Knaplund—A Study in British Colonial Policy 
7 
resented the recognition afforded the separatist tendencies in the 
eastern provinces and especially a suggestion for moving the capi¬ 
tal.^® By annexing the diamond fields, claimed by the Orange Free 
State, Britain had antagonized the Boer republics.^® Voluntarily 
these would not surrender their independence in exchange for a 
colonial status. Lacking the most essential elements for success, 
popular support, the Barkly-Kimberley attempts at federation 
accomplished nothing. 
This failure might have taught British statesmen how to proceed 
if they desired to establish a South African union, but it did not. 
Lord Kimberley’s Conservative successor, the Earl of Carnarvon, 
who had had the good fortune of steering the British North American 
Act through Parliament, erred even more egregiously. Deeply 
impressed with the success of the Canadian experiment, he was 
determined to confer the boon of federation upon South Africa 
even to the extent of imposing it upon the colonies. In dealing 
with this question the noble earl, who as a statesman possessed 
many admirable qualities, reminds one of the hero in Kuneberg’s 
poem ^^Sven Dufva”, his heart was sound, but his head was 
rather weak. 
At first Carnarvon seems to have recognized the necessity of 
securing public approval for his cherished plan. In 1875 he pro¬ 
posed to call a conference at some place in South Africa which 
should discuss native policy, the enforcement of criminal law, 
and federation. Probably fearful lest' the frontiersmen should not 
know how to proceed, he also suggested how the delegates should 
be distributed and chosen and repeated the blunder of his predeces¬ 
sor in recognizing the sectional interests at the Cape.^^ When the 
colonists appeared lukewarm^^ Carnarvon sent James Anthony 
Froude, the historian, to South Africa as his personal representa¬ 
tive. The choice proved singularly unfortunate. While touring 
^Ibid., pp. 43, 44. 
P. A. Molteno, The Life and Times of Sir John Charles Molteno (2 vols. London, 
1900), I, pp. 185, 186. When the Cape Colony received responsible government President 
Burgers of the South African Republic, in a letter of December 27, 1872, congratulating 
the first prime minister, J. C. Molteno, on the occasion, said: “I am confident that it 
will direct the spirit of the nation in that proper channel which will ultimately lead to 
a closer union between the different colonies and states of South Africa.” Ibid., p. 202. 
A little more generosity on the part of the imperial government would have smoothened 
the way for the desired federation. 
See despatch, Carnarvon to Barkly, May 4, 1875. P.P., 1875, LII, cd. 1244, 
pp. 1-3. 
^^Ibid., 1876, LII, cd. 1399, pp. 4, 5; Life of Molteno, I, pp. 335, 336, 346: Un¬ 
qualified support was received from Natal and Griqualand West, P.P., 1876, LII, cd. 
1399, pp. 19, 25, 55. 
