Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-09-10

BeacOn1lclu Win all his JlnGOlSms II IS not
probable that such a condition would now
exist. This struggle may result in COM
plete South African independence.
Tt is not as the casual observer may
think-an unequal contest If Great Britain
| meets the misfortune that befell her in her
war with the Beers in S0-'51. she win oc-
cupy the most humiliating spectacle that
has yet been presented among nations In
this conflict, began in December, 1850 the
! English were defeated in every engage
| ment, and in every instance were superior
| in point of numbers. The white flag was
] displayed in such rapid succession that it
| gave birth to the following story illus
trating British reverses.
1 ~
One evening at a concourse of Beers
| young man asked What is the color OF
| the English fiag?'
1t was question that none seemed able
/, to answer, when an old veteran who had
fought the British from Potchefstroom to
| Majuba HILL said 1T is white"
NO" said another 81 have heard it was
red"
! We'll" replied the veteran, white is
| the only one / ever saw
This story rankles the British as much
| as the mention of Majuba Hill, where the
/ disgrace of the British troops was COM
! plete. The press of England and the
/ jingoes are in favor of this war largely for
| the purpose of wiping out this supposed
stain upon the valor of British soldiery
~
The battle af Majuba Hill was fought on
the 9th of February, 81. On the top Of
| Maiuba HILL the British troops, under Sir
! George p. Colley, were stationed. They
| overlooked and commanded the Boer camp
at Mex, 1000 feet below. Seeing tn critical
! situation of his position, Gen. Joubert con-
| Guided to attempt to dislodge the British.
] With $50 men he began the ascent and
| little before noon Commander Nicholas Smit.
| with 80 men, reached the crest> and
routed the English, who fled from their
position, panic-strieken. The Boer loss was
/ one killed and five wounded. The British
| loss was 80 killed, 1874 wounded and 50 pris-
/ oners. Although the number engaged in
| this battle We're not many-the British 100,
| the Beers $50, yet the moral is the same
as if the forces had been ten-fold greater
| After this disastrous rout Great Britain
| asked an armistice, which began March
| 18th, and was soon followed by a treaty of
peace, wherein Great Britain for the sec
ond time, acknowledged the complete in
| utpGiuEltG u Tie obuAu AiIICdu INtpuDilCf
reserving only the right to voice in inter
national affairs and foreign matters bear
ing upon the Boer government.
~
In this war the British lost in the first
| three engagements over Co. more than half
of whom We're killed, while the Boer loss
| was but II killed and Is wounded. The
| Beers were so poorly equipped that many
| went into the battle with but one, two and
| three cartridges, while in other instances
| many were compelled to wait for guns un-
! til they had been captured from the British.
| The total forces of the Beers in this war
! never reached quite LOCO men. In apology
for the disgraceful rout of their men at
| Majuba and other places the English say
| that they We're raw and unframed, which
of course is not true, for the troops oppos-
| ing the Beers were the Sixteth Rifles, the
| Fourteenth Hussars, and the Sixteenth
| Lancers, and the detachment that met dis
| aster at Majuba Hill was composed of the
| Ninety-second Highlanders and the Naval
Brigade, as good, if not the best, soldiers
! that Great Britain had.
| ~
In the present conflict the conditions will
be more favorable to the Beers. They can
| place between 40 and 60 thousand men in
! the field in a few days, all perfectly
equipped. And if necessary this force can
! be increased to nearly 100000. Using the
| late war as a basis for calculation, the
Afrikander counts one Boer soldier is equal
to five British. There is no reason that
this is not yet a safe estimate, unless the
| British have wonderfully improved since
1881. The Boer attributed his own wonder
full execution to Providence. Persons not
| a ihl1ta IN ia or hat
are, as a rule, dead shots, and their cour-
age immovable. They waste but little
| lead in battle. In the war of So-'sl women
! encouraged their husbands and sons and
were ready to take the field themselves.
| Now they have been forming rifle clubs and
are getting ready again for battle, and win
| enter the campaign if necessary.
| The Beers. feeling that God is with them,
| believe that they will emerge victorious
| from this conflict. 1t is doubtful if Great
| Britain could defeat them alone with her
| present force. 1t is not naval contest,
! and England on land is perhaps the weak
| est among the great nations. Relatively
she has the smallest army of any of the
nations-but 900 all told, and these of
an inferior quality. AS has often been
| pointed out she has sacrificed her army
! in favor of her navy.
/ The Boer army is not the only danger
| that confronts Great Britain All South
| Africa stands an almost solid unit in sup
port of the Beers. The Orange Free State
will place from 1000a to 10000 men in the
field when needed, all fully armed. Then
| the Afrikander Bond must be reckoned.
A society that permeates all South Africa.
whose motto is South Africa for the
Africans. white Africans mind you.
Their support is pledged to President
| Kruger. Olive Schreiner warns Great
| Britain that the first blood shed of English
soldiers will break the fiebers. invisible
as air but strong as steel, that binds the
| hearts of South Africans TO England.
| Hence, instead of war against the Trans
vaal it is probable that Great Britain will
find all South Africa in rebellion as were
her American colonies in 1776
The Beers, knowing the treachery of
England, have been preparing for this for
years. The country is one vast arsenal.
The mountain passes have been provided
with great fortresses fully equipped.
johannesburg the principal English
| stronghold, is undermined and is directly
| beneath the guns of a mighty fort, the two
| together making it possible to destroy the
| nft s, bDt1r,e +fvaa