New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-15
BEFORE AND AFTER DECLARING WAR,

Every days occurrences emphasize the con-
trast, already noted, between the expectations
and talk Of the British before the outbreak of
the Boer war and their actual experience since.
Instead of being on Boer soil. the war has been
thus far exclusively on British soil. Instead
of taking the aggressive the. British have been
put upon the defensive. Instead of British
military promenade" through the Boer States
to Pretoria, there Is pretty free BOer raiding
through the British colonies. And the only
British soldiers who are likely to eat their
Christmas dinners in Pretoria are those-who
are by no means few-who are prisoners of
war. Doubtless all that may be changed before
long. 1t must be, unless the world is TO see the
greatest political cataclysm Of modern ages.
But for the present the contrast stands i'm
pressive and menacing We shall not say IL Is
unique. On the contrary, ii Is little more than
the usual thing. We need not go back as far
as the French surprise in 1870 for a precedent
Less than two years will suffice-tO the days
when Americans were talking Of the ease OF
rushing few regiments to Havana and driv-
Ing the Spaniards out OF Cuba within month.
The contrast is not either all on one side.
There lies before us at this moment an elab
crate document issued authoritatvely from Pre-
toria shortly before the war, as an appeal for
American sympathy and aid. 1t begins with
a pathetic picture of "the embattled hosts Of
England being arrayed TO crush our poor little
"nation of thirty thousand farmers" and teens
with references TO the weakness of the Beers
and their lack of military preparation. 1t is
dated in September last. And 1t is only one of
innumerable other such utterances, all picturlng
the Beers as mere handful Of peaceful farm
ers with no readiness or equipment for war.
Yet now the thirty thousand farmers have, ac-
cording TO Boer statements, been expanded into
one hundred thousand soldiers, and, according
10 all estimates, into from sixty thousand 10
eeveuty.fiye thousand and ii is seen that for
years they have been preparing for war in
manner not surpassed in efficacy by any Of
the military Powers of the European Continent.
They have armed themselves with the best
modern rifles and cannon, they have laid up
vast stores Of the most improved ammunition,
they have put their troops under the direction
OF the best French and German drillmasters
and strategists the wealth Of Dom Paul." col
lected from the DISTINGUISHED Outlanders could
procure And instead Of being a nation of pas
tora and agricultural peace lovers, the Beers
have shown themselves a particularly warlike
nation OF soldiers. There need be no reproach
I'm saying that. They have acted well within
their rights, OF course. But the contrast be-
tween the theories before the war and the con-
ditlons since is instructive.
We have said that in the end, and that pretty
soon. the British must gain the advantage and
win the day, or else there will be some stupen-
dous happenings. 1t is true that, as the
London papers are saying, not merely South
Africa, but the worldwide British Empire is at
stake Perhaps that fact was not realized as
clearly before the war as 1t is now. At the
present time Il Is seen by all as clearly as the
MONDAY sun. II Great Britain were defeated
nv the Beers she would be driven out OF South
Africa altogether. And what then? Why, she
would be q third rate Power India would be
lost in n twinkng The United States Of
Australia aud the Dominion Of Canada would