Now, commercial men never seek to bring about a political crisis
unnecessarily; they invariably endeavour to avoid one. If they resign
themselves to such a course, it is only as a last resource.

The truth of these general assertions is verified in the case in point
by two documents which have not been fabricated after the events.

They are the reports of the Chamber of Mines, published by Mr. Rouliot,
in January 1898, and January 1899.[18]

[Footnote 17: _Le Siècle_, April 7th, 1900.]

[Footnote 18: Published in the _Revue Sud-Africaine_ (Paris).]


2.--_A Local Board._

The report made by Mr. Rouliot to the Chamber of Mines on January 20th,
1898, refers to the burdens imposed upon the gold industry by the faulty
administration of the Transvaal. It shows how the Volksraad
contemptuously rejected, in 1897, a petition signed by more than ten
thousand inhabitants of all nationalities and all professions. It
declares that "the Chamber of Mines has no desire to interfere in the
conduct of general affairs in the Transvaal"; it recalls the fact that
the Commission of Enquiry nominated after the Crisis of 1896, had
recommended the constitution of a "Local Board" which President Krüger
had contemptuously rejected; and goes on to say:--

"It is nonsense to affirm that the creation of such a Board would