I am, etc,
        ARTHUR L. HALIBURTON.

APPENDIX H.

SIR JOHN WILLOUGHBY’S REPORT TO THE WAR OFFICE.

The subjoined document is printed in the form in which it was supplied to the author by a journalist, to whom it had been given as a fair statement of the case.  The marginal remarks are the notes made by a member of the Reform Committee to whom it was shown.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE EXPEDITION THAT LEFT THE PROTECTORATE AT THE
URGENT REQUEST OF THE LEADING CITIZENS OF JOHANNESBURG WITH THE
OBJECT OF STANDING BY THEM AND MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER WHILST THEY
WERE DEMANDING JUSTICE FROM THE TRANSVAAL AUTHORITIES.  By SIR JOHN C.
WILLOUGHBY, BART., Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Dr. Jameson’s
Forces.

[After they had dated the ‘urgent’ letter, and had wired to Dr. Harris (December 27):  ’We will make our own notation by the aid of the letter which I shall publish.’]

On Saturday, December 28, 1895, Dr. Jameson received a Reuter’s telegram showing that the situation at Johannesburg had become acute.  At the same time reliable information was received that the Boers in the Zeerust and Lichtenburg districts were assembling, and had been summoned to march on Johannesburg.

[The same time as he got the telegrams from Johannesburg and messages by Heany and Holden on no account to move.]

Preparations were at once made to act on the terms of the letter dated December 20, and already published, and also in accordance with verbal arrangements with the signatories of that letter—­viz., that should Dr. Jameson hear that the Boers were collecting, and that the intentions of the Johannesburg people had become generally known, he was at once to come to the aid of the latter with whatever force he had available, and without further reference to them, the object being that such force should reach Johannesburg without any conflict.

[Twaddle—­in the face of Hammond’s, Phillips’s and Sam Jameson’s wire not to move]

At 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, December 29, everything was in readiness at Pitsani Camp.

The troops were paraded, and Dr. Jameson read the letter of invitation from Johannesburg.

He then explained to the force (a) that no hostilities were intended; (b) that we should only fight if forced to do so in self-defence; (c) that neither the persons nor property of inhabitants of the Transvaal were to be molested; (d) that our sole object was to help our fellow-men in their extremity, and to ensure their obtaining attention to their just demands.

Dr. Jameson’s speech was received with the greatest enthusiasm by the men, who cheered most heartily.

The above programme was strictly adhered to until the column was fired upon on the night of the 31st.

Many Boers, singly and in small parties, were encountered on the line of march; to one and all of these the pacific nature of the expedition was carefully explained.