High Commissioner, Sir Hercules Robinson, and the
Cape Premier, Mr. Rhodes, both brought their influence to bear on
the President. He was obdurate. Mr. Chamberlain, the new Colonial
Secretary, came to the rescue. He put his foot down, and a
determined foot it was. He sent an ultimatum to Mr. Kruger
announcing that closure of the drifts after the 15th of November
would be considered an act of war.

The drifts were reopened. But the Netherlands Railway Company still
stuck to their tariffs and their aim of depriving the British
Colonies of the custom dues and railway rates on the traffic of
Johannesburg. Consequently this thorn in the side of the British
Colonists was left to fester.

[Illustration: SOUTH AFRICAN NATIVES--BOUND FOR THE GOLD-FIELDS.

Photo by Wilson, Aberdeen.]

Day by day the discontent grew, and the cry of "No taxation without
representation" became the Uitlanders' motto. They perceived that
they were deprived of rights, yet expected to serve as milch cows
for the fattening of a State that was arming itself at all points
against them, and they came to the conclusion that some strong
measures must now be taken for their protection. The Chamber of
Mines and the Transvaal National Union had spent some time in
advocating purely constitutional methods, the Chamber of Mines
exploiting the grievances of the Gold Mining industry, while the
National Union struggled for general reforms which should make the
conditions of Uitlander life less intolerable than they were. The
Reformers, whose chairman was Mr. Charles Leonard, a solicitor of
good practice in Johannesburg, were mostly men of the middle and
professional classes. The capitalists, being anxious to keep in with
the Transvaal Government, were somewhat shy of the National
Unionists; while the working men on their side were suspicious of
the motives of the Reformers, and were chary of lending themselves
to any scheme which might conduce to the profit of the millionaires.
The National Union clearly expressed its aims in a manifesto which
ended with the exposition of the Charter which its members hoped to
obtain. It said:

"We want--

1. The establishment of this Republic as a true Republic.

2. A Grondwet, or Constitution, which shall be framed by competent
persons selected by representatives of the whole people, and framed
on lines laid down by them.

3. An equitable Franchise Law and fair representation.

4. Equality of the Dutch and English lang