His remark on the warlike situation was as follows: "Kruger is only a white Kaffir chief, and as such respects force, and force only.
Send sufficient soldiers, and there will be no fighting." This was also Mr.Rhodes's view, but, as it turned out, both were wrong.

In the meantime the sands were running out, and the troops were almost on the water, and yet the old man remained obdurate.
Outside the hospitable haven of Groot Schuurr I one day met Mr.Merriman at lunch as the guest of Mr.and Mrs.Richard Solomon.[14] Considerably above the average height, with a slight stoop and grey hair, Mr.
Merriman was a man whose appearance from the first claimed interest.

It was a few days after his Budget speech, which, from various innovations, had aroused a storm of criticism, as Budgets are wont to do.

Whatever his private feelings were about the English, to me the Finance Minister was very pleasant and friendly.

We talked of fruit-farming, in which he takes a great interest, of England, and even of his Budget, and never did he show any excitement or irritation till someone happened to mention the word "Imperialist." Then he burst out with, "That word and 'Empire' have been so done to death by every wretched little Jew stockbroker in this country that I am fairly sick of them." "But surely you are not a Little Englander, Mr.Merriman," I said, "or a follower of Mr.Labouchere ?" To this he gave an evasive reply, and the topic dropped.