Baird of the Intelligence Department, rode out
to meet them. At 12 o'clock they left by special train for Kroonstad.
There was an hour's delay at Pretoria while another train was being
prepared. During this delay the Executive Council paid a visit to Lord
Kitchener at his request. After that the journey was continued, and
Kroonstad reached in the night.

On the following morning two despatch riders, Robberts and Hattingh,
who had been brought with the Executive Council for that purpose, were
sent out to find President Steyn. They took with them the following
letter with annexures, consisting of copies of the letter of Lord
Kitchener, dated March 4th, 1902, and the above-mentioned
correspondence between the Netherlands and British Governments, which
had been forwarded to Acting President Burger.

_His Honour_ M. T. STEYN, _State President, O.F.S.,
in the Veld_.

KROONSTAD,
_March 24, 1902_.

YOUR HONOUR,

Herewith I send you copies of correspondence which has passed between
us and Lord Kitchener, as a result of which I, with the Members of the
Executive Council, have proceeded hither with the object of meeting
Your Honour.

We learn that Lord Kitchener has sent, or that he intended to send,
the same correspondence to Your Honour, but did not know where to find
you. His opinion was, that you were somewhere to the west of the
railway. I have therefore obtained a copy of the communication
intended for Your Honour and send this also herewith.

We shall wait here until we learn where and when we can meet Your
Honour.

Will you let us have this information as soon as possible and by the
shortest way.

I have the honour to be,
Your Honour's obedient servant,
S. W. BURGER,
_Acting State President_.

The despatch riders reached President Steyn on March 26th, and handed
him the correspondence. The President thereupon immediately sent a
despatch to General de Wet--who was at the moment on his way to
General Badenhorst--summoning him to attend the proposed meeting, and
replied to the Transvaal Government as follows:--

_To His Honour_ S. W. BURGER, _Acting State President of the
S.A. Republic, Kroonstad_.

PRESIDENT'S LAGER,