The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-10-25
til she has in the field sufficient force to

overrun the Transvaai.
The Beers are thoroughly convinced that
their freedom Is menaced, and England i5
convinced that her supremacy In South
Africa is threatened. This constitutes an
impasse, against which pacific measures
can scarcely be effective.
The garrisoning and fortifylng OF Kim
berley, South Africa, are completed. The
streets are barrlcaded. and perfect sys-
tenn of mines has been laid. Two armored
trains are at Mafeking, consisting OF thee
bullet-proof cars, the first OF which carries
a searthlight, while the sides OF the other
cars are loopholed. Each train Is complete
in itself and carries its own provisions.
Experiments with Iyddite In the mines
prorethat 1t ts an extremely powerful e3-
plosive.
4 fair notion OF the great scale OF Great
Britain's preparations can be gained from
the semi-off1cial statement that for the
transport OF the army corps about seventy
ships OF from 1000 to 1000 tons burden are
REQUIRED, not including score or more OF
transports already on the way to the Cape.
II tbose vessels effectively disembark their
cargoes Of men, horses and equipment
within five weeks from their date OF sailing
the programme will have fulfilled tue fore
casts OF the most optimistic British mill
tary experts.
II all the troops are able to take their
places as com ponent parts OF the army
>corps by the end Of November they will
have done, according to the best available
opinion, remarkably we'll. The disembark-
ing OF General Skaters army from Its
thirty-seven transports Is not forgotten by
British officers. Although the vessels
employed in the Cape service are OF con-
siderably larger average tonnage than
those which carried the Americans to San
ho ho dpotr n
anos with the existing regulations, is sup
plying them all and taking complete
charge from waters edge to waters edge.
Although the army corps being sent out
Is O matter OF pre-emlnent military In
tere st, the troops already on the scene OF
probable action constitute no Insignificant
body. The original Cape garrison was
5000 men, and this has been increased by
$500. The arrival Of II, 900 men at the Cape
makes the approximate total OF British
troops In South Africa, before the arrival
OF the army corps, 25, 500. These troops
do not include tue irregular forces, the
Cane Mounted Rifles, the Port Elizabeth
and Grahamstown Volunteers. the Natal
Police, the Durham Light Ilfantry, the
Australian force nor the regular naval
brigade.
The cape squadron now includes ten war
ships, all heavily manned, and the Britlsh
first class protected cruisers Terrible and
Powerful will soon arrive, enabling the navy
to land brigade Of about Two thousand
men.
Attempts to estimate the opposing forces
OF the Transvaal and its ally, tho Orange
Free State, with perhaps sprlnkling OF
natives, are hopeless, although calculations
range from twenty thousand upward.
The Boer ranks will certainly include
number OF Irishmen and Of former officers
OF the German army.
It Is said the Beers will adopt the policy
they adopted In 1881, whea ten sharp
shooters were detailed out OF each com
pany to pick off the British officers.