e Rev. J.D. Kestell and D. Van Velden
acted in a similar capacity for the Commission.

The Conference met at ten o'clock in the morning at the house of Lord
Kitchener. After having greeted each other, the members took their seats
at the table in the centre of the room.

Commandant-General L. Botha opened the proceedings in the following
words:

"Allow me to state that, although the negotiations have taken a longer
time than we expected, I am able to assure your Excellencies that we are
acting in good faith, and that everything has been done with the sole
aim of concluding the peace which we all desire.

"I must also draw attention to the fact that everything we transact here
must be submitted to our national representatives, in order to obtain
their sanction."

The suggestion was then made that the proposals which the Commission was
prepared to make should be laid before the Conference, whereupon the
following letter was read to the meeting:

PRETORIA, _19th May, 1902_.

_To their Excellencies, Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, Pretoria._

YOUR EXCELLENCIES,--

With a view to finally concluding the existing hostilities, and
being fully empowered by the Government of the two Republics, we
have the honour to propose the following points--in addition to the
conditions already offered in the negotiations of April last--as a
basis for negotiations:

(_a_) We are prepared to cede our independence as regards our
foreign relations.

(_b_) We wish to retain self-government in our country, under
British supervision.

(_c_) We are prepared to cede a part of our territory.

Should your Excellencies be prepared to negotiate on this basis,
then the above-mentioned points can be elaborated.

We have the honour to be,
Your Excellencies' most obedient servants,
LOUIS BOTHA.
C.R. DE WET.
J.H. DE LA REY.
J.B.M. HERTZOG.
J.C. SMUTS.

When this letter had been read, a discussion followed.

Lord Milner: "Considering the wide difference between this proposal and
that made by His Majesty's Government, when we last met, I fear that I
can hold out very little hope of any good results following negotiations
on the basis you have suggested."

Lord Kitchener: "We can take those proposals into consideration, but I
cannot see how it is possible to bring them into harmony with those of
His Majesty's Government."

Comm