and on behalf of myself, I wish to
assure him of our deep sympathy, and to express our heartfelt regret
at the loss of a man who has hitherto been the support and the rock of
our good cause. His retirement is a great loss to us all.

Chief Commandant de Wet thanked the Acting State President of the
South African Republic for his sympathetic references, and assured the
meeting that as far as his poor powers enabled him he would do
everything in his power for the Africanders.

Mr. J. NAUDE (Detached Commando under General Kemp) desired some
information about the rebels, and an explanation of the document in
which the British set forth how they would treat the rebels, if their
peace proposals were accepted.

General Smuts furnished the desired information.

Mr. NAUDE further asked whether it rested with the Delegates to decide
to surrender the independence, or whether they could only carry out
their instructions.

General BOTHA replied, that from the documents before the meeting it
was very clear in the opinion of the Governments, as expressed to Lord
Kitchener and to Lord Milner at their first meeting, that only the
people or their special Delegates had the power to decide on the
independence. They had gone to the people, and the people were now
represented by the Delegates here in this meeting.

Mr. NAUDE said: I thus understand that, when the members of the
Governments left Pretoria to have the special Delegates elected they
knew that the persons elected would have to decide whether the
independence would have to be given up or not. I find myself now in a
difficulty, and I must say that some Delegates have (by an oversight,
perhaps) been misled. I have been chosen with a definite instruction,
and with all respect for the explanation of our legal advisers, who
say that we can speak and act here according to circumstances, I must
say that I have come here with a definite instruction from my burghers
to instruct the Governments not to sacrifice the independence.
Further, the burghers gave the Government the right to negotiate, but
then it was to be stipulated in the negotiations that they could
retain their arms, that the rights of the Dutch language should be
guaranteed, which rights are of such great significance to the people,
and a means by which they could again become a people. But in the
terms offered these questions are entirely ignored. I also notice that
provision is made for those burghers who have prope