Major States 963
Participants: 200 United Kingdom/255 Germany
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Frustrated by the ongoing Second Boer War in the south of Africa, the
British sought ways to limit the flow of supplies to the Boers in the Transvaal and
targeted Delagoa Bay as an area to be monitored. The German mail ship Bundesrath
was en route to Delagoa Bay, carrying what was reported to be Dutch, German, and
Boer passengers and munitions for the Boers. It was also reported that three Germans
and two Austrians were posing as civilians in spite of being en route to assist the war
effort.
On December 28, 1899, a report came to the German consul at Durban that the
Bundesrath was seized by the English warship Magicienne, in spite of no report
forthcoming from the British as to why the ship was seized. After some inquiries, the
British responded that the Bundesrath was engaging in evasive procedures when fol-
lowed on the seas, leading to suspicions of its dubious intentions. On January 3, the
German government learned that another mailer, the General, had been detained by
the English.
With possible indemnity from delayed mail reaching into the millions, members
of the Reichstag were growing increasingly dissatisfied with what it perceived to be
unfriendly measures against a neutral power in a neutral harbor by the British. On
January 15, 1900, and amidst increasing tension between Berlin and London, the
British officials on site announced that no contraband was found on the Bundesrath
and that ships detained in the process were free to go. It also announced that it would
attempt to satisfy whatever demands for reparation Berlin deemed was necessary and
would submit to arbitration whatever matters were not agreeable to both sides.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from December 28, 1899.
MID#257
Started in July 1914. See the narrative in the 300 Austria-Hungary/345 Yugoslavia
dyad dispute list.
MID#12
Started in March 1938. See the narrative in the 255 Germany/315 Czechoslovakia
dyad dispute list.
MID#258
Started in March 1939. See the narrative in the 255 Germany/290 Poland dyad dispute
list.
MID#3703
Started in May 1940. See the narrative in the 212 Luxembourg/255 Germany dyad
dispute list.