The times., 1899-08-13

90. II is, however impossible that any
situation could be more full Of doubts and
difficulties and of these the attitude of
the natives is becoming one OF the most
serious.
IT is two months since the first batch OF
so-called special service officers were sent
to South Africa and it was generally sup
posed at that tine that they were primarily
intended to fight the Beers. Now it trans
pires that their mission is to organize the
white colonies throughout South Africa
to deal with the Kaffir rebellion, which is
expected 20 be one of the first results OF
the war between England and the Trans
vaal and what is more serious still, to
cope with possible insurrection OF the
Dutch sympathizers with the Beers within
the British borders.
1t is probable that one of the earliest
complications in the tangled situation will
be a protest from the Cape Government
against the presence of these special SER
vice officers in colony in which the Gov
eminent holds it's power by virtue Of the
support Of the Dutch voters. Complaints
from the latter are reaching Cape Town
of the presence and activity OF imperial
army officers who are enrolling white men
in a volunteer corps from which the Boer
sympathizing Dutchmen are carefully ex-
cluded on various pretexts. Most of the
ioned weapons.
The English farmers in the rural dis
tricts, and the English shopkeepers, clerks.
and traders in the towns are being armed
with modern rifles, and depots of ammuni-
tton are forming all by direct instructions
of General Butler, the officer commanding
in South Africa. He says the orders are
TO prepare for the eventuality of black
uprising. The Dutchmen are protesting
their loyalty and denouncing the implied
| insults TO them by their exclusion from
the volunteer troops. They admit that
there is danger OF Kafir rebellion and
claim the right to help guard against it.
But although they are British subjects.
the British Government is afraid 10 trust
them.
Since England lost the North American
colonies she has not had to face serious
and complicated a colonial situation as
this. Trouble with the blacks is really
menacing and embarrassing. The Mata-
| beles in Rhodesia are restless. The Kaffrs
1 In Cape CoiGney and Natal are sullen, and
the impudent Swazis, who were handed
/ over by England 10 the protection of the
| Transyaal, may break out at any moment.
/ But the most imminent danger OF all is
! located in Basutoiand, which is under the
protection OF England, with British resi-
| dent commissioner. The Basutos are
hands they have suffered countless wrongs.
/ They can put 30. 600 warriors in the field
| al short notice. The resident commissioner
| reports that they know OF the possibility
| OF war between England and the Trans
vaal and are straining like hounds at the
! leash to get at the enemy.
Mr. Chamberlain has declared In Parlia-
! ment that If there is a war Great Britain
| will not employ blacks against whites
This promise was doubtless made In good
! faith, but il Is difficult to see how the
Basutos can be restrained, once the dogs
I of war are let loose 1t may be necessary to
assign 10009 British soldiers TO keep their
| friends the Basutos at bay while 80 0eC
others are engaged in fighting the Beers
The white volunteers VIII probably suffice
! to deal with the Kafiirs OF Cape Colony
| and Natal and the white settlers of Rho
! desia are being organized, doubtless to
| keep Matabele ia check. But unless the
/ Basutos have degenerated in fibre and losl
some of their hatred for the Beers, oi
which there Is no indication, the redcoats
! will have 10 bar their way to Pretoria.
British perplexities do not end with the
| prospect OF native rebellions on every side
for we see white men fighting each other
| The special correspondent of the pal
Mall Gazette" which il extremely anti
| Kruger, cables from Cape Town today ad-
mitting that "a new phase is added tc
the situation by the action OF the Englisf
and Scottish residents. who have instituted
boycott on all Irishmen on the ground
| that they doubt the Irishnaen'e loyalty IL
the British Government. I learn from
Trustworthy source that the Cape Colon,