uthern Bechuanaland in 1884), which secured between the
Transvaal on the one side and the Kalahari Desert on the other a free
access to the great northern plateau.

The tide of English opinion began to turn about 1870, and since then it
has run with increasing force in the direction of what is called
imperialism, and has indeed in some cases brought about annexations that
are likely to prove unprofitable, because the territory acquired is too
hot and unhealthy to be fit for British settlement. The strides of
advance made in 1884-5 and 1890 have been as bold and large as those of
earlier days were timid and halting; and the last expiring struggles of
the old policy were seen in 1884, when Lord Derby, who belonged to the
departing school, yielded a new convention to the importunity of the
Transvaal Boers and allowed Germany to establish herself in Damaraland.
But it is due to Britain, which has been accused, and so far as regards
South Africa unjustly accused (down to 1896), of aggressive aims, to
recall the fact that she strove for many years to restrict her dominion,
and did not cease from her efforts until long experience had shown that
it was hard to maintain the old policy, and until the advent on the
scene of other European powers, whom it was thought prudent to keep at a
distance from her own settled territories, impelled her to join in that
general scramble for Africa which has been so strange a feature of the
last two decades.

There have been moments, even since the occupation of two points so
important as Basutoland (in 1869) and Griqualand West (in 1871) when it
has seemed possible that South Africa might become Dutch rather than
English, such is the tenacity of that race, and so deep are the roots
which its language has struck. With the discovery of the Witwatersrand
gold-fields, drawing a new body of English immigrants into the country,
that possibility seems to have passed away. The process of territorial
distribution is in South Africa now complete. Every Colony and State has
become limited by boundaries defined in treaties. Every native tribe has
now some legal white superior, and no native tribe remains any longer
formidable. The old race questions have passed, or are passing, into new
phases. But they will be at least as difficult in their new forms as in
their old ones. I will devote the few remaining pages of this book to a
short consideration of them and of the other problems affecting the
future of