CAB37-17 — Page 238

National Archives 英國國家檔案館 All

Page 238

13

agent of the Aborigines Protection Society' in that country, an agreement was arrived at, which is embodied in the Proclamation of 16th August, 1884, signed by Dinizulu and Mr. Grant, which was published in the newspapers of Natal and the South African Republic, and of which a copy was transmitted by Sir Henry Bulwer to the Colonial Office on the 26th of that month (see B. B. C— 4214, p. 69, reprinted as Appendix C). In terms of this agreement a Republic was formed by the Boer volunteers, and a Proclamation announcing its formation, signed by the acting President, Lucas Johannes Meyer, and the acting Secretary, Daniel Johannes Esselen, dated 16th August 1884, was issued and published.

46

Agreements were entered into with Dinizulu without the use of any threat or pressure on the part of the Boers. They contained the only terms on which they believed it was possible to restore and maintain peace in Zululand, and the Boers declined to consider any proposal which did not provide for their supremacy in the country and the transference to them of a tract of land sufficient to support such a body of them as would be able to control the natives, and ensure peace: but no force was exercised and no threat was used to induce Dinizulu to accept their terms. It has been said that they threatened to set up Usibepu as king, but this statement is without foundation, as such an idea was never entertained and would have been quite impracticable."-Extracts from Memorandum by Mr. Esselen enclosed in his letter to Colonel Stanley of the 20th of October 1885.

We have other accounts of what passed between the Boers and the Usutus both in May and August. The Usutus have declared that they promised no land, only cattle; but Sir Henry Bulwer condemns this assertion as inconceivable and false. The Usutus, in his judgment, knew that they were promising something in the way of land, but whether they knew the effect of the agree- ment of May (which left the amount of land to be taken to the discretion of the Boers) or the effect of that of August (which fixed the grant at 1,355,000 morgen) is in dispute. The Usutus deny that they knew or were informed of the effect of these agreements. The Boers say that they were distinctly explained to them, and that no undue pressure was used. Mr. Grant (Cetywayo's former adviser, and the usual informant and correspondent of the Aborigines Protection Society,") knows nothing of the circumstances of the agreement of May, but he was visited by two Boers in the early part of 1884, and he has furnished a Memorandum, which he states that he wrote at the time, from which it would appear that the consideration for the Boer aid was then represented by the Boers as consisting in " the peaceful occupation of certain farms known as the Disputed Territory, situated in the north-western part of Zululand. As regards the agreement of August, he asserts that the negotiations were conducted direct between the Zulus and the Boers, and reported to him when concluded ;

(1504)

**

<

Page 238

Page 238

Page 238

Page 238

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.