- PAGE
- Preface [ix]
- Introduction by S. W. Burger, M.L.A., Acting State President of the Late South African Republic [xiii]
- Translator's Note [xix]
- CHAPTER I
Preliminary Correspondence [1] - CHAPTER II
Proceedings at Klerksdorp [18] - CHAPTER III
First Negotiations at Pretoria [33] - CHAPTER IV
Vereeniging [46] - CHAPTER V
Further Negotiations at Pretoria [98] - CHAPTER VI
Vereeniging and Peace [138] - Appendix—The Middelburg Proposals [210]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- The Signatories to the Peace Treaty on behalf of the South African Republic. [Frontispiece]
- The Signatories to the Peace Treaty on behalf of the Orange Free State. [Frontispiece]
- Facsimile of the letter from Lord Kitchener upon which the Peace Negotiations were entered into [Facing Title page]
- Facing page
- Facsimile of the copy of the reply from the Government of the South African Republic to Lord Kitchener's letter dated 4th March, 1902 [6]
- Facsimile of Safe Conduct granted by Lord Kitchener [44]
- Facsimile of the Oath subscribed to at Vereeniging by the Delegates of the South African Republic [46]
- Facsimile of the Oath subscribed to at Vereeniging by the Delegates of the Orange Free State [46]
- Facsimile of a page of the Peace Proposals as submitted by the British Representatives and amended by the Boer Representatives. The alterations are in the handwriting of Generals Smuts and Hertzog [112]
- Facsimile of a page of the Peace Proposals as submitted by the British Representatives and amended by the Boer Representatives. The alterations are in the handwriting of General Smuts and Mr. Advocate N. J. de Wet [117]
- Facsimile of the original proposal by Commandant H. P. J. Pretorius, seconded by General Chris. Botha, to accept the British Peace Proposals [202]
- Facsimile of the document on which the voting on the proposal by Commandant H. P. J. Pretorius, seconded by General Chris. Botha, to accept the British Peace Proposals was recorded [206]
PREFACE
The want has been repeatedly expressed of an official publication of the Minutes of the Negotiations which led to the Peace concluded at Vereeniging on May 31, 1902, events which have hitherto been a closed page in the history of the Boer War. As the Republics had ceased to exist, the question arose: Who could publish such Minutes? It is true that some very incomplete Minutes appeared in General de Wet's book, but although they were in all probability reliable, yet they had not the seal of an official document.
The only way in which the want could be met appeared to be for the Secretaries, who had been appointed by the two Republican Governments to minute the Negotiations, to publish those Minutes after they had been read and approved of as authentic by persons competent to do so.
This is what has been done by this publication, which places the reader in possession of all the correspondence leading up to the Negotiations, exact reports of what was said and done, not only at Vereeniging, but also previously at Klerksdorp, and, finally, all the Negotiations which took place at Pretoria between the two Republican Governments and the British Government, represented by Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner.
We, however, were not satisfied to publish this record, which we had most carefully taken down, merely on our own authority. We felt that, if only this and nothing more were done, the world would after all have only our word to rely upon, and that, although the record thus published would always serve as a highly reliable book of reference, it would lack the authority of a document properly authenticated by a body competent to do so.
In order, therefore, to obtain this desirable seal of authenticity to our record, we submitted our manuscript to President Steyn, Acting President Burger, the Chairman of the Meeting of Representatives of the People at Vereeniging (General C. F. Beyers), Generals Botha and Smuts for the South African Republic, and Generals de Wet and Hertzog for the Orange Free State, with the result that they all found our record to be a true and correct account of the Peace Negotiations.
So this book sees the light with their imprimatur, and we therefore publish it with the greatest confidence.