Vaal, Treaty of the.
A treaty between the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, signed in 1857, after President Pretorius’ abortive invasion of the Free State. The two countries mutually acknowledged each other’s independence, with the Vaal as the boundary between them. The Transvaal repudiated the acts of Pretorius in his attempt to interfere with the internal Government of the Free State, while the Free State undertook to use every endeavour to compel Schoeman and Joubert to cease hostilities, and further agreed to accord to burghers of the Transvaal the same privileges as were granted to those of Cape Colony and Natal.
Vaccination Act.
An Act passed in 1898, substituting the use of calf-lymph for the old arm-to-arm system in public vaccination, and permitting parents who had a conscientious objection, to withhold their children from vaccination, on satisfying a magistrate of the same.
Vagabonds Act.
An Act passed in 1704, empowering Justices of the Peace to hand over to the military authorities, as recruits, all able-bodied men who were without visible means of subsistence.
Valtelline, Massacre of the.
A massacre of the Grisons Protestants in the Valtelline Valley in 1620, by Robustelli, acting with the connivance of the Austrians and the Spaniards.
Vassalage.
In the Middle Ages, the condition of feudal dependence, either upon the Lord Paramount, as in the case of the great territorial nobles, or upon a vassal of the Lord Paramount.