Sir Alfred
Milner Added That The Imperial Government Was Still Hopeful Of A
Friendly Settlement With The Transvaal, But If This Hope Were
Disappointed They Looked To The Orange Free State To Preserve
Strict Neutrality And To Prevent Military Intervention By Any Of
Its Citizens.
They undertook that in that case the integrity of the
Free State frontier would be strictly preserved.
Finally, he stated
that there was absolutely no cause to disturb the good relations
between the Free State and Great Britain, since we were animated by
the most friendly intentions towards them. To this the President
returned a somewhat ungracious answer, to the effect that he
disapproved of our action towards the Transvaal, and that he
regretted the movement of troops, which would be considered a
menace by the burghers. A subsequent resolution of the Free State
Raad, ending with the words, 'Come what may, the Free State will
honestly and faithfully fulfill its obligations towards the
Transvaal by virtue of the political alliance existing between the
two republics,' showed how impossible it was that this country,
formed by ourselves and without a shadow of a cause of quarrel with
us, could be saved from being drawn into the whirlpool. Everywhere,
from over both borders, came the news of martial preparations.
Already at the end of September troops and armed burghers were
gathering upon the frontier, and the most incredulous were
beginning at last to understand that the shadow of a great war was
really falling across them.
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