Jan Smuts meets Conyngham Greene in final bid to avert war

Background. Conyngham Greene was appointed HM Agent at Pretoria with the rank of Chargé d'Affaires in 1896, and the 1900 Queen's Birthday Honours list later described him as "late British Agent at Pretoria". Pretoria was then the capital of the Transvaal Republic. Tensions there had grown from the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand and the ensuing political dispute over the voting rights of British expatriates, known as Uitlanders, which underlay the conflict between the British Empire and the Boer republics.

Diplomatic Context. The Transvaal government issued an ultimatum to Conyngham Greene on 9 October 1899, demanding the withdrawal of British troops from the border within 48 hours. This action followed the mobilization of forces and the conclusion of a military pact between the republics in 1897. The ultimatum marked a critical escalation in the dispute over voting rights and territorial control.

Outbreak of War. The diplomatic efforts failed to prevent conflict. On 11 October 1899, the Boer republics declared war and launched an offensive into British-held Natal and Cape Colony areas. This declaration followed the rejection of the ultimatum and initiated the Second Boer War, which lasted until 1902.