conferred upon Military Governors and District Commissioners by this Proclamation. Army Head-quarters, South Africa, Pretoria, July 27, 1900. To the inhabitants of the South African Republic: WHEREAS by Proclamation No. 1 of 1900, Burghers who had not taken a prominent part in the hostilities were allowed, upon taking an oath, to return to their homes, and were not dealt with as prisoners of war; and Whereas by Proclamation No. 2 of 1900,† Burghers to whom passes and permits had been granted might retain their stock, or take them to the winter veld; and Whereas many Burghers have taken the said oath, but have, notwithstanding this oath, taken up arms against the forces of Her Majesty the Queen; and Whereas many Burghers, who have taken the said oath, have aided and abetted the enemy in raiding trains and destroying property belonging to the forces of Her Majesty the Queen, or have acted as spies for the enemy; and Whereas the Government of the South African Republic considers such oath immoral, and has issued a notice warning all Burghers against taking the said oath; and Whereas it is manifest that the leniency which has been extended to the Burghers of the South African Republic in not appreciated by them, but, on the contrary, is being used as a cloak to continue the resistance against the forces of Her Majesty the Queen; and Whereas there are no means of distinguishing the combatant from the non-combatant portion of the population: Now, therefore, I, Frederick Sleigh, Baron Roberts of Kandahar and Waterford, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., V.C., Commanderin-chief of Her Majesty's forces in South Africa, do hereby proclaim and make known, as follows: 1. That from and after this date sections 1 and 2 of Proclamation No. 1 of 1900 are repealed, except in respect of those Burghers who have already taken the said oath. 2. That Proclamation No. 2 of 1900 is repealed. 3. That all such persons who have taken the said oath, and who * Page 1083. + Page 1085. have in any way broken such oath, will be punished with either death, imprisonment, or fine. 4. That all Burghers in the districts occupied by Her Majesty's forces, except such as have already taken the said oath, shall be regarded as prisoners of war, and shall be transported or otherwise dealt with as I may determine. 5. That all buildings and structures on farms on which the scouts or other forces of the enemy are harboured will be liable to be razed to the ground. 6. That the fine mentioned in Proclamation No. 6 of 1900,* section 2, shall be rigorously exacted where any damage is done to the railway, and persons are hereby warned to acquaint Her Majesty's forces with the presence of the enemy upon their farms, and failing to do so they will be regarded as aiding and abetting the enemy God save the Queen. Given under my hand and seal, at Pretoria, this 14th day of August, 1900. (L.S.) ROBERTS, Field-Marshal, Commander-in-chief, South Africa. [With reference to paragraph 6, the fine therein mentioned shall in no event be less than a sum of 2s. 6d. per morgen on the area of each farm.] WHEREAS it has seemed to me expedient that certain taxes, revenues, dues, licences, royalties, and moneys due to the Government of the South African Republic, according to the laws thereof, shall be paid to Her Majesty's forces now in occupation of certain portions of the said Republic; And whereas it is expedient that all such taxes, revenues, dues, licences, royalties, and moneys as are payable upon mijnpachts, claims, stands, water-rights, machine-stands, and bewaarplaatsen, and upon rights similar to the said claims and stands in such portions of the said Republic as are or may be in the occupation of Her Majesty's forces, shall be paid to the officers authorized to collect or receive the same on behalf of Her Majesty's forces: Now, therefore, I, Frederick Sleigh, Baron Roberts of Kandabar and Waterford, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., V.C., Field * Page 1088. Marshal, Commanding-in-chief Her Majesty's troops in South Africa, hereby declare, proclaim, and make known that all persons resident in the said Republic, and the legal representatives of absentees, who are the owners of mijnpachts, claims, stands, waterrights, machine-stands, and bewaarplaatsen and of rights similar to the said claims and stands in such portions of the said Republic as are or may be in the occupation of Her Majesty's forces, shall pay to the officers duly authorized to collect or receive the same, such taxes, revenues, dues, licences, royalties, and moneys as were and are due by them to the Government of the South African Republic. God save the Queen. Given under my haud and seal, at Pretoria, this 20th day of August, 1900. (L.S.) ROBERTS, Field-Marshal, Commanding-in-chief, South Africa. 28. Proclamation. [No. 14 of 1900.] To the inhabitants of the Orange River Colony. WHEREAS by Proclamation a warning was issued on the 1st June, 1900, that persons in arms against Her Majesty within the Orange River Colony would be liable to be dealt with as rebels; And whereas it was directed that all arms and ammunition should be surrendered: Now, therefore, I, Frederick Sleigh, Baron Roberts of Kandahar and Waterford, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., V.C., FieldMarshal, Commander-in-chief of Her Majesty's forces in South Africa, do hereby proclaim and make known, as follows: 1. That all persons residing in the Orange River Colony, heretofore Burghers of the Orange Free State, have, in consequence of the annexation of the territories of that State to the dominions of Her Majesty the Queen, become the subjects of Her Majesty, except those Burghers who were attached to some commando prior to the annexation, and who have continuously since then been in arms against Her Majesty. 2. If any Burghers of the Orange Free State be found in arms against Her Majesty the burden of proving that they were attached to some commando prior to the annexation, and that they have continuously since then been in arms against Her Majesty, will rest upon such Burghers. 3. Those Burghers of the Orange Free State who were attached to some commando prior to the annexation, and who have been • Page 1084. continuously in arms against Her Majesty, shall be regarded as prisoners of war, and be transported or otherwise dealt with as I may determine. 4. Those Burghers of the Orange Free State who have taken the so-called oath of neutrality or submission, and who have in any way broken such oath, shall be punished with either death, im prisonment, or fine. 5. All buildings and structures on farms on which the scouts or other forces of the enemy are harboured will be liable to be razed to the ground. 6. Where any damage is done to the railway, a fine of 2s. 6d. per morgen will be levied on the area of the farm or farms on which the damage was done, and the farms in the immediate neighbourhood of the damaged place may also, if I deem fit, be subjected to a similar fine. 7. All persons are hereby warned to acquaint Her Majesty's forces of the presence of the enemy upon, or in the neighbourhood of, their farms, and if they fail so to do they will be regarded as aiding and abetting the enemy, and will be liable to be treated as rebels. God save the Queen. Given under my hand and seal, at the head-quarters of the army in South Africa at Belfast, this first day of September, 1900. (L.S.) ROBERTS, Field-Marshal, Commander-in-chief in South Africa. 29. Proclamation. Annexation of South African Republic. [No. 15 of 1900.] WHEREAS certain territories in South Africa, hitherto known as the South African Republic, have been conquered by Her Majesty's forces, and it has seemed expedient to Her Majesty that the said territories should be annexed to, and should henceforth form part of, Her Majesty's dominions, and that I should provisionally, and until Her Majesty's pleasure is more fully known, be appointed Adminis trator of the said territories, with power to take all such measures, and to make and enforce such laws, as I may deem necessary for the peace, order, and the good government of the said territories: Now, therefore, I, Frederick Sleigh, Baron Roberts of Kandahar and Waterford, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., V.C., Field Marshal, Commanding-in-chief Her Majesty's forces in South Africa, by Her Majesty's command, and in virtue of the power and authority conferred on me in that behalf by Her Majesty's Royal Commission, dated the 4th day of July, 1900, in accordance with Her Majesty's instructions thereby and otherwise signified to me, from and after the publication hereof, do proclaim that the territories known as the South African Republic are annexed to, and form part of, Her Majesty's dominions, and that provisionally, and until Her Majesty's pleasure is fully declared, the said territories will be administered by me with such powers as aforesaid. Her Majesty is pleased to direct that the new territories shall henceforth be known as the Transvaal. God save the Queen. Given under my hand and seal, at head-quarters of the army in South Africa, in the said territories, this 1st day of September, in of our Lord 1900. the year (L.S.) ROBERTS, Field-Marshal, Commanding-in-chief Her Majesty's Forces in South Africa. WHEREAS the territory formerly known as the South African Republic, now the Transvaal, has been annexed by Her Majesty, and is now British territory, and I, Frederick Sleigh, Baron Roberts of Kandahar and Waterford, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., V.C., Field-Marshal, Commanding-in-chief in South Africa, have been empowered to take all measures to make and enforce such laws as may deem necessary for the maintenance of peace and order and for the good government of the aforesaid territory, annexed and incorporated in Her Majesty's dominions under the designation of the Transvaal: I Now, therefore, I declare that the Transvaal is, as a temporary measure, and until further notice, placed under martial law, as such law is understood and administered in British territory and by British officers. God save the Queen. Given under my hand and seal, at Army head-quarters, South Africa, this 1st day of September, 1900. (L.S.) ROBERTS, Field-Marshal, Commanding-in-chief Her Majesty's Forces in South Africa. |