"From Slagter's Nek to Laing's Nek, from the Pretoria Convention to the Bloemfontein Conference--they have ever been the treaty-breakers and robbers. The diamond fields of Kimberley and the beautiful land of Natal were robbed from us, and now they want the gold-fields of the Witwatersrand. "Where is Waterboer to-day? He who had to be defended against the Free State is to-day without an inch of ground. Where lies Lobengula in his unknown grave to-day, and what fillibusters and fortune-hunters are possessors of his country? "Where are the native chiefs of Bechuanaland now, and who owns their land? "Read the history of South Africa, and ask yourselves: Has the British Government been a blessing or a curse to this sub-continent? "Brother Afrikanders! I repeat, the day is at hand on which great deeds are expected of us. WAR has broken out. What is it to be? A wasted and enslaved South Africa, or--a Free, United South Africa? "Come, let us stand shoulder to shoulder and do our holy duty! The Lord of Hosts will be our Leader. "Be of good cheer. "F. W. REITZ." That Monday night, besides repeating the ultimatum to the Home Government, Lord Milner telegraphed to warn the British authorities in Natal, Rhodesia, Basutoland, and the frontier towns. The ultimatum reached the Colonial Office at 6.45 a.m. on Tuesday. The reply, which was cabled to Lord Milner at 10.45 p.m. on the same day, was not unworthy of the occasion: [Sidenote: The British reply.] "Her Majesty's Government have received with great regret the peremptory demands of the Government of the South African Republic. You will inform the Government of the South African Republic, in reply, that the conditions demanded by the South African Republic are such as Her Majesty's Government deem it impossible to discuss."[181] [Footnote 181: C. 9,530.] The High Commissioner was further desired to instruct Sir William Greene, in delivering the British reply, to ask for his passports. CHAPTER VII THE FALL OF THE REPUBLICS