Origin of the Anglo-Boer War Revealed | Page 5

colonists, sharing in the privileges of self-government, the Dutch
language also raised to equal rights with English; (3) most harmonious
relations with the Orange Free State; (4) reduction of transit duties for
goods to the Republics to 5 per cent, and later to 3 per cent.; (5)
unrestricted privilege for the importations of arms and ammunition to
both Republics. In lieu of friendly reciprocity the return began to be
rancorous mistrust and revival of hatred.

In the course of our study to account for this sad and unwarrantable
change on the part of the Boers we will be following the trail of the
serpent and track it right up to its Hollander lair and to its at first
unsuspected product, the Afrikaner Bond.

PROSPERITY OF BOERS AND POLITICAL RELATIONS WITH
ENGLAND UP TO 1881
A period of about twenty-five years following the establishment of the
Orange Free State and Transvaal Republics was marked with much
progress and prosperity in the Cape Colonies and Natal, both Republics
also having cause to rejoice over similar advancement.
The evil influence which aimed at rending good relations between Boer
and English became more apparent after 1881. During the preceding
era the two races actually had been in a fair way towards friendly
assimilation. Mutual appreciation was further stimulated by the
reciprocal benefits arising from trade and economic relations.
Intermarriages became more frequent under such friendly intercourse, a
respectable Englishman being truly prized in those days as a Boer's
son-in-law. The English language also largely advanced in favour and
prestige not only among the Cape Colonial and Natal Boers, but also in
both Republics, and anti-English sentiments were fast being supplanted
by amity and goodwill.
The principal event in the Orange Free State during that period was a
three years' exhaustive war with the Basuto nation, which ended in the
latter's defeat in 1867. Their chief Moshesh then appealed for British
intervention. The Basutos thus came under England's protection, and a
peace resulted which has ever since continued, through British prestige
and authority as well as good government. The Orange Free State
gained a large tract of the territory conquered by that State, but had to
renounce the rest.
Then, in about 1870, came the discovery of the diamond-fields, situated
on the then still ill-defined western limits of the State. According to a
boundary line claimed by Great Britain, those diamond-fields fell
outside Free State territory. That State received £90,000 compensation
for improvements and expenses incurred during its short occupation of
that disputed strip of diamondiferous ground. The diamond-fields at
Jagersfontein and Koffyfontein were subsequently discovered and lie

deep within the confines of the State. President Brand had proved his
sagacity and discretion in concluding the negotiations with England
upon the question of the peace with the Basutos and then again in
submitting to the boundary delimitations, it being contended even yet
that the Orange Free State had the weightier arguments in its favour in
both instances.
The people of that Republic proved however to be the ultimate gainers
in those adjustments; they did not miss the more solid advantages
attending the discovery of the diamond-fields. Believed of the grave
responsibility involved in governing a turbulent population of foreign
diggers, the geographical position of the Kimberley fields secured to
the Free State farmers an almost entire monopoly in the supply of
products; trade also flourished apace, all tending to enrich the
inhabitants and the State revenue as well.
But the Orange Free State derived a permanent advantage, quite unique
and more than compensating the apparent set-back suffered by the loss
of the diamond-field territory and by British intervention in the Basuto
war matter, in that the method of those procedures saddled England
with the responsibility of guaranteeing the internal safety of the State
from those hitherto unprotected borders "altogether at her own cost."
The Keate award completed the British cordon around the Free State,
excepting only in regard to the Transvaal frontier. No need thenceforth
for costly military provisions for the protection of the State--it was, as
it were, walled and fenced in at British expense, and the State revenue
was thus for ever relieved of a very heavy item of expenditure, which
could be devoted to the increase of the national wealth instead--a
peaceful security accompanied with an intrinsic gain constituting a
veritable and permanent heirloom for the people of that State.
It is notable that the position of the Orange Free State, without any
other access to the sea-board than from colonial ports, made its status
and welfare entirely dependent upon the friendly and loyal good faith
of England. Up to the present unhappy war that State enjoyed unaltered
the best relations without being ever subjected to even a trace of
chicanery from the part of Great Britain.
By what illusion, it may well