still greater degree to be feared if importations were entirely
left to private enterprise. There was a risk to be run, and it
was reasonably argued that the Government could better
afford to run this risk than the individual. In the case of the
individual, the question of sea transport and railway transit
was one of extreme difficulty. A middle course was possible.
The Repatriation Department might find out their require-
ments from individuals, and undertake to import animals by
the shipload as required, the applicants agreeing to defray
expenses, which would be less for a large consignment than
for a number of small ones. Moreover, the Government, by
arrangement with the Governments of countries whence the
importations were to be made, could insure nothing but the
class of animal required being despatched, and could, in
addition to preventing private speculation of a least desirable
type, vastly improve the stock of the colony by prohibiting
the introduction of any but first-quality animals.
There was here a question of general policy which obviously
admitted of strong arguments on both sides. It was decided —
whether rightly or wrongly time alone will show — that the
118 THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
Repatriation Department should not embark to any large
extent on the importation of foreign live-stock. ' The greater
adaptability of private enterprise,' said Sir Hamilton Goold
Adams, ' the inability of Government to risk great losses, the
already overwhelming calls on the capital of Government, are
considerations that in my opinion outweigh the advantages
which might accrue were Government able to control the
qualities of the stock imported and the prices charged to the
farmers.'^
The mules imported by the Repatriation Department proved
satisfactory and serviceable, but the cattle and rams intro-
duced from oversea were not altogether a success, and were
regarded with some suspicion by the excessively conservative
Boer farmer with whom the department had generally to deal.
' I was hoping,' said the Resident Magistrate at Vredefort, ' to
improve the breed of stock in this district by the importation
of fresh blood. The Argentine cattle received from the
Central Board were submitted to the farmers for purchase.
They did not take kindly to them. They prefer colonial stock.'
The department confined itself in the main to the acquisition
of large quantities of cattle in Cape Colony and Basutoland,
and devoted itself particularly to the purchase within South
Africa of sheep and goats which were less liable to disease
and capable of rendering quicker returns.
1 Cd. 1551, p. 49.
CHAPTEE VI
BACK TO THE LAND
' A genuine history of the South African War, just as it has to begin
long before the I'u.-uger ultimatum, will have to go far beyond the
Vereeniging Conference, and will tell of the greatest effort ever made to
restore a country devastated by war.' — Bristol Times and Mirror.
The actual work of repatriation, properly so called, fell under
three headings. The first object was to get the people back
to their farms as soon as possible ; the second, to give them
sufficient rations to feed themselves until such time as they
should be able to reap their crops ; the third, to provide them
with the seeds, implements, and animals necessary to enable
them to cultivate and grow their own crops. But before the
department could engage in the task for which it had been
especially constituted, it was called upon to carry out a con-
siderable amount of preparatory work on behalf of both the
administration generally and the whole population.
It is somewhat difficult to convey any adequate idea of
what repatriation in the first instance really meant and of the
colossal task which the department was in its initial stages
called upon to undertake.^ Formed theoretically to minister
to the needs of the Boers alone, its field of operation extended
in practice to the whole country, to every department of life
and to every class of the community.- That this should be
^ ' People who dwell at home at ease can hardly estimate the immense
amount of reconstructive work which was required to be done as soon as
peace was established' (Contemporary Beview, November, 1903).
'^ ' It may incidentally be remarked that, although Article X. laid down
the broad principles on which the work of repatriation should be conducted,
119
120 THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
the case was temporarily inevitable. The monopoly hitherto
possessed by the military had been transferred to the Repatria-
tion Department. However defective the transport, stocks,
and stores taken over may have been for the purpose required,
they were the only ones available ; they were the sole means
by which life on the veldt could be resumed and the ad-
ministrative machine restarted. The general term repatria-
tion includes, therefore, an infinite variety of subjects, and
some attempt, however inadequate, must be made to deal
with these subjects separately rather than in strictly
chronological sequence, although they all fall within, roughlj^
the half-year which immediately followed the declaration of
peace.
' The terms of surrender were signed at Pretoria on May 31,
1902, but the Civil Government could not really begin to
take over the administration of the new colonies, and especially
the country districts, for nearly a month after that date. At
Lord Kitchener's request no attempt was made to enter into
possession of those districts until after the surrender of the
commandos ; and though that surrender was accomplished
with extraordinary celerity and smoothness, something like
three weeks elapsed before any civil officer could even set out
for the house or tent — generally a tent — allotted to him in the
wilderness which we were about to take over, devoid as it was
of crops, of stock, of population, and to a large extent of
habitable dwellings.'^
Not only had a country been laid waste, but a Government
had been swept away, and political, social, and economic
life shattered to its foundations. It is true that a skeleton
administration had been set up before the cessation of hostili-
ties, but that administration, necessarily hampered and limited
in its activity by the restrictions inseparable from war, could
it was found to be desirable in the interests of the colony to extend the
operations of the newly - formed department over a field never con-
templated by the signatories to the Articles of Surrender ' (Sir Hamilton
Goold Adams, Cd. 1551).
1 Cd. 1551.
BACK TO THE LAND 121
not enter upon the task of reconstruction until after the con-
clusion of peace.^ Of the huge work of reconstruction, which
is still in progress, repatriation was but an infinitesimal and
strictly temporary portion. The department, however, pos-
sessed an importance outside the actual purpose for which it
had been formed, because, in the first instance, it supplied the
mechanical means by which the machinery of local govern-
ment could be restarted. Secondly, the work to be under-
taken was important from a political point of view as the first
act of the new regime, the first instalment, as it were, of
British administration ; and the impression gained from this
commencement was likely to determine to no inconsiderable
extent the attitude of the conquered people towards their new
Government.
The majority of the Free State commandos handed in
their arms to General Elliot, and by June 21 the surrender
was complete. But already the pinch of hunger had made
itself felt among the women and children who had been
playing hide-and-seek with the commandos, and who had
clung to these commandos until the end,- On June 10, 1902,
Commandant Mentz reported a number of families on the
veldt in the Heilbron district ' in a destitute and starving
condition.' On the same date General Elliot wired that his
' one anxiety was the situation of the families on the veldt,
who had no food and no transport to take them into supply
centres.' General Louis Botha at Tweekoppies asked that a
supply of rations and blankets might be forwarded for burghers
and their families in the surrounding district who were ' in
1 ' A number of the country districts were absolutely closed to civil
administration, while in those where our ofdcials were established their
efforts were confined, except in a few favoured localities, to the district
towns, and an area, now contracting and now expanding, of a few square
miles around each of them' (Sir Hamilton Goold Adams, Cd. 1551).
2 ' Strange as it may seem, many of the women and children managed
to evade the troops and remained in the veldt until peace was declared.
As soon as it was known that the Government would provide rations for
the inhabitants, these people came from all quarters to receive the meat
and flour taken over by the department from the military. They stated
that they had undergone terrible hardships. They were half -naked and
very hungry ' (extract from Lindley Report).
122 THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
extreme want.' General William Knox at Kroonstad stated
that, at the earnest request of the Veld-Kornets on the east of
the line, he had sent out 'ten days' rations for about 1,200
adults and 1,100 children who were starving, and whose
condition was described as "deplorable" by officers on the
spot.'
To meet this immediate need all general officers com-
manding were instructed to assist in rationing these people to
the best of their ability, pending the organization of the
District Repatriation Boards. Fortunately no deaths from
starvation occurred, and in a few days these families were
admitted to the refugee camps.
The surrender of the enemy was more universal, more
rapid, and more satisfactory in every way than had generally
been anticipated ; its completion was immediately followed by
an enormous influx of refugees. It will be remembered that
outside the concentration camps, and in addition to those
distributed over the adjoining colonies, there were many
thousands of the country population both in the garrisoned
towns of the Orange River Colony and on the outskirts of
what had until recently been the theatre of war. Instead of
availing themselves of the free accommodation aflbrded by the
camps, these people had originally elected to retain their
independence in a spirit which cannot be too strongly com-
mended. They had suffered hardships and privations un-
known among those who were fed and housed at Government
expense, and, often with very slender resources, had had to
pass a long and dreary time, hoping against hope that they
would shortly be able to return to their homes and to resume
their life's work. With a courage characteristic of their
earlier attitude they were determined to get back imme-
diately at all costs, and it was impossible not to sympathize
with their very pardonable impatience to do so.
It will readily be understood, however, that the country was
not in a fit state to receive them. Their resources were in many
cases exhausted, and they arrived unfurnished with sufficient
supplies. As the Repatriation Commissions had not yet got
BACK TO THE LAND 123
to work, there was every likelihood of their starving.^ The
district boards, consequently, found it necessary to check
temporarily the work for which they had been constituted,
and had it not been for the timely assistance rendered at this
critical moment by the South African Constabulary there
would probably have been many cases of starvation. Ficks-
burg was unable to cope immediately with the influx of
destitute families from Basutoland. In the neighbourhood
of Eeddersburg people were reported to be returning ' too
hurriedly,' and much distress prevailed in consequence. The
first act of the Smithfield Commission was ' to close by
telegram as far as possible all points of ingress.' The
Eesident Magistrate at Fauresmith wired : ' I am trying to stop
further returns of burghers unable to support themselves
until I am in a position to insure their not being in want
of food.' So serious did the question of food in the first
stage of reoccupation become, that no permits to travel to the
districts were granted until the Repatriation Boards concerned
had been consulted.
The general release of prisoners of war from camps in
South Africa was ordered on June 20, 1902. These men
gave little difficulty ; they all readily took the oath of
allegiance, and were apparently prepared to accept the new
order of things. But reports from all the oversea prisoner-
of-war camps showed that the Boers were extremely sceptical
as to the terms of surrender, and were not to be convinced
even by telegrams sent by their own generals. On July 30
the Governor of Ceylon wired that the prisoners were ' still
obstinate and sceptical.' Moreover, there was practically a
universal refusal to take the oath of allegiance. Consequently,
the first ship — s.s. Canada — sent on June 11 to bring back
Boer prisoners from St. Helena, where upwards of 5,000 were
interned, only found 278 ready to embark.
The classification of prisoners of war in order of return was
^ Buck of all kinds were plentiful enough, but the population had, of
course, been disarmed. One of the first applications from the Frankfort
district was for ' drag-nets to catch fish in the Wilge Eiver, to enable
burghers to support themselves.'
124 THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
based, firstly, on political considerations ; and, secondl}', on
the state of the new colonies and the preparedness or other-
wise of the civil administration to accommodate them. This
classification was not in every case strictly adhered to, but its
general outlines were as follows : Politically there were three
classes, and they were allowed to return in the order named :
(1) ' Those who had volunteered for active service, and were
considered likely to become loyal subjects and useful settlers,
and those who appeared willing to accept the new order of
things cheerfully ; (2) those who had shown no particular
bias ; (3) irreconcilables and men who had given trouble in
the camps.' ^ The bijwoners were of necessity left till near
the end, for they were men with no homes of their own and
no means of subsistence, and they could not resume their
normal life until the proprietary farmers were back on their
farms. Similarly, married men were noted for earlier return
than the unmarried ones. The wives and families of married
men were in most cases living in burgher camps, and the
return of the head of the family caused no additional strain
on the resources of the refugee camp department and no
additional tents were required ; whereas in the case of un-
married men extra accommodation had to be provided, and
when the man was able to leave the camp to return to his
home he did not relieve the pressure like the married man by
taking with him a number of women and children from the
camp," Further, no shipload was allowed to include more
than 100 men for any one district.
A fortnight before embarkation a nominal roll of those
returning was furnished to the Repatriation Department,
giving the district and farm to which each prisoner belonged.
Rebels were handed over to be dealt with by the Governments
of the Cape Colony and Natal. The camps at Umbilo, in
Natal, and Simonstown, in Cape Colony, were used as rest
camps. Prisoners on disembarking at Durban or Cape Town
^ Cd. 1551, p. 23. ' Feeling between the different sections in the camps
ran very high — so much so, that to avoid faction fights it was found
necessary to classify prisoners according to their pohtical opinions ' (' The
New Era in South Africa,' p. 18).
2 Cd. 1551, p. 18.
BACK TO THE LAND 125
were sent for three or four days to these camps, where they
were supplied, if necessary, with blankets and clothes before
being entrained for their respective colonies. They usually
arrived in drafts of from 400 to 500, and were accommodated
in special trains, consisting of third-class carriages. No
military escort was placed on the train, but they were accom-
panied by an interpreter, who looked after their wants and
saw that they reached their proper destinations. Eations,
consisting of meat, bread, sugar, and coffee, were supplied for
the journey. The cost of each prisoner to the railway-station
nearest his home was considered a charge on military funds.
On arrival in their districts, the ex-prisoners who were
able to look after and support themselves were allowed to go
whither they pleased, but were expected to report their advent
to the local Eesident Magistrate. Those who had families in
the camps went to the camps and reported themselves there.
They might then at once, if able to support themselves, quit
the camp, taking their families or dependent relations with
them ; or they might remain in camp, if unable to support
themselves, till the Eepatriation Department was in a position
to provide for their return to their homes.
With the exception of 900 odd so-called * irreconcilables,'^
of whom 500 persisted in refusing to come back until January,
1904, the return of the ex-prisoners of war was practically
completed in six months. By the end of 1902, 10,000 out of
some 12,000 had returned to the Orange Eiver Colony. The
scheme of return worked admirably, and this may be attributed
as much to the docility and obedience of the men themselves
as to the excellence of the arrangements made. * All this was
accomplished,' says Lord Milner, * as far as I am aware,
without a hitch, and without so much as a single unpleasant
incident occurring after the prisoners had once landed in
South Africa.' -
1 ' While declining to declare allegiance to Great Britain, they stand out
for conveyance back to their homes untrammelled by any pledges. Their
attitude is such that it is difficult to resist the conclusion that they find
their present situation and treatment too agreeable to induce a desire for
change ' {Bombay Gazette, December 19, 1903).
2 Cd. 1551, p. 2.
12G
THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
Prisoners of War returned to Orange River Colony up to
December 31, 1902.
Date.
From—
Vessel.
No.
Remarks.
1902.
June 25
Simonstown
—
601
„ 25 ...
Bloemfontein
—
413
„ 30 ...
Cape Colony
55
Prisoners of
war on
parole.
„ 80 ...
St. Helena
Canada
237
July 2 ...
Germiston
—
1
„ 5 ...
India
?
191
„ 21 ...
St. Helena
Guelph
19
„ 28 ...
>>
Guelph
18
„ 30 ...
M
A taha
3
Aug. 5
Portugal
Bavarian
16
„ 12 ...
Bermuda
Walmer Castle
158
„ 12 ...
^,
City of Vienna
446
„ 14 ...
St. Helena and
Portugal
—
15
„ 15 ...
Umbilo
—
140
„ 16 ...
India
Golconda
133
„ 21 ...
J,
Englishman
278
„ 21 ...
St. Helena
Canada
449
„ 24 ...
India (Solon
andDagshai)
—
6
„ 25 ...
St. Helena
Avondale Castle
1
„ 25
))
Tagus
361
„ 25 ...
Bermuda
Tartar Prince
48
„ 29 ...
India
Paletina
45
„ 30 ...
Bermuda
Boslin Castle
145
„ 30 ...
(Garlech)
Garlech
1
Sept. 1 ...
India
Burgomeister
2
„ 4 ...
Ceylon
—
28
9
?J ■ • ' *
Bermuda
Kildonan Castle
1
„ 4 ...
Cape Town
—
134
„ 9 ...
Bermuda
Kron Prinz
1
„ 11 -
)5
City of Vienna
289
/"At own ex-
„ 2 ...
India
Nervassa
30
pense
„ 12 ...
Ceylon
Safari and Vita
(October 14)
8
■i through
Lorenz o
V Marquez
„ 13 ...
India
Koenig
12
„ 13 ...
St. Helena
Malta
416
„ 18 ...
Bermuda
Staffordshire
413
„ 23 ...
India
Ionian
511
„ 23 ...
Bermuda
Donnelly Castle
1
BACK TO THE LAND
127
Prisoners of War returned to Orange River Colony up to
December 31, 1902 (continued).
Date.
From —
Vessel.
No.
Remarks.
Oct. 21 ...
St. Helena
Orotava
352
„ 31 ...
Bermuda
Aurania
455
Nov. 1 ...
St. Helena
Golconda
55
„ 4 ...
India
Sultana
1
„ 5 ...
Ceylon
Burgomeister
2
„ 11 ...
Cevlon
Lake Manitoba
747
„ 13 ...
India
Ionian
488
„ 19 ...
Bermuda
Sunda
87
„ 30 ...
India
Orotava
483
Dec. 2 ...
Montrose
425
„ 24 ...
Cevlon
Ortona
730
„ 29 ...
India
Aurania
380
Total
9,831
The first essential and the most pressing need for the
reoccupation of the outljdng towns and the country districts
was transport. The Repatriation Department was, con-
sequently, called upon to supply transport for every conceivable
purpose. ' It was used by every Government department
and every Government official.'^ Lord Milner stated that he
travelled nearly 2,000 miles in the two colonies to see the
actual progress of repatriation work on the spot. His tour
embraced a considerable portion of the Orange River Colony,
and over this portion he and his staff were conveyed in
repatriation transport. From the High Commissioner down-
wards the Repatriation Department had to provide for one
and all. The individual's estimate of the value of the depart-
ment not infrequently depended upon the class of transport
with which he was furnished, and it is to be feared that in
many cases the estimate so formed was not a very high one.
Resident Magistrates travelled to their districts, medical officers
and postal officials to their posts, schoolmasters and school-
mistresses to their schools, landowners to their farms, settlers
to their holdings, bijwoners to their squatting grounds, natives
1 The Times, September 28, 1903.
128 THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
to their kraals — in vehicles provided by tlie Repatriation
Department. And in the majority of cases all these people
were accompanied not only by a vast amount of personal
kit, but also by a varied collection of household appoint-
ments and domestic utensils. So far as transport to their
homes in the first instance was concerned, no distinction was
drawn between Briton and Boer, rich and poor, white or
native. The very widest interpretation was put upon the
phrase 'assisting the restoration of the people to their homes,'
contained in Article X. of the Terms of Vereeniging. It will,
therefore, be understood that the statistics to be given later,
although roughly approximate, by no means fully represent the
whole of the work carried out in this connection. Eventually
the army itself hired transport from the department for the
manoeuvres of 1903.
Similarly the Repatriation Department was called upon
also in the early stages of reoccupation to feed practically the
whole of the population in many districts. In the general
chaos wrought by the war both stores and hotels had been
demolished. At the conclusion of peace the majority of the
storekeepers, even if they managed to return themselves, were
unable immediately to get their stocks up-country.^ Con-
sequently, even people with ready cash — and ready cash was
none too plentiful — were unable to purchase food. In many
cases rich landowners applied for rations and, when reminded
of their wealth and social position, replied very pertinently
that gold was indigestible, and that they could not ' eat their
farms.' They were allowed to draw rations on repayment.
It was not the intention of the Central Board to hamper
local trade or to interfere in any way with the storekeepers.
With this object in view, rations for those unable to help
themselves had originally been limited to flour and meat.
For the welfare of the general community the return of
^ There were exceptions. ' The ways of the Jew are past all finding out.
Refuse to grant him a permit for himself and goods, and he says nothing ;
but he is in occupation months before the Gentile, unless that Gentile
comes from Aberdeen ' (' The African Colony,' p. 99).
BACK TO THE LAND 129
merchants and the replenishment of their stores was as
imperative as the return of the farming population. In fact,
the storekeepers were afforded every inducement to get back
in order that, by supplying the wants of the farmers and
others, they might lighten the labours of the district com-
missions. But the establishment of the repatriation depots
acted as a wholesome check on the growth of exorbitant prices,
which the storekeepers at first were inclined to charge. This
was especially the case at Bethlehem and Boshof, but