The times., 1899-11-29

points in connection with the Transvaal
war that invite special attention and which
possess for people on this ,-de Of the At
lantic a more tsan ordinary amount of in
terest The one concerns the charges so
freely made to the effect that favoritism
at the war Office is responsible for the dis
couraging and humtliating mishaps
that have overtaken the British
forces at the very outbreak Of
the struggle. The other quss-
tion, which is perhaps the more important
of the two. is as to the treatment that will
be accorded by Gen. Sir Redvers Butler to
foreigners-that is to say, men who are
not Boers-who are found fighting in the
ranks Of the Transyaal forces against the
English.
In view of the circumstance that at
Washington, at New York, Chicago st.
Louis and other great centres in this coun-
try Offices are said to have been opened
for the avowed purpose of recruiting vol
unteers for the BOer army, and that in
Paris Colonel Monteil the famous Afri-
can explorer. now a retired Cticer Of the
French army, is openly engaged in raising
a French force for the same object. the
Duchess of Uzes and other Partisan great
ladies having subscribed munifcently for
it's armament and equipment, it becomes
necessary to consider the treatment which
these foreign levies are likely to receive
from the British commander.
There are two alternatives which he will
have to choose from. Either the Beers
are recognized by England as full-hedged
| belligerents, and in that event they, as
well as non British foreigners serving un-
der the Boer flag, are entitled to all the
rights and privileges of prisoners if they
fall into the hands OF the English troops,
or Sir Redvers will be forced to take the
! ground that the Beers are mere rebels:
that is to say, people in state of tnsur-
/ rection against their suzerain, and there
/ fore only entitled to the treatment which
/ the English commander-in- chief may see
! fit to accord them. He viii merely be act
! ing in accordance with the example set
/ by the Union in the civil war if he con-
/ cedes to the Beers themselves the treat
/ ment of bona fide belligeTents as an act
! not of right, but of grace.
Short Shrift for Non-Boers.
But he viii be under no obligations
/ whatsoever to recognize as prisoners oi
war or belIigerents any Frenchmen. Ger
mans, Italians, Dutch or citizens of the
/ United States whom he may capture in the
act of bearing arms against Great Bri-
tain. He may take the ground that they
are mere mercenaries, induced by the hope
/ and expectations of the pillage of British
towns and villages TO take part in strug-
gle in which they have no racial concern
| and that they are merely promoting anC
abetting a rebellion of British liegei
/ against their suZerain. In that event there
is no doubt that he may consider that hi
/ is entitled by the laws of war and by in
| ternational usage TO hang and shoot with
| out even the process Of cOurt-martial any
non Beers bearing arms against the Brit
ish who may fall into his hands.
Had the United States admitted the pre-
tensions of the Transvaal to be regarded al
a full-fedged belligerent it could not unde
the provisions OF the law governing th'
maintenance of neutrality have permitted
England to continue the purchase Of mules
Of canned provisions, etc, in this country
At the same time it would not interfere
with the enlistment here of men for serY
ice with the Beers unless appealed TO b,
the English authorities. But We're the Eng
iish diplomatic and consular authoritie
here to ask the United States courts Il
put a stop to the operations Of those Wit
are recruiting men for service in III
Transvaal against the British forces III
American tribunals would have no othe
course open to them than to comply Wit
the demand.
II Sir .Redvers Butler were a more con
ciliatory and indulgent man than he
known TO be- and in consequence reluctan
to adopt harsh measures 10 the alien allie
of the Beers. as we'll as disposed to trea
them as prisoners OF war, he would be yir
tually debarred from allowing his feel
ings to be Influenced in the matter by tn
I knowledge that any such concession Woul
be interpreted in Europe in the light OF
recognition by England that the Beers ar
1 ull-hedged belligerents instead of merel
rebelious vassals. That would furnis
powers such as, for instance, France an
Russia, which are notoriously untrlendl
to England in her present difficulties j
South Africa. with the preteXt for whic
they are longing, to recognize themselve
the belligerency of the Beers, and ips
facto the latters pretensiOns to be an IN
dependent sovereign state.
OF course. if the non -BOer who happen
TO be caught fighting in the Boer rank
against the English turns out TO be a na
tive Of either Great Britain or Ireland hi
punishment will be even more drastic an
merciless than that meted out to an
French or German citizen. 1t does nc
matter whether he happens TO be a natu
rallied American citizen or not Tor ono
an Englishman always an Engllshman.
Consequently any native OF Great Brltal
or ireland caught fighting against the IAN
of his birth will be treated as raise u al
tor against our Lady the Queen, not haN
3 ing the fear of God in his heart, but bein
t moved and seduced by the instigation
. ! tho Devil" TO use the quaint Old form
Indictment for those adhernS TO tt
Queens enemies. And treason OF IN
y kind means death by hanging, the proce'
l. Of drawing and quartering formerly in ui
L having now been abolished. 1t is well hi
/, these things should be more widely know
y in order that men proceeding to South A
- rica should be fully aware OF the risl
II they run.
l. .sThe wOIseIey Ring"
There is certain amount OF foundati'
( for the accusations of war department +
o voritfsm previously referred to. though
n is utterly wrong to assert that Sir Redve
10 Butler is a member of the Wolseley rim
Ia It is doubtful whether there are two IN
a who dislike each other more cordially tn
le Wolseley and Butler. II is perfectly tr
: that there are rings at the war departmel
al Perhaps it would be more fair to desert
le them as schools, since the word ring il
Or Dlies corruption. These schools are, broa
p lv speaking, three in number-namely, t
as Indian school, headed by Field Marsh
I, ord Roberts far and away the most DO
G. uIar officer of the army; the mode
81 school. headed by Field Marshal Lord W.
\ seIey. and the old-fashloned school,
which the old Duke of Cambridge was I
moving spirit and personihcation as 10
as he ruled at the Horse Guards. Sir Re
yers belongs to the Wolseley school, but
. parted from him by feelings of person
rivalry and anlmosity which are so bitter
TO have led the duke to make a particu
at | fayorite of Butler, although he differs "a