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The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902 — John Shaqi

History

The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902

Name: The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902
Author: Kestell, J. D. (John Daniel)

Kestell, J. D. (John Daniel)

South Africa -- History; South African War, 1899-1902

With reference to this communication, I have to say that I am desirous
and prepared to make peace proposals, but, in order to be able to
decide upon the terms thereof, it is indispensable that I should meet
His Honour President Steyn, to enable us to make a proposal jointly,
and, to expedite matters, I therefore respectfully request Your
Excellency to give me and the Members of my Government a safe conduct
through Your Excellency's lines to His Honour President Steyn and
back.

  I have the honour to be,
       Your Excellency's obedient servant,
                                          S. W. BURGER,
                                   _Acting State President_.


[Illustration: _Facsimile of the copy of the reply from the Government
of the South African Republic to Lord Kitchener's letter dated 4th
March, 1902._]

In reply to this letter Acting State President Burger received the
following communication:--


                                             PRETORIA,
                                                 _March 13, 1902_.

YOUR HONOUR,

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of Your Honour's letter of the 10th
March, and to inform Your Honour that I shall be pleased to allow the
safe conduct you ask for.

I shall be obliged if Your Honour would inform me of the number you
propose to bring with you, and that you will send in to Balmoral a day
in advance, so that an officer whom I shall designate for the purpose
may meet Your Honour and see that all proper arrangements are made for
your reception.

I shall order my troops immediately to withdraw from the neighbourhood
in which Your Honour now is, and inform them of the safe conduct that
is hereby given to Your Honour.

  I have the honour to be,
    Your Honour's obedient servant,
                                  KITCHENER,   _General,
                           Commanding-in-Chief South Africa_.

TO HIS HONOUR, MR. S. W. BURGER.


Before making use of the opportunity thus obtained of meeting
President Steyn, the Government of the South African Republic
considered it necessary to ascertain where President Steyn with his
Government was, so that he might be informed that the Transvaal
Government, under safe conduct from Lord Kitchener, was _en route_ to
meet him and his Government. In the following letter Acting-President
Burger requested Lord Kitchener to transmit the following telegram to
President Steyn:--


  _To His Excellency_ LORD KITCHENER, _Commander-in-Chief of the
                       British Troops, Pretoria_.

                                             GOVERNMENT LAGER,
                                             IN THE VELD, S.A.R.,
                                                     _March 17, 1902_.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's
letter of the 13th inst.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902

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