The sun., 1900-02-07
THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA
Impression That Fierce Fight
ing is Still on Will Not
Die Down.
ROBERTS REPLY TO KRUGER
Latest Accounts in the Cape Town
Argus Announce That the Forts
of Pretoria Have Been
Practically Denuded of
Their Artillery.

that General Buffers forces are lighting
will not die out, in spite of the continual
asseyerations Of the war office that it has
no news to confirm that belief.
From Cape Town comes the statement
that nothing has been heard there regard
ing General Buffers recrossing the Tu-'l
gela river, while Field Marshal Lord
Roberts reports no change in the situa-
ton. In view of the latter's dispatches,
it seems hard to credit the circumstan-
tial reports of the engagement of General
Buffers troops.
The complete silence from the front
and at home may be significant, as the
wiseacres say, but it more probably rep
resents that period of preparation which
precedes an important move.
In other parts than along the Tugela
river the conditions of information are
hardly more satisfactory. There is an
inconclusive vagueness regarding General
French's reported intention to seize Nor
val's pont with an overwhelming force of
infantry.
French Can't Take Risks.
While news of sharp fighting in the
neighborhood of Colesberg can be fairly
expected within Il few days, it is not like
ly that it will assume greater proportions
TptOnIlOlSSslIttS
the purpose of holding the advanced posi-
ton of the forthcoming main advance by
way of Bloemfontein. General French
is strategically prohibited from running
any serious risk.
| Lord Roberts reply to the protests of
| Presidents Kruger and Steyn relative t.
alleged destruction of private property
| in which he asserts that the most strin
gent orders had been issued to the Brit
ish troops to respect such property and
| that it was rather the republican forces
which were carrying on war i'll violation
| of civilized usages creates an excellent
impression hero.
| From Kimberley and Mafeking there is
nothing new; SO it cnn be presumed that
the intermittent bombardment of these
places continues.
| The Cape Town Argus ANNOUNCES that
90 guns have been dispatched from Pre-
toHia to the front and that the Pretoria
forts have been practically denuded of
artillery.
ChnmberIain's Defense.
The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain,
secretary of state for the colonies, made
a speech in the British house of commons
| in defense of his war policy. Replying
to the attack on the govei nment by Sir
William Vernon-Harcourt, Mr.. Chamber
lain contended that the present struggle
| was inevitable and that the time had
come to settle the South African question
of Boer or British supremacy. The is
sues between Great Britain and the
South African republics, he declared,
were real and not technical. The real
causes of disagreement were older than
any special incidents, such as the fran
chise question. The causes did not begin
at Majuba Hill, though they were inten-
sified thereby.
The difficulties were not the work OF
any government. They were inherent
in the great differences between Boei
and British character and education.
The Boer policy from first to last had
been to get rid of British supremacy
and substitute Boer supremacy. That
was the issue. Peace uuld only be pre-
served by one party giving way.
The hesitation of successive govern
ments to break the peace had strength.
ened the determination and power of
Boer resistance. When the present gov.
ernment came into power, it found the
irritation growing and realized that the
time had come when it must be settled
1t believed and hoped that peaceful set
tlement was possible and that when
President Kruger saw how little the
British asked and how determined they
were to get it he would give way
Mr.. Chamberlain admitted that the
government had made mistakes, that the
facts of the war were underestimated at
the outset, but they had done and were
doing their best TO remedy the errors
He dwelt upon the great output of men
and munitions without hitch and with
speed and asked what nation could have
done so we'll He paid a tribute to the
loyalty of the colonial Dutch in South
Africa under great strain and dilated
appreciatively upon the sacrifices made
by the people of Natal.