or less
the same. The procedure is as follows:--A commando enters, the
Orange Free State flag is hoisted, a meeting is held in the
courthouse, or market-place, and a Proclamation is read annexing
the district. The Commandant then makes a speech, in which he
explains that the people must now obey the Free State laws
generally, though they are at present under martial law. A local
Landdrost is appointed, and loyal subjects are given a few days
or hours in which to quit, or be compelled to serve against their
country. In either case they lose their property to a greater or
less extent. If they elect to quit they are often robbed before
starting or on the journey; if they stay their property and
themselves are commandeered.

"The number of rebels who have actually taken up arms and joined
the enemy during their progress throughout the five annexed
districts can for the present only be matter of conjecture. I
shall, however, be on the safe side in reckoning that during
November it was a number not less than the total of the invading
commandos, that is, 2,000, while it is probable that of the
invading commandos themselves a certain proportion were colonists
who had crossed the border before the invasion took place. And
the number, whatever it was, which joined the enemy before and
during November has been increased since. A well-informed refugee
from the Albert district has estimated the total number of
colonial Boers who have joined the enemy in the invaded
districts south of the Orange River at 3,000 to 4,000. In the
districts north of that river, to which I referred at the
beginning of this despatch, the number can hardly be less. Adding
to these the men who became burghers of the Transvaal immediately
before, or just after, the outbreak of war, with the view of
taking up arms in the struggle, I am forced to the conclusion
that, in round figures, not less than 10,000 of those now
fighting against us in South Africa, and probably somewhat more,
either are, or till quite recently were, subjects of the
Queen."[202]

[Footnote 202: Cd. 264 (Despatch of January 16th, 1900).]

As it turned out, this eastern rebellion was kept within limits by
General French's advance upon Colesberg, and by the skilful and
successful cavalry operations which he subs