to what amount receipts were issued I cannot
say.

Lord MILNER: There is really a compromise possible, namely, to allow
these notes and receipts to be presented, and to introduce again the
limit of L1,000,000.

Lord KITCHENER: Would that meet your difficulty?

General BOTHA: No.

Lord KITCHENER: Would L2,000,000 or L3,000,000 meet you? We want to
have a limit, so as to know what to do.

Chief Commandant DE WET: It is impossible to fix an amount.

Lord KITCHENER: If you could fix a limit it would clear up the matter.

Chief Commandant DE WET: With that I fully agree. I appreciate your
standpoint, but it is an absolute impossibility to name the amount.
Let us withdraw for a moment to discuss this point.

The meeting then adjourned and met again at 2.30 o'clock.

Chief Commandant DE WET: We have agreed to fix an amount of L3,000,000
for Government notes and receipts, which can be reduced _pro rata_ if
this amount is not sufficient. We have drafted a clause to submit to
you.

General Smuts read the draft, which is embodied in the last paragraph
of Clause 11 of the draft agreement. (See p. 117.)

In reply to Lord Kitchener:

Chief Commandant DE WET said: The prisoners-of-war on the various
islands who hold such notes ought also to have the opportunity for
presenting them.

Lord MILNER: What is your next point? We now understand what your
views are on this matter.

General BOTHA: Must I understand that we pass from this point?

Lord MILNER: That document contains your views which we now know.

General BOTHA: We must know what we must say to our delegates.

Lord KITCHENER: Is that the only point or will other points be raised?

General BOTHA: There is another point with reference to the protection
of debtors. This is a serious, a vital question for us.

Lord MILNER: There must be a good understanding between us.... Let
everything be embodied in one document.

General SMUTS: Most of the debts incurred before the war will be
payable at the conclusion of the war. And, if the debtors cannot pay,
we are afraid it will be ruination for a large proportion of the
population. And we would like to see that steps are taken to prevent
this. If Lord Milner intends to take such steps we should like to be
informed what they are.

Lord MILNER: I think it would be better if you made a proposal on this
point.

General SMUTS: Our proposal generally would be: that all interest
which became payable during the war b