heir position as British Citizens, agree forthwith to lay
down their arms, handing over all Guns, Rifles, and Munitions of war
in their possession or under their control, and to desist from any
further resistance to the Authority of His Majesty King Edward VII. or
his successors.

"They take this course on the faith of the Assurances of His Majesty's
Government that they and the Burghers surrendering with them will not
be deprived of their personal freedom or their property, and that the
future action of His Majesty's Government in dealing with the
results of the war will be in accordance with the declaration set
forth below.

"It is clearly understood that all Burghers, now Prisoners of war,
must, in order to participate in the benefits of the aforesaid
Assurances, signify their acceptance of the position as British
Citizens."

[Illustration: _Facsimile of a page of the Peace Proposals as
submitted by the British Representatives, and amended by the Boer
Representatives. The alterations are in the handwriting of Generals
Smuts and Hertzog._]

General BOTHA: Must we understand that our proposal has now been
entirely rejected?

Lord MILNER and Lord KITCHENER: Yes.

General BOTHA: Then I must understand that you are going to adhere to
the Middelburg proposals only?

Lord KITCHENER: No, we can alter them.

Lord MILNER: This draft document was originally drawn up to be
attached to the Middelburg proposals; but instead of the Middelburg
proposals, this document has now been substituted to enable us to cast
those proposals in another form.

General SMUTS: If, then, the idea is to alter the Middelburg
proposals, would it not be best to do so now and to attach them to
this document?

Lord MILNER: What takes the place of the Middelburg proposals must be
attached to this document as a schedule, and we must jointly work out
the schedule.

General SMUTS: I think it would be better if you alter the proposal
yourselves and then submit it to us for consideration, so that we can
consider what we shall do with it.

Lord KITCHENER: I am of opinion that a sub-committee out of yourselves
should be appointed to do that.

Lord MILNER: My idea is that the schedule can be drafted by two or
three of us, to be then considered by us as a whole.

General SMUTS: We would like to consider first whether we shall
assist.

Lord MILNER: I am willing to draft it with you or to let you draw it
up alone, but on the ground of my experi