Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with underscores: _italics_. The cover of this ebook was created by the transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain. THE LAST BOER WAR "I am told that these men (the Boers) are told to keep on agitating in this way, for a change of Government in England may give them again the old order of things. Nothing can show greater ignorance of English politics than such an idea. I tell you there is no Government--Whig or Tory, Liberal, Conservative, or Radical--who would dare, under any circumstances, to give back this country (the Transvaal). They would not dare, because the English people would not allow them."--(_Extract from Speech of Sir Garnet Wolseley, delivered at a Public Banquet in Pretoria, on the 17th December 1879._) "There was a still stronger reason than that for not receding (from the Transvaal); it was impossible to say what calamities such a step as receding might not cause.... For such a risk he could not make himself responsible.... Difficulties with the Zulu and the frontier tribes would again arise, and looking as they must to South Africa as a whole, the Government, after a careful consideration of the question, came to the conclusion that we could not relinquish the Transvaal."--(_Extract from Speech of Lord Kimberley in the House of Lords, 24th May 1880. H.P.D., vol. cclii., p. 208._) "Our judgment is that the Queen cannot be advised to relinquish the Transvaal."--(_Extract from Reply of Mr. Gladstone to Boer Memorial, 8th June 1880._) THE LAST BOER WAR BY H. RIDER HAGGARD _THIRTY-FIFTH THOUSAND_ LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO. LTD. PATERNOSTER HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD 1900 WORKS BY H. RIDER HAGGARD. CETYWAYO AND HIS WHITE NEIGHBOURS. DAWN. KING SOLOMON'S MINES. THE WITCH'S HEAD. SHE. ALLAN QUATERMAIN. JESS. COLONEL QUARITCH, V.C. MAIWA'S REVENGE. MR. MEESON'S WILL. ALLAN'S WIFE. CLEOPATRA. BEATRICE. ERIC BRIGHTEYES. NADA THE LILY. MONTEZUMA'S DAUGHTER. THE PEOPLE OF THE MIST. JOAN HASTE. HEART OF THE WORLD. DOCTOR THERNE. SWALLOW. A FARMER'S YEAR. _IN COLLABORATION WITH ANDREW LANG._ THE WORLD'S DESIRE. _The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._ AUTHOR'S NOTE.