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The three men who were thus engaged were already well known in England. The leader was Cecil Rhodes, fabulously wealthy empire-builder and the most important person in South Africa. The second was William T. Stead, the most famous, and probably also the most sensational, journalist of the day. The third was Reginal Baliol Brett, later known as Lord Esher, friend and confidant of Queen Victoria, and later to the most influential adviser of King Edward VII and King George V.
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