The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18
CIRCULATION STATEMENT.
SUNDAY. MARCH Is. 1900.


Prospects in south Africa.
II We could accept all We hear from
South Africa and Europe today without re-
serve we should feel compelled TO predict
early end to the war. and general Boer
submission before summer. AS far as ap-
pearances go il certainly looks as if the
Transvaal Army were disintegrating. while
there are good reasons for believing that
the allied force of the Free State is dis
persing rapidly. There has been divided
counsel and trouble among the Boer lead
ers for some time. Joabert. it will be re-
membered quit the front and went TO Pre-
toria. He is reported back and in com
mand somewhere above BIoemfontein; but
Lourenco Marques despatch, on the
strength of message to that place from
Pretoria. asserts that Generals Lucas
Meyer and Schalk- Burger have declined to
fight any longer and have returned to their
farms.
II the bellwethers are beginning to fall
away in this manner We may expect
good many of the sheep to follow them.
The Importance of such defections TO the
result of the war is obvious in the case CT
belligerent who is already vastly out
numbered by his adversary. The actual
numerical strength OF the Boer Army, in
Guiding Free Staters and Natal and Cape
rebels, is as much a mystery today as it
has been throughout the campaign. Cecil
Rhodes declares that there never have
been to exceed thirty thousand Beers I'M
der arms at one time. This is no doubt
pared to believe that there were not more
than forty thousand in the field AT the date
OF Cronie's surrender. and that this esti-
mate should be cut down twenty-five per
cent to cover the losses and desertions
since.
From a strategieal point of view, there
would seem to be but little if any chance
for General Joubert to offer serious resist
ance to the advance OF Lord Roberts. The
latter has his enemy divided and fully &C.
cupied in two places. Sir Redvers Butler
reports the Beers in force on the Biggars-
berg range and in Van Reenen's Pass. II
they should evacuate these and fall back
into the Transvaal by way of Laing's Mex,
Butler would be able to follow. or to cross
the Drskensberg Mountains and take Jou-
bert in flank in the northern part of the
Free State. Ultimately. it is to be pre-
sumed that the Beers will leave Natal and
move to the Naal River line OF defence;
but the results will probably not be in any
way affected by that movement. Com
pared with the force opposing him north OF
Bleemfontein. Roberts has men enough to
turn, and thus render untenable any,
position the other party may occupy. If all
the Beers were united the fact would be
the same In that event. instead of having
fifty thousand troops with which to ope-
rate against, say, twenty thousand the
British general. REINFORCED by his Natal
army, would be in command OF ninety
thousand against a possible thirty, thirty
five or forty thousand In these circum-
stances il is not easy to think that Joubert
can do anything effective in the way OF
stopping the British at the VaaI River uu-
less indeed it should be possible for him
to select his own ground. which we do not
understand TO be the case
The occupation of Springfontein, the
northern salient of the strategic quadrilat-
eral near the Orange River, completes the
cleanup of the Free State south of Bloem-
fontein. All the British forces are now
north of the river, and unopposed, as far
as We can learn, except opposite AlwaI
North, where General Brabant is confront
ed with a considerable body and two
Krupp guns These Beers are cut off |
from retreat by the railway. and are in |
imminent danger of being surrounded and |
Z &c l.
to escape by abandoning their guns and |
supplies and scattering in small parties; |
but for the present it looks very much as if |
they were bagged. The communications by |
rail between Bloemfontein and the coast
are now open, and, thanks TO his luck in
catching twenty-six locomotives when he
took possession of Steyn's capital. Lord
Roberts viii be able TO supply himself rap
idly from the Cape and other seaports.
1t is presumable that the main body cs |
the British Army at Bloemfontein will soon
be delayed long enough TO dispose of what |
ever Beers may be still in the field below |
But Pole-Carew. Gatscre. Clements, and |!
Brabdnt between them are expected TO |
finish that business within a few days. |
That will release about fifteen thousand |
troops which it is said, will move up and |
occupy BlOemfontein when Roberts and The
Modder River Army march out toward the |
Vaal and Pretoria.
Neither Kruger nor Joubert, nor. in fact. |
any other of the Boer leaders, can be ig-
uorant OF the truth that their cause is hope
less, nor that further resistance will |
merely involve a useless sacrifice OF life
and property-that is unless there should
be foreign Intervention. 1t is at that
straw the Transvaal Government IS
catching. 1t argues that every day the
capture OF Pretoria can be delayed will
help the chance that some European com
plicsiion may finally work TO the relief of
the Boer situation. However much such a
theory may have been justified in the pass.
it must be said TO have little foundation
now, IL We are 10 credit the political news
from Europe today. II is being claimed by
well-inGormed and semi official European
papers that the Car of Russia is bound by
a solemn personal engagement not to take
advantage OF Great Britain's preoccupatiolI
in any way; that he. therefore, will not
attempt Intervention, and that no power
other than Russia Is in e position TO or
wishes to interfere 1t this be a true
analysis of the position occupied by Europe
with reference TO Intervention. ii is u be
hoped that The futility of continuing the