Part 33 (1/2)

'From Cronje to Willoughby.

'”Please take notice, I shall immediately let our officers come together to decide upon your communication.”

'From Cronje to Willoughby.

'”I acknowledge your letter. The answer is, If you will undertake to pay the expenses you have caused to the Transvaal, and will lay down your arms, then I will spare the lives of you and yours. Please send me reply to this within thirty minutes.”'

I have now the honour to enclose for the information of His Excellency the High Commissioner and the British Government sworn declarations of:

1. Commandant Cronje, substantiated by Field-Cornet Maartens and a.s.sistant Field-Cornet Van Vuuren.

2. Commandant Potgieter.

3. Commandant Malan.

4. J.S. Colliers, substantiated by B.J. Viljoen, and the interpreter, M. J. Adendorff.

These sworn declarations given before the State Attorney agree in all the princ.i.p.al points, and give a clear summary of all the incidents of the surrender, and from the main points thereof it appears, inter alia:

That the second letter, as published above, and which is alleged to be from Cronje to Willoughby, was not issued from Cronje, but from Commandant Potgieter, who has undoubtedly taken up the proper standpoint, and has followed the general rule in matters of urgency, such as the one in hand, and where the Commandant-General was not present in person on the field of battle, first and before treating wis.h.i.+ng to consult with his co-commandants in as far as was possible.

That a note such as appears in his declaration was sent by Commandant Cronje.

That neither Commandant Malan nor Commandant Potgieter were present at the despatch of it.

That the reply thereon from Willoughby was received by Commandant Cronje, as appears in that declaration.

That Commandant Cronje then, in compliance with the note sent by Commandant Potgieter, as well as the other commandants and officers mentioned in the declaration of Cronje, rode up.

That Commandant Cronje then explained his own note.

That thereupon also Commandant Malan joined his co-commandants and officers, and at this time Commandants Malan, Cronje, and Potgieter were present.

That after consultation, and with the approval of Commandants Cronje and Potgieter, Commandant Malan, by means of the interpreter Adendorff, had the following said to Dr. Jameson:

'This is Commandant Malan. He wishes you distinctly to understand that no terms can be made here. We have no right to make terms here. Terms will be made by the Government of the South African Republic. He can only secure your lives to Pretoria, until you are handed over to Commandant-General at Pretoria.'

That Dr. Jameson agreed to these terms and accepted them.

That thereupon by order of Dr. Jameson the arms were then also laid down.

That Commandant Trichardt then appeared with the orders of the Commandant-General to himself.

It now appears that these orders are those which were contained in the telegram of which I already sent you a copy by my above-quoted letter of the 4th March, 1896, and which, after the final regulation of matters such as had then taken place, was not further acted upon because as regards the surrender negotiations were in fact carried on in accordance with the orders of the Commandant-General.

While putting aside the question of the surrender there is little to be said about the other points contained in the telegram under reply, there is one which is considered of sufficient importance by this Government to even still draw the attention of His Excellency the High Commissioner thereto. His Excellency says: 'I may therefore explain that an armistice had been agreed to pending my arrival.'

The Government here can only think of one other misunderstanding, they having at the time of the disturbances at Johannesburg never recognized any acting party, for which reason therefore the concluding of an armistice was an impossibility.

In conclusion, I have to tender thanks both to His Honour the Secretary of State and His Excellency the High Commissioner for the unprejudiced manner in which they, as against insinuations of a low character, have made known their feelings with respect to the good faith shown by His Honour the State President in his negotiations in connection with the question of the surrender of Dr. Jameson's force.

I have, etc., C. VAN BOESCHOTEN, Acting State Secretary.

His Honour H. Cloete, Acting British Agent, Pretoria.