I felt that this would be the case, and a picture arose before me of our men holding out, as they had never done before.
Before going further I must say a few words about the peace proposals which our Presidents made to the English Government on the 5th of March.
They called God to witness that it was for the independence of the two Republics, and for that alone, that they fought, and suggested that negotiations might be opened with the recognition of that independence as their basis.
Lord Salisbury replied that the only terms he would accept were unconditional surrender.

He asserted, as he did also on many subsequent occasions, that it was our ultimatum that had caused the war.

We have always maintained that in making this assertion he misrepresented the facts, to use no stronger term.[24] Naturally our Government would not consent to such terms, and so the war had to proceed.
It was decided to send a deputation to Europe.

This deputation, consisting of Abraham Fissher,[25] Cornelius H.Wessels,[26] and Daniel Wolmarans,[27] sailed from Delagoa Bay.[28] The reader may ask the object which this deputation had in view.

Was it that our Governments relied on foreign intervention?
Emphatically, no! They never thought of such a thing.