GENERAL CRONJE.
On the 20th of March, 1899, in reply to a question by Sir E. Ashmead Bartlett as to Great Britain’s right to interfere with the affairs of the South African Republic, Mr. Chamberlain, from his place in parliament, said: [[225]]
“There are certain cases where we can intervene, and rightly intervene, in Transvaal affairs.
“1. In the first place, we may intervene if there is any breach of the convention.
“2. There is no doubt we should have the usual right of interference if * * * the treatment of British subjects in the Transvaal was of such nature as would give us the right to interfere as to the treatment of British subjects in France or Germany.
“3. Then there is only one other case—the third case. We can make friendly recommendations to the Transvaal for the benefit of South Africa generally and in the interests of peace.”
In concluding Mr. Chamberlain said: “I do not feel at the moment that any case has arisen which would justify me in taking the strong action suggested”; the reference being to the sending of an ultimatum.
The next important development was a petition to the Imperial Government, signed by 21,684 British subjects in the Transvaal, praying for interference in their behalf. This was forwarded through Mr. Conyngham Greene, the British agent at Pretoria, to Sir Alfred Milner, Governor of Cape Colony, who transmitted it to London, [[226]]where it was received by Mr. Chamberlain on the 14th of April.
Summarized, the complaints of the petitioners were as follows: