ritish Commissioner for Bechuanaland, came to England in
1882. In the following year the Delegates from the Transvaal came to
London, and in 1884 the Convention was signed, which was called the
"London Convention."

These years included events of great interest. Mr. Mackenzie
wrote:--"On my way to England I met a friend who had just landed in
South Africa from England. He warned me 'If you say a good word for
South Africa, Mr. Mackenzie, you will get yourself insulted. They will
not hear a word on its behalf in England; they are so disgusted with the
mess that has been made.'

'They had good reason to be disgusted, but I want all the same to tell
them a number of things about the true condition of the country.'

'They will not listen,' my friend declared, 'They will only swear at
you.' This was not very encouraging, but it was not far from the truth
as to the public feeling at that time.

Being in the----counties of England I was offered an introduction to the
Editor of a well-known newspaper, who was also a pungent writer on
social questions under a _nom de plume_ which had got to be so well
known as no longer to serve the purpose of the writer's concealment of
identity.

'You come from South Africa, do you,' said the great man; 'a place where
we have had much trouble, but mean to have no more.'

'Trouble, however,' I answered, 'is inseparable from Empire. Whoever
governs South Africa must meet with some trouble and difficulty,
although not much when honestly faced.'

'I assure you,' he broke in, 'we are not going to try it again after the
one fashion or the other. We are out of it, and we mean to remain so.'

'You astonish me,' I answered; 'what about the Convention recently
signed at Pretoria (1881)? What about the speeches still more recently
made in this country in support of it?'

'As to the Convention, I know we signed something; people often do when
they are getting out of a nasty business. We never meant to keep it, nor
shall we.'

I believe I whistled a low whistle just to let off the steam, and then
replied calmly, 'Will you allow me to say that by your own showing you
are a bad lot, a very bad lot, as politicians.'

'That may be, but it does not alter the fact, which is as I state.'

'Well, I am an outsider, but I assure you that the English people,
should they ever know the facts, will agree with me in saying that you
are a bad lot. Such doctrines in commerce would ruin us in a day. You
know