I am prepared to meet Your Honour in the neighbourhood of Klerksdorp or Potchefstroom, on any farm in that neighbourhood which His Excellency Lord Kitchener may consider most suitable, or even in one of those towns, if desirable. When fixing the place of meeting, I wish to leave it to Your Honour to obtain a guarantee from His Excellency Lord Kitchener for me and my Government, with the necessary attendants, that we shall be allowed quietly and unhindered to continue our work there for a definite time, as well as a safe-conduct to proceed unhindered to the place of meeting and to return thence unhindered. I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, M. T. STEYN, _State President, O.F.S._ On receipt of the above letter the Government addressed the following communication to Lord Kitchener:-- _To His Excellency_ LORD KITCHENER, _Commander-in-Chief of the British Troops, Pretoria_. KROONSTAD, _March 31, 1902_. YOUR EXCELLENCY, Herewith I have the honour to send you copy of the letter this day received by me from President Steyn. With reference thereto I request your Excellency to be so good as to furnish President Steyn with the safe-conduct desired by him, and further to inform us as well as His Honour where, in your opinion, the intended meeting can take place. Possibly Potchefstroom would be the most suitable place therefor. As His Honour the Commandant-General and General de la Rey are both members of the Executive Council, I request Your Excellency kindly to send them the enclosed message, and also to furnish each of them with a safe-conduct to and from the place of meeting. I further take the liberty of requesting you to forward the enclosed letter to President Steyn. I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, _Acting State President_. The above-mentioned message to General Botha and to General de la Rey read as follows:-- _From_ _To_ ACTING STATE PRESIDENT, S.A.R. (1) COMMANDANT GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA. (2) GENERAL DE LA REY. With reference to confidential memoranda exchanged between the Netherlands Minister and Lord Lansdowne, which was sent to us by His Excellency Lord Kitchener, we have come under a safe conduct to meet President Steyn. This meeting will take place in a locality to be decided upon by Lord Kitchener. As we consider your presence necessary there, we have requested His Excellency to furnish you also with a safe-conduct thither and back. Be so good as to come without delay on receipt hereof.