ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH AFRICA.
PRETORIA, March 4, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
By direction of His Majesty's Government, I have the honour to forward enclosed copy of an Aide-Mémoire communicated by the Netherlands Minister to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, together with his reply thereto.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, Commanding-in-Chief, South Africa.
TO HIS HONOUR, MR. SCHALK BURGER.
Aide-Mémoire communicated by the Netherlands Minister, January 25, 1902:--
1. It is the opinion of the Government of Her Majesty the Queen that the exceptional circumstances in which one of the belligerent parties in South Africa is situated, which prevents it from placing itself in communication with the other party by direct means, constitutes one of the causes for the continuance of this war, which continuously without interruption or termination harasses that country, and which is the cause of so much misery.
2. The circumstances are indeed exceptional, where one of the belligerent parties is entirely enclosed and isolated from the rest of the world; and where the representatives of the Boers in Europe are precluded from all communication with their Generals. This state of affairs has called into existence the difficulty that those in authority, who ought to negotiate in the interests of the Boers, are divided in two, and deprived of all means of deliberating with each other. It is plain that the Boer Delegates in Europe can do nothing because they are not acquainted with the condition of affairs in Africa, and that the Boers, who are under arms, must refrain from taking the initiative because they are not informed on the condition of affairs in Europe.
3. Further, the Delegates in Europe are tied by their credentials, which were issued in March, 1900, and which bind them so closely to the independence of the Republics, that they would not be warranted even to accept the restoration of the status quo ante bellum, if the method (of settling) the differences, which might arise, was not at the same time arranged.
4. These circumstances cause the question to arise whether an offer of good services could not be made by a neutral Power with the object of at least making it possible to open the way to negotiation, which could otherwise not be begun.
5. For these reasons it would be of importance to know whether it would be agreeable to the Government of His Britannic Majesty to make use of the good services of a neutral Power, if these good services would confine themselves to the task of bringing the negotiators appointed by both parties into communication with each other.
6. Perhaps the Government of Her Majesty the Queen could be considered as indicated to fulfil this task, because the Delegates of the Boers are on Netherland's ground and are accredited only to this Government.
7. If the Government of His Britannic Majesty concurs with this idea, there would be ground for the Government of Her Majesty the Queen to approach the Delegates of the Boers with the question whether they would undertake to proceed to Africa with the object of conferring with the heads of the Boers there, to return to Europe, after staying a limited time (say a fortnight), invested with authority making provision for every possible event, and giving them power to conclude a Treaty of Peace, which would be inviolably binding on the Boers in Europe as well as on the Boers in Africa.
8. In case of an answer in the affirmative, it would be necessary for the Government of His Britannic Majesty to give the Government of the Netherlands three safe-conducts, allowing the Boer Delegates to proceed free to South Africa, to remain there free for the stipulated time, and to return free to Europe. Further, it would be necessary that the British Government allow the use of a telegraphic code to indicate the place where the said Delegates could meet the Leaders of the Boers.
9. After their return the Government of Her Majesty the Queen would place them in communication with the Plenipotentiaries designated for that purpose by the Government of His Britannic Majesty, and voluntarily undertake to place at the disposal of these gentlemen all that is necessary for their meeting.
10. The Government of Her Majesty would then consider its task as completed.
11. It is very clear that, in spite of everything, the negotiations thus commenced might lead to nothing; but the possibility of the contrary is by no means excluded; and under the circumstances it appears to be desirable to try to open negotiations in the hope that they will bear fruit. And with the difficulty in view which exists for all belligerent parties to take the first step in this direction, it might be useful that a third party undertook to do so, and offered itself as mediator.
Confidential.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE to Baron GERICKE.
FOREIGN OFFICE, January 29, 1902.
SIR,
You were good enough to lay before me on the 29th instant a communication from the Netherlands Government, in which it was proposed that, with the object of bringing the war to an end, His Majesty's Government might grant a safe conduct to the Boer Delegates now in Holland for the purpose of enabling them to confer with the Boer Leaders in South Africa. It is suggested that after the conference the Delegates might return to Europe with power to conclude a Treaty of Peace with this country, and the Netherlands Government intimate, in this event, they might at a later stage be instrumental in placing the Boer Plenipotentiaries in relation with the Plenipotentiaries who might be appointed by His Majesty's Government.
The Netherlands Government intimate that if this project commends itself to His Majesty's Government, they will inquire of the Delegates whether they are prepared to make the suggested visit to South Africa.
It may therefore be inferred that the communication which I received from you was made on the responsibility of the Netherlands Government alone, and without authority from the Boer Delegates or Leaders. His Majesty's Government have given it their best consideration, and whilst they entirely appreciate the motives of humanity which have led the Netherlands Government to make this proposal, they feel that they must adhere to the decision adopted and publicly announced by them some months after the commencement of hostilities by the Boers, that it is not their intention to accept the intervention of any foreign Power in the South African war.
Should the Boer Delegates themselves desire to lay a request for safe conduct before His Majesty's Government, there is no reason why they should not do so. But His Majesty's Government are obviously not in a position to express an opinion on any such application until they have received it, and are aware of its precise nature and the grounds on which the request is made.
I may, however, point out that it is not at present clear to His Majesty's Government that the Delegates retain any influence over the Representatives of the Boers in South Africa or have any voice in their councils. They are stated by the Netherlands Government to have no letters of credence or instructions later in date than March, 1900. His Majesty's Government had, on the other hand, understood that all powers of Government, including those of negotiation, were now completely vested in Mr. STEYN for the Boers in the Orange River Colony, and Mr. SCHALK BURGER for those in the Transvaal.
If this be so, it is evident that the quickest and most satisfactory means of arranging a settlement would be by direct communication between the Leaders of the Boer forces in South Africa and the Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's forces, who has already been instructed to forward immediately any offers he may receive for the consideration of His Majesty's Government.
In these circumstances His Majesty's Government have decided that, if the Boer Leaders should desire to enter into negotiations for the purpose of bringing the war to an end, these negotiations must take place not in Europe, but in South Africa.
It should, moreover, be borne in mind that, if the Boer Delegates are to occupy time in visiting South Africa, in consulting with the Boer Leaders in the field, and in returning to Europe for the purpose of making known the result of their errand, a period of at least three months would elapse, during which hostilities would be prolonged, and much human suffering, perhaps needlessly, occasioned.
I have, &c., (Signed) LANSDOWNE.
To this letter Acting-President Schalk W. Burger, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, replied as follows:--
To His Excellency Lord KITCHENER, Commander-in-Chief of the British Troops, Pretoria.
GOVERNMENT LAGER, IN THE VELD, S.A.R., March 10, 1902.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter dated the 4th inst., and to thank you for the transmission of the therein enclosed Confidential Memoranda exchanged between the Netherlands Minister and the Marquis of Lansdowne.
With reference to this communication, I have to say that I am desirous and prepared to make peace proposals, but, in order to be able to decide upon the terms thereof, it is indispensable that I should meet His Honour President Steyn, to enable us to make a proposal jointly, and, to expedite matters, I therefore respectfully request Your Excellency to give me and the Members of my Government a safe conduct through Your Excellency's lines to His Honour President Steyn and back.
I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, Acting State President.
[Illustration: Facsimile of the copy of the reply from the Government of the South African Republic to Lord Kitchener's letter dated 4th March, 1902.]
In reply to this letter Acting State President Burger received the following communication:--
PRETORIA, March 13, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
I beg to acknowledge the receipt of Your Honour's letter of the 10th March, and to inform Your Honour that I shall be pleased to allow the safe conduct you ask for.
I shall be obliged if Your Honour would inform me of the number you propose to bring with you, and that you will send in to Balmoral a day in advance, so that an officer whom I shall designate for the purpose may meet Your Honour and see that all proper arrangements are made for your reception.
I shall order my troops immediately to withdraw from the neighbourhood in which Your Honour now is, and inform them of the safe conduct that is hereby given to Your Honour.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, Commanding-in-Chief South Africa.
TO HIS HONOUR, MR. S. W. BURGER.
Before making use of the opportunity thus obtained of meeting President Steyn, the Government of the South African Republic considered it necessary to ascertain where President Steyn with his Government was, so that he might be informed that the Transvaal Government, under safe conduct from Lord Kitchener, was en route to meet him and his Government. In the following letter Acting-President Burger requested Lord Kitchener to transmit the following telegram to President Steyn:--
To His Excellency LORD KITCHENER, Commander-in-Chief of the British Troops, Pretoria.
GOVERNMENT LAGER, IN THE VELD, S.A.R., March 17, 1902.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 13th inst.
I thank Your Excellency for consenting to our travelling through Your Excellency's lines, and also for the order given to your troops to immediately withdraw from the neighbourhood where I at present am, and for the notice given them of the safe conduct extended to us.
In order to obviate delay I respectfully request Your Excellency to transmit the enclosed telegram to President Steyn, and to put me in possession of His Honour's reply thereto, on receipt of which I shall immediately inform Your Excellency a day in advance, as requested by you, of the time when we shall arrive at Balmoral.
Pending the receipt of Your Excellency's reply we shall remain at Roodepoort, near Rhenosterkop.
I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, Acting State President.
TELEGRAM.
FROM S. W. BURGER, Acting State President, Rhenosterkop, distr. Pretoria.
TO HIS HONOUR PRESIDENT STEYN, IN THE VELD.
With reference to confidential Memoranda exchanged between the Netherlands Minister and Lord Lansdowne, which correspondence was kindly sent to me by His Excellency Lord Kitchener, I with the members of my Government, wish to proceed to meet you. For that purpose a safe conduct has been granted to us by Lord Kitchener. Be so good as to inform me as soon as possible where and when such meeting can take place.
To this the following reply was received by Acting-President Burger:--
ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH AFRICA. PRETORIA, March 18, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
I am placed in some difficulty by the receipt of Your Honour's dispatch enclosing a telegram which you request me to forward to His Honour Mr. Steyn.
Owing to recent military operations in the country South of the Vaal and East of the Railway, His Honour Mr. Steyn, with a following estimated at about Thirty Burghers, has left that district, and was last reported travelling in the vicinity of Bothaville. It is therefore not easy for me to communicate with him, especially as he does not at present make a prolonged stay in any one part of the country. For this reason I venture to suggest, for Your Honour's consideration, that it might save time, if you came now to Balmoral, where a special train would be placed at Your Honour's disposal. You might then travel to the neighbourhood of Kroonstad, where my Officers would give you every assistance to go out and meet His Honour Mr. Steyn, according to the latest information.
It will be understood that the safe conduct I had the pleasure of forwarding to Your Honour was for a definite purpose of passing my lines to meet Mr. Steyn, and will have to be renewed if any delay takes place in taking advantage of it.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, Commanding-in-Chief, South Africa.
HIS HONOUR MR. SCHALK BURGER.
The Transvaal Government then wrote to Lord Kitchener as follows:--
To His Excellency LORD KITCHENER, Commander-in-Chief of the British Troops, Pretoria.
ROODEPOORT, NEAR RHENOSTERKOP, DIST. PRETORIA, S.A.R., March 20, 1902.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
I acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's communication dated the 18th inst., and have the honour to inform you in reply that we shall arrive at Balmoral on Saturday morning the 22nd inst., at 10 o'clock, to avail ourselves of Your Excellency's kind offer to allow us to travel to Kroonstad by rail, and to assist us from there to meet His Honour President Steyn.
I shall be accompanied to Kroonstad by five gentlemen, four white attendants, and one native servant. Furthermore we shall be escorted to Balmoral by some men who will take our vehicles and horses back from there.
I also wish to inform Your Excellency that my guard is still here, where it will remain until our return.
I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, Acting State President.
At this stage of the negotiations an express messenger was despatched to Commandant General Louis Botha, who was then in the South-Eastern districts of the South African Republic, to acquaint him with the decision of the Government, and with the correspondence with Lord Kitchener (of which copies were sent to him). Unfortunately, as it appeared later, the despatch rider did not reach General Botha.
On the morning of March 22nd, 1902, at ten o'clock the Members of the Executive Council, consisting of Acting State President S. W. Burger, State Secretary F. W. Reitz, and Messrs. L. J. Meyer and J. C. Krogh, arrived at Balmoral Station. The Executive Council was also accompanied by Mr. L. J. Jacobsz, Assistant State Attorney, and Mr. D. van Velden, Secretary of the Executive Council (the latter had arrived at Balmoral the previous day with the despatch of March 20th, 1902.)
When they approached the Station, Captain Marker, A.D.C. to Lord Kitchener, Major Leggett, who was connected with the Imperial Military Railways, and Captain Baird of the Intelligence Department, rode out to meet them. At 12 o'clock they left by special train for Kroonstad. There was an hour's delay at Pretoria while another train was being prepared. During this delay the Executive Council paid a visit to Lord Kitchener at his request. After that the journey was continued, and Kroonstad reached in the night.
On the following morning two despatch riders, Robberts and Hattingh, who had been brought with the Executive Council for that purpose, were sent out to find President Steyn. They took with them the following letter with annexures, consisting of copies of the letter of Lord Kitchener, dated March 4th, 1902, and the above-mentioned correspondence between the Netherlands and British Governments, which had been forwarded to Acting President Burger.
His Honour M. T. STEYN, State President, O.F.S., in the Veld.
KROONSTAD, March 24, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
Herewith I send you copies of correspondence which has passed between us and Lord Kitchener, as a result of which I, with the Members of the Executive Council, have proceeded hither with the object of meeting Your Honour.
We learn that Lord Kitchener has sent, or that he intended to send, the same correspondence to Your Honour, but did not know where to find you. His opinion was, that you were somewhere to the west of the railway. I have therefore obtained a copy of the communication intended for Your Honour and send this also herewith.
We shall wait here until we learn where and when we can meet Your Honour.
Will you let us have this information as soon as possible and by the shortest way.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, Acting State President.
The despatch riders reached President Steyn on March 26th, and handed him the correspondence. The President thereupon immediately sent a despatch to General de Wet--who was at the moment on his way to General Badenhorst--summoning him to attend the proposed meeting, and replied to the Transvaal Government as follows:--
To His Honour S. W. BURGER, Acting State President of the S.A. Republic, Kroonstad.
PRESIDENT'S LAGER, IN THE VELD, March 28, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Honour's despatch of the 24th inst., enclosing correspondence between Your Honour and His Excellency Lord Kitchener.
As I have been suffering from my eyes for six or seven weeks, and since, as you know, almost all our doctors have been captured or have left us, I was obliged to proceed to General de la Rey in order to place myself here under the medical treatment of Dr. von Rennenkampff.
I am still under that treatment and am therefore obliged to meet Your Honour in the South African Republic.
I am prepared to meet Your Honour in the neighbourhood of Klerksdorp or Potchefstroom, on any farm in that neighbourhood which His Excellency Lord Kitchener may consider most suitable, or even in one of those towns, if desirable. When fixing the place of meeting, I wish to leave it to Your Honour to obtain a guarantee from His Excellency Lord Kitchener for me and my Government, with the necessary attendants, that we shall be allowed quietly and unhindered to continue our work there for a definite time, as well as a safe-conduct to proceed unhindered to the place of meeting and to return thence unhindered.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, M. T. STEYN, State President, O.F.S.
On receipt of the above letter the Government addressed the following communication to Lord Kitchener:--
To His Excellency LORD KITCHENER, Commander-in-Chief of the British Troops, Pretoria.
KROONSTAD, March 31, 1902.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Herewith I have the honour to send you copy of the letter this day received by me from President Steyn.
With reference thereto I request your Excellency to be so good as to furnish President Steyn with the safe-conduct desired by him, and further to inform us as well as His Honour where, in your opinion, the intended meeting can take place. Possibly Potchefstroom would be the most suitable place therefor.
As His Honour the Commandant-General and General de la Rey are both members of the Executive Council, I request Your Excellency kindly to send them the enclosed message, and also to furnish each of them with a safe-conduct to and from the place of meeting.
I further take the liberty of requesting you to forward the enclosed letter to President Steyn.
I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, Acting State President.
The above-mentioned message to General Botha and to General de la Rey read as follows:--
From To ACTING STATE PRESIDENT, S.A.R. (1) COMMANDANT GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA. (2) GENERAL DE LA REY.
With reference to confidential memoranda exchanged between the Netherlands Minister and Lord Lansdowne, which was sent to us by His Excellency Lord Kitchener, we have come under a safe conduct to meet President Steyn. This meeting will take place in a locality to be decided upon by Lord Kitchener. As we consider your presence necessary there, we have requested His Excellency to furnish you also with a safe-conduct thither and back.
Be so good as to come without delay on receipt hereof.
KROONSTAD, S. W. BURGER, March 31, 1902. Acting State President.
The letter to President Steyn referred to above was as follows:--
To His Honour PRESIDENT STEYN. KROONSTAD, March 31, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
Acknowledging the receipt of Your Honour's letter of the 28th inst., I have, in pursuance of the desire therein expressed by you, requested Lord Kitchener to furnish you with a safe-conduct to such place as may be considered most suitable by His Excellency for the proposed meeting between us.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, Acting State President, S.A.R.
On April 1st, 1902, Lord Kitchener wrote as follows to Acting State President Burger:
ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH AFRICA. PRETORIA, April 1, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
The letters and safe-conducts Your Honour has requested me to send out to Mr. Steyn, Commandant General L. Botha, and General de la Rey will be forwarded at once. I consider Klerksdorp would be the best place for your meeting with these gentlemen.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, Commanding-in-Chief, South Africa.
TO HIS HONOUR MR. S. W. BURGER.
The following letter was forwarded by Lord Kitchener to President Steyn:--
ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH AFRICA. PRETORIA, April 1, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
At the request of His Honour Mr. S. W. Burger, I beg to forward the enclosed letter, and at the same time to provide you with this a safe-conduct for Your Honour and your Executive to come to Klerksdorp and to return thence after your meeting with Mr. Burger and the Transvaal Government.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, Commanding-in-chief, South Africa.
HIS HONOUR MR. M. T. STEYN.
President Steyn then addressed the following letter to Acting President Burger:--
To His Honour the Acting State President, S.A.R., S. W. BURGER, Klerksdorp.
PRESIDENT'S LAGER, IN THE VELD, April 7, 1902.
YOUR HONOUR,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Honour's letter, d.d. March 31st, 1902, with the safe-conduct from Lord Kitchener, to whom I have replied direct.
I hope to be at Klerksdorp on Wednesday, the 9th inst., if not prevented, with General de la Rey and my Executive Council.
I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, M. T. STEYN, State President, O.F.S.