ey to carry out this object [_i.e._ to
stop the war on the assurance that the Boers wanted nothing more
than their independence]?"

MR. J. VAN KRETSCHMAR, General Manager of the Netherlands South
African Railway Company: "Yes; he said he had travelling expenses
to defray, a lot of publications to issue, and books to be
written, and he asked for money for these purposes."[218]

[Footnote 218: Cd. 624. The memorandum also noted that the
L1,000 was "paid at request of F. W. Reitz" (the State
Secretary). In the Concessions Commission the following
letter is published:

"GOVERNMENT OFFICES, PRETORIA.
_7 April, 1899._

TO VAN KRETSCHMAR VAN VEEN, ESQ.,
DIRECTOR OF THE N.Z.A. RY. CO.

HON'D. SIR,--With reference to a letter of his Excellency the
Ambassador, dated 23 March last, with reference to Mr.
Statham and the latter's request for an assistance of L300
for furniture and such like, I have the honour to inform you
confidentially that the Executive Council has resolved to
grant this gentleman Statham an amount of L150. As, according
to previous agreement, a yearly allowance is paid to Mr.
Statham by your Company, I have the honour to request you
kindly to pay out to the said Mr. Statham the sum granted
him. His Excellency the Ambassador is likewise being informed
of this decision of the Executive Council.--I have, etc.,

J. W. REITZ, _State Secretary_."
(Q. 608.)

Mr. Statham is understood to have been a frequent contributor
to those Liberal journals which sympathised with the Boer
cause. His allowance, however, had ceased before the war
broke out.]

Three months later President Krueger's telegram was laid before the two
ministers whose names it contained by Mr. Schreiner, at Lord Milner's
request, in order that they might have an opportunity of "repudiating
or explaining the allegations affecting themselves which it
contained." Both Mr. Merriman and Mr. Sauer denied that Mr. Hargrove
had received any authority from them to use their names "in the manner
which he appeared to have done." And on April 19th Mr. Merriman
himself wrote to Mr. Hargrove to ask for an explanation. To this
letter Mr. Hargrove r