Peace Treaty of Vereeniging Traditional Geocache
Peace Treaty of Vereeniging
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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NOTE: The original cache went missing. Replaced it with a camo micro. It is magnitized and not in the same location as the old cache. Look at the noticeboard to find the cache! This cache is placed on the grounds of the Vereeniging Refectories recreation club. (Placed with the permission of the caretaker) The cache is a small camoflaged container that includes a logbook, compass whistle, Signal the frog, Jeep key holder and a FTF token.
The Peace Treaty of Vereeniging Although attempts at peace was made as early as March 1900, nothing significant was achieved in that direction before 1902. Early in April 1902 the two Boer Governments met to consult each other on their war position. In spite of initial disagreement amongst the Boer leaders, it was accepted that discussions between the Boer Governments and Lord Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in South Africa, should take place. These discussions were held at Melrose House in Pretoria from 12 April 1902. Sir Alfred Milner, Governor of Transvaal, also participated. During the negotiations the Boer delegates stayed in Parkzicht, a house that once stood next to Melrose House. The British government in London flatly rejected the Boers’conditions for peace and presented their own conditions to the Boer delegates. It was eventually decided that the British’ conditions for peace was to be brought to the Boer commandos in the veld. The commandos then had to choose representatives (thirty for each Republic) to meet at Vereeniging on 15 May 1902 to discuss the conditions for peace. At Vereeniging a commission of five members was chosen to negotiate in Pretoria. On 27 May 1902 the commission returned to Vereeniging with the negotiated conditions for peace as well as a request by the British that they reply before midnight on 31 May 1902. A debate lasting three days followed. On 31 May 1902 the Boer delegates voted 54 in favour of and six against accepting the peace conditions with loss of independence. A delegation of ten Boer leaders was sent to Pretoria for the signing of the peace treaty. There the treaty was signed in the diningroom of Melrose House at five past eleven on the evening of Saturday 31 May 1902. With the signing of this Treaty, the bloodiest war ever fought on South African soil had ended. The Boers were defeated and the two former Republics were incorporated into the British empire as crown colonies. The cherished British ideal of a united South Africa thus started - it was realised on 31 May 1910 with the establishment of the Union of South Africa.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
CBFG n Abgvpr!