coquettings it was hoped to gain the miners' confidence and adhesion.
Those men were, however, not to be taught by quasi-socialistic
professions of concern, and when, some months later, the exodus prior
to the war occurred, they nearly all left, much to the disgust and
discomfiture of the Government, which had counted upon them to stay to
work the mines for its own account when the moment should arrive.

The appropriation of gold mines and their exploitation for Government
benefit bring about a singular anomaly for a nation engaged in war,
viz., that of a plethora of gold and a scarcity of paper currency, the
Transvaal mint coining the sinews of war at the expense of its victims,
but the plundered gold after all not equalling commercial paper values.

In connection with the foregoing remarks the following may also be said.
States professing neutrality still permit themselves to trade with the
Transvaal to a large extent. It is notorious that that State possesses
no funds available for payments except the gold derived from the
misappropriated mines. The output is seized in its entirety, and not
limited to the extent accruing to British scrip holders only. The
hustling rivalry of doing business with the Transvaal thus involves
receiving stolen money in payment of trade accounts. We see the
receivers eager to stand upon the same platform as the thief, thus not
only as his political partisans, but also as his accomplices.




DISLOYALTY OF COLONIAL BOERS