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Or, if the arrangement stopped short of bringing the Boers under our rule and authority and left them in an independent position as an indepen- dent republican community, it would confer on them all the advantages derivable from our recog- nition of that position.

18. Either way, whether the arrangement brought the Boers under our rule, or left them in a state of independence, the advantage to them of coming to an arrangement with us that would secure our recognition of their position, although a modified position compared with what they claim, would be so great, and on the other hand the failure to come to an arrangement with us and to secure our recognition would be attended with so great a disadvantage to them, that I can have little doubt as to the result of our com- munications.

19. Respecting the territorial area to be occupied by the Boers, I think we should endeavour to limit that to the country lying west of the Ibabanango and Inhlazatye hills; leaving the coast country entirely for native purposes.

20. It would be necessary, in any arrange- ment, to provide for the due interests of the mission stations, the proceedings of the Boers in respect of which have been called in question.

21. In entering upon communications with the Boers I would refer, in the first place, to the commu- nications addressed on their part to Her Majesty's Government-the communications which I have above-mentioned as containing an expression of their desire to enter into friendly relations with Her Majesty's Government and a request for the recognition of the independent republican govern- ment which they claim to have established. I would then proceed to point out to them, as I have pointed out above (see paragraph 8), but in greater detail, how the position which they claim is a position acquired in disregard and in violation of the conditions which Her Majesty's Govern- ment had, in the due exercise of their rights, laid down at the time of Cetywayo's restoration. I would set forth this matter, as I say, in sufficient detail. I would then point out that the position, so acquired by them in face of the conditions laid down by Her Majesty's Government, is preju- dicial and hurtful both to the people of the country and to our own interests, which are deeply concerned, and that the Zulus of Central Zululand, the very people with whom they made the compact in violation of the British conditions, had now appealed to Her Majesty's Government against them. I would inform them that it is impossible for Her Majesty's Government to acquiesce in the position as claimed by them, but that Her Majesty's Government are prepared to admit that they have claims, and are ready to consider the situation and to discuss it with them,

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