England."

President Steyn remarked that if they themselves offered to conclude
an offensive and defensive treaty with England, they would thereby
alienate all other nations from them. England would use such proposal
to kill all the sympathy other nations had for them.

The meeting did not consider it advisable to add anything to the
proposal, and accepted it as submitted by the Committee.

Mr. L. J. Jacobsz inquired whether, although it was plain that the
Governments were not competent to decide on questions touching the
independence of the Republics, they could not raise the point. If
England did not accept the proposal of the Republican Governments, and
the matter had to be laid before the people, it would be well if those
Governments knew what England was prepared to give instead of the
independence. The question should be thoroughly taken into serious
consideration by their Governments, because, in his opinion, matters
had not improved, but become worse since June, 1901.

General Hertzog was of opinion that the Republican outlook had
improved during the past year. As proof thereof he pointed to the good
spirit that prevailed amongst the burghers. They were determined to
persevere. He also pointed to the engagements that had taken place
since June, 1901. Then it had also been said that the cause was
hopeless, and that no engagement of any importance could still be
fought. He also showed that they knew nothing of the real condition of
the enemy. The Republics being so shut off made that impossible. They
should bear in mind that the enemy also had a hard time of it. England
could not continue indefinitely to enlist soldiers and to borrow
money. He was not yet prepared to surrender his independence.

Commandant General Botha said that they could not take it amiss in one
another if there was no unanimity of views. They had gathered together
confidentially, and should treat one another open-heartedly. There was
nothing that urged him personally to terminate the struggle. He could
flee about as well as anyone else, but when he considered the
circumstances, he was bound to say, "We are becoming weaker." They
were being forced out of those parts of the country which were the
best for them, and to which they had clung most tenaciously. He wished
to prove from facts that they had become weaker. In the Northern and
South-eastern parts of the Republic they had 9,570 men a year ago. Now
they had there only 5,200 men, a red