The times., 1899-09-07
ENGLISH AND B0ER FORCES.
me Relative Strength of the An
tagonfsfs in south Africa.


taSonists in south Africa.
In an editorial review of the military
situation in South Africa the New York
Tribune" gives some interesting informa-
tion in regard to the British military
strength in that region, and the fighting
potentialities of the Beers and their pos
sible allies in the Orange Free State:
The British regulars now at the Cape
and in Natal number something more than
ten thousand effective fighting men, the
larger share of them being in the smaller
colony, which. according to rumors, the
BoerS are preparing to attack The forces
| comprise two regiments OF cavalry, three
field batteries, one mountain battery, three
companies Of garrison artillery, four COM
panies of Royal Engineers, six and one-half
battalions Of infantry. two detaehments of
The Army Service Corps, two detachments
of the Royal Ordnance Corps, and two de-
tachments of the Royal Army Medical
Corps. These various bodies make up a
pretty complete army, with all the mem
bers necessary TOR a general campaign.
About six thousand of them are in Natal,
besides some two thousand European po-
lice and volunteers. More than four. thou
sand are in Cape Colony with fully ten
Rifles. and volunteers. There is, then, a
grand total of fully twentyfour thousand
men on the ground under the British flag
Two or three thousand more regulars are
now on their way thither, and, with its
vast transportation facilities, the British
Government could easily rush in twenty
or thirty thousand more within a month
without the least disturbance of her mill
tary establishments elsewhere. 1t may be
added that the British War Department
has for year past been quietly preparing
for precisely this emergency, so that in
case of actual war the world will probably
be treated to another such exhibition of
puissant readiness as that which opened the
eyes OF the nations in the mastering Of
Britains reserve fleet,
THE military resources of the Transyaal
are not so accurately to be reckoned- There
is much talk about an army of $4,000 Beers,
and a recent estimate is that the Trans
vaal can put 10000, and the Orange Free
State-provided it is so foolish as TO throw
away its independence by joining its big
neighbor in war with Great Britain
20, 900 men into the field. But these figures
are idle. The census disproves them. The
total male population of the Orange Free
State is only about 10000. 1t is not suppos-
able that half of them are able bodied
fighting men. The latest census showed the
entire number of males between the ages
of eighteen and sixty years to be 1881
Making allowances for the sick and Grip
pied. Is, 900 is a liberal estimate of the ut
most military strength of the State. Apply
ing the same rules 10 the Transyaal. we
find that the total male population is about
1875. .0GO. or these at least 10000 are out
landers, who of course, are not TO be reck-
oned, since if armed they would turn
against the Pretoria Government and aid
the British There are left $4,000 Beers
Of these, at the same ratio as in the orange
Free State. about 600 are between the
ages of eighteen and sixty years. The
Pretoria Government itself three years ago
estimated the number between those ages
at 26, 300 Deducting a reasonable margin
on account of illness and infirmities, We
shall have in % 900 fair even liberal estl-
male of the total fighting force Oh the
Transvaal.. The grand total of the two
States is thus 40, ,000 That represents the
utmost fighting force of the Beers. II
is not TO be supposed, however, tnat II
could all he sent against the British. A
large part of it would have to be kept at
home TO prevent a native uprising There
are in the Transvaal $4,000 natives, IN the
Orange Free State 10000 and in Swat
land 10000 a total of $4,000, OF whom
at least 150. .00o are able bodied men, and eV-
erv one of whom hates the Beers to the
death. If all the lighting men OF the boer
States should attempt as 1ntlmated, 10
rush" Natal. there would be black up
rising in the rear that would recall the Gays
of Ckaka and Dingaan,
at is evident, then, that with little ei-
fort the British army in those regions can
be made to equal and indeed to outnumper
the Boer forces in point OF men. IN arms
the Beers may have the advantage They
have large number of superior quick
firing field guns which they nave peen
purchasing in recent years with the money
exaeted from the unrepresented Outlanders.
These guns were made in France and Ger
MANY. and are probably better than those
used in the British army. The rifles or the
Beers are certainly as good as and probably
a little better than those OF the British.
AS TO the ability of the soldiers, man lof
man. it would be idle TO ignore the hne
fighting qualities of the Beers in the pc
culiar manner of warfare TO wnicn tney
are accustomed. 1t would be equally idle
to ignore or attempt to belltle the Prov
ess of "the regiment of British infantree"
and of the individual Tommy Atklnses
that compose 1t. One would find it difficult
to point to many places where these have
been beaten By equal or anything like equal
numbers. Finally. this important fact
must be borne in mind-that the Beers
have no base OF supplies upon which to
draw for further munitions OF war being
completely engirt by British or other alien
territory This fact alone would in the
end assure their defeat 1t must be appre-
eiated by the Beers. and in thai case even
the hottest headed of their young men will
surely think several times before beginning
bcrtilitipe