have +offered peace, but to have implored it.</p> + +<p>Whatever the final terms of peace may prove to be, it is to be +earnestly hoped that 40,000 male prisoners will not be returned, +as a matter of right, without any guarantee for their future conduct. +It is also much to be desired that the bastard taal language, +which has no literature and is almost as unintelligible to a +Hollander as to an Englishman, will cease to be officially recognised. +These two omissions may repay in the long run for weary months +of extra war since, upon Botha's refusal, the British Government +withdrew these terms and the hand moved onwards upon the dial +of fate, never to turn back.</p> + +<p>De Wet had said in reference to Kitchener's terms of peace,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +'What is the use of examining all the points, as the only object +for which we are fighting is our independence and our national +existence?' It is evident, however, that Botha did not consider +this an absolute bar to renewing the negotiations, for upon May 10, +two months later, he wrote the following letter to Lord Kitchener:</p> + +<div class="mt"><p class="td3">'Commandant-General's Camp, May 10, 1901.</p></div> + +<p>'<span class="smcap">Excellency</span>,—As I have already assured Your Excellency I +am very desirous of terminating this war, and its sad consequences. +It is, however, necessary, in order to comply with the "Grondwet" +of this Republic and otherwise, that, before any steps are taken in +that direction, the condition of our country and our cause be +brought to the notice of His Honour, State President Kruger, in +Europe; and I therefore wish to send two persons to him in order +to acquaint him fully with that condition.</p> + +<p>'As speed in this matter is of great consequence to both contending +parties, and as such despatch without Your Excellency's +assistance would take a considerable time, I should like to hear +from Your Excellency whether Your Excellency is prepared to +assist me in expediting this matter by allowing such person or +persons to journey there and back unhindered, if necessary by the +traffic medium within Your Excellency's control.—I have, &c.,</p> + +<div class="mb"><p class="td3">'<span class="smcap">Louis Botha</span>, Commandant-General.'</p></div> + +<p>To this Kitchener answered:</p> + +<div class="mt"><p class="td3">'Army Headquarters, South Africa, Pretoria, May 16, 1901.</p></div> + +<p>'<span class="smcap">Your Honour</span>,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt +of Your Honour's letter of 10th instant, and, in reply, beg to +state that I can only deal with you and your superior officers in +the field in regard to the cessation of hostilities, and that I do not +recognise the official status of any other persons in the late +Republics of the Orange River and Transvaal.</p> + +<p>'If, however, Your Honour desires, with the object of bringing +hostilities to a close, to consult with any person in Europe, I will +forward any telegram Your Honour desires on the subject, and let +you have the reply. Should, however, Your Honour still desire +to send messengers, and will inform me of their names and status, +I will refer the matter to His Majesty's Government for decision.—I +have, &c.,</p> + +<p class="center">'<span class="smcap">Kitchener</span>, General,</p> +<p class="mb">'Commanding-in-Chief, British Troops, South Africa.'</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span>At this period, the second week of May, the Boer cause was +in very low water, as on the same date we have Botha reopening +negotiations which he had declared to be definitely closed, and Reitz +(the man who used to regard the whole matter as a great joke) +writing a despairing letter to Steyn to the effect that the game was +up and that it was time to take the last final step. A reply was +received from Kruger encouraging the Boers to continue their +hopeless and fatal resistance. His reply was to the effect that there +were still great hopes of a successful issue of the war, and that he +had taken steps to make proper provision for the Boer prisoners +and for the refugee women. These steps, and very efficient ones, +too, were to leave them to the generosity of that Government +which he was so fond of reviling. There are signs that something +else had occurred to give them fresh hope and also fresh +material supplies. It looks, upon the face of it, as if, about that +time, large supplies of rifles, ammunition, and possibly recruits +must have reached them from some quarter, either from German +Damaraland or the Portuguese coast. At any rate there has been +so much ammunition used since, that either Reitz must have been +raving or else large supplies have reached the Boers from some +unknown source.</p> + +<p>So much for the official attempts at peace.</p> + +<p>They have been given in some detail in order to prove how +false it is <i>that the British Government has insisted upon an +unconditional surrender</i>. Far from this being so, the terms +offered by the British Government have been so generous that +they have aroused the strongest distrust and criticism in this +country, where they have seemed to be surrendering by the pen +all that had been won by the sword. Nothing has been refused +the enemy, save only independence, and that can never be given, +if the war has to continue until the last Boer is deported out of +Africa.</p> + +<p>It is only necessary to refer briefly to the unofficial Boer +attempts at peace. A considerable body of the Boers, including +many men of influence and of intelligence, were disposed to accept +the British flag and to settle down in peace. The leaders of this +party were the brave Piet de Wet, brother of Christian, Paul +Botha of Kroonstad, Fraser of Bloemfontein, and others. Piet +de Wet, who had fought against us as hard as any man, wrote to +his brother: 'Which is better, for the Republics to continue the +struggle and run the risk of total ruin as a nation, or to submit?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +Could we for a moment think of taking back the country, if it +were offered to us, with thousands of people to be supported by a +Government which has not a farthing? Put passionate feeling +aside for a moment and use common-sense, and you will then +agree with me that the best thing for the people and the country +is to give in, to be loyal to the new Government, and to get +responsible government.' Such were the sentiments of many of +the best of the burghers, and they endeavoured to persuade their +fellows. Both in the Transvaal and in the Free State, Peace +Committees were formed among the burghers, who sent deputies +to lay the facts of the situation before their brethren on commando. +The results were tragic. Two of the envoys, Morgendaal +and de Koch, were shot in cold blood, the former having been +first beaten. Several of the others were beaten, and all were +ill-used.</p> + +<p>This severity did not, however, stop the movement, but gave +it a fiercer turn. The burghers who were in favour of peace, +finding it useless to argue with their fellow-countrymen and +knowing that their country was being hopelessly ruined by the +insensate resistance, took the extreme course at last of bearing +arms against them. There are at present three strong commandos +of burghers fighting upon the British side, commanded by three +Boer Generals—Marais, Celliers, and the younger Cronje, all of +whom had made their names in fighting against us. This fact +alone goes far to dispel those stories of British barbarity with +which I shall presently deal. They are believed in by political +fanatics in England and by dupes abroad, but the answer which +many of the Boers upon the spot make to them is to enlist and +fight under the British flag. They are in the best position for +knowing the truth, and how can they show in a stronger way +what they believe that truth to be?</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h2><small>THE FARM-BURNING</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">In</span> the official correspondence which is published between the Boer +and British leaders in South Africa may very clearly be traced +the way in which this practice came to assume proportions which +shocked public opinion. It must be admitted that the results +have not justified it, and that, putting all moral questions apart, a +burned-out family is the last which is likely to settle down, as we +hope that the Boers may eventually settle down, as contented +British citizens. On the other hand, when a nation adopts guerilla +tactics it deliberately courts those sufferings to the whole country +which such tactics invariably entail. They have been the same +in all wars and at all times. The army which is stung by +guerillas, strikes round it furiously and occasionally indiscriminately. +An army which is continually sniped and harassed +becomes embittered, and a General feels called upon to take those +harsher measures which precedent and experience suggest. That +such measures have not been pushed to an extreme by the +British authorities is shown by the fact that the captured guerilla +has been made a prisoner of war—unlike his prototype, the <i>franc-tireur</i>. +The general question of guerillas may be discussed later. +At present we will confine our attention to the burning of farms.</p> + +<p>The first protest from the Boer side is dated February 3, +1900. In it the two Presidents accuse the British troops 'of +burning and blowing up with dynamite the farmhouses, and of +the devastation of farms.' The document also includes an +accusation of having used armed natives against the Boers.</p> + +<p>Lord Roberts replied upon February 5 to the effect that +stringent instructions had been given to the British troops to +respect private property. 'All wanton destruction or injury to +peaceful inhabitants is contrary to British practice and tradition, +and will, if necessary, be rigorously repressed by me.' He added +that it was an untrue statement that natives had ever been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +encouraged by British officers to commit depredations. The +charge, which has been the subject of many effective cartoons +upon the Continent, is as absurd as most of the other works of the +same artists. Why should the State which refused the aid of its +own highly trained Indian army of 150,000 men, avail itself +of that of savages? Lord Roberts denied the assertion with +befitting warmth, and it is not again repeated in the course of +the despatches.</p> + +<p>Lord Roberts in this document was not content with denying +the Boer allegations, but carried the war into the enemy's country:</p> + +<p>'I regret to say that it is the Republican forces which have +in some cases been guilty of carrying on the war in a manner not +in accordance with civilised usage. I refer especially to the +expulsion of loyal subjects of Her Majesty from their homes in +the invaded districts of this Colony, because they refused to be +commandeered by the invader. It is barbarous to attempt to +force men to take sides against their own Sovereign and country +by threats of spoliation and expulsion. Men, women, and +children have had to leave their homes owing to such compulsion, +and many of those who were formerly in comfortable +circumstances are now being maintained by charity.'</p> + +<p>He adds: 'I beg to call your Honours' attention to the wanton +destruction of property by the Boer forces in Natal. They not +only have helped themselves freely to the cattle and other +property of farmers without payment, but they have utterly +wrecked the contents of many farmhouses. As an instance I would +specify Mr. Theodore Wood's farm "Longwood" near Springfield. +I point out how very different is the conduct of the British troops. +It is reported to me from Modder River that farms within the +actual area of the British Camp have never even been entered, +the occupants are unmolested, and their houses, gardens, and +crops remain absolutely untouched.'</p> + +<p>On March 26 Lord Roberts's Proclamation spoke with no +uncertain voice upon the subject of private property. It says:</p> + +<p>'The following Proclamation, issued by me in the name of +Her Majesty's Government on the 26th March, begins: Notice is +hereby given that all persons who within the territories of the +South African Republic or Orange Free State shall authorise or +be guilty of the wanton destruction or damage or the counselling, +aiding, or assisting in the wanton destruction or damage of public +or private property, such destruction or damage not being justified<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +by the usages and customs of civilised warfare, will be held +responsible in their persons and property for all such wanton +destruction and damage.'</p> + +<p>This was during the period of the halt at Bloemfontein. I +can well remember that then and for long afterwards the consideration +which was shown upon this point seemed to those who were +at the spot to be exaggerated and absurd. I can remember that +when we applied for leave to use the deserted villas to put +our sick soldiers into—the hospitals being full—we were told that +it could only be done by private treaty with the owners, who were +at that time on commando against us. I remember also suggesting +that the corrugated-iron fencing round the cricket field should +be used for making huts, and being told that it was impossible, as +it was private property.</p> + +<p>The same extreme respect for personal property was shown +during Lord Roberts's advance. The country through which he +passed swarmed with herds and flocks, but, with as scrupulous a +regard for the rights of property as Wellington showed in the +south of France, no hungry soldier was allowed to take so much +as a chicken. The punishment for looting was prompt and stern. +It is true that farms were burned occasionally and the stock +confiscated, but this was as a punishment for some particular +offence and not part of a system. The limping Tommy looked +askance at the fat geese which covered the dam by the roadside, +but it was as much as his life was worth to allow his fingers to +close round those tempting white necks. On foul water and bully +beef he tramped through a land of plenty.</p> + +<p>A most striking example of British discipline and forbearance +was furnished at this period, while the war could still be called +regular upon the Boer side, by Rundle's Division, christened the +'Hungry Eighth' by the Army. This Division had the misfortune +to be stationed for several months some distance from the railway +line, and in consequence had great difficulty in getting +supplies. They were on half-rations for a considerable period, +and the men were so reduced in strength that their military +efficiency was much impaired. Yet they lived in a land of plenty—a +land of large farms well stocked with every sort of food. +Why it was impossible to get this food for the men I do not +know, but I do know that the prices for bread, eggs, milk, and +other such things were kept very high by the wives of the +farmers who were away upon commando; and that the hungry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +soldiers were quite unable to buy, and were not permitted to take, +the nourishment which was essential.</p> + +<p>On May 19, while Lord Roberts's force was advancing on +Pretoria, De Wet sent in a despatch to complain of the destruction +of two farms, Paarde Kraal and Leeuw Kop. Lord Roberts replied +that these two farms were destroyed because, while a white flag +was flying from the houses, the troops were fired upon from the +farmsteads. 'I have had two farms near Kroonstad,' he adds, +'destroyed for similar reasons, and shall continue to punish all +such cases of treachery by the destruction of the farms where they +occur.' Here is a definite declaration of policy, quite distinct +from wanton destruction, and it is difficult to see how any General +could take any other steps, with justice to his own men. These +farms, and all which are included in this category, were justly and +properly destroyed—the families being removed without violence +to a place of safety.</p> + +<p>The next representations from the Boer Commander were more +definite in their nature.</p> + +<p>'Complaints are repeatedly reaching me,' he writes, 'that +private dwellings are plundered, and in some cases totally +destroyed, and all provisions taken from women and children, so +that they are compelled to wander about without food or covering. +To quote several instances: It has just been brought to my +notice by way of sworn affidavit that the house of Field-Cornet +S. Buys on the farm, Leeuwspruit district, Middelburg, was set on +fire and destroyed on 20th June last. His wife, who was at home, +was given five minutes' time to remove her bedding and clothing, +and even what she took out was again taken from her. Her food, +sugar, &c., was all taken, so that for herself and her children she +had neither covering nor food for the following night. She was +asked for the key of the safe, and after it was given up by her +she was threatened with a sword, and money was demanded. All +the money that was in the house was taken away, all the papers +in the safe were torn up, and everything at the homestead that +could not be taken away was destroyed. The house of Field-Cornet +Buys's son was also destroyed, the doors and windows broken, &c.</p> + +<p>'It has also been reported to me that my own buildings, on +the farm Varkenspruit, district Standerton, as well as the house +of Field-Cornet Badenhorst, on the adjoining farm, have been +totally destroyed, and such of the stock as was not removed was +shot dead on the farm.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> + +<p>'Further, there is the sworn declaration of Mrs. Hendrik +Badenhorst, which speaks for itself.</p> + +<p>'I cannot believe that such godless barbarities take place +with Your Excellency's consent, and thus I deem it my solemn +duty to protest most strongly against such destruction and +vindictiveness as being entirely contrary to civilised warfare.'</p> + +<p>The greater part of these alleged outrages had occurred on +General Buller's side of the Transvaal, so the matter was referred +to him. He acknowledged that he had ordered six farmhouses to +be destroyed:</p> + +<p>'The following circumstances induced me to give the order. +On entering the Transvaal I caused the attached Proclamation +(A) to be widely distributed along my line of route. We marched +from Volksrust to Standerton practically unopposed. Shortly +after our arrival at Standerton our telegraph line was cut on +several nights following, and attempts were made to damage the +military line by placing dynamite cartridges with detonators +attached upon it. These attempts were all made on or in close +vicinity to the estates above named. A watch was kept and it +was found that the attempts were made not by any formed force of +the enemy, but by a few scattered banditti who were given shelter +during the night in the houses I afterwards had destroyed, and +who thence, when they could, tried to murder our patrols, and +sallied out at night to damage the line. It was further ascertained +that these men came and usually returned through +Varkenspruit. I directed that copies of Proclamation (A) should +be personally left at each house, and the inmates of each should +be warned that these depredations could not be permitted, and +that if people living under our protection allowed these sort of +men to resort to their houses without informing us, they must +take the consequences, and their houses would be destroyed. +This warning had some effect for a day or two, but on 1st and +2nd of July the nuisance recommenced, and on the 7th July, +having acquired full proof that the houses were being regularly +used as shelters for men who were hostile to us, and who were not +under any proper command, in fact, who were only acting as +banditti, I had the houses destroyed.</p> + +<p>'The women and children occupying the farms were removed +elsewhere with as little inconvenience to themselves as we could +arrange.'</p> + +<p>Here again it is impossible to doubt that the British commanders<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +were well within their rights. It is true that Article +XXIII. of The Hague Conventions makes it illegal to destroy the +enemy's property, but it adds: 'Unless such destruction be imperatively +demanded by the necessities of war.' Now nothing can +be more imperative in war than the preservation of the communications +of the army. A previous clause of the same Article makes +it illegal to 'kill or wound treacherously individuals belonging to +the hostile army.' It is incontestable that to take the cover of a +farmhouse which flies the white flag in order to make attacks is +to 'kill or wound treacherously,' and so on a double count the +action of the British becomes legal, and even inevitable. Lord +Roberts's message to De Wet upon August 3, 1900, restates both +his intentions and his reasons for it:</p> + +<p>'Latterly, many of my soldiers have been shot from farmhouses +over which the white flag has been flying, the railway and telegraph +lines have been cut, and trains wrecked. I have therefore +found it necessary, after warning your Honour, to take such steps +as are sanctioned by the customs of war to put an end to these +and similar acts, and have burned down the farmhouses at or near +which such deeds have been perpetrated. This I shall continue to +do whenever I consider the occasion demands it.</p> + +<p>'The remedy lies in your Honour's own hands. The destruction +of property is most distasteful to me, and I shall be greatly pleased +when your Honour's co-operation in the matter renders it no longer +necessary.'</p> + +<p>This raises the question of the legality of the burning of farmhouses +in the vicinity of the place where the railway is cut. The +question presented itself forcibly to my mind when I saw with my +own eyes the tall plumes of smoke rising from six farmhouses, +De Wet's among them, in the neighbourhood of Roodeval. +There is no doubt whatever that in the war of 1870—the classic +type of modern war—the villages and populations near the scene +of a cut railway were severely punished. But The Hague Conventions +had not then been signed. On the one hand, it may be +urged that it is impossible without such disciplinary measures +to preserve a line of 1,000 miles running all the way through +a hostile or semi-hostile country. Also that it is 'imperatively +demanded by the necessities of war.' On the other hand, there is +Article L., which says, 'No general penalty can be inflicted on +the population on account of the acts of individuals, for which it +cannot be regarded as collectively responsible.' An argument<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +might be advanced for either side, but what will actually determine +is the strongest argument of all—that of self-preservation. +An army situated as the British Army was, and dependent for its +supplies upon its communications, <i>must</i> keep them open even if +it strains the Conventions in doing so. As a matter of fact, farm-burning +had no effect in checking the railway-cutting, and had +a considerable effect in embittering the population. Yet a General +who was cut off from his base thirty times in a month was bound +to leave the argument of legality to the jurists, and to adopt the +means which seemed most likely to stop the nuisance. The +punishment fell with cruel injustice upon some individuals. +Others may have been among the actual raiders.</p> + +<p>On September 2 Lord Roberts communicated his intentions +to General Botha:</p> + +<p>'<span class="smcap">Sir</span>,—I have the honour to address your Honour regarding +the operations of those comparatively small bands of +armed Boers who conceal themselves on farms in the neighbourhood +of our lines of communication and thence endeavour +to damage the railway, thus endangering the lives of passengers +travelling by train who may or may not be combatants.</p> + +<p>'2. My reason for again referring to this subject is that, +except in the districts occupied by the Army under the personal +command of your Honour, there is now no formed body of Boer +troops in the Transvaal or Orange River Colony, and that the +war is degenerating into operations carried on by irregular and +irresponsible guerillas. This would be so ruinous to the country +and so deplorable from every point of view, that I feel bound to do +everything in my power to prevent it.</p> + +<p>'3. The orders I have at present issued, to give effect to these +views, are that the farm nearest the scene of any attempt to +injure the line or wreck a train is to be burnt, and that all farms +within a radius of 10 miles are to be completely cleared of all +their stock, supplies, &c.'</p> + +<p>Granting that the penalty is legal at all, it must be allowed +that it is put in a minimum form, since only one farm in each case +is to be destroyed; and the further clearing of stock is undoubtedly +justified, since it would tend to cripple the mobility of Boer raiders +approaching the line. Yet one farm for each attack becomes a +formidable total when the attacks are on an average of one per day.</p> + +<p>We have treated two causes for which farms were burned: +(1) For being used as cover for snipers; (2) as a punishment for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +the cutting of railways. A third cause now comes to the front. +A large number of burghers had taken the oath of neutrality and +had been allowed to return to their farms by the British. These +men were persuaded or terrorised by the fighting commandos into +breaking their parole and abandoning those farms on which they +had sworn to remain. The farmhouses were their bail, and Lord +Roberts decreed that it was forfeited. On August 23 he announced +his decision to General Botha:</p> + +<p>'Your Honour represents that well-disposed families living on +their farms have been driven from their houses, and that their +property has been taken away or destroyed. This no doubt is true, +but not in the sense which your letter would imply. Burghers +who are well-disposed towards the British Government, and anxious +to submit to my authority, have had their property seized by the +Boer commandos, and have been threatened with death if they +refused to take up arms against the British forces. Your Honour's +contention that a solemn oath of neutrality which the burghers +have voluntarily taken in order to remain in unmolested occupation +of their farms is null and void, because you have not consented +to it, is hardly open to discussion. I shall punish those who violate +their oath and confiscate their property, no burgher having been +forced to take the oath against his will.'</p> + +<p>It is quite certain that the Boer Government committed a very +clear breach of the Conventions of The Hague in compelling, or +even in permitting, these men to rejoin the ranks. 'In such +cases,' says Article X., 'their own Government shall not require +of, nor accept from, them any service incompatible with the parole +given.' This is clear as regards the Government. But in the +case of the men it is different. Their promise was in a sense +conditional upon effective protection from our troops. We had no +right to place a man in so terrible a position that he had to choose +between breaking his parole and death at the hands of his own +countrymen. If we were not sure that we could protect them, we +could have retained them in guarded camps, as we eventually did. +If we chose to turn them loose upon the wide veldt, then it was our +fault more than theirs that they were forced into the ranks of the +enemy. To their credit be it said that even under such pressure +many of them were true to their oath.</p> + +<p>But if their guilt is indeed no greater than our own, then how +are we justified in burning down their houses? It seems to me +that these cases are very different from those in the other two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +categories, and that the question of compensation to these men +should be at least considered. I take it that the numerous cases +where 'on commando' is marked against a burned farm on +the official list, means that he had returned to commando after +giving his parole. The destruction of his house under those circumstances +is, in the peculiar conditions of the case, a harsh +measure, but if 'on commando' means simply that the man was +away doing his duty to his country, without any question of parole, +then our conscience can never permit that man to go without +compensation.</p> + +<p>We can trace in this account of the communications between +the leaders the growth of those harsher measures which have +been so generally deplored in this country. So long as the war +was regular it is certain that nothing could be more regular than +the British conduct. When, however, the war became irregular +upon the part of the Boers, and their army dissolved into small +bands which harried the lines of communications, the small posts, +and the convoys, there was a corresponding change upon the +part of the troops. Towards the end of the year 1900 that change +was pushed to considerable lengths. Certain districts which had +been Boer centres, where they habitually collected time after +time, were devastated and destroyed. Such districts were those of +Kroonstad, Heilbron, Ventersburg, and Winburg. In these four +districts about one hundred and seventy houses were destroyed. +The village of Bothaville, which was a depôt of the enemy, was +also destroyed. It consisted of forty-three houses. In the Transvaal +the number of houses actually destroyed for strategic +purposes seems to have been very much smaller. In the official +returns only about twelve houses are so mentioned. Altogether +the houses which have been burned for reasons which are open to +dispute, including those of the men upon commando, do not +appear to exceed two hundred and fifty.</p> + +<p>It must be confessed that the case of these houses is entirely +different from the others which have been destroyed, because they +were used for active warlike operations. Of the 630 buildings +which we know to have been destroyed, more than half have +been used by snipers, or in some other direct fashion have brought +themselves within the laws of warfare. But it cannot be said +that these others have done so. The cost of the average farmhouse +is a mere trifle. A hundred pounds would build a small +one, and 300<i>l.</i> a large. If we take the intermediate figure,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +then the expenditure of 50,000<i>l.</i> would compensate for those cases +where military policy and international law may have been at +variance with each other. The burning of houses ceased in the +year 1900, and, save in very special instances, where there +was an overwhelming military necessity, it has not been resorted +to since. In the sweeping of the country carried out by French +in the Eastern Transvaal and by Blood to the north of the +Delagoa Railway, no buildings appear to have been destroyed, +although it was a military necessity to clear the farms of every +sort of supply in order to hamper the movements of the commandos. +The destruction of the crops and herds of the Boers, +distasteful as such work must be, is exactly analogous to the +destruction by them of our supply trains on which the Army +depended for their food. Guerilla warfare cannot enjoy all its +own advantages and feel none of its own defects. It is a two-edged +weapon, and the responsibility for the consequences rests +upon the combatant who first employs it.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h2><small>THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">When</span> considerable districts of the country were cleared of food in +order to hamper the movements of the commandos, and when large +numbers of farmhouses were destroyed under the circumstances +already mentioned, it became evident that it was the duty of the +British, as a civilised people, to form camps of refuge for the +women and children, where, out of reach, as we hoped, of all harm, +they could await the return of peace. There were three courses +open. The first was to send the Boer women and children into +the Boer lines—a course which became impossible when the Boer +army broke into scattered bands and had no longer any definite +lines; the second was to leave them where they were; the +third was to gather them together and care for them as best we +could.</p> + +<p>It is curious to observe that the very people who are most +critical of the line of policy actually adopted, were also most +severe when it appeared that the alternative might be chosen. +The British nation would have indeed remained under an ineffaceable +stain had they left women and children without shelter +upon the veldt in the presence of a large Kaffir population. Even +Mr. Stead could hardly have ruined such a case by exaggeration. +On some rumour that it would be so, he drew harrowing pictures +of the moral and physical degradation of the Boer women in the +vicinity of the British camps. No words can be too strong to +stigmatise such assertions unless the proof of them is overwhelmingly +strong—and yet the only 'proof' adduced is the bare +assertion of a partisan writer in a partisan paper, who does not +claim to have any personal knowledge of the matter. It is impossible +without indignation to know that a Briton has written on +such evidence of his own fellow-countrymen that they have 'used +famine as a pander to lust.'</p> + +<p>Such language, absurd as it is, shows very clearly the attacks<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +to which the British Government would have been subjected had +they <i>not</i> formed the camps of refuge. It was not merely that +burned-out families must be given a shelter, but it was that no +woman on a lonely farm was safe amid a black population, even if +she had the means of procuring food. Then, again, we had +learned our lesson as regards the men who had given their parole. +They should not again be offered the alternative of breaking +their oaths or being punished by their own people. The case for +the formation of the camps must be admitted to be complete and +overwhelming. They were formed, therefore, by the Government +at convenient centres, chiefly at Pretoria, Johannesburg, Krugersdorp, +Middelburg, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg, Heidelburg, +Standerton, Pietersburg, Klerksdorp, and Volksrust in the Transvaal; +Bloemfontein, Kroonstad, Bethulie, and Edenburg in the +Orange Free State.</p> + +<p>Such camps as refuges were no new things, for the British +refugees from Johannesburg have been living for over a year in +precisely such places. As no political capital and no international +sentiment could be extracted from their sufferings, and as they +have borne their troubles with dignity and restraint, we have +heard little of the condition of their lives, which is in many ways +more deplorable than that of the Boers.</p> + +<p>Having determined to form the camps, the authorities carried +out the plan with great thoroughness. The sites seem to have +been well chosen, and the arrangements in most cases all that +could be wished. They were formed, however, at an unfortunate +moment. Great strain had been placed upon our Commissariat by +the large army, over 200,000 men, who had to be supplied by +three tiny railways, which were continually cut. In January +1901 De Wet made his invasion of Cape Colony, and the demand +upon the lines was excessive. The extraordinary spectacle was +presented at that time of the British straining every nerve to feed +the women and children of the enemy, while that enemy was +sniping the engineers and derailing the trains which were bringing +up the food.</p> + +<p>The numbers of the inmates of the refugee camps increased +rapidly from 20,000 at the end of the year 1900, up to more than +100,000 at the end of 1901. Great efforts were made by the +military authorities to accommodate the swelling tide of refugees, +and no money was spared for that purpose. Early in the year +1901 a painful impression was created in England by the report of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +Miss Hobhouse, an English lady, who had visited the camps and +criticised them unfavourably. The value of her report was discounted, +however, by the fact that her political prejudices were +known to be against the Government. Mr. Charles Hobhouse, +a relation of hers, and a Radical member of Parliament, has since +then admitted that some of her statements will not bear examination. +With the best will in the world her conclusions would have +been untrustworthy, since she could speak no Dutch, had no experience +of the Boer character, and knew nothing of the normal +conditions of South African life.</p> + +<p>Her main contentions were that the diet was not sufficient, +that there was little bedding, that the water-supply was short, +that the sanitation was bad, that there was overcrowding, and +that there was an excessive death-rate, especially among the +children.</p> + +<p>As to diet, the list which she gives agrees roughly with that +which is officially quoted as the daily allowance at Irene Camp, +near Pretoria, in July. It is as follows:</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table class="hd1" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="td4">Meat</td><td class="td2">½ lb.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">Coffee</td><td class="td2">2 oz.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">Flour</td><td class="td2">¾ lb.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">Sugar</td><td class="td2">2 oz.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="td4">Salt</td><td class="td2">½ oz.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center" colspan="2">To every child under six, a bottle of milk</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p class="noin">It must be confessed that the diet is a spare one, and that as +supplies become more plentiful it might well be increased. The +allowance may, however, be supplemented by purchase, and there +is a considerable outside fund, largely subscribed by British +people, which is used to make the scale more liberal. A slight +difference was made at first between the diet of a family which +had surrendered and of that the head of which was still in arms +against us. A logical distinction may certainly be made, but in +practice it was felt to be unchivalrous and harsh, so it was +speedily abandoned.</p> + +<p>As to the shortness of the water-supply, it is the curse of all +South Africa, which alternately suffers from having too much +water and too little. With artesian wells and better arrangements +this difficulty is being overcome, but it has applied as +strongly to our own camps as to those of the Boer refugees.</p> + +<p>There seems to be a consensus of opinion from all the camps<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +that the defects in sanitation are due to the habits of the inmates, +against which commandants and doctors are perpetually fighting. +Camp life without cleanliness must become unhygienic. The +medical reports are filled with instances of the extreme difficulty +which has been experienced in enforcing discipline upon those +who have been accustomed to the absolute liberty of the lonely +veldt.</p> + +<p>On the question of overcrowding, the demand for tents in +South Africa has been excessive, and it may well have taxed all +the power of the authorities to find accommodation for the crowds +of women and children. The evil has been remedied since the +time of Miss Hobhouse's report. It is well known that the Boers +in their normal life have no objection to crowded rooms, and that +the inmates of a farmhouse are accustomed to conditions which +would be unendurable to most. To overcrowd a tent is hygienically +almost impossible, for the atmosphere of a tent, however +crowded, will never become tainted in the same sense as a room.</p> + +<p>All these things are of human contrivance, and the authorities +were doing their best to set them right, as Miss Hobhouse herself +acknowledged. 'They are, I believe, doing their best with very +limited means,' said she, and in so saying reduced her whole +report to nothing. For if they are really doing their best, then +what more can be said? The only alternative is the breaking up +of the camps and the dispersal of the women. But in that case +Mr. Stead is waiting for us with some 'Blood and Hell' broadsheet +to tell us of the terrible fate of those women upon the veldt. +It must be one or the other. Of the two I prefer Miss Hobhouse +and the definite grievances which she reports, to the infinite +possibilities of Mr. Stead. As to the suggestion that this +enormous crowd of women and children should be quartered upon +their kinsmen in the Colony, it is beyond all argument. There +has been no offer of such wholesale hospitality nor have we any +means for enforcing it.</p> + +<p>But then we come to the great and piteous tragedy of the +refugee camps, the mortality, and especially the mortality among +the children. That is deplorable—more deplorable even than the +infant mortality in Mafeking, Ladysmith, and Kimberley. But is it +avoidable? Or is it one of those misfortunes, like that enteric outbreak +which swept away so many British soldiers, which is beyond +our present sanitary science and can only be endured with sad resignation? +The nature of the disease which is mainly responsible for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +the high mortality shows that it has no direct connection with the +sanitary conditions of the camps, or with anything which it was in +our power to alter. Had the deaths come from some filth-disease, +such as typhus fever, or even from enteric or diphtheria, the +sanitation of the camps might be held responsible. But it is to +a severe form of measles that the high mortality is due. Apart +from that the record of the camps would have been a very fair +one. Now measles when once introduced among children runs +through a community without any regard to diet or conditions of +life. The only possible hope is the segregation of the sufferer. To +obtain this early quarantine the co-operation of the parent is needed: +but in the case in point the Boer mothers, with a natural instinct, +preferred to cling to the children and to make it difficult for +the medical men to remove them in the first stages of the disease. +The result was a rapid spread of the epidemic, which was the more +fatal as many of the sufferers were in low health owing to the +privations unavoidably endured in the journey from their own +homes to the camps. Not only was the spread of the disease +assisted by the mother, but in her mistaken zeal she frequently +used remedies which were as fatal as the disease. Children died +of arsenical-poisoning, having been covered from head to foot with +green paint; and others of opium-poisoning, having quack drugs +which contain laudanum administered to them. 'In Potchefstroom +as at Irene,' says Dr. Kendal Franks, 'the death-rate is attributable +not so much to the severity of the epidemic as to the ignorance, +perverseness, and dirty habits of the parents themselves.' But +whatever the immediate cause the death of these numerous +children lies heavy, not upon the conscience, but upon the heart of +our nation. It is some mitigation to know that the death-rate +among children is normally quite remarkably high in South +Africa, and that the rate in the camps was frequently not higher +than that of the towns near which the camp was situated.</p> + +<p>Be this as it may, we cannot deny that the cause of the outbreak +of measles was the collection of the women and children by +us into the camps. But why were they collected into camps? +Because they could not be left on the veldt. And why could they +not be left on the veldt? Because we had destroyed the means +of subsistence. And why had we destroyed the means of subsistence? +To limit the operations of the mobile bands of guerillas. +At the end of every tragedy we are forced back to the common +origin of all of them, and made to understand that the nation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +which obstinately perseveres in a useless guerilla war prepares +much trouble for its enemy, but absolute ruin for itself.</p> + +<p>We have pushed our humanity in this matter of the refugees +so far that we have looked after our enemies far better than our +friends. I recognise that the two cases are not on all fours, since +the Boers are compelled to be in camps and the loyalist refugees +are not. But the fact remains that the loyalists <i>are</i> in camps, +through no fault of their own, and that their condition is a worse +one than that of our enemies. At East London, for example, there +are two refugee camps, Boer and British. The former has 350, +the latter 420 inhabitants. The former are by far the better fed, +clad, and housed, with a hospital, a school, and a washhouse, all of +which are wanting in the British camp. At Port Elizabeth there +is a Boer camp. A Dutch deputation came with 50<i>l.</i> to expend +in improving their condition, but returned without spending the +money as nothing was needed. The Boer refugees and the +British are catered for by the same man at Port Elizabeth. He +is allowed 15<i>d.</i> per head for the Boers per day, and 8<i>d.</i> for the +British. These are the 'Methods of Barbarism.'</p> + +<p>I shall now take a few opinions of the camps from British +sources and from Boer. I have only seen one British witness who +was in sympathy with Miss Hobhouse, and that is a lady (name +not mentioned) who is quoted in the appendix of Mr. Methuen's +'Peace or War.' She takes much the same view, insisting mainly +upon the insufficient diet, the want of fuel and of bed-clothing. +Against these two ladies I shall very shortly and in condensed +form cite a few witnesses from both sides.</p> + +<p>Mr. Seaton, of Johannesburg (Secretary of the Congregational +Church and of the burgher camp), says: 'The reports you send +make our blood boil. They are frightfully exaggerated, and in +many instances not only misleading but untrue.... A more +healthy spot it would be difficult to find.... There is no overcrowding.</p> + +<p>'Some weeks ago there was an epidemic of measles in camp +of a very severe type, and naturally there were many deaths +among the children. The doctor and nurses worked to the very +utmost, and I am pleased to say the epidemic is stamped out. +No doubt this is what caused the talk by the pro-Boers in the +House of Commons and elsewhere, but it is one of those epidemics +which could not be prevented among the class of people we have +here. They had absolutely no regard for sanitary conveniences,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +and the officials had the greatest difficulty in enforcing the most +ordinary rules of cleanliness. Another difficulty we had was to +get them to bring their children when sick into the hospital, +where there is every convenience. They prefer to disobey the +doctor and try the old women's remedies, which, as you know, are +very plentiful among such people. The doctor has had a most +trying position, and has worked like a slave. Nearly all the +deaths have been from measles. We are having a fairly mild +winter. About three months ago it was bitterly cold, but they +are used to outdoor life, and this is no worse than they have +always been used to. The tents are all military tents, and there +is no sign of leakage. I know they all want tents when they +come here, if it is possible to get them. On the whole, the +inmates are contented, and the children are particularly happy. +They skip and play about from morn till eve.'</p> + +<p>The Rev. R. Rogers (Wesleyan minister) writes:</p> + +<p>'What is the use of persons ignorant of the life and customs of +the Boers coming to investigate these burgher camps? I have +seen, and do not hesitate to say, that most of them are better +housed, better clothed, and better fed than in their own homes +of wattle and daub, and mud floors.'</p> + +<p>Mr. Howe of the Camp Soldiers' Homes says:</p> + +<p>'We do not pass judgment; we only state facts.</p> + +<p>'When the first concentration camp was formed we were +on the spot, and also saw others spring up. We admit that there +has been suffering, but we solemnly affirm that the officers in +charge of the several camps known to us were only too anxious to +make the helpless people as comfortable as possible. We have +seen the huge cases and bales of comforts for the inmates, and +know that, in order to expedite the despatch of these things, military +stores and ordnance have been kept back.'</p> + +<p>The Rev. R. B. Douglas (Presbyterian minister) writes:</p> + +<p>'I am glad to see that you are not giving credence to the tales +of brutality and cruelty which are being freely circulated by disloyal +agitators about the treatment of the Boer refugees. But +one point on which you ask for more information is worth being +noticed—the difference of treatment between families of those on +commando and others. I am in a position to state that the whole +difference made amounted to two ounces of coffee and four ounces +of sugar per week, and that even this distinction totally disappeared +by the middle of March. As a set-off to this, the local Dutch<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +Committee, in distributing some sixty cases of clothing, &c., sent +out by the charitable, refused to give any help to the families of +some who were not on commando, on the ground that these +articles were for the benefit of those who were fighting for their +country.'</p> + +<p>Mrs. Gauntlett, of Johannesburg, writes:</p> + +<p>'I have read certain statements you sent me from English +papers on cruelty to Boer refugee families. I am amazed at the +iniquity of men who circulate such lies, and the credulity of those +who believe them. The opinion of Germans, French, Americans, +and even many Dutch, here on the spot, is that the leniency and +amazing liberality of the Government to their foes is prolonging +the war. A Dutch girl in the Pretoria Camp declared to the +nurse that for seven months they had not been able to get such +good food as was given them by the British.'</p> + +<p>Mr. Soutar, Secretary of the Pretoria Camp, writes:</p> + +<p>'The Boer women and children get as much food as they +require, and have all sorts of medical comforts, such as beef-tea, +extracts of meat, jellies, brandy and wine, and the advantage of +fully qualified attendants. Not only are their absolute requirements +provided for, but even their "fads" are considered.'</p> + +<p>Mr. Scholtz, Inspector of Camps for the Transvaal, reports:</p> + +<p>'Many of the children, when they first arrived at the camp, +were little better than skin and bone, and, being in so emaciated +a condition, it was not surprising that, when they did catch +measles, they could not cope with the disease. Many of the +women would not open their tents to admit fresh air, and, instead +of giving the children the proper medicines supplied by the military, +preferred to give them home remedies. The mothers would +not sponge the children, and the greatest difficulty was experienced +in inducing them to send the patients to hospital. The +cause of the high death-rate among children from measles is due +to the fact that the women let their children out as soon as the +measles rash has subsided. Pneumonia and bronchitis naturally +supervene. Another cause is that the mothers persist in giving +their children meat and other indigestible foods, even when the +doctors strictly prohibit it, dysentery resulting as a matter of +course. In other respects the health of the camp is good, there +being only one case of typhoid out of 5,000 residents in camp.'</p> + +<p>Here is light on the Krugersdorp Camp:</p> + +<p>'<span class="smcap">Johannesburg</span>, July 31st.—(Reuter's Special Service.)—Commandant<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +Alberts, commanding the Boers near Krugersdorp, has +sent a letter to the officer commanding the British forces at +Krugersdorp, stating that as he has with him on commando +several families whose male relatives have recently surrendered, +he wishes to know if he will receive these families, as they would +like to go to Krugersdorp. The officer replied that he would +be pleased to receive them, and they are expected to arrive +to-day.</p> + +<p>'This action on the part of the Boers clearly shows that the +families themselves have no longer any objection to the Refugee +Camps, where everything is done to promote their comfort, or any +disinclination to being placed under our care and protection.'</p> + +<p>From Reuter's agent at Springfontein:</p> + +<p>'I to-day visited the Boer Refugee Camp here, containing +2,700 inmates. The camp is splendidly situated, and well laid +out. I spoke to several refugees, and met with no complaint, +all being satisfied with the treatment received. The hospital +arrangements are excellent, and there is very little sickness in +the camp.'</p> + +<p>From Mr. Celliers, Dutch Minister from Aberdeen, Cape +Colony, sent to inspect the Port Elizabeth Refugee Camp:</p> + +<p>'He was writing this to show that the British Government +were doing everything in their power to help the exiles, and to +show that, although these exiles' relatives and friends were still +in the field, yet the powers were merciful and kind to the exiles, +showing them no enmity, for which they felt grateful. He wished +the people to understand that he was at liberty to speak to them +privately, and that he had a fair opportunity to hear any complaints, +if there were any to be made. Mr. Hess allowed him to +go round, placing full confidence in him, and he felt satisfied that +if there had been anything wrong he should have heard of it. It +had been his opinion all along that the Military, in sending these +exiles down there, had done so for their own safety and advantage; +and that it had preserved them, and been a blessing in disguise, +which would be acknowledged by all in time to come.'</p> + +<p>Major Harold Sykes's (2nd Dragoons) evidence is reported as +follows:</p> + +<p>He arranged the first of the Refugee Concentrated Camps, +and when he left he had a camp of about six thousand women and +children under his care. All charges of cruelty and inhumanity +were vile and calumnious falsehoods. Nay, worse, they were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +miserable, despicable concoctions. Both women and children +were better off, the great bulk of them, than ever they were in +their lives. The only thing approaching cruelty to them was +at the authorities insisted upon cleanliness and proper attention +to sanitary regulations, which the average Boer, being a stranger +to, utterly disliked. He had seen all the workings of these camps. +He could give an unqualified denial to all the villainous allegations +that had recently been made in public meeting and in the +House of Commons.</p> + +<p>Under date November 1, an officer of the Kroonstad Camp +writes:</p> + +<p>'We have cricket, tennis, and croquet for them, and they are +all jolly well treated. Besides other amusements, they have a +band twice a week, and the other day they got up a concert.'</p> + +<p>This is what Mr. Stead calls 'doing to death by slow torture +all the women and children whom we have penned behind the +barbed wire of our prison camps.' Can a cause be a sound one +which is pleaded in such terms!</p> + +<p>Now for some Boer voices.</p> + +<p>Commandant Alberts writes:</p> + +<p>'Major <span class="smcap">Walter</span>, Boksburg.—Honoured Sir,—I must express +to you and the other officers of Boksburg my heartfelt thanks for +the great kindness shown towards my wife, and at the same time +for the message, and I hope that this kindness may some time be +repaid to you.</p> + +<p>'May you and I be spared to have a personal meeting.</p> + +<p>'I have the honour to be your honour's servant,</p> + +<div class="mb"><p class="td3">'(Signed) <span class="sgn">H.</span> <span class="smcap">Alberts</span>, Commandant.'</p></div> + +<p>A Dutch minister writes to Captain <span class="smcap">Snowden</span>, O.C. of Boer +Camp, Johannesburg:—'Sir,—I am directed by the Committee of +the Dutch Reformed Churches here to convey to you the appreciation +of the Committee for the kindly interest and sympathy +shown by you to the women and children under your charge.'</p> + +<p>One hundred male refugee Boers in the camp at Kroonstad +sign the following sentiment:</p> + +<p>'We also wish to tender Your Excellency our heartiest thanks +for the interest you take in the education of our youth, and we +trust you will succeed in your endeavours, and that the growing-up +generation will be taught to be God-fearing, honest, and +loyal citizens under the British flag. We regret, however, to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +state that, notwithstanding the highly appreciated efforts of our +worthy superintendent and doctors, still so many cases of sickness +and deaths occur daily in this camp, still we hope and trust +Your Excellency will do all in your power for the health in this +camp.</p> + +<p>'We trust that the efforts of our worthy superintendent +towards promoting our welfare under trying circumstances will +be appreciated by Your Excellency. We are happy to state +that the spirit of loyalty is daily increasing in this camp, and +that the majority of the male refugees have taken the oath of +allegiance.'</p> + +<p>Mr. Dudley Keys, a surrendered burgher, writes to his +brother:</p> + +<p>'I have been in camp now for more than seven months—a +sufficient time, you will allow, for reflection—and the immutability +of the life provides ample scope for indulgence in that +direction. How we long for the settlement you cannot imagine, +nor can you imagine with what disgust and impatience we regard +every endeavour on the part of the pro-Boers, as they are called, +to divert the natural and inevitable course of things. You will +not be surprised at hearing this from a one-time Dutch Republican +when you take into consideration that all of us who have +surrendered are fully aware of the fact that we were the aggressors, +and that our statesmen are to blame for our present predicament. +A large number of Boers, of course, will never come to view the +matter in this light. That, of course, is not the result of thought +and reflection, but utter and total ignorance. When Miss +Hobhouse was here I frequently saw her priming herself or being +primed. Some of our women would tell her anything for a dress +or a pair of boots. If she knew our countrymen and women as +well as we know them, her story would have been a short one. +Now the home Government are despatching this commission. +Well, when they see the women and children in camp they will +naturally feel sorry for them. Who would not? But if they +only remember that this is war and not a picnic, they will satisfy +the people in England on their return that all we want is peace, +and plenty of it.'</p> + +<p>He adds:</p> + +<p>'In spite of the lack of gratitude shown by our people, the +authorities continue to make improvements and to lessen the +hardships. That this entails enormous expenditure you will see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +by the statistics frequently published in the English papers. +When I hear our people grumble, I often wonder how they would +have treated the Britishers if the positions were reversed, and +I am bound to acknowledge that it would not compare favourably +with the treatment we receive.'</p> + +<p>A Boer woman, writing from Pietermaritzburg, says:</p> + +<p>'Those who complain of anything must lie, for we are in good +circumstances.'</p> + +<p>In a second letter she says:</p> + +<p>'I can make no complaint at all.'</p> + +<p>Mrs. Blignant, writing from the Port Elizabeth Refugee Camp, +says:</p> + +<p>'If we had to complain it would be false complaint, and all +the stories about ill-treatment are untrue as far as I can find out.' +Among the women cared for in this camp was one from Jagersfontein, +who boasted—and with truth—that she had shot two +unarmed British soldiers with a revolver.</p> + +<p>Such is some of the evidence to be placed against Miss +Hobhouse's report, and that of the unnamed lady in Pretoria. +In justice it must be acknowledged that some camps may have +been more open to criticism than others, and that (as we should +expect) they became more perfect with time. But I cannot +believe that any impartial mind can read the evidence without +seeing that the British Government was doing its best under +difficult circumstances to carry out the most humane plan +possible, and that any other must involve consequences from +which a civilised nation must shrink.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of 1901 an attempt was made to lessen the +mortality in the camps by bringing them down to the sea-coast. +The problem was complicated by the fact that many of the refugees +were averse from leaving their own country, and had come in upon +a promise that they would not be asked to do so. Those who would +were moved down, and the camps at East London, Port Elizabeth, +and Merebank, near Durban, largely increased. 'No expense must +be allowed to stand in the way,' said Mr. Chamberlain in an official +message. In Blue Book (Cd. 853) we find Lord Milner and the +Colonial Secretary discussing every means by which the mortality +might be lessened and the comfort of the camps increased.</p> + +<p>It is worthy of record that the portrait of an emaciated child +has been circulated upon the Continent and in America as a proof +positive of the horrors of the concentration system. It is only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +too probable that there are many emaciated children in the camps, +for they usually arrive in that condition. This particular portrait +however was, as I am credibly informed, taken by the British +authorities on the occasion of the criminal trial of the mother for +the ill-usage of the child. The incident is characteristic of the +unscrupulous tactics which have been used from the beginning +to poison the mind of the world against Great Britain.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h2><small>THE BRITISH SOLDIER IN SOUTH AFRICA</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">When</span> Lord Roberts desired to sum up the character of the soldiers +whom he had led, he declared that they had behaved like gentlemen. +I believe that statement to be no exaggeration, and I think +that when the bitter animosities of warfare have subsided, it will +be acknowledged by the Boers themselves that it is true. They +have had some unsavoury work to do—for guerilla warfare brings +much in its train which is hateful—but officers and men have +ameliorated and softened the asperities of warfare wherever it +has been possible to do so. Their character has been most foully +attacked by politicians at home, and by the ignorant or malevolent +abroad. Let us examine the evidence.</p> + +<p>There were many military attachés present with our Army. +Have any of them reported against the discipline of our soldiers? +So far as their reports are known, nothing of the sort has been +alleged. Captain Slocum, the American representative, writes from +Bloemfontein:</p> + +<p>'The British have been too merciful, and I believe, had a +more rigorous course been adopted when the Army first entered +this capital and the enemy thoroughly stampeded, the war would +have been materially shortened.'</p> + +<p>The French military attaché said: 'What I admire most in +this campaign is the conduct of your soldiers. Here they are +trekking and fighting daily in an uninteresting country, scorched +by day, cold by night, without drink, without women. Any other +soldiers in Europe would have mutinied long ago.'</p> + +<p>There were several foreign war-correspondents with our army. +Of these the only Frenchman, M. Carrère of the 'Matin' was an +ardent pro-Boer. Read his book, 'En pleine Epopée.' He is +bitter against our policy and our politicians. His eyes are very +keenly open for flaws in our Army. But from cover to cover he has +nothing but praise for the devoted Tommy and his chivalrous officer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> + +<p>Three American correspondents were there—there may have +been more, but three I knew. These were Messrs. Julian Ralph, +James Barnes, and Unger. The first two were much impressed +by the humanity and discipline of the British troops, though Mr. +Ralph was, I believe, like Captain Slocum, of the opinion that it +was occasionally pushed too far. Mr. Unger's published impressions +of the war confirm the same idea.</p> + +<p>Here, then, is practical unanimity among all the impartial +witnesses. On the opinions of our own correspondents I will not +dwell. I have the advantage of knowing nearly all of them, and +though among them are several gentlemen who have a chivalrous +and idealistic sympathy for the Boers, I cannot recollect that I +have ever once heard one of them record a single instance where +they had been shocked by the conduct of a soldier.</p> + +<p>I may, perhaps, be permitted to add my own testimony. I +went to South Africa with great sympathy for the individual +Boer, and with a belief that I should find soldiers in the field very +different from soldiers in peace. I was three months in Bloemfontein +when there were from ten to thirty thousand men encamped +round the town. During that time I only once saw a man drunk. +I never saw a man drunk during the short time that I was in +Pretoria and Johannesburg. I once heard of a soldier striking a +Boer. It was because the man had refused to raise his hat at the +burial of the soldier's comrade. I not only never saw any outrage, +but in many confidential talks with officers I never heard of one. +I saw twenty Boer prisoners within five minutes of their capture. +The soldiers were giving them cigarettes. Only two assaults on +women came to my ears while I was in Africa. In each case the +culprit was a Kaffir, and the deed was promptly avenged by the +British Army.</p> + +<p>Miss Hobhouse has mixed with a great number of refugees, +many of whom are naturally very bitter against us. She is not +reticent as to the tales which they told her. Not one of them all +has a story of outrage. One woman, she says, was kicked by a +drunken soldier, for which, she adds, he was punished.</p> + +<p>An inmate of the Springfontein Refugee Camp, Mr. Maltman, of +Philippolis, writes: 'All the Boer women here speak in the highest +terms of the treatment they have received at the hands of soldiers.'</p> + +<p>Here is the testimony of a burgher's wife, Mrs. Van Niekirk:</p> + +<p>'Will you kindly allow me to give my testimony to the kindly +treatment of the Dutch women and children by the British troops?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +As the wife of a Transvaal burgher, I have lived in Krugersdorp +since 1897, until three weeks ago. The town was taken in June +last, and since then there has always been a fairly large force of +men in, or quite near it; indeed, on several occasions the numbers +have amounted to ten thousand, or more, and have been of many +different regiments, English, Scotch, Irish, and Colonial.</p> + +<p>'At such times the streets and the few shops open were thronged +with soldiers, while, even when the town was quietest, there were +always numbers of them about. The women were at first afraid, +but they very soon discovered that they could move about as freely +as in ordinary times, without fear of any annoyance. During the +whole six months I never saw or heard of a single instance where +a woman was treated with the slightest disrespect; the bearing of +both officers and men was invariably deferential to all women, and +kindly to children.</p> + +<p>'Last July a detachment of Gordon Highlanders was camped +on the veldt for a week in front of my house, which stands almost +alone on the outskirts of the town. My husband was away during +the time, and I was alone with my young children. The nearest +camp-fires were not a dozen yards from my gate, yet I never +experienced the least annoyance, nor missed from my ground even +so much as a stick of wood.</p> + +<p>'I could multiply instances, but after this little need be said; +if I had not seen it I could not have believed that a victorious +army would behave with such humanity and consideration in the +territory of a people even then in arms against them; and if they +behave so in Krugersdorp—a place mind you, where during the +last six months their doings could not be openly criticised—is +it likely that their conduct in other places will be so entirely +different?—I am, &c.'</p> + +<p>This is the testimony of a woman. Here it is from a man's +point of view—an old burgher who had very special opportunities +for studying the conduct of British troops:</p> + +<p>'Allow me to state here, once for all, that throughout the +entire war all the English officers—and a great many of all ranks +came to see us—treated us with the greatest kindness and +courtesy. They knew, too, that I was a burgher, and that I had +several sons who were doing their duty in fighting for the independence +of our country.</p> + +<p>'I return once more to the conduct of "Tommy Atkins." +We saw numbers of convoys, some of which were more than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +sixteen kilometres long, bringing a great many Boer prisoners +and their families to Pretoria. Tommy was everywhere, watching +the wagons, marching without a word in clouds of dust, +frequently in mud to the ankle, never rough towards women or +children, as has been so often repeated. We have heard the +contrary stated by our tried friends and by our own children.</p> + +<p>'During halts, Tommy was the best and readiest creature +imaginable; he got the water boiled, laid himself out to attend to +the children in a thousand ways, and comforted the broken-hearted +mothers. His hand was ready with help for every +invalid. At our farm he helped of his own free will in saving a +drowning beast, or in removing a fat pig that had been killed, +sometimes even in rounding-in cattle that had strayed out of +bounds, and so on, giving help in a thousand ways. For all that +he wanted no reward. Rewards he refused altogether simply +because it was good-feeling which made him do these things.</p> + +<p>'Sir, these are indisputable facts, which I have repeated as +accurately as I could, leaving your readers to draw their own +conclusions.</p> + +<div class="mb"><p class="td3">'<span class="smcap">Old Burgher of the Transvaal</span>.</p> +<p class="sgn">'Rustenburg, Transvaal: July 1901.'</p></div> + +<p>A long and curious letter appears in the 'Suisse Liberale' +from a young Swiss who spent the whole time of the war upon a +farm in the Thabanchu district of the Orange Free State. It is +very impartial in its judgments, and remarks, among other things—talking +of the life of the local garrison:</p> + +<p>'They make frequent visits, send out invitations, and organise +picnics. In the town they get up charity concerts, balls, sports, +and horse-races. It is a curious thing that the English, even +when they are at war, cannot live without their usual sports, and +the conquered do not show the slightest repugnance to joining +the victors in their games or to mixing in society with them.'</p> + +<p>Is this consistent with stories of military brutality? It +appears to be a very modified hell which is loose in that portion +of Africa.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Osborn Howe were the directors of the Camp +Soldiers' Homes in South Africa. They have seen as much of +the army in South Africa as most people, and have looked at it +with critical eyes. Here are some of their conclusions:</p> + +<p>'Neither we nor our staff, scattered between De Aar and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +Pretoria, have ever heard of a single case of outrage or ill-treatment. +One and all indignantly denied the accusations against +our soldiers, and have given us many instances of great kindness +shown by the troops towards helpless women and children.</p> + +<p>'We ourselves saw nothing which we could not tell to a +gathering of schoolgirls.</p> + +<p>'When living in the Orange River Colony we were in the +midst of the farm-burning district, and witnessed Lord Roberts's +efforts to spare the people suffering by issuing warning proclamations. +We saw how the officers waited till the farmers had had +time to digest these repeated warnings, and then with what +reluctance both officers and men went to carry out the work of +destruction, but we never heard of a case where there had not +first been some overt act on the part of the enemy.</p> + +<p>'A story of reported outrage at a Dutch mission-house in the +slums of a large town was found after personal investigation to +have been anything but an outrage as the result proved. The +young soldiers who entered the house when the door was opened +in answer to their knock, withdrew after they had discovered that +the ladies who occupied the house were missionaries, nor had +anything been removed or injured. But the garbled story, with +its misuse of the word "outrage," reached a district in Cape +Colony where it did no little mischief in fanning the flames of +animosity and rebellion. Thus the reported "outrage" was not +even a common assault.</p> + +<p>'It may be said that our love for the soldiers has warped our +judgment. We would say we love God, and we love truth more +than the honour of our soldiers. If there was another side we +should not hide it.'</p> + +<p>So much for the general facts. But it is notoriously difficult +to prove a negative. Let us turn then to particular instances +which have been raked together, and see what can be made of +them. One of them occurred early in the war, when it was stated +that there had been two assaults upon women in Northern Natal. +Here are the lies duly nailed to the counter.</p> + +<p>The Vicar of Dundee, Colony of Natal, on being requested by +the Bishop of Natal to inquire into the truth of a statement that +four women of a family near Dundee, named Bester, were outraged +by English soldiers, reported that he had had an interview +with the father-in-law of Bester, Jacobus Maritz, who is one of +the most influential farmers in the district. Maritz said to him:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> + +<p>'Well, Mr. Bailey, you do right in coming to me, for our +family (Mrs. Bester is his daughter) is the <i>only</i> family of Bester +in the district, and you can say from me, that the story is nothing +but a pack of lies.'</p> + +<p>The other case, alleged at Dundee, furnished no names. The +only thing specified was that one of the men was in the uniform +of a Highlander. The Vicar replies to this: 'As you are aware, no +Highland regiment has been stationed at Dundee during the war.'</p> + +<p>The weapons of slander were blunted by the fact that about +May 1900 the Transvaal Government, wishing to allay the fears +of the women in the farms, published an announcement in the +'Volksstem' advising every burgher to leave his family upon the +farms as the enemy were treating women and children with the +utmost consideration and respect. We know that both President +Kruger and General Botha acted up to this advice by leaving +their own wives under our protection while they carried on their +campaign against us. At the very instant that Kruger was +falsely stating at Marseilles that we were making war on women +and children, his own infirm wife was being so sedulously guarded +by British soldiers that the passer-by was not even allowed to +stare curiously at the windows or to photograph the house.</p> + +<p>There was a lull in the campaign of calumny which was +made up for by the whole-hearted effort of M. van Broekhuizen. +This man was a minister in Pretoria, and, like most of the Dutch +ministers, a red-hot politician. Having given his parole to +restrain his sentiments, he was found to be still preaching +inflammatory political sermons; so he was advised to leave, and +given a passage gratis to Europe. He signalised his arrival by +an article printed in the 'Independence Belge,' declaring among +other statements that 30 per cent. of the Boer women had been +ruined by the British troops. Such a statement from such a +source raised a feeling of horror in Europe, and one of deep +anger and incredulity on the side of those who knew the British +Army. The letter was forwarded to Pretoria for investigation, +and elicited the following unofficial comments from M. Constançon, +the former Swiss Consul in that city, who had been +present during the whole British occupation:</p> + +<p>'I am more than astonished, I am disgusted, that a Lausanne +paper should print such abominable and filthy lies.</p> + +<p>'The whole article from the beginning to the end is nothing +but a pack of lies, and the writer, a minister of the Gospel, of all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +men, ought to know better than to perjure himself and his office +in the way he does.</p> + +<p>'I have lived for the last eighteen years in or around Pretoria, +and know almost every Boer family in the district. The two +names mentioned by Broekhuizen of women assaulted by the +troops are quite unknown to me, and are certainly not Boer +names.</p> + +<p>'Ever since the entry of the troops in the Transvaal, I have +travelled constantly through the whole of Pretoria district and +part of the Waterberg. I have often put up at Boer houses for +the night, and stopped at all houses on my road on my business. +In most of these houses the men were away fighting against the +British; women and children alone were to be found on the farms. +Nowhere and in no instance have I heard a single word of complaint +against the troops; here and there a few fowls were missing +and fencing poles pulled out for firewood; but this can only be +expected from troops on the march. On the other hand, the +women could not say enough in praise of the soldiers, and their +behaviour towards their sex. Whenever a camp was established +close to the homestead, the officers have always had a picket placed +round the house for the object of preventing all pilfering, and the +women, rich or poor, have everywhere been treated as ladies.</p> + +<p>'Why the Boer women were so unanimous in their praises is +because they were far from expecting such treatment at the hands +of the victors.</p> + +<p>'Our town is divided into wards, and every woman and child +has been fed whenever they were without support, and in one ward +we have actually five hundred of these receiving rations from the +British Government, although in most cases the men are still +fighting. In the towns the behaviour of the troops has been, +admirable, all canteens have been closed, and in the last six +months I have only seen two cases of drunkenness amongst +soldiers.</p> + +<p>'We are quite a little Swiss colony here, and I don't know one +of my countrymen who would not endorse every word of my +statement.</p> + +<p>'Many may have sympathies with the Boers, but in all justice +they will always give credit to the British troops and their officers +for the humane way this war is carried on, and for the splendid +way in which Tommy Atkins behaves himself.'</p> + +<p>With this was printed in the 'Gazette de Lausanne,' which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +instituted the inquiry, a letter from Mr. Gray, Presbyterian +minister in Pretoria, which says:</p> + +<p>'A few days ago I received an extract from your issue of +November 17 last entitled "La Civilisation Anglaise en Afrique." +It consisted mainly of a letter over the signature of H. D. van +Broekhuizen (not Broesehuizen as printed), Boer pastor of Pretoria. +Allow me, sir, to assure you that the wholesale statements with +regard to the atrocities of British soldiers contained in that letter +are a tissue of falsehoods, and constitute an unfounded calumny +which it would be difficult to parallel in the annals of warfare. +It is difficult to conceive the motives that actuate the writer, but +that they have been violent enough to make him absolutely reckless +as to facts, is evident.</p> + +<p>'When I got the article from your paper I immediately went +out to make inquiry as to what possible foundation there was for +the charges hurled so wildly at the British soldier. Having lived +in Pretoria for the last eleven years I am acquainted with many of +the local Boers. Those of them whom I questioned assured me +that they had never known a case in which British soldiers had +outraged a woman. One case was rumoured, but had never been +substantiated, and was regarded as very doubtful. Let it be +granted that some solitary cases of rudeness may have occurred, +that would not be surprising under the circumstances. Still it +would not furnish a ground for the libelling of a whole army. +The astonishing fact is, however, that in this country one only +hears of the surprise everywhere felt that the British soldier has +been so self-restrained and deferential towards women.'</p> + +<p>To this M. van Broekhuizen's feeble reply was that there was +no ex-consul of the name of Constançon in Pretoria. The +'Gazette de Lausanne' then pointed out that the gentleman was +well known, that he had acted in that capacity for many years, +and added that if M. van Broekhuizen was so ill-informed upon +so simple a matter, it was not likely that he was very correct +upon other more contentious ones. Thus again a false coin was +nailed to the counter, but only after it had circulated so widely +that many who had passed it would never know that it was proved +to be base metal. Incredible as it may seem, the infamous +falsehood was repeated in 1902 by a Dr. Vallentin, in the +'Deutsche Rundschau,' from which it was copied into other leading +German papers without any reference to its previous disproof in +1901.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now we will turn for a moment to the evidence of Miss Alice +Bron, the devoted Belgian nurse, who served on both sides during +the war and has therefore a fair standard of comparison. Here +are a few sentences from her reports:</p> + +<p>'I have so often heard it said and repeated that the British +soldiers are the dregs of London and the scum of the criminal +classes, that their conduct astounded me.'</p> + +<p>This is the opinion of a lady who spent two years in the +service of humanity on the veldt.</p> + +<p>Here are one or two other sidelights from Miss Bron:</p> + +<p>'How grateful and respectful they all are! I go to the +hospital at night without the slightest fear, and when a sentry +hears my reply, "Sister," to his challenge, he always humbly begs +my pardon.</p> + +<p>'I have seen the last of them and their affectionate attentions, +their respect, and their confidence. On this head I could relate +many instances of exquisite feeling on the part of these poor +soldiers.</p> + +<p>'A wounded English soldier was speaking of Cronje. "Ah, +sister," said he, "I am glad that we have made so many prisoners."</p> + +<p>'"Why?" I asked, fearing to hear words of hatred.</p> + +<p>'"Oh," he said, "I was glad to hear it because I know that they +at least would be neither wounded nor killed. They will not +leave wife nor children, neither will they suffer what we are +suffering."'</p> + +<p>She describes how she met General Wavell:</p> + +<p>'"You see I have come to protect you," he said.</p> + +<p>'We smiled and bowed, and I thought, "I know your soldiers +too well, General. We don't need any protection."'</p> + +<p>But war may have brutalised the combatants, and so it is +of interest to have Nurse Bron's impressions at the end of 1901. +She gives her conversation with a Boer:</p> + +<p>'"All that I have to say to you is that what you did down +there has never been seen in any other war. <i>Never</i> in any +country in the world has such a dastardly act been committed as +the shooting of one who goes to meet the white flag."</p> + +<p>'Very pale, the chief, a true "gentleman" fifty-three years old, +and the father of eleven children, answered, "You are right, sister."</p> + +<p>'"And since we talk of these things," I said, "I will say that +I understand very well that you are defending your country, but +what I do not excuse is your lying as you do about these English.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span>"</p> + +<p>'"We repeat what we are told."</p> + +<p>'"No," I said, "you all of you lie, and you know that you are +lying, with the Bible on your knees and invoking the name of +God, and, thanks to your lies, all Europe believes that the +English army is composed of assassins and thieves. You see how +they treat you here!"'</p> + +<p>She proceeds to show how they were treated. The patients, +it may be observed, were not Boer combatants but Cape rebels, +liable to instant execution. This is the diet after operations:</p> + +<p>'For eight, or ten days, the patient has champagne <i>of the +choicest French brands</i> (her italics), in considerable quantity, +then old cognac, and finally port, stout, or ale at choice, +with five or six eggs a day beaten up in brandy and milk, +arriving at last at a complete diet of which I, though perfectly +well, could not have absorbed the half.'</p> + +<p>'This,' she says, 'is another instance of the "ferocity" with +which, according to the European press, the English butchers +have conducted the war.'</p> + +<p>The Sisters of Nazareth in South Africa are a body who are +above political or racial prejudice. Here are the published words +of the Mother Superior:</p> + +<p>'I receive letters by every mail, but a word that would imply +the least shadow of reproach on the conduct of the soldiers has +never been written. As for the British soldier in general, our +sisters in various parts of the colony, who have come a great deal +in contact with the military of all ranks, state that they can +never say enough of their courtesy, politeness, and good behaviour +at all times.'</p> + +<p>These are not the impressions which the Boer agents, with +their command of secret-service money and their influence on the +European press, have given to the world. A constant stream of +misrepresentations and lies have poisoned the mind of Europe and +have made a deep and enduring breach between ourselves and our +German kinsmen.</p> + +<p>The British troops have been accused of shooting women. It +is wonderful that many women have not been shot, for it has +not been unusual for farmhouses to be defended by the men when +there were women within. As a matter of fact, however, very +few cases have occurred where a woman has been injured. One +amazon was killed in the fighting line, rifle in hand, outside +Ladysmith. A second victim furnished the famous Eloff myth,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +which gave material for many cartoons and editorials. The accusation +was that in cold blood we had shot Kruger's niece, and a +Berlin morning paper told the story, with many artistic embellishments, +as follows:</p> + +<p>'As the Boer saw his wife down, just able to raise herself, he +made an attempt to run to her assistance, but the inhumans +held him fast. The officer assured him that she was shot through +the temples and must anyhow die, and they left her therefore lying. +In the evening he heard his name called. It was his wife who +still lived after twelve hours' agony. When they reached Rustenburg +she was dead. This woman was Frau Eloff, Kruger's niece. +In addition to the sympathy for the loss Kruger has suffered, this +report will renew the bitter feeling of all against the brutality of +English warfare.'</p> + +<p>This story was dished up in many ways by many papers. Here +is Lord Kitchener's plain account of the matter:</p> + +<p>'No woman of that name has been killed, but the report may +refer to the death of a Mrs. Vandermerve, who unfortunately was +killed at a farmhouse from which her husband was firing. Mrs. +Vandermerve is a sister-in-law of Eloff. The death of a woman +from a stray bullet is greatly to be regretted, but it appears clear +that her husband was responsible for the fighting which caused +the accident.'</p> + +<p>So perished another myth. I observe, however, now (Christmas +1901), a continental journalist describing an interview with +Kruger says, 'he wore mourning on account of his niece who died +of a gun-shot.' Might not his wife's death possibly account for +the mourning?</p> + +<p>And yet another invention which is destined to the same fate, +is the story that at the skirmish of Graspan, near Reitz, upon +June 6, the British used the Boer women as cover, a subject which +also afforded excellent material for the caricaturists of the Fatherland. +The picture of rows of charming Boer maidens chained in +the open with bloodthirsty soldiers crouching behind them was +too alluring for the tender-hearted artist. Nothing was wanting +for a perfect cartoon—except the original fact. Here is the report +as it appeared in a German paper:</p> + +<p>'When the English on June 6 were attacked by the Boers, they +ordered the women and children to leave the wagons. Placing +these in front of the soldiers, they shot beneath the women's arms +upon the approaching Boers. Eight women and two children<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +fell through the Boers' fire. When the Boers saw this they +stopped firing. Yelling like wild beasts, they broke through the +soldiers' lines, beating to death the Tommies like mad dogs with +the butt ends of their rifles.'</p> + +<p>The true circumstances of the action so far as they can be +collected are as follows: Early on June 6 Major Sladen, with 200 +mounted infantry, ran down a Boer convoy of 100 wagons. He +took forty-five male prisoners, and the wagons were full of women +and children. He halted his men and waited for the main British +force (De Lisle's) to come up. While he was waiting he was +fiercely attacked by a large body of Boers, five or six hundred, +under De Wet. The British threw themselves into a Kaffir kraal +and made a desperate resistance. The long train of wagons +with the women still in them extended from this village right +across the plain, and the Boers used them as cover in skirmishing +up to the village. The result was that the women and children +were under a double fire from either side. One woman and two +children appear to have been hit, though whether by Boer or +Briton it must have been difficult to determine. The convoy and +the prisoners remained eventually in the hands of the British. It +will be seen then that it is as just to say that the Boers used their +women as cover for their advance as the British for their defence. +Probably in the heat of the action both sides thought more of the +wagons than of what was inside them.</p> + +<p>These, with one case at Middelburg, where in a night attack +of the Boers one or two inmates of the refugee camp are said to +have been accidentally hit, form the only known instances in the +war. And yet so well known a paper as the German 'Kladderadatsch' +is not ashamed to publish a picture of a ruined farm with +dead women strewed round it, and the male child hanging from +the branch of a tree. The 'Kladderadatsch' has a reputation as a +comic paper, but there should be some limits to its facetiousness.</p> + +<p>In his pamphlet on 'Methods of Barbarism,' Mr. Stead has +recently produced a chapter called 'A Glimpse of the Hellish +Panorama,' in which he deals with the evidence at the Spoelstra +trial. Spoelstra was a Hollander who, having sworn an oath of +neutrality, afterwards despatched a letter to a Dutch newspaper +without submitting it to a censor, in which he made libellous +attacks upon the British Army. He was tried for the offence and +sentenced to a fine of 100<i>l.</i>, his imprisonment being remitted. +In the course of the trial he called a number of witnesses for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +purpose of supporting his charges against the troops, and it is on +their evidence that Mr. Stead dilates under the characteristic +headline given above.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stead begins his indictment by a paragraph which speaks +for itself: 'It is a cant cry with many persons, by no means +confined to those who have advocated the war, that the British +Army has spent two years in the South African Republics without +a single case of impropriety being proved against a single soldier. +I should be very glad to believe it; but there is Rudyard Kipling's +familiar saying that Tommy Atkins is no plaster saint, but a +single man in barracks, or, in this case, a single man in camp, +remarkably like other human beings. We all know him at home. +There is not one father of a family in the House or on the London +Press who would allow his servant girl to remain out all night on +a public common in England in time of profound peace in the +company of a score of soldiers. If he did, he would feel that he +had exposed the girl to the loss of her character. This is not +merely admitted, but acted upon by all decent people who live in +garrison towns or in the neighbourhood of barracks. Why, then, +should they suppose that when the same men are released from +all the restraints of civilisation, and sent forth to burn, destroy, +and loot at their own sweet will and pleasure, they will suddenly +undergo so complete a transformation as to scrupulously respect +the wives and daughters of the enemy? It is very unpopular to +say this, and I already hear in advance the shrieks of execration +of those who will declare that I am calumniating the gallant +soldiers who are spending their lives in the defence of the interests +of the Empire. But I do not say a word against our soldiers. I +only say that they are men.'</p> + +<p>He adds:</p> + +<p>'It is an unpleasant fact, but it has got to be faced like +other facts. No war can be conducted—and this war has not +been conducted—without exposing multitudes of women, married +and single, to the worst extremities of outrage. It is an inevitable +incident of war. It is one of the normal phenomena of the +military Inferno. It is absolutely impossible to attempt any +comparative or quantitative estimate of the number of women +who have suffered wrong at the hands of our troops.'</p> + +<p>Was ever such an argument adduced in this world upon a serious +matter! When stripped of its rhetoric it amounts to this, '250,000 +men have committed outrages. How do I prove it? Because they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +are 250,000 men, and therefore <i>must</i> commit outrages.' Putting +all chivalry, sense of duty, and every higher consideration upon +one side, is Mr. Stead not aware that if a soldier had done +such a thing and if his victim could have pointed him out, the +man's life would be measured by the time that was needed to +collect a military court to try him? Is there a soldier who does +not know this? Is there a Boer who does not know it? It is +the one offence for which there would be no possible forgiveness. +Are the Boers so meek-spirited a race that they have no desire +for vengeance? Would any officer take the responsibility of not +reporting a man who was accused of such a crime? Where, then, +are the lists of the men who must have suffered if this cruel +accusation were true? There are no such lists, because such +things have never occurred.</p> + +<p>Leading up to the events of the trial, Mr. Stead curdles our +blood by talking of the eleven women who stood up upon oath to +testify to the ill-treatment which they had received at the hands +of our troops. Taken with the context, the casual reader would +naturally imagine that these eleven women were all complaining +of some sexual ill-usage. In the very next sentence he talks about +'such horrible and shameful incidents.' But on examination it +proves that eight out of the eleven cases have nothing sexual or, +indeed, in many of them, anything criminal in their character. +One is, that a coffin was dug up to see if there were arms in it. +On this occasion the search was a failure, though it has before +now been a success. Another was that the bed of a sick woman +was searched—without any suggestion of indelicacy. Two others, +that women had been confined while on the trek in wagons. +'The soldiers did not bother the woman during or after the +confinement. They did not peep into the wagon,' said the +witness. These are the trivialities which Mr. Stead tries to bluff +us into classifying as 'horrible and shameful incidents.'</p> + +<p>But there were three alleged cases of assault upon women. +One of them is laid to the charge of a certain Mr. E——n, of the +Intelligence Department. Now, the use of Mr. and the description +'Intelligence Department' make it very doubtful whether this +man could be called a member of the British Army at all. The +inference is that he was a civilian, and further, that he was a +Dutch civilian. British names which will fit E——n are not +common, while the Dutch name Esselen or Enslin is extremely so. +'I have never been to the Intelligence Department to find out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +whether he really belonged to that Department,' said the woman. +She adds that E——n acted as an interpreter. Surely, then, he +must have been a Dutchman. In that case, why is his name the +only name which is disguised? Is it not a little suggestive?</p> + +<p>The second case was that of Mrs. Gouws, whose unfortunate +experience was communicated to Pastor van Broekhuizen, and had +such an effect upon him as to cause him to declare that 30 per +cent. of the women of the country had been ruined. Mrs. Gouws +certainly appears by her own account to have been very roughly +treated, though she does not assert that her assailant went to the +last extremity—or, indeed, that he did more than use coarse terms +in his conversation. The husband in his evidence says: 'I have +seen a great deal of soldiers, and they behaved well, and I could +speak well of them.' He added that a British officer had taken +his wife's deposition, and that both the Provost-Marshal and the +Military Governor were interesting themselves in the case. Though +no actual assault was committed, it is to be hoped that the man +who was rude to a helpless woman will sooner or later be identified +and punished.</p> + +<p>There remains one case, that of Mrs. Botha of Rustenburg, +which, if her account is corroborated, is as bad as it could be. +The mystery of the case lies in the fact that by her own account +a British force was encamped close by, and yet that neither she +nor her husband made the complaint which would have brought +most summary punishment upon the criminal. This could not +have been from a shrinking from publicity, since she was ready +to tell the story in Court. There is not the least indication +who this solitary soldier may have been, and even the date +was unknown to the complainant. What can be done in such a +case? The President of the court-martial, with a burst of +indignation which shows that he at least does not share Mr. +Stead's views upon the frequency of such crimes in South Africa, +cried: 'If such a most awful thing happened to a woman, would +it not be the first thing for a man to do to rush out and bring +the guilty man to justice? He ought to risk his life for that. +There was no reason for him to be frightened. We English are +not a barbarous nation.' The husband, however, had taken no +steps. We may be very sure that the case still engages the +earnest attention of our Provost-Marshal, and that the man, if he +exists, will sooner or later form an object-lesson upon discipline +and humanity to the nearest garrison. Such was the Spoelstra<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +trial. Mr. Stead talks fluently of the charges made, but +deliberately omits the essential fact that after a patient hearing +not one of them was substantiated.</p> + +<p>I cannot end the chapter better than with the words of the +Rev. P. S. Bosman, head of the Dutch Reformed Church at +Pretoria:</p> + +<p>'Not a single case of criminal assault or rape by non-commissioned +officers or men of the British Army in Pretoria +on Boer women has come to my knowledge. I asked several +gentlemen in turn about this point and their testimony is the +same as mine.'</p> + +<p>But Mr. Stead says that it must be so because there are +250,000 men in Africa. Could the perversion of argument go +further? Which are we to believe, our enemy upon the spot or +the journalist in London?</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h2><small>FURTHER CHARGES AGAINST BRITISH TROOPS</small></h2> + +<h3>Expansive and Explosive Bullets.</h3> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">When</span> Mr. Stead indulges in vague rhetoric it is difficult to corner +him, but when he commits himself to a definite statement he is +more open to attack. Thus, in his 'Methods of Barbarism' he +roundly asserts that 'England sent several million rounds of +expanding bullets to South Africa, and in the North of the Transvaal +and at Mafeking for the first three months of the war no +other bullets were used.' Mr. Methuen, on the authority of a +letter of Lieutenant de Montmorency, R.A., states also that from +October 12, 1899, up to January 15, 1900, the British forces north +of Mafeking used nothing but Mark IV. ammunition, which is +not a dum-dum but is an expansive bullet.</p> + +<p>Mr. Methuen's statement differs, as will be seen, very widely +from Mr. Stead's; for Mr. Stead says Mafeking, and Mr. Methuen +says north of Mafeking. There was a very great deal of fighting +at Mafeking, and comparatively little north of Mafeking during +that time, so that the difference is an essential one. To test +Mr. Stead's assertion about Mafeking, I communicated with +General Baden-Powell, the gentleman who is most qualified to +speak as to what occurred there, and his answer lies before me: +'We had no expanding bullets in our supply at Mafeking, unless +you call the ordinary Martini-Henry an expanding bullet. I +would not have used them on humane principles, and moreover, +an Army order had been issued against the use of dum-dum +bullets in this campaign. On the other hand, explosive bullets +are expressly forbidden in the Convention, and these the Boers +used freely against us in Mafeking, especially on May 12.'</p> + +<p>I have endeavoured also to test the statement as it concerns +the troops to the north of Mafeking. The same high authority +says: 'With regard to the northern force, it is just possible that +a few sportsmen in the Rhodesian column may have had some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +sporting bullets, but I certainly never heard of them.' A friend +of mine who was in Lobatsi during the first week of the war +assures me that he never saw anything but the solid bullet. It +must be remembered that the state of things was very exceptional +with the Rhodesian force. Their communications to the south +were cut on the second day of the war, and for seven months they +were dependent upon the long and circuitous Beira route for any +supplies which reached them. One could imagine that under +such circumstances uniformity of armament would be more +difficult to maintain than in the case of an army with an assured +base.</p> + +<p>The expansive bullet is not, as a matter of fact, contrary to +the Conventions of The Hague. It was expressly held from being +so by the representatives of the United States and of Great +Britain. In taking this view I cannot but think that these two +enlightened and humanitarian Powers were ill-advised. Those +Conventions were of course only binding on those who signed +them, and therefore in fighting desperate savages the man-stopping +bullet could still have been used. Whatever our +motives in taking the view that we did, a swift retribution has +come upon us, for it has prevented us from exacting any retribution, +or even complaining, when the Boers have used these +weapons against us. Explosive bullets are, however, as my distinguished +correspondent points out, upon a different footing, +and if the Boers claim the advantages of the Conventions of The +Hague, then every burgher found with these weapons in his +bandolier is liable to punishment.</p> + +<p>Our soldiers have been more merciful than our Hague diplomatists, +for in spite of the reservation of the right to use this +ammunition, every effort has been made to exclude it from the +firing line. An unfortunate incident early in the campaign gave +our enemies some reason to suspect us. The facts are these.</p> + +<p>At the end of the spring of 1899 some hundreds of thousands +of hollow-headed bullets, made in England, were condemned as +unsatisfactory, not being true to gauge, &c., and were sent to +South Africa for target practice only. A quantity of this ammunition, +known as 'Metford Mark IV.,' was sent up to Dundee by +order of General Symons for practice in field firing. As Mark IV. +was not for use in a war with white races all these cartridges were +called in as soon as Kruger declared war, and the officers responsible +thought they were every one returned. By some blundering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +in the packing at home, however, some of this Mark IV. must have +got mixed up with the ordinary, or Mark II., ammunition, and was +found on our men by the Boers on October 30. Accordingly a very +careful inspection was ordered, and a few Mark IV. bullets were +found in our men's pouches, and at once removed. Their presence was +purely accidental, and undoubtedly caused by a blunder in +the Ordnance Department long before the war, and it was in +consequence of this that some hollow-headed bullets were fired by +the English early in the war without their knowledge.</p> + +<p>What is usually known as the dum-dum bullet is a 'soft-nosed' +one: but the regulation Mark II. is also made at the +dum-dum factory, and the Boers, seeing the dum-dum label on +boxes containing the latter, naturally thought the contents were +the soft-nosed, which they were not.</p> + +<p>It must be admitted that there was some carelessness in +permitting sporting ammunition ever to get to the front at all. +When the Derbyshire Militia were taken by De Wet at Roodeval, a +number of cases of sporting cartridges were captured by the Boers +(the officers had used them for shooting springbok). My friend, +Mr. Langman, who was present, saw the Boers, in some instances, +filling their bandoliers from these cases on the plausible excuse +that they were only using our own ammunition. Such cartridges +should never have been permitted to go up. But in spite of +instances of bungling, the evidence shows that every effort has +been made to keep the war as humane as possible. I am inclined +to hope that a fuller knowledge will show that the same holds +good for our enemies, and that in spite of individual exceptions, +they have never systematically used anything except what one of +their number described as a 'gentlemanly' bullet.</p> + +<h3>Conduct to Prisoners on the Field.</h3> + +<p>On this count, also, the British soldiers have been exposed to +attacks, both at home and abroad, which are as unfounded and as +shameful as most of those which have been already treated.</p> + +<p>The first occasion upon which Boer prisoners fell into our +hands was at the Battle of Elandslaagte, on October 21, 1899. +That night was spent by the victorious troops in a pouring rain, +round such fires as they were able to light. It has been recorded +by several witnesses that the warmest corner by the fire was +reserved for the Boer prisoners. It has been asserted, and is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +again asserted, that when the Lancers charged a small body of +the enemy after the action, they gave no quarter—'too well +substantiated and too familiar,' says one critic of this assertion. +I believe, as a matter of fact, that the myth arose from a sensational +picture in an illustrated paper. The charge was delivered +late in the evening, in uncertain light. Under such circumstances +it is always possible, amid so wild and confused a scene, that a +man who would have surrendered has been cut down or ridden +over. But the cavalry brought back twenty prisoners, and the +number whom they killed or wounded has not been placed higher +than that, so that it is certain there was no indiscriminate slaying. +I have read a letter from the officer who commanded the cavalry +and who directed the charge, in which he tells the whole story +confidentially to a brother officer. He speaks of his prisoners, +but there is no reference to any brutality upon the part of the +troopers.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stead makes a great deal of some extracts from the letters +of private soldiers at the front who talk of bayonetting their +enemies. Such expressions should be accepted with considerable +caution, for it may amuse the soldier to depict himself as rather a +terrible fellow to his home-staying friends. Even if isolated +instances could be corroborated, it would merely show that men +of fiery temperament in the flush of battle are occasionally not +to be restrained, either by the power of discipline or by the +example and exhortations of their officers. Such instances, I do +not doubt, could be found among all troops in all wars. But to +found upon it a general charge of brutality or cruelty is unjust +in the case of a foreigner, and unnatural in the case of our own +people.</p> + +<p>There is one final and complete answer to all such charges. +It is that we have now in our hands 42,000 males of the Boer +nations. They assert, and we cannot deny, that their losses in +killed have been extraordinarily light during two years of warfare. +How are these admitted and certain facts compatible with any +general refusal of quarter? To anyone who, like myself, has seen +the British soldiers jesting and smoking cigarettes with their +captives within five minutes of their being taken, such a charge +is ludicrous, but surely even to the most biassed mind the fact +stated above must be conclusive.</p> + +<p>In some ways I fear that the Conventions of The Hague will +prove, when tested on a large scale, to be a counsel of perfection.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +It will certainly be the extreme test of self-restraint and discipline—a +test successfully endured by the British troops at Elandslaagte, +Bergendal, and many other places—to carry a position by assault +and then to give quarter to those defenders who only surrender at +the last instant. It seems almost too much to ask. The assailants +have been terribly punished: they have lost their friends and +their officers, in the frenzy of battle they storm the position, and +then at the last instant the men who have done all the mischief +stand up unscathed from behind their rocks and claim their own +personal safety. Only at that moment has the soldier seen his +antagonist or been on equal terms with him. He must give +quarter, but it must be confessed that this is trying human nature +rather high.</p> + +<p>But if this holds good of an organised force defending a position, +how about the solitary sniper? The position of such a man has +never been defined by the Conventions of The Hague, and no +rules are laid down for his treatment. It is not wonderful if the +troops who have been annoyed by him should on occasion take +the law into their own hands and treat him in a summary fashion.</p> + +<p>The very first article of the Conventions of The Hague states +that a belligerent must (1) Be commanded by some responsible +person; (2) Have a distinctive emblem visible at a distance; +(3) Carry arms openly. Now it is evident that the Boer sniper +who draws his Mauser from its hiding-place in order to have a +shot at the Rooineks from a safe kopje does not comply with any +one of these conditions. In the letter of the law, then, he is +undoubtedly outside the rules of warfare.</p> + +<p>In the spirit he is even more so. Prowling among the rocks +and shooting those who cannot tell whence the bullet comes, there +is no wide gap between him and the assassin. His victims never +see him, and in the ordinary course he incurs no personal danger. +I believe such cases to have been very rare, but if the soldiers +have occasionally shot such a man without reference to the officers, +can it be said that it was an inexcusable action, or even that it was +outside the strict rules of warfare?</p> + +<p>I find in the 'Gazette de Lausanne' a returned Swiss soldier +named Pache, who had fought for the Boers, expresses his amazement +at the way in which the British troops after their losses in +the storming of a position gave quarter to those who had inflicted +those losses upon them.</p> + +<p>'Only once,' he says, 'at the fight at Tabaksberg, have I seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +the Boers hold on to their position to the very end. At the last +rush of the enemy they opened a fruitless magazine fire, and then +threw down their rifles and lifted their hands, imploring quarter +from those whom they had been firing at at short range. I was +astounded at the clemency of the soldiers, who allowed them to +live. For my part I should have put them to death.'</p> + +<p>Of prisoners after capture there is hardly need to speak. +There is a universal consensus of opinion from all, British or +foreign, who have had an opportunity of forming an opinion, that +the prisoners have been treated with humanity and generosity. +The same report has come from Green Point, St. Helena, Bermuda, +Ceylon, Ahmednager, and all other camps. An outcry was raised +when Ahmednager in India was chosen for a prison station, and it +was asserted, with that recklessness with which so many other +charges have been hurled against the authorities, that it was a hot-bed +of disease. Experience has shown that there was no grain of +truth in these statements, and the camp has been a very healthy +one. As it remains the only one which has ever been subjected +to harsh criticism, it may be of use to append the conclusions +of Mr. Jesse Collings during a visit to it last month:</p> + +<p>'The Boer officers said, speaking for ourselves and men, we +have nothing at all to complain of. As prisoners of war we could +not be better treated, and Major Dickenson' (this they wished +specially to be inserted), 'is as kind and considerate as it is possible +to be.'</p> + +<p>Some sensational statements were also made in America as to +the condition of the Bermuda Camps, but a newspaper investigation +has shown that there is no charge to be brought against +them.</p> + +<p>Mr. John J. O'Rorke writes to the 'New York Times,' saying, +'That in view of the many misrepresentations regarding the +treatment of the Boer prisoners in Bermuda, he recently +obtained a trustworthy opinion from one of his correspondents +there.'... The correspondent's name is Musson Wainwright, and +Mr. O'Rorke describes him 'as one of the influential residents in +the island.' He says, 'That the Boers in Bermuda are better off +than many residents in New York. They have plenty of beef, +plenty of bread, plenty of everything except liberty. There are +good hospitals and good doctors. It is true that some of the Boers +are short of clothing, but these are very few, and the Government +is issuing clothing to them. On the whole,' says Mr. Wainwright,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +'Great Britain is treating the Boers far better than most people +would.'</p> + +<p>Compare this record with the undoubted privations, many of +them unnecessary, which our soldiers endured at Waterval near +Pretoria, the callous neglect of the enteric patients there, and +the really barbarous treatment of British Colonial prisoners who +were confined in cells on the absurd plea that in fighting for their +flag they were traitors to the Africander cause.</p> + +<h3>Executions.</h3> + +<p>The number of executions of Boers, as distinguished from the +execution of Cape rebels, has been remarkably few in a war which +has already lasted twenty-six months. So far as I have been able to +follow them, they have been limited to the execution of Cordua for +broken parole and conspiracy upon August 24, 1900, at Pretoria, +the shooting of one or two horse-poisoners in Natal, and the shooting +of three men after the action of October 27, 1900, near Fredericstad. +These men, after throwing down their arms and receiving +quarter, picked them up again and fired at the soldiers from +behind. No doubt there have been other cases, scattered up and +down the vast scene of warfare, but I can find no record of them, +and if they exist at all they must be few in number. Since the +beginning of 1901 four men have been shot in the Transvaal, +three in Pretoria as spies and breakers of parole, one in Johannesburg +as an aggravated case of breaking neutrality by inciting +Boers to resist.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of the war 90 per cent. of the farmers in +the northern district of Cape Colony joined the invaders. Upon +the expulsion of the Boers these men for the most part surrendered. +The British Government, recognising that pressure had been put +upon them and that their position had been a difficult one, +inflicted no penalty upon the rank-and-file beyond depriving them +of the franchise for a few years. A few who, like the Douglas +rebels, were taken red-handed upon the field of battle, were +condemned to periods of imprisonment which varied from one to +five years.</p> + +<p>This was in the year 1900. In 1901 there was an invasion of +the Colony by Boers which differed very much from the former +one. In the first case the country had actually been occupied by +the Boer forces, who were able to exert real pressure upon the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +inhabitants. In the second the invaders were merely raiding +bands who traversed many places but occupied none. A British +subject who joined on the first occasion might plead compulsion, +on the second it was undoubtedly of his own free will.</p> + +<p>These Boer bands being very mobile, and never fighting save +when they were at an overwhelming advantage, penetrated all +parts of the Colony and seduced a number of British subjects +from their allegiance. The attacking of small posts and the +derailing of trains, military or civilian, were their chief employment. +To cover their tracks they continually murdered natives +whose information might betray them. Their presence kept the +Colony in confusion and threatened the communications of the +Army.</p> + +<p>The situation may be brought home to a continental reader by +a fairly exact parallel. Suppose that an Austrian army had +invaded Germany, and that while it was deep in German territory +bands of Austrian subjects who were of German extraction began +to tear up the railway lines and harass the communications. +That was our situation in South Africa. Would the Austrians +under these circumstances show much mercy to those rebel bands, +especially if they added cold-blooded murder to their treason? Is +it likely that they would?</p> + +<p>The British, however, were very long-suffering. Many hundreds +of these rebels passed into their hands, and most of them +escaped with fine and imprisonment. The ringleaders, and those +who were convicted of capital penal offences, were put to death. +I have been at some pains to make a list of the executions in +1901, including those already mentioned. It is at least approximately +correct:</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table class="hd1" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr class="tr1"><td class="tdb">Number</td><td class="center">Place</td><td class="center" colspan="2">Date</td><td class="td5">Reason</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb"> </td><td class="tda"> </td><td class="tdb" colspan="2"><small>1901</small></td><td class="tde"> </td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">De Aar</td><td class="tdc">March</td><td class="tdd">19</td><td class="tde">Train-wrecking.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">Pretoria</td><td class="tdc">June</td><td class="tdd">11</td><td class="tde">Boers breaking oath of neutrality.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Middelburg</td><td class="tdc">July</td><td class="tdd">10</td><td class="tde">Fighting.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Cape Town</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">13</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Cradock</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">13</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">Middelburg</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">24</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">Kenhardt</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">25</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Pretoria</td><td class="tdc">Aug.</td><td class="tdd">22</td><td class="tde">Boer spy.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">3</td><td class="tda">Colesburg</td><td class="tdc">Sept.</td><td class="tdd">4</td><td class="tde">Fighting.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Middelburg</td><td class="tdc">Oct.</td><td class="tdd">10</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Middelburg</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">11</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Vryburg (hanged)</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">12</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">Several</td><td class="tda">Tarkastad</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">12</td><td class="tdce">"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Tarkastad</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">14</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Middelburg</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">15</td><td class="tdce">"</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">Cradock (1 hanged, 1 shot)</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">17</td><td class="tde">Train-wrecking and murdering native.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">Vryburg</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">29</td><td class="tde">Fighting.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Mafeking</td><td class="tdc">Nov.</td><td class="tdd">11</td><td class="tde">Shooting a Native.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Colesburg</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">12</td><td class="tde">Fighting, marauding, and assaulting, &c.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Johannesburg</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">23</td><td class="tde">Persuading surrendered burghers to break oath.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Aliwal North</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">26</td><td class="tde">Cape Police Deserter.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr2"><td class="tdb">1</td><td class="tda">Krugersdorp</td><td class="tdc">Dec.</td><td class="tdd">26</td><td class="tde">Shooting wounded.</td></tr> +<tr class="tr3"><td class="tdb">2</td><td class="tda">Mafeking</td><td class="tdcd">"</td><td class="tdd">27</td><td class="tde">Kaffir murder.</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>Allowing 3 for the 'several' at Tarkastad on October 12, that +makes a total of 34. Many will undoubtedly be added in the +future, for the continual murder of inoffensive natives, some of +them children, calls for stern justice. In this list 4 were train-wreckers +(aggravated cases by rebels), 1 was a spy, 4 were +murderers of natives, 1 a deserter who took twenty horses from +the Cape Police, and the remaining 23 were British subjects +taken fighting and bearing arms against their own country.</p> + +<h3>Hostages upon Railway Trains.</h3> + +<p>Here the military authorities are open, as it seems to me, to a +serious charge, not of inhumanity to the enemy but of neglecting +those steps which it was their duty to take in order to safeguard +their own troops. If all the victims of derailings and +railway cuttings were added together it is not an exaggeration to +say that it would furnish as many killed and wounded as a +considerable battle. On at least five occasions between twenty +and thirty men were incapacitated, and there are very numerous +cases where smaller numbers were badly hurt.</p> + +<p>Let it be said at once that we have no grievance in this. To +derail a train is legitimate warfare, with many precedents to +support it. But to checkmate it by putting hostages upon the +trains is likewise legitimate warfare, with many precedents to +support it also. The Germans habitually did it in France, and the +result justified them as the result has justified us. From the +time (October 1901) that it was adopted in South Africa we have +not heard of a single case of derailing, and there can be no doubt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +that the lives of many soldiers, and possibly of some civilians, +have been saved by the measure.</p> + +<p>I will conclude this chapter by two extracts chosen out of many +from the diary of the Austrian, Count Sternberg. In the first he +describes his capture:</p> + +<p>'Three hours passed thus without our succeeding in finding +our object. The sergeant then ordered that we should take a rest. +We sat down on the ground, and chatted good-humouredly with +the soldiers. They were fine fellows, without the least sign of +brutality—in fact, full of sympathy. They had every right to be +angry with us, for we had spoiled their sleep after they had gone +through a trying day; yet they did not visit it on us in any way, +and were most kind. They even shared their drinking-water +with us. I cannot describe what my feelings were that night. +A prisoner!'</p> + +<p>He adds: 'I can only repeat that the English officers and the +English soldiers have shown in this war that the profession of +arms does not debase, but rather ennobles man.'</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h2><small>THE OTHER SIDE OF THE QUESTION</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">Writing</span> in November 1900, after hearing an expression of +opinion from many officers from various parts of the seat of war, +I stated in 'The Great Boer War': 'The Boers have been the +victims of a great deal of cheap slander in the press. The men +who have seen most of the Boers in the field are the most +generous in estimating their character. That the white flag was +hoisted by the Boers as a cold-blooded device for luring our men +into the open, is an absolute calumny. To discredit their valour +is to discredit our victory.' My own opinion would have been +worthless, but this was, as I say, the result of considerable +inquiry. General Porter said: 'On a few occasions the white +flag was abused, but in what large community would you not find +a few miscreants?' General Lyttelton said: 'The Boers are +brave men, and I do not think that the atrocities which have been +reported are the acts of the regular Dutch burghers, but of the +riff-raff who get into all armies.'</p> + +<p>It is a painful fact, but the words could not possibly be written +to-day. Had the war only ended when it should have ended, the +combatants might have separated each with a chivalrous feeling of +respect for a knightly antagonist. But the Boers having appealed +to the God of battles and heard the judgment, appealed once +more against it. Hence came the long, bitter, and fruitless +struggle which has cost so many lives, so much suffering, and a +lowering of the whole character of the war.</p> + +<p>It is true that during the first year there were many things to +exasperate the troops. The Boers were a nation of hunters and +they used many a ruse which seemed to the straightforward +soldier to be cowardly and unfair. Individuals undoubtedly +played the white-flag trick, and individuals were guilty of holding +up their hands in order to lure the soldiers from their cover. +There are many instances of this—indeed, in one case Lord<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +Roberts was himself a witness of it. Appended is his official +protest:</p> + +<p>'Another instance having occurred of a gross abuse of the +white flag and of the signal of holding up the hands in token of +surrender, it is my duty to inform your Honour that if such abuse +occurs again I shall most reluctantly be compelled to order my +troops to disregard the white flag entirely.</p> + +<p>'The instance occurred on the kopje east of Driefontein Farm +yesterday evening, and was witnessed by several of my own staff +officers, as well as by myself, and resulted in the wounding of +several of my officers and men.</p> + +<p>'A large quantity of explosive bullets of three different kinds +was found in Cronje's laager, and after every engagement with +your Honour's troops.</p> + +<p>'Such breaches of the recognised usages of war and of the +Geneva Convention are a disgrace to any civilised power.'</p> + +<p>But British officers were not unreasonable. They understood +that they were fighting against a force in which the individual +was a law unto himself. It was not fair to impute to deliberate +treachery upon the part of the leaders every slim trick of an unscrupulous +burgher. Again, it was understood that a coward may +hoist an unauthorised white flag and his braver companions may +refuse to recognise it, as our own people might on more than one +occasion have done with advantage. For these reasons there was +very little bitterness against the enemy, and most officers would, +I believe, have subscribed the opinion which I have expressed.</p> + +<p>From the first the position of the Boers was entirely irregular +as regards the recognised rules of warfare. The first article of the +Conventions of The Hague insists that an army in order to claim +belligerent rights must first wear some emblem which is visible at +a distance. It is true that the second article is to the effect that +a population which has no time to organise themselves and who +are defending themselves may be excused from this rule; but the +Boers were the invaders at the outset of the war, and in view +of their long and elaborate preparations it is absurd to say that +they could not have furnished burghers on commando with some +distinctive badge. When they made a change it was for the +worse, for they finally dressed themselves in the khaki uniforms +of our own soldiers, and by this means effected several surprises. +It is typical of the good humour of the British that very many of +these khaki-clad burghers have passed through our hands, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +that no penalty has ever been inflicted upon them for their +dangerous breach of the rules of war. In this, as in the case of +the train hostages, we have gone too far in the direction of +clemency. Had the first six khaki-clad burghers been shot, the +lives of many of our soldiers would have been saved.</p> + +<p>The question of uniform was condoned, however, just as the +white-flag incidents were condoned. We made allowance for the +peculiarities of the warfare, and for the difficulties of our enemies. +We tried to think that they were playing the game as fairly as +they could. Already their methods were certainly rough. Here, +for example, is a sworn narrative of a soldier taken in the fighting +before Ladysmith:</p> + +<p>'Evidence of No. 6418 Private F. Ayling, 3rd Batt. King's +Royal Rifles.</p> + +<div class="mt"><p class="td3">'Near Colenso, February 25, 1900.</p></div> + +<p>'I was taken prisoner about 5 <span class="smcapl">A.M.</span> on 23rd instant by the +Boers, being too far in front of my company to retire. I was +allowed to go about 10 <span class="smcapl">A.M.</span> on the 25th, and rejoined my +regiment.</p> + +<p>'During this time I was kept in the Boer trenches without +food or drink. There were quite twenty of our wounded lying +close to the trenches, and asking for water all the time, which was +always refused. If any of the wounded moved they were shot at. +Most of them died for want of assistance, as they were lying there +two days and two nights. The Boers (who seemed to be all +English) said, "Let them die, and give them no water."'</p> + +<p>Such instances may, however, be balanced against others +where kind-hearted burghers have shown commiseration and +generosity to our wounded and prisoners.</p> + +<p>As the war dragged on, however, it took a more savage +character upon the part of our enemy, and it says much for the +discipline of the British troops that they have held their hands +and refused to punish a whole nation for the cruelty and treachery +of a few. The first absolute murder in the war was that of Lieutenant +Neumeyer, which occurred at the end of November 1900. +The facts, which have since been officially confirmed, were thus +reported at the time from Aliwal:</p> + +<p>'Lieutenant Neumeyer, commanding the Orange River Police +at Smithfield, was driving here, unarmed, in a cart yesterday, +when he was "held up" by two Boers. He was taken prisoner,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +handcuffed, and treacherously shot in the back with a revolver +and again through the head.</p> + +<p>'The murderers stripped off the leggings which Lieutenant +Neumeyer was wearing, searched his clothes for money, and afterwards +dragged the body to a sluit, where, later in the day it was +discovered by the Cape Police and brought here. Two natives +were eye-witnesses of the murder. Lieutenant Neumeyer had +served with distinction in the Rhodesian campaign.'</p> + +<p>At this latter period of the war began that systematic +murdering of the Kaffirs by the Boers which has been the most +savage and terrible feature in the whole business. On both sides +Kaffirs have been used as teamsters, servants, and scouts, but on +neither side as soldiers. The British could with the greatest ease +have swamped the whole Boer resistance at the beginning of the +war by letting loose the Basutos, the Zulus, and the Swazis, all of +whom have blood-feuds with the Boers. It is very certain that +the Boers would have had no such compunctions, for when in 1857 +the Transvaalers had a quarrel with the Free State we have Paul +Botha's evidence for the fact that they intrigued with a Kaffir +chief to attack their kinsmen from the rear. Botha says:</p> + +<p>'I have particular knowledge of this matter, because I took +part in the commando which our Government sent to meet the +Transvaal forces. The dispute was eventually amicably settled, +but, incredible as it may seem, the Transvaal had actually sent +five persons, headed by the notorious Karel Geere, to Moshesh, the +Basuto chief, to prevail upon him to attack <i>us</i>, their kinsmen, in +the rear! I was one of the patrol that captured Geere and his +companions, some of whom I got to know subsequently, and who +revealed to me the whole dastardly plot.'</p> + +<p>This will give some idea as to what we might have had to +expect had native sympathy gone the other way. In the letter +already quoted, written by Snyman to his brother, he asserts that +Kruger told him that he relied upon the assistance of the Swazis +and Zulus. As it was, however, beyond allowing natives to defend +their own lives and property when attacked, as in the case of the +Baralongs at Mafeking, and the Kaffirs in the Transkei, we have +only employed Kaffirs in the pages of the continental cartoons.</p> + +<p>As teamsters, servants, guides, and scouts the Kaffirs were, +however, essential to us, and realising this the Boers, when the +war began to go against them, tried to terrorise them into deserting +us by killing them without mercy whenever they could in any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +way connect them with the British. How many hundreds were +done to death in this fashion it is impossible to compute. After a +British defeat no mercy was shown to the drivers of the wagons +and the native servants. Boer commandos covered their tracks by +putting to death every Kaffir who might give information. +Sometimes they killed even the children. Thus Lord Kitchener, +in his report, narrates a case where a British column hard upon +the track of a Boer commando found four little Kaffir boys with +their brains dashed out in the kraal which the Boers had just +evacuated.</p> + +<p>A case which particularly touched the feelings of the British +people was that of Esau, the coloured blacksmith, who was a man +of intelligence and education, living as a loyal British subject in +the British town of Calvinia. There was no possible case of +'spying' here, since the man had not left his own town. The +appended documents will show why the nation will not have done +its duty until justice has been done upon the murderers. A +touching letter has been published from Esau to the governor of +the district in which he says that, come what may, he would be +loyal to the flag under which he was born. The next news of +him was of his brutal murder:</p> + +<p>'Abraham Esau, a loyal coloured blacksmith, was mercilessly +flogged for refusing to give information as to where arms were +buried. Inflammation of the kidneys set in; nevertheless he was +again beaten through the village with sjamboks until he was +unable to walk, and was then shot dead.'—Calvinia, February 8. +('Times,' February 16, 1901, p. 7 [3]).</p> + +<p>'The district surgeon at Calvinia, writing to the Colonial +secretary, has fully confirmed the flogging and shooting of Esau +by a Boer named Strydom, who stated that he acted in accordance +with orders. No trial was held, and no reason is alleged for the +deed.'—Cape Town, February 19. ('Times,' February 20, 1901, +p. 5 [3]).</p> + +<p>'The authority for the statement of the flogging by the Boers +of a coloured man named Esau at Calvinia was a Reuter's telegram, +confirmed subsequently by the report made to Cape Town +by the district surgeon of Calvinia.'—From Mr. Brodrick's reply +to Mr. Labouchere in House of Commons, February 21. ('Times,' +February 22, 1901).</p> + +<p>'I had a telegram from Sir A. Milner in confirmation of the +reports from various quarters that have reached me. The High<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +Commissioner states that the name of the district surgeon who +reported the mal-treatment of the coloured man is Foote. Sir A. +Milner adds: "There is absolutely no doubt about the murder of +Esau."'—From Mr. Brodrick's reply to Mr. Dillon in House of +Commons, February 22. ('Times,' February 23, 1901).</p> + +<p>The original rule of the British Service was that the black +scouts should be unarmed, so as to avoid all accusations of arming +natives. When it was found that they were systematically shot +they were given rifles, as it was inhuman to expose them to death +without any means of defence. I believe that some armed Kaffirs +who watch the railway line have also been employed in later +phases of the war, the weapons to be used in self-defence. +Considering how pressed the British were at one time, and considering +that by a word they could have thrown a large and +highly disciplined Indian army into the scales, I think that their +refusal to do so is one of the most remarkable examples of moderation +in history. The French had no hesitation in using Turcos +against the Germans, nor did the Americans refrain from using +Negro regiments against the Spaniards. We made it a white +man's war, however, and I think that we did wisely and well.</p> + +<p>So far did the Boers carry their murderous tactics against the +natives, that British prisoners with dark complexions were +in imminent danger. Thus at a skirmish at Doorn River on +July 27, 1901, the seven Kaffir scouts taken with the British were +shot in cold blood, and an Englishman named Finch was shot +with them in the alleged belief that he had Kaffir blood. Here is +the evidence of the latter murder:</p> + +<p>No. 28284 Trooper Charles Catton, 22nd Imperial Yeomanry, +being duly sworn, states:</p> + +<p>'At Doorn River on 27th July, 1901, I was one of the patrol +captured by the Boers, and after we had surrendered I saw a man +lying on the ground, wounded, between two natives. I saw a +Boer go up to him and shoot him through the chest. I noticed +the man, Trooper Finch, was alive. I do not know the name of +the Boer who shot him, but I could recognise him again.'</p> + +<p>No. 33966 Trooper F. W. Madams, having been duly sworn, +states:</p> + +<p>'I was one of the patrol captured by the Boers on 27th July, +1901, near Doorn River. After we had surrendered I went to look +for my hat, and after finding it I was passing the wounded man, +Trooper Finch, when I saw a Boer, whose name I do not know,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +shoot Trooper Finch through the chest with a revolver. I could +identify the man who shot him.'</p> + +<p>This scandal of the murder of the Kaffirs, a scandal against +which no protest seems to have been raised by the pro-Boer press +in England or the Continent, has reached terrible proportions. I +append some of the evidence from recent official reports from the +front:</p> + +<p>Case at Magaliesberg.—About October or November 1900, +the bodies of nine natives were found lying together on the top +of the Magaliesberg. Of these five were intelligence natives, the +remainder being boys employed by the Boers, but suspected of +giving information. The witnesses in this case are now difficult +to find, as they are all natives; but it appears that the natives +were tried by an informal court, of which B. A. Klopper, +ex-President of the Volksraad, was president, and condemned to +death. Hendrik Schoeman, son of the late general, and Piet +Joubert are reported to have acted as escort.</p> + +<p>Case of five natives murdered near Wilge River.—On capturing +a train near Wilge River, Transvaal, on March 11, 1901, the +Boers took five unarmed natives on one side and shot them, +throwing their bodies into a ditch. Corporal Sutton, of the +Hampshire Regiment, saw, after the surrender, a Boer put five +shots into a native who was lying down. Other soldiers on the +train vouch to seeing one man deliberately shoot five boys in cold +blood.</p> + +<p>Case of eight Kaffir boys.—On or about July 17, 1901, eight +Kaffir boys, between the ages of twelve and fourteen, went out +from Uitkijk, near Edenburg, to get oranges. None were armed. +Boers opened fire, shot one, captured six; one escaped, and is +now with Major Damant. Corporal Willett, Damant's Horse, +afterwards saw boys' bodies near farm, but so disfigured that they +could not be recognised. Some Kaffirs were then sent out from +Edenburg and recognised them. One boy is supposed to have +been spared by Boers, body not found. Lieutenant Kentish, +Royal Irish Fusiliers, saw bodies, and substantially confirms +murder, and states Boers were under Field-Cornet Dutoit.</p> + +<p>Case of Klass, Langspruit, Standerton.—Klass's wife states +that on August 3, 1901, Cornelius Laas, of Langspruit, and +another Boer came to the kraal and told Klass to go with them. +On his demurring they accused him of giving information to the +British, and C. Laas shot him through the back of the head as he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +ran away. Another native, the wife of a native clergyman at +Standerton, saw the dead body.</p> + +<p>Case of Two Natives near Hopetown.—On August 22, 1901, +Private C. P. Fivaz, of the Cape Mounted Police, along with two +natives, was captured near Venter Hoek, Hopetown district, by a +force under Commandant Van Reenan. He had off-saddled at the +time, and the natives were sleeping in a stable. He heard Van +Reenan give his men an order to shoot the natives, which order +was promptly carried out in his presence as regards one man, and +he was told that the other had also been shot. The resident on +the farm, A. G. Liebenberg, who warned Fivaz at 5 <span class="smcapl">A.M.</span> of the +approach of the enemy, buried both the bodies where he found +them—viz., one about forty yards from the house and the other +about five hundred yards away. His statement is corroborated by +his son, who saw one of the boys killed.</p> + +<p>Case of John Makran.—John Makran and Alfius Bampa (the +witness) are unarmed natives living near Warmbaths, north of +Pretoria. On the evening of September 17, 1901, Andries Van +der Walt and a party of Boers surrounded Makran's house. Van +der Walt told the boy to come out, and when he did so two men +seized him. While two men held Makran's hands up Van der +Walt stood five yards behind him and shot him through the head +with a Mauser rifle. When the boy fell he shot him again through +the heart, and then with a knife cut a deep gash across his forehead. +Both these boys formerly worked for Van der Walt.</p> + +<p>Case at Zandspruit.—On the night of October 1, 1901, about +11.30 <span class="smcapl">P.M.</span>, a party of Boers surrounded a native house at Dassie +Klip, near Zandspruit, and killed four natives in or about the +house. The party consisted of twenty-four, under the following +leaders: Dirk Badenhorst, of Dassie Klip; Cornelius Erasmus, of +Streepfontein; and C. Van der Merwe, of Rooi Draai. The witnesses +in this case are all natives residing at Dassie Klip, who knew +the assailants well. In one case a native called Karle was endeavouring +to escape over a wall, but was wounded in the thigh. On +seeing he was not dead, Stoffel Visagie, of Skuilhoek, drew a +revolver and shot him through the head. The charge against +these natives appears to have been that they harboured British +scouts.</p> + +<p>Case of Jim Zulu.—On or about October 18, 1901, V. C. Thys +Pretorius (presumably of Pretoria), with seventy men, visited +Waterval North, on the Pretoria-Pietersburg line, and practically<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +murdered two natives, wounding three others, one of whom afterwards +died. The witnesses state that on the morning of October +18, 1901, Pretorius came to a colliery near Waterval North and +called for Jim Zulu, and on his appearance shot him through the +face. Three days later this native died of his wounds. At the +same time he and another man, named Dorsehasmus, also shot +three other natives.</p> + +<p>Here is a further list, showing how systematic has been this +brutality. I reproduce it in its official curtness:</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Barkly West, January 28, +1900.—Native despatch rider shot and mutilated.</p> + +<p>November or December 1900.—Near Virginia two natives +were shot, being accused of showing the British the road to +Ventersburg.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Taungs, December 4, 1900.—Three +natives murdered at Border Siding.</p> + +<p>December 18, 1900.—Native, Philip, shot at Vlakplaats, eight +miles south-west of Pretoria, by J. Johnson and J. Dilmar, of +J. Joubert's commando.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Taungs, December 24, 1900.—Native +shot by Boers at Pudimoe. Three natives killed at +Christiana.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Herschel, January 6, 1901.—Two +natives shot as spies.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Calvinia, January 29, 1901.—Esau +case and ill-treatment of other natives.</p> + +<p>February 28, 1901.—Zulu boy shot dead at Zevenfontein, +between Pretoria and Johannesburg, charged with giving information +to the British, by men of Field-Cornet Jan Joubert's +commando.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Cradock, March 21, 1901.—Murder +of native witness, Salmon Booi.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Taungs, May 8, 1901.—Natives +shot by Boers at Manthe.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Gordonia, May 23, 1901.—Native +shot dead.</p> + +<p>May 25, 1901.—District Harrismith. A native accused of +laziness and insolence was shot by men in M. Prinsloo's commando.</p> + +<p>May 28, 1901.—At Sannah's Post three natives were captured +and shot.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> + +<p>June 5, 1901.—Three natives with Colonel Plumer's column +captured and shot near Paardeberg.</p> + +<p>July 27, 1901.—Seven natives captured with a patrol of +Imperial Yeomanry near Doorn River Hut were shot on the spot.</p> + +<p>Report of Intelligence, East Cape Colony, July 29, 1901.—Shooting +of natives by Commandant Myburgh.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Aliwal North, July 30, 1901.—Shooting +of natives at refugee camp.</p> + +<p>August 23, 1901.—Native captured with a private of the +Black Watch near Clocolan and shot in his presence.</p> + +<p>September 1, 1901.—Four natives with Colonel Dawkins's +column captured in Fauresmith district and shot by order of +Judge Hertzog.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Aliwal North, September 4, +1901.—Brutal treatment of natives by Boers under Bester, J.P., +of Aliwal North.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Riversdale, September 4, +1901.—Two coloured despatch riders severely flogged.</p> + +<p>Report of Intelligence, South Cape Colony, September 18, +1901.—Natives murdered by Theron's orders.</p> + +<p>Report of Chief Commissioner, Richmond, September 23, +1901.—Two unarmed natives shot by Commandant Malan.</p> + +<p>Report of Resident Magistrate, Prieska, September 26, 1901.—Murder +of two unarmed natives.</p> + +<p>Report of Colonel Hickman, Ladismith, October 1, 1901.—Shooting +of two natives by Scheepers.</p> + +<p>Date uncertain.—A native in Petrusburg Gaol was shot in his +cell by two Boers on the approach of the British troops.</p> + +<p>So much for the Kaffir murders. It is to be earnestly hoped +that no opportunism or desire to conciliate our enemies at the +expense of justice will prevent a most thorough examination into +every one of these black deeds, and a most stern punishment for +the criminals.</p> + +<p>I return, however, to the question of the conduct of the +Boers to their white opponents. So long as they were fighting as +an army under the eyes of the honourable men who led them, +their conduct was on the whole good, but guerilla warfare brought +with it the demoralisation which it always does bring, and there +was a rapid falling away from the ordinary humanity between +civilised opponents. I do not mean by this to assert that the +Boer guerillas behaved as did the Spanish guerillas in 1810, or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +the Mexican in 1866. Such an assertion would be absurd. The +Boers gave quarter and they received it. But several isolated +instances, and several general cases have shown the demoralisation +of their ranks. Of the former I might quote the circumstances of +the death of Lieutenant Miers.</p> + +<p>The official intimation was as follows:</p> + +<div class="mt"><p class="td3">'Pretoria: September 27.</p></div> + +<p>'Lieutenant Miers, Somerset Light Infantry, employed with +South African Constabulary, went out from his post at Riversdraai, +25th September, to meet three Boers approaching under white flag, +who, after short conversation, were seen to shoot Lieutenant +Miers dead and immediately gallop away. Inquiry being made +and evidence recorded.'</p> + +<p>A more detailed account was sent by the non-commissioned +officer who was present. He described how the Boers approached +the fort waving a white flag, how a corporal went out to them, and +was told that they wished to speak with an officer, how Captain +Miers rode out alone, and then:</p> + +<p>'As soon as the officer had gone but a short distance on the +far side of the spruit, the Boer with the white flag advanced to +meet him; the officer also continued to advance till he came up +with the blackguard. At the end of three or four minutes we saw +the two walking back to the two Boers (who were standing a good +two miles off from this fort of ours). When they reached the two +Boers we saw the captain dismount, the group being barely visible +owing to a rise in the ground. At the end of five or ten minutes +we were just able to distinguish the sound of a shot, immediately +after which we saw the officer's grey mare bolting westwards across +the veldt riderless, with one of the Boers galloping for all he was +worth after it.'</p> + +<p>Of the general demoralisation here is the evidence of a witness +in that very action at Graspan on June 6, which has been made +so much of by the slanderers of our Army:</p> + +<p>No. 4703 Lance-Corporal James Hanshaw, 2nd Batt. Bedfordshire +Regiment, being duly sworn, states: 'At Graspan on +June 6, 1901, I was present when we were attacked by the +Boers, having previously captured a convoy from them. On +going towards the wagons I found the Boers already there; +finding we were outnumbered and resistance hopeless, we threw +down our arms and held our hands up. Private Blunt, who was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +with me, shouted. "Don't shoot me, I have thrown down my +rifle." The Boers then shot Private Blunt dead. He was holding +his hands above his head at the time. Lieutenant Mair then +shouted, "Have mercy, you cowards." The Boers then deliberately +shot Lieutenant Mair dead as he was standing with his hands +above his head. They then shot at Privates Pearse and Harvey, +who were both standing with their hands up, the same bullet +hitting Private Pearse in the nose, and killing Private Harvey. +Two Boers then rushed from the wagons and threatened to shoot +me, kicked me, and told me to lie down.'</p> + +<p>No. 3253 Private E. Sewell, 2nd Batt. Bedfordshire Regiment, +being duly sworn, states: 'I was at the fight at Graspan on +June 6, 1901. About noon on that date the Boers attacked the +convoy. I retired to Lieutenant Mair's party, when, finding we +were outnumbered and surrounded, we put our hands up. The +Boers took our arms from us and retired round some kraals; +shortly afterwards they came back, and two men shouted, +"Hands up." We said we were already prisoners, and that our +arms had been collected. Private Blunt held up his hands, and +at the same time said, "Don't shoot me, I am already hands up." +The Boers then said, "Take that," and shot him through the +stomach. Lieutenant Mair then stepped out from the wagons, +and said, "Have mercy, you cowards." The Boer then shot him +dead from his horse. The Boer was sitting on his horse almost +touching Lieutenant Mair at the time. The Boer then shot at +Lance-Corporal Harvey and Private Pearse, who were standing +together with their hands up above their heads, the shot wounding +Private Pearse and killing Lance-Corporal Harvey.'</p> + +<p>Here is the evidence of the murder of the wounded at Vlakfontein +on May 29, 1901:</p> + +<p>Private D. Chambers, H Company, 1st Batt. Derbyshire +Regiment, being duly sworn, states: 'Whilst lying on the ground +wounded I saw a Boer shoot two of our wounded who were lying +on the ground near me. This Boer also fired at me, but +missed me.'</p> + +<p>Privates W. Bacon and Charles Girling, 1st Batt. Derbyshire +Regiment, being duly sworn, state: 'Whilst lying wounded on +the ground with two other wounded men four Boers came up to +us, dismounted, and fired a volley at us. We were all hit again, +and Private Goodwin, of our regiment, was killed. The Boers +then took our arms away, and after swearing at us rode away.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> + +<p>Corporal Sargent, 1st Batt. Derbyshire Regiment, being duly +sworn, states: 'While lying wounded behind a rock I saw a Boer +shoot a Yeomanry officer who was walking away, wounded in the +hand.'</p> + +<p>Acting-Sergeant Chambers, 69th Company Imperial Yeomanry, +being duly sworn, states: 'I saw a Boer, a short man with a dark +beard, going round carrying his rifle under his arm, as one would +carry a sporting rifle, and shoot three of our wounded.'</p> + +<p>Private A. C. Bell, 69th Company Imperial Yeomanry, being +duly sworn, states: 'I heard a Boer call to one of our men to put +up his hands, and when he did so the Boer shot him from about +fifteen yards off; I was about twenty yards off.'</p> + +<p>Private T. George, 69th Company Imperial Yeomanry, being +duly sworn, states: 'I was walking back to camp wounded, when +I saw a Boer about seventeen years of age shoot at a wounded +Derby man who was calling for water; the Boer then came up to +me and took my bandolier away.'</p> + +<p>Gunner W. H. Blackburn, 28th Battery Royal Field Artillery, +being duly sworn, states: 'I saw a Boer take a rifle and +bandolier from a wounded Derby man, and then shoot him; the +Boer then came to me and asked me for my rifle; I showed it +him where it was lying on the ground.'</p> + +<p>Things of this sort are progressive. Here is what occurred +at Brakenlaagte when the rear of Benson's column was destroyed.</p> + +<p>Major N. E. Young, D.S.O., Royal Field Artillery, sends the +report to the Commander-in-Chief of Boer cruelty to the officers +and men wounded in the action with Colonel Benson's column at +Brakenlaagte. It is dated Pretoria, November 7, and Lord +Kitchener's covering letter is dated November 9.</p> + +<p>Major Young, who made the inquiries into the charges of +cruelty in accordance with Lord Kitchener's instructions, says:</p> + +<p>'Out of a total of 147 wounded non-commissioned officers and +men seen by me fifty-four had not been in the hands of the Boers. +Of the remaining ninety-three men, eighteen informed me they +had nothing to complain of.</p> + +<p>'Seventy-five non-commissioned officers and men made complaint +of ill-treatment of a more or less serious nature; nearly all +of these had been robbed of whatever money they possessed, also +of their watches and private papers.</p> + +<p>'Many had been deprived of other articles of clothing, hats,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +jackets, and socks, in some cases being left with an old shirt and +a pair of drawers only.</p> + +<p>'There is a consensus of opinion that the wounded lying +round the guns were fired on by Boers, who had already disarmed +them, for a long period, after all firing in their neighbourhood +from our side had ceased.</p> + +<p>'Even the late Colonel Benson was not respected, though he +was protected for some time by a man in authority; eventually +his spurs, gaiters, and private papers were removed.'</p> + +<p>Major Young, in concluding his report, says:—</p> + +<p>'I was impressed with the idea that the statements made to +me were true and not wilfully exaggerated, so simply were they +made. There seems no doubt that though the Boer commandants +have the will they have no longer the power to repress outrage +and murder on the part of their subordinates.'</p> + +<p>Lieutenant G. Acland Troyte, King's Royal Rifle Corps, 25th +Mounted Infantry, states: 'I was wounded on October 25 in a +rearguard action with Colonel Benson's force, near Kaffirstadt. +The Boers came up and stripped me of everything except my +drawers, shirt, and socks, they gave me an old pair of trousers, +and later a coat.'</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Reginald Seymour, 1st Batt. King's Royal +Rifle Corps, 25th Mounted Infantry:—'On October 30 my +company was sent back to the support of Colonel Benson's rearguard. +I was wounded early in the day. The Boers came up. +They took my greatcoat, gaiters, spurs, and helmet; they took +the money and watches from the other wounded, but left them +their clothes except the coat of one man. They then left us +without assistance. Two Boers afterwards returned and took away +a greatcoat belonging to one of our men which had been left over +me. One of the party who stripped us was addressed by the +remainder as Commandant.'</p> + +<p>Captain C. W. Collins, Cheshire Regiment:—'I was signalling +officer to Colonel Benson on October 30. I was wounded, and +lying near the guns about a hundred yards in rear of them. A +field-cornet came up and went away without molesting me. At +about 5.30 <span class="smcapl">P.M.</span>, or a little later, the ambulances came and picked +me up; my ambulance went on some distance farther, and Colonel +Benson and some men were put in it. There seemed to be a lot +of delay, which annoyed the Colonel, and he asked to be allowed +to get away. The delay, however, continued till a Boer came and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +took away Colonel Benson's documents from his pocket, notwithstanding +his protest that they were all private papers, and that +they had been seen by a commandant earlier in the day, who said +they were not required.'</p> + +<p>Private E. Rigby, 4th Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps, states +the Boers took all his clothes except his shirt. This man is not +quite able to speak yet.</p> + +<p>Trooper Hood, 2nd Scottish Horse: 'While I was lying +wounded on the ground the Boers came up and stripped me of +my hat and coat, boots, 15<i>s.</i>, and a metal watch. I saw them +fire at another wounded man as he was coming to me for a drink.'</p> + +<p>Trooper Alexander Main, 2nd Scottish Horse: 'While lying +on the ground, the Boers came close up and stood about fifteen to +twenty yards away from where we were lying wounded round the +guns. All were wounded at this time, and no one was firing. I +saw the Boers there fire at the wounded. Captain Lloyd, a staff +officer, was lying beside me wounded in the leg at this time; he +received one or two more shots in the body, and shortly afterwards +he died. I myself received three more wounds.'</p> + +<p>Trooper Jamieson, Scottish Horse: 'The Boers took off his +boots and they hurt his shattered arm in a terrible manner while +getting off his bandolier. His arm has been removed.'</p> + +<p>Private Parrish, 1st Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps: 'Our +ridge was not firing any more, but whenever a wounded man +showed himself, they fired at him, in this way several were killed; +one man who was waving a bit of blue stuff with the idea of +getting an ambulance, received about twenty shots.'</p> + +<p>Private Prickett, 4th Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps: 'On +October 30 I was lying wounded. I saw the Boers come up, and +an old Boer with black beard and whiskers, and wearing leggings, +whom I should be able to recognise again, shot my friend, Private +F. Foster, 4th Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps, by putting the +muzzle of his rifle to his side. Private Foster had been firing +under cover of an ant-heap till the Boers took the position; he +then threw away his rifle to put his hands up, but was shot all the +same.'</p> + +<p>Private N. H. Grierson, Scottish Horse: 'I was wounded and +lying by the side of Colonel Benson. When the Boers came up +they wanted to begin to loot; Colonel Benson stopped them, +telling them he had received a letter from Commandant Grobelaar +saying the wounded would be respected. Colonel Benson asked if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +he could see Grobelaar; they said they would fetch him, and +brought up someone who was in authority, but I do not think it +was Grobelaar. Colonel Benson told him the wounded were not to +be touched, and he said he would do his best; he himself protected +Colonel Benson for about an hour, but he was still there +when a Boer took off Colonel Benson's spurs and gaiters.'</p> + +<p>Sergeant Ketley, 7th Hussars: 'I was wounded in the head +and hip just before the Boers rushed the guns. I was covered +with blood. A Boer came up, took away my carbine and revolver +and asked me to put up my hands. I could not do this, being +too weak with the loss of blood. He loaded my own carbine and +aimed from his breast while kneeling, and pointed at my breast. +He fired and hit me in the right arm just below the shoulder.'</p> + +<p>Private Bell, 4th Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps, 25th +Mounted Infantry: 'When the Boers came up they took my +boots off very roughly, hurting my wounded leg very much. I +saw them taking watches and money off the other men.'</p> + +<p>Private C. Connor, Royal Dublin Fusiliers: 'I was lying beside +the guns among a lot of our wounded, who were not firing. Every +time one of our wounded attempted to move the Boers fired at +them; several men (about ten or eleven) were killed in this +way.'</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Bircham, 4th Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps: +'Was in the same ambulance wagon as Lieutenant Martin, King's +Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (since deceased), and the latter +told him that when he (Lieutenant Martin) was lying on the +ground wounded the Boers took off his spurs and gaiters. In +taking off his spurs they wrenched his leg, the bone of which +was shattered, completely round, so as to be able to get at the +spurs more easily, though Lieutenant Martin told them where he +was hit.'</p> + +<p>Corporal P. Gower, 4th Batt. King's Royal Rifle Corps, 25th +Mounted Infantry: 'I was wounded and unconscious. When +I came to, the Boers were stripping the men round me. A +man, Private Foster, who was not five yards from me, put up +his hands in token of surrender, but was shot at about five-yards +range by a tall man with a black beard. He was killed.'</p> + +<p>Corporal Atkins, 84th Battery Royal Field Artillery: 'The +Boers came up to me and said, "Can you work this gun?" +I said, "Yes." He said, "Get up and show me." I said, "How +can I? I have one hand taken away, and I am wounded in both<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +legs"—this last was not true. He then said, "Give us your +boots"—he took them and my mackintosh. He took what money +was in my belt. One of our men, Bombardier Collins, got up to +try and put up a white flag, as we were being fired at both from +the camp and by the Boers; as soon as he got up they began +shooting at him. I saw a Kaffir fire three shots from about thirty +yards off.'</p> + +<p>Bombardier Collins, 84th Battery Royal Field Artillery: +'When lying wounded near the guns after the Boers had been +up to them I tried to raise a white flag as our own people were +dropping their bullets close to us. When I did this they fired +at me.'</p> + +<p>So long as an excuse could be found for a brave enemy we +found it. But the day is rapidly approaching when we must +turn to the world with our evidence and say, 'Are these the +deeds of soldiers or of brigands? If they act as brigands, then, +why must we for ever treat them as soldiers?' I have read +letters from soldiers who saw their own comrades ill-treated at +Brakenlaagte. I trust that they will hold their hands, but it is +almost more than can be asked of human nature.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h2><small>CONCLUSIONS</small></h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">I have</span> now dealt with the various vexed questions of the war, and +have, I hope, said enough to show that we have no reason to blush +for our soldiers, but only for those of their fellow-countrymen +who have traduced them. But there are a number of opponents +of the war who have never descended to such baseness, and who +honestly hold that the war might have been avoided, and also +that we might, after it broke out, have found some terms which +the Boers could accept. At their back they have all those amiable +and goodhearted idealists who have not examined the question +very critically, but are oppressed by the fear that the Empire is +acting too roughly towards these pastoral republics. Such an +opinion is just as honest as, and infinitely more respectable than, +that of some journalists whose arrogance at the beginning of the +war brought shame upon us. There is no better representative of +such views than Mr. Methuen in his 'Peace or War,' an able and +moderate statement. Let us examine his conclusions, omitting the +causes of the war, which have already been treated at some length.</p> + +<p>Mr. Methuen draws a close comparison between the situation +and that of the American Revolution. There are certainly points +of resemblance—and also of difference. Our cause was essentially +unjust with the Americans and essentially just with the Boers. +We have the Empire at our back now. We have the command of +the seas. We are very wealthy. These are all new and important +factors.</p> + +<p>The revolt of the Boer States against the British suzerainty +is much more like the revolt of the Southern States against the +Government of Washington. The situation here after Colenso +was that of the North after Bull's Run. Mr. Methuen has much +to say of Boer bitterness, but was it greater than Southern +bitterness? That war was fought to a finish and we see what +has come of it. I do not claim that the parallel is exact, but it +is at least as nearly exact as that from which Mr. Methuen draws<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +such depressing conclusions. He has many gloomy remarks upon +our prospects, but it is in facing gloomy prospects with a high +heart that a nation proves that it is not yet degenerate. Better +pay all the price which he predicts than shrink for one instant +from our task.</p> + +<p>Mr. Methuen makes a good deal of the foolish and unchivalrous, +even brutal, way in which some individuals and some +newspapers have spoken of the enemy. I suppose there are few +gentlemen who have not winced at such remarks. But let Mr. +Methuen glance at the continental press and see the work of the +supporters of the enemy. It will make him feel more charitable +towards his boorish fellow-countrymen. Or let him examine the +Dutch press in South Africa and see if all the abuse is on one +side. Here are some appreciations from the first letter of P.S. (of +Colesburg) in the 'Times':</p> + +<p>'Your lazy, dirty, drunken, lower classes.'</p> + +<p>'Your officers are pedantic scholars or frivolous society men.'</p> + +<p>'The major part of your population consists of females, +cripples, epileptics, consumptives, cancerous people, invalids, and +lunatics of all kinds.'</p> + +<p>'Nine-tenths of your statesmen and higher officials are +suffering from kidney disease.'</p> + +<p>'We will not be governed by a set of British curs.'</p> + +<p>No great chivalry or consideration of the feelings of one's +opponent there! Here is a poem from the 'Volksstem' on +August 26, 1899, weeks before the war, describing the Boer +programme. A translation runs thus:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Then shall our ears with pleasure listen<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To widow's wail and orphan's cry;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And shall we gird, as joyful witness,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The death-watch of your villainy.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Then shall we massacre and butcher<br /></span> +<span class="i2">You, and swallow glad your blood;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And count it "capital with interest"—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Villain's interest—sweet and good.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'And when the sun shall set in Heaven,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Dark with the clouds of steaming blood,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A ghastly, woeful, dying murmur<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Will be the Briton's last salute.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Then shall we start our jolly banquet,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And toast the first "the British blood."'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noin"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span>No doubt a decent Boer would be as ashamed of this as we are +of some of our Jingo papers. But even their leaders, Reitz, +Steyn, and Kruger, have allowed themselves to use language about +the British which cannot, fortunately, be matched upon our side.</p> + +<p>Mr. Methuen is severe upon Lord Salisbury for the uncompromising +nature of his reply to the Presidents' overtures for +peace in March 1900. But what other practical course could he +suggest? Is it not evident that if independence were left to the +Boers the war would have been without result, since all the causes +which led to it would be still open and unsolved. On the morrow +of such a peace we should be faced by the Franchise question, +the Uitlander question, and every other question for the settling +of which we have made such sacrifices. Is that a sane policy? +Is it even tenable on the grounds of humanity, since it +is perfectly clear that it must lead to another and a greater +struggle in the course of a few years? When the work was +more than half done it would have been madness to hold our +hand.</p> + +<p>Surely there is no need for gloomy forebodings. The war has +seemed long to us who have endured it, but to our descendants +it will probably seem a very short time for the conquest of so +huge a country and so stubborn a foe. Our task is not endless. +Four-fifths of the manhood of the country is already in our +hands, and the fifth remaining diminishes week by week. Our +mobility and efficiency increase. There is not the slightest +ground for Mr. Methuen's lament about the condition of the +Army. It is far fitter than when it began. It is mathematically +certain that a very few months must see the last commando +hunted down. Meanwhile civil life is gaining strength once +more. Already the Orange River Colony pays its own way, and +the Transvaal is within measurable distance of doing the same. +Industries are waking up, and on the Rand the roar of the stamps +has replaced that of the cannon. Fifteen hundred of them will +soon be at work, and the refugees are returning at the rate of 400 +a week.</p> + +<p>It is argued that the bitterness of this struggle will never die +out, but history has shown that it is the fights which are fought +to an absolute finish which leave the least rancour. Remember +Lee's noble words: 'We are a Christian people. We have fought +this fight as long and as well as we knew how. We have been +defeated. For us, as a Christian people, there is now but one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +course to pursue. We must accept the situation.' That is how +a brave man accepts the judgment of the God of battles. So it +may at last be with the Boers. These prison camps and concentration +camps have at least brought them, men and women, in +contact with our people. Perhaps the memories left behind will +not be entirely bitter. Providence works in strange ways, and +possibly the seeds of reconciliation, may be planted even there.</p> + +<p>As to the immediate future it is probable that the Transvaal, +with the rush of immigrants which prosperity will bring, will +soon be, next to Natal, the most British of the South African +States. With Natal British, Rhodesia British, the Transvaal +British, the Cape half and half, and only the Orange River Colony +Dutch, the British would be assured of a majority in a parliament +of United South Africa. It would be well to allow Natal to absorb +the Vryheid district of the Transvaal.</p> + +<p>It has occurred to me—a suggestion which I put forward with +all diffidence—that it would be a wise and practicable step to +form a Boer Reservation in the northern districts of the Transvaal +(Watersberg and Zoutpansberg). Let them live there as Basutos +live in Basutoland, or Indians in Indian territory, or the inhabitants +of a protected state in India. Guarantee them, as long as +they remain peaceable under the British flag, complete protection +from the invasion of the miner or the prospector. Let them live +their own lives in their own way, with some simple form of home +rule of their own. The irreconcilable men who could never rub +shoulders with the British could find a home there, and the +British colonies would be all the stronger for the placing in +quarantine of those who might infect their neighbours with their +own bitterness. Such a State could not be a serious source of +danger, since we could control all the avenues by which arms +could reach it. I am aware that the Watersberg and the Zoutpansberg +are not very desirable places of residence, but the thing +is voluntary and no man would need to go there unless he wished. +Without some such plan the Empire will have no safety-valve in +South Africa.</p> + +<p>I cannot conclude this short review of the South African +question without some allusion to the attitude of continental +nations during the struggle. This has been in all cases correct +upon the part of the governments, and in nearly all cases incorrect +upon the part of the people. A few brave and clear-headed men, +like Yves Guyot in France, and M. Tallichet and M. Naville in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +Switzerland, have been our friends, or rather the friends of truth; +but the vast majority of all nations have been carried away by that +flood of prejudice and lies which has had its source in a venal, or at +best an ignorant, press. In this country the people in the long run +can always impose its will upon the Government, and it has, I +believe, come to some very definite conclusions which will affect +British foreign policy for many years to come.</p> + +<p>Against France there is no great bitterness, for we feel that +France has never had much reason to look upon us in any light +save that of an enemy. For many years we have wished to be +friendly, but the traditions of centuries are not so easily forgotten. +Besides, some of our shortcomings are of recent date. Many of us +were, and are, ashamed of the absurd and hysterical outcry in this +country over the Dreyfus case. Are there no miscarriages of +justice in the Empire? An expression of opinion was permissible, +but the wholesale national abuse has disarmed us from resenting +some equally immoderate criticism of our own character and morals. +To Russia also we can bear no grudge, for we know that there is +no real public opinion in that country, and that their press has no +means for forming first-hand conclusions. Besides, in this case +also there is a certain secular enmity which may account for a +warped judgment.</p> + +<p>But it is very different with Germany. Again and again +in the world's history we have been the friends and the allies of +these people. It was so in the days of Marlborough, in those +of the Great Frederick, and in those of Napoleon. When we +could not help them with men we helped them with money. +Our fleet has crushed their enemies. And now, for the first time +in history, we have had a chance of seeing who were our friends +in Europe, and nowhere have we met more hatred and more +slander than from the German press and the German people. +Their most respectable journals have not hesitated to represent +the British troops—troops every bit as humane and as highly +disciplined as their own—not only as committing outrages on +person and property, but even as murdering women and +children.</p> + +<p>At first this unexpected phenomenon merely surprised the +British people, then it pained them, and, finally, after two years +of it, it has roused a deep and enduring anger in their minds. +There is a rumour which crops up from time to time, and which +appears to have some foundation, that there is a secret agreement<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +by which the Triple Alliance can, under certain circumstances, +claim the use of the British fleet. There are, probably, only a +few men in Europe who know whether this is so or not. But if +it is, it would be only fair to denounce such a treaty as soon +as may be, for very many years must pass before it would be +possible for the public to forget and forgive the action of Germany. +Nor can we entirely exonerate the German Government, for we +know the Germans to be a well-disciplined people; and we cannot +believe that Anglophobia could have reached the point of mania +without some official encouragement—or, at least, in the face of +any official discouragement.</p> + +<p>The agitation reached its climax in the uproar over the +reference which Mr. Chamberlain made to the war of 1870 in his +speech at Edinburgh. In this speech Mr. Chamberlain very +justly remarked that we could find precedents for any severe +measures which we might be compelled to take against the +guerillas, in the history of previous campaigns—those of the +French in Algiers, the Russians in the Caucasus, the Austrians +in Bosnia, and the Germans in France. Such a remark implied, +of course, no blame upon these respective countries, but pointed +out the martial precedents which justify such measures. It is +true that the Germans in France never found any reason to lay +the country waste, for they were never faced with a universal +guerilla warfare as we have been, but they gave the <i>franc-tireur</i>, +or the man who was found cutting the wire of the line, very short +shrift; whereas we have never put to death a single <i>bonâ-fide</i> +Boer for this offence. Possibly it was not that the Germans were +too severe, but that we were too lax. In any case, it is evident +that there was nothing offensive in the statement, and those who +have been well informed as to the doings of the British soldiers in +the war will know that any troops in the world might be proud to +be classed with them, either in valour or humanity.</p> + +<p>But the agitators did not even trouble to ascertain the words +which Mr. Chamberlain had used—though they might have seen +them in the original on the table of the <i>Lesezimmer</i> of the nearest +hotel. On the strength of a garbled report a tumult arose over the +whole country and many indignation meetings were held. Six hundred +and eighty clergymen were found whose hearts and heads were +soft enough to be imposed upon by absurd tales of British atrocities, +and these reverend gentlemen subscribed an insulting protest +against them. The whole movement was so obviously artificial—or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +at least based upon misapprehension—that it excited as much +amusement as anger in this country; but still the honour of our +Army is very dear to us, and the continued attacks upon it have +left an enduring feeling of resentment amongst us, which will +not, and should not, die away in this generation. It is not too +much to say that five years ago a complete defeat by Germany +in a European war would have certainly caused British intervention. +Public sentiment and racial affinity would never have +allowed us to see her really go to the wall. And now it is +certain that in our lifetime no British guinea and no soldier's +life would under any circumstances be spent for such an end. +That is one strange result of the Boer war, and in the long run it +is possible that it may prove not the least important.</p> + +<p>Yet some allowance must be made for people who for years +have had only one side of the question laid before them, and have +had that one side supported by every sort of malignant invention +and misrepresentation. Surely the day will come when truth will +prevail, if only for the reason that the sources of corruption will +run dry. It is difficult to imagine that any permanent policy can +ever be upheld by falsehood. When that day does come, and the +nations of Europe see how they have been hoodwinked and made +tools of by a few artful and unscrupulous men, it is possible that +a tardy justice will be done to the dignity and inflexible resolution +which Great Britain has shown throughout. Until the dawn +breaks we can but go upon our way, looking neither to the right +nor to the left, but keeping our eyes fixed ever upon one great +object—a South Africa in which there shall never again be strife, +and in which Boer and Briton shall enjoy the same rights and the +same liberties, with a common law to shield them and a common +love of their own fatherland to weld them into one united nation.</p> + +<p class="hd4">PRINTED BY<br /> +SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. LTD., NEW STREET SQUARE<br /> +LONDON</p> + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Obsolete spellings have been retained.</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 24951-h.txt or 24951-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/9/5/24951">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/9/5/24951</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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