Ambassador Choate
to the Secretary of State.
American Embassy,
London, January 4,
1904.
No. 1272.]Sir: With reference to your instruction No.
1317 of the 23d of November last, in which you inclosed copies of
correspondence with William H. McGreevy, M. D., relating to certain
bonds of the late South African Republic purchased by the latter, which
he now desires to collect from the British Government, I have the honor
to inclose herewith a copy of a note from Lord Lansdowne transmitting a
copy of a parliamentary paper containing correspondence respecting the
terms of surrender of the Boer forces in the field, which is marked at
page 12, and also as bearing more especially on the validity of the
notes under law No. 1 of 1900 of the late South African Republic, a copy
of a note on the subject which appeared in the Transvaal Government
Gazette of the 25th of June, 1902, which is to the following effect:
“As misunderstanding seems to exist as to the interpretation of Clause II
of section 10 of the terms of surrender published in the Government
Gazette of the 3d of June, with regard to the validity of notes issued
under law No. 1 of 1900 of the late South African Republic, notice is
hereby given that such notes are not legal tender or negotiable or good
for any purpose except as evidence of losses sustained by the persons to
whom they were originally given.”
[Page 793]
I spoke with Lord Lansdowne on the subject on the 16th of December
subsequently to my note to which he refers, of the 3d of that month, and
gave him additional information in regard to the notes or bonds.
Possibly, therefore, he may have something further to add later than his
note of December 29, and should this be the case I shall transmit any
information he may send without delay.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Ambassador Choate to the Marquis of
Lansdowne.
American Embassy,
London, December 3,
1903.
My Lord: Under instructions from my
Government I have the honor to ask if your lordship would be so good
as to cause me to be informed as to the terms of the peace protocol
when peace was concluded between Great Britain and the two Boer
republics, and especially in relation to the subject of the
redemption of the bonds of the South African Republic by His
Majesty’s Government. My Government, having no official information
relating to the terms of the peace protocol, is desirous of
obtaining full information upon the subject, in view of the many
questions which arise in this connection from time to time.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
The Marquis of
Lansdowne to Ambassador Choate.
Foreign Office, December 29, 1903.
Your Excellency: With reference to your
note of the 3d instant, I have the honor to transmit to your
excellency herewith a copy of the parliamentary paper which gives at
page 12 the terms of surrender of the Boer forces in the field at
the end of the war in South Africa. I also include, as bearing more
especially on the validity of notes issued under law No. 1 of 1900
of the late South African republic, a copy of a note on the subject
which appeared in the Transvaal Government Gazette of the 25th of
June, 1902.
I have, etc.,
[Subinclosure 1.]
draft agreement as to terms of surrender of
the boer forces in the field approved by his majesty’s
government.
Section 10. As soon as conditions permit, a
commission, on which the local inhabitants will be represented, will
be appointed in each district of the Transvaal and Orange River
Colony, under the presidency of a magistrate or other official, for
the purpose of assisting the restoration of the people to their
homes and supplying those who, owing to war losses, are unable to
provide themselves with food, shelter, and the necessary amount of
seed, stock, implements, etc., indispensable to the resumption of
their normal occupations.
His Majesty’s Government will place at the disposal of these
commissions a sum of £3,000,000 for the above purposes, and will
allow all notes issued under law 1 of 1900 of the South African
republic and all receipts given by officers in the field of the late
republics, or under their orders to be presented to a judicial
commission, which will be appointed by the Government, and if such
notes and receipts are found by this commission to have been duly
issued in return for valuable considerations, they will be received
by the first-named commissions as evidence of war losses suffered by
the persons to whom they were originally given.
In addition to the above-named free grant of £3,000,000, His
Majesty’s Government will be prepared to make advances on loan for
the same purposes free of interest for two years, and afterwards
repayable over a period of years with 3 per cent interest. No
foreigner or rebel will be entitled to the benefit of this
clause.
[Page 794]
[Subinclosure 2.]
government notice no. 233 of 1902.
As misunderstanding seems to exist as to the interpretation of clause
2 of section 10 of the terms of surrender, published in the
Government Gazette (extraordinary) of 3d June, with regard to the
validity of notes issued under law No. 1 of 1900 of the late South
African republic, notice is hereby given that such notes are not
legal tender or negotiable or good for any purpose except as
evidence of losses sustained by the persons to whom they were
originally given.
By command of his excellency the administrator of the Transvaal.
P. Duncan,
Controller of the Treasury.
Pretoria, June 6,
1902.
