The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-17
LETTER FROM GEN. JOUBERT
HE WROTE TO A FRIEND IN PARIS
gfTHf IN OCTOBER LAST.
EpgIn nd's Powerful Nnvy Keeps Eu-
ropenn Continents Qnict--Docrs
Were Prepared for War.

New York. December 16.--The Wor1d
prints letter written by General Jouoert'
commander OF the Boer army, under date
OF October 81, to a friend in Berlin, In
which the general says: Ever since the
infamous Jameson raid in 1896 our gov
eminent was convinced that some disrep-
utahle characters would urge England to
war. Its meaning could not be mistaken.
1t could have for Its sole object only the
humiliation of the Boer republic. we
were equally sure that we would nave 10
depend on our own resources. for although
We knew that this war would meet with
the unanimous condemnation OF all Eu-
ropean powers, we did not anticipate that
any of them would summon strength to
come to our rescue England's arrogance
and her strong navy have so cowed the
European powers that they dare not bid
her stop In her despicable land grabbing.
not even where their own interests are
| involved. Knowing these circumstances
| We depended solely on ourselves, improved
our means of defense and tried to keep the
| English in the dark as 10 our real prepara-
| tions. To this purpose we gave their dis
| guised spies access to our antiquated guns
and artillery, but were very careful to
conceal from them cur modern artillery
| parks. Our calculations proved correct.
| The English public credited these mislead-
| ing reports.
Their cry To Pretoria is one level
of Intelligence with the Partisan cry OF
1870 To Berlin Your letter lays much
stress on the numerical superiority of the
| English, but in my opinion these examp. es
are q different one, England can not send
more than $1,000 soldiers TO the Transvaal
without withdrawing all her troops from
the colonies. This in itself is an imposing
army, but only half of them will be avail
able. Granting that England will have
effected the landing OF her troops by the
middle of December, she will have lost
In the meantime at least 10000 tn ough
death, casualties and capture. This num-
her would accordingly be reduced to 75,-
900. We will try to prevent the junction
Of the English forces under Butler but
even If we should not succeed the English
win be unable to get more than $4,000 men
in the field against us.
/ The rest will be needed for garrsons
and protection of their bases of opera
tlons. The scene of war will cover Natal
I and Cape Colony, an area of say 700
kilometers. Our own camp is protected
! py thfee mountain ranges and 500 men are
amply sufficient for its protection. Our
manner of communication is excellent.
The outposts have command of and facil-
ties for destroying provisions in case their
positions become untenable. A war of
defense of which We need nat think for
a considerable time, would prove of great
advantages over any offensive war. We
are at home in the highlands OF the Trans
yaal and the Orange Free State. The
British VIII have to contest every step
under inconceivabe difficulties and must
be prepared at every moment to fight on
two or three fronts. Then will begin a
guerilla warfare which the British will
not be able to endure Already we have
5000 men in the field. So we don't need
to calculate upon a rising of the Beers in
Cape Colony and Natal. Nevertheless il
the British stir up the natives and en-
ploy them TO fight us, a rising OF the
whole of Afrikanderdom is certain"