The San Francisco call., 1899-10-12
OF THETRANsvAAL

y FTER negotiations so prolonged as TO lead to
\ the conclusion that neither side was wiling
to precip;.ate war, the Transvaal Govern
ment has sent an ultirnatum 10 the British which
D,ts an end 70 further discussion The argument
is ended the appeal is to the sword The next news
from South Africa xill probably be OF battle, and
r7,1s will begin conflict which viii determine the
destinies OF the whole southern part OF that cont
nent
The determination OF President Kruger 10 risk
war At once IS not so rash as appears on the face
Of things Il is true that in comparison with the
British empire the Transyaal IS but weak country
bur il is stronger now than will ever be again IN
less British aggression can be stopped at once The
Boers increase but slowly either in population OF IN
the arts OF civilization On the other hand, the Brit
ish in South Africa are increasing rapidly. Every
year sees their number augmented ratio lar sur
passing that Of the Beers, and moreover they IN
crease in the wealth that adds military strength
Their railways are extended their factories multiply
With each succeeding year The Transvaal has moth
ing 70 gain, but everything 70 lose by delay. L,
therefore, they are TO defend their independence at
the cost of war It IS but prudence for them 10 bgn
the war az once.
From the present situation It appears that the
Beers have waited until this time before declaring
war simply that they might rally 70 their support
their kinsrnen OF Orange Free State and all the
Dutch clements OF South Africa. Il was doubtless
for no other purpose than that OF gaining time TO
accomplish such alliance that Kruger has been pro-
longing the negotiations. He has now won his
point The Dutch OF South Africa are about as
united IS they can become so long as British dOnin-
ion holds there and il IS clearly time for them TO
strike and strike hard.
This Is not the first time the British and the Dutch
have me-, il wa- 10 fight ont question OF suprem-
acy During the seventeenth century their CONNER
cal rvaL-ies brought them into conflict and they en-
tered upon war i0r the empire oithe seas. Under
the leadership Of T-omp and Ruyter on the side OF
the Dutch and Blake and Monk on the side OF Eng
land. the conflict was waged with relentless deter
ul;uacioa. admiral TromD raised q broom to the
masthead ot his flagship IS sign that he intended
10 sweep the British from the ocean, and in many
ha-d-tough- fight he came near 10 the iuhllment
o. MS boast,
Now alter the lapse Of centuries the descendants
q tte Dutch settlers in South Africa have once more
raised broom as q sign OF determination to sweep
the British out OF their way. Whatever may have
been the beginning OF the present conflict it has
become war for the dominion Of all South africa.
Il IS TO decide whether that country shall be under
British or Dutch rule for all time to come The issue
5 as well understood II London as at Pretoria 1t
has been well known to the statesmen OF both coun-
tries that the conflict is vulgar fight for gold
mines or for rights OF franchise but for empire CT
vast proportions OF golden prospects
While the odds are strongly the side OF the
British the hope OF the Beers and their allies Of the
Free State are by no means desperate They are at
home while the British will have to send their
troops across long distances OF sea and land More
over the Beers have in the beginning OF the war
decided superiority A writer for the London Fort
nightly Review recently gave the comparative mill
tary strength OF the two races in South Africa,
I'll