▁under ▁the ▁off ensive ▁and ▁def ensive ▁al liance , ▁in ▁case ▁host ilities ▁arose ▁with ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁ ▁The ▁Free ▁State ▁began ▁to ▁exp el ▁British ▁subjects ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁act ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War ▁was ▁committed ▁by ▁Free ▁State ▁Bo ers , ▁who , ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁seized ▁a ▁train ▁upon ▁the ▁border ▁belonging ▁to ▁Natal . ▁For ▁President ▁Ste yn ▁and ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁neutral ity ▁was ▁impossible . ▁A ▁resolution ▁was ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁vol ks ra ad ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁September ▁declaring ▁that ▁the ▁state ▁would ▁observe ▁its ▁oblig ations ▁to ▁the ▁Trans va al ▁whatever ▁might ▁happen . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁surrender ▁of ▁Piet ▁C ron j é ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pa arde berg ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁Blo em f onte in ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁troops ▁under ▁Lord ▁Roberts ▁from ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁on ward , ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁May ▁a ▁pro clam ation ▁was ▁issued ▁an nex ing ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁domin ions ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁Orange ▁River ▁Col ony . ▁For ▁nearly ▁two ▁years ▁longer ▁the ▁burg h ers ▁kept ▁the ▁field ▁under ▁Christ ia an ▁de ▁W et ▁and ▁other ▁leaders , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁articles ▁of ▁peace ▁signed ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁British