The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-29

sible for the inferior forces to finally make
a successful stand against the British
army, smarting under the severe losses of
many bloody outpost battles.
The Beers lack discipline, solidity and
familiarity with the practical branches of
the military art. The only individual OBJ
ject of the British is to break up the
masses of the Beers and by advancing in
force irto the country TO scatter the int
rior enemies and allow privatiOn, sickness
and the absence of military supplies to
bring about the final extinction of the
Beers as an organized army.
The British commander who rashly adj
vances or who divides his forces in the
fac Of this ubbo n enemy may pay ar
ly for his temeTity. There is but one royal
road 10 success for the English command
er, and that is with an irres sitible force
to advance slowly along the natural lines
of operation, covering his front with
strongly supported cavalry screen, and
guarding against all possible attacks upon
his lines of communication
In artillery and cavalry the Beers must
soon ED The palm to the invader. 1t IS
only by the most skilIu[ use Of the entire
defensive infantry in positions admirably
chosen and where the British artillery and
cavalry cannot be brought into p ay that
Kruger's generals may hope to infiict de-
cisiye check upon the British advance. If
the British commander is not CALLED into
advancing too soon, the final rate of pro-
gress toward victory VIII be materially
enhanced. II Is naturally to be expected
that in the destruction and cap uIe Of pri-
Vate property in The minor sk-rmishes, and
in all the detached operations of the Brit
ish they will often he taken at great dis
advantage. The final outcome of the cam
paign is a foregone conc usion. The ro-
mantle assistance of women and children,
the occasional help of few restless adv n
turers The speculative efforts Of outside
supply agents win, after al but poorly
replace TO the brave and devoted Beers the
advantages Of solid numbers, a sound mil
itary organization, and continued and reg
ularly furnished military supplies.
The Result Inevitable.
The South African Republic is a natural
treasury of gems and precious metals hiG-
den under the dreary cattle ranges Of the
desolate and treeless land. But devoid Of
manufactures, with imperfect internal
communication, with no open seaports for
Illicit supplies, it is clear that the sharper
and more active the opera lions the sooner
will arrive the period of the military eS-
haustion of the country.
For many months after the final mill
tary objects of Inc British have been ac-
complished bands of determined coionists
may keep up resistance inspired only
by the desire of avenging their fallen
brethren and their ruined homes. But with
the meeting of the two strong British col
umns, sure sooner or later to force the
boundaries of the Transvaal all capacity
for organized resistance will come to an
end. The folly of an ultimate resistance
on the part of this brave and unfortunate
people is apparent with the first shots of
the campaign. The hope that a devoted
and chiyalric struggle may bring to their
aid the circumstances of outraged inter-
national sentiment may cause the Beers
TO fight up to the very last moment
The jealousy of Russia and Germany
may cause either one of these great Pow
ers to intervene, with Russia presumably
antagonistic to British interests. II is clear
that in such a juncture the balance of
power would be left in the hands of
France, should France decide to follow the
Gear in any mandate which should forbid
the destruction of the autonomy of the
South African Republic.
1t is hopeless, however, to imagine that
any moral resistance of an outraged civil
lization will hold back the British gov
ernment in its purpose to finally possess
itself of the Transvaal. The losses and
expenses, however, will be atoned for by
the surely gained profit in the acquisition
of the richest undeveoped territory now
open TO the grasp of any strong nation.
The geographical advantages of the move
make the Cairo and Cape Railroad ma
t4Olldi AiCCSSSttSI as wen as pIeOTUdlHeu
success and at whatever cost of blood
and treasure, at whatever disproportionate
slaughter Of British troops, the dominat-
ing idea of Cecil Rhodes will be carried
out and that idea is expressed in the dec
laration that, though stained with blood
and unfurled against all dictates of ma
tional morality, the British banner shall
wave victorious from the Cape of Good
Hope to the minarets Of Cairo. The great
er includes the lesser, and the extinction
of the Boer autonomy will be but one
bloody page in the history of the parcel
ing out of Africa to the strongest
Alexander Agassiz, of Harvard Uni
versity, has never received any salary for