t Brand in his
telegram was merely an attempt to throw an air of probability over a
series of slanderous falsehoods.

Messages of this nature continued to pour along the wires from day
to day, but the tone of those from the Colonial Office grew gradually
humbler; thus we find Lord Kimberley telegraphing on the 8th February,
that if the Boers would desist from armed opposition all reasonable
guarantees would be given as to their treatment after submission, and
that a scheme would be framed for the "permanent friendly settlement of
difficulties." It will be seen that the Government had already begun
to water the meaning of their declaration that they would vindicate Her
Majesty's authority. No doubt Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Courtney, and their
followers, had given another turn to the Radical screw.

It is, however, clear that at this time no idea of the real aims of the
Government had entered into the mind of Sir George Colley, since on the
7th February he telegraphed home a plan which he proposed to adopt on
entering the Transvaal, which included a suggestion that he should grant
a complete amnesty only to those Boers who would sign a declaration of
loyalty.

In answer to this he was ordered to do nothing of the sort, but to
promise protection to everybody and refer everything home.

Then came the battle of Ingogo, which checked for the time the flow of
telegrams, or rather varied their nature, for those despatched during
the next few days deal with the question of reinforcements. On the 13th
February, however, negotiations were reopened by Paul Kruger, one of
the Triumvirate, who offered, if all the troops were ordered to withdraw
from the Transvaal to give them a free passage through the Nek, to
disperse the Boers and to consent to the appointment of a Commission.

The offer was jumped at by Lord Kimberley, who, without making reference
to the question of withdrawing the soldiers, offered, if only the Boers
would disperse, to appoint a Commission with extensive powers to develop
the "permanent friendly settlement" scheme. The telegram ends thus:
"Add, that if this proposal is accepted, you now are authorised to agree
to suspension of hostilities on our part." This message was sent to
General Wood, because the Boers had stopped the communications with
Colley. On the 19th, Sir George Colley replies in these words, which
show his astonishment at the policy adopted by the Home Government, and
which, in the opinion of most