Adamantia : the truth about the South African diamond fields : or, a ...

366 THE FREE STATE AGAIN PROPOSES ARBITRATION.distinguished citizens, Mr. H. A. L. Hamelberg,member of the Volksraad, and commissioned him toproceed to England, in order, as Representative andPlenipotentiary of the Orange Free State, to lay theircase before Her Majesty's Government.In the meanwhile President Brand made anothereffort to obtain arbitration, by the following proposal,viz., .cc The appointment of three comUUS81oners,to be selectedby yonI' Excellency, and three to be chosen by the Governmentof the Orange Free State, to take evidence," etc.; "and in casethey could not agree, a reference of aU the points at issuebetween the two Governments to the final decision of a.ny of thearbitrators proposed by the Volksraad."-(P,."uunt Brand to 8i,.H. Barldy, Oetob" 3, 1871.)In his reply to this fair but submissive proposal, theGovernor agrees to a Commission, "PROVIDED ALL IDEAOF SUBSEQUENT REFERENCE TO I!'OREIGN ARBITRATION BEABA.NDONED "!-thus following Earl Kimberley'S instructions,and again thwarting all prospect of arbitration.·The despatch bears date October 23rd, 1871;but only four days later Sir H. Barkly proceeded, as wehave seen in Chapter XIV., to declare and proclaim theterritory in dispute as British territory annex.ed to theCape!In the month of August, Mr. Hamelberg arrived inLondon, and at once"addressed a letter to • . . Earl ·Granville, and requested. hisLordship to gra.nt (him) an interview, in order to present (his)credentiala, and state •.. the objects of (hie) mission."-(Jlr.Ham,lb"g to Earl Kt'm/J"l#r, Londrm, Octobw 3, i87l).Mr. Hamelberg's letter to Earl Granville remamedunanswered for four weeks! A reply then came"to the effect that such communications 8.8 (he might) have toDigitized by Goog Ie