ration any terms which differed widely from
the policy laid down in the Middelburg proposal."

Commander-in-Chief de Wet: "That was indeed what I understood; and
accordingly we have now come with a proposal which does not differ very
much from the Middelburg proposal."

General Smuts: "I thought that the vital principle your Government had
in view was the destruction of our independence, and in our proposal the
independence of the two Republics with regard to foreign relations is
given up. I was therefore of opinion that the two parties might come to
an arrangement on this basis. I did not think that for the restoration
of peace the Middelburg terms were essential."

Lord Milner: "Not in the details, but in the general ideas. As the
British Government has laid down a basis, and you have had weeks in
which to consider the matter, it would never do for you now to put it on
one side. Lord Kitchener has given your nation considerable time in
which to take counsel; and now you come back, and, ignoring the
Middelburg terms, you propose entirely different ones of your own, and
say, let us negotiate on these. I do not believe that I and Lord
Kitchener would be justified in doing this. But in case he is of another
opinion, the British Government can be asked if they are prepared to set
on one side all the former deliberations and begin again on a new
basis."

Commander-in-Chief de Wet: "We cannot, of course, prevent Lord Kitchener
from asking his Government any questions he pleases, but, at the same
time, we request that you will cable our behests to the English
Government."

Commandant-General Botha: "I cannot see that we are beginning again on a
new basis, for, in consequence of the negotiations in April last, you
were ordered by the British Government to encourage us to make fresh
proposals. Our present proposal is the direct result of that order."

Lord Milner: "I did my best to get fresh proposals from you, but you
would not make any. You forced the British Government into making
proposals."

Commandant-General Botha: "I am of opinion that we must both work
together in this matter of formulating proposals."

Lord Kitchener: "You were asked to make proposals, but you did not do
so; and now, after the British Government has made a proposal, you
yourselves come forward with one of your own."

General De la Rey: "I think that it was the encouragement given us by
correspondence between the Netherlands and the British