The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-04

authority aotf Of the Beers who are
now opposing Great Britain on
the borders of the Transvaal Tho
ponce IS the last resort of the indi-
gem Transvaalers, and the Johannes
puIs carp ls-alike in courage and in NOR
aAty-eVeryway comparable to yelling
tons Peninsular soldier From them the
CRlahders have judged the race
nut the great mass of the nation is to-
duy as IN 1880, people of simple habits
gazing wide-mouthed a a train and fear
ing the wrath of God in chastisement for
"a a, street lamp or a telephone. One sees
them upon the vedt. tripping lankily on
shaggy South African ponies caring
haught for anything beyond their sheep,
ana knowledging no authority save
God s. the weld hornets, and the Predi-
kant's.
These are the men on whom the de-
tense OF the republic has deVolyed and
the British forces have yet to measure
strength with them in the field Gen.
Joubert is not devoid of Moltke-like in
dnerence to human sacrifice where the
eXlSencies of the case demand. But Slim
Pet is careful to offer only such lives as
he can best spare. These lay in the To-
hanhesburg contingent-the commando
where clerkly HOllanders bivouacked
alongside weedy Beers from the Fordsburs
slums-and they were sent to draw the
British fire at Elandsaatge.
mere was fitness in this that is not
at first apparent. The commando was
that most easily spared by Joubert rely
ing upon his back-country burghers for
ms ultimate support, and was that con-
tanning the largest number of toWnsmen
acquainted, colloquially at least, with in
struments of modern warfare. They
atone nave stood by their artillery in the
campaign.
1t is a rule of Zulu warfare for the
young impis TO go first into the battle
while the men of the Old Guard stand nv
and criticise their conduct in the fight.
Much of the Boer method has been learn
en from the savaSes upon their border
Inc johannesburg contingent possessed
the qualifications of Indifferent material
and respectful familiarity with the weap-
ons engaged. Hence their place in the
van OF the Boer attack. Afterwards. at
Nicholson's Mex and in circumstances bet
ter suited to their method of fighting. ap-
peared the men of the back countrywide
true Beers of the Transvaal
The Boer degeneracy has been confined
IN great parts to the men of the towns;
the others are shepherds, hunters and
lrahsport-riders, Jas in the days of their
wars against the Matabele, the Xosas and
the Zuius. Game has grown pitiably less
in quantity, but proportionately more diff
hcuit to take. 1 do not find that Boer
prowess in the chase has markedly depre
GATED The men of the Wakkerstroom
district for instance-those nearest to the
present seat of war-take their herds for
SIX months of every year into the high
lands IN search of forage and water. They
I'VE there the traditional open life of the
boer, dependent on their guns and wood
craft for their sustenance
some TWO years ago l was present at
Wap@nschouwing at Roodekoppen in the
Heidelberg districts and saw there an ex
hlpltioh oil shooting on the part of the To-
oar NINA IL. II.
present-day craftsmanship of the Boer as
much as anything l have read of his Drow-
css in the past
There was a force of 700 Beers mounted
on the customary weld ponies. each man
wan remount. canvas target was
raised a mile distant, and, at the word
the whole commando Numbered down nm,
on it, riding loose-reined guiding Win
their knees. Some 800 yards from the
marx the men threw themselves to the
ground, and in squads of twenty. fired a
nasty Volley, remounted and rode back 10
reform column. The maneuver was ex-
ecuted as smartly as anything have soon
done by specially trained troops at Rislev
or al Aldershot. As they galloped awav
only Few tattered ribbons remained Ant
tering in The breeze. The target was no
more 49,
In that single evolution lies the whole
secret of Boer tactics-rapid advances az
treats. The retreat is as important as the
advance, and therein lies one explanation
OF the employment of the Johannesbure
contingent al Elands.aagte They were
the only troops who could be trusted to
remain beside cannon in position on a nm
In all the engagements since Glands
laagte the cannon have been withdrawn
as soon as the British advance became de-
fntely apparent. The Beers freed from
the anchorage of their artillery. have pur-
sued their Old tactics of rapid retreats
from the point of most virulent attack
with compensating attacks on flank. In
Carleton's case the strategy, aided by thc
old native trick of stampeding the enemy's
horses, proved successful
To the Boer a position has no import-
ance save as a pace to fight from. one
kopje top is the same as another kopie
top, and If the enemy heset one over
much 1t is wise TO remove to another.
With cannon this maneuver is impossible.
Men must stand by the guns or lose them.
The typical Boer VIII lose them: and
question If any of the old commanders
viii consent 10 give battle hampered by
stationary or cumbersome artillery
The strength Of the Beers, then lies in
the back-coIntry commanders, who win
engage, maybe, in considerable numbers,
but who will invariably avoid heavy MS
sault by rapid retreats, followed by re-