Page "South African Republic" Paragraph 17

The discovery of gold on the Tati River led President Pretorius in April 1868 to issue a proclamation extending his territories on the west and north so as to embrace the goldfield and portion of Bechuanaland.

The same proclamation extended Transvaal territory on the east so as to include part of Delagoa Bay.

The eastern extension claimed by Pretorius was the sequel to endeavours made shortly before, on the initiative of a Scotsman, to develop trade along the rivers leading to Delagoa Bay.

It was also in accord with the desire of the Transvaal Boers to obtain a seaport, a desire which had led them as early as 1860 to negotiate with the Zulus for the possession of St Lucia Bay.

That effort had, however, failed.

And now the proclamation of Pretorius was followed by protests on the part of the British high commissioner, Sir Philip Edmond Wodehouse, as well as on the part of the consul-general for Portugal in South Africa.

The boundary on the east was settled by a treaty with Portugal in 1869, the Boers abandoning their claim to Delagoa Bay ; that on the west was dealt with in 1871.