Lord Milner: Our proposals are six times as definite as yours, and I am of opinion that the British Government are entitled to know whether your people are inclined to come to terms on the general lines of their proposals.
Lord Kitchener: This is an entirely new proposal. How would it be if you went back to the people and asked them whether they would not accept our proposals?
General Smuts: You must understand that the Middelburg proposals, with all that took place here in April, was read out to the people. Their reply was neither yes nor no, but the election of delegates. These delegates have given no reply yet. They are still considering the matter, and to save time they have delegated us to see whether we could not come to an agreement.
Lord Milner: We are deviating from the agreement. Tell us what alterations you desire, and then lay our proposals before your people.
Lord Kitchener: If you agree that your proposal is not in conflict with the annexation, then we have done something.
General Smuts: Is it your opinion that our proposal must be set aside?
Lord Kitchener: Yes, certainly. It is impossible for us to act on it.
Lord Milner: We cannot take your proposal into consideration. We can send it to England, but it will certainly contribute to injure the negotiations. This is my personal opinion, which, of course, you need not accept. We can only say that this is all the reply that we can get out of you.
Lord Kitchener: It will be better to draft a new document in which we note what is important and what not, and omit the unimportant.
General Smuts: But Point 3 of our proposal has not even been touched upon. We are prepared to give up a portion of our territory.