The morning news., 1899-12-13
TIE cAMpAIGN IN SOUTH AFRICA.

| THE CAMPAIGN IN SOUTH AFHICA.
The statement in one of our London dis
patches yesterday. that the British war
office had decided to deduct a certain
amount from the pay of the privates and
| on-comuissioned officers of the army in
! South Africa for the use of their families
is understood to mean that the British
! government has come to the conclusion
that the campaign there will be a long
one, and that il is advisable to proceed on
| that understanding. There are other rea-
sons for thinking that the British govern
ment has changed its opinion about the
South African war. When the war be-
gan it was the very general belief Of the
British officers and private soldiers that it
would be an easy matter TO bring the
farmers of South Africa to terms. They
had no other idea than that the war
would be a sort of picnic. They expected
10 gain considerable glory by running over
the Beers. as it were, and in the first few
engagements British officers stood out
in the open boldly and rolled their cigar
cites as calmly as If they were on dress
parade. They do not do that now. They
have found out that the Beers are Won
derful marksmen and that if they do not
want to get a bullet through them the
thing to do is to keep out of sight when
there is no necessity for them to expose
themselves to the rifles of the Beers. In
the first few engagements the number of
British officers killed and wounded was
so great that the government was
alarmed.
It is understood now that there will be
no more attempts to recklessly rush"
Boer positions. A less expensive way will
be tried for capturing them. In other
words, 1t has been found necessary to
bring the war down to a scientific basis.
That is why it is predicted that the cam
paign is likely to be a long one.
When the troops now on the way to
South Africa arrive Gen. Butler will have
an army of 10000 men. They are the
flower of the British army. If he fails
to conquer the Beers with that force
Great Britain's reputation as a military
nation is likely to suffer greatly. The
army of the Beers Is not nearly so large.
1t is estimated that the Transvaal is able
to put only SO 900 men In the field The
Beers of course have received reinforce
ments from the Orange Free State and
other South African states, but their en-
tire force will not equal that of the Brit
fsh. 1t must be remembered, however,
that they are fighting on their own soil,
are familiar with the country and are ac-
clmated.
The ability which the Beers are showing
as soldiers and the success they are hav-
ing are causing the question 10 be asked
whether the British will be able to con-
quer them. Great Britain is bound to con-
quer them or get out of South Africa
The real issue is not whether the Uitland-
ers of the Tranvaal shall have the privl-
leges of citizens, but whether the British
or the Beers shall control South Africa.
II the British fail in conquering the Beers
a republic will be established in South
Africa which will include all of the South
African states. If the British are sue
cessful the whole of South Africa will pass
under British control. The issue there
fore is a great one.
The British are greatly surprised at
finding the Beers so well prepared for
war; They have apparently all the arms
and ammunition they need, and they are
of the best. If the South at the beginning
of the War of Secession had been as well
prepared for war as the Transvaal is, the
for the South