Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

the previous Convention was not renounced; nor was the preamble of the Convention of Pretoria in any way cancelled. But the articles of the new Convention were substituted for the articles of the old.

The Convention of London is described as "A Convention between Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the South African Republic." "It is hereby declared," runs the preamble, "that the following articles of a new Convention shall, when ratified by the Volksraad of the South African Republic, be substituted for the articles embodied in the Convention of the 3rd August, 1881." Articles 1 and 2 define the boundaries of the South African Republic.

Article 3 provides that protection and assistance shall be granted by the South African Republic to the British Resident in Pretoria. Article 4. 66 The South African Republic will conclude no treaty or engagement with any State or nation other than the Orange Free State, nor with any native tribe to the eastward or westward of the republic until the same has been approved by Her Majesty the Queen."

Articles 5 and 6 provide for the South African Republic's liability for various public debts due at the date of annexation, with the interest thereon.

Article 7. "All persons who held property in the Transvaal on the 8th of August, 1881, and still hold the same will continue to enjoy the rights of property which they have enjoyed since April 12th, 1877. No person who remained loyal to Her Majesty during the late hostilities shall suffer any molestation by reason of his loyalty, or be liable to criminal prosecution or civil action for any part taken in connection with such hostilities, and all such persons will have full liberty to reside in the country, with enjoyment of civil rights and protection for their persons and property."

Article 8. "The South African Republic renews the declarations made in the Sand River Convention, and in the Convention of Pretoria, that no slavery or apprenticeship partaking of slavery will be tolerated by the Government of the said Republic." Article 9. "There will continue to be complete freedom of religion and protection from molestation for all denominations, provided the same be not inconsistent with morality and good order, and no disability shall attach to any person, in regard to rights of property, by reason of the religious opinions he holds."

Article 10 provides that the British Resident at Pretoria shall receive full assistance from the South African Republic, in arranging for the care and preservation of the graves of English soldiers who died in the Transvaal.

he could against the English power in Cape Colony itself, went back to the Transvaal to make war.

The brief and inglorious campaign which followed was 1881 beyond question the most shameful which English history has ever had to record. At Broncker's Spruit, at Laing's Nek, at Ingogo Heights, the hastily assembled British forces were defeated. At that Golgotha of the English army-at whose name every English soldier's cheeks have flushed-at Majuba Hill the English forces were routed and disgraced. To the astonishment, shame, and anger of the whole nation, Sir Evelyn Wood, who at that moment, in his own words, held the Boer army in the hollow of his hand, was not allowed to vindicate the honour and bravery of his troops. Not only a handful of English soldiers, but the English Government itself, fled before the Boer rifles at Majuba Hill.

A conference was held at Pretoria, at which the Boers were granted self-government, subject to the suzerainty of the Queen. At this conference it was promised by Paul Krüger himself that British subjects in the Transvaal should be on the same footing as the burghers.

A Convention was drawn up-called the Convention of Pretoria, or the Convention of 1881-the conditions of which may be briefly given. The suzerainty, it should particularly be observed, was conceded by the Boers in the preamble or introduction of the Convention—not in the articles themselves.

The Convention began by defining the suzerainty as the right to appoint an English Resident, to move troops through the country in time of war, and to conduct the foreign relations of the Transvaal State. This was precisely what the Boers themselves had previously offered. It provided for the election of a Volksraad; and for the payment of fair compensation for losses suffered by the loyalists during the war. Several articles followed which provided for the protection of the natives, and re-affirmed provisions of the Sand River Convention against slavery. The Transvaal Government pledged itself to adhere to the boundaries named in the Convention, and to do its utmost to restrain its subjects from breaking through them. The commercial rights of England were specially reserved, and the equal rights of the European settlers with the Boers were also established.

President Krüger, having, as will be seen, no small designs 1884 as to the future and the expansion of the Transvaal, was unceasing in his efforts to get a new Convention substituted for that This he obtained in 1884.

of 1881.

The suzerainty which had been proclaimed in the preamble of

Directly after the signing of the convention of 1884, 1886 President Krüger's ambition induced him to make a series of determined efforts to increase the power and territory of the republic. Far from being a ruler whose one desire, according to his own showing, has been merely to preserve the independence of his own small State, he has been most persistent and aggressive in his efforts to set up in Africa a Dutch Empire in rivalry to the British. On the south-east a raid was made on Zululand, resulting eventually in the addition of some three thousand square miles of territory to the Transvaal. On the north, continued aggression on the part of the Boers led to the establishment of a British Protectorate. On the west, a raid was made into Bechuanaland, which, had it been as successful as that in Zululand, would have absolutely stopped the British road to the Nile. An English expedition, under Sir Charles Warren, was luckily sent into Bechuanaland in time. Sir Charles Warren drove the Boer raiders before him, and Bechuanaland was made a Crown colony. Swaziland, on the east, was also raided and annexed by the Boers; but a resolution of theirs to seize a neck of territory from Swaziland to the Indian Ocean was completely frustrated by the British Government annexing the country from Zululand to Portuguese East Africa, thus finally stopping the Boer road to the sea.

'I nus, not resting content with his territory within the Transvaal, the ambitious President Krüger sought to capture and add to his dominions within a few years the immense districts comprising Zululand, Swaziland, Bechuanaland, Mashonaland, and the strip from Swaziland to the ocean.

At the same time, the most severe reactionary measures were being taken, within the Transvaal, to prevent British citizens from obtaining that equality with the Boers which President Krüger had promised. In 1882 the franchise had been granted to residents of five years' standing. In 1887 the period was extended to fifteen years. In the meantime, as has been mentioned, mining had begun to flourish, and the population of the country to increase.

1895

During the ten years from 1885 to 1895 a great body of immigrants had flowed into the country. In 1895 these were so many as to outnumber the Boer population. In that year there were in the Transvaal some 71,000 Boers and some 80,000 Uitlanders (as the immigrants were called, the word "Uitlander" meaning outlander, or foreigner), of whom about 64,000 were British subjects. These were by no means the good-for-nothing, gambling, drinking, swashbuckling people generally associated with mining camps and towns. They were, and are, unusually industrious, intelligent, and orderly.

Article 11 provides that any grants or titles of land given by the South African Republic outside of the boundaries of the South African Republic shall be of no effect.

Article 12 provides that the independence of the Swazis shall be fully recognised by the South African Republic.

Article 13. 66 Except in pursuance of any treaty made in accordance with Article 4 of this Convention" (i.e., subject to Her Majesty's approval) "no other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation, into the South African Republic, of any article coming from any part of Her Majesty's dominions, than are or may be imposed on the like article coming from any other place or country."

Article 14.

"All persons other than natives conforming themselves to the laws of the South African Republic, will have full liberty with their families to enter, travel, or reside in any part of the South African Republic, and will be entitled to hire or possess houses, manufactories, warehouses, shops, and premises; may carry on their commerce either in person, or by any agent whom they may think fit to employ. They will not be subject, in respect of their persons or property, or in respect of their commerce or industry, to any taxes, whether general or local, other than those which are or may be imposed upon all citizens of the said Republic."

Article 15. "All persons other than natives who established their domicile between 12th April, 1877, and 8th August, 1881, and who, within twelve months after such last-mentioned date, have had their names registered by the British Resident, shall be exempt from all compulsory military services whatever."

Article 16 arranges for the mutual extradition of criminals, and the surrender by the South African Republic of deserters from the British forces.

Article 17 provides that all debts contracted between 12th April, 1877, and 8th August, 1881, will be payable in the currency in which they have been contracted.

Article 19.

Article 18 provides that no grants of land, etc., made between 12th April, 1877, and 8th August, 1881, will be invalidated. The Government of the South African Republic herein engaged faithfully to fulfil all the assurances given in accordance with the laws of the South African Republic to the natives at Pretoria Pitso, allowing them full rights as to freedom, justice, etc.

Article 20. "This Convention will be ratified by a Volksraad of the South African Republic within six months after its execution, and, in default of such ratification, this Convention shall be null and void."

1886

Directly after the signing of the convention of 1884, President Krüger's ambition induced him to make a series of determined efforts to increase the power and territory of the republic. Far from being a ruler whose one desire, according to his own showing, has been merely to preserve the independence of his own small State, he has been most persistent and aggressive in his efforts to set up in Africa a Dutch Empire in rivalry to the British. On the south-east a raid was made on Zululand, resulting eventually in the addition of some three thousand square miles of territory to the Transvaal. On the north, continued aggression on the part of the Boers led to the establishment of a British Protectorate. On the west, a raid was made into Bechuanaland, which, had it been as successful as that in Zululand, would have absolutely stopped the British road to the Nile. An English expedition, under Sir Charles Warren, was luckily sent into Bechuanaland in time. Sir Charles Warren drove the Boer raiders before him, and Bechuanaland was made a Crown colony. Swaziland, on the east, was also raided and annexed by the Boers; but a resolution of theirs to seize a neck of territory from Swaziland to the Indian Ocean was completely frustrated by the British Government annexing the country from Zululand to Portuguese East Africa, thus finally stopping the Boer road to the sea.

Inus, not resting content with his territory within the Transvaal, the ambitious President Krüger sought to capture and add to his dominions within a few years the immense districts comprising Zululand, Swaziland, Bechuanaland, Mashonaland, and the strip from Swaziland to the ocean.

At the same time, the most severe reactionary measures were being taken, within the Transvaal, to prevent British citizens from obtaining that equality with the Boers which President Krüger had promised. In 1882 the franchise had been granted to residents of five years' standing. In 1887 the period was extended to fifteen years. In the meantime, as has been mentioned, mining had begun to flourish, and the population of the country to increase.

During the ten years from 1885 to 1895 a great 1895 body of immigrants had flowed into the country. In 1895 these were SO many as to outnumber the Boer population. In that year there were in the Transvaal some 71,000 Boers and some 80,000 Uitlanders (as the immigrants were called, the word "Uitlander" meaning outlander, or foreigner), of whom about 64,000 were British subjects. These were by no means the good-for-nothing, gambling, drinking, swashbuckling people generally associated with mining camps and towns. They were, and are, unusually industrious, intelligent, and orderly.

« PredošláPokračovať »