The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22
10 OUT-TRICK THE Beers.
ENGLISH oPFICkR sAYs WATCH OUT
FOR NEW TACIICS.

lery PrOtection-SOuth African Opinions
Something has been said In the preliminary
discussion OF the South African crisis concern
ing the Bocrs re,iance upon their rifle mark s.
nanship against the British army. little
has also beeo said Of tho British confidence
that the Beers would be unable to do any artll-
lery work worth noticing. The South African
newspapers for two months have couta n cd
articles bearing upon both phases OF tho situa-
ton. which show that TIE Beers believe that
they can do effective artillery work and that
the English. according to tho Information per-
rnitted to get out In the colonies near the scene
Of difficulties. have planned to ignore praoti-
cslly the Boers' rife prowess and to cut them
down with shell and sabre.
Gossip In Natal had been that the imperia,
forcer would introduce a new policy or new
tactics which would surprise Europe not less
than play havoc with tho Beers according to
the Natal Advertiser When an artillery officer
was cent there on special duty he was besought
70 tell something OF what all this meant. He
surprised his questionsrs by giving an answer.
His observations com prehend an interesting
sketch OF some OF the local conditions which
the British planned to meet.
This officer likenei the Beers boasts. as to
their ability to do all needed execution with
their rifles. to the confident assertions made in
John L. Sullivan's behalf before no won't to
England to fight Mitchell. that he would do
wonderful execution with his great left hand.
The consequence was that Mitchell prepared
for left tactics to Sullvans great surprise.
That according to the officer. Ia in effect what
England has dono regard nR the Beers. She
has 90 prepared herself that the Beers will nnd
little opportunity to make use OF their rifle
workmanship
&C. assure you. he said. that except in q few
instances there will be no chance for rifle rrac-
tce. Tho advance will be under q raraly2lng
shell 1re from a line seven or eight miles away
This 10 . distance impossible for rife Are"
The Boer. accustomed to lie behind korje
and take deliberate aim. has gained no idea.
the of1cer asserted. OF what it is to have to lie
quietly while his comrades are slaughtered
around him by deadly hail from the sky.
whence he looked for aid Even his idea OF
artillery has been OF bullets coming on
level like rifle bullets. With mis-
Siles picking of mon and horses around
him and hundreds OF yards behind him
he would become panic stricken. the orfcer
said. for even European troops whose discl-
pline was brought to the last point OF Efficiency
could not resist the demoralilinC effect OF such
sight. This was proved. the officer OBJ
served. at Te-el-Ksbir. Meantime. according
70 this plan. cavalry could advance under tho
protection OF that fire TO within one hundred
yards OF the Boer lines and flank them. The
finish 10 then described:
Then at a signal a terrible anal volley OF
shrapnel 10 poured in. and the order to charge
is given. and before they know 1t the Beers will
he among the snbreS ana lances. with the bay
onets OF the infantry just behind"
so the British officer wins the battle and
routs the Boers on paper az easily IL not "a in
nocentIy as the pen Eldes over it, HAT OF
their horses will have been Kill ed by the deadly
hre." he says. and what is tho good OF a Boer
In the weld without his horse? They will be
picked of" he adds quite chesrfuly. by the
cavalry. az easily as n crowd OF rabbits in an
enclosure"
He counts on disabling the Boer artillery in
An hour. partly because the Beers poor idea OF
artillery will not lead him to risk many lives In
defending 1t. He concludes:
We may lose thousand m en-. perhaps. but
what 10 that?-a drop in thu bucket"
As to tho forces which were already availa-
bic for service in the British cause in Septaru-
Der they numbered approx imately $4,000
men. according to editorial Information In the
Eastern Province HeaM OF Port Elizabeth.
Cape Colony. as against q total Boer force in
the Transvaal of 25OUO men. inc u ling the
burghers and tina regular artillery. This -st-
mate OF the Eosrs Included boys aud mon be-
Included forces rom Natal. Bechuanalun and
2hoi-sIa. anu tho landing torces OF The navy in
easily he concentrated in Nai-king ard Tut.
according to The authority quoted The forces
~ inc IhIF AOIOuy were MOI included In the
estimate. not because the non were DOT ready
enough. but an unsym pathetIY. not to say
iUsta Government certainly prevents US from
saying what our iOrc-s cOuld 40
Tho newspaper anticipated, however. that
before a call 70 arms came the control Of the
which would hermit the Coiony's men 10 aid In
The military movements. visitor to Pretoria
was also at Bloom ton'eln. By Lieutenant.
T Boors to the eG9 q; gs somehHs 9t the
that their guns were better than those OF the
english. that they carried from four to six
miles and were CAPABLE q discharging more
the Lieutenant said icnrriei liz miles. they
70 them and to Russia" and they believed
their gunners epual to the best and their
Aorsemrn second to none.
Customs figures for D.lagoa and tho Cape
Colony give an IDEA OF the 4ct,yty IN the move.
dur ns the sumner Since july and SII n"i rs
Guiding sh pm-nts OF the last few weeks, there
wneh did liam not '"s GnR mS s Of
war that way rifles. q guns. 81 reyolvers
e ap".dCr d1s509 caps 10 35n
there went 81 rifles. i carbincs, - REVIEWERS.
;sSups sG 90 pounds Of powder; 4 ! pounds Of
q, dynam!ts. 20 rolls Of fuse 30 cass, Of
Hffr rys . sfss az GfS 'aS1 E@s
guns. 1854 rounds Of pow err, 1880 rounds OF
lead and 2,46 rounds and casR Of shot,
1
caess OF cartridges pasSe through Dsiagoa
ths year During last yaar the TranSvaal i'm
ports by that route were A rifles and 23l
rases OF cartridges. and fort the last three years
the i'm portations hv way Of Deiagoa TOR the
TranSvaa t"tal liHOOO rifles. 6.4OO revolvers
md 3!'S tons OF ammunition
Matching. according 10 the South African
newspapers. WAS long left practical uu-
guarded. evea after the crisis was imminent
md the people were Indignant at the Cane
Ministry for allowing such a condition to ccn-
finue. At one time not long ago there were
only thirty British South African police AMI
"a handful" Of Cape poiica there although
the town was openly Threatened by the Borr~
The Boers theraa bout believed that Jameson
was responsible Tor tho present Irou ls then
Rpproaching and. according to report current
there, thiry Boer women Of Mamin! had
Hound themselves by oath TO kill DR. Jane
kon 1t was declared 10 - known there that
the plans Of the British camp had b-cn
N the hands % the ltoers tor MONTH. The
country surrounding the town was plagued hy
swarms Of locusts. Early last month troops
and ammunition began to arrive at MarekinE
and Ramatlabanla. sixteen miles away. and
there was a great tO-dp over the arrival al An
irregular force .. 500 men who are now pre-
Eumably part oi Col. Hoare's forces. At that
hnA l