The times., 1899-09-29
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER %. 1899.
Boer Military Resources.

HE ITBDdU4ltAlCS OL Ilt war II CUQNl
Africa which is now all but certain to be
fought, naturally begin to excite active
interest among men of the military pro-
fession mcst Of whom would regard an
assignment 10 so forth and observe Sir
Redvers Buffers operations as a bless
ing almost up to the mark of medal
and sword Of honor. AS the days wear on
the opinion grows that the British gen
ersl and forces viii seize the opportunity
10 show the world what stuff is in the i'm
perial army OF today Such a demoDstra
tion is more or less supeTfluous after Sir
Herbert Kitchener's battle at Omdurman,
bat then that was fought largely with
native Egyptian troops. while the South
African affair viii be attended TO exclu-
sively by British soldiers.
The understanding has been that pro-
ceedings would open with Beer rush
Tor Laing's Neck. The indications are that
such a movement will be forestalled by
occupation OF that position today by the
brigade lately posted at Dundee, few
miles distant and a supporting column
from Ladysmith. A Transvaai force is
near by on the 'hinter" side, and il may
be that there wiz be a struggle for posses
sion Of the pass-the only one between
Natal and the South African Republic. The
imperial force now in this colony is about
ten thousand. operating from Durham as
base. Sir Ashmead Ellis Bartlett, who
was interviewed in Paris on Wednesday.
declares his conviction that the Beers viii
never get over the border in any large
numbers. and that the military strength
Of the frontier is sufficient TO protect Natal
and hold Laing's Neck We shall see,
A new element Of professional interest is
added TO the situation by the report that
Great Britain has concluded convention
with Portugal. giving the former ',fnan-
cial' control OF Delagoa Bay. Mere '-hnan-
cial" control would amount to nothing for
war purposes, but we are morally certain
the event viii prove that something more
IS meant II viii surprise us at least if
Portugal has not conceded 10 England the
right TO move troops and supplies across
Portuguese territory. in which case the
campaign with Pretoria as its objective
would be much shortened. and great deal
OF hardship and bloodshed avoided. With
Lorenzo Marquee as q base, British force
could be landed al the bay and marched
easily into the territory Of the Beers, tax
ing any army they might have operating
against Natal. IL the rear.
Assuming the correctness of our theory,
the imperial advance viii be made on three
lines. T. e.. from the Cape. from Lady
smith, Natal, and from Delagoa Bay. Prac-
sIcslly these would converge approximately
al Pretoria. The burghers consequently
would have to divide their strength. pre-
senting fronts toward Delagoa, Laing's
Neck. and the column moving from Cape
Colony on johannesburg. Moreover, they
would have to reserve an important part
Of their force 10 keep the interior free from
native and Outlander risings Thus, it
seems oniy a matter of Englands ability
10 throw an adequate army into the theatre
of war, 10 settle the fate Of the Beers in
the short time the London military author
iiies believe they can manage the affair.
The Transvaal authorities are giving out
estimates OF their fighting strength, which
must be considered as gross exaggerations.
An official statement from Pretoria claims
a force Of one hundred and twenty five
thousand men, including the Orange Free
State contingent. and exclusive of thirty
thousand from Cape Colony and eight thou
sand from Natal. These figures are wildly
impossible AS the Boer population OF the
Transraal cannot exceed one hundred thou
sand. its fighting men are not more than
twenty thousand. The Dutch in the Free
State DO not number one hundred thou
sand; but. allowing that they do. and thar
all would fight in a neighborhood quarrel.
they could only place another twenty thou
sand under arms. Natal with Boer lnhzb-
5tants aggregating twelve thousand, might
possibly contribute two thousand rifles.
Finally, Cape Colony, with perhaps three
hundred thousand Afrikanders. could pro-
duce fifty or sixty thousand men Of mill
iary age il is not likely. however that
sH or q majority would feel like fighting.
and considerable minority are known 10
oppose the suicidal policy Of the people AZ
Pretoria and Bloenfontein.
In round numbers. IL is the careful estI-
mate OF officers who have studied the sub
3ect en- the ground tslat, under the most
favorable conditions, JoGbert cannot count
upon securing an effective strength for in
dependent field operations OF more than
forty thousand men. allowing him ten thou
sand extra for police and garrison duty a.
home. His Own and the Free State To-