▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁London ▁Convention , ▁spoke ▁of ▁Queen ▁Victoria ▁as ▁a ▁k wa aje ▁V r ouw ▁( ang ry ▁woman ), ▁an ▁expression ▁which ▁caused ▁a ▁good ▁deal ▁of ▁off ence ▁in ▁England ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁but ▁which , ▁in ▁the ▁phrase ology ▁of ▁the ▁Bo ers , ▁was ▁not ▁meant ▁by ▁President ▁Kru ger ▁as ▁ins ult ing . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁re vised ▁its ▁constitution ▁in ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁franch ise ▁law , ▁and ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁residence ▁necessary ▁to ▁obtain ▁natural ization ▁was ▁reduced ▁from ▁five ▁to ▁three ▁years . ▁The ▁o ath ▁of ▁alleg iance ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁was ▁alone ▁required , ▁and ▁no ▁ren unci ation ▁of ▁national ity ▁was ▁ins isted ▁upon . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁also ▁acqu ies ced ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁convention ▁arranged ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁the ▁Custom s ▁Union ▁between ▁the ▁Cape ▁Col ony , ▁Natal , ▁Bas ut ol and ▁and ▁the ▁Be ch u anal and ▁Prote ctor ate . ▁But ▁events ▁were ▁moving ▁rapidly ▁in ▁the ▁Trans va al , ▁and ▁matters ▁had ▁proceeded ▁too ▁far ▁for ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁to ▁turn ▁back . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁President ▁Ste yn ▁suggested ▁the ▁conference ▁at ▁Blo em f onte in ▁between ▁President ▁Kru ger ▁and ▁Sir ▁Alfred ▁Mil ner , ▁but ▁this ▁act ▁was ▁too ▁late . ▁The ▁Free ▁Stat ers ▁were ▁pract ically ▁bound ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic ,