ord Salisbury in July, 1895, in which month a
protectorate was established over British East Africa, and in
November Bechuanaland was annexed to Cape Colony. In December, 1895,
the memorable raid of Dr. Jamieson on the Transvaal miscarried. An
ultimatum presented to Venezuela caused strained relations between
the United States and England, which, however, were adjusted
amicably by the end of 1896. Throughout 1897 and 1898 English troops
were busily occupied with the pacification of newly acquired
territory in Africa, especially in Egypt and the Sudan. Toward the
end of 1898 the Fashoda incident, of which we have spoken at greater
length under the French history, brought England and France
dangerously near to war.

We have seen now how England, without stirring up a great deal of
dust, had been adding continually to her possessions, especially in
Africa. This, of course, aroused gradually the attention and, to a
certain extent, the jealousy of other countries. By 1899 it had
become necessary to adjust some of these difficulties, and England
succeeded in doing this by treaties with France and Egypt, as she
had done before with Germany. Her aggressive policy in South Africa,
however, met determined opposition at the hands of the Boers, who
had begun to fear for their own independence which, being of Dutch
extraction, they valued greater than life. Conferences between Lord
Milner on behalf of England and President Krueger of the Transvaal
came to naught. On October 9, 1899, the latter country presented an
ultimatum which England did not answer. Then the Boer War broke out.
For our purposes it is not necessary to consider its details. It
suffices to state that it lasted until April, 1902. For almost three
years the brave Boers fought against almost impossible odds. Again
and again they defeated the English, but finally they succumbed to
the British Empire's inexhaustible resources in men and money, and
on May 31, 1902, they were forced to accept England's terms for
surrender which cost them their independence. Indeed, as early as
September 1, 1900, the South African Republic was annexed, and on
October 25, Transvaal became an English colony. In its international
aspect the Boer War cost England temporarily the friendship of many
nations, who resented the ruthlessness with which they carried on
war, and ridiculed the lack of efficiency which was so noticeable
during the early stages of the war. Relations with Germany became