The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-02 00:00:00

THE PRESS OF PRETORIA DURING

THE SIEGE.

A Correspondent of The Times, writing from Pieter-
maritzburg on May 9th, gives the following interesting de-
scription of journalism at Pretoria during the recent
siege :

A veritable journalistic curiosity is the News of the
Camp, published under canvas at Pretoria during the
' recent siege of 100 days, from December 18, 1880, to
March 28, 1881. The 40 numbers, of four pages each,
foolscap size, has just appeared in a bound form, em-
bellished with 14 photographic illustrations taken by
Mr. Gros, of Pretoria, during the siege.
When, on the 20th of December last, news of the
disaster to the 94th Regiment at Bronkhorst Spruit
reached Sir Owen Lanyon, who was even then consider-
ing an ultinzatum addressed to him by the Boer leaders,
he at once caused martial law to be proclaimed,
and ordered all civilians to remove from the town to
the military camp about a mile distant, where tem-
porary fortifications had been erected. Mr. Deecker,
the well-known editor of the Transvaal Argus, took a
hand-press with him into camp, and with the assist-
ance of a Mr. Duval initiated this almost unique ex-
periment in the history of journalism by the issue of a
single-page number on Christmas Day, under the title
of the 'News of the Camp: a Journal of Fancies, Noti-
fications, Gossip, and general Chit-chat. Published
in the Military Camp of Her Majesty's forces defend-
h. ba.,..,11-1-0-44-..,4„. -5

In a preface to the now•completed file, the editors
remark upon the difficulties of their novel under
taking. "Surely," they say, "never was paper
printed under such singular auspices—a bungalow for
a printing office, with canvas thrown over its un-
finished roof, through which the rain freely pene-
trated, a gentle waterspout running down the com-
positor's back as he stood with a bandolier of Martini-
Henri cartridge over his shoulder, his white apron for
a uniform, composing-stick in hand, and his rifle
lying suggestively near his printing-frame ; the
editors' quarters, an army bell-tent and a transport
wagon, the space between ingeniously roofed in with
a tattered sail stretched on telegraph poles; their
work, editing a paper by day and on guard up to the
knees in mud at night, or sleeping in a pair of leather
breeches, long boots, and j ack spurs.
The price of each issue was 6d., and in setting forth
the value of the journal as an advertising medium, the
editors boast with reason that their organ "possesses
the largest circulation of any periodical published in
tntJistrict of Pretoria, having readers and subscribers
extendme within the radius of fully one mile and a
half from the Q.ifiee of publication."
The advertisemenb,. afford a singular insight into the
amenities of civilian lite in camp under martial law,
for the News acted as an official as well as private
medium of communication between individuals and a
public of some 5,000 souls, all, to quote the motto of
the little journal under notice, "Cribbed, Cabined,
Confined, Bound in."

An early official announcement by Lieutenant
Chichester, the garrison adjutant, is calculated to re-
joice the heart of Exeter-hall----" Any soldier, volun-
teer or civilian found ill-treating or threatening any
native, will be immediately arrested and handed over
to the Provost-Marshal, and be dealt with accord-
ingly," an awful ambiguity which presumably points
to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
Civilians are suggestively reminded in an editorial of
January 4, 1881, that they cannot go to town or return
to camp without a pass, which can only be obtained if
they are not wanted by their wardmaster ; that there
are only two points of ingress or egress to the camp ;
that they are all of them soldiers without having
taken the shilling ; and that, if they have wives, they
have been practically divorced from them for three
months.

Every precaution appears to have been taken in the
general interest to maintain cleanliness in the camp.
All occupants of huts and tents are peremptorily
ordered by advertisement to turn out of them at 6.30
a.m. and remain out till nine, during which period
huts and tents are to be thoroughly swept and
garnished, and the bedding, &c., placed out to air. No
civilian is allowed to enter camp after 6.30 p.m. ; at
eight, all camp fires must be extinguished, and
"Lights out" is the order at nine, "the Provost-
Marshal " being invariably hinted at as an alternative
in the case of infringement of these and all other
kindred regulations. For the benefit of •those who
objected for various reasons to quit town for camp
under the gentle pressure of general orders, the follow-
ing special order was issued by Colonel Bellairs on
January 5 :
" It appearing that some of the inhabitants of Pre.
eery -nr ...a -.0- 011 P A nf
toria have not given their 4 41-, e
the place, but still remain in the town, the Deputy-
Provost-Marshal is instructed to cause a register in
such form as he considers desirable to be kept of all
such persons. Accordingly to effect this, all such
1----fsons, white and coloured, are required to appear
"elms -the Landdrost for the purpose of being regis-
tered bet._en the hours of nine and twelve o'clock
a.m. to-morr.,-„,. Any person neglecting to appear
will be arrested, b•-• 4 all will be placed under the sur-
veillance of the Det.y Provost-Marshal. Inhabi-
tants remaining in the town warned that they do so
at their own risk and on their own responsibility;
that the town may, under certain com,.rigencies, be
shelled or blown up; and, further, that aLy remain-
ing in it will not hereafter be received into the camp
or otherwise provided for."

Any persons attempting to enter or leave the camp
after dusk or being abroad after 8 p.m. will,
Lieutenant Chichester announces in a standing
advertisement, conceived in a spirit of discipline
rather than of grammar, "be made prisoners of unless
that they can give a satisfactory account of them.
selves.' Another standing order runs to the effect
that any person not authorized who makes use of
the countersign will he severely punished, while "any
person when challenged by a sentry who gives the
countersign in a loud voice is immediately to be made a
prisoner of."
It is needless to add that the editorials and intelli-
gence department of the News were subjected to
rigorous military supervision while the state of siege
lasted, and in a number subsequently published the
editors complain with some bitterness that the in-
telligence which they were permitted to communicate
was too highly coloured in the interests of the success
of the British arms. The ominous announcement,
however, appeared from time to time by order in the
advertising columns of this little journal that "any
person found spreading false reports about camp will
be severely dwelt with."
The'record of daily life furnished by the News of the
Camp is, however, by no means one of universal
gloom, despite stringent discipline, disappointed
hopes, and occasional severe visitations of wind and
weather, which played havoc with the fragile huts and
tents. The various sorties, several of them very suc-
ce:sful, brought out the courage of the volunteers in a
hopeful light • and, indeed, if the photographs of Mr.
Gros are to be relied upon, the Pretoria Rifles, 1,000
strong, were as fine a body of men as one could wish
to see.
Besides " alarms" there were " excursions," and
every day a Government ox-wagon left the camp
thrice for trips to the town and back, to enable the
good citizens to pay a brief visit to their Lares and
Penates left at home, only women and children, how-
ever, being allowed to ride. For the benefit of these
visitors and others the two banks were opened through-
out the siege for one hour daily ; and for amusement
in camp a " beleaguered theatre" was started, with
an amateur troupe; while concerts, Christy minstrel
performances, and open air military music broke the
monotony of camp life, their records in the columns
of this miniature journal alternating with the sad an-
nouncements of deaths in sorties and from wounds in
twal•11/.
Facetious paragraphs, relating to well-known indi-
viduals, but always conceived in a spirit of good
humour, abound, and comic advertisements, such as
one which announces " a quantity of land to be sold
cheap in the immediate vicinity of the Boer camp."
There is geat rejoicing, of course, over the few births
that take place under canvas, and the poetic muse of
the beleaguered ones appears b have been readily
aroused on these and kindred occasions, while a
column periodically devoted to "Camp find 'ern outs,"
affords scope for the conception and elucidation of
various charades and conundrums.

Thus the issue of this little paper progressed—its
regular publication sometimes delayed by trifling un-
toward accidents—its columns generally brimful of
pluck and hope, but sometimes tinged sadly with the
natural melancholy born of hope deferred, as reiterated
anticipations of victory and relief proved fruitless, and
chance news indignantly discredited, from Boer
sources, told only of British failure and defeat.
At last the end came. While the small community,
was yet sorrowing over the losses sustained in the un-
successful sortie at the Red House Kraal, where
Captain Sanctuary and a number of volunteers and
Royal Artillery were killed and wounded, a hmce-
bearer from the enemy brought a file of Boer gazettes,
with the news of the Amajuba disaster and of General
Colley's death. A day or two later three officers from
General Wood's column brought the terms of peace
into the sad and expectant ranks of the beleaguered;
and a week later, amidst music and salutas, harmo-
nising. but ill with the sentiments of the besieged resi-
dents, Sir Evelyn Wood, on April 5, made his entry
into the capital of the Transvaal. Four days later, in
a special number, the Hews of the Camp takes a sorrow-
ful farewell of its readers.

The annual fancy dress ball, under the patronage of
the Queen, in aid of the Royal Caledonian Asylum and the
Royal Scottish Hospital, took place in London, on Monday
at Willis's Rooms. The Royal Caledonian Asylum has for its
object to maintain, educate, and afterwards provide suitable
situations in life for the children of Scottish soldiers, sailors,
and marines who have died or have been disabled in the
service of Great Britain, and also for those of indigent and
deserving Scottish parents residing in London, The Royal
Scottish Hospital was founded by Charles 11. in the years
1665 and 1676, and was reincorporated in 1775, and is for the
relief of natives of Scotland having a settled residence in
London and not receiving parochial relief. It has for its
president the Prince of Wales, and its vice-presidents the
Dukes of Buccleuch, Argyll, Richmond, and Abercorn. The
profits arising from this annual gathering are equally divided
between the two charities.

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