The
Commission, acting on the principle _in medio tutissimus ibis_, drew a
line through the midst of the disputed territory, or, in other words,
set aside Mr. Keate's award and interpreted the dispute in favour of the
Boers.
This decision was accepted by all parties at the time, but it has not
resulted in the maintenance of peace. The principal Chief, Montsoia, is
an old ally and staunch friend of the English, a fact which the Boers
were not able to forget or forgive, and they appear to have stirred
up rival Chiefs to attack him, and to have allowed volunteers from
the Transvaal to assist them. Montsoia has also enlisted some white
volunteers, and several fights have taken place, in which the loss of
life has been considerable. Whether or no the Transvaal Government
is directly concerned it is impossible to say, but from the fact that
cannon are said to have been used against Montsoia it would appear
that it is, since private individuals do not, as a rule, own Armstrong
guns.[*]
[*] I beg to refer any reader interested in this matter to
the letter of "Transvaal" to the "Standard," which I have
republished in the Appendix to this book.
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