Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-28

senting minimum difficulties to time and
expense. Spain at a distance OF 5000 miles
was powerlesS to succor its Cuban forces or
to repair the loss of even a drawn battle.
How vastly more difficult are the military
problems Of England with regard to sue
cessful conquest of the South African re-
publict a voyage of 1899 miles, averaging
thirty days of transit under the most IA
vCrable conditions, and the transportation
of huge quantities of munitions, animals
and material to the immediate theater OF
war, involves the maximum of risk, delay
and expense. Every obstacle of climate,
Inferior roads strange diseases and natural
confusion will increase the laborS of the
British supply services. To forward from
the Cape Of Good Hope the supplies needed
for an invading army is a herculean task.
The absence of fuel, forage and water will
be severely felt by the invaders 1t is clear
that England will be obliged at dispropor-
uonate expense to transport leVieS OF vol
unteerS from Canada and Australia as
we'll as the troops which can be spared
from India in order to finally crush Kru-
gers army. Thoroughly familiar with the
country, self-devoted and united the Beers
will undoubtedly destroy all the available
resources in any region exposed to the in
reads Of the British.
The Boer Plan of Campaign.
Famed as sktrmishers, the Beers will be
enabled to not only harass and delay the
British advance, but to skillfully eude the
English commander in his desire to crush
the Boer power in one great field battle
The operations of the Beers will be assisted
by every appliance known to modern me-
chanical ingenuity. The employment Of
dynamite, the use of rapd-firing guns, the
substantial aid of the entire population as
spies, and the peculiar conformation of the
lonely veldt will determine campaign Of
fierce surprises, harassing combats and
stubborn resistance in which enormous loss
Will be inflicted upon the invaders.
The ingenuity of the African trader and
his desire to coin profit out of the trou-
bles OF others viii cause adventurous deal
ers OF all nations to use every possible
means TO introduce ammunition, high eX-
plosives, military supplies, etc, into the
South African republic. In the stormy six
months past the Beers have secretly sup
piled themselves with great stores of war
material. The defense of the disputed ter
ritory Will be obstinate. The voluntary de-
Struct1on of homes and towns will DELAY
the British advance and rob the invaders
of their final victory The destruction by
the Beers of the millions of pounds worth
OF machinery IN the great gold and iia-
mond mines has already begun. The Slen-
der railways to the east and south have
been attacked by parties of Boer horsemen,
and every bridge and viaduct will be blown
into fragments.
Tremendous Loss of Property.
The loss of the Uitlanders by this sense
less struggle will exceed any military raw
ages since the burning or MOSCOW. The
final victory of the British arms will come
only with the disappearance of the last
considerable bands of Beers able to bear
arms. The relative losses of the British
forces engaged will be appalling, for the
hardy habits of the Boer soldiery will give
them clear superiority in the detached
operations of the irregular warfare.
1t is not, however, possible for the ad-
herents OF Kruger to prevent the final &C.
cLpation of the South African republic by
the British forces. The period which will
be marked by Boer victories Is limited by
the final arrival of British troops in suffi-
Gent numbers to guard and maintain the
and Cape Town. After six months the con-
tipued arrival of British achievements
and supplies will enable the British COM
mander to firmly hold the ground gained.
and by the use of cavalry and light troops
to break up the disorsanized masses of the
Beers. However brave and skfllful in per-
sonal warfare, It is not possible for the in
ferior forces to finally make a successful
stand against the British army, smarting
under the severe losses of many bloody out
post battles.
The Beers lack discipline. solidity and
familiarity with the practical branches of
the military art The only individual OBJ
ject of the British is to break up the masses
of the Beers, and by advancing in force
into the country to scatter the interior enc
mics and allow privation. sickness and the
absence Of military supplies to bring about