On Thursday Mr. Chamberlain made a statement in the House
of Commons,as to the nature of the negotiations and the reasons for their breakdown. He added that the despatch in answer to the petition of the Outlanders to the Queen, which had been held back pending the result of the Conference, will now be communicated to the Government of the South African Republic. We trust and believe that this despatch is not in the nature of an ultimatum. Though we have no information on the subject not in the hands of the public, we may express a hope that the despatch warns the Transvaal, on the 'lines we have suggested elsewhere, as to the inevitable'results of a continued refusal of the rights of citizenship to the bulk of the white resident population. There has been no breach of the letter of the Convention in regard to the vote, and, therefore, we cannot possibly take immediate action, but we have a right to inform the Transvaal that if they continue to treat British subjects in a manner which we believe-to ihe'entirely-inconsistent with the welfare of the Republic and of South Africa as a whole, we shall hold them strictly responsible for any disorder or any injury to British subjects which may. result.
