davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

the front. These robust African Dutch
men mature early and retain their
physical prowess and hardihood to a
ripe old age. They do not learn 1.-The
goose step in any regimental awkward
squad when they enlist in the service
OF their country, nor are they supplied
with arms and ammunition by their
government, for every Boer, in a way,
is his own general.
In fact, the Boer army and its or
ganization are unique in the history of
the world. According to the Beers
own statistics, which have always been
doctored up for the benefit Of Europe
the men in the Transvaal liable to mil
itary service are only $4,000. The war
now going on has shown how easy it is
to more than double this misleading
estimate.
Strictly speaking. the only official and
recognized standing army in the Boer
republic is made up Of Kruger's state
Artillery" which as a matter of fact.
contains only 400 men. These men are
IN the regular pay OF the state. and
outside of the special police who are
detailed 10 preserve peace and order
during extraordinary occasions are the
only men paid by the Transvaal gov
eminent for military service These
special policemen number almost 1000
men.
The arullerists. being the only reg
ulars, are drilled with q view TO fur
nlsh officers and instructors for the
general citizens army, a sort OF military
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
ORGANIZATION OF THE B0ER ARMIES.

ton to population, has a more effective
war organization and a more powerful
armed force. 1t is the most charac-
teristically military country in exist
ence. In fact, every Boer in the Trans
vaal is a member Of the little states
standing fighting force. Every home in
the South African Republic is an ar
senal Every farmhouse is a commits
sariat department. Every burgher Of
the veldt is trained soldier.
There are special circumstances
which have brought about this peculiar
condition of affairs. Compulsory. serv-
ice without any compulsion about it is
the keynote of the Beers military or
ganization. When you are born Boer
you are born a fighter. Every son of the
veldt, whether he first see the light on
the Vaal or the Orange, is passionately
devoted to his country and eternally
ready to fight for it's liberty. So the
Transvaal is always a nation in arms,
yet without q standing army At the
age Of 16 every male recognizing Dom
Paul as president becomes member of
this citizens army. There he remains
until he has passed mis- sixtieth year.
No laws are required to hold him to it.
After the first bugle call, in fact.
yoke of oxen could not drag him from
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

ly referred to as the burghers of the
Veldt pious, bucolic, unsophisticated,
ndolent individuals who hate English
men and soap and love their homes and
the Bible"
But that was only one side Of the
case. What the other side is Great
Britain has just been learning. John
Bull has always gone to very expensive
schools. As is usual, he is today paying
dearly for his little object lesson on
the Boer, character. He imagined that
a government that embodied all the
economic vices of the dark ages was
incapable Of sustaining armed resist
ance. Mr.. Chamberlain did not dream
that stumpy old man in Chinese cog
giles and faded homespun would ever
dare 10 shake his fat paw in the face
Of the British empire. Lord Wolselev
did not for one moment imagine that a
sour visaged old burgher ambushed be-
hind bristling "cheval de frise" Of
patriarChal whiskers would ever dare
10 face the serried redcoats Of the ON
nipotent Widow at Windsor"
But there was nothing original about
this attitude. The same thing had hap
pened in the days of Pitt and Burke
and Fox. and history. as has aften been
said, has the habit of repeating itself.
1t is true that the Beers are a bucolic
people. IL is true that they are unso-
phisucated farmers and herdsmen and
that their administration is far from an
ideal one. But there is no nation in the
World great or small that, in proper
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
THE FIELD coRNer.S CALL

various districts are again split up into
divisions in charge of field comets and
assistant field comets, and as soon as
the commandant general issues his or
der for the mobilization of the volun-
teer army the commandments, the as
sistant commandments and the field cor
nets go hurriedly on horseback from
house to house and burgher TO burgher
When the veldt farmer receives his
call, he takes down his own gun, he
brings out his own horse, supplies his
own ammunition, provisions himself
with his own biltong. dried buck or
beef. and hastens on horseback to the
meeting place for that particular dis
trict- When all the burghers OF dis
trict have gathered together. the force
proceeds to an adjoining district. and
so on until the appointed army divisions
have been made UP. So beautifully
simple and efficacious is this little sys-
tenn that within IS hours after a call
has been issued by the commandment
general four army divisions, consisting
of all the ablebodied men in the re-
public. are able TO be modified on the
outskirts of Pretoria or in any other
given part of the state.
When the men are called from their
farms and herdings. the Transvaal wo-
men and children always take up the
task Of carrying on the home work.
When necessary. too, these same wo-
men and children are willing enough
TO take up a rife themselves and stand
side by side with fathers and brothers
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

and husbands in the protection of their
homes and lives.
When the call to arms comes, there is
absolute obedience from every man.
Cases of INSTRUMENTATION are unheard
of. No false alarms are ever sent cut,
so when the alarm does come the Boer
knows that il means business and read
lily submits to the inevitable.
The Boer soldier wears no uniform.
There is nothing martial in his appear
ance. In place of side arms he carries
Ratchet or ak or hammer or some 9TH
er tool with which he is most familiar.
Those Beers who for some extraordi-
nary reason do not possess rifles are
supplied with arms and ammunition by
the field cornet of the district. All vol
unteerS bring one or sometimes two
horses. There are no provender wag-
ons because the veldt supplies the feed.
There are no baggage trains because
most Of the Beers food is in his own
coat pocket. There are no war chests
because the burgher keeps his own
arms and ammunition. The assembled
troops are drilled by the cornet as best
he may. No complicated movements
and evolutions are attempted, for the
Boer must always fight as a guerrilla.
But during the last few years a
change has been taking place in the
Transvaal. Ever since Jameson kicked
over Rhodes "apple cart and made
that i'll fated raid of his into the Boer
republic both the burgher and the uit-
lander have realized that peaceful
solution of the long staRding differ
ences between the two peoples was i'm
nOSSiblQ For wears the WarPlOll0G
have been hanging ominously over the
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

stand a four months siege and stirl
have plenty of good beef in its munic-
ipal refrigerators.
In Johannesburg the preparations
have been no less adequate Two years
were spent in building a stout fort sit
uated on a small eminence about one
half mile from the business portion of
the city and commanding the entire
neighborhood with its guns. Another
equally strong fort is TO be found Just
east OF the city overshadowing the rail-
way and the approaches to the town.
When the Boer began marketing for
guns, England saw what he was after.
but could do nothing. Guns and am
munition from Europe went into the
country by way of Delagoa Bay, which
is an open port TO the Transvaal. and
in fact the only port in South Africa
not under English jurisdiction, and ac-
cordingly not closed to the importation
of munitions of war. All that the Brit
ish authorities could do was to dispatch
a number of her secret service men to
the docks at LourenZo MARQUEE and IN
easily make note of the guns and the
amount of ammunition the willy Boer
was storing up against the time when
he should have to face the redcoat in
the field.
The artillery which the Beers have
secured is the best TO be had. Their
Creusot guns that have so greatly out
classed the British artillery and have
been menacing Ladysmith and MAIZE
king are so named because they are
manufactured at Creusot, in France.
and are all rapid fire 8 inch can
non. Each gun is provided with one
row of sights, and with the maximum
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

little republic. Circumstances had done
much to keep the Boer prepared. Con-
slant conflict with wild and ruthless
black tribes, preparation against an un-
ending menace, English aggression and
! the bitter memory of other days had
made the Boer a born fighter. The real
result was that, unlikely as such a
thing looked, there was not country
in all Europe so well prepared for war
at any time as the little government
north of the Wall. So this tiny repub-
| lie with its mere 10000 voters, forced
the British government to expend 81,
900 a year in order TO keep pace with
the Bible loving speakers of low Dutch
in Com Paurs land. That began over
four years ago, when the government
of Pretoria realized that the uitlanders,
especially the uitlanders of Johannes
burg, were deliberately planning the
overthrow of the republic. Since then
the Boer has been quietly but assid-
uously making preparations for the
long pending struggle which opened a
few months ago and which is still going
on in South Africa. The Transvaal al
ready possessed a small number of Ger
man soldiers of fortune. Additional
German experts We're easily secured to
formulate plans for the defense of the
country. European artillerists were OBJ
tanned to teach the burghers the arts of
modern warfare. and even several
Americans of military training were
introduced as instructors in the nation
al military school at Pretoria Every
burgher's cottage was stocked with the
necessary ammunition and rife Ev-
cry strategic position was fortified The
few forts already in the republic were
armed with modern guns. Each year
several million pounds was spent in
Europe in the purchase Of armament
asked for by the experts. and the coun-
try was quietly placed on a war foot
ing. Just how thorough these prepara-
tons were may be judged from the de-
lenses of johannesburg and Pretoria.
The capital now lies in the center Of
a square, each corner Of which is a hill
surmounted by a strong fortress com
handing the surrounding country.
Each Of these fortresses is armed with
so heavy Calling guns, with four large
French Creusot guns Of Is miles range,
and also with four heavy cannon The
capital has an additional battery Of 30
field eating guns, which are now being
used for operations il the open There
are three large warehouses stocked
with ammunition. and al the beginning
of hostihries the national sTmory was
filed from cellar TO ceiling with i'm
proved Mauser, Martini-Henry and
Wesley Richards rifles. the city was
provisioned just as thoroughly as II was
armed, and so could even today with
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
Kruger Warned Years AGO Of the Coming Of The lire
DfeSSi6e Conflict, Left No Stone Unturned 10 Place
His Country on an Efficient War FootnQ

element to leaven the bucolic Transvaal
lump. 1t is the leader of these regulars
who during actual war assumes COM
mand Of the entire Boer army. Thirty
two officers serve under him, each one
Of whom is supposed to be capable of
commanding regiment. Under these,
again, are so subofficers, training for
service as captains and lieutenants. The
remaining 290 privates in the regular
ranks can be transformed, when neces-
sary,. into efficient sergeants and cor
porals. Could an efficient army be main
tanned and operated along simpler and
more primitive lines than these?
The commander of the artillerists,
who is, Of course, General Joubert, re-
ceives a yearly salary of S12, 500. His
little band of officers are equally well
paid. In fact, few as the officers of the
Transvaal are, they are better paid
than the army leaders of the great Eu-
ropean powers. To serve in the state
artillery is a great distinction, for only
the most intelligent and physically ia
vored Beers are admitted to this small
company, The commandant general at
Pretoria is under the immediate juris-
diction of the volksraad and the pres
ident, who have, of course, the power
to declare war and direct its conduct.
The republic is also divided into II
districts, with a commandant in con-
troll of each. Under the old South At
rican burgher law each commandant in
times Of emergency has the right to go
through his district and commander
every man able to bear arms. These
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
QUAINT ENGLISH CUSTOMS.

Among interesting sUrvivals from the
middle ages are certain quaint old Gus
toms yet lingering in England concern
ing public buildings and personages.
| For instance. each 9th OF November
sees queer civil ceremonies; each OPEN
ing of parliament likewise. And every
night at II O'Clock at the Tower there
takes place an odd little bit Of duty
called the locking of the Tower"
As the clock strikes the yeomsu por-
ter. clothed in long red cloak. bearing
bunch of gigantic keys. goes TO the
front Of the main gUardhouse and.
standing there. calls cut in stentorian
tones, Escort keyst" The sergeant %
the guard and five or six men then
turn out and gravely escort him 20 the
outer gate each sentry challenging as
the little procession steps by. who
goes there?" Keys" answers the yeo-
man porter.
The gates being carefully locked and
barred, the procession returns. the sem
tries again challenging and being an
swered as before. Arrived before the
main guardhouse. there Is a pause. The
sentry stationed there stamps his foot
imperiously and demands. staring
meanwhile at the sergeaut. his com.
rades. the red oloaked porter and az the
warder's wholly unnecessary and n
diculoUs lantern. who goes there7'
Keys" Whose keys7" queen Vic
toria's keys" Advance. Queen VIC
toria's keys. and airs we'll" The yeo-
man porter uncovers and says solemn
". God bless Queen Victoriai" 10
which the guard respond. Amen"
The officer on duty gives the words
Present armsi" and kisses the hiit OF
his sword He and his men keep their
stations until the yeoman porter has
marched alone across the parade and
deposited the keys IN che lieutenant's
lodgings. Then IL IS all over. No ono
can go cut Of or into the Tower after
that. Even within the walls any one
stirring must be furnished with the
countersign.
There IS need OF all reasonable eau
ton. although. happily. there are now
no state prisoners TO guard and keep
in those grim old cells and lodgings"
yet the Tower contains portable wealth
sufficient 10 make up the proverhial
kings ransom namely. the regHila-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

| elevation of 20 degrees the range is
| eight kilOmeters, or about ZOO yards.
Three kinds of shell can be used, the
case shell, the common shell and the
shrapnel. This latter holds no less than
ga bullets, running A to the pound,
and these are scattered in all directions
by means of a time fuse. The muzZle
velocity is said to be 1886 feet per sec
ond The gun, with its timber, weighs
just 3.400 pounds. Smokeless powder is
used. A new alloy of nickel and steel
has been employed in the manufacture
Of these guns. Their rate of fire is
from eight to ten rounds a minute.
While at times the Beers have shown
more or less weakness in their range
finding, much of their artillery work
during the war has evidenced a skill
and nicely which have been a source Of
surprise to the British. The imported
officers from Holland and Germany
have taught their lessons well. appar-
emily, though it must be confessed that
the most brilliant successes for the
ments in which the Mauser rife played
the important part.
The system Of military organization
=
not unlike that Of the sister republic
with which she has thrown in her for
tunes. The two Boer republics have
been united in a military convention for
some time past, and. although the Free
Staters are just as pastoral a race as
the people OF the Transvaal. it viii sur
prise many 70 learn that this little re-
public expends annually more money
per capita Of population for its volun-
teers than does Germany itself, the
country which has the reputation OF
being the strongest military power Of
the old world. But even this little Or
ange Free State has been able 70 put
20 900 fighting men in the field II they
are less enthusiastic than the Trans
vaalers in the struggle against the
British. IL is because they are without
the experience and the inspiration OF
the victorious campaign Of 1sS9-1. They
have been doing their fair share Of the
fighting, however. and. owing 20 the
fact that their organization was SO
much like that OF the Beers OF the sis
ter republic. they were able 10 mobilize
and carry on operations in much The
same manner as Joubert's own coun-
trymen.
One hundred and fifty officers and
men only serve IN the state artillery q
the Orange Free state. Like the artll-
leriSts Of Pretoria. They undergo train
ing from imported gun1ers and officers
and are duly prepared % 20 out ard
assume command of different bodies q
unorgauized burghers who have been
commandment - the field cornets-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
DON'T LIKE IMPERIAL OFFICERS.

In Australia and Canada the enfhd-
siasm for volunteering on active service
was somewhat dampened by the posi-
bility Of the men having 10 serve under
imperial instead % their own regiment
al officers with their own officers the
men would willingly go auyw here. but
the imperial officer. who only knows tho
enlisted Tommy is usually a tFine too
supercilious for them.
A memorable instance II this occur
red at the time Of the Louis Riel rebel
lion in Canada. The weather was bit.
terly cold. and the headquarters stan
sent TO Winnipeg for some portable
stoves % keep their quarters warm. ON
their arrival they could not be dtted up
owing to some defect ia the smoke
pipes
The captain a a crack Manitoba com
pany was. in civil life. "a master plumb
or and hardware merchant. he quiet
~ got into working clothes and adJust@
ed everything On the presence II the
officers 60 whom he was then person
ally unknown. 70 their very great com.
fort Next day. 81 uniform. be was .a.
troduced 10 the officers u the star
A calIow youth. fresh from England.
and with an ryegiaEs screwed in ono
eye. recognized him, and In his wonder
ment biuried out.
I say. colonel I'm bl0wed n this
isn't the deuued tinker that put the
stoves right yesterday
II was an unfortunate remark ard
was remembered for long afterwar5
The plumber had considerable political
influence. and he exercised IL lo fhe
way u seeing that votes 81 ths pom.g-
ion parliament Tor payment = lmper.aI
IS criticised
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
HE RODE IN A STREET CAR.

A good story of the cars love Of sim
| plicity is now going the rounds of st.
Petersburg. A certain lieutenant, as
popular as he was hard up. was one
day noticed by a brother officer who
had a grudge against him riding in a
street car in uniform. In hot haste he
hailed a cab and. driving to the bar
racks, informed his superiors. The off,
GERS were furious at what they called
an insult TO the uniform, when the IN
suspecting lieutenant strolled in a few
minutes later.
In brief terms he was informed that
an officer who could degrade his uni
form by riding in a common car was
disgrace 10 his regiment, and they gave
him the option Of sending in his papers
or being cashiered. and the hapless sub
aItern chose the former alternative. Be
fore he had time to do so, however.
Nicholas got wind Of the affair. and.
without delaying a nSment. donned his
colOnePs uniform OF the regiment in
question and, sauntering out of his pal
ace, hailed IA car. and, entering Il, sat
calmly down till IL stopped in front OF
the barracks.
It so happened that a major Of the
regiment was entering the building as
the czar descended from the car. 50
going up to the astonished officer. he
said calmly, Call the officers" This
was done in a few moments. Then the
car exclaimed: Gentlemen. ] have
just heard that you have ordered Lieu
tenant d. TO send in his papers because
he was seen riding in a street car. Now.
gentlemen. I am your colonel, and. a.
you see, in full -egimentals. l have rid
den from the palace here IN one. and |
do not intend to send IN my papers. but
want to know If you intend to cashier
me"
Sire" replied the major nervoa1sly.
acting as spokesman for the abashed
officers, your majesty could never
commit an indiscretion. inasmuch az
the car Of all the Russias cannot err.
Your majesty could never disgrace your
uniform"
Then. gentlemen" answered the T
car. with an amused smile. 'as I have
not degraded the uniform. Lieutenant (
D. cannot have done 50. and viii thus +
retain his commission IN this regiment /
even II be. like me. does ride in street I
cars"
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
sTRATFouD.s arEER ON FAIR.

stratfoTli- Avon. thanks possibly -
its reverence for Ehzkespeasr 81 one 20
the recoEuizeS homes - 90 customs.
There - yearly held thers 1s-haus taa
most typical = cd f>ns.ish fairs. nHIea
goes ~ the p4cfGrsrgue name ~ tre
mop fair and * FCasl Iac sd
towu Is nlis9 Ui.h eTthe.1oz f1afse.
stalls and rogndabogta. Eut are 81 N
feature which attracts ne crowds from
the neigh boraooa ia the rp-rfacie n f5s
oxen agitte3 whole from bead - tan
REMOVING before Temporary brick Ores
IN the streets TIE whole spectacle has
= savor - the esd fashsoas4 time.
which g.. uanappilY. teiuz Zoo rar.gsy
forgotten N most coaatrT Villages are
smaller bor8Eghs.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04

eral Joubert, the Boer commander, is a
native Of Louisiana and an ex-Confed-
crate officer confused him with an
other Colonel Jcubert. who was in the
Confederate army. ard a native OF Lou
isiana- he was creole and lived and
died in Louisiana
The mule used for the mountain artiI-
lery in the Transvasl has special train
ing for stability. 1t is his duty TO help
TO carry TO high and difficult places the
FOUNDER screw guns. This screw
gun is SO called because il is in two
parts, each weighing IS CT 100 pounds.