and angered the more moderate Boers in the Transvaal, who were not without sympathy with the Uitlanders.  It aroused the indignation of the Cape Colony Boers, and embittered racial feeling there.  It put the British cause in the wrong in the eyes of the whole world, and made the Boers appear as a gallant little people struggling in the folds of a merciless python-empire.  It increased immensely the difficulty of the British government in negotiating with the Transvaal for better treatment of the Uitlanders.  It stiffened the backs of Kruger and his party.  The German Kaiser telegraphed his congratulations on the defeat of the Raid ’without the aid of friendly powers,’ and the implication that this aid would be forthcoming in case of necessity led the Boers to believe that they could count on German help in a struggle with Britain.  So every concession to the Uitlanders was obstinately refused; and after three years more of fruitless negotiation, during which German munitions were pouring into the Transvaal, the South African War began.  It may be that the war could have been avoided by the exercise of patience.  It may be that the imperialist spirit, which was very strong in Britain at that period, led to the adoption of a needlessly high-handed tone.  But it was neither greed nor tyranny on Britain’s part which brought about the conflict, but simply the demand for equal rights.

The war was one in which all the appearances were against Britain, and the whole world condemned British greed and aggression.  It was a case of Goliath fighting David, the biggest empire in the world attacking two tiny republics; yet the weaker side is not necessarily always in the right.  It seemed to be a conflict for the possession of gold-mines; yet Britain has never made, and never hoped to make, a penny of profit out of these mines, which remained after the war in the same hands as before it.  It was a case of the interests of financiers and gold-hunters against those of simple and honest farmers; yet even financiers have rights, and even farmers can be unjust.  In reality the issue was a quite simple and straightforward one.  It was the issue of racial ascendancy against racial equality, and as her traditions bade her, Britain strove for racial equality.  It was the issue of self-government for the whole community as against the entrenched dominion of one section; and there was no question on which side the history of Britain must lead her to range herself.  Whatever the rest of the world might say, the great self-governing colonies, which were free to help or not as they thought fit, had no doubts at all.  They all sent contingents to take part in the war, because they knew it to be a war for principles fundamental to themselves.