oops refused to take part in the
enterprise, and this may account for the fact that while the
Reformers believed Dr. Jameson to be supported by some 800 men or
more, he was in reality accompanied by only 480. Here, in order to
give the crude facts of the Raid as known to the public, we may copy
the report of the affair made by Sir John Willoughby to the War
Office:--

"SIR JOHN WILLOUGHBY'S REPORT TO THE WAR OFFICE

"_Official Report of the Expedition that left the Protectorate at
the urgent request of the leading citizens of Johannesburg, with the
object of standing by them and maintaining law and order whilst they
were demanding justice from the Transvaal authorities. By Sir John
C. Willoughby, Bart., Lieutenant-Colonel commanding Dr. Jameson's
Forces._

"On Saturday, December 28, 1895, Dr. Jameson received a Reuter's
telegram, showing that the situation at Johannesburg had become
acute. At the same time reliable information was received that the
Boers in the Zeerust and Lichtenburg districts were assembling, and
had been summoned to march on Johannesburg.

"Preparations were at once made to act on the terms of the letter
dated December 20, and already published, and also in accordance
with verbal arrangements with the signatories of that letter--viz.,
that should Dr. Jameson hear that the Boers were collecting, and
that the intentions of the Johannesburg people had become generally
known, he was at once to come to the aid of the latter with whatever
force he had available, and without further reference to them, the
object being that such force should reach Johannesburg without any
conflict.

"At 3 P.M. on Sunday afternoon, December 29, everything was in
readiness at Pitsani Camp. The troops were paraded, and Dr. Jameson
read the letter of invitation from Johannesburg.

"He then explained to the force--(_a_) that no hostilities were
intended; (_b_) that we should only fight if forced to do so in self
defence; (_c_) that neither the persons nor property of inhabitants
of the Transvaal were to be molested; (_d_) that our sole object was
to help our fellow-men in their extremity, and to ensure their
obtaining attention to their just demands.

"Dr. Jameson's speech was received with the greatest enthusiasm by
the men, who cheered most heartily.

"The above programme was strictly adhered to until the column was
fired upon on the night of the 31st.

"Many Boers, singly and in small parties, were encounte