The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-05

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EA9SSA @-lIg-A the British as
Laingsnek and Majuba Hill In the
battles which won liberty for the
Beers their losses We're in the ratio of
7 to 100 of this British.
The Boer soldier knows how to sell
his life dearly. 1t is not maxim
with him. but habit. In comparison
with the men England can stack up
against his race there are but few left.
and these must do deal of killing in
order to insure that bloody revenge
which is the sole aim of the Beers
life. If England is to rule South
Africa, the creators of prosperity there
mean to exact frightful dole in blood.
They have been getting ready since the
Jameson raid and, with what nature
has done for the defense of the Trans
vaal. entered this war in shape to keep
1t up for months.
The Transvaal country is said to be
as impregnable as Switzerland, that
unconquerable haunt of liberty loving
peasantry. There are few bridges and
few roads, and the Boer can burn all
his home belongings and yet be in
trim to fight. His wealth and subsist-
,ence are on the hoof, so that towns and
positions are of no consequence. An
Invading army, however, must be tied
to fixed line of advance and fight to
guard It, The Beers can always find
the British, but the British can only
find the Beers when the latter swoop
down upon wagon train or isolated
post.
At Majuba Hill the British COM
mander counted on a sure thing be-
cause he could get to the height first
with the most men. Once there with
his Gatlings he meant to keep the
Beers from getting up at all. There
was cover on Majuba Hill for the de-
tenders, but no one supposed that the
Beers would climb up in the face of
the fire hurled at them from rifle and
Calling. But the Boer is as agile as an
Indian and knows how to fight on his
own hook. The first thing to do in war
Is to kill the enemy. and every Boer is
thirsty for British blood.
Perhaps the Beers are unframed in
the highest military sense, but so was
General Forrest. the mighty raider of
the west; so was the Nez Perez war
! rior, Chief Joseph, who for time out
fought Howard and Gibbon and Miles,
with the best troops of the plains at
their backs. But the Beers can fight
waiting campaign and compel the
British to hunt them on their chosen
ground. Only five years ago the Beers
fought the Kattirs, and 1t was plain
that the old time cunning had not de-
parted from the Dutch who wrested
South Africa from savagery. In broad
daylight the Katfirs would sweep down
upon some peaceful home, iourishing
spears and knives and assagais, but
the Boer worked with his rifle be-
side him and his belt studded with re-
volvers. In an instant a farmstead
became fort, and the foolhardy
blacks were slaughtered like sheep.
The Kaftir leaders were brought down
with unerring aim. In short time
the Beers manned the stockade, with
the women to reload and pass up weap-
0ns. This war, called the Kaftir re-
volt, ended in few weeks, and the
natives failed to score a single tri-
umph, even over isolated bands of
Beers.
The preparations for fighting the
British began after the Jameson raid,
but the Beers were not caught nap
ping at that time. When the news
reached Pretoria that 5000 British
were invading the land, General Jou-
bert proposed to move out with artil-
lery to meet the enemy, but Dom Paul
said calmly that 200 old farmers with
their rifles could easily stop the Brit
fish. The whole force turned out by
General Cronje to meet Jameson's
1900 numbered but 400, and Cronje
was not military man either. Some:
how he led the British where he want
ed them and, when they opened with
artillery on the Beers. told his men to
take to the rocks.
At 500 yards the Beers began to pep
per the raiders. Then Jameson tried
Maxims on the Dutchmen, but they
were SO well scattered that the fire
was wasted. Cronje picked out some
Of his best rifemen to shoot down the
zunners. and the fight was all one sided
after that.
After the Jameson raid the Trans
vaal government decided to turn it's
chief cities into arsenals and be ready
for any kind of warfare. Johannes
burg. the metropolis of the discomfort
ed uitlanders, has been looked to best.
II attacked from without, there are six
forts for defense. and the French and
German long range rifled guns in posi-
ton sweep wide extent of country.
If the place rebels against the Trans
vaal authorities, 1t can be destroyed
by system Of mines in case that ex-
IRENE step is necessary to down the
uitlanders. To suppress an uprising
the main streets have been brought I'M
der range of heavy guns. Small GrI,;