[The Great Boer War by Arthur Conan Doyle]@TWC D-Link book
The Great Boer War

CHAPTER 3
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Kruger had declared that all questions might be discussed except the independence of the Transvaal.
'All, all, all!' he cried emphatically.

But in practice it was found that the parties could not agree as to what did or what did not threaten this independence.

What was essential to one was inadmissible to the other.

Milner contended for a five years' retroactive franchise, with provisions to secure adequate representation for the mining districts.
Kruger offered a seven years' franchise, coupled with numerous conditions which whittled down its value very much, promised five members out of thirty-one to represent a majority of the male population, and added a provision that all differences should be subject to arbitration by foreign powers, a condition which is incompatible with any claim to suzerainty.

The proposals of each were impossible to the other, and early in June Sir Alfred Milner was back in Cape Town and President Kruger in Pretoria, with nothing settled except the extreme difficulty of a settlement.


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