The Reform Committee published the following official notice on Tuesday afternoon: 

The Reform Committee notify hereby that all rifles issued for the defence of life and property in town and the mines are to be returned at once to the Central Office in order to enable the Committee to carry out the agreement with the Government, upon the faithful observance of which so much is dependent.

The Committee desire to make it known that late last night they received an intimation from Her Majesty’s Agent in Pretoria to the effect that the decision of the Government was that Johannesburg must lay down its arms as a condition precedent to the discussion and consideration of grievances.

The Committee met this morning to consider the position, and it was unanimously resolved to accept the ultimatum of the Government for reasons which the following communications sufficiently explain: 

Here followed the High Commissioner’s telegram to Sir Jacobus de Wet, urging disarmament, already given, and the following memorandum: 

Sir Jacobus de Wet, Her Majesty’s Agent at Pretoria, has notified to the Committee that he has been officially informed by the Government in Pretoria that upon Johannesburg laying down its arms Dr. Jameson will be handed over to Her Majesty’s High Commissioner.

  By Order.

  Johannesburg, 7th January.
    The above is correct. 
     J.A.  DE WET,
          H.B.M.  Agent.

The Committee can add nothing to the above, and feel that there will not be one man among the thousands who have joined the Reform movement who will not find it consistent with honour and humanity to co-operate loyally in the carrying out of the Committee’s decision.

  By order of the Committee.

On Wednesday the investigations effected by the Government, with the aid of the Reform Committee, established the fact that the ultimatum had been complied with; but the juggling with Dr. Jameson’s life continued for some days.  On Thursday the 9th the High Commissioner received a communication from the President in which occurred the following sentence:  ’As I had already caused your Excellency to be informed, it is really my intention to act in this sense (i.e., hand over Dr. Jameson and men), so that Dr. Jameson and the British subjects who were under his command may then be punished by her Majesty’s Government, and I will make known to your Excellency the final decision in this matter as soon as Johannesburg shall have reverted to a condition of quietness and order.’