The Irish standard., 1900-08-18

the shameless resolve to grab the min
eral wealth OF the Transvaal and Orange
Free State.
The battle Of Spion Kop, about which
so much controversy has arisen since
the publication of Lord Roberts dis
patch, was also fought and won by Gen.
eral Louis Botha. He was expressly
sent by President Kruger to conduct
the campaign in that locality, and right
we'll was the election justified in the
final results. The commanding general
spoke freely OF this fighting on both
sides, which eliminated in the fierce and
sanguinary encounter on this hill.
Our salvation again." said the gen.
eral, "at Spion Kop, as at Colenso, was
the amazing incapacity OF the British ar
tillcry. They blazed away as if noise
aid not effective firing was the chief
business OF the gunners Our few guns,
on the contrary, we're splendidly served;
our two Creusots doing immense exc
cution on the massed Tommics who
were sent up the hill in close formation
by the officers who did not know their
business"
again there was disgraccful delay
in the burying OF the enemy's dead,'
added General Botha. "Thrcc days
went by without this duty being per-
formed. l had granted an armisticc to
enable General Butler to attend TO the
wounded and to bury his dead, but the
time was more than occupied in march,
ing his huge force back over the Tu-
gcla. sent in twice for my wounded
who were in his hands, offering to send
him all the English wounded who were
in Our hands, without any response.
On the third message reaching him, he
returned me four men, and l sent him
-3ooH
General Botha spoke strongly on tho
treatment which some Bocr wounded
had received at the hands OF the Eng
lisl in contrast with the prompt attcn-
ton which English wounded received
from the Bocrs. "About week follow
ing Our victory at Spion Kop," he re-
marked, "thcrc was some fighting on
small hill which some OF Buffers men
had taken from patrol of ours. Four
Of Our men were badly wounded one of
them being son OF the late President
Brand OF the Free State, and these
four men were allowed to remain where
they fell for three days without being Of
fered even drink of water by the Off
GERS and gentlemen who have come to
teach us Beers civilization!'
| found the Beers C'Bocr" is the old
Dutch name for "farmcr'), taking their
young and old dwcllcrs in towns and
land workers, a more intelligent people
than corresponding classes in England,
which would include English farmers
and laborcrs.
They arc far more moral in their lives
and more sincerely religious than tho
British people.
Young Beers arc better men in every
respect, physically and morally, than
young Englishmcn, are more intelligent,
speaking, as they nearly all do, two
languages, Dutch and English; while in
their character and behavior, in living
clean and sober lives, they are far above
the personal and moral standard OF the
average young Englishman of any
class.
Bocr women never become prosti-
tutcs.
The hospitality OF the Bocr is pro.
verbal
Taking, therefore, the Bocr nation as
| have found thcm-in the field of bat
tic. in their homes, their industrial lives,
in their morals, religion, character and
general intelligence would unhesi-
tatingly say that they are Drawer, a
better and more civilized people than
the British.
In this war they have fought the Brit.
isll three to one, and have beaten them
in all the regular engagements up to
General Cronjc's surrender
Man for man and gun for gun, the
Beers would have driven their foes into
tho Indian ocean in a month.
Even in the face of the overwhelming
Numbers OF men and guns hurled against
them in Lord Roberts huge army, the
Beers would have beaten back their
English assalants with ease if neither
Irish nor Scotch soldiers had fought on
the English side.
The Beers have fought without pay
or reward. Their homes and country
were at stake, and these they have
riskcd not for pay or praise or pension,
but for liberty and national ndcpcn-
dcncc.
For the time being they are beaten.
Great Britain and the rccrcant sction OF
Ireland, together with the Australias and
Canada, representing population OF
neal 100000 have sent over 100000
troops and hundreds of cannon to fight
and conquer two little nations with a
total population less than that OF the
city of Manchester, and therefore the
republics of the Transvaal and OF the
Orange Free State are for the present
beaten. But they are not conquered!
Their final conquest l firmly believe