Government is prepared to meet any committee or deputation at any
time to discuss matters. In view of this and of negotiations with Mr.
Chamberlain I advise you to follow a constitutional course.' That
telegram was framed at President Kruger's request and approved by him
before being transmitted.

A great deal has been said about the impolicy, and even the bad
faith, of the Johannesburg people in concluding an armistice which
did not include Dr. Jameson. From the above account it is clear in
the first place that every effort was made to provide for his safety,
and in the next place that no armistice was concluded. Certain terms
were offered by the Government which it was open to the Committee to
either accept or reject or ignore, as they might decide later on. In
plain English, the Committee were as free after the negotiations as
they had been before. They gave no undertaking to abstain from
hostile action; they simply received the offer of the Government.
Whether they complied with those conditions as a matter of
cold-blooded selfish policy, whether they simply selected an easy way
out of a difficult position, or whether they complied with the
conditions solely because they were not in a position to do anything
else, it is open to every man to decide for himself; but it does not
seem fair, in face of the fact that they were _not_ able to do
anything else, to impute the worst motives of all for the course
which they eventually took.

On the return of the deputation to Johannesburg a report of what had
taken place was given to a full meeting of the Reform Committee.
Divers opinions were expressed as to what was the right course to
take, but eventually all were agreed that, as the first duty of the
Committee was undoubtedly to protect the town and the unarmed section
of the community, as they could not afford to send a single man out
of the place, as there was no reason to suppose that Dr. Jameson
required or would welcome any assistance, and as it seemed certain
that he would be stopped by the High Commissioner's proclamation and
turned back, it would be nothing short of criminal madness to adopt
any aggressive measures at that stage.

It does not appear to have occurred to many of the hostile critics of
the Reform Committee to consider what might have happened when they
are judging what actually took place. Dr. Jameson had invaded the
country with less than 500 men. It must be clear from this that it
was not his intention to conquer the Transvaal. It must have been and
indeed it was his idea that it would be impossible for the Imperial
Government to stand passively by and witness the struggle between its
own subjects preferring legitimate and moderate claims and a corrupt
and incompetent Boer Government. Intervention of one sort or another
he certainly expected--either material help in the shape of British
troops, or the intervention of the High Commissioner to effect a
peaceful settlement. By the false step which evoked the High
Commissioner's proclamation he had forfeited all claim to the support
on which he reckoned. It was reasonable to suppose therefore that, on
the receipt of the proclamation ordering him to return and calling on
all British subjects to abstain from assisting him, he would realize
the consequences of his mistake. He would also learn from the Reform
Committee's messengers (that is, assuming that he did not know it
already) that the Johannesburg people neither required nor wished for
his intervention, and he would elect to leave the country in
accordance with the High Commissioner's mandate rather than continue
a course which, with the opposition of the British Government added
to that of the Boer Government, must inevitably end in disgrace and
disaster. This was the conclusion arrived at in the Reform
Committee room; and it was then considered what would be the position
of the Johannesburg people if, in defiance of the High Commissioner's
proclamation and in violation of the terms offered by the Transvaal
Government, they should adopt aggressive and wholly futile measures
in aid of Dr. Jameson, only to find that he himself had obeyed the
proclamation and had turned back.

No man in his senses would have anticipated Dr. Jameson's continuing
his march after receipt of the proclamation and full information as
to the wishes and position of the Johannesburg people. But, apart
from this, it was the opinion of military men, such as Colonel
Heyman, who had been sent in by Dr. Jameson, and who were present at
the meetings of the Reform Committee, that it would not be possible
for the Boers to stop him, and that it would require a very large
force indeed to cope with a body of men so well trained, well
equipped, and well led as his were thought to be. It would moreover
need extraordinary luck and management on the Boers' side to get
together any considerable force in time to intercept him before he
should reach Johannesburg. It may be added that the opinion expressed
by these gentlemen is still adhered to. They say that, properly led,
Jameson's force should have got in without firing a shot, and that,
properly handled, they should not have been stopped by a much greater
number of Boers. However this is as it may be.

It has been stated, and the statement has gained considerable
credence, that the very train which brought the deputation back to
Johannesburg after their negotiations with the Government also
brought a detachment of the State artillery with field-pieces and
a plentiful supply of ammunition to reinforce the Boers, who were
then in position to intercept Dr. Jameson, and it has further been
suggested that the obvious course for the Reform Committee to have
taken was to break up the line and to stop trains passing out towards
Krugersdorp, also to seize the telegraph and railway offices. Such
action would have been perfectly futile. As a matter of fact the
artillery and ammunition were sent direct from Pretoria by waggon,
and not through Johannesburg at all.{23} Any such action as the
seizing of the telegraph and railway offices would have been useless
in itself, if intended to aid Jameson's force, and would of course
have been a declaration of war on the part of the Committee against
the Transvaal Government, a declaration which they were not able to
back up by any effective measures. A partially successful attempt
was made to blow up the line between Johannesburg and Krugersdorp by
individuals who thought that they would be rendering a service to the
cause, and who did not stop to calculate the full effects of their
action.

During the afternoon of Wednesday, while the deputation were still
engaged in negotiation with the Government Commission, the messenger
despatched by Sir Jacobus de Wet, British Agent in Pretoria, to
deliver the High Commissioner's proclamation to Dr. Jameson, arrived
in Johannesburg, and applied at the Reform Committee rooms for an
escort through the lines of defence, showing at the same time the
passport given him by the Commandant-General to pass him through the
Boer lines. It was immediately decided to take advantage of the
opportunity in order to bring further pressure to bear upon Dr.
Jameson to induce him to leave the country peacefully, and to make
finally and absolutely sure that he should realize the true position
of affairs. Mr. J. J. Lace, a member of the Reform Committee,
volunteered to accompany the messenger to explain to Dr. Jameson the
state of affairs in Johannesburg and to induce him to return while
there was yet a chance of retrieving the position. On the return of
the deputation this action of the rest of the Committee was cordially
approved and was found to be in entire accord with the attitude taken
up by them in their dealings with the Government.

If any evidence were needed as to the sincerity and singleness of
purpose of the Committee, the action taken by the deputation in
Pretoria and the rest of the Committee in Johannesburg, whilst
acting independently of each other and without any opportunity of
discussing matters and deciding upon a common line, should be
sufficient. If the Committee as a whole had not been following an
honest and clearly-defined policy they would have inevitably come to
grief under such trying circumstances. As a matter of fact, the steps
taken during Wednesday by the two sections acting independently were
wholly in accord.

In the course of the day it became known that Dr. Jameson had caused
to be published the letter of invitation quoted in another chapter,
and from this it was clear to those who knew the circumstances under
which the letter was given that he had deliberately started in
violation of the agreement entered into, that he had thrown
discretion to the winds, and decided to force the hands of the
Johannesburg people. The result of this was that among the leaders it
was realized that Dr. Jameson was playing his own hand with complete
indifference to the consequences for others; but the vast majority of
the Rand community could not possibly realize this, and were firmly
convinced that the invading force had come in in good faith,
believing the community to be in extreme peril.

In sensational matters of this kind it is very often the case that a
single phrase will illustrate the position more aptly than chapters
of description. It is unfortunately also the case that phrases are
used and catch the ear and survive the circumstances of the time,
carrying with them meanings which they were never intended to convey.
In the course of the events which took place in the early part of the
year many such expressions were seized on and continually quoted.
Among them, and belonging to the second description above referred
to, is the phrase 'Stand by Jameson.' It was never used in the sense
of sending out an armed force to the assistance of Dr. Jameson,
because it was recognized from the beginning that such a course was
not within the range of possibility. The phrase was first used in
the Executive Council Chamber when the deputation from the Reform
Committee met the Government Commission and Mr. Lionel Phillips
explained the nature of the connection between the Johannesburg
people and the invading force. After showing that the Rand community
were not responsible for his immediate action, and after
acknowledging that he was on the border with the intention of
rendering assistance if it should be necessary, he said that the
Uitlanders nevertheless believed that, owing to circumstances of
which they were ignorant, Dr. Jameson had started in absolute good
faith to come to their assistance, and for that reason they were
determined to stand by him. For that reason they offered their
persons as security for his peaceful evacuation of the country--a
course which was then, and is still, deemed to be 'standing by him'
in as effective and practical a manner as it was possible for men in
their position to do.

The reproach levelled at the Reform Committee by members of the
Transvaal Government ever since the surrender of Dr. Jameson is
that, whilst professing not to support hostile action against the
State, and whilst avowing loyalty to the Republic, the people of
Johannesburg did not give the logical and practical proof of such
loyalty that the Government were entitled to expect; that is, they
did not take up arms to fight against the invaders. It is scarcely
necessary to say that such a preposterous idea never entered the
minds of any of the Uitlanders. When all is said and done, blood is
thicker than water, alike with the Uitlanders as with the Boers. The
Boers have shown on many occasions that they elect to side with their
kin on the promptings of their heart rather than support those whom
their judgment shows them to be worthy of their assistance. Had the
Uitlanders been sufficiently armed there can be no question that
rightly or wrongly they would have sided with Jameson, and would have
given him effective support had they known that he needed it. Had he
ever reached Johannesburg the enthusiasm would have been wild and
unbounded, and, however much the cooler heads among the community
might realize that such a partial success might have proved a
more serious misfortune than the total failure has been, no such
considerations would have weighed with the community in general; and
the men who were aiming at practical and lasting good results, rather
than cultivating popular enthusiasm, would have been swept aside, and
others, more in accord with the humour of the moment, would have
taken their places.

It is useless to speculate as to what would have happened had Dr.
Jameson reached Johannesburg. The prestige of success might have
enabled him, as it has enabled many others, to achieve the apparently
impossible and compel the acceptance of terms which would have
insured a lasting peace; but as Johannesburg had neither arms
nor ammunition, especially the latter, commensurate with the
requirements of anything like severe fighting, even for a single day,
and as the invading force had not more than enough for its own
requirements, it is difficult to conceive that anything but disaster
could have followed.

Throughout the troubles which followed the invasion it was not the
personal suffering or loss which fell to the lot of the Johannesburg
people that touched them so nearly as the taunts which were unjustly
levelled at them for not rendering assistance to Dr. Jameson. The
terms, 'cowards,' 'poltroons,' and 'traitors,' and the name of
'Judasburg,' absolutely undeserved as they were known to be, rankled
in the hearts of all, and it was only by the exercise of much
self-denial and restraint that it was possible for men to remain
silent during the period preceding Dr. Jameson's trial. Extremely
bitter feeling was roused by the tacit approval given to these
censures by the officers of the invading force, for their continued
silence was naturally construed to be tacit approval. 'Not once,'
said one of the Reformers, 'has a single member of Dr. Jameson's
party come forward and stated that the imputations on the Reformers
were undeserved; yet we gave them the benefit of every doubt, and
tried throughout to screen them, whilst all the time the Doctor and
at least three of his companions knew that they had started to "make
their own flotation." That is not cricket.'

It has been urged on behalf of Dr. Jameson that he could not have
been asked to state prior to his trial that he never expected or
arranged for help from Johannesburg--that his case was already a
sufficiently difficult one without embarrassing it with other
people's affairs. Yet it was noted in Johannesburg that, when a
report was circulated to the effect that he had started the invasion
on the instructions of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, he and another officer of
his force wrote jointly to the English papers to say that there was
no truth whatever in the statement. The consequences of taking upon
himself the responsibility for initiative in this way, while he
had yet to undergo his trial, were far more serious than would have
followed a simple statement to the effect that injustice was being
done to the Rand community in the charges of cowardice laid against
it. It was felt then, and the feeling has not in any way abated,
that Dr. Jameson regarded the fate and interests of the people of
Johannesburg with indifference, looking upon them merely as pawns
in a game that he was playing. It was only Mr. Rhodes who took an
opportunity to say that 'the Johannesburg people are not cowards;
they were rushed.'

The general public did not know the circumstances under which Dr.
Jameson had agreed to remain on the frontier. They did not know that
telegrams and messengers had been despatched to stop him, nor was it
felt advisable to inform them of these steps at a time when matters
had seemingly gone too far to be stopped. It was considered that any
statement of that kind put forth at that particular juncture would
simply tend to create a panic from which no good results could
accrue, and that, as Dr Jameson had cast the die and crossed his
Rubicon, as little as possible should be done needlessly to embarrass
him. Suggestions were continually being made, and have been and are
still being frequently quoted, to the effect that a force should be
sent out to create a diversion among the Boer commandoes in Jameson's
favour. Suggestions were made by men who had not the remotest idea of
the resources at the command of the Committee, or who did not stop to
think of what might have happened had Johannesburg been depleted of
its armed force, and so left at the mercy of a few hundred Boers.
There were always, as there will always be, men prepared for any
reckless gamble, but this course was most earnestly considered time
after time by the Committee when some fresh suggestion or development
seemed to warrant a reconsideration of the decision already arrived
at not to attempt any aggressive measures. Finally the matter was by
common consent left in the hands of Colonel Heyman, an officer who
has rendered distinguished service in South Africa, and whose
reputation and judgment were acknowledged by all. This course was the
more readily agreed to since Colonel Heyman was by none more
highly thought of than by Dr. Jameson himself. The decision given by
him was that the invading force, properly led, drilled and equipped
as it was, was a far stronger body than the entire force enrolled
under the Reform Committee, and that it would require a very large
force indeed of burghers to stop it. If Dr. Jameson had thought that
he would need help there had been ample time for him to send a fast
mounted messenger to Johannesburg. He had not done so; and it was
therefore to be presumed that as he had taken upon himself the
responsibility of invasion he was prepared for all contingencies;
but, apart from this, the force available in Johannesburg, which
would be in a few days a very good one behind earthworks, was at that
moment utterly unfit to march out in the open. It would in its then
condition, and with no equipment of field-pieces, be liable to be
annihilated by a relatively small number of Boers before it should
reach Dr. Jameson. It was decided, however, that, should fighting
take place within such distance from the town that men could be taken
from the defences without endangering the safety of the town, a force
should be taken out at once.

Fault has repeatedly been found with the military organization in
Johannesburg for not having been well served by an Intelligence
Department, and for not knowing from day to day what the whereabouts
and position of Dr. Jameson's forces were.

The reply to this is that the Johannesburg people had only two days
in which to look after themselves and protect themselves in the
crisis in which Dr. Jameson's action had plunged them; that as a
matter of fact strenuous efforts were made to establish communication
with the invading force; that the Intelligence Department--which,
considering how short a time was available for its organization, was
by no means unsatisfactory--was employed in many directions besides
that in which Dr. Jameson was moving; that some success was achieved
in communicating with him, but that the risks to be taken, owing to
the imperative necessity of saving time at almost any cost, were
greater than usual and resulted in the capture of eight or ten of the
men employed in the endeavour to communicate with Dr. Jameson alone;
and finally, that since he had seen fit to violate all the
arrangements entered into and dash into the country in defiance of
the expressed wishes of the people, whom he was bent on rescuing
whether they wished to be rescued or not, the least that could be
expected of him and of his force was that they should acquaint
themselves with the road which they proposed to travel and take the
necessary steps to keep the Johannesburg people posted as to their
movements.

It has been urged by a prominent member of the invading force--not
Dr. Jameson--that since the force had been kept on the border for
some weeks with the sole object of assisting Johannesburg people when
they should require assistance, the very least that they were
entitled to expect was that someone should be sent out to show them
the road and not leave them to go astray for want of a guide. To this
it was replied that a force which had been, as they stated, on the
border for several weeks with the sole object of invading the country
by a certain road, had ample time, and might certainly have been
expected to know the road; and as for relieving Johannesburg in its
necessity, the argument might have applied had this 'necessity' ever
arisen; but since the idea was to force the hands of the Reformers,
the latter might fairly regard themselves as absolved from every
undertaking, specific or implied, which might ever have been made in
connection with the business. But at that time the excuse had not
been devised that there had ever been an undertaking to assist
Jameson, on the contrary it was readily admitted that such an idea
was never entertained for a moment; nor can one understand how anyone
cognizant of the telegram from Dr. Jameson to Dr. Rutherfoord
Harris--'We will make our own flotation by the aid of the letter
which I shall publish'--can set up any defence at the expense of
others.

By Wednesday night it was known that Major Heany had passed through
Mafeking in time to join Dr. Jameson's force, and that, bar some
extraordinary accident, Captain Holden must have met Dr. Jameson on
his way, since he had been despatched along the road which Dr.
Jameson would take in marching on Johannesburg; and if all other
reasons did not suffice to assure the Committee that Dr. Jameson
would not be relying on any assistance from Johannesburg the
presence of one or other of the two officers above mentioned would
enable him to know that he should not count upon Johannesburg to give
him active support. Both were thoroughly well acquainted with the
position and were able to inform him, and have since admitted that
they did inform him, that he should not count upon a single man
going out to meet him. Captain Holden--who prior to the trial of
Dr. Jameson and his comrades, prompted by loyalty to his chief,
abstained from making any statement which could possibly embarrass
him--immediately after the trial expressed his regret at the unjust
censure upon the Johannesburg people and the charges of cowardice and
bad faith which had been levelled against them, and stated that he
reached Pitsani the night before Dr. Jameson started, and that he
faithfully and fully delivered the messages which he was charged to
deliver and earnestly impressed upon Dr. Jameson the position in
which the Johannesburg people were placed, and their desire that he
should not embarrass them by any precipitate action.

Before daybreak on Thursday, January 2, Bugler Vallé, of Dr.
Jameson's force, arrived in the Reform Committee room and reported
himself as having been sent by the Doctor at about midnight after the
battle at Krugersdorp on Wednesday. He stated that the Doctor had
supplied him with the best horse in the troop and sent him on to
inform Colonel Rhodes where he was. He described the battle at the
Queen's Mine, Krugersdorp, and stated that the force had been obliged
to retreat from the position in which they had fought in order to
take up a better one on higher ground, but that the position in which
they had camped for the night was not a very good one. When
questioned as to the exact message that he had been told to deliver
he replied, 'The Doctor says, "Tell them that I am getting along all
right, but they must send out to meet me."' He was asked what was
meant by 'sending out to meet him.' Did it mean to send a force out?
Did he want help? His reply was, 'No; the Doctor says he is getting
along all right, but you must send out to meet him.' The messenger
was keenly questioned upon this point, but adhered to the statement
that the force was getting along all right and would be in early in
the morning. Colonel Rhodes, who was the first to see the
messenger, was however dissatisfied with the grudging admissions and
the ambiguous message, and expressed the belief that 'the Doctor
wants help, but is ashamed to say so.' Acting promptly on this
conviction, he despatched all the mounted men available (about 100)
under command of Colonel Bettington, with instructions to ascertain
the whereabouts of Dr. Jameson's force, and if possible to join them.

This was done without the authority of the Committee and in direct
opposition to the line already decided upon. It was moreover
considered to be taking a wholly unnecessary risk, in view of the
fact that an attack upon the town was threatened by burgher forces on
the north-west side, and it was immediately decided by a number of
members who heard of Colonel Rhodes' action to despatch a messenger
ordering the troop not to proceed more than ten miles from the town,
but to reconnoitre and ascertain what Dr. Jameson's position was,
with the reservation that, should it be found that he actually needed
help, such assistance as was possible should of course be given him.
As a matter of hard fact it would not have been possible for the
troop to reach Dr. Jameson before his surrender, so that the action
taken upon the only message received from the invading force had no
practical bearing upon the results.

At daybreak on Thursday morning Mr. Lace and the despatch rider sent
by the British Agent to deliver the High Commissioner's proclamation
and the covering despatch were passed through the Dutch lines under
the authority of the Commandant-General, and they delivered the
documents to Dr. Jameson in person. In reply to Sir Jacobus de Wet's
appeal Dr. Jameson said, 'Tell Sir Jacobus de Wet that I have
received his despatch; and that I shall see him in Pretoria
to-morrow.' Mr. Lace briefly informed him of the position, as he had
undertaken to do. The presence of a Boer escort and the shortness of
the time allowed for the delivery of the messages prevented any
lengthy conversation. Dr. Jameson made no comment further than to
say, 'It is too late now,' and then asked the question, 'Where are
the troops?' to which Mr. Lace replied, 'What troops do you mean? We
know nothing about troops.' It did not occur to Mr. Lace or to
anyone else that he could have meant 'troops' from Johannesburg. With
the receipt of Dr. Jameson's verbal reply to the British Agent's
despatch-carrier the business was concluded, and the escort from the
Boer lines insisted on leaving, taking with them Mr. Lace and the
despatch-rider. He offered no further remark.


Footnotes for Chapter V

{22} The telegram originally read 'within twenty-four hours,' but
it was considered impossible to guarantee the time exactly, and the
alteration as above given was made, the word 'within' being
inadvertently left standing instead of 'with.'

{23} Captain Ferreira, at one time in command of the guard over the
Reformers, informed the writer that he had formed one of the cavalry
escort. 'It is a good story,' he said, 'but what fools we would have
been to send our guns shut up in trucks through a hostile camp of
20,000 armed men--as we thought--round two sides of a triangle
instead of going by the shorter and safe road.'




CHAPTER VI.

THE INVASION.


From the evidence on the trial at bar of Dr. Jameson and his
comrades, it appears that about 20th October, 1895, orders were given
to the Matabeleland Border Police to move southward. After this,
further mobilization of other bodies took place and during the first
week in December there collected at Pitsani Potlogo the body of men
from whom Dr. Jameson's invading column was afterwards selected. For
three weeks the men were continuously drilled and practised in all
warlike exercises and thoroughly prepared for the enterprise which
their leaders had in view. On Sunday, December 29, at about three in
the afternoon, the little force was paraded and Dr. Jameson read to
them the letter of invitation quoted in a previous chapter. He is
alleged by certain witnesses to have said that he had just received
this and that they could not refuse to go to the assistance of their
countrymen in distress, and he confidently appealed to the men to
support him. He said that he did not anticipate any bloodshed at all.
They would proceed by forced marching straight through to
Johannesburg, and would reach that town before the Boers were aware
of his movements, and certainly before they could concentrate to stop
him. It has been alleged by some witnesses that the men of the
Bechuanaland Border Police who advanced from Mafeking under the
command of Colonel Grey and Major Coventry were not so fully informed
as to their destination and the reasons for the movement until they
were actually in marching order to start. It would appear however
from the general summary of the evidence and from the reports of
the men who took part in the expedition, that they were informed that
the destination of the force was Johannesburg, that the object was to
render assistance to their countrymen in that town who were being
grossly misruled by the Transvaal Government and were at that time in
grievous straits and peril through having endeavoured to assert their
rights and obtain the reforms for which they had so long been
agitating, and that the immediate reason for marching was the receipt
of an urgent appeal from Johannesburg citizens, which appeal (the
letter of invitation) was duly read to them. In reply to questions as
to whether they were fighting under the Queen's orders, they were
informed that they were going to fight for the supremacy of the
British flag in South Africa. A considerable proportion of the men
declined to take part in the enterprise, and it is probably largely
due to defections at the last moment that the statement was made that
700 men had started with Dr. Jameson, whereas it appears that only
480 ever left the Protectorate.

The following is a portion of the Majority Report of the Select
Committee on the Jameson Raid appointed by the Cape House of
Assembly:

On the 26th December there was a sudden check. On the afternoon of
that day Colonel Rhodes telegraphs to Charter, Capetown, 'It is
absolutely necessary to postpone flotation. Charles Leonard left last
night for Capetown.' Messages to the same effect were sent from Mr.
S.W. Jameson to his brother, and from Dr. Harris for the Chartered
Company to Dr. Jameson, the latter concluding: 'So you must not move
till you hear from us again. Too awful. Very sorry.'

As to the nature of the hitch that occurred, there is some light
thrown on it by the statement from Mr. S.W. Jameson to his brother
that any movement must be postponed 'until we have C.J. Rhodes'
absolute pledge that authority of Imperial Government will not be
insisted on,' a point that is further alluded to in Telegram No.
6,537 of Appendix QQ of the 28th December.

Whatever the exact nature of the obstacle was, there can be no doubt
that some at least of the Johannesburg confederates were much alarmed
and took all possible steps to stay proceedings.

In addition to urgent telegrams special messengers were sent to
impress on Dr. Jameson the necessity for delay. One of these, Captain
Holden, made his way across country.

According to Mr. Hammond's evidence Holden arrived at Mafeking on the
28th December, and went in with the column.

The other messenger was Captain Maurice Heany, who left Johannesburg
on the 26th December, and on the 27th telegraphed from Bloemfontein
to Charter, Capetown, informing them that 'Zebrawood' (Colonel
Rhodes) had asked him to 'stop "Zahlbar" (Dr. Jameson) till Heany
sees him,' and asking that a special train might be arranged for him.
Dr. Harris replied to Kimberley on the 28th informing him that a
special train was arranged, and added, 'lose no time or you will be
late.'

It is in evidence that this special train was provided by the
Chartered Company, that Heany left by it, caught up the ordinary
train at Vryburg, and that he reached Mafeking at 4.30 a.m. on
Sunday, the 29th.

The evidence is that he was coming with an urgent message to stop Dr.
Jameson; that on his arrival at Mafeking he waked up Mr. Isaacs, a
local storekeeper, and purchased a pair of field boots and a
kit-bag, and proceeded by special cart to Pitsani; and that he
subsequently on the same evening accompanied Dr. Jameson on his
inroad and was captured at Doornkop.{24}

On the 27th, after receiving the discouraging telegrams mentioned
above from Johannesburg, Dr. Jameson telegraphed to Harris, Charter,
Capetown, 'I am afraid of Bechuanaland Police for cutting wire. They
have now all gone forward, but will endeavour to put a stop to it.
Therefore expect to receive telegram from you nine to-morrow morning
authorizing movements. Surely Col. F.W. Rhodes advisable to come to
terms at once. Give guarantee, or you can telegraph before Charles
Leonard arrived.' This doubtless alludes to the necessity for
guarantee mentioned in the message from S.W. Jameson, and the
alternative suggestion was that authority to proceed should be given
before the arrival of the Johannesburg delegate at Capetown.

Two hours later on the same day he sends another message of the
utmost importance. He informs Harris, Charter, Capetown, as follows:
'If I cannot, as I expect, communicate with Bechuanaland Border
Police cutting, then we must carry into effect original plans. They
have then two days for flotation. If they do not, we will make our
own flotation with help of letter, which I will publish.'

On the same day Dr. Jameson telegraphed to his brother in
Johannesburg as follows: 'Guarantee already given, therefore let J.H.
Hammond telegraph instantly all right.'

To this Mr. Hammond sent a most positive reply absolutely condemning
his proposed action.

As bearing upon the attitude of the force at Pitsani, it may be noted
that on the same day that the foregoing correspondence was taking
place, Mr. A. Bates was despatched from Mafeking into the Transvaal
with instructions from Major Raleigh Grey to collect information and
meet Dr. Jameson _en route._ He was supplied with a horse and money,
and seems to have done his best to carry out instructions.

Early the next day Dr. Jameson telegraphed to Harris, Charter,
Capetown: 'There will be no flotation if left to themselves; first
delay was races, which did not exist; second policies, already
arranged. All mean fear.{25} You had better go as quickly as possible
and report fully, or tell Hon. C.J. Rhodes to allow me.'

The reply to this was: 'It is all right if you will only wait.
Captain Maurice Heany comes to you from Col. F.W. Rhodes by special
train to-day.' And, again, two hours later, Dr. Harris for the
Chartered Company telegraphs: 'Goold Adams arrives Mafeking Monday,
and Heany, I think, arrives to-night; after seeing him, you and we
must judge regarding flotation, but all our foreign friends are now
dead against it and say public will not subscribe one penny towards
even with you as a director--Ichabod.'

Still on the same day two further telegrams to Dr. Jameson were sent
from Capetown, almost together, of a strongly discouraging tenour.
One of them concludes by saying 'we cannot have fiasco,' and the
other informs Dr. Jameson that Lionel Phillips anticipates complete
failure of any premature action.

On the same day Dr. Harris informs Colonel Rhodes at Johannesburg
that, 'Have arranged for Captain Maurice Heany; Dr. Jameson awaiting
Capt. Maurice Heany's arrival. Keep market firm.'

And later:

'Charles Leonard says flotation not popular, and England's bunting
will be resisted by public. Is it true? Consult all our friends and
let me know, as Dr. Jameson is quite ready to move resolution and is
only waiting for Captain Heany's arrival.'

A few hours later Dr. Jameson telegraphs to Harris, Charter,
Capetown: 'Received your telegram Ichabod _re_ Capt. Maurice Heany.
Have no further news. I require to know. Unless I hear definitely to
the contrary, shall leave to-morrow evening and carry into effect my
second telegram (Appendix QQ, No. 06365) of yesterday to you, and it
will be all right.'

On the next morning, Sunday the 29th, Heany arrived at Mafeking, and
after making the purchases detailed above, left by special cart for
the camp at Pitsani, where he probably arrived about eight o'clock
a.m. At five minutes past nine Dr. Jameson telegraphed to Harris,
Charter, Capetown: 'Shall leave to-night for the Transvaal. My reason
is the final arrangement with writers of letter was that, without
further reference to them, in case I should hear at some future time
that suspicions have been aroused as to their intention among the
Transvaal authorities, I was to start immediately to prevent loss of
lives, as letter states. Reuter only just received. Even without my
own information of meeting in the Transvaal, compel immediate move
to fulfil promise made. We are simply going to protect everybody
while they change the present dishonest Government and take vote from
the whole country as to form of Government required by the whole.'

The force took with them provisions for one day only, relying on the
commissariat arrangements made on their behalf by Dr. Wolff _en
route._ They were well mounted and armed with Lee-Metford carbines,
and took with them eight Maxims, two seven-pounders and one
twelve-pounder. In order to facilitate quick movement no heavy
equipment was taken, and but little spare ammunition. The vehicles
attending the column were six Scotch carts and one Cape cart. The
total distance to be covered was about 170 miles to Johannesburg, or
150 miles to Krugersdorp. The start was made from Pitsani shortly
after 5 p.m., and marching was continued throughout the night. The
force consisted of about 350 of the Chartered forces under Colonel
Sir John Willoughby, Major in the Royal Horse Guards; the Hon. H. F.
White, Major 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards; Hon. R. White, Captain
Royal Welsh Fusiliers; Major J. B. Tracey, 2nd Battalion Scots
Guards; Captain C. H. Villiers, Royal Horse Guards; and 120 of the
Bechuanaland Border Police under Major Raleigh Grey, Captain 6th
Inniskillen Dragoons, and the Hon. C. J. Coventry, Captain 3rd
Militia Battalion Worcester Regiment. The two contingents met at
Malmani at about sunrise on Monday morning, December 30. They marched
throughout that day and night and the following day, Tuesday. There
were half-hour rests about every twenty miles for rationing the men
and feeding and watering the horses, the fodder being ready for the
horses at various stores. Provisions for the men consisted of tinned
meats and biscuits. There was no lack of provisions at all; but the
men complained afterwards that they were so overcome with fatigue
from continuous marching that when they reached the resting-places
they generally lay down where they dismounted, and slept, instead of
taking the food which was ready for them. A serious fault in the
conduct of the expedition appears to have been the lack of
opportunity for rest and food afforded the men. It was contended that
the same or a higher average of speed might have been attained by
pressing on faster for spells of a few hours and allowing reasonable
intervals for rest and refreshment. Only about 130 miles had been
covered by the column during the seventy hours that they were on the
march before they were first checked by any serious opposition from
the Boers.

On Monday, December 30, at about 1 p.m., Mr. F.J. Newton, Resident
Commissioner at Mafeking, received the following telegram from the
High Commissioner, Capetown, dated the same day:

It is rumoured here that Dr. Jameson has entered the Transvaal with
an armed force. Is this so? If so, send special messenger on fast
horse directing him to return immediately. A copy of this telegram
should be sent to the officers with him, and they should be told that
this violation of the territory of a friendly State is repudiated by
Her Majesty's Government, and that they are rendering themselves
liable to severe penalties.

Mr. Newton at once addressed to Dr. Jameson and each of the chief
officers with him the following letter:

SIR,

I have the honour to enclose copy of a telegram which I have received
from His Excellency the High Commissioner, and I have accordingly to
request that you will immediately comply with His Excellency's
instructions.

Trooper J.T. White was despatched as soon as possible with the five
letters, enclosed in waterproof, with instructions to ride until he
caught up to Dr. Jameson and delivered the letters. He was stopped by
a party of armed Boers and taken before Landdrost Marais at Malmani,
where the despatches were opened and read. He was delayed for four
hours, and then allowed to proceed with an escort. On Tuesday morning
he crossed the Elands River and caught up the column at about 11 a.m.
He had ridden all night, covering about eighty miles. He alleges that
at first the officers would not take the letters, but eventually Sir
John Willoughby accepted and read his and the others followed suit.
He stated that he had been instructed to deliver the letters
personally, and to get a reply. Sir John Willoughby sent a message by
him stating that the despatches would be attended to. Shortly after
this Dr. Jameson also received a protest from the Commandant of the
Marico district against his invasion of the State, to which he
sent the following reply:

_December 30, 1895._

SIR,

I am in receipt of your protest of the above date, and have to inform
you that I intend proceeding with my original plans, which have no
hostile intention against the people of the Transvaal; but we are
here in reply to an invitation from the principal residents of the
Rand to assist them in their demand for justice and the ordinary
rights of every citizen of a civilized State.

Yours faithfully
L.S. JAMESON.

White states that this was about noon, and 'then the bugle sounded
and the column moved off.' The force continued advancing in much the
same way throughout Tuesday, and at 6 p.m. a skirmisher of the
advanced guard met Lieutenant Eloff of the Krugersdorp District
Police, who had been instructed by his Government to ride to
Mafeking, presumably for the purpose of getting information. He had
come with a guard of nine men, whom he had left some distance off;
advancing alone to meet the column. He states that when released
after two hours' delay he left the forces, and passing along the
Rustenburg road met a commando of some 300 Boers with whom he made a