The Petit Bleu, a Belgian paper exceptionally well informed as
to the intentions of the Boer authorities, published on Friday week a striking note on the question of the alleged peace negotiations. After affirming, "from information ob- tained from the most trustworthy sources," that no peace proposals or negotiations had been made or opened by the Boers either in Europe or in the field, the note proceeds to state that Mr. Kruger and other representatives of the two Republics were alwq.ys ready to examine any peace proposals made to them, but would at no time negotiate without con- sulting the generals and members of the Governments of the Republics in the field, and vice-verscl. Lastly, and this is the gist of the communiqui5 :—" It is true that officious advice and proposals have been made to the Boer representatives in Europe, but by third parties without authority, and the pro- posals of such persons have never been considered by the Boers as peace proposals since they involve the annexation of the two Republics by Great Britain, which the Boers con. eider as a proposal of servitude. The Boer representatives are actively working for the defence of their cause, and will always be ready to examine peace proposals not having the annexation of their territories as a basis?' The paragraph we have quoted forms a logical corollary to the resolution adopted by the National Liberal Federation two days pre- viously. It is less easy, however, to reconcile it with the declarations of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman as to the necessity of annexation.
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