The Delegates from the Transvaal now in London have pre-
sented their demands in writing to the Colonial Office. They are marked by the one-sidedness which usually distinguishes requests from South Africa. The Boers ask that the Sand River Convention shall be restored to its full validity, or, in other words, that the Transvaal shall be acknowledged as an independent State, with full control over its coloured population. They also ask that the Debt, some £230,000, shall be written off; and, finally, demand the control of Bechuanaland, which, they say, was unfairly separated from the Transvaal by the Conven- tion of Pretoria. On their own side they offer nothing, and are ap- parently full of the idea that Great Britain is unable to contest the position. Great Britain is most unwilling to waste energy in South Africa, where no victory is a gain, bat the Boers abuse the privileges of ignorance. They are welcome to their Debt, which they have made no effort to pay, and to their independ- ence, which releases Britain from responsibility for their con- duct ; but they cannot be allowed to extend their borders at their own discretion. The Government must insist on protect. ing the natives, so far as is possible, and on defining boundaries, and should make these objects the conditions of recognising in- dependence. We greatly doubt whether, in the long-run, the Boers will consent to be forgotten without another expedition, which next time must be on the Egyptian scale; but if so, it will be far better to tight the fight out with a foreign and independent' Power, than to act on the false theory that we are chastising rebellious subjects. It may be taken as certain that Lord Derby, who dislikes ill-defined claims, will not grant too little.
