Too large and important interests were at stake for Downing Street to look with favourable eyes on the Rand becoming only one vast commercial concern.

A line had to be drawn, but, unfortunately, the precise demarcation was not conveyed energetically enough from London.

On the other hand, Cecil Rhodes, as well as his friends and advisers, did not foresee that a war would not put them in power at the Transvaal, but would give that country to the Empire to rule, to use its riches and resources for the good of the community at large.
The saddest feature of the South African episode was its sordidness.

This robbed it of every dignity and destroyed every sympathy of those who looked at it impartially or from another point of view than that of pounds, shillings and pence.

England has been cruelly abused for its conduct in South Africa, and abused most unjustly.