sed to negotiate on a basis differing from that laid down
in the last despatch from H.M. Government, and also differing from
that contained in the Middelburg proposals. I may say that in their
last message H.M. Government went as far as they possibly could to
meet you. The whole spirit of the cablegram was to that effect.

Chief Commandant DE WET: You must understand that if I speak I do not
do so as a lawyer. (Lord Kitchener, laughing: "It's the same case with
me.") I fully agree with what General Botha and General Hertzog have
said with reference to our being in earnest to establish peace; but to
be brief I must say I did not understand that His Excellency Lord
Milner could have intended, as I also view the matter, that we went to
the people with the Middelburg proposals with the idea of returning
with those proposals.

Lord MILNER: If I have given that impression it is not quite what I
mean. But I think that you went to the people with the last message
from His Majesty's Government in your minds, and it was clear from
that message that His Majesty's Government were not prepared to take
any terms into consideration which differed widely from the principle
laid down in the Middelburg proposals.

Chief Commandant DE WET: So I understand the matter, too, and
therefore we have come with a proposal that does not differ so much
from those proposals.

General SMUTS: I had thought that the vital principle for your
Government was to get the independence out of the way. And here the
independence of the two Republics, as far as foreign relations are
concerned, is given away. I therefore thought that possibly the two
parties would come to an arrangement on that basis. I did not think
that the Middelburg terms were essential for the establishment of
peace.

Lord MILNER: Not in details, but in general principles. If the British
Government has laid down a basis, and you have had weeks to consider
the matter, it will never do that you simply set it aside. Lord
Kitchener has given you considerable time to consult the people; and
now you come back and without even referring to the Middelburg
proposals, you set aside those terms or that basis, and propose
entirely different terms, and say: "Let us negotiate on them." I do
not think that I and Lord Kitchener ought to do it; but if he takes
another view the British Government can be asked whether they are
prepared to set aside all the previous discussions and to commence now
on a n