1895
General Elections :  The Marquess of Salisbury, having taken over the premiership from a weak & divided Liberal government, calls an election.

1896

1897
First convention to prepare Australian federation held in Adelaide
Royal Commission on West Indies
Milner becomes High Commissioner of Cape Colony
22 June Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria highlights prestige of Empire
July  House of Commons Committee reports on Jameson Raid, censuring Rhodes but acquitting Chamberlain & Colonial Office
August Workmen’s Compensation Act : accidents at work to be paid by employers

1898
Curzon appointed Viceroy of India
June Anglo-French Convention settles colonial boundaries in West Africa
Sept Defeat of dervishes at Omdurman & capture of Khartoum
18 Sept-10 Nov Confrontation of GB & Fr forces at Fashoda, French General Marchand withdraws ( La reculade de Fachoda)
 

1899
Mar  Anglo-French Convention resolves spheres of influence dispute re Congo & Nile basins
Mar-Apr  Inconclusive talks with Germany re alliance
May  Hague Conference convened by Tsar of Russia to discuss disarmament & peace, leading to revision of laws of war, Court of Arbitration &
31 May-5 June conference between Milner & Kruger to resolve differences between Boers & Uitlanders breaks down
19 June First perfomance of the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar
Oct 11 Outbreak of war
Nov GB overtures for an alliance with Germany rejected
10-15 ‘Black Week’ : British defeats at Stormberg (10th), Magersfontein (11th), Colenso (15th). Buller replaced by Lord Roberts as Chief of Staff.
 

1900
Feb Irish nationalists recombine under the leadership of John Redmond
Feb Meeting at Memorial Hall, London forms Labour Representation Committee, to be financed by political levy from Unions
Feb 28 Relief of Ladysmith
May Relief of Mafeking > widespread rejoicing
Boxer rising
First Pan-African Conference held in London
Motion of censure on Joseph Chamberlain
Liberal Imperialist Council founded, under chairmanship of Sir Edward Grey
Oct The ‘Khaki election’ confirms, but does not increase, support for the Conservative government.
3 Oct First performance of Elgar's oratorio The Dream of Gerontius
Nov Salisbury replaced by Lansdowne at Foreign Office

1901
Jan  Death of Queen Victoria
22nd Jan Accession of Edward VII
Feb Breakdown of negociations between Kitchener & Botha at Middleburg
Commonwealth of Australia
Taff Vale Case : unions made responsible for damage caused by strke (reversed 1906)
Factory & Workshops Act : minimum working age raised to 12.

1902
Jan Alliance signed between GB & Japan
Mar Education Bill introduced (passed in Dec) : school boards replaced by LEAs & more secondary schools and grammar schools opened
Mar 1902 Boers sue for peace
May 31 Peace signed at Vereeniging
July Salisbury replaced as PM by Balfour
Colonial Conference

1903
Women's Social and Political Union formed to organize more militant campaign for women's suffrage

1904

1905
Second Hague conference

1906 General Elections The issue of tariff reform divided the Conservatives, now under the leadership of Balfour, and the Liberals under Campbell-Bannerman gained a landslide victory by campaigning on the issue of social reform.

1909
South Africa Act accepted existing franchise of 4 colonies : black Africans in Cape Province could vote, while those living in the other provinces could not. No black African was eligible for membership of Parliament, their interests were to be represented by nominated senators

1910
Union of South Africa : federation of Cape Colony, Natal, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State in a single dominion

1912
African National Congress founded at Bloemfontein, with Zulu Methodist minister John Lagalilabale Dude, as first president