restrictions of "the right of suzerainty reserved to Her Majesty by
Articles 2 and 18 of the Convention of 1881," and claimed, that "the
relation of dependence _publici juris_ in which their country now finds
itself placed with regard to the British Crown shall be replaced by that
of two contracting parties." In his despatch of November 29th, Lord
Derby replied, that their "pretension to enter into treaty as between
two contracting powers was neither in form nor substance acceptable by
Her Majesty's Government."

The Preamble of the Convention of 1884 speaks of the representations of
the delegates of the Pretoria Government, "which Her Majesty has been
pleased to take into consideration."

Not daring to efface with a stroke of his pen the suzerainty question,
Dr. Kuyper attempts a metaphorical distinction:--

"The suzerainty question solves itself. Suzerainty may be an
"organic or mechanical relation"; if mechanical, it is arranged by
contract."

When Dr. Kuyper declares England's suzerainty to be of the mechanical
order, he admits that the Transvaal did not hold towards England the
position of an absolutely independent State.

Having been obliged to recognise the right of _veto_, which Article 4
confers upon England regarding the external relations of the Transvaal,
he contradicts himself when he invokes the principle of the equality "of
States among themselves."

Taking refuge in a kind of prescription, he says: "Never, before 1898,