Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-04
ENGLAND TO WIN
BY SHEER WEIGHT OF NUMBERS
AND THEIR SUPERIOR
FORCES
BUT WILL NOT END STRUGGLE
Movements of Maritime and Military
Forces of Europe-Are Not
Merely Looking On.

New York, May "A special 10 the
Herald from Washington says:
That disaster threatens Great Brltalh
as a result of the war in the Transvaal Is
the belief of John w. Foster of Indiana,
former secretary of state.
Mr.. Foster has followed the military
operations in South Africa akin a
close study of them and at the same time
giving keen scrutiny to affairs in Europe.
st is much to be feared that England
is engaged in a protracted and in the end,
an alarmingly costly enterprise. in her
armed contention with the Beers.
1T is to be anticipated that in the end,
through the weight of numbers and SUI
perior resources, England will win. but
that will by no means end the struggle
At the present rate progress is not SLOW.
but every days delay must increase the
difficulties of the situation from a mill
tary point of view and the same may be
said with respect to a solution by diplo-
macy.
1T has been the history of all such
struggles and England has been no ex-
ception. tina the disturbance of CONNER
cial relations and other questions more
or less involved very soon make nations
FESTIVE. There might be no desire to in
~terfere on general principles but the intu-
ence on the financial, industrial and COM
mercial interests often compel govern
ments to act from economical consldera-
ton.
mo one can tell what is going on at
this very moment among the maritime
and military powers Of Europe. At any
time there might be a surprise. They
surely cannot be looking on. simply as
Indifferent spectators of a possible inter-
national problem.
'srTha ira nSnOrta tiOO Of the largest
army England has had in a single thea
ter of war like operations more than half
the distance between the two poles of the
earth is in itself an expensive undertake
ing and a very difficult one. But this IS
the least element of consideration. The
supply and maintenance of such a large
force in the field over six thousand miles
away from home in a region difficult of
access and with most Inadequate means
of transportation, is a problem to occupy
mature military minds.
"Then there is the element of waste
and destruction incident to an army in
the field and in action, This necessitates
constant replenishment. all of which by
an increasing ratio, adds to cost. AS a
military enterprise, the end is evidently
not in sight.
But even if the fighting We're ended,
there wou be a disseminated people to
keep in subsection, which would require
an expensive military establishment.
The experience of the war thus far
has very etfectually established the pres
tige of the Beers as fighters. They may
be able to continue. If they do for a few
months, other developments are not i'm
probable. England. not perhaps ex-
hausted, but embarrassed by protracted
demands upon her fighting material in
men, supplies and munitions of war, her
army thousands of miles away. might
find It difficult 10 head off foreign inter-
ference by substantial methods
They might not lie in the nature Of
overt acts of military aggression or
diplomatic inquiry. burt such a linirg up
of forces as would be difficult to en-
gage.
THE navy of England, it is true. is
free to act, but what would become of
british commerce. and. commerce Grip
pied. what Woul become of British man
ufactures, which signify industry and
means of living? The time for diplo-
matte settlement in the first stages hay-
Ing passed, it is difficult to see how it
can come in now without great loss of
prestige. The British government is nat
urally sensitive. Some decisive action
might open q way, but that way is not
now in sight.
The United States would be the most
natural intermediary. The leading E,u-
ropean nations have their spheres in
Africa. For that reason any suggestions
from that quarter would be out of the
question, in fact, have been warned
against.
This war in such a remote quarter
or the globe is a more momentous affair
than the casual observer supposes. II
may result in some very grave upheayals
IN the worlds conditions, as we now have
Them"