New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-15
THE TRANSLATES Ally.

Not the least significant feature Of the war IN
South Africa is that the Transvaal IS not alone
a. in 1890 but has an ally IN the Orange River
Free State 90 that all the independent or semi
independent communities in South Africa are III
line against British hegemony. Whether TINS al
lance will prove source Of strength or or
weakness 20 the Transvaal is m open question.
The Orange State can put considerable army
IN tho field. and It's situation will greatly faciIl-
tate the Roer attack upon the British positions
In Natal and ut kimberley. So far SO good Tor
tho ROers On the other hand when the Brush
get ready 10 take the aggressive. which Will he
soon II will be much easer for them TO advance
into and fight upon the plains Of the orange
State thnn among the hills Of the 1ranSvaal. In
the Transvaal the fighting would have 10 he IN
Roer fashion. with the British az a diSadvan-
tsce: In the Orange State the case Will be eN-
actly reversed with the advantage on the Brit
ish side. 1t will not he strange indeed, II early
in the campaign all the Boer forces find II eXpe-
dent to abandon the Orange State and 20 retire
TO the businesses Of the Transvaa But even
then the advantage will remain with the British
who will be able to invade the Transvaal from
the Orange State far more easily than they
could If they were obliged TO respect the latter as
neutral territory.
Many Of the names Of places IN those regions
are historically significant, and 1t Is noteworthy
that three of them. now much to tie fore EN-
body the whole story Of the origin Of the Orange
State. These are Ladysmith. in natal: iiari-
smith. IN the Orange State. and Clerks dorp' in
the Transvaal The second of these was named
for Sir Harry Smith and the first for his wife
LADY Smith, while the third commentaries Sir
will ba
Dutch and French settlers left Cape Colony on
the great trek" the British Government warned
them that It would still regard them as Its sub
iects Il was IN fulhlment of this warning that
IN 1S4s Sir Harry Smith. the Governor Of Cape
Colony Che was always called Harry. not Henry J.
issued a PROCLAMATION anuexing the lands occu-
pied by them 10 the Cape Some Of III" settlers
we're pleased and some dispensed and there
was some fighting over It, The best part OF the
settlers doubtless desired to remain under Brit
ish control, hut the Colonial Office AT London
finally roconsdered the matter, renowned the
annexatio1 and, through the agency or SIT
George Clerk. set the Orange River Free state
ND as an independent sovereignty among the
Powers Of the world.
Since that time the question OF the absolute m
depondence Of that state has never been raised.
Great Britain has lHNarlahlN r'SpeCtu 1He iIS''S
Of the little State and the two have got along
together without the least friction. unless IN the
! case OF Great Brltans acquisition OF Kimberley
/ The government Of the State has been liberal
| and progressive, education has been highly
przed and widely difused, and the two white
races have lived together in perfect harmony
/ three particulars IN which the Orange state mas
PRESENTED a striking contrast TO the 1ransyaal.
/ Down 70 the time when the federation was
formed between the two Dutch states the
Orange State seemed assured Of an eminently
PROSPEROUS and honorable future as IN lndepen-
dent republic But II Joined itself for better or
for worse to the Transvaal and now it will
doubtless have 70 share the latters fate. The
world will regret 10 soc Il vanish from the roll
I Of nations. for II has hitherto deserved perna
ncnt place thereon. But there will be some con
J ISOLATION in the thought that though the names
OF Orange and Transvaal are hotted from Tho
map the people OF those States may, If they Will
enjoy the larger liberty and tho greater pros
ueritv Of their brethren in Cape Colony.