Mohave County miner., 1899-10-28
The Transvaa1 Mines.

tion of an ultimatum to Great Britain
by the South African Republic and the
beginning of an offensive movement
by the Beers forces this week have
apparently made peaceful settlement
of the South African troubles out of
question. The Boer government seems
to have made up its mind to fight, and
the nature of its ultimatum prevents
the withdrawal of British claims, which
would now involve loss of prestige
too great for the government to risk.
At this distance it looks as if president
kruger had made mistake, and had
sacrificed much of the strength of his
position in order to secure some i'm
mediate advantage before the British
military force in South Africa could
be. brought up to full fighting condi-
ton. From purely military point of
view, his action might be approved, but
there are other points to be considered,
among them the fact that he has made
it impossible for Great Britain to give
way, and has consolidated English SEN
timent in favor of the war.
The final result of the conflict can
hardly be doubtful. The advantages
Of position which the Beers of the
Transvaal hold and their we'll known
courage and persistency make it pos
sible that war may be long aud har
assing Great Britain carrot afford to
give way, however, and must establish
her supremacy in South Africa, 10
matter how great an expenditure of
men and money may be required. As
far as material res sources are concerned,
the advantage, of course, is all on one
side. The South African Bepublic in
the present condition of affairs, has
practically no credit, and cannot bor
row abroad. Its money supplies will
soon be exhausted, and can hardly be
replenished. On the other hand it is
less dependent upon money as an il.
strument, and there are few modern
nations which can carry on a war with
30 little regard to the trea. ury.
1t is not necessary bc.e to go into
the merits of the ca e. There are
charges of conspiracy and excessive
demands on one side; and on the other
of oppressive laws and taxation, of
monopolies and official corruption.
Both parties have made exaggerated
statements, after the usual manner of
man, and both are partly wrong. The
main point, as an outsider sees it, is
that a system of government adopted
and carried on by somewhat 'prim-
tive PASTORAL community has failed
when il was brought to bear on great
industry based on modern methods,
involving the investment of very large |
amounts of capital and the presence of
a large number of men whose habits, |
training and interests are all foreign |
and hostile to these of the original
element of the country. 1t is prob
ably inevitable that the great material
interests existing in the Transvaal /
should in the end control the country,
no matter what may be the abstract |
rights of the original settlers.
What chiefly concerns us is the re-
suit of the conflict to the mining in
terests. A certain degree of loss is in
evitable. The stoppage of work and |
consequently of all returns on capital
for the time constitute items which !
will be large in their present total. |
Whether there will be any actual de-
struction of property is another ques-
tion. At present this seems unlikely;
but if the contest should be prolonged
1t is hard to say what the Beers may
do Defeated and desperate men do
not always stop to consider the result
of their actions.
Another element of uncertainty is
found i'll the large native population of
the country. The native laborers have
GENERALLY left the mines where they
have been employed, and have return
ed to their kraals. Possibly they may
take no part, but the prospects of
fight and plunder are powerful incen-
tives to Zulus, and they have had some
experience of what they may expect to
find in Johannesburg and other towns.
The native movements will doubtless
be watched with much anxiety.
Meantime, the large capital invested
in the Transvaal mines must be idle,