Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-09-09

ing,) in Natal, little later, 500 Beers
achieved their crowning victory over
Dingaan's forces by acting in the same
way, purely on the defensive.
"The English have been equally &C
commodating. So far as I can learn,
the Beers have never faced over 1000
of the 'rooineks,' as they call the
British. When Sir Harry Smith beat
them at Boomplaats, in 1S4S, barely
400 were engaged. Sir George Colly
had scarcely 1000 when he was driven
back in the attempt to force Laing's
Neck, still fewer at Ingogo, and less
than 500 in the miserable fasco Of
Majuba. To good marksmen, strongly
posted as they were, these were easy
victories. Against the Zulus they
laagered, against the British they shot
behind shelter"
An Englishman who has been in this
country good many years says, ~
estimate that the Transvall, without
any assistance from the Free State, can
now place $4,000 we'll armed men in
the field. They may not be such dead
shots as their fathers we're but, in
the event of war, if we pursue the
same tactics as of old, large proper.
tion of them will kill or wound their
man. I have no doubt of the issue !;
but it might cost us more than Wa
terloo. The Beers would, of course,
follow their old style-never fight in
the open, and always on the defensive.
They will show nothing, if they can
help it, but the muzzle of the rife, and
the chance of hitting them is about
equal to that of hitting a half crown
piece two hundred yards off. And, of
course, we shall commit the usual fol-
ly of presenting our men in compare.
lively close order and attempting to
rush these positions"
In reply to the question what ought
to be done, this Englishman said:
"Why, take all possible shelter; en-
gage them in the front and attack on
the flank. The Boer will never wait
to be surrounded or outfanked."
Laing's Neck, Ingogo and Majuba
Hill, however, are names which
awaken such sad memories in the Eng
lishman's mind that General Sir Will
liam Frederick Forester Walker, who
has lately been appointed to the chief
command in South Africa, in place of
General Sir William Butler, is not
likely to run any rick of repetition.
He has had considerable experience in
South African warfare, and may be
trusted to be better prepared for the
business he may have to take in hand
than was DR.. Jameson. At the outset
of his famous raid he boasted that
"his 500 troops and Maxims would
kick 10000 burghers round the Trans
vaal."
However, DR.. "Jim," being entirely
ignorant of Boer tactics and of their
fear of any fanking movement, march
ed at Krugersdorp straight at the
rifles pointed at his men. After sew
eral hours firing from the Maxims only
two or three of the sheltered Beers
were killed, and their comrades were
heard to say after this, their first ex-
perience of the new destructive weapon
"De Maxim is niest wade" the Max
i'm is no good.) However, as has al
ready been said, Gen. Forester Walker
may be expected to know better than
DR.. "Jim."
On his side, the Boer commander
chief, General Joubert, is an old war
horse and there is no doubt that if he
has to fight he will do so to the best of
his ability. In q recent letter to The
Standard and Diggers' News, "Old
Piety," as he is affectionately called
by the burghers, said: "Let US not
glorify weapons \ the horrible
murder weapons, the undesirable in
vention of sinful people. My enc
mics, whoever they are, boast of their
might and murderous weapons. l re-
gret to have to be prepared"
Prepared he undoubtedly will be,
though not to the extent of a plan of
cam paign such as was imagined by h
burgher whose warlke appetite had
got the better of his discernment. The
story is told by Mr.. Fuller, a well
known South African. The burgher
in question said to him that in case of
war the Beers would capture Cape
Town and then take England.
"But," said Mr.. Fuller, 'it is long
way to England by sea and you have
no ships" :,
"What of that? Can not the Lord
make passage for US as he did for the
Israelites across the Red Sea ?"
"Of course, of course. hope 1t
will be wide one, or else you might
get broadside from the British fleet"