Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23
kIMBERLEY's DEFEysEs.
The Fortihcnfions by which IL ia Re-
sfstinR the Hoers

Correspondence q the London Standard
Kimberley offers many points of adyau-
tage TO the engineer who plans its defense
Inc heaps OF debris and tailngs which
marx present or past workings tower above
tie town, and form ready-made earth
works mat could hardly be surpassed for
ready effectiveness. With the execution
u th"Se owned by the New Bultfontein
ottos kopje and Kamfer's Dam diamond
mines all OF these heaps belong To t,s .i
sdhuc corporation which owns The preat,-
part and practically controls the Who'll
OF Kimberley. The nearest poInt ON ,bo
- re state border is at the edge of Beacone-
Incidence a nouriShing town brt NOV ,
Straggilng. poverty-stricken set,len,ant
NOT Tar from BeacOnsfeld is the N-essaI,o,,
mime, now owned by the De Rears C,r,
pahI: Al mat point the first fortifca tions
are found. They are strong and S..r,, tr,
pregnable, and ii is to them thar Peacons
field looks for protection
PASSING from Beacousfleld into the D,,
d 6or1si'aii road Kimberley. series of re-
DOUBTS nave been thrown up To project The
9SaatotluDa-a private family hotel-jo
Whlch Mr. Rhodes has temporarily taken
up ms residence The four redoubfs and a
camp OF w men are considered sufficient
TO protect the person of the best-hared ma,
IN Dutch South Africa. From the Sana
forum through Dutoitspan road IN. snaca
Is occupied by dwelling houses, the Masonic
stores, until New Main street is r..chad
near winch Is the crater Of the celebrated
Kimberley mine
Another prominent highway to the town
Is the Barkly road. leading from towns
along the Naal river border Four MIL,
from Kimberley is Kamfer's Dam mine
upon which is high failing heap. but as
the works are in a hollow il IS NO, o.
prominent as its neighbor. Otto's Eonie
mine, winch standing on an eminence with
a soild wall OF tai.ings 10o feet high prsc-
ucally commands Kimberley.
The mine is two and Il half miles from
the town, and should llndoubiedly have
peen made the first line of defense The
hrSt attempt which has been made how
ever is on the debris heap at the foot OF
lrahSHaaI road. Should an enemy pass
ing along the Barkly road have TO he she'll
ed from this redoubt. a large settlement Of
natives would be in the line of fire Al th.
ehd OF Bark!y road much more prefer
uous redoubt has been erected on a debris
heap. This redoubt would demolish the
west end. and while il might prove effective
IN repeiling hostile force, would be even
more disastrous to the people living under
the shadow Of the guns
Ii Is evident that the defense of kimoer-
ley was never for moment entertained.
except on the principle that the De Beers
property is the portion of Kimberley best
worth defending. That Its safety has been
Well looked after cannot be doubted even
though 1t be at the sacrifice Of other por-
uons Of the beseged city
As was the case at Mafeking the paople
OF Kimberley made every effort to .rrlre
assistance for defense from the govern
ment, but with the same result as in the
former town. The volunteer cause has
been languishing ever since the advent to
power OF the present government, and moth
ing was left undone that was likely to
minimize their utility, or to discourage
their zeal Just before the outbreak of hos
tilities Lee-Metfords were served out TO
the men, with strict injunctions that they
should not be taken home, the effect being
that they would go into the field with a
weapon Of which they knew nothing.