Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-10
THE BOER CAPITAL.


THE BOER CAPITAL.
Something About the Magnificent Fortif-
cations Around Pretoria.
New York Sun.
Pretoria is the objective point which
General Lord Roberts has in view.
Bloemfontein is on his direct route TO
the Trausvaal capital and is also an
important prize which be hopes to seize
on his Journey. 1t remains to be seen
how effectively the Beers will contest
bis efforts to capture these cities.
Bloemfontein stands all exposed on
the bigh plain or veldt with no natural
barrier to the west between it and the
advancing British forces. The sur
rounding country is dry and unfertile.
Stones thickly strew the plain outside
the town and clumps of grass and low
brushes somewhat relieve the mono
tony of the almost level plain. In the
town are many trees that partly hide
from view most of the low, white build
ings forming the larger part of the city.
The official residence of the president
is fine building; but it is only two
stories in height, with room enough
above under its hip roof, for an expan-
sive attic. Nogunner outside the town
can make it his special target. The
capitol, on the contrary, has an impos-
ing tower and this building, with two
or three schools and other structures
similarly adorned, are the only editices
that attract attention as the city is
approached from the direction whence
the Britirh forces are coming.
A little stream, at times almost
waterless, flows through the city on
its way to the Modder river. The
streets are laid out with much regu-
larity and the town covers quite a
large area considering that its popula-
ton is less than 4, 900.
Though the town is naturally wide
open on the side which the British are
approaching, it is overlooked on the
east and northeast by long ridge 200
or 300 feet above the level Of the plain.
This ridge is one to one and half
miles from the outskirts of the city !;
and a little beyond the northern end
of the ridge rises a koPje, little lower
in altitude. From these points of
vantage the only view Of the town
may be obtained ; and on these eleva-
tions were reared the Notifications
which the burghers of the Free State
constructed, long ago, during the
period of their serious differences with
the British government.
We have only recently heard that
the Beers have built an elaborate sys-
tenn of earthworks for the defense of
the town; but very little information
on this matter has come to hand.
There is every reason to suppose that
the old fortifcations on the ridge and
the kopje have been placed in the
most effective condition possible. If
the Beers of the Free State intend to
make hard struggle to keep their
capital, the guns on the ridge may be
used most advantageously to keep the
British from closely approaching the
town; but with guns of equal range,
the British may easily throw shells
into the town and be out of reach of
the cannon on the ridge behind it. In
brief, the line of defense around
Bloemfontien must be mainly system
of earthworks such as those that kept
the Beers out of Kimberly during a
siege of nearly four months.
The conditions are very different at
Pretoria. Nature and science have
made the capital of the Transvaal
very strongly fortified town. Unless
the Beers have had enough war by the
time the British come within view of
the hills around Pretoria, there is little
doubt of their ability to make a stub
born last stand at the capital. The
hills that hem in Pretoria on all sides
are crowned with seven forts of much
strength all built under the expert ad
vice and direction of European militia
ry engineers. Two of these forts were
completed between 1894 and 1896, and
five of them have been built since the
Jameson raid. They command every
approach to the city. 1t may perhaps
be unfortunate for the Beers if the
British are acquainted with all the de-
tails of these forts and it is said that
complete plans of them were in the
possession of the British war office be-
fore the war began. There was great
deal of mystery about the work but
according to British authority two En-
glish engineering officers worked as
navvies in order to get an opportunity
to thoroughly acquaint themselves
with the construction and plans of the
forts; and information was also OBJ
tanned from other sources. However
this may be, the British have no doubt
that the forts were elaborately and
strongly constructed. They are all