▁the ▁Va al ▁and ▁Orange ▁rivers , ▁which ▁were ▁situated ▁in ▁part ▁on ▁land ▁claimed ▁by ▁the ▁G ri qua ▁chief ▁Nicholas ▁Water bo er ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁Free ▁State . ▁ ▁The ▁Free ▁State ▁established ▁a ▁temporary ▁government ▁over ▁the ▁diam ond ▁fields , ▁but ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁this ▁body ▁was ▁satisf actory ▁neither ▁to ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁nor ▁to ▁the ▁dig gers . ▁At ▁this ▁jun ct ure ▁Water bo er ▁offered ▁to ▁place ▁the ▁territory ▁under ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁Queen ▁Victoria . ▁The ▁offer ▁was ▁accepted , ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁October ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁the ▁district , ▁together ▁with ▁some ▁adjacent ▁territory ▁to ▁which ▁the ▁Trans va al ▁had ▁laid ▁claim , ▁was ▁proc laimed , ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁G ri qu aland ▁West , ▁British ▁territory . ▁Water bo er ' s ▁claims ▁were ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁treat y ▁concluded ▁by ▁his ▁father ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 4 , ▁and ▁on ▁various ▁arrang ements ▁with ▁the ▁K ok ▁chief s ; ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁based ▁its ▁claim ▁on ▁its ▁purchase ▁of ▁Adam ▁K ok ' s ▁so ver eign ▁rights ▁and ▁on ▁long ▁occupation . ▁The ▁difference ▁between ▁propriet or ship ▁and ▁so vere ig nt y ▁was ▁confused ▁or ▁ignored . ▁That ▁Water bo er ▁exerc ised ▁no ▁authority ▁in ▁the ▁disput ed ▁district ▁was ▁admitted . ▁When ▁the ▁British ▁an nex ation ▁took ▁place ▁a ▁party ▁in ▁the ▁Volks ra ad ▁wished ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁war ▁with ▁Britain