New-York tribune., 1899-09-23
OP4NGE AND TRANSJAAL.

,r,o Oronoo Frog state apparently throws III
its lot with the Transvaal in the coh'lo,ei''
and possible conflict with Great brlta'h' im"'
i, does so with reluctance Is quite evident -"
LITTLE republic between the orange anu ""'
rivers has long been the object OF mucn Nii','
interest It's history has been on the ""o''
highly creditablc-a story OF heroic VIRTUES anu
sturdy growth. The independence "hich was
forced upon it against its will has peen ii'in
tanned and respected and its rclntlohS WIN '"'
rrcat empire whose territories SURROUND 1t nav
bccn friendly and mutually honorable 1t mas
enioyed prosperity, made progress anu va
crcsed a constant influence for peace ana ciVl'l-
zotion. In the present dispute between "real
Britain and the Transyaal II has piayeu '"e
mart of friend of beth parties. ana haS' hH
no other State could have. offered direc' I"c"r
tics for an amcablc settlement Now, however,
in the final crisis, it becomes partisan ana al
ally of the Transvaal.
II takes this course not altogether because Oh
the relations of blood and creed that exist pe-
tween the two. though these are far more '"'
timate than those between the Transvaal boers
and anv other Dutchmcn in South Africa. us
action is largely consequent on treaty oDlga
tions which the Orange Free State voluntarily
assumed and which II cannot now honorapy
avoid For more than two years there mas pecH
an actual federal union between the two States.
Irdor its terms each State is bound TO give the
other support with all the forces ut It's dis
nosal, and by all possible means in the event OF
tho others Independence being menaced or AT
tackled. unless the State whose aid Is thus asKed
doos ROT nrove the others claim 10 he i'll founded
The Orange Free State is therefore confronted
ait IN
sido and prove the case of the Transyaal 10 ne
III founded or to take the Transvaals case "t
that States own word and come to its assist
ance. The latter course is the natural one anu
however much it may be regretted can s'arcei!
be condemned.
In the avcnt Of war the Orange Free state
vould be factor Of some importance ho' ~
much because of its military strength, WHICH,
as we have shown. is much inferior 10 tha' VI
| the Transvaal as because OF its Strategic posi-
tion At the east il borders upon Natal at
which the Transvaal is reported TO ne preparing
| to strike first. and at the west upon "riquaihH"
West IN which are the Kimberley diamond
! mines It would form n valuable vantage grouhu
from which 10 make the BOer attack upon thoSe
noints Moreover, two of the three railroad
limos running into the Transvaa are under us
control The line from Cape Town to klmDer-
lev. Mafcking and Buluwayo-th" southern
division Of the Cape-tOCairo line-runs TOT
hundred miles close to the orange Iroi'ler'
while the line from Port Elizabeth ana bathurs'
70 Blocmfontcin and Pretoria passes dlrec'iE
through the centre Of the State. The cohtrol
and use of these roads will be of importance IN
case Of war and the attitude Of the orange Free
State toward them is therefore factor 10 ne
| soriouslv rcckoned with The end will probaply
! no the same for the two States put toSether
are Of course no match for Great Britain but
tho alliance of the Orange Free state win the
Transyaal will make the campaign consWeraolv
moro difficult for the British. 1t will also nave
other results upon the future of South AFRICA
~ moro than ordinary interest