The Jameson Raid of 1895 did tremendous harm to the relationship between the Boer Republics and the British Empire, as they viewed it as confirmation that Britain sought to annex their territory. In response to public outcry, the British Colonial Office in South Africa appointed a Mr Labouchere as head of a South African committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the raid and in effect to absolve the British Government of all responsibility regarding the incident.
On completion of its work, the Committee found that the raid was conducted almost implicitly through the support and encouragement of Cecil John Rhodes and the mining houses in the Transvaal the Transvaal Republic. Despite reaching this conclusion, very few charges were brought against Rhodes. Instead the Committee found that Jameson was the main culprit. This incident convinced the Boer Republics to begin an armament process that eventually ended with the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War in 1899.
References:
Davenport T.R.H,(1979) South Africa: A Modern History, London: Macmillan Press
The Timaru Herald, Friday, July 16 1897 (Online), available at: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
[Accessed 28 July 2010]
