as wounded, one of them was brought out to take his
place. The burghers were also destitute of the necessary clothes.
Mealies were still abundant, and they had a fair number of cattle, but
at the present moment the British had all the mealie and Kaffir-corn
fields in their possession, and if they should cut these fields off by
a block house line, his food would be in their hands. With reference
to the Cape Colony, he had about 1,800 men there, and General de Wet
about 600. He saw a chance of still continuing the war.

The Members of the Transvaal Government then reported that they had
met General Kritzinger at Kroonstad. He had received permission from
the British to see President Steyn, and he had greatly regretted that
the President had not been there. With regard to the Cape Colony he
had not given a hopeful prospect to the Transvaal delegates. He stated
that the entire force there amounted to from 1,800 to 2,000 men. There
was a great want of horses, and the enemy made it impossible for the
commandos to get them, as not only horses and mules, but also donkeys
were taken possession of by the enemy. He also said that many
Colonists had laid down their arms.

To this President Steyn and General de Wet replied that at the time
when General Kritzinger made the above statements he was not competent
to express an opinion on the state of affairs in the Cape Colony from
personal observation, because after his rather protracted visit to the
Free State he had barely returned to the Cape Colony when he was
captured at Hanover, badly wounded.

The Meeting then proceeded to the discussion of the question whether
they would request a personal interview with Lord Kitchener, or make
him a proposal in writing.

President Steyn said that, as far as he was concerned, there was only
one condition upon which he could make peace, and that was:
Independence. His opinion was still the same as a year ago, and he saw
nothing to make him change. It was plain to him that the enemy
continually climbed down from the position they had taken up. If the
enemy did not wish the Republics to remain independent, the struggle
must continue. This was what the burghers also desired. Rather than
make terms with the British he would submit unconditionally to them
for ever.

State Secretary Reitz said that to make terms and to give up the
country were two distinct matters. They should try to grasp the
position in which England stood. If England consente