A sigh of relief went up from the country.  ‘If,’ said the Colonial Secretary, ’this report is confirmed, this important change in the proposals of President Kruger, coupled with previous amendments, leads Government to hope that the new law may prove to be the basis of a settlement on the lines laid down by Sir Alfred Milner in the Bloemfontein Conference.’  He added that there were some vexatious conditions attached, but concluded, ’Her Majesty’s Government feel assured that the President, having accepted the principle for which they have contended, will be prepared to reconsider any detail of his scheme which can be shown to be a possible hindrance to the full accomplishment of the object in view, and that he will not allow them to be nullified or reduced in value by any subsequent alterations of the law or acts of administration.’  At the same time, the ‘Times’ declared the crisis to be at an end.  ’If the Dutch statesmen of the Cape have induced their brethren in the Transvaal to carry such a Bill, they will have deserved the lasting gratitude, not only of their own countrymen and of the English colonists in South Africa, but of the British Empire and of the civilised world.’

But this fair prospect was soon destined to be overcast.  Questions of detail arose which, when closely examined, proved to be matters of very essential importance.  The Uitlanders and British South Africans, who had experienced in the past how illusory the promises of the President might be, insisted upon guarantees.  The seven years offered were two years more than that which Sir Alfred Milner had declared to be an irreducible minimum.  The difference of two years would not have hindered their acceptance, even at the expense of some humiliation to our representative.  But there were conditions which excited distrust when drawn up by so wily a diplomatist.  One was that the alien who aspired to burghership had to produce a certificate of continuous registration for a certain time.  But the law of registration had fallen into disuse in the Transvaal, and consequently this provision might render the whole Bill valueless.  Since it was carefully retained, it was certainly meant for use.  The door had been opened, but a stone was placed to block it.  Again, the continued burghership of the newcomers was made to depend upon the resolution of the first Raad, so that should the mining members propose any measure of reform, not only their Bill but they also might be swept out of the house by a Boer majority.  What could an Opposition do if a vote of the Government might at any moment unseat them all?  It was clear that a measure which contained such provisions must be very carefully sifted before a British Government could accept it as a final settlement and a complete concession of justice to its subjects.  On the other hand, it naturally felt loth to refuse those clauses which offered some prospect of an amelioration in their condition.  It took the course, therefore, of suggesting that each Government should appoint delegates to form a joint commission which should inquire into the working of the proposed Bill before it was put into a final form.  The proposal was submitted to the Raad upon August 7th, with the addition that when this was done Sir Alfred Milner was prepared to discuss anything else, including arbitration without the interference of foreign powers.