CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE—Vol. I.

1851.—First Basuto war.

1852.—Sand River Convention, granting independence to Transvaal Boers.

1853.—Province of British Kaffraria created.

Introduction of representative government in Cape Colony.

1854.—Convention of Bloemfontein and Treaty of Aliwal, granting independence to Orange Free State.

Free State abandoned to Dutch.

1855.—Establishment of a Constitution for South African Republic; not completed till 1858.

1856.—Natal created a separate Colony. 2000 German legion and 2000 German labourers arrived.

1858.—War between Orange Free State and Basutos.

1859.—First railway constructed.

1865.—British Kaffraria incorporated with Cape Colony.

War between Free State and Basutos.

1867.—First discovery of diamonds near Orange River.

First discovery of gold in Transvaal.

1868.—Annexation of Basutoland.

1869.—Discovery of diamonds near Lower Vaal River, where Kimberley now stands.

Commercial Treaty concluded between Portuguese Government and the South African Republic, which led to British claims to Delagoa Bay.

1871.—Annexation of Griqualand West (Diamond Fields). Basutoland added to Cape.

1872.—Responsible Government granted to Cape Colony.

Cetchwayo succeeds his father, Panda, as king in Zululand.

1872-75.—Delagoa Bay arbitration.

1874.—Ichaboe and Penguin Islands annexed.

1875.—Delagoa Bay award.

1875-80.—Lord Carnarvon's scheme for making the different colonies and states of South Africa into a confederation with common administration and common legislation in national matters.

1876.—Fingoland, Idutywa Reserve, and No-Man's-Land annexed.

Acceptance by Free State of £90,000 for Griqualand West.

Khama, Chief of Bamangwato, seeks British protection against Boer aggressions.

1877.—Annexation of Transvaal by Sir T. Shepstone, after the country had been reduced to a state of anarchy by misgovernment.

1877-78.—Gaika and Gealika rebellion.

1878.—Walfish Bay proclaimed a British possession.

1879.—Zulu war. Transvaal declared a Crown Colony.

1880.—Basuto war. Sekukuni campaign.

Boer protest against British rule at a mass meeting held in December at Paardekraal (now Krugersdorp).

They seize Heidelberg.

South African Republic established.

December 16.—Kruger, Joubert, and Pretorius proclaimed South African Republic by hoisting flag on Dingaan's Day. Kruger made President on December 17. British treacherously surrounded at Bronkhurst Spruit, December 20, when about 250 of 94th Regiment, after losing nearly all their men, surrendered. Colonel Bellairs besieged in Potchefstroom, but Boers retire when shelled. December 29.—Captain Elliot treacherously murdered while fording the Vaal.

1880-81.—Reinforcements sent out December and January.

Griqualand West incorporated with the Cape.

1881.—Transvaal rebellion. Pretoria Convention, creating "Transvaal State" under British suzerainty.

Sir George Colley takes command of our troops, January. His attack on Laing's Nek repulsed with heavy loss. Colonel Deane and Majors Poole and Hingiston killed.

1881.—Severe engagement near Ingogo River, Feb. 8. British repulsed after 12 hours under fire. Sir E. Wood joined Colley with reinforcements. Orange Free State neutrality declared. Colley and Majuba Hill, Feb. 27; Colley killed with 3 officers and 82 men; 122 men taken prisoners.

Sir F. (now Lord) Roberts sent out, Feb. 28.

Armistice proposed by Boers, March 5; accepted March 23.

Peace proclaimed, March 21.

Potchefstroom surrendered with honours of war in ignorance of armistice, April.

Commission appointed to carry out Treaty of Peace, April 5.

Convention agreed to, ceding all territory to Transvaal, with the Queen as suzerain, and a British resident at Pretoria, Aug. 8.

Convention ratified, Oct. 25.

Evacuation of Transvaal by British troops began on Nov. 18.

1884.—London Convention restoring to the Transvaal the title of "South African Republic."

Annexation of Damaraland by Germany.

Boer Republics of Stellaland and Goshen set up in Bechuanaland.

Boers seize and annex Montsioaland; sanctioned by proclamation; withdrawn on remonstrance.

Ultimatum by Sir H. Robinson, requiring protection of frontiers.

British annexation of Southern, and protectorate of Northern Bechuanaland.

Basutoland made independent.

Port St. John annexed.

British flag hoisted in Lucia Bay, Zululand (ceded to England in 1843, by Panda).

1884-85.—Sir Charles Warren's expedition.

1885.—Annexation of Bechuanaland to Cape Colony.

1885.—British protectorate over Khama's country proclaimed as far as Matabeleland.

Discovery of great goldfields in Witwatersrandt, Transvaal.

1886.—Opening of principal goldfields in Transvaal.

British Government put a stop to Boer raids into Zululand, and confined them to a territory of nearly 3000 square miles; to be known as the "New Republic."

1887.—British annexation of the rest of Zululand.

British treaty with Tonga chiefs, in which they undertook not to make treaties with any other power.

1888.—"New Republic" annexed to South African Republic.

Treaty concluded between British and Lo Bengula, the Matabele king, in which he undertook not to cede territory to, or treat with, any foreign power without British consent.

1889.—Charter granted to British South Africa Company.

1890.—First Swaziland Convention, giving Boers certain rights to a railway to the coast.

British and German "spheres of influence" defined by formal agreement.

1891.—Southern boundary of Portuguese territory fixed by treaty with Great Britain.

1893.—Responsible government granted to Natal.

Matabele war.

1894.—Malaboch war.

Question of "commandeering" British subjects raised in South African Republic.

Second Swaziland Convention, placing Swaziland under Boer control.

Annexation of Amatongaland.

Annexation of Pondoland.

British subjects exempted from military service by Transvaal Government, June 24.

Protest by British Government against closing the Vaal Drifts, as contrary to Convention; Nov. 3. Agreed to Nov. 8.

1895.—Crown Colony of Bechuanaland annexed to Cape Colony.

Proclamation of Reform movement by Uitlanders in Johannesburg (National Union), Dec. 26.

Jameson Raid—he crossed the frontier with a force from Pitsani Pitlogo, Dec. 29.

Sir H. Robinson telegraphed to Jameson to retire, Dec. 30.

Mr. Chamberlain and Sir H. Robinson sent order to stop hostilities, Dec. 31.

1896.—Dr. Jameson's party, outnumbered and without resources, defeated by Boers near Krugersdorp, Jan. 1.

Fight at Vlakfontein, and surrender of Jameson, Jan. 2.

Johannesburg surrendered unconditionally by advice of British Government, Jan. 2.

Dr. Jameson and other prisoners handed over to Sir H. Robinson, Jan. 7.

1897.—Judicial Crisis in South African Republic.

Annexation of Zululand to Natal.

1899.— Petition of Uitlanders to the Queen, May 24.

Conference, at Bloemfontein, between Sir A. Milner and Kruger, May 30. Terminated without result, June 6.

British Despatch to Transvaal, setting forth demands for immediate acceptance, Sept. 8.

Unsatisfactory reply, Sept. 16.

Troops despatched to Natal, Sept. and Oct.

Insulting Boer Ultimatum, making war inevitable, Oct. 9.

Orange Free State joins with the Transvaal.