10. As soon as conditions permit, a commission, on which the local inhabitants will be represented, will be appointed in each district of the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, under the presidency of a magistrate or other official, for the purpose of assisting the restoration of the people to their homes and supplying those who, owing to war losses, are unable to provide themselves with food, shelter, and the necessary amount of seed, stock, implements, &c., indispensable to the resumption of their normal occupations.
His Majesty’s Government will place at the disposal of these commissions a sum of £3,000,000 for the above purposes, and will allow all notes issued under Law 1 of 1900 of the South African Republic and all receipts given by officers in the field of the late Republics, or under their orders, to be presented to a judicial commission, which will be appointed by the Government, and if such notes and receipts are found by this commission to have been duly issued in return for valuable considerations, they will be received by the first-named commissions as evidence of war losses suffered by the persons to whom they were originally given. In addition to the above-named free grant of £3,000,000, his Majesty’s Government will be prepared to make advances on loan for the same purposes free of interest for two years, and afterwards repayable over a period of years with 3 per cent. interest.
No foreigner or rebel will be entitled to the benefit of this clause.
The correspondence relating to the last stage of the South African War was published as a Parliamentary Paper. As the future policy of South Africa will be directed by the considerations which influenced the wording of the final agreement, the important part of the correspondence is quoted in its entirety. A series of brief despatches passed between Lord Kitchener and the Secretary of State for War between March 12 and April 11. The first despatch announced the desire of Mr. Schalk Burger, after receiving from Lord Kitchener a copy of the correspondence connected with the Dutch Government’s negotiations, to obtain safe conduct in order to meet Mr. Steyn with a view to making peace proposals. The meeting of the Boer commanders, as is known, was arranged, and it took place at Klerksdorp. On April 11 Lord Kitchener received permission from the Secretary of State for War to accede to a request from the Boer representatives for permission to lay certain proposals before him. This Boer request was addressed to Lord Kitchener in the following terms:—
“After quoting at length the correspondence between his Majesty’s Government and the Netherlands, they are of opinion that it is a suitable moment to do everything possible to put a stop to the war, and therefore decide to make certain propositions to Lord Kitchener which can serve as a base for further negotiations in order to bring about the desired end. They further decide that, in their opinion, in order to accelerate the desired aim and prevent misunderstanding, Lord Kitchener be requested to meet them personally, time and place to be appointed by him, in order to lay before him direct peace proposals, which they are prepared to submit, and in order to settle at once, by direct communication with him, all questions that may present themselves, and thereby to make sure that this meeting will have the desired result.”
PRELIMINARY OVERTURES.
Then followed the succeeding telegraphic correspondence.
From Lord Kitchener to the Secretary of State for War.
Pretoria, April 12, 1902, 9.22 P.M.
All Boer representatives met to-day and wished the following telegram sent:—
“The Boer representatives wish to lay before his Majesty’s Government that they have an earnest desire for peace, and that they consequently decided to ask the British Government to end hostilities, and to enter into an agreement by which, in their opinion, all future war between them and the British Government in South Africa will be prevented. They consider this object may be attained by providing for following points:—
“1. Franchise.
“2. Equal rights for Dutch and English languages in education matters.
“3. Customs Union.
“4. Dismantling of all forts in Transvaal and Orange River Colony.
“5. Post, Telegraph, and Railways Union.
“6. Arbitration in case of future differences, and only subjects of the parties to be the arbitrators.
“7. Mutual amnesty.
“But if these terms are not satisfactory they desire to know what terms the British Government would give them in order to secure the end they all desire.”
I have assured them that his Majesty’s Government will not accept any proposals which would maintain independence of Republic, as this would do, and that they must expect refusal.
From the Secretary of State for War to Lord Kitchener.
War Office, 13th April 1902, 2.30 P.M.
His Majesty’s Government sincerely share the earnest desire of the Boer representatives for peace, and hope that the present negotiations may lead to that result; but they have already stated in the clearest terms, and must now repeat, that they cannot entertain any proposals which are based upon the continued independence of the former Republics, which have been formally annexed to the British Crown.
From Lord Kitchener to the Secretary of State for War.
Pretoria, 14th April 1902, 6.10 P.M.
The High Commissioner and I met the Boer representatives this morning, when I communicated to them the substance of your telegram. We then endeavoured to induce them to make fresh proposals, but President Steyn, who throughout acted as their leading spokesman, immediately took the line that while the Boer Governments were competent to make peace they were not competent to surrender the independence of their country; that only the people could do this—the people, as explained, meaning the Burghers still in the field. If he was to suggest anything involving the abandonment of independence, it would be a betrayal of their trust.
Schalk Burger and General Botha took precisely the same line. As no progress could be made the meeting was adjourned by mutual consent till this afternoon. The Boer representatives then suggested an armistice in order to consult their people; but I pointed out, with Lord Milner’s full concurrence, that we had not got nearly far enough in the direction of agreement to justify such a course. Finally it was agreed that I should send you the following message, which was read over several times, and fully agreed to by the representatives, to whom I have given a copy of it:—
“A difficulty has arisen in getting on with proceedings. The representatives state that constitutionally they have no power to discuss terms based on the surrender of independence, inasmuch as only the Burghers can agree to such a basis; therefore, if they were to propose, it would put them in a false position with regard to their people. If, however, his Majesty’s Government would state the terms that, subsequent to a relinquishment of independence, they would be prepared to grant, the representatives, after asking for the necessary explanations, without any expression of approval or disapproval, would submit such conditions to their people.”
THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE.
From the Secretary of State for War to Lord Kitchener.
War Office, April 16, 1902, 2.20 P.M.
We have received with considerable surprise the message from the Boer leaders contained in your telegram of April 14.
The meeting was arranged at their request, and they must have been aware of our repeated declarations that we could not entertain any proposals based on the renewed independence of the two South African States. We were, therefore, entitled to assume that the Boer representatives had relinquished the idea of independence, and would propose terms of surrender for the forces still in the field.
They now state that they are constitutionally incompetent to discuss terms which do not include a restoration of independence, but request us to inform them what conditions would be granted if, after submitting the matter to their followers, they were to relinquish the demand for independence.
This does not seem to us to be a satisfactory method of proceeding, or one best adapted to secure, at the earliest moment, a cessation of the hostilities which have involved the loss of so much life and treasure.
We are, however, as we have been from the first, anxious to spare the effusion of further blood, and to hasten the restoration of peace and prosperity to the countries afflicted by the war, and you and Lord Milner are therefore authorised to refer the Boer leaders to the offer made by you to General Botha more than twelve months ago, and to inform them that, although the subsequent great reduction in the strength of the forces opposed to us and the additional sacrifices thrown upon us by the refusal of that offer would justify us in imposing far more onerous terms, we are still prepared, in the hope of a permanent peace and reconciliation, to accept a general surrender on the lines of that offer, but with such modifications in detail as may be agreed upon mutually.
You are also authorised to discuss such modifications with them, and to submit the result for our approval.
Communicate this to High Commissioner.
From Lord Kitchener to the Secretary of State for War.
Pretoria, April 17, 1902, 6.40 P.M.
I communicated your telegram to the Boer representatives this morning. They immediately asked for adjournment to consider it. We met again at 2 P.M., when they pressed for the return of the Boer delegates and for an armistice to enable them to consult their burghers. I refused both on military grounds, but promised facilities for them to hold meeting of their Burghers. Lord Milner impressed on them necessity of coming back with definite powers and determination to make peace at once, which they promised to do. The meeting then broke up, and I had a short meeting with Generals Botha, De Wet, and Delarey, to arrange details of how they are to carry out meeting. These were settled satisfactorily, and they will probably leave to-morrow to get vote from their people.
From Lord Kitchener to the Secretary of State for War.
Pretoria, April 18, 1902, 10.55 A.M.
Have now arranged with the generals all details as to holding meeting, and representatives of both States will leave here to-night to carry out the arrangements.
From the Secretary of State for War to Lord Kitchener.
War Office, April 19, 1902.
Yours of yesterday. We fully realise the necessity of giving the Boer leaders all due opportunity of consulting their commandos, but we trust that no arrangements will be come to which will make it necessary for you to suspend operations until some definite arrangement is in view. We are continuing to send reinforcements.