legates at Vereeniging, and Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner.

Lord Kitchener was informed that the Meeting representing the two
Republics had delegated Commandant General Louis Botha, Chief
Commandant C. R. de Wet, General J. H. de la Rey, General J. C. Smuts,
and General J. B. M. Hertzog to confer with the representatives of the
British Government, and in the afternoon of Saturday, May 17, the
Governments received a reply from Lord Kitchener that he and Lord
Milner, on behalf of the British Government, were prepared to meet the
Commission, who were requested to proceed to Pretoria immediately for
that purpose.

The Commission left Vereeniging that same evening for Pretoria, where
they arrived at 8 o'clock p.m. They were accommodated in "Park zicht,"
the residence of Mr. Carl Rood, corner of Mare and van der Walt
Streets.

On Monday morning, May 19, 1902, the Commission assembled early and
wrote the following letter to be submitted to Lord Kitchener and Lord
Milner, and in which the wishes of the peoples' Representatives were
expressed:--

_To their Excellencies_ Lord KITCHENER _and_ Lord MILNER,
_Pretoria_.
PRETORIA, _May 19, 1902_.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES,

With the object of finally terminating the existing hostilities, we
have the honour, by virtue of the authority from the Governments of
both the Republics, to propose the following points as a basis of
negotiations, in addition to the points already offered during the
negotiations in April last:--

(_a_) We are prepared to give up our independence as far as
foreign relations are concerned;

(_b_) We wish to retain internal self-government under British
supervision;

(_c_) We are prepared to give up a portion of our territory.

If Your Excellencies are prepared to negotiate on this basis, the
above-mentioned points can be more fully set forth.

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

_Minutes of Conference held at Pretoria on Monday, May 19, and
following days between_ Lord KITCHENER _and_ Lord MILNER,
_representing the British Government, and_ Commandant-General Louis
BOTHA, Chief Commandant C. R. DE WET, General J. H. DE LA REY, General
J. B. M. HERTZOG, _and_ General J. C. SMUTS, _r