The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-19

are by no means unanimous, however,
many Of them feeling and asserting that
the Beers ought to give the English In the
Transvaal as large political privileges as
the English in the Cape Colony have con-
ceded to the Afrikanders. The cases are.
by no means, analogous but there is
no doubt that such is the position
at present taken by powerful sec
tion OF the Afrikander element in the
Cape Colony. To sum up the purport OF the
statistics bearing on the subject we find
that, according to the most liberal esti-
mates, the total number OF whites OF Hol-
lander extraction in the Transvaal, the
Orange Free State, Natal and Cape Colony
cannot exceed SIP, 900, or, in other words,
that it is less than the population OF the
single English city Of Liverpool.
We see then, that from the viewpoint Of
resources in adult males, contest between
all the whites OF Dutch extraction in South
Africa, on the one hand, and the British
Empire, on the other, would be, ostensibly,
preposterous. Even IL tho Afrikanders
everywhere were impelled by fervent race
sympathy to make the Transvaal's cause
to the utmost to place In the field 1oo,-
600 men, and, when these were gone, there
would be none to take their place. We may
probably take for granted that, at the out
set Of the war, not more than quarter OF
that number would be at the disposal OF
the South African Republic, 10000 being
contributed by its own citizens and 5000
by the Orange Free State, and the Orange
contingent would no more than make up
for the Beers needed for garrison and police
duty in the Transvaal.
Now let us see what forces could be put
in the field by England within the space OF
q few weeks We begin with the assump-
ton, based on the latest intelligence, that
she now has in South Africa about 1900
regulars, half Of whom are in Natal, from
which colony the aggressive movement
against the Transvaal will start. The
other half or its equivalent, will need to be
retained in Cape Colony or in Griqua Land
West, to guard against an uprising OF
the Afrikander element and an attempt
to seize the misunderstanding region.
Another force, consisting entirely OF white
troops, and numbering some 10000.
Is to be sent from India. 1t is
also asserted that about 10000 men
will be despatched directly from Eng
land. These figures would give 10000
men available for the advance from Natal
and for the maintenance OF communica-
tions, provided, Of course, no general
instruction on the part of the Afrikanders
in the Cape Colony should occur. 1t fol-
lows that the British army operating
. ,1s-
by at least two to one the force Of Beers
opposed to it, including the contingent
sent from the Orange Free State.
II, under such circumstances, the Beers
could be induced to fight in the open, we
presume that no professional soldier would
have any doubt concerning the result, for
the reason that, aside from their inferiority
in numbers they would be greatly
inferior in artillery, and, also, because they
have. practically, no brigade organization,
but have been accustomed to fight by
regiments, If not by companies. AS the
contest, however, SEEING likely to be
often have the advantage Of position and
OF Typographical knowledge, it is by no
means impossible that detached portions of
the British army may encounter severe
defeats, like those suffered at Laing's Neck
and Majuba Hill. 1t is also possible that,
owing to such preliminary successes, the
local conflict might expand into a race war,
in which event the struggle would be GER
tainly prolonged. In the end, however, the
inevitable outcome would be the triumph
of the British Empire over population
which, as we have said, does not, at
the utmost, equal that Of the city OF Liver
pool.