The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-21
IN SOUTH AFRICA.

1t is evident that Lord Roberts's home
coming will not be the occasion OF quits
SO much joyousness as was anticipated
The idea was to make It q sort Of end-of-
ths-war ceIebration. He was to be es-
oorted TO 80. Paul's, where service OF
Thanksgiving was to be held for the sue
cess of the British arms. The latest news
from South Africa has caused the elimi-
nation OF this part Of the programme, 1t
being regarded as q little too homogeneous
to give thanks to the Almighty for the
ending OF the war right on the heels OF
the capture of large psrt Of General
Clement forcs by Commandment Delarsy,
the Abandonment Of the pursuit OF Gen.
erai DE Wet, and the raid into Caps
Colony by Bosr oommandos. Since Lord
Roberts entered Pretoria the outlook for
the publication Of the two republics has
not been so gloomy as 1t Ia today. For
SONS reason, not very clear, the Boers
and the Orange Free States have taken
on new courage aud energy of late. The
indefatigable DE Wet has repeatedly at
tackled and defeated isolated detach-
msnts OF British soldiers, and his strategy
and celebrity Of movement have repsat-
edly extrlcated him when his capture
seemed all but inevitable. The most
serious feature of the situation 10 the eros
sing OF the Orange river by Beer detaoh-
ments. The Dutch in Cape Colony have
been, from the start, In sym psthy with
the republics, and undoubtedly have
contributed many soldiers to their armies
They are now said to be greatly excited
over the cruel measures which the Brit
ish have put in force in the Transvaal,
and on the verge OF revolt. The recent
gathering at Worcester, though IL was
surrounded by British troops and COM
nianded by British cannon, refused to be
iutimidatsd, and the resolutions adopted
strongly condemned the proceedings OF
the British in the two republics. There
IL great apprehension in England
that the population may be stirred
to a general revolt by the presence of
armsd commandos from the republics.
There can be no doubt, should
that happsn, England would have
problem on her hands that would tax her
military and financial resources to the
utmost. Already she has spsnt nearly
5000 600, 600 since the war began, and her
losses In officers and men, especially the
former, have been very severe. 10 defeat
the armies OF the republic, never az any
time probably exceeding 90, 900 men, Eng
land has had to send to South Africa
more than goo coo troons and her fore
most generals. A general rising in Cape
Colony would require TO suhdue 1t
probably double.the present force, and the
bitterness and hatred which would follow
would compel, for great many years,
the maintenance of a very large army in
south Africa While at home on the
surface there seems to be a disp osition to
push the war to the bitter end, and TO
leave not one shred OF indepsnenoe to the
two repubticF, there Is underneath an
undercurrent OF dissatisfaction which
would make itself felt II the government
should run up against SO serious COM
plication as q general outbreak In Cape
Colony would be. or course, she proha-
bility still is that the British VIII finally
succeed in crushing out resistance and
comp elling the burghers to take what
England may he disposed 20 give them.
But If an uprising shonld take place in
Cape Colony, such a resuit, II accom-
piished at all, could only be achieved
after a tremendous expenditure OF men
and money The government was
right In postponing the services at
st. PauI's In recognition OF the close Of
the war. The war is not yet closed, and
1t may not be for years.