he people of this Republic self-government under certain
conditions; and it would be incompatible with this situation to
submit to arbitration the meaning of the conditions under which she
has granted self-government to the Republic."

Mr. Chamberlain concluded by saying that he could not admit the
intervention of any Foreign power between the English Government and
that of the South African Republic, and that, therefore, he could not
submit the violations of the Convention of 1884 to the consideration of
such a power.

On April 11th, 1898, the new State Secretary, Mr. Reitz, returned to the
question in a long despatch described by Dr. Kuyper as "crushing"
(_foudroyante_), and which proves, at least, that the Suzerainty
Question had been raised before 1898, since it endeavours to refute Mr.
Chamberlain's despatches of March 6th, and October 16th, 1897.

To this Mr. Chamberlain replies, December 15th, 1898:--

"The preamble to the Convention of 1881 remains the basis of the
relations between Her Majesty and the inhabitants of the South
African Republic. To these inhabitants Her Majesty guarantees
internal independence, to Herself she reserves the Suzerainty. The
concession of internal independence and the reservation of the
Suzerainty have but one common origin--the preamble to the
Convention of 1881."

Dr. Reitz succeeded Dr. Leyds as Secretary of State, and on May 9th,
1899, replied to the despatch of the preceding December 15th. In
forwarding this despatch Sir Alfred Milner observed that it contained a
pretension never before put forward by the Government of Pretoria, the
following words being used: "the inherent right of a Sovereign
International State."

Mr. Chamberlain replied, July 13th, 1899, summarising the Conventions of
1852, 1881, and 1884; he recalled Lord Derby's declaration in the House
of Lords, March 17th, 1884: "Whatever Suzerainty meant in the Convention
of Pretoria, the condition of things which it implies still remains.
Though the word is not actually used, we have kept the substance."

[Footnote 21: _Le Siecle_, April 11th, 1900.]

2.--_The Suzerainty and the Conference of the Hague._

How was it that the theorists, who take up the utterance of Dr. Reitz,
that: "the Transvaal has the inherent rights of a Sovereign
International State," did not ask the Queen of the Netherlands that the
South African Republic might be represented at the Con