that the lawless incursions of certain Boers
from the Transvaal threaten the utter ruin of peace, civilization, and
Christianity in that land. This Assembly therefore respectfully and most
urgently entreats Her Majesty's Government, in accordance with the
express provision of the Convention by which Self-Government was granted
to the Boers, to take such steps as shall eventually put a stop to a
state of things as inconsistent with the pledged word of England as with
the progress of the Bechuanaland nations." Signed at Bristol, Oct. 1882.

"These," says Mr. Mackenzie, "were not words of war, but of peace; they
were not the words of enemies, but of friends of the Transvaal, many of
whom had been prominent previously in agitating for the Boers getting
back their independence. They felt that this was the just complement of
that action; the Boers were to have freedom within the Transvaal, but
not licence to turn Bechuanaland (and other neighbouring native states)
into a pandemonium."

There was a closer contact in Edinburgh with South Africa than
elsewhere, owing to the constant presence at that University of a large
number of students from South Africa. A public meeting was held in
Edinburgh, among the speakers whereat were Bishop Cotterill, who had
lived many years in South Africa; Mr. Gifford, who had been a long time
in Natal; Professor Calderwood, and Dr. Blaikie, biographer of Dr.
Livingstone. The Venerable Mr. Cullen, the first missionary traveller in
Bechuanaland, who had often entertained Dr. Moffat and Dr. Livingstone
in his house, was present to express his interest in that country. There
were the kindest expressions used towards our Dutch fellow-subjects; but
grave condemnation was expressed of the Transvaal policy towards the
coloured people in making it a fundamental law that they were not to be
equal to the whites either in Church or State.

A South African Committee was formed in London from which a largely
supported address was presented to Mr. Gladstone.

The High Commissioner for Bechuanaland gave his impressions at several
different times during that and the preceding year on the subject of the
constant illegal passing of the Western Boundary line of the Transvaal
by the Boers. Readers will remember that the delimitation of the western
boundary of the Transvaal was a fixed condition of the Convention of
1881, a Convention which was continually violated by the Boers. No rest
was permitted for the poor n