Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-06
TWELVE PAGES.
WEDNESDAY. JUNE G. 1900.
THE NAV OF THE LION.

When Lord Roberts enters Pretoria,
which 1t seems inevitable that he will
shortly do, he will doubtless Issue
proclamation similar to that promul-
gated at Bloemfontcn, declaring the
Transvaal to be n military district con-
HtitrJtlng q part OF the British Empire.
This will end the political aspect
Cd the war by the obliteration Of
Hhs Boer republics as independent
nations. They will have become
part of the indgestibes with which
the British Lion has been stuffing
his nav for more than n century.
They will not have been asslmi-
lated; they will only have been swal
lowed. The assimilation of them will
be very different matter. The process
will doubtless be started by the disarm-
Ing OF the Burghers. the establishment
of n rigid military government for a
time and. possibly. in the end. THE
nrming OF the Uitlanders and the en-
thronement OF that carct-bag element
as the controlling factor of a civil gov
eminent more or less farcical in it's ma
ture. The mines of the Transvaal will
be depended on to Anglicize that coun-
try by maintaining and increasing the
preponderance OF the English over the
Dutch population. In other words,
England will put the Uitlanders in the
saddle and after period Of military
control will trust them to maintain
their supremacy with the aid of few
English regiments. the Importation of
arms for the Burghers being strictly
prohibited. that they may be entirely
at the mercy OF the aliens who will be
set over them. The conditions that the
Rhodes Chamberlain conspirators de-
clared were imposed upon the Uitland-
ers will now. in all probability be i'm
posed on the Boers-they will be de-
prived Of oil voice in the government
and OF the right to bear arms. OF
course England wants the Rand gold
mines: but Ito see in that desire the
sole casus belli Is to overlook the impe-
rda1 arms OF England, which will not
tolerate any hostile influence in South
Africa The perpetual submergence Of
tho Dutch element and the accomplish
ment of an all-English South Africa is
one result foreseen OF the present poll
icy. 1t Is the same arrogant, bullying
INSCRIPTIONS policy that has made
England supremacy the pirate nation of
modern times-cr!nging to the strong
menactng with ultimatums and attack
ing only the weak. For nearly q half
century England has been almost CON
stantIy making war-but not once I'm
fhnt time has she accepted the gage OF
battle thrown at her feet by first
class power. The pirate does not at
back q ship of the line. The merchant
man Is his prey. Russia has nouted
England at Constaptinople and at
Pekin; IN Korea and on the Afghan
border. A dozen times Russia has
given England Just cause OF n quarrel,
baking her here. threatening her there.
breaking solemn compacts at Will. The
Bear has claws; England swallowed
the Insults and went OH with her per-
pet1ra1 wars on the weak and hclpless
Nor has 1t been the sole evil Of her
course. She has set an example that
bther nadons have followed, until brute
force has become more than ever the
only safe guard OF national independ-
ence. To be weak IS to invite spolia
Hhat are strong, are become canni-
balls; the weak one the victims. Eng
land has been the excmplar Of this in
famous practice; Germany, France,
Russis> tho United States have fol-
apTed.