POSTSCRIPT. 271 



foregoing expression of my opinion on the subject 

 treated that I am advocating any interference with 

 the conduct of the internal affairs of the Trans- 

 vaal. Her Majesty's Ministers are not scavengers, 

 and cannot be supposed to have any wish 

 to bedaub themselves by any attempt to inter- 

 meddle with such an accumulation of Augean 

 corruption as such action would entail. The 

 actions and animus of the Transvaal Government 

 are as hostile to British interests as a declaration 

 of war would be, and no temperate but firm 

 defensive remonstrances or measures taken by the 

 Imperial Government to put an end to, or at least 

 to mitigate the evils of the situation can by any 

 means be construed into an interference with the 

 internal government of the country. It must not 

 be forgotten that approximately two-thirds of the 

 Transvaal soil is owned by Englishmen and a few 

 Europeans of other nationalities, whose sole 

 dependence for protection in very probable 

 emergencies depends upon the action of the 

 paramount power in South Africa. These people 

 will soon be at the mercy of a vindictive despot 

 and his subordinates, should Paul Kru'ger obtain 

 the power of dispensing with the paramountcy of 



