at deal
more sensible to wait for an answer. Instead of waiting for an answer
Colley attacked (Jan. 28) and was beaten back--the whole proceeding a
rehearsal of a still more disastrous error a month later.

Brand was now more importunate than ever, earnestly urging on General
Colley that the nature of the scheme should be made known to the Boers,
and a guarantee undertaken that if they submitted they would not be
treated as rebels. "I have replied," Colley tells Lord Kimberley, "that I
can give no such assurance, and can add nothing to your words." In other
correspondence he uses grim language about the deserts of some of the
leaders. On this Mr. Gladstone, writing to Lord Kimberley (Feb. 5), says
truly enough, "Colley with a vengeance counts his chickens before they are
hatched, and his curious letter throws some light backward on the
proceedings in India. His line is singularly wide of ours." The secretary
of state, finding barrack-room rigidity out of place, directs Colley (Feb.
8) to inform Brand (M16) that the government would be ready to give all
reasonable guarantees as to treatment of Boers after submission, if they
ceased from armed opposition, and a scheme would be framed for permanent
friendly settlement. As it happened, on the day on which this was
despatched from Downing Street, Colley suffered a second check at the
Ingogo River (Feb. 8). Let us note that he was always eager in his
recognition of the readiness and promptitude of the military support from
the government at home.(23)

Then an important move took place from the other quarter. The Boers made
their first overture. It came in a letter from Kruger to Colley (Feb. 12).
Its purport was fairly summarised by Colley in a telegram to the colonial
secretary, and the pith of it was that Kruger and his Boers were so
certain of the English government being on their side if the truth only
reached them, that they would not fear the result of inquiry by a royal
commission, and were ready, if troops were ordered to withdraw from the
Transvaal, to retire from their position, and give such a commission a
free passage. This telegram reached London on Feb. 13th, and on the 15th
it was brought before the cabinet.

Mr. Gladstone immediately informed the Queen (Feb. 15) that viewing the
likelihood of early and sanguinary actions, Lord Kimberley thought that
the receipt of such an overture at such a juncture, although its terms
were inadmissible, made it a duty to ex