, 1881-05-04

LuClI 1CCDNSuANO -
while both we're confident of victory, Dy
a superior Power, and compelled to snake
hands. The arena is empty, but u Eng
lish people in Natal aud elsewhere III
South Africa are still declaring their dis
satisfaction with what they regard as q
dishononrable peace. The circumstances
of the surrender, of Potchefstro0m are CAL
culated to strain still further this tense.
ness OF feeling. On the 21st OF
March, while the armistice still lasted, but
before the supplies despatched by Sir II.
Wood, according to the terms OF the ar
mistice, had reached them, the garrison
could subsist no longer on the food which
remained, and surrendered, though on hcn.
Durable conditions. GunS and rifles were
surrendered, but the ammunition vas to
be handed over to the care OF President
Brand during the war, after which. 1T would
be- returned to us. The garrison also
gave the usual undertaking not to serve
again during the war. The public wait
anyiously to hear whether the Beers COM
municated the news of the armistice to the
besieged. If they did not, their conduct
must be considered a breach of the spirit
of the armistice. If the ~beleaguered Bri.
fish force had been aware that eight days
supply of provisions were within a days
march, it is Inconsistent with what we
know of the spirit of our countrymen that
they should not have held out for another
"a hours. That there was any actual
fighting on the eve or at the time OF the
surrender is improbable but If that
should turn ont to rave been the ease, the
Beers will have still greater difficulty IN
absolving themselves from tho charge
of bad faith.
III Gny case the question VII suggest
~jfself whether it was cOnslstenG WIN the
terms Of tie armistice, which apparently
provided for the preservation oil the StGtaS
0ao. that the Beers should be allowed to
occupy one of our str0ngholds. This
would be of little Importance, were we not
entitled to keep our garrisons In the Trans.
vaaI pending the inquiry OF the Royal
Commission. That prcsiso was inserted
with the express object of to some extent
satisfying British honour. Tho reason
and tho value OF the stipulation viii have
been seriously2impaiIed if P0tchefstroom,
whose garrison, in common with those or
Standerton, WakkerStroom, and Pretoria
did much by their stubborn and valiant
defence to retrieve the British reverseS,
is Withdrawn FROM the number OF our posts.
1t was inevitable that this country, If it
wished to enc an inglorious war, should
submit to some conditions which at this
moment, when blood on both sides IS still
heated, may look like humilia5ioEs. IN
full Consciousness of this necessity, the
utmost limit of concession was defined, and
beyond this it was understood that We
could not go. 1t is Notifying to learn
that any further humiliation must be sui.
fered; and, indeed, we shall not submit to
suffer it, unless the conduct of the Beers
in regard to the siege and capitulation OF
this fort is shown to have been Ia accor-
dance with a liberal Interpretation of the
armistice. In another column we publish
two dispatches which will be read
with melancholy interest. Both re-
late to reversee 20 our arms; both are
written by officers who have since died in
action. 1t is rare, indeed, in British an
nails that so sad a Gazette has appeared.
The engagement on the Ingogo described
by the late General Colley was fought ON
a fair field, with full knowledge by the
British commander of the force which
might be brought against him, though, we
fear it must be added, without any ade-
quate appreciation of the difficulties
which he was about to encounter. Colonel
AnStruther's report of the disaster at
BrOnker's Spruit, or, as he calls it, Mad
der's Spruit, strengthens the impression
that this affair was something more than
a surprise, and that the Beers on this
occasion were guilty of an act not in accor-
dance with the laws of regular warfare.