The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-05
BR,rlsH TROOPS nv souru arr,c,
No Extraordinary supply of Thcm Pro.
yidcd There yet.

Wbilo the chances OF peace or war In Sou,,
Africa are still IN tho balance. a short .trt..
ment OF tho British forces actually In ~,
country will BIO useful. There Is much ca,
and written about the mas ing rt men IN hath
sides OF tho Transvnal fIo"tier. when M
mattor Of fact there has been nothn; NOR,
thnn the despatch Of small dca"hmon's I'll,
troops to certain points OF primary importance
on the lines Of communication on tho British
aide, and the establishment Of small laasnr.
and posts Of observation on the H,'r sds.
where roads o, stratcgic importance cross
from British territory into the rransyatI
or British regular troops there ara at thi,
moment in nil South Africa only about lu.mD
electives all told They are divi lelaS ro.Ioys:
Two regiments OF cavalry. 3 nol bn'tor o.,
mountain battery, 3 companies OF garrison artil-
lery, companies OF englneers,D "a batta ms Z
infantry, . army service detachment, " ~ ths
army ordnance corps. and 2 OF the army nod.
cal corps: 2 battalions OF infantry arc ON their
wny out which on arrival will bring the total
forro M to II, 600 men. Two batteries ot IT,
artillery arc under orders. but have not y t
left England The distribution of the fos
Mt dato Is about 5000 regulars in Natal
divided between Piotcrmar. tabur!. the capital;
Ladysmith. the junction OF tho railways from
Durham. the Orange Free State. and the Tians-
yaal and Eshowe. A post has been established
at Newcastle. and 1t is proposed to form a
camp OF observation near Langs Mex In adj
di,ion to the regulars it is calculated that natal
can furnish a volunteer and militia force OF
about 1000 IN en-. comprising field battery a
battalion OF infantry, and body OF about 800
mounted rihemen. and n police force OF about
In Care Colony there are about 1000 British
regulars, comprising two uhd hal hntta or5
OF Infantry. two companies Oi garrison artillery
and one company OF engineers. All the utner
regular troops beng IN Nntsl lherr are be-
and the Cape police 1900; and iorty-iour. vo-
unteer ana mounted Iine CONF anies, about
1000 men. with 6atterlcN 0i e,eX"n nrn GunNi
for frontier service under the officers recently
sent out from England. Those are to be en-
tween the Orange Il yer rand Blu awayo. rarticu-
larly the long section OF it skirting the orange
be post at Fort Tuli on the road from Rho
desia. crossing the Crocodile River. into ths
10 lar, then. the British movements havs
been merely preparatory and by way OF pre-
The Orange Free state has, as far as known.
occupied tn" Van keenen Pass at the frontier.
on the railway betwe y liarfIsworth in ths
la ger has also been formed at RouXvllle watch.
ing the passage of the Orange River at Aiwh
Colony railways and posts have been estah-
lished at other frontier sla,ions near the rail-
ways whore they cross into the Free state from
Cape Colony. The roads from Kimberley are
also under observation. and the Basuto'and
frontier Is guarded g., J.,
In the Trans vaal com mencing with the north.
the crossing of the Crocodile River between
Fort Tuli in Rholesia ana Petersburg IN the
Transvaal is guarded. AT houmatI boOrt.
where tho Delagoa Bay railway enters the
Transvnal. there is strong post, and tho
Swaziland frontier towards Amatongnlanu.
about which there Ia a difference between tho
British and Transvaal Government. ia watched.
In the southeastern districts. towards Luu-
land and Natal the burghcrs have bsen sum-
moned to take the field at moments notice.
fully equipped for service. The railway enter
ing the fransvaal from Natal at Langs Mex is
under observation and preparations have been
made 10 render 1t useless as means of COM
municatiOn for an enemy's advance. On
the western side all the roatS from
British territory into the Transvaa are under
observation. and the burRners OF the western
districts are ready for the field The field arr
tillerv are held in readiness for despatch toany
point required The statement that the Beers
can put GU.WN men into the field is an eXag-
geraton. unless they obtain large assistance
from the Dutch OF the Colony and Natal Their
own estimates put the fighting strength otthe
Republic and Free state combined at $4,000
electives. This is very respectable force. and
with its peculiar organization and recognized
quality will require quito 10000 British troops
TO overcome them. The announcement stated
to have been made by tho Premier Of Cape
Colony. the Hon ". L. Schreiner that in the
event OF war the Cape Colon would remain
neutral. is ono Of great sign fcance. and, II
correct gives quite n new feature to the whole
South African situation.