But this was to be a white man's war, and if the British could not work out their own salvation then it were well that empire should pass from such a race.

The magnificent Indian army of 150,000 soldiers, many of them seasoned veterans, was for the same reason left untouched.

England has claimed no credit or consideration for such abstention, but an irresponsible writer may well ask how many of those foreign critics whose respect for our public morality appears to be as limited as their knowledge of our principles and history would have advocated such self denial had their own countries been placed in the same position.
On September 18th the official reply of the Boer Government to the message sent from the Cabinet Council was published in London.

In manner it was unbending and unconciliatory; in substance, it was a complete rejection of all the British demands.

It refused to recommend or propose to the Raad the five years' franchise and the other measures which had been defined as the minimum which the Home Government could accept as a fair measure of justice towards the Uitlanders.