200] ENGLISH HISTORY. [ocr.
threatening tone, . . . and finally, by your note of September 22, 1899," they " broke off all friendly correspondence on the subject, and intimated that they must now proceed to formulate their own proposals for a final settlement, and this Government can only see in the above intimation from her Majesty's Govern- ment a new violation of the Convention of London, 1884, which does not reserve to her Majesty's Government the right to a unilateral settlement of a question which is exclusively a domestic one for this Government and has already been regulated by it."
The note went on to point out that while in the British note of September 22, it was intimated, and again subsequently, that the proposal for a final settlement would shortly be made, no such proposal had up to October 9, reached the Transvaal Government.
4 * Even while friendly correspondence was still going on," continued Dr. Beitz, " an increase of troops on a large scale was introduced by her Majesty's Government and stationed in the neighbourhood of the borders of this republic." An inquiry made on behalf of the Transvaal with regard to this concen- tration of British forces on its borders had only elicited very unsatisfactory replies. Wherefore the Transvaal Government " as a defensive measure was obliged to send a portion of the burghers of this republic in order to offer the requisite resis- tance" to any possible attack on its independence. The note proceeded : " Her Majesty's unlawful intervention in the inter- nal affairs of this republic in conflict with the Convention of London, 1884, caused by the extraordinary strengthening of troops in the neighbourhood of the borders of this republic, has thus caused an intolerable condition of things to arise." Her Majesty's Government was therefore required to give the assurance — " (a) That all points of mutual difference shall be regulated by the friendly course of arbitration, or by whatever amicable way may be agreed upon by this Government with her Majesty's Government. (6) That the troops on the borders of this republic shall be instantly withdrawn, (c) That all re- inforcements of troops which have arrived in South Africa since June 1, 1899, shall be removed from South Africa within a reasonable time, to be agreed upon with this Government, and with a mutual assurance and guarantee on the part of this Gov- ernment that no attack upon or hostilities against any portion of the possessions of the British Government shall be made by the republic during further negotiations within a period of time to be subsequently agreed upon between the Governments, and this Government will, on compliance therewith, be prepared to withdraw the armed burghers of this republic from the bordera (d) That her Majesty's troops which are now on the high seas shall not be landed in any port of South Africa."
It was added that failure on the part of her Majesty's Government to return a satisfactory answer to these demands,
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